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If you're looking for essential local news, sports, entertainment, lifestyle and business stories from around Columbus, you're in the right place.

Check out the latest stories from our team below.

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Going to the 2022 Franklin County Fair? Here's ticket info, parking, what's new and more

The Franklin County Fair returned Monday and runs through July 24.

Here's what to know

What's your pizza style? New York or Columbus? Customers can choose at Black Dog Pizzeria

Black Dog Pizzeria has opened in the old Carlucci's Pizzeria space at 5923 Karric Square Drive off Frantz Road.

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It's Necessary: Yost puts his foot in mouth by doubting case of 10-year-old rape victim

Attorney General Dave Yost questioned the validity of a story about a 10-year-old Ohio girl who was raped and had to travel to Indiana for an abortion.
Attorney General Dave Yost questioned the validity of a story about a 10-year-old Ohio girl who was raped and had to travel to Indiana for an abortion.

Attorney General Dave Yost questioned the validity of a story about a 10-year-old girl who was raped and had to travel to Indiana for an abortion.

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New Mercadito Cositas Lindas market highlights 'Latine' cullture

Jun 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA;  Annette Vasquez talks to customers, Rachel Benton, left, and Shannon Maan, in her shop, Flower Day-ze, during the pop-up market, Mercadito Cositas Lindas, which helps small, Latino-owned businesses, in the parking lot of Stewart Alternative Elementary in German Village on June 26, 2022. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Little market. Pretty things.

That is the perfect description — and the English translation — for Mercadito Cositas Lindas, a small-but-growing pop-up market that will host its third event on Sunday.

During a sweltering Sunday in late June, eight vendors set up shop outside Stewart Alternative Elementary School in German Village.

Customers trickled in, shopping for flowers, artwork, jewelry and clothing as Latin music and conversations in Spanish filled the air.

Founder Annette Vasquez said she started Mercadito Cositas Lindas to cater to Latino business owners and highlight their culture. (She prefers to use the gender-neutral term “Latine” to describe the market.)

She said her experience at other markets around town inspired her to create her own.

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After nearly 50 years, Dungeons & Dragons is on roll with new, renewed fans

Jun 28, 2022; Columbus, OH, USA;  Dice for the Dungeons and Dragons game at Tabletop Columbus on June 28, 2022.
Jun 28, 2022; Columbus, OH, USA; Dice for the Dungeons and Dragons game at Tabletop Columbus on June 28, 2022.

"Everyone’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons without you," the New York Times boldly proclaimed in an article in May about the nearly 50-year-old game.

The numbers certainly make it seem that way.

More than 50 million people have played Dungeons & Dragons since it launched in 1974 – according to Wizards of the Coast, the Seattle-based company owned by Hasbro that makes D&D.

Wizards of the Coast reported a 33% spike in D&D sales in 2020, fueled in part by the the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Paying with cash? Ohio lawmaker wants to make businesses take your dollars

Very few businesses are still cash-only, like Rubino's Pizza in Bexley.
Very few businesses are still cash-only, like Rubino's Pizza in Bexley.

Cashless payments, like telecommuting, took major steps forward during the pandemic.

But it also represented a step back for the one in 20 Ohioans who don't have a bank account. A population that's disproportionately low-income, Black and Hispanic.

"Privacy concerns are huge, and I think it’s a growing, untalked-about issue," Sen. Bill Blessing, R-Colerain Township, said. "Do we really want to live in a world where purchases are tracked and can be used against you?"

Blessing does not, so he introduced Senate Bill 242 to require Ohio retail merchants accept cash with certain exceptions for car rental services, stadiums and other specific businesses. Federal law doesn't require cash to be accepted as legal tender, but states and cities can.

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Arrest made in rape of Ohio girl that led to Indiana abortion drawing international attention

Gavel and stethoscope on Abortion law handbook.
Gavel and stethoscope on Abortion law handbook.

A Columbus man has been charged with impregnating a 10-year-old Ohio girl, whose travel to Indiana to seek an abortion led to international attention  following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade and activation of Ohio's abortion law.

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🔒Black women share experiences, express concern about impact of abortion ban

Jun 26, 2022; Columbus, OH, USA; Jordyn Close, who is on the board chair of Women Have Options/Ohio and the executive fellow at Ohio Women's Alliance, poses for a portrait in Goodale Park in Columbus, Ohio. Close co-hosted the Women Have Options/Ohio "speak out" at ComFest where people were able to share their experience of having an abortion in a supportive group setting. Mandatory Credit: Brooke LaValley-The Columbus Dispatch

Abortion-rights advocates say the new restrictions will disproportionately impact Black women, who are most likely to seek an abortion. In Ohio, more than half of the women who had abortions in 2020 were nonwhite, and 43.2% of them were Black, according to the state health department.

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Hollywood Casino set to open Columbus' first Wahlburgers this month

The 'Our Burger' at Wahlburgers in Carmel, Indiana. The Columbus location will serve the restaurant's gourmet burgers, sandwiches, salads and "adult-friendly" shakes.
The 'Our Burger' at Wahlburgers in Carmel, Indiana. The Columbus location will serve the restaurant's gourmet burgers, sandwiches, salads and "adult-friendly" shakes.

The Columbus-area's first Wahlburgers restaurant will open this month in Hollywood Casino.

The burger chain founded by actor Mark Wahlberg and brothers Donnie and chef Paul is scheduled to will open July 18 in the casino, with a menu featuring gourmet burgers, sandwiches, salads and "adult-friendly" shakes.

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Goodguys 24th Summit Racing Nationals return to Columbus

The GoodGuys 23rd Summit Racing Nationals was at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus, Ohio July 10.
The GoodGuys 23rd Summit Racing Nationals was at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus, Ohio July 10.

The Ohio Expo Center will be a busy place this weekend with the Goodguys 24th Summit Racing Nationals coming to town.

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Barley grown for Miller Lite beer made with dirt from Columbus Crew field

Dirt from Lower.com Field is being used to grow barley for Miller Lite as part of a promotional campaign.
Dirt from Lower.com Field is being used to grow barley for Miller Lite as part of a promotional campaign.

Columbus Crew fans can now boast of having a hand in the production of one of America's top-selling beers.

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'Discouraged' Eastland Mall businesses hope the struggling Columbus mall can survive

Trash, weeds and a missing "d" greet visitors who enter one of Eastland Mall's parking lot entrances on June 22, 2022.
Trash, weeds and a missing "d" greet visitors who enter one of Eastland Mall's parking lot entrances on June 22, 2022.

In September 2021, Ta'Sonda Black-Paschal joined a growing number of small business owners at Eastland Mall.

Though the indoor mall, like many  others, is long past its peak as a top shopping destination, it still seemed like a great opportunity to open her business, the apparel and personal care retailer Seriously Blended. Plus, a friend had recently opened a storefront there.

Paschal, who started Seriously Blended in 2020 with her children, was getting a steady stream of traffic at her new storefront for a while. But lately, she said, fewer and fewer people have been coming to the mall.

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Going to the Westerville Music & Arts Festival? Here's ticket info, parking and more

The Westerville Music and Arts festival will return this year in person for the first time since 2019.
The Westerville Music and Arts festival will return this year in person for the first time since 2019.

The Westerville Music & Arts Festival is back in full swing this weekend. We've got information on performers, schedule, tickets, parking and more.

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22-year-old leases homes to Columbus nonprofit to help expand housing for LGBTQ+ youth

June 23, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Rocky Manrique, 22,  recently bought two homes that they are now leasing to Kaleidoscope Youth Center, which will allow the organization to expand its housing program for LGBTQ youth. Rocky is living in one house while overseeing renovations there and waiting for the second house to be vacated. Mandatory Credit: Barbara Perenic/Columbus Dispatch

Rocky Manrique, 22, recently bought two homes that they are now leasing to Kaleidoscope Youth Center, which will allow the organization to expand its housing program for LGBTQ+ youth.

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With Roe v. Wade overturned, Ohio clinics sue to restore access to abortions

June 24, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States;  Hundreds of people rallied at the Ohio Statehouse and marched through downtown Columbus in support of abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade on Friday. Mandatory Credit: Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
June 24, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Hundreds of people rallied at the Ohio Statehouse and marched through downtown Columbus in support of abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade on Friday. Mandatory Credit: Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch

Five days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Ohio's abortion clinics are suing to restore access to abortions in the state.

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New owners say refreshed Dante's Pizza will remain a Clintonville classic

Jun 23, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, U.S.; Dante's Pizza owners Jeff Egger, left, and Christina Taylor, center, along with long time employee Patrick West pose for a photo in the restaurant on June 23, 2022. Dante's have reopened after a two-month remodeling effort, the pizzeria has been around since 1973.
Jun 23, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, U.S.; Dante's Pizza owners Jeff Egger, left, and Christina Taylor, center, along with long time employee Patrick West pose for a photo in the restaurant on June 23, 2022. Dante's have reopened after a two-month remodeling effort, the pizzeria has been around since 1973.

Buying Dante’s Pizza in Clintonville in October was a real game-changer for Christina Taylor.

It finally squelched questions from concerned family members and well-wishers about when Taylor was going to get a real job, something the college-educated Taylor didn’t quite appreciate.

The next item, which was far more disquieting, is when the change of ownership required an inspection from the city of Columbus.

Bad news: The restaurant had to be brought up to current city code, which was going to be an expensive fix for the 44-seat restaurant at 3586 Indianola Ave.

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Carlos Roa's artistry runs from tattoos to painting, including a new Merion Village mural

June 13, 2022; Columbus, Ohio; Local mural artist and tattoo artist Carlos Roa moves his ladder as he puts the finishing touches to his stunning mural at Parsons Ave. and Stewart Ave. on the South Side.
June 13, 2022; Columbus, Ohio; Local mural artist and tattoo artist Carlos Roa moves his ladder as he puts the finishing touches to his stunning mural at Parsons Ave. and Stewart Ave. on the South Side.

Look up at the busy intersection of Parsons and Stewart avenues on the South Side and you'll see something that wasn't there a few months ago.

A mural: a face dominated by magenta bisected by a black and gold Merion Village logo.

More art on the South Side, courtesy of Carlos Roa, whose artwork transcends genres. He's a tattoo artist with his own South Side shop who also creates murals that express his love for indigenous cultures — he was born in Colombia and has been influenced by those roots — and his creativity.

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Brent Fabian, host of Boscoe's Untwisted Tuesdays, taking step back

Jun 7, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA;  Brent Fabian hosting Boscoe's open stage night, Brent has been in the Columbus drag scene for almost 25 years and has recently announced that he is taking a step back in his career.
Jun 7, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Brent Fabian hosting Boscoe's open stage night, Brent has been in the Columbus drag scene for almost 25 years and has recently announced that he is taking a step back in his career.

Brent Fabian has been a part of the drag scene for 25 years. He recently announced on his Facebook that he will be taking a step back in 2023.

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'We bonded over being afraid:' 3 Olentangy grads push for mandatory HS self-defense classes

Jun 21, 2022; Lewis Center, OH, 43035;  Recent Olentangy High School graduates, from left, Sydney Shultz, Vaidehi Patel and Abby Purdy, lobbied to have a bill introduced in the state legislature that would require self defense training as part of the high school health curriculum. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Jun 21, 2022; Lewis Center, OH, 43035; Recent Olentangy High School graduates, from left, Sydney Shultz, Vaidehi Patel and Abby Purdy, lobbied to have a bill introduced in the state legislature that would require self defense training as part of the high school health curriculum. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

The young women say the class would help all students feel more confident and safe in different situations.

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New Albany City Council approves 30-year, 100% tax abatement for Intel plant

May 30, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States;  Development will start soon on this site for the Intel chip manufacturing facility near New Albany, Ohio. Mandatory Credit: Doral Chenoweth-The Columbus Dispatch
May 30, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Development will start soon on this site for the Intel chip manufacturing facility near New Albany, Ohio. Mandatory Credit: Doral Chenoweth-The Columbus Dispatch

Intel Corp.'s planned semiconductor complex in New Albany promises big economic returns for central Ohio and the entire state, New Albany City Council was told June 21, when it voted 5-0 to approve two resolutions related to the planned project.

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Ohio State University secures trademark for use of the word 'THE' on clothing

Drone view of Ohio Stadium on the Ohio State University campus photographed March 25, 2020.    (Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch)
Drone view of Ohio Stadium on the Ohio State University campus photographed March 25, 2020. (Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch)

After nearly three years, Ohio State has finally registered a trademark for the word "THE" on their clothing.

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Columbus teachers union rallies outside board meeting over homeless student program staff

June 21, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States;  Members of the Columbus Education Association hold up umbrellas against the sun as they rallied outside Tuesday evening's Columbus City Schools board meeting in temperatures that exceeded 90 degrees. Mandatory Credit: Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
June 21, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Members of the Columbus Education Association hold up umbrellas against the sun as they rallied outside Tuesday evening's Columbus City Schools board meeting in temperatures that exceeded 90 degrees. Mandatory Credit: Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch

The Columbus Education Association rallied outside Tuesday night's Columbus City School's Board of Education meeting.

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Variety the name of the game at Johnny's Italian Steakhouse

June 17, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States;  Managing Director J.D. DiPietro holds a Tuscan sunrise martini inside Johnny's Italian Steakhouse, an upscale casual restaurant with a Rat Pack theme that is housed in the Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites at 3600 Morse Road.  Mandatory Credit: Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
June 17, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Managing Director J.D. DiPietro holds a Tuscan sunrise martini inside Johnny's Italian Steakhouse, an upscale casual restaurant with a Rat Pack theme that is housed in the Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites at 3600 Morse Road. Mandatory Credit: Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch

Johnny's Italian Steakhouse is offering a a more affordable, laidback experience than many modern chop houses.

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City clears out homeless camp on Far South Side as activists protest sweep

June 21, 2022; Columbus, Ohio; The homeless camp adjacent to Heer Park is cleared up by the city on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Fred Squillante-The Columbus Dispatch
June 21, 2022; Columbus, Ohio; The homeless camp adjacent to Heer Park is cleared up by the city on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Fred Squillante-The Columbus Dispatch

Columbus cleared out a Far South Side homeless camp on Monday morning as activists protested among a large police presence.

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