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Top of Mind
43 Days
The Buckeyes kick off in 43 days 👀
It feels like we were just cooking out for Memorial Day, but somehow we’re closer to football and pumpkin spice lattes.
Before we look too far ahead, we’ve got a couple of local staples on tap. Jazz & Rib Fest runs today through Sunday at the Scioto Mile. And the Ohio State Fair runs from Wednesday through August 6 at the Ohio State Fairgrounds.
And for the sports fans who just can’t wait 43 days… Team USA plays their first match of the Women's World Cup tonight at 9 pm ET.
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Scarlet Letter Trivia
Question: Columbus-area home prices are at an all-time high. What’s the current median sale price?
A. $195,000
B. $281,000
C. $322,000
D. $410,000
Or…
In the News
The Rub
A seedy central Ohio massage parlor has been shut down in a development that bodes well for the availability of the Cleveland Browns’ star quarterback and their playoff chances 😮💨
Massage Experts at 1234 Hill Dr. North in Pickerington allegedly was a front for human trafficking, prostitution, and money laundering.
After an eight-month investigation, Pickerington police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation closed down the business on Tuesday.
Gorilla Gender
A gorilla previously thought to be male has given birth at the Columbus Zoo and now zookeepers are likely facing years of contentious school board meetings and hostile drag brunches in the Heart of Africa exhibit.
The 8-year-old western lowland gorilla was believed to be male until she was holding a newborn girl, the 34th gorilla born at the zoo since 1956. Experts say endangered western lowland gorillas rarely show outward signs of pregnancy.
Virtual Venture
Ohio State researchers have developed a method for training autonomous vehicles in a virtual environment. Using “Vehicle-in-Virtual-Environment” software, a driverless car can be placed in an empty parking lot but react as if there are real cars, pedestrians, and hazards to contend with.
“With our software, we’re able to make the vehicle think that it’s driving on actual roads while actually operating on a large open, safe test area,” said Bilin Aksun-Guvenc, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Ohio State. “This ability saves time, money, and there is no risk of fatal traffic accidents.”
It’s about time, right? Put a potato behind the wheel and it’ll be safer than Ohio drivers…
Green Light
A 7-mile stretch of abandoned railroad in Linden will become a new city park. The Linden Green Line will be easily accessible, within a 10-minute walk for 131,000 residents and with about 40 access points.
The nearly $5 million project will include play spaces, gathering areas, seating, and exercise equipment.
Pizza Bot
Not to be outdone by the AI drive-thru bots being tested at Wendy’s and White Castle, another Columbus icon is rolling out some autonomous features. Donatos is creating an unstaffed restaurant—what it’s calling a fully autonomous pizza vending machine—that will handle everything from accepting and personalizing orders to slinging dough, and adding toppings and taking over the world. The concept will debut at an unspecified location in Columbus.
“Utilizing technology to provide a better customer experience through improved speed and product consistency has been a focus of mine since the first Donatos restaurant opened," said Donatos founder Jim Grote.
Quotable
So now I can say I’ve been hit with rubber bullets, bear mace, pepper spray, tear gas, and wrestle with Capital Police (sic) … I’ll do it all over again too!
Trivia Answer
C. The median sale price of Columbus-area homes is about $322,000, according to Columbus Realtors. That’s an all-time high but still below the national average.
Signing Off
