Plus, Speck Italian Eatery opens downtown
6AM City In-house

Next time on “Survivor”

Columbus resident to be a contestant on “Survivor 44"
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Matthew told Entertainment Weekly he’s been a fan of “Survivor” since the beginning. | Photo by Robert Voets/CBS
“Survivor” has been on television for decades, and in that time, 10 castaways have been from Ohio — but none from Columbus.

That’s all changing in the 44th season of this island-themed competition show after Columbus resident Matthew Grinstead-Mayle was announced as a contestant on Tuesday by E! News. Matthew will be competing in Fiji for $1 million when the show kicks off on Wednesday, March 1 on CBS.

According to his bio on Entertainment Weekly, Matthew was born in Pickerington where he spent his childhood outdoors + at the local YMCA. He’s since moved to Columbus where he and his husband, Dale, are raising their four-year-old son and going on adventures as a family. The duo also own and operate Goodfellow’s Tonsorial Parlor, a barbershop in the Brewery District.

The good news for Matthew is he won’t be the only Ohioan on the island — Josh Wilder, who was born in Cincinnati but now lives in Atlanta, is also a contestant. With two Ohioians vying for $1 million, we had to know more about past contestants from the Buckeye State. Here’s what we found:
  • Ten contestants have been from southern Ohio: Chardon, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Huber Heights
  • Six contestants have been from Cincinnati: Lillian “Lill” Morris, Michelle Yi, Marisa Callahan, Matt Bischoff, Angela Perkins, and Josh Wilder
  • Three contestants were OSU alumni: Reynold Toepfer, Yung Woo Huang, and Will Wahl, however none were from Columbus
  • One Ohioan has won “Survivor": Chris Daugherty of South Vienna and his story after the show is heartwarming.
Matthew, however, is hoping to change that last stat.

“I have the heart, the drive and the ability to see this to the end,” he said. “And there will be tons of giggles and rainbows along the way.”

Click here to have your event featured.

Thursday, Feb. 2
Friday, Feb. 3
  • An Evening With Lotus | Friday, Feb. 3 | 7 p.m. | KEMBA Live!, 405 Neil Ave., Columbus |$29-$85 | Dance the night away with this electric jam band from Indiana.
  • 9 to 5, The Musical | Friday, Feb. 3-Sunday, Feb. 19 | Times vary | Riffe Center Theatre Complex, 77 S. High St., Columbus | $45 | This musical features music from Dolly Parton + is recommended for those who are 13+ years old.
Saturday, Feb. 4
  • Columbus Winter Carnival 2023 | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Franklin County Fairgrounds, 4100 Columbia St., Hilliard | $5-$40 | Kids are invited to meet a magician, play in the big bounce park, and hang out in the superhero area.
Sunday, Feb. 5
  • Taproom Sessions | Sunday, Feb. 5 | 3-6 p.m. | Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, 215 N. 4th St., Columbus | Free | Listen to the sounds of local artist Lily Bloom.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather
  • 39º | Partly cloudy | 0% chance of rain
Announced
  • Pelotonia will celebrate its 15th year on Friday, Aug. 4-Sunday, Aug. 6. This annual tradition and bike ride has raised $258+ million for cancer research since its fruition + you can donate, or get signed up to participate, online. 🚲
Development
  • Olde Towne East could see more construction in the future after a developer proposed a six-story apartment near Parsons Avenue and Oak Street. RiverWest Partners, the developer behind the project, plans to present the proposal to the Near East Area Commission on Thursday, Feb. 9. 🏗 (The Columbus Dispatch)
Eat
  • Speck Italian Eatery, a restaurant formerly based in Delaware, is now open and accepting reservations at 89 N. High St. The menu features dishes like cacio e pepe, garlic shrimp, and shareables such as freshly baked focaccia. 🍝 (614now)
  • Icarus Sandwich Shop closed its standalone location in the Short North, but its menu can soon be found inside Fox in the Snow locations during lunchtime. The local restaurant is experimenting with various concepts + plans to reopen later next month. 🥪
Opening
  • The South End Cafe is nearly complete + will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, Feb. 20 in honor of its grand opening. This new space transformed the former South End Hotel into 24 apartments + a café with 28 tables, coffee, and to-go foods. ☕️ (Columbus Business First)
Closed
  • Dragon Donuts announced it has closed its Grandview location located at 1288 W. 5th Ave. For those still craving this local shop with options like a stuffed Animal Cookie donut, stop by the Easton location at 4100 Worth Ave.
Sports
  • Planning on watching the Columbus Crew this year? Make sure you have Apple TV, as the MLS signed a $2.5+ billion partnership with the streaming service to broadcast soccer games this season. The Crew’s season kicks off on Saturday, March 4 against D.C. United. ⚽️ (The Columbus Dispatch)
  • Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day spoke with media on Wednesday morning for the first time since the end of the 2022-23 season. Hear what Coach Day had to say about the last season + his expectations for next year with new faces on the coaching staff. 🏈
Featured
  • The Ohio State University is honoring Black History Month by recalling the legacy of Black athletes like Jesse Owens, the OSU track star who set multiple world records despite the social climate of the 1930s. Jesse is widely considered one of the best track athletes in American history + his impact during the 1936 Olympics is unmeasurable.
Health
  • February is American Heart Month + the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center snapped into the season to spread awareness. Each year, the trees outside the campus are decorated with red hearts to raise awareness about heart-health lifestyles and heart research. ❤️
Traffic
  • What we’re buying for our cars: Dash cams. The REDTIGER Dual Dash Camera captures both the front and rear of your car and can be a lifesaver when it comes to contesting traffic violations and recording evidence of collisions. Plus, it connects to your mobile device. 🚦*
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One awesome opossum

COSI welcomes in its newest science teacher: Nigel the opossum
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Opossums typically eat insects, mice, and bird eggs in the wild, but Nigel doesn’t mind bananas. | Photo via COSI
If educators come in all different shapes and sizes, does that include opossums? COSI sure hope so, as it recently unveiled its newest science teacher: Nigel the opossum.

The local science museum took to Instagram this week to show off Nigel, who was rescued by the Ohio Wildlife Center and treated for a metabolic bone disease. As a result, Nigel made a full recovery, but not enough to be released into the wild. Because of this, COSI is giving him a gig + he’s now a must-see on visits. Plus, who can resist learning opossum facts like these?
  • Opossums are North America’s only marsupial — who needs kangaroos?
  • Opossums typically have a short lifespan, averaging 1-2 years.
  • If you see a opossum in Ohio, it’s undoubtedly a Virginia opossum, which are only native in North America.
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Mitch.

Editor’s pick: As a former Delaware resident, I can’t wait to get my hands on a bowl of Speck pasta in the very near future. Now if only I could figure out a way to get Victor’s Tacos to come to Columbus, too. I guess all good things come with patience, or so they say.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Here’s why you should visit a metro park this month.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Mitch Hooper, Hanna Williford, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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