Down We Go, Goats that Mow, and Golfing for a Cause

Top of Mind

Built to Last. Sinking Anyway.

Columbus is slowly disappearing, and we’re all going down with it.

According to a Nature Cities study published this year, 98% of Columbus is sinking at an average rate of 2 millimeters per year. That’s about the width of a nickel. Not exactly a free fall, but give it time.

This gradual collapse is part of a phenomenon called urban land subsidence, and while it's slower than a sinkhole, it’s no less serious. Scientists say that subsidence “silently compromises infrastructure,” meaning we might not notice the damage until it’s already too late.

So, what’s dragging us down?

Blame the Ice Age. Seriously.

Fifteen thousand years ago, this region was smothered by glaciers. After they melted, Canada started bouncing back, like a memory foam pillow. Meanwhile, we are on the edge of that ice sheet? We’ve been slowly slouching ever since. It’s called glacial isostatic adjustment, and Columbus is right in the drop zone.

Unfortunately, that natural slump is being sped up by some very modern habits. Namely: groundwater extraction. Every time we pull water out of the ground, we loosen the support beams beneath our streets, our homes, and our buried utilities.

Columbus isn’t alone. Of the 28 major cities analyzed in the study, all are sinking. But Columbus is one of the fastest. We’re now in the same sinking club as Chicago, Detroit, and Indianapolis.

Professor Manoochehr Shirzaei of Virginia Tech summed it up bluntly:

“It’s not as critical as Houston or San Antonio, but Columbus is still dropping at one of the fastest rates we saw.”

So what does this mean for us?

More potholes. Buckled sidewalks. Sewer line issues. Flood risk. A few millimeters a year adds up fast when you’ve got 1.2 million people standing on top of it. And the worst part? We probably won’t know something’s wrong until the cracks start showing.

Back in 1812, Columbus was intentionally built on high ground to avoid flooding. Two centuries later, the ground itself is quietly giving up.

At least when Columbus falls, it’ll be together. Slowly. Silently. A couple of millimeters at a time.

Scarlet Letter Trivia

Question: Rhoades State Office Tower is the tallest building in Columbus, but has the second most floors with a count of 41. Which building has the most floors, and how many floors does it the number one have?

A) One Nationwide Plaza
B) William Green Building
C) LeVeque Tower
D) Fifth Third Center

The G.O.A.T. Groundskeepers of Columbus
 Antrim Park gets a little wilder and a lot more efficient.

This summer, Columbus has outsourced its most aggressive landscaping project to a new kind of workforce: goats.

That’s right. In a move that’s both cost-effective and delightfully chaotic, the city has hired a herd of professional grazers to clear invasive brush around Antrim Park. It’s part of a pilot project led by Columbus Recreation and Parks to test out “eco-grazing,”  a low-emission, high-charm alternative to gas-powered equipment and chemical herbicides.

The goats come courtesy of Goats on the Go, a national network of goat landscapers, and are managed locally by Tracy and Jeff Chesney of Sunbury. Their job? Mow through the multiflora rose, honeysuckle, poison ivy, and grapevine that are choking out native species. And they’re good at it. Unlike cows, goats prefer leafy, woody plants over grass, making them ideal for this exact kind of assignment.nd contribute to the good of the neighborhood. (A refreshingly un-Twitter-like idea.)

“They’re sleeping? They’re working,” said Lauren Cain of Find Hope Farm in Granville, who also runs a herd through Goats on the Go. “They’re ruminants, digestion is part of the job.”

Besides being incredibly efficient (and surprisingly picky eaters), goats are also easy on the land. They don’t tear up hillsides or compact the soil like heavy machinery. Their droppings even fertilize as they go, leaving behind healthier terrain for native plants to reclaim.

Columbus expects to save serious money with the program, spending $4,000 to $7,000 on goat labor versus $10,000 to $15,000 for traditional contractors. Add in zero emissions and zero fuel costs, and the goats start to look like the most efficient employees in city history.

And they’ve got fans. Dozens of residents came out to a “meet-the-goats” event, where onlookers cooed and snapped photos. One attendee, Harriet Walker, spoke for the crowd: “GOATS! Yeah, I love the goats. They’re adorable, they’re hilarious, they’re amazing.”.

But don’t get too close. While they’ll be grazing the south side of Antrim Park 24/7 for about six weeks, they’ll be behind electric fencing, and petting is off-limits. “They’re on the clock,” reminded Jeff Chesney.

For now, Columbus is calling this a test run. But given the early buzz, and the goats’ dedication to their craft, don’t be surprised if this turns into a permanent gig.

After all, in a city where weed whackers whine and contractors come with clipboards, it’s hard to beat a crew that’s cute, quiet, and gets paid in honeysuckle.

Farm-Fueled, Faith-Filled, and Meal-Prepped to Win: The Visionary Meals Story

Before Visionary Meals was delivering chef-crafted meals across Central Ohio, it was just one college athlete trying to stay on top of life—and macros. Meet Josh: Wittenberg University football player, sociology major, and accidental meal prep pioneer. With practices, classes, and games packed into every day, cooking wasn’t optional—it was survival. So he started prepping. Then he started sharing.

Turns out, busy people are everywhere. And they’re hungry.

In 2018, Josh took his personal system and scaled it, launching Visionary Meals from his family farm in Granville. Built on faith, fueled by purpose, and rooted in community, Visionary isn’t your typical meal service. It’s not just about healthy food—it’s about feeding lives with intention, compassion, and local flavor.

Every meal is prepared by chefs using ingredients sourced from Ohio farms when possible, then delivered to local pickup points throughout the region. No guesswork. No grocery lists. Just meals that work as hard as you do.

Today, Visionary serves thousands, from working parents to fitness junkies to people who just really hate chopping onions. But what makes it stand out? The values. Visionary was built to make life easier without cutting corners, and to prove that convenience and integrity can (and should) exist on the same plate.

From dorm room Tupperware to a full-blown Ohio food movement, Visionary Meals has come a long way, and they’re just getting started.

Ready to join the family?
Check out the weekly menu and see what’s cooking at Visionary Meals!

We can offer 'Visionary15' as a discount code for 15% off for readers! 

The Woody Hayes Celebrity Classic: 48 Years, One Big Mission

It started in 1976 with a few foursomes and a $3,000 check for child abuse prevention. Nearly five decades later, the Woody Hayes Celebrity Classic has become the premier golf outing in Central Ohio, raising more than $3 million for Nationwide Children’s Hospital and proving that sometimes, a good cause can travel just as far as a good drive.

Named for legendary Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes (who lent his name to the event in 1982), the Classic has grown from a quiet country club fundraiser to a full-scale celebrity-packed outing at New Albany Country Club, complete with major sponsors, heartfelt stories, and a few sand traps for good measure.

But this isn’t just about golf. It’s about impact.

The tournament is the largest annual fundraiser organized by the Development Board of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, a volunteer group of local business leaders that’s been giving back since 1971. Over the years, this board has helped fund everything from pediatric cancer research to child abuse prevention programs, and even launched a medical-legal partnership to help vulnerable families navigate the system.

If you’ve ever walked through Nationwide Children’s and seen the café? That’s named after the board too.

This year’s event marks the 48th annual Classic, and with help from Play Yellow, HNS Sports Group, and a few folks named Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, the event continues to raise money, and spirits, for the hospital’s mission: world-class care for every child, regardless of their family’s ability to pay.

Participants this year got more than a day on the green. They became part of a tradition that’s changed and saved lives.

As Woody himself might’ve put it: you win with people. And this tournament is full of the best kind.

Trivia Answer:

C) Leveque Tower, the second-tallest building in the Columbus Skyline, has the most floors, with 47. That will probably come in handy with all the sinkage!