The outages came after large transmission lines were wiped out, and remaining lines were then overworked due to a combination of central Ohio storms and the severe heat.
When will power return?
While AEP is working to expedite the process of power renewal, it is predicted that homes and businesses in northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest Columbus will not regain power until midnight tonight. While some locations have temporarily regained power, they are still at risk of losing it again through tomorrow.
Locations in red circles have been impacted by AEP power outages | Screenshot via @AEPOhio
How can I stay cool?
AEP has provided a map that marks “cooling centers” for residents. Residents can find air conditioned areas by clicking the homes in the center of the map labeled “shelter.” The sheltered spots include the business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced free admission to state pools today, and Columbus Recreation and Parks have extended the hours of operation for pools and spraygrounds until 8 p.m. tonight at Blackburn Park, Linden, North Bank, and Scioto Southland.
How can we rally around the community?
As many local businesses have had to close due to the outages, it’s encouraged to continue to shop and buy local as power returns later this week.
As the heat continues throughout the summer, you can help by contributing to the “Beat the Heat” fan drive, which kicked off yesterday. Community members are encouraged to drop off fans throughout the summer at fire stations in Franklin County or at the LifeCare Alliance facility.
Use the buttons below to help a friend navigate the heat.
Charlie Puth | Thurs., June 16 | 6:30 p.m. | KEMBA Live!, 405 Neil Ave. | $35+ | Listen to the Grammy award winning pop star with Ava Max, Lauren Spencer-Smith, and Leah Kate. 🎶
Columbus Clippers vs. St. Paul | Thurs., June 16 | 12:05 p.m. | Huntington Park | $8+ | Enjoy “Thirsty Thursday” at the ballpark with specials on beer, margaritas, and soft drinks. ⚾
Friday
Columbus Pride Festival | Fri., June 17-Sat., June 18 | Times vary | Goodale Park, 120 W. Goodale St. | Free | With 200+ nonprofits, two stages, DJs, dance parties, and food + drinks, this family-friendly festival celebrates the local LGBTQ+ community. 🏳️🌈
Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival | Fri., June 17-Sun., June 19 | Times vary | Creekside District, 123 Mill St. | Free | Browse local vendors, listen to live music on three different stages, and grab food from a variety of restaurants and food trucks. 🎷
Bastille | Fri., June 17 | 6 p.m. | KEMBA Live!, 405 Neil Ave. | $35+ | Catch this Billboard topping pop band alongside opener Sarah Jaffe.
Saturday
Picnic with the Pops: The O’Jays | Sat., June 18 | 8 p.m. | Columbus Commons | $35+ | This R&B group has made hits for 50+ decades including “Love Train” + “Put Your Hands Together.”
Columbus Crew vs. Charlotte FC | Sat., June 18 | 7:30 p.m. | Lower.com Field | $36+ | The match will celebrate diversity as a “Soccer for All Night.” ⚽
Columbus Pride March | Sat., June 18 | 10:30 a.m. | Broad Street and High Street | Free | This features 13,000+ marchers starting downtown and ending at Goodale Park + stands as one of the largest marches in the nation.
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
National Drink Up Week is July 25-31. | Photo by CBUStoday
Raise your glasses. This toast is dedicated to CBUS’ beverage industry, from morning iced lattes to afternoon power smoothies and evening specialty cocktails. We appreciate what makes our local drink scene unique.
And to kick off our National Drink Up Week, July 25-31, we want to partner with local coffee shops, wineries, bars, restaurants, distilleries + more to shine a spotlight on our local beverage tastemakers. Find out more below.
92º | Scattered thunderstorms | 70% chance of rain
After an Excessive Heat Warning went into effect yesterday, Mayor Andrew Ginther shared resources available during the extreme temperatures and outages. More high temperatures, potentially reaching 98º, are headed to Columbus next week. 🔥
Coming Soon
Coffee and a cocktail, anyone?Bada Bean Bada Booze, a new cafe and bar concept, is slated to open this fall inside Thrive’s Jeffrey Park Apartments. Started by local developers Thrive Cos., the plan is to open three other spots throughout the year inside other Thrive Cos. developments. 🍸 (614now)
Development
Schiff Capital Group was granted approval by Columbus City Council to build a seven-story multipurpose development in German Village. Expected to break ground this fall at 514-518 S. High St., the complex will also have a ground-floor retail space. Tenants will have downtown views, a rooftop + fitness center. (Columbus Business First)
The North Market’s Merchant Building has been deemed a 700,000-sqft vertical neighborhood by Jim Merkel. Jim is the CEO of Rockbridge, who is developing the project that will include shops by local merchants, restaurants, retail space, outdoor event space, social clubs, courtyards, offices, and wellness centers. 🏢 (Columbus Business First)
Sports
The Crew jerseys will look a little different during Saturday’s game, and that’s because they’re playing for a cause. All MLS teams will be honoring Juneteenth this weekend by wearing jerseys with Juneteenth-inspired art on their numbers. ⚽
Watch
OSU football head coach Ryan Day was featured on SportsCenter for being an advocate for mental health. Last year, Harry Miller, a former offensive lineman for the Buckeyes, credited Coach Day for saving his life.
Feel Good
When the Franklin County Dog Shelter lost power this week, the community rallied around the shelter to make sure the dogs survived the heat. Hundreds of bags of ice were donated to the shelter and it was placed in front of fans to blow on the dogs. The best part? Power is now restored. 🐶 (ABC6 On Your Side)
DYK
Did you know that mosquitos breed in scrap tires because they hold water? Columbus Health is having a Scrap Tire Take Back to drop off old tires on Sat., June 18 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Franklin County Children’s Services. Mosquito larvicide tablets will also be available. 🦟
Survey
Take the survey, win $1,000 cash. Take a brief survey to let us know what you think about the CBUStoday newsletter + be entered into a drawing to win cash.
Drink
Fuel your active lifestyle with LMNT, the best no B.S. electrolyte drink mix. That means no sugar, no artificial ingredients, and no junk — and it’s also fully compatible with keto, low-carb + paleo dietary restrictions. Bonus: LMNT is throwing in a free gift with every purchase for CBUStoday readers.*
Eat
Skip the meal hassle with Sunbasket, a meal kit delivery service that makes healthy eating beyond easy. Sunbasket offers 10 different meal plans that work for those with dietary preferences and specific restrictions (think: paleo, gluten-free, veg, diabetes-friendly + more). Bonus: Sign up for $100 off your first four deliveries. 🫑*
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Happy birthday, Frankie. 🎉 The adorable Asian elephant calf at the Columbus Zoo turned one today, and celebrations are in order. Head to the Asia Quest region at 11 a.m. today to watch Frankie enjoy a bubbles-themed extravaganza. Grab a zoo ticket online in advance, and remember there’s a discount for Franklin County residents.
#DYK that your photos and quotes could be featured in our newsletter?
Editor’s pick: The heat wave has been crazy this week, but our CBUStoday team still got out and about. We talked to people on High Street about their favorite local businesses in honor of 614 Day.Didn’t hear your favorite local spot named?Send it our way.
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