This Ones Kind of a Bummer

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Invisible Gas, Radon in Central Ohio

A recent Columbus Dispatch investigation revealed something unsettling about our basements: central Ohio is sitting on a serious radon problem, and most homeowners have no idea.

Radon, an odorless, invisible, radioactive gas that forms when uranium naturally breaks down in soil and rock, has quietly crept into homes all over Franklin, Delaware, and Licking counties. In fact, nearly 80% of homes tested in the Dispatch program registered above the EPA’s safety action level, including houses in some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Columbus.

That threshold, 4 picocuries per liter, doesn’t sound like much, but the health implications are huge.

Why radon matters

According to the CDC, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, behind smoking. The EPA estimates radon exposure contributes to over 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year.

And unlike pollutants we fight outdoors, radon comes from inside our own walls, seeping upward from basements and crawlspaces.

One Bexley homeowner featured in the report saw her basement test at 14.7 picocuries per liter, more than three times the federal action level. Another home in Licking County reached a staggering 70 picocuries during monitoring.

Why central Ohio?

Scientists believe Ohio’s geological history, specifically ancient glaciers that mixed soil and uranium deposits across the region, created ideal conditions for radon emissions.

Every one of Ohio’s 88 counties has seen buildings test positive, but central Ohio stands out:

• Franklin County: widespread high readings
  

• Delaware & Licking counties: some of the strongest concentrations in the state
  

• Licking County 43055: the highest radon concentration zip code in the nation, according to a 2025 Harvard study

The uncomfortable part

The Dispatch notes the Ohio Department of Health repeatedly denied the danger for decades. Meanwhile, radon mitigation has often been left to homeowners, private companies, and patchwork local education programs.

One homeowner quoted in the report captured the psychology perfectly:

“If you could go back in time and prevent some nasty health issue, would you? I’m sure everyone would say yes.”

Is radon in your house?

The EPA makes it simple: every home should be tested, with or without a basement. Radon levels can hit first floors and upper levels, too.

Here are the options available right now in Columbus:

Borrow a radon monitor for free through the Columbus Metropolitan Library
Buy a hardware store test for around $20
Hire a state-licensed contractor to test and consult (usually $150–$300)

If your home tests above 4 picocuries per liter, the EPA recommends installing a mitigation system. Most cost roughly $1,500, plus maintenance and monitoring.

Why this matters beyond science

Radon is not theoretical here. It’s not folklore.

It’s a local public health issue that:

• disproportionately affects the older housing stock
  

• hits renters who have little testing control
  

• targets neighborhoods regardless of wealth
  

• and has long been under-discussed
  

And it’s preventable.

The bottom line

Central Ohio’s radon levels are higher than most of the country. Testing takes minutes. Fixing the problem can literally save lives.

Ohio already made January “Radon Awareness Month,” but as this report shows, awareness isn’t the problem; action is.

If you’ve never tested your home, 2026 might be the year to do it.

(And if you want more stories that dig beneath this city, not just its bedrock, subscribe to The Scarlet Letter.)

Scarlet Letter Trivia

Question: What is the median age of Ohio

A) 37
B) 43
C) 40
D) 29

Market Blooms Owner Marty McGreevy To Retire After Nearly 36 Years at North Market Downtown

After nearly 36 years of filling North Market Downtown with care and community connection, Market Blooms owner Marty McGreevy will retire at the end of 2025.

McGreevy has operated Market Blooms since February 13, 1990, opening just one day before Valentine’s Day, and has been a beloved presence at North Market ever since.

From its early days in a Quonset hut surrounded by dirt to its place today as an anchor merchant at North Market Downtown, Market Blooms has grown alongside the Market itself. Through decades of change, McGreevy’s shop has remained a constant source of warmth, creativity, and personal connection for guests, merchants, and staff alike.

“Every moment here has been a kindness,” said McGreevy. “I’m deeply grateful to have been part of North Market for so many years. I’ve seen so much change, wonderful change, and every step of the journey has been exciting and amazing. It feels like the right time, and I’m proud to leave knowing Market Blooms is strong, the team is taken care of, and the transition is in great hands.”

McGreevy shared that her decision to retire came with three priorities: ensuring Market Blooms remained an anchor at North Market, securing continued employment for the longtime team members who helped build the business, and reaching a moment of personal and professional fulfillment. With those goals met, she looks forward to spending more time with family and friends, traveling, enjoying the golf course, and embracing a more relaxed pace.

North Market is pleased to share that Market Blooms will continue operations under new ownership beginning January 3, 2026. Longtime admirers of the shop can expect the same floral services, familiar friendly faces from floral designers, and the welcoming experience they have always known. Market Blooms will be closed January 1 and 2, 2026, to support the ownership transition.

“I have such great confidence in the new owners,” McGreevy added. “They’re the full package, and I know they’ll honor what Market Blooms has always been.”

Morgan and Kyle Laberdee will assume ownership of Market Blooms, carrying forward its legacy while maintaining the shop’s commitment to quality, service, and community.

“Marty’s impact on North Market cannot be overstated,” said Rick Harrison Wolfe, Executive Director and CEO of North Market. “For nearly four decades, she has helped define what it means to be a Market merchant: deeply personal service, consistency, and genuine care for people, and perhaps most of all, the ability to adapt and evolve. On a personal level, Marty has been a trusted presence and source of perspective for me, offering wisdom, steadiness, and an unwavering commitment to this place that has shaped my own leadership. Market Blooms is woven into the fabric of North Market’s history, and we are incredibly grateful for Marty’s leadership, vision, and heart.”

North Market will celebrate McGreevy’s legacy in the coming weeks and invites the community to stop by Market Blooms to share well wishes and gratitude for her remarkable tenure.

Holiday Hours: North Market will be closing early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. More information can be found at northmarket.org.

Ohio Is About to Get Much Older. And Nobody Seems Ready.

Ohio isn’t just aging, it’s aging fast. New state and federal data show the Buckeye State is heading toward a demographic turning point by 2040, when one in every four Ohioans will be 60 or older. Even more dramatic: Ohioans 85 and up are projected to increase by more than 50% over the same period.

This isn’t a niche shift. It’s a statewide transformation with massive implications for healthcare, housing, infrastructure, and how we think about retirement.

The Numbers

Ohio’s overall population isn’t expected to grow much between now and 2040. But its age curve will:

• 25% of residents will be 60+
  

• The 85+ population jumps 51%
  

• Seniors already outnumber children in dozens of counties
  

For the first time in U.S. history, older adults will outnumber young children.

What’s Driving the Crisis

Experts say Ohio faces two unavoidable questions:

1. Who will care for older Ohioans?
   

2. How on earth will we pay for it?

Ohio nursing homes and long-term care providers are already struggling to hire staff, with wages that often resemble fast-food pay scales rather than medical care positions.

Registered nurses saw median hourly pay rise from the low $30s to the high $30s between 2018 and 2021, but it hasn’t kept up with demand, stress, or inflation.

A national projection warns of a 4.6 million job gap in long-term care roles by 2032.

Families Aren’t Ready, Either

Many Ohioans assume Medicare will pay for long-term care. It won’t.
Medicare covers hospital stays and short-term rehab, not daily help with bathing, dressing, or dementia support.

Medicaid does cover long-term care, but only after people spend down their savings, and the state can recover costs from estates after death.

Translation: a lot more Ohio homes may end up sold to pay for elder care.

Aging in Place or Alone

Ohio, like most states, is pushing to help seniors remain in their homes longer. It’s cheaper and more popular.

But advocates warn the “age at home” model can quickly turn into isolation:

• No driving
  

• No social contact
  

• Increased fall risk
  

• Emergency healthcare spikes

There’s also a shortage of assisted living and memory care units, one that experts say will grow severe as the 85+ population explodes.

Not Just a Healthcare Issue

An aging Ohio touches everything:

• Housing accessibility
  

• Transportation planning
  

• Elder abuse and fraud protections
  

• Medicaid budgeting
  

• Workforce pipelines
  

• Taxes and labor markets

In Columbus and across central Ohio, planners already expect to rethink bus routes, walkability, zoning, and public health priorities to accommodate the demographic shift.

The Price Problem

Costs are rising faster than inflation:

• Nursing home and elder day-care costs up 4%+ annually
  

• Medicaid reimbursement gaps are widening
  

• Facility closures increasing

Meanwhile, the state’s own data show more than 32,000 elder abuse and neglect reports in 2020, a number experts believe dramatically undercounts the problem.

Here’s the thing

By 2040, Ohio will be older, more medically complex, and more expensive to care for, and the systems designed to support older adults were never built for this reality.

The director of Ohio’s Department of Aging put it best:

“This is not a problem one agency can handle. This is an issue the entire state must address.”

Ohioans have a habit of ignoring problems until they happen, then scrambling. Aging doesn’t care. It’s coming, and it’s coming fast.

Columbus and the rest of the state have 15 years to get ready.
If they don’t?
The strain won’t just hit older Ohioans. It’ll hit everyone: workers, families, taxpayers, cities, and healthcare systems.

Ohio isn’t just getting older.
It’s getting older than it has ever been, with fewer young people coming behind.

And that changes everything.

Trivia Answer:

C) 40 well, its techinacly 40.3, but I think the point 3 is weird