CataCombs, but now with Video, ICE, and another video

Top of Mind

Beneath the Streets: The Ghostly Legend of the Catacombs Nightclub

Tucked away beneath the bustling streets of Columbus, Ohio, the Catacombs Nightclub was a place that seemed to embrace the eerie and macabre from the moment it opened its doors in the 1940s. Patrons who descended into its underground depths were met with dim lighting, bone chilling decor, and a sense that they were crossing into another realm one steeped in ghostly theatrics and uncanny mystery.

The venue wasn’t just your average nightclub. It was a fully immersive experience, with walls adorned by skeletal remains (well, plaster versions) and cryptic symbols meant to evoke the air of ancient burial catacombs. To enter, guests were transported down a haunted themed elevator an experience more fitting for a Halloween attraction than a typical night out on the town.

Once inside, entertainment was provided by the enigmatic “Marcus the Mad Magician,” whose strange acts added to the unsettling vibe. Tales of practical jokes that bordered on the disturbing were commonplace, with performers delighting in tricking patrons and playing with the boundaries of fear and humor. The nightclub quickly became a hotspot for those seeking something outlandishly different, blending nightlife with morbid curiosity.

But just as suddenly as it appeared, the Catacombs closed, vanishing after barely a year in operation. Was it financial trouble? Or was there something more sinister behind its sudden disappearance? Theories abound—some say the venue was too ahead of its time, while others suggest it was plagued by strange happenings that made even its most adventurous patrons uneasy. The mystery of its closure only added to its allure, and whispers of ghostly figures lingering in the space lingered long after the doors were locked for good.

Though the original Catacombs never reopened, its eerie spirit found new life in niche corners of Columbus’s nightlife scene. Goth and industrial music lovers resurrected the idea briefly for underground events and live performances. However, even these brief revivals were short-lived, and the venue remains more legend than destination today.

What truly makes the Catacombs a staple of Columbus lore is the absence of definitive answers. Like many ghost stories, it’s the unknown that keeps people intrigued. The nightclub may have faded from memory, but its spirit—part myth, part reality—lives on. And isn’t that the heart of any great ghost story? Perhaps one day, someone will discover the truth of why the Catacombs closed. Until then, it remains a tantalizing “what if,” cemented in Columbus’s haunted history.

Whether you believe in spirits or not, one thing is certain: some stories never die—they only wait for the next curious soul to find them.

Scarlet Letter Trivia

Question: How many original Goosebumps books are there?

A) 63
B) 230
C) 88
D) 199

ICE arrests surge in Columbus while the federal footprint quietly grows

In the first seven months of 2025, ICE arrests in central and eastern Ohio more than doubled, rising from 154 during the same period last year to 493. Nationwide, immigration detention has nearly tripled. Most of the people arrested in the Columbus region have no criminal convictions. Many have pending cases, valid work permits, or minor traffic offenses.

The result is widespread fear. Immigrant families in Columbus are avoiding work, schools, gas stations, and courthouses because they no longer believe they can move through their day without being detained. Attorneys describe clients abandoning legal cases they were on track to win because they would rather give up than fight from inside a cell.

There is also a structural shift happening. Federal leasing documents show the government is seeking new office space for 70 federal law enforcement staff in Columbus, part of an expansion into only 20 cities nationwide. Columbus officials say they have not been contacted about what agency will occupy the offices. The timing raises questions as the Trump administration publicly targets Democratic-led cities and deploys the National Guard in others.

City leaders say Columbus does not use its own resources to pursue people based solely on immigration status and only cooperates with federal authorities when an actual crime has been reported. They note the city remains at a twenty year low in homicides even as the region continues to grow.

Families here are living with the consequences of a national policy shift that has turned ordinary routines into risk. ICE says it is focused on public safety. But the numbers tell a different story. The majority of arrests in this region involve people who have been working, paying taxes, and trying to maintain stability in a city that depends on their labor and their presence.

Ohio Immigrant Hotline: 419 777 HELP.

Service and Statehouse Studios

Last month, OnlyInCbus teamed up with Service and State House Studios to create a video series that explores four Columbus restaurants through the eyes of the people who make them possible. Every owner featured in the project came to the United States from somewhere else. They built their businesses here. They built their lives here. And they built places we gather to celebrate, to heal, and sometimes just to make it through a Tuesday.

Service is a Columbus organization working to change the hospitality industry so the people who hold it up can actually build a future in it. They believe restaurant work is a career, not a stopgap. They believe a living wage is not negotiable. They believe workers and owners succeed together when there is fairness at every level.

Our city’s dining scene is shaped by the dreams and sacrifices of immigrants. These restaurants are not just places to eat. They are reflections of the communities they serve. They are proof that Columbus is better when everyone has the chance to stand behind a counter, a bar, or a kitchen line and create something that lasts.

Trivia Answer:

A: 63. Original, but including spin-offs offs there are 230