All articles tagged with #columbus
A marble Columbus statue, a replica of one toppled in Baltimore in 2020, was installed on the grounds of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the White House, loaned by the Italian American Organizations United. The move signals the Trump administration's effort to honor Columbus amid ongoing debates over his legacy and Indigenous Peoples Day, which Biden has designated but Trump disputes.
Trump installed a 13-foot Christopher Columbus statue on the White House grounds—a replica of a Baltimore monument destroyed in 2020—bearing an inscription about its destruction and resurrection and rededicated in 2025; the White House calls Columbus a hero, underscoring ongoing debates over his legacy and Indigenous Peoples Day.
A marble statue of Christopher Columbus was placed on the grounds of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the White House, a replica loaned by Italian American Organizations United. The move, backed by the Trump administration, underscores ongoing debates over Columbus’s legacy and Indigenous Peoples Day, with Columbus praised by supporters and criticized for conquest and exploitation by opponents.
A 13-foot replica of Christopher Columbus, toppled in Baltimore during the 2020 protests, has been installed outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House grounds. The installation, brought to Washington by the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations with White House involvement, is part of Trump-era efforts to reinstall statues removed after the Floyd protests and to honor Italian American heritage ahead of the U.S. 250th anniversary. The statue sits near the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery and is fenced off from close public viewing.
Franklin County officials warn of a scam text claiming unpaid parking or toll fines, threatening payment or court appearance; the Franklin County Municipal Clerk’s Office and Ohio Attorney General’s Office say to ignore suspicious texts and verify any fines through official channels.
More than 30 Columbus City Schools received emailed bomb threats, including Indian Springs Elementary. Police and state authorities searched the Ohio Statehouse with no devices found, as the FBI and local partners investigate hoax threats across Central Ohio. Springfield’s Clark County offices closed early and downtown areas were restricted during the incident; officials stress the threats are hoaxes and a federal crime.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther asked residents to stay home and stay informed as crews press on with emergency snow removal after a major snow event; one plow driver was hospitalized after a T-bone crash, trash pickup will proceed Tuesday with recycling delayed by a day, and frigid temperatures with subzero overnight lows and wind chills are forecast for the rest of the week.
Amid a winter storm bearing down on Ohio, Kroger is closing 115 stores in its Columbus Division early on Sunday; a WSYX report lists the affected locations and notes the weather disruption.
Kroger will close all Columbus Division stores at 6 p.m. Sunday due to the winter storm, with normal reopening on Monday; Giant Eagle is also closing early. Central Ohio counties are under Level 2 or 3 snow emergencies as several inches to a foot of snow falls, with brutal cold expected afterward.
A Franklin County, Ohio grand jury indicted Michael McKee, a Chicago vascular surgeon, on aggravated murder and aggravated burglary while using a firearm in connection with the December 30, 2025 killings of his ex-wife Monique Tepe and her husband, dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe, in their Columbus home. McKee was arrested in Rockford, Illinois, and extradition to Ohio is anticipated; he appeared in court and waived an extradition hearing. Two children were unharmed in the home; investigators found no weapons at the scene. He is jailed in Winnebago County and due back in court in January if not extradited first.
Columbus’ Franklin County grand jury indicted Michael David McKee, a 39-year-old vascular surgeon living in Chicago, on aggravated murder and aggravated burglary with a firearm for the December 30 killings of his ex-wife Monique Tepe and her husband Spencer Tepe in their Columbus home. McKee was arrested in Illinois; authorities say video linked him to the Tepes’ home and a firearm found at his Illinois residence matched evidence at the scene. He remains in custody with a next hearing in Winnebago County on January 23. The Tepes’ two young children and their dog were unharmed, there was no forced entry, and OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center is cooperating with the investigation.
Ex-husband Michael David McKee was arrested in Illinois on two murder counts in the December 30, 2025 killings of Monique Tepe and her husband Spencer Tepe in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio prosecutors upgraded the charges to premeditated, aggravated murder, and McKee has waived extradition to face them in Ohio. Authorities have not released a motive, which investigators are expected to explore during discovery through review of social media, internet searches, phone records, and movements. The Tepes’ two young children were found unharmed. McKee is represented as pleading not guilty, and prosecutors will build a narrative around motive as the case proceeds.
Ohio police are investigating the murder of Columbus dentist Spencer Tepe and his wife Monique, whose bodies were found in their home, with their two children present but unharmed; the case is treated as a homicide with no suspects publicly named yet.
Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio, has granted a temporary dispensation from attending Mass to individuals who fear detention due to increased immigration enforcement, encouraging spiritual practices and pastoral care during this period until January 11, 2026, amidst community anxiety and fears.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is opening a new I-71 southbound flyover ramp in Columbus, nearly a mile long and 100 feet above the Scioto River, to improve safety and reduce congestion as part of the $280 million Downtown Ramp Up project. The ramp will initially open with one lane and eventually carry two lanes, replacing an outdated interchange and enhancing traffic flow through downtown Columbus.