Sinking

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Grandview Gets Its Own Little Portal to the Underworld

Grandview Heights had a very normal Memorial Day weekend until the ground decided to open a small side business at the corner of Fairview Avenue and Merrick Road.

The city closed the intersection on May 23 after a sinkhole formed near the sidewalk. According to Grandview Heights, the closure will remain in place until at least May 26, when crews are expected to evaluate the site and figure out what caused it.

A resident reported the sinkhole shortly after 1 p.m. on May 23. And while the hole appears to be near the sidewalk, the city closed the road out of caution due to safety concerns and forecasted rain.

Which is reasonable. If there is one thing you do not want to hear after the ground starts caving in, it is, “Don’t worry, more rain is coming.”

The intersection sits a few blocks southeast of the Grandview Heights Public Library, near West First Avenue. For now, drivers will need to find another route while crews inspect the site.

As for what caused it, the city does not know yet. Sinkholes can form when water erodes underground material, creating empty spaces beneath the surface. Over time, the ground above those voids can become unstable and collapse. Sometimes it happens slowly. Sometimes it happens all at once, which is rude, but efficient.

The good news is that the city caught it, closed the area, and is waiting for crews to assess the damage before reopening the road.

The bad news is that Grandview now has a reminder that even its sidewalks are apparently capable of drama.

Scarlet Letter Trivia

Question: In 1986, Columbus had a sinkhole so massive it was nicknamed the “Big Hole” and the “world’s largest pothole.” Where did it happen?
A. High Street near Ohio State
B. West Broad Street in front of the LeVeque Tower
C. Cleveland Avenue near Linden
D. Third Street outside the Statehouse

Pilot Dogs Is Expanding Its Franklinton Home

Since 1950, Pilot Dogs has been helping people who are blind or visually impaired move through the world with more confidence, independence, and support.

Now, the long-standing Columbus nonprofit is celebrating a major expansion and renovation of its headquarters in Franklinton, which feels fitting for an organization built around one very simple idea: helping people move forward.

Pilot Dogs will host a ribbon cutting and open house on Thursday, May 28 at 11 a.m. at its headquarters at 625 W. Town St. The event will include remarks from CEO Jim Alloway, representatives from the Columbus Fire Department, a Co-Pilot Program participant, and a Pilot Dogs graduate.

For those unfamiliar, Pilot Dogs provides expertly trained guide dogs, orientation and mobility training, and other services for people who are blind or visually impaired. But before those dogs are ready to guide someone through busy sidewalks, crosswalks, grocery stores, airports, and every other daily obstacle course humans invented for themselves, they start as puppies.

That is where the Co-Pilot Program comes in.

Co-Pilots are volunteer puppy raisers who welcome Pilot Puppies into their homes from around 2 months old until they are about 16 to 18 months old. During that time, the puppies learn household manners, get real-world experience, and start building the habits they will need for advanced guide dog training.

The volunteers come from all over: college students, retirees, teachers, nurses, empty nesters, and regular people who looked at a puppy and thought, “Yes, I can handle this,” which is both noble and, depending on the puppy, deeply optimistic.

Pilot Dogs makes sure Co-Pilots are not doing it alone. Volunteers receive supplies, free veterinary care, boarding support, hands-on obedience training, and ongoing guidance from the organization. Also, technically not listed as a formal benefit but obviously included: puppy kisses.

The newly renovated facility will help Pilot Dogs continue that work from its historic Franklinton home, training guide dogs and supporting the people who will one day rely on them.

It is a big moment for a Columbus nonprofit that has spent more than seven decades doing quiet, life-changing work.

And now, with more space, more support, and presumably more very good dogs, Pilot Dogs is ready for its next chapter.

Two Central Ohio Massage Parlors Shut Down Amid Trafficking Investigation.

Two Central Ohio massage parlors have been shut down and boarded up after a court order tied to allegations of prostitution and possible human trafficking.

The businesses, Rejuvenation Spa at 5841 Karric Square Drive near Dublin and Red Bean Spa at 1066 Norton Road on Columbus’ west side, were searched and padlocked Thursday by investigators from Columbus Police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Authorities say both locations have now been declared public nuisances and hazards.

According to court records, the two spas had extensive histories of prostitution complaints and were allegedly connected by the same owners. The case is currently in Franklin County Environmental Court, where Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein and Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Shayla Favor filed a public nuisance complaint against the businesses, their operators, and property owners.

Klein called the reports of prostitution and possible human trafficking “abhorrent,” saying the city would continue cracking down on businesses that threaten public safety.

Which is legal-speak for: the “spa” part of the business model was apparently doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Court filings name six people connected to the spas, along with Red Beans Spa LLC and Du Wellness LLC. Investigators say the history at the locations dates back to 2019, with years of complaints, surveillance, and inspections raising red flags.

At Rejuvenation Spa, authorities say they received complaints involving possible trafficking, prostitution, and sexual imposition. In 2023, the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and Columbus License Division inspected the business and found evidence that people were living inside the premises, which investigators described as a common warning sign in trafficking cases involving massage parlors.

By late 2025, similar reports began involving Red Bean Spa. From December 2025 through May 2026, the Human Trafficking Task Force conducted surveillance at both locations and observed activity they said was consistent with prostitution and possible human trafficking operations. Investigators also said they saw owners and staff transporting workers between the two businesses.

Court documents also describe online posts and reviews connected to the spas that authorities say pointed to illicit activity, including advertisements as recent as April 2026.

For now, this is a nuisance abatement case, not a criminal prosecution. But officials said criminal charges could still follow.

Favor said investigators documented “a pattern of deliberate, organized exploitation of vulnerable populations,” and warned that similar businesses in Franklin County are being watched.

Both spas remain padlocked under court order, with the defendants expected back in Franklin County Environmental Court next Thursday.

The larger story here is not just that two businesses got boarded up. It is that authorities believe these storefronts may have been used as cover for exploitation, hiding in plain sight behind strip-mall signage, soft lighting, and the kind of bland business names most people drive past without thinking twice.

Now, at least for these two locations, the lights are off.

Shadowbox Live Wants Your Canned Goods With Your 90s Nostalgia

Shadowbox Live is turning its next show into more than a night of music, theater, and carefully weaponized flannel.

The Brewery District theater is partnering with the Mid-Ohio Food Collective on a new initiative called Art Feeds the Soul, encouraging audiences to bring canned goods and essential items to every performance to help support local families facing food insecurity.

The program launches with Flannel: A 90s Rock Musical, Shadowbox’s new show built around the sound and mood of the grunge era. The production follows Chance, a Rolling Stone photographer who returns to his small hometown to face the family, friends, and past he left behind. Naturally, the soundtrack leans into Nirvana, Jane’s Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins, and the emotional damage of an entire generation that somehow processed everything through distorted guitars and oversized shirts.

Which, honestly, feels like the correct setting for a food drive. Nothing says “community support” quite like remembering a decade when everyone dressed like they were either starting a band or heading to a very intense bonfire.

To thank guests who donate, Shadowbox has created the 5/5 - 10/10 program. Bring five items, and you’ll receive a $5 gift card. Bring 10 items, and you’ll get a $10 gift card that can be used toward food and drinks that night.

Shadowbox has always billed itself as more than just a show. Between the curated galleries, the intimate theater setting, and the fact that the performers also help serve the handcrafted menu before curtain, it is already one of the more unique nights out in Columbus.

Now, with Art Feeds the Soul, that night out can also help stock shelves for families right here in the community.

So yes, go for the 90s rock musical. Stay for the food, drinks, and live performance. But maybe bring a few canned goods too.

Turns out flannel can still be useful after all.

B) West Broad Street in front of the LeVeque Tower