Dublin Life April/May 2024

MAR 9 2024 — SEP 2 2024

Real objects. Real stories.

SCAN THE QR CODE OR

LEARN MORE AT COSI.ORG/TITANIC

PRESENTED BY SUPPORTING SPONSOR

dublinlife

1335 Dublin Rd., Suite 101C

Columbus, Ohio 43215

614-572-1240 • Fax 614-572-1241

www.cityscenecolumbus.com

Kathleen K. Gill President/CEO

Gianna Barrett Vice President, Sales

Jamie Armistead Vice President, Operations

Dave Prosser Chief Creative Officer

Maisie Fitzmaurice Editors

Rachel Karas

Tyler Kirkendall

Garth Bishop Contributing Editors

Colleen D’Angelo Contributing Writers

Cassie Dietrich

Ava Morgan

Ria Akhilesh Editorial Assistants

Cailyn Burr

Jane Dimel

Many Nader

Laura Pappas Advertising Director

Megan Brokamp Advertising Sales

Rae Moro

Aaron Gilliam Social Media Coordinator

Circulation 614-572-1240

www.dublinlifemagazine.com

CityScene Media Group also publishes:

CityScene Magazine

www.CitySceneColumbus.com

Pickerington Magazine

www.PickeringtonMagazine.com

Westerville Magazine

www.WestervilleMagazine.com

Tri-Village Magazine

www.TriVillageMagazine.com

Healthy New Albany Magazine

www.HealthyNewAlbanyMagazine.com

Discover Grove City Magazine

www.DiscoverGroveCity.com

The Publisher welcomes contributions in the form of manuscripts, drawings, photographs or story ideas to consider for possible publication. Enclose a SASE with each submission or email editor@ cityscenemediagroup.com. Publisher does not assume responsibility for loss or damage.

The appearance of advertising in Dublin Life does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s product or service by the City of Dublin.

Dublin Life is published in June, August, October, December, February and April. Subscriptions are free for households within the city limits of Dublin, Ohio. For advertising information or bulk purchases, call 614-572-1240.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. Dublin Life is a registered trademark of CityScene Media Group. Printed in the U.S.A. ©2024

www.dublinlifemagazine.com

An Exceptional Year in Dublin

What makes Dublin, Ohio, an exceptional community? First and foremost, it is the people. From our visionary City Council and dedicated City employees to our engaged residents, hardworking corporate residents and generous volunteers, each individual plays a vital role in making Dublin a global city of choice and the best place to call home.

As we re ect on 2023 in this annual report, I am proud to share that our City is in outstanding shape, with robust revenues and a diverse income tax base. We once again earned the rare “Triple Crown” distinction for scal health, transparency and accountability from the Government Finance O cers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA).

Our tax revenue surpassed a record-breaking $107 million last year, re ecting a 2.7% growth rate, and Dublin is showing no signs of slowing down, with abundant economic development opportunities on the horizon. We are enthusiastic about initiatives such as the revitalization of Metro Place, the continued growth in our health and biomedical sectors, and the investments in transportation, including Amtrak’s plans to expand

passenger rail in Central Ohio and the regional LinkUS bus rapid transit initiative that includes the Northwest Corridor to and from Dublin.

The City advanced two signi cant development agreements that will add to the vibrancy of Downtown Dublin. COhatch announced plans to establish its headquarters in Historic Dublin while creating a rst-of-its-kind coworking and entrepreneurship village. On the east side of the Scioto River, Crawford Hoying announced plans to build a premier boutique hotel and conference center in partnership with Cameron Mitchell.

We also negotiated an Economic Development Agreement with the City of Columbus, which adds more than ve thousand acres to our potential growth area west of our corporate boundary. Additionally, we purchased land for the Emerald Connector, a future vehicular and pedestrian bridge that will cross over I-270 from Tuller Road to Emerald Parkway near the new Mount Carmel Dublin Hospital, which is set to open in 2025.

Because of our unwavering focus on strategic planning, we are con dent in our foundation for a prosperous future for Dublin and its residents. Our most notable planning achievement over the past

Megan O’Callaghan

year has been the activation of Envision Dublin, our initiative to update our Community Plan. This endeavor has seen signi cant progress through public surveys, community engagement, stakeholder meetings and countless hours of work by our steering committee. The plan is nearing completion and is expected to be nalized this spring.

Also on the strategic planning front, we have nearly completed our Dublin Sustainability Plan, which establishes a goal of being a zero-waste community that is the model for sustainable community design, carbon neutral and supportive of its natural environment. We held many events supporting our sustainability e orts, including the rst-ever Sustainable Saturday, which provided a one-stop experience for residents to dispose of items they no longer wanted in their homes while diverting waste from our land lls.

As we connected people to City services, we also made substantial progress in our quest to be the most connected city. Council's approval of an agreement with alta ber will provide all Dublin premises access to up to 10-Gig ber. Construction begins this spring, and all Dublin addresses will have access to this vital public utility in three years.

We advanced e orts to ensure community resilience, as we nalized the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and Dublin Area Housing Study, successfully implemented the Safe Space Dublin program and hosted our many beloved events.

None of these achievements would be possible without the City’s remarkable sta , who are driven by excellence, better together and dedicated to service. Those are the tenets articulated in the City of Dublin Culture Playbook we built together in 2023 through extensive employee engagement. With these shared beliefs as our foundation, Team Dublin is uni ed in our promise to serve this exceptional community. I am privileged to collaborate with this talented team of professionals and inspired by their diligence, expertise and outstanding achievements.

Please take time to read the following pages, which include our 2023 Finance Report, and ip to the center of this issue of Dublin Life to see other City highlights and accomplishments.

Megan O’Callaghan Dublin City Manager

Back Row: Cathy De Rosa (Ward 4), Jane Fox (Ward 2), John Reiner (Ward 3), Amy Kramb (Ward 1). Front Row: Vice Mayor Christina Alutto (At-Large), Andy Keeler (At-Large), Mayor Chris Amorose Groomes (At-Large).

A ll E x pendi tu re s By Program

(For the year ended: Dec. 31, 2023)

Al l R even u e s By Program

(For the year ended: Dec. 31, 2023)

Locally

Wednesday – Saturday 8am - 2pm

614-873-5725

www.jacqueminfarms.net

FACT:

PRIMROSE

THROUGH APRIL 30

Dublin Arts Council presents Echoes of Memory

Dublin Arts Council 7125 Riverside Dr. www.dublinarts.org

APRIL 4

Dublin City Schools and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce present Work in Dublin: Job, Career and Internship Fair  11:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m.

Dublin Scioto High School 4000 Hard Rd.

www.dublinchamber.org

APRIL 4-14

The Abbey Theater presents Van Gogh’s in the Attic

April 4-6, 11-13; 7 p.m.

April 7, 14; 2 p.m.

The Abbey Theater of Dublin 5600 Post Rd. www.dublinohiousa.gov

APRIL 8

Teacher Conference Comp Day: No School

Dublin City Schools www.dublinschools.net

APRIL 8

Visit Dublin presents Dublin in the Dark 3-4 p.m.

Dublin Library Parking Garage 75 N. High St.

www.visitdublinohio.com

APRIL 8

Solar Eclipse Community Viewing Events

1:30-4:30 p.m.

Coffman Park South Fields and Riverside Crossing Park 5600 Post Rd. and 6635 Riverside Dr. www.dublinohiousa.gov

MAY 26

Dublin High Schools’ Graduations

The Schottenstein Center

555 Borror Dr., Columbus

www.dublinschools.net

APRIL 18

Taste the World: French Cuisine

6:30-8 p.m.

Dublin Community Recreation Center 5600 Post Rd.

www.dublinohiousa.gov

APRIL 20-21

Earth Day Celebration Weekend 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium 4850 W. Powell Rd., Powell www.columbuszoo.org

APRIL 25

April Indoor Night Market

6-9 p.m.

North Market Bridge Park

6750 Longshore St.

www.northmarket.org

MAY 4

Dublin Market Opens for Season

Every Saturday: 9 a.m.-noon

Bridge Park 6650 Longshore St.

www.thedublinmarket.com

MAY 4

Sustainable Saturday

8 a.m.-1 p.m.

City of Dublin Service Center

6555 Shier Rings Rd.

www.dublinohiousa.gov

MAY 4

Community Service Day

8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Dublin Community Recreation Center 5600 Post Rd.

www.dublinchamber.org

Scioto High School - 1:30 p.m.

Coffman High School - 4:30 p.m.

Jerome High School - 7:30 p.m.

Fresh

MAY 5

Coffman Homestead Open House

1-3

Fletcher Coffman House

6659 Emerald Pkwy. www.visitdublinohio.com

MAY 5, 31

Historic Dublin Walking Tour

5:30-6:30

Dublin Historical Society

9 S. High St. www.dublinohiohistory.org

MAY 8

Tell Us Your Story: Oral History Program

6:30-7:15 p.m., 7:15-8 p.m.

Columbus Metropolitan Library –Dublin Branch

75 N. High St. www.columbuslibrary.org

MAY 10

Dublin City School District Dodgeball Tournament

6-10 p.m.

Coffman High School Stadium 6780 Coffman Rd. www.dublinschools.net

MAY 17-19

The Abbey Theater presents A Walk in the Woods

May 17-18, 7 p.m.

May 18-19, 2 p.m.

The Abbey Theater of Dublin 5600 Post Rd.

www.dublinohiousa.gov

MAY 30

FORE! Miler

7-9 p.m.

Muirfield Village Golf Club 5750 Muirfield Dr. www.foremiler.com

MAY 27

Memorial Day Ceremony www.dublinveterans.com

Procession through Historic Dublin 11 a.m.

Ceremony at Dublin Cemetery 11:30 a.m.

83 W. Bridge St.

Community picnic lunch Noon

Monterey Park 135 Monterey Dr.

JUNE 3-9

Memorial Tournament

Muirfield Village Golf Club 5750 Memorial Dr.

Watch some of the world’s best golfers take on the Muirfield Village Golf Course. Professional golfers Juli Inkster and Tom Weiskopf are the Tournament’s 2024 Honorees. www.thememorialtournament.com

by Tyler Kirkendall

“We came in blind when we moved down to central Ohio,” Jim Schafer says. “I’m from Cleveland, she’s from McComb. We got married one week after we graduated … and just walked in and started subbing in Dublin.”

Jim took a job exploration test in college that led him and his wife, Jen, to Franklin County.

“Coming to the Columbus area, we knew there were going to be a lot of opportunities at whatever Outerbelt school we could find,” Jen says, “and we got lucky.”

The luck of the Irish didn’t run out there, as Jim and Jen both had jobs in the district within about three years of landing in Dublin.

When their younger son Justin moved back to Dublin last year, he joined Jim, Jen, and his older brother Jacob, as the fourth Schafer actively employed by Dublin City Schools (DCS).

End of the rainbow

Jim and Jen met at Bowling Green State University.

“It was a very typical college party situation,” Jim says. “And I was wearing an argyle sweater. I mean, what’s not to like about a guy in an argyle sweater?”

Family Business

For the Schafer family, Dublin Schools are a lifestyle

After getting married, it was time to find a new home in central Ohio. For Jim, Dublin was love at first sight as he dreamed of coaching in its impressive football stadium.

As they got to know the district, they were encouraged by the community’s commitment to people and education.

“We started subbing in Dublin, started to meet people and make connections,” Jim says. “You could just feel it in Dublin that… education, the kids, everyone valued it. And not just the going to school part. It was the athletics, the theater, or the band, or anything. Everything was done well.”

Jim and Jen raised their sons in Dublin, making very deliberate choices to live close to the schools and in the heart of the community. Jim has taught social studies at Scioto High School since 2001 and is an eighth-grade assistant football coach. Jen is Eversole Run Middle School’s librarian and an advisor for

Photos courtesy of the Schafer Family faces

the school’s creative writing club, Power of the Pen.

“I think about all the opportunities that the school gives kids in the classroom, with all these choices of classes, and then after school there’s every sports team that you could really want,” says Jacob, the older of the Schafer boys. “They have so many opportunities, clubs, everything like that. Being at the middle school level for athletics for ten years, I see other places around us offering similar ideas, but not the same level of getting so many kids involved.”

The boys are back in town

Jacob and Justin both teach and coach at Davis Middle School, with Jacob teaching social studies and Justin in the science department. Jacob coaches eighthgrade baseball and football, and Justin coaches seventh-grade boys’ basketball and baseball.

Jacob is in his fifth year at DCS and says he loves teaching at his former middle school.

“For the first couple years, it was a little weird, but you kind of transition when you start calling (former teachers) by their first names,” Jacob says. “I feel very comfortable… It’s very cool because you can talk about things you used to do and the school used to do. And it’s also cool to share and grow your relationship with them as colleagues instead of just studentteacher things.”

Jacob’s wife is a teacher as well, and she too comes from a family of educators.

Justin moved to Virginia after graduating from The Ohio State University, where he lived for three years before returning and starting his tenure in DCS in 2023.

“I really enjoyed my time (in Virginia), but I definitely saw myself coming back after I was there a little bit,” Justin says. “I always felt really connected to the school growing up because our parents taught there. … It’s a really good environment to go in every day and be able to see people that I genuinely feel connected with. It’s just fun to do it together.”

Jim and Jen are thrilled to stay connected with their sons, and joke that they always have friends who can keep an eye on their boys, just like they did when they were kids.

Connecting with people is a consistent theme with the Schafers, and is at the heart of everything they do.

Trisha DeLong, CISR

HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT -0.50%

Your choices are endless when you access your home’s equity with MB’s Home Equity Line of Credit. What would you do with extra cash: start a home renovation or pay off high interest debt? Maybe it’s time for that once-in-a-lifetime trip. MB’s Home Equity Line of Credit provides money for whatever you need today.

Find out what your home’s equity can do for you — speak with a lender today!

Dublin Branch

6215 Perimeter Drive 614.793.4631

888.801.1666

All applications subject to credit approval. Cannot be used for purchase money transactions; primary residences only. Advertised rate is available to approved applicants with credit scores ≥720, with a minimum loan amount of $10,000 and maximum of $250,000, and with reoccurring automatic payments from an MB checking account. APR will never be lower than 3.50% APR or higher than 24.00% APR during the life of the loan. Rate is a variable rate APR based on the current Prime Rate as published in the Wall Street Journal and will be subject to change monthly without notice. Use of the word “Prime” does not mean that the rate is the best or lowest rate offered by any lender. To determine the annual percentage rate we use the current Prime Rate minus .50% (subject to the minimum APR above); as of March 1, 2024 Prime Rate is 8.50%. No loan origination or prepayment penalties. However, you may be responsible for reimbursement of certain costs paid on your behalf by The Middlefield Banking Company at time of account opening if loan is closed within 36 months of account opening. Annual fee of $85.00 beginning on the first anniversary date. Proof of Property and Hazard Insurance is required. Contact bank for additional terms and conditions. Consult your tax advisor regarding deductibility of interest.

“The teachers that went to Dublin and want to come back to Dublin want to be there because they really care about the schools,” Justin says. “Almost every teacher I’ve met had a great experience at Dublin Schools because of the teachers they had and they want to provide that for other people.”

Jacob says it helps him connect with students when they know he came from the same school system they do.

“It’s always important for kids to see themselves being successful,” Jacob says. “If they can connect to us and know that we were in the same building and classrooms as they were, they can see themselves being successful in whatever way they want.”

Not going anywhere

Even after living and breathing DCS for more than thirty years, Jim and Jen love Dublin more each day. The whole family shares infectious positive attitudes, which the parents instilled in their sons at a young age.

“You make a choice to be happy, and you make a choice to enjoy what you’re doing,” Jen says. “And we’re teaching with our friends and we see students that we enjoy and coach and are involved with activities we enjoy.”

“Every stage was special when these kids were little,” Jim says. “When they were in elementary school, it was awesome, when they were ball boys, when they played youth sports, it was awesome. When they were playing football on a team I coached, it was awesome. When they went to college, we got to experience that with them. It’s all been great. There’s nothing that has been more rewarding than seeing what you boys have done.”

Tyler Kirkendall is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at tkirkendall@cityscenemediagroup.com

Dubliners the world over

The Schafers always see former students, players and their families around town, but local grocery stores aren’t the only place the family is recognized.

“We were traveling up the trolley in Heidelberg, Germany and there’s some kids we had in class (saying)

‘We know you from church Mr. Schafer!’” Jim says. “And that’s not the first time that’s happened to me. … It’s just really cool.”

Jim and Jen are grateful every day that they raised their family in Dublin.

Serving Northeast, Central, and Western Ohio

by Garth Bishop

Photos courtesy of City of Dublin

Signature Shift

New PGA Tour designation and later schedule highlight 2024 Memorial Tournament changes

Though the 49th annual Memorial Tournament will see some noticeable changes to its format – including a smaller field of competitors, a different tee-off schedule and a later date than usual – organizers promise the fan experience will remain at its high level.

This year’s Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is scheduled for June 3-9.

For 2024, the PGA Tour has designated eight tournaments as Signature Events, and the Memorial Tournament is among them. Because it was founded by Jack Nicklaus and is still hosted by him every year, the Memorial is one of three player-hosted events on the PGA Tour – the others being the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which took place in March in Orlando, and the Genesis Invitational, hosted by Tiger Woods in February in Los Angeles.

“We’ve always taken pride in the fact that Jack Nicklaus (created) a golf tournament that is considered one of the more premium, prominent events in professional golf,” says tournament Executive Director Dan Sullivan. “(It’s) gratifying to know, as

the PGA Tour continues to evolve, the Memorial Tournament is a constant.”

Signature Event

As a Signature Event, the tournament will undergo some changes to its rules and its ramifications on the larger world of golf. These include:

• A smaller field of 70-80 players, compared to 120 in recent years

• A $20 million purse, with the tournament winner receiving 20%, or $4 million; previously, the winner’s allocation was only 18%

• An increase in the FedExCup points accrued by the winner, up from 550 to 700

Tournament Fan Events

Legends Luncheon presented by Nationwide: May 1

FORE! Miler: May 30

The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday: June 3-9

Jr. Golf Day: June 5

Salute to Service Day: June 5

Fore!Fest: June 7-8

• More stringent requirements for competitors to remain in contention, with players outside of the top 50 being cut at 36 holes unless they are within 10 shots of the lead

“What this new structure has allowed the Memorial to do is maintain its position as a tournament that’s separated and elevated, while gaining benefit from some of the newly defined ways that the tour is recognizing what they now call Signature Events,” Sullivan says.

In years past, during tournament play on Thursday and Friday, players were starting from the first and 10th tees. With this year’s smaller field, competitors will all start from the first tee, and will play against the field in groups of two rather than groups of three. The flow of competition will therefore start at the first tee on Thursday morning and maintain that pattern over the four days of tournament play, making for a unique approach, Sullivan says.

Patrons will be better able to watch the top competitors in a linear fashion now that everyone in the field is starting from the first tee, Sullivan says, and can decide whether to stay and watch everyone or follow one small group.

Later dates

The other major difference between this year’s tournament and those of recent years is its time frame. Despite its name, the tournament has not always taken place the week of Memorial Day – it’s moved to June before, and has also begun as early as May 6 – but this is the first time in more than 20 years that the holiday hasn’t fallen during the event.

The change was made primarily to offer PGA Tour players more continuity in their schedules, allowing them to compete at the highest level of events in a week-to-week fashion. This year, the U.S. Open takes place the week after the Memorial, and immediately following that is the Travelers Championship, the final

Event of 2024.

“The top players can look at their schedules and see this is when they need to be focused on performing at their highest,” Sullivan says.

Despite these changes to tournament play, Sullivan says, Memorial-goers need not expect any major changes to their viewing experience.

“Outside of that, the patrons will experience the same great players on the same great golf course over the course of the day,” he says. “When our patrons come out to the tournament and people tune into the broadcast, they’re going to recognize the Memorial Tournament as they always have.”

Nor, he says, can they expect anything different from the usual tournament amenities or external events such as Fore!Fest, the Legends Luncheon and the Benefit Concert.

Honoree ceremony

Among the events that will be business as usual in 2024 is the recognition of the tournament honorees on Wednesday.

The awards program dates all the way back to the first Memorial Tournament in 1976, when Nicklaus recognized Robert Tyre “Bob” Jones Jr., a highly influential early 20th century amateur golfer who was Nicklaus’ idol in the sport. Nicklaus created both the tournament and Muirfield Village Golf Club, where it is played, in part to show his appreciation for those who helped elevate the game of golf, and the honoree program is yet another way to show that appreciation, Sullivan says.

“He wanted to create something in his hometown that had a lasting legacy, that was a positive contribution to the community and would grow over time,” Sullivan says.

Since that first year, Nicklaus has convened a group called the Captains Club, consisting of stakeholders who act independently of tournament administration – past members have included the likes of Bob Hope, Sean

Monday: Tuesday:

Connery, and former U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush –to determine each year’s honoree(s). Honorees have included administrators, broadcasters and other contributors in addition to players who have made a major impact on the sport.

Then, at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday on the driving range, the honorees – or, in the case of posthumous honorees, their loved ones – are brought out for recognition. The

ceremony always draws a big crowd, Sullivan says, and is covered by the Golf Channel.

“It’s unique for us to do that,” he says. “No one else in the game spends the time to recognize individuals over the course of the year, (and) also in the center of the tournament, like we do.”

The event also features recognition for veterans and active military members, as well as a performance by The Ohio State University Marching Band.

This year’s honorees

The 2024 honorees are Juli Inkster and Tom Weiskopf.

Inkster is a longtime golfer who did an enormous amount of work to bring focus to women’s golf over the course of her professional career, which lasted from the 1980s to the 2000s.

Her professional championships include seven LPGA Tour major championships and a total of 31 LPGA Tour victories, as well as LPGA Rookie of the Year. She has served as a broadcaster and as a three-time captain of the U.S. team in the Solheim Cup, including in 2015, when the U.S. team mounted the largest come-from-behind victory in history.

Inkster also lent her name to the Inkster Award, which recognizes the highestranking women’s collegiate golfer in her final year of eligibility with a $50,000 prize and a two-day mentorship retreat with Inkster herself.

“I don’t think there’s any better representative of the game of golf,” Sullivan says.

Weiskopf, a Massillon native and OSU All-American who died in 2022, was a multiple-time winner on the PGA Tour and U.S. Open whose career spanned from the 1960s to the 1980s.

He was also a well-regarded commentator and analyst, and was known for his skills as a golf course architect, designing more than 75 courses, including Double Eagle Club in Galena. He also played the first official game at Muirfield Village Golf Club, an exhibition contest between himself and Nicklaus on the day the course was formally dedicated in 1974.

Garth Bishop is a contributing editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Juli Inkster

Tom Weiskopf

DRIVEN BY EXCELLENCE

DRIVEN BY EXCELLENCE

DRIVEN BY EXCELLENCE

Fiber to Every Home

Fiber to Every Home

• 10-Gig fiber availability coming to every Dublin premises

Fiber to Every Home

• Undergoing construction 2024-2026

• 10-Gig fiber availability coming to every Dublin premises

• Most connected city in the nation

• 10-Gig fiber availability coming to every Dublin premises

Healthy

Healthy

• 465K DCRC visits (7% increase)

• 465K DCRC visits (7% increase)

Healthy

• 7.8K DCRC memberships (7% increase)

• 465K DCRC visits (7% increase)

7.8K DCRC memberships (7% increase)

• 6.4K pool memberships (1.67% increase)

• Undergoing construction 2024-2026 Most connected city in the nation

• Undergoing construction 2024-2026

• Most connected city in the nation

Fiscal Health

Fiscal Health

• $107.6 million in income tax revenue

• $107.6 million in income tax revenue

Fiscal Health

• General fund balance 76.8% of expenditures

• General fund balance 76.8% of expenditures

• $107.6 million in income tax revenue

• General fund balance 76.8% of expenditures

DEDICATED TO SERVICE

DEDICATED TO SERVICE

DEDICATED TO SERVICE

Transportation & Mobility

Transportation & Mobility

Transportation & Mobility

• 44K gallons of gas saved through 21 electric vehicle charging stations

• 44K gallons of gas saved through 21 electric vehicle charging stations

• 12K Dublin Connector rides

• 12K Dublin Connector rides

• 44K gallons of gas saved through 21 electric vehicle charging stations

• 7K scooter rides, 14K miles traveled

• 12K Dublin Connector rides

7K scooter rides, 14K miles traveled

• Regional LinkUs rapid bus transit initiative

• 7K scooter rides, 14K miles traveled

Regional LinkUs rapid bus transit initiative

• Slow Down Dublin program

• Regional LinkUs rapid bus transit initiative

Slow Down Dublin program

• Slow Down Dublin program

Sustainability

Sustainability

• Diverted 47% of solid waste from landfill

• Diverted 47% of solid waste from landfill

Sustainability

• Diverted 47% of solid waste from landfill

• Sustainable Saturday community drop-o event to shred, donate and recycle

• Sustainable Saturday community drop-o event to shred, donate and recycle

• Sustainable Saturday community drop-o event to shred, donate and recycle

• 22.88 tons of household hazardous waste collected (up 17% from 2022)

• 22.88 tons of household hazardous waste collected (up 17% from 2022)

• 22.88 tons of household hazardous waste collected (up 17% from 2022)

• Launched Respawn Lounge for e-sports

• pool memberships (1.67% increase)

• 7.8K DCRC memberships (7% increase)

• Launched Respawn Lounge for e-sports

• 6.4K pool memberships (1.67% increase)

• Launched Respawn Lounge for e-sports

Capital Improvements

Capital Improvements

• Franklin Street extension

• Franklin Street extension

Capital Improvements

• Riverside Drive shared use path

• Riverside Drive shared use path

• Franklin Street extension

• New bike pump track at Emerald Fields

• Riverside Drive shared use path

• New bike pump track at Emerald Fields

• New bike pump track at Emerald Fields

Public Safety

Public Safety

• 49K regional 911 calls answered

• 49K regional 911 calls answered

Public Safety

• 1K+ steering wheel locks distributed

• 49K regional 911 calls answered

• steering wheel locks distributed

• Added public safety services liaison for mental health support

• 1K+ steering wheel locks distributed

• Added public safety services liaison for mental health support

• Hired 18 sta , including 9 police o cers

• Hired 18 sta , including 9 police o cers

• Added public safety services liaison for mental health support

• Hired 18 sta , including 9 police o cers

• Celebrated 1 year of Safe Space and added 4 new locations, including Dublin Methodist Hospital and Dublin Food Pantry

• Celebrated 1 year of Safe Space and added 4 new locations, including Dublin Methodist Hospital and Dublin Food Pantry

• Celebrated 1 year of Safe Space and added 4 new locations, including Dublin Methodist Hospital and Dublin Food Pantry

Innovation

Innovation

• 9.8K GoDublin requests

Innovation

• 9.8K GoDublin requests

• 9.8K GoDublin requests

3 SnowGo weather-detection cameras

• 3 SnowGo weather-detection cameras

• 3 SnowGo weather-detection cameras

• 150+ devices connected during initial free WiFi at Co man Park

• 150+ devices connected during initial free WiFi at Co man Park

• 150+ devices connected during initial free WiFi at Co man Park

BETTER TOGETHER

BETTER TOGETHER

BETTER TOGETHER

Economic Development

Economic Development

Beta District

Beta District

Economic Development

• $89.4 million invested by Dublin businesses into existing spaces

• $89.4 million invested by Dublin businesses into existing spaces

Beta District

• 35-mile 33 Smart Mobility Corridor, the world’s most connected highway

• $10.8 million invested in new construction by Dublin companies

• $89.4 million invested by Dublin businesses into existing spaces

• $10.8 million invested in new construction by Dublin companies

• $10.8 million invested in new construction by Dublin companies

• 5 Economic Development Agreements worth $1.1 million in income tax withholdings

• 5 Economic Development Agreements worth $1.1 million in income tax withholdings

• 5 Economic Development Agreements worth $1.1 million in income tax withholdings

• New premier hotel and conference center planned

• New premier hotel and conference center planned

• 35-mile 33 Smart Mobility Corridor, the world’s most connected highway

• 35-mile 33 Smart Mobility Corridor, the world’s most connected highway

• 50+ business and organization visits, including Midwest U.S. Japan Association Conference and the first Mobility in Color event

• 50+ business and organization visits, including Midwest U.S. Japan Association Conference and the first Mobility in Color event

• 50+ business and organization visits, including Midwest U.S. Japan Association Conference and the first Mobility in Color event

• Intergovernmental Cooperation Award from Ohio City & County Management Association

• Intergovernmental Cooperation Award from Ohio City & County Management Association

• COhatch headquarters announced

• COhatch headquarters announced

• New premier hotel and conference center planned

• COhatch headquarters announced

Outreach & Engagement

Outreach & Engagement

• 45K hours of volunteer service

• Intergovernmental Cooperation Award from Ohio City & County Management Association

Culture

Culture

Culture

• 90+ new U.S. residents took part in naturalization ceremony

• 90+ new U.S. residents took part in naturalization ceremony

• 130+ Teen Buddy Program volunteers

Outreach & Engagement

• 45K hours of volunteer service

• 2.8K City volunteers, ranging in age from 5 to 96

• 45K hours of volunteer service

2.8K City volunteers, ranging in age from 5 to 96

• 24 languages spoken by City’s volunteer base

• 2.8K City volunteers, ranging in age from 5 to 96

• 24 languages spoken by City’s volunteer base

• 200 people participated in MLK Civic Service Series

• 24 languages spoken by City’s volunteer base

• 200 people participated in MLK Civic Service Series

• 200 people participated in MLK Civic Service Series

Digital Media Engagement

Digital Media Engagement

• Nearly 100K social media followers

• Nearly 100K social media followers

Digital Media Engagement

• Nearly 100K social media followers

• 18K Link Ahead listens; making top 25% of BuzzSprout’s podcasts

18K Link Ahead listens; making top 25% of BuzzSprout’s podcasts

• 18K Link Ahead listens; making top 25% of BuzzSprout’s podcasts

• 2.2 million video views across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

• 2.2 million video views across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

• 15K Dublin News Now e-newsletter subscribers

• 15K Dublin News Now e-newsletter subscribers

• 2.2 million video views across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

• 15K Dublin News Now e-newsletter subscribers

A Well-Planned, Future-Forward and Exceptional Community

A Well-Planned, Future-Forward and Exceptional Community

• 90+ new U.S. residents took part in naturalization ceremony

• 130+ Teen Buddy Program volunteers

• 130+ Teen Buddy Program volunteers

• 5 Dublin families hosted Japanese citizens as part of JASCO Grassroots Summit

• 5 Dublin families hosted Japanese citizens as part of JASCO Grassroots Summit

• 5 Dublin families hosted Japanese citizens as part of JASCO Grassroots Summit

• 40 volunteers shared traditions at the DCRC’s Culture Corner

• 40 volunteers shared traditions at the DCRC’s Culture Corner

• 40 volunteers shared traditions at the DCRC’s Culture Corner Engage with the City of Dublin on your favorite social channel

Engage with the City of Dublin on your favorite social channel

Engage with the City of Dublin on your favorite social channel

During 2023, Dublin City Council, community members and City employees engaged in 10 long-range plans to chart the course for Dublin’s future:

During 2023, Dublin City Council, community members and City employees engaged in 10 long-range plans to chart the course for Dublin’s future:

During 2023, Dublin City Council, community members and City employees engaged in 10 long-range plans to chart the course for Dublin’s future:

• Envision Dublin Community Plan

• Envision Dublin Community Plan

• Metro Center Revitalization

• Metro Center Revitalization

• Community Health Needs Assessment

• Envision Dublin Community Plan

• Community Health Needs Assessment

• Dublin Community Recreation Center Refresh

• Community Health Needs Assessment

• Dublin Community Recreation Center Refresh

• Dublin Area Housing Study

• Dublin Area Housing Study

• Dublin Community Recreation Center Refresh

• Economic Development Strategic Plan

• Dublin Area Housing Study

• Economic Development Strategic Plan

• Economic Development Strategic Plan

• Parks & Recreation Master Plan

• Metro Center Revitalization

• Parks & Recreation Master Plan

• Passenger Rail Station Study

• Passenger Rail Station Study

• Parks & Recreation Master Plan

• Sustainability Plan

• Sustainability Plan

• Passenger Rail Station Study

• Sustainability Plan

• S.R. 161 Corridor Study

• S.R. 161 Corridor Study

• S.R. 161 Corridor Study

ACCREDITATIONS

• American Public Works Association (APWA)

• Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA)

• Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)

• Community Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation

• International Economic Development Council

• Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investor Service and S&P Global

AWARDS RECEIVED IN 2023

• No. 1 suburb in Central Ohio (Columbus Underground)

• 3 awards from City-County Communications & Marketing Association (3CMA)

• 7 BroadwayWorld Columbus awards and Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle honor for Abbey Theater

• 8 awards from Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

• 10 awards from International Festival and Events Association

• 90+ cashVest award by three+one and the National Association of Counties (NACo)

• Dublin Irish Festival named third “Best Cultural Festivals” by USA Today

• Dublin named “Most Unusual Town” in Ohio by Alot Travel

• Finance received second-consecutive “Triple Crown” distinction for fiscal health, transparency and accountability from Government Finance O cers Association (GFOA)

• Highest credit ratings from Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investor Service and S&P Global

• National Fleet Management Association’s “100 Best Green Fleets” and Government Fleet’s “Top 50 Leading Fleets”

• Ohio Auditor of State award for excellence in financial reporting

• Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Encouraging Environmental Excellence in Communities (E3C) award

• Platinum-level Healthy Worksite by Healthy Business Council of Ohio (HBCO)

• Second consecutive perfect score on Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index

A Total Eclipse of the Sun

In the path of totality: City of Dublin prepares for the total solar eclipse

By Rachel Karas

This April, Ohio will experience its first solar total eclipse since 1806, and the City of Dublin is in the path of totality. At approximately 3:11 p.m. on April 8, the City will experience roughly a minute and a half of total darkness.

The U.S. has been treated to a natural phenomenon known as a solar eclipse several times in the past 10 years.

On Oct. 14, 2023, the West Coast and several southwestern states experienced an annular, or ring, eclipse creating a thin “ring of fire.” In 2017, a total solar eclipse passed across many of the contiguous states but did not touch Ohio.

To highlight this unique spectacle, Dublin organizations are offering solar eclipse-themed specials and events.

What is a solar eclipse?

According to NASA, a solar eclipse happens when the moon is positioned between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on Earth as it blocks, or partially blocks, the sun from view.

These solar events happen more than some may realize, occurring roughly two to five times a year, according to an article published by Britannica earlier this year.

There are several ways people may see solar eclipses depending on where they fall along the path of the moon’s shadow. Based on the visibility of the eclipse it could be considered as annular, partial or total.

An annular eclipse occurs when the moon is too far away from the Earth to completely block out the sun, creating a small ring of light around the moon.

Partial and total eclipses happen more often, but only a small portion of the world gets to experience total darkness when these phenomena occur.

Of the 300 miles that the moon casts its shadow on during an eclipse, the path of totality is only a fraction of it. This year’s eclipse is particularly unique as NASA estimates that the path will be roughly 108-122 miles wide, which is wider than the path of the 2017 eclipse.

Although it may seem like there is a high chance of seeing an eclipse, it is very rare for one to pass over the same path more than once. In fact, according to an article published by Astronomy magazine last year, if an area is in the path of totality then chances are it will not be again for another 375 years.

Fun in the (dark) sun

Visit Dublin’s Marketing Director Sara Blatnik says there will be local businesses that add extra hours and offer fun solar eclipse specials, including Our CupCakery with Half Moon cupcakes and cookies and The Roosevelt Room offering halfprice drinks.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium will host a Solar Eclipse “Solar-bration” with fun activities and character ambassadors, and the Dublin Arts Council will offer solar eclipse activities in its ARTboxes. Read more about the ARTboxes on page 32.

Looking for a fun place to catch the action? Whether you are looking for something down-to-earth – such as the family-friendly viewing gatherings the City is hosting at Coffman and Riverside Crossing parks – or a rooftop view atop VASO or the Dublin Library, there are a multitude of choices for residents and visitors alike.

Those attending the park events are encouraged to wear glow-in-the-dark clothing and stay for the music and entertainment which runs from 1:30-4:30 p.m.

For those visiting from out of town, there are plenty of hotel deals to choose from and many events will offer free eclipse glasses and access to the VIP viewing event in Downtown Dublin.

“We want people to pick Dublin out of all the places that are going to experience the total solar eclipse as their destination because we have great amenities here,” Blatnik says. “Downtown Dublin is still very new to a lot of people, the pedestrian bridge, all of our new restaurants and shops and the great things that we have to do here.”

Safety tips to remember

While this is certainly a spectacular event you won’t want to miss, there are important measures to ensure you can enjoy it safely.

One of the City’s biggest concerns is public safety. Traffic throughout the City is anticipated to be higher than usual the day of the event and motorists on the road will be encouraged to refrain from stopping along the roadways to watch the event.

With Dublin City Schools canceling classes for the day as well, choosing your

viewing spot and getting there early will be essential.

The City is also encouraging those who choose to leave their homes to watch the eclipse to refrain from driving when possible and instead use the 150 miles of shared use paths in the area to walk, bike or scoot to their destination.

It is also important to have the proper eyewear when viewing this event.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology says eye protection is incredibly important when viewing these events. According to an article published by the academy last year, “staring at the sun for even a short time without wearing the right eye protection can damage your retina permanently. It can even cause blindness, called solar retinopathy.”

If you plan to watch the eclipse through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope, NASA says it is important to use a specialpurpose solar filter as well.

There will be several places around Dublin to pick up a pair of safety glasses, including the library starting March 18 as well as Coffman and Riverside Crossing parks the day of the event. If you choose to go online to find a pair, be sure to check the American Astronomical Society’s list of approved protective eyewear.

Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenmediagroup.com.

•

•

Did you know?

Although the U.S. recently experienced an annular eclipse last October, the last solar eclipse to pass through Ohio occurred in 1806, three years after Ohio officially became a state. The next total eclipse expected in the U.S. will happen in 2044, but Ohio is not projected to be in the path until 2099.

Photo by: Terry Atkin

Photo by: Tom Seely f

Artperspectives

Public Art Speaks!

Join the conversation

By Ava Morgan

Photos courtesy of Dublin Arts Council

At the Dublin Arts Council, we believe public art is a dialogue. We view public art as a dynamic process and exchange of ideas rather than a static object. When I spot an Exuvia sculpture hidden in the trees of Coffman Park, I can almost hear the brood cicadas from my childhood. I become curious about what other creatures may be cohabiting in the world around me. When I drive by Feather Point, I am reminded of the twigs gathered by community members now forever encased in the sculpture’s metal arrangement. When I walk among the cement rows of Field of Corn (with Osage Orange Trees), I contemplate the changing landscape in Ohio and consider what may lie ahead. Public artworks reflect Dublin’s specific landscape, flora and fauna, local history and culture over time.

Art speaks

Public artwork speaks to us in different ways.

It provokes questions about where we came from and where we are going. It brings us joy, inspires playfulness and can slow us down to consider who we are and how we are showing up in the world.

Public art is community dialogue, and in Dublin, public art has much to say.

Art powers imagination

Public artists are skilled, highly trained visionaries who give a gift to the

community they serve. Through their creative practice, they weave together an ecosystem of people, ideas, landscapes and history that are specific to a place and then imagine something new.

The creative work of artists fuels our imagination and makes us more human. When we experience art in public places, we enter into a conversation with our local and global communities. We exchange reactions and opinions with others that may strengthen our connection, challenge our perspective, expand our understanding or motivate us to action.

Find eclipse inspired ARTboxes in April

To celebrate the solar eclipse, the Dublin Arts Council is offering a sun and moon mask-making activity inside the ARTbox vessels throughout Dublin. During April, visitors will find art supplies and instructions on how to create a solarinspired mask, along with “fun facts” about the eclipse. For more information on where to find an ARTbox, visit dublinarts.org.

Art impacts culture

Public art is integral to the cultural landscape of Dublin. Dublin’s collection of public artworks distinguishes our community and creates a sense of place while contributing to Dublin’s aesthetic legacy.

The Dublin Art in Public Places program began in 1988 and has grown to more than 60 large, small-scale permanent, temporary and interactive public art projects today. The collection is currently valued at $3.8 million.

Dublin Arts Council maintains that public art should inspire an emotional response, provoke questions and invite interaction while encouraging ingenuity and creative discovery by artists.

Upcoming events

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Dublin Arts Council invites the community to join the public art conversation through “Public Art Speaks,” a series of free events hosted at selected public artworks in 2024. These one-day events promote community

Feather Point by Olga Ziemska

exchange through dialogue inspired by Dublin’s public art.

Many artworks in Dublin’s collection speak to themes and social issues vital to our community today. These include sustainability and the environment, mental health and wellbeing, and indigenous history, to name a few. “Public Art Speaks” provides an invitation for the community to revisit the collection to engage in dialogue together.

The first “Public Art Speaks” event will be held this summer at Watch House in Coffman Park.

Created by Todd Slaughter in 1998, Watch House was designed as a contemplative counterpoint to the adjacent group or family-oriented Dublin Community Recreation Center. Watch House has become an iconic artwork in Dublin’s collection and a beloved feature in the community park. The artist took inspiration from many layers of local history and culture to create the artwork, and these themes are ripe for continued exploration today.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the inspiration for this artwork through a Q and A with the artist during the event. Other events will include artist talks, community activities and fun ways to connect with public art. We look forward to inviting all those who live, work, learn, visit and play in Dublin to revisit, reconsider and reimagine what public art may be saying today.

Please join the public art conversation with the Dublin Arts Council at the “Public Art Speaks” events in 2024; stay tuned for more details about the events and other programming by visiting dublinarts.org.

Ava Morgan is the Public Art Manager of Dublin Arts Council.

Exuvia by Todd Smith

by Cassie Dietrich

Photos courtesy of Kendall Colvin, Preschool Social Media Manager

Preschool Paves Path to Success for Students

Just north of Coffman High School lives a world where potential transforms into progress each and every day. The Dublin City Schools Preschool, which has called Coffman Road home since 2020, provides an education for Dublin’s youngest learners. It also serves as a holistic, nurturing environment where students are not defined by what they are, but instead by who they can become.

Why a preschool?

During the 2023 levy campaign, some inquired as to why DCS needed to have a preschool. The comments were a reaction to the bond issue, which earmarked $7.5 million for a 7,000 square foot preschool

expansion project featuring six classrooms and a 1,600-square foot gymnasium. The answer lies in state and federal legislation.

The DCS Preschool operates under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Students, both of which ensure that students with disabilities are provided with a free appropriate public education that is tailored to their individual needs.

“Identifying students who may need special education is not a passive obligation for us. We actively seek out children who may need special education as part of our commitment to Child Find,” says Vanessa Ohlinger, the principal of the Preschool.

Child Find is the process of locating, evaluating and identifying children who may be in need of special education and related services. Ohio law requires public school districts to have Child Find policies and procedures in place to ensure children with disabilities are identified and served by their third birthday.

The Preschool must act within strict timelines to ensure compliance with IDEA and the Operating Standards.

Within 30 days of identifying a child as possibly having a disability, the Preschool’s Request for Assistance (RFA) assessment team must conduct an initial evaluation. The information from the evaluation is used to determine whether the child meets the eligibility criterion of a “child with a disability” under one of 13 eligibility categories.

Then, within 30 days of completing an evaluation, the Preschool team must write an individualized education program (IEP) for the child and start intervention services. Currently, the RFA team averages four to six evaluations per week.

While every student who is identified must be served, Ohlinger and her team

Valentin Mendez Menchaca plays at a sensory table in Ms. Kathryn’s class.

are diligent about fiscal stewardship and responsible staffing.

“We have a rigorous itinerant program that serves more than 50 students,” Ohlinger says. “When possible, our teachers and therapists go and serve students in their home or at other local preschools and/or daycares as opposed to placement at the Preschool. This keeps us from hiring staff for classrooms that may be partially filled.”

Utilization of Dublin services

The DCS Preschool, which operates as a half-day program, has 351 students enrolled. Forty-six percent of identified students at the Preschool have autism, while others have speech impairments, developmental delays or a combination of needs.

Ohlinger pointed out that there has been a significant increase in speech therapy services, up 122% since the COVID-19 pandemic, and researchers believe increased screen time and limited social interaction are contributing factors.

The Preschool uses a peer model, wherein typically-developing children serve as role models for their peers with disabilities. Peer students pay an affordable

tuition and learn in an integrated classroom setting that fosters self-confidence and an appreciation for diversity among people.

“Research continues to show the importance of inclusion. By adopting the peer model, we educate students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE), which is a guiding principle of IDEA,” Ohlinger says.

The peer model is a transformative experience for typically-developing children, according to Ohlinger.

“Being a peer is not just about helping others; peers also develop leadership skills when they assist their friends in following directions,” she says. “We use phrases like, ‘Your friend is still learning,’ to express how they can assist their friends in following directions or completing a task.”

Well-qualified and caring staff

A key strength of the DCS Preschool is its exceptional team of teachers; each a licensed early childhood intervention specialist and classroom paraprofessionals.

In each classroom, one teacher and two paraprofessionals work with 14-16 students. It’s a dynamic team, committed to bridging gaps and fostering growth in the most crucial years of a child’s life.

Annual licensing visits and audits of classrooms to ensure compliance with guidelines are not viewed as hurdles, but as opportunities to refine and improve the learning environment.

In fact, DCS Preschool staff are doing such a great job that they have already outgrown the centralized location they moved to in 2020. Fortunately, the approval of the bond issue in November 2023 has provided the resources for DCS to complete the much-needed addition. The project, which will increase the school’s capacity by 190 students, will break ground this spring and be open for the 2025-2026 school year.

“This expansion is a testament to our community’s commitment to these children. The addition will provide much-needed space for learning, treatments, and therapies, (as well as) a gymnasium for gross motor activities,” Ohlinger says. “Without the addition, we would have had to look at decentralizing and having a satellite location. We’re so grateful that we can now grow and serve even more children.”

Cassie Dietrich is a Public Information Officer for Dublin City Schools.

Learn More

To learn more about the DCS Preschool, visit www. dublinschools.net/dcspreschool. Know a child three-and-a-half or older who is ready to attend preschool? Applications to be a peer are currently being accepted.

Students in Ms. Jennie’s class host their own “television show” in front of a live audience of classmates.

Staff and students participated in the Columbus Buddy Walk in October. Pictured left to right are Mackenzie Karl, Sam Bowersock, Vanessa Ohlinger (principal), Alex Gallagher, Everett Gallagher and Marla Hester.

by Maisie Fitzmaurice

Photo courtesy of ShaMeka Glaze

Born to Dance

Daniel Wright Elementary 4th grader performs with BalletMet

With a family of basketball players, ShaMeka Glaze was surprised when her three-year-old daughter, Kai Roberts, said definitively that she wanted to be a ballet dancer. Dance wasn’t something Glaze was familiar with, but she signed Roberts up for dance classes at the recreation center and quickly realized her daughter is a natural performer.

Now 10 years old, Roberts dances constantly – at home, at school and in lessons. The graceful movements of dance come easy to her and give her joy.

“I’ll hear music and look over and she’s dressed as some cowgirl, (with) a hat and some boots or a cheerleader skirt and she’s making up these routines and dancing and I’m just sitting there like, ‘What’s going on there?’ but she’s all into it,” Glaze says. “I’ll pull my phone out and get a video real quick because this is unbelievable.”

Dance has been at the center of Roberts’ life since she started seven years ago. She has tried her hand at gymnastics, basketball and piano, but eventually decided she wanted to devote all her time to her passion for ballet.

“With piano, she was kind of trying to do her own thing and the teacher was trying to distract her but she was just like, ‘I’m a professional’ and that didn’t go over very well,” Glaze says. “So yeah, we just stuck to the dance where she was more focused.”

Roberts’ dance journey eventually led her to perform with BalletMet in its rendition of The Nutcracker in 2023 and Alice earlier this year. Her involvement with the company started when she learned about the Discover Dance Scholarship while taking private lessons with her cousin. She

auditioned for the scholarship and was selected to join the company.

“We’re very happy about it, and they just keep renewing every year,” Glaze says.

While many may get stage fright performing in front of hundreds of people at the Ohio Theatre, Roberts unapologetically lets her joyful personality shine on stage, even going as far as blowing kisses to her loved ones in the crowd as she ran off the stage during one of the shows.

“I’m like, ‘Is she allowed to do that? Okay Beyonce, what are all these extra things you’re doing?’ but they don’t say anything to her,” Glaze says. “She’s acknowledging who came there to support her and I do appreciate that. It’s really sweet to see, almost has me in tears.”

Roberts’ family members are her greatest supporters and they are beyond proud of their young starlet.

“It’s worth the money. It’s worth the time. She just lights up and I can see where she leads a lot,” Glaze says. “I’m really impressed with seeing her perform. She’ll have at least 10 people at a show. It’s a major thing to everybody.”

While Glaze spends countless hours shuttling Roberts to practices and performances, she is not the only one who helps her succeed. During the COVID-19 pandemic when Roberts couldn’t attend lessons, Glaze’s close friend taught her lessons via video calls, and her greatgrandmother “Nana” was always there to give her guidance and life lessons.

“(Nana is) my best friend and she makes me laugh a lot,” Roberts says. “I just love her a lot and she’s taught me to always be true to myself.”

With her enthusiasm for dance, Roberts isn’t hanging up her flats anytime soon. While she enjoys theatre and other styles of dance, ballet has a special place in her heart.

“I think it’s just more calming and it’s like meditating,” Roberts says. “What motivates me is that it’s fun to do it, it’s really something that I like to do and it feels good to learn something new.”

Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com

dishes

by Jane Dimel Photos courtesy of Ridiculously Good Salsa

Return of the Dublin Market

Insight from organizers and vendors about what to expect at this year’s market dublin

Every Saturday, from May through September, Bridge Park will be filled with vendors from across central Ohio that come to engage the community at the Dublin Market.

This year marks the seventh season of the market, continuing to offer fresh produce, sweets, retail and more with live

music and pop-ups in the vibrant streets of Bridge Park. In 2018, the market began with about 40 vendors, but it has now grown to include more than 120 vendors and hosts between 6,000-7,000 visitors each week.

A family vendor

Among the new and returning vendors coming to the Dublin Market, one staple to look for is Ridiculously Good Salsa. Its fresh-made flavors range from Mellow and Happy MediYUM to Hi Heat and Spicy Ranch Pickle for individuals of all taste preferences to enjoy.

Ridiculously Good Salsa also sells cocktail mixes, taco seasoning and chili powder, in collaboration with local spice shop North Market Spices.

Dublin Market attendees have been the taste testers for many different products, including the Spicy Ranch Pickle salsa, which made its testing debut last summer. This flavor of salsa includes ingredients from Ridiculously Good Salsa and fellow Dublin Market vendor The Crazy Cucumber. It was rated in the Top 30 Pickled Food Items of 2023 list of social media influencer The Pickled Guy.

More items are anticipated to be tested at the company’s booth this year, including a “Buckeye in a Bottle” cocktail mix with vodka and bubbly options, a Sweet Heat dip, a holiday dip, mocktail mixes and more.

“RGS is a part of just about every project that I do,” says Dublin resident Deb Papesh. “Vickie says yes to all of my city and school projects and supports the Dublin community through and through. I am proud to call her my foodie and grandma friend!”

Jane Dimel is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.

‘ Don’t Forget!

Remember to bring reusable bags to the market to ensure you have room for all of the amazing goodies at the market

‘ New Feature

Select market dates will have a photo booth equipped with props from the Dublin Market, so make sure to drop by!

‘ Fun Fact

Every year, more than 500 businesses apply to be a part of the Dublin Market. The process of choosing vendors is very selective. Here are a few returning vendors and products to look for:

• The Crazy Cucumber: pickles

• Mohican Flower Farm: fresh-cut flowers

• Bears Bagels: bagels and bialys

• The Buckeye Lady: buckeyes

• Combs Bee Farm: honey

• Goodman Family Farms: breakfast sandwiches and frozen meats

• Rhoads Farm: produce

Market helper Hanna Wolgemuth working at Ridiculously Good Salsa’s booth

Ridiculously Good 7-Layer Dip

• 1 can of refried beans

• 2 Tbsp. of Ridiculously Good Taco Seasoning

• 1 container of Ridiculously Good Salsa (any flavor)

• 16 oz. sour cream

• 2 avocados, cut into slices

• 1 lime, sliced in half

• Salt

• 1 cup of shredded lettuce

• 2/3 cup of shredded cheese, such as sharp cheddar

• 1 bag of lime tortilla chips

• Options for dipping: tortilla chips, carrots, celery or pita chips

Mix refried beans with 1 Tbsp. of taco seasoning. Place in a smooth layer at the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Chill for 15 minutes.

Combine sour cream, taco seasoning and lime juice in a bowl and spread over previous layer.

Mash avocado slices, lime juice and salt, then spread on top of sour cream layer.

Add a layer of salsa.

Add a lettuce layer on top of salsa. Crunch up lime tortilla chips and sprinkle over lettuce.

Top with layer of shredded cheese. Chill for one hour before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Ridiculously Good Salsa. www.ridiculouslygoodsalsa.com. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

living by Ria Akhilesh

Photos courtesy of the Cleary Company

Let the Light In Sunroom renovation transforms Dublin home

Bringing nature into the home is an effective way to redesign the feel of a space while adding a warm, earthy charm. In particular, using light to transform living spaces through sunrooms can expand not only the area of a home but also its alignment with the nature around it.

With a vision to harness her space’s natural beauty, homeowner Jody Flynn found inspiration for a sunroom with the Cleary Company. Together, they completed a full sunroom addition in August 2022 and made Jody’s visions come to life.

This 485 square-foot addition was originally a patio space with a gazebo-like structure.

“The sun came in on our yard and patio really hard, so we’d sometimes pull down the shades on the side,” Flynn says. “But when it was windy, the shades would fly in, so it just wasn’t really working. It was time to do something about the patio.”

Katie Florjanc, who works for the Cleary Company and was the head designer of the project, worked to maintain the natural, sunny charm of the space while helping make it more functional.

“Originally, there was a pergola-like structure, and the way the sun came down made it possible for them to use it, but it didn’t provide enough coverage. We used a lot of that footprint for the sunroom, and we were able to maintain the paver patio

to the side, so they still have a nice cozy area outside or inside,” Florjanc says.

The new space features detailed shiplap beams on the ceiling and Cambria quartz countertops with a fire pit patio, a beverage center and refrigerator. The windows line the room, letting in sunlight from every direction throughout the day and are key to creating a warm, earthy and welcoming feeling to the area.

Flynn wanted to incorporate her family’s visions into the new shared space as well. With four children, she wanted the space to be functional for the whole family and become a place where the kids can convene even after they head to college.

To create this kind of gathering space, she included a swinging chair, which was part of her daughter’s vision for the room, as well as a game table.

“We’re a big games family, so we made a table where we could play a lot of games,” Flynn says.

The new room has become a natural addition to the home with many access points to the original space.

“Maintaining those connections created a nice flow for the family to still have guests over and either enjoy space outside or in the sunroom without it feeling too disconnected,” Florjanc says.

The sunroom also has served as a gathering place for recent family milestones, including part of Flynn’s daughter’s wedding celebrations.

“They loved the sunroom so much that, when it came to her getting married, my daughter said, ‘Mom, I would like it if my bridesmaids could spend the night at our house and get ready for the wedding in the sunroom.’ So, for the wedding, the sunroom was the space,” Flynn says.

Flynn’s family also celebrated her father’s 90th birthday in the sunroom.

The new addition has become a special place for the family.

“I love being out in the sunroom. It’s exactly how I wanted it, and it’s become such a vibrant room. I can’t say that there is anything I would have done differently,” Flynn says.

Ria Akhilesh is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com

614.431.1040

DGPerry.com

what’s your style?

Steve Smith (614) 205-3394

6040 Dublin Rd., Delaware – Opportunities await in this spacious 5 bedroom & 3 full bath country home. With just over 2 acres surrounded by picturesque farmland, this property provides you with a serene & idyllic setting to call home. Over 5,000 sq. ft. of living space featuring a soaring two-story double-sided stone fireplace, serving as the heart of this magnificent residence. $599,000.

KELLER WILLIAMS CONSULTANTS REALTY www.SteveSmithAssociates.com

Alli Close (614) 726-9070

9273 Donatello Dr. – Custom New England Homes built on half acre in Tartan West! No detail has been overlooked in this 6 bedroom house complete with 4 car garage and walkout lower level featuring exquisite full bar area. Stunning white island kitchen w/ adjoining hearth room. First floor primary suite, large upstairs bedrooms/closets. Backs to private treeline.

CUTLER REAL ESTATE www.dublinhomes.com

Neil Mathias (614) 580-1662

22100 Johnson Rd. – Are you an outdoor enthusiast or looking for your own private preserve to build a home? Then this is the perfect property for you! Consisting of 48 acres, including 20+acres of untouched woods, 1 acre pond, & grassland/wetland preservation area with a large 40x80 metal barn with electricity for all your toys, plus a small primitive hunter's cabin back in the woods. It is a truly beautiful piece of ground. $649,900.

CUTLER REAL ESTATE www.TheMathiasTeam.com • Free home estimate available

5860 Dunheath Loop – This beautiful 3 bed / 2.5 bath Bob Webb ranch home offers a number of amenities - nothing to do but move in! Open floor plan w/vaulted ceilings & hardwood floors throughout. Finished lower level. Large windows overlook the tree lined backyard and paver patio. $649,900.

KELLER WILLIAMS CONSULTANTS REALTY

(614) 562-5768

Spring into Real Estate Success: Act Now!

Give me a call today and I'll help you each step of the way through the process

For Buyers: I'll work to help you find a home you love!

Starting with:

Pre-approval Neighborhood research

Current market trends and competition

For Sellers: Get ready now for a spring/summer sell!

Starting with:

Property Mgt. & Feng Shui

Preparing your home over time

CRB, CRS, GRI, ABR, PSA, CSD, SRES, SRS, AHWD, MRP, FSIM • www.InfinityLiving.org

Boost curb appeal

Pricing Strategies

Top Homes Sold in Dublin

In January 2024, the prices of Dublin homes were down 2.1% compared to last year and sold for a median price of $508,000. Homes in Dublin sold after 59 days on average, eight days later than last year. A total of 32 homes were sold in January this year, seven more than last year.

(Data from Redfin)

43016

5859 Dunheath Lp. 4 beds, 4 baths

$870,000

Sold 2/12/24

5959 Winslow Ct. 4 beds, 4.5 baths

$791,000

Sold 2/23/24

4059 Domnall Dr. 4 beds, 2.5 baths

$771,714

Sold 1/25/24

5949 Dunheath Lp. 4 beds, 3.5 baths

$750,000

Sold 2/1/24

6476 Scarlett Ln. 4 beds, 2.5 baths

$744,506

Sold 2/8/24

6485 Scarlett Ln. 4 beds, 3.5 baths

$727,285

Sold 1/19/24

43017

6104 Deer Bluff Pl. 3 beds, 3.5 baths

$1,175,254

Sold 1/18/24

6096 Deer Bluff Pl. 3 beds, 3.5 baths

$1,160,000

Sold 2/5/24

5584 Brand Rd. 4 beds, 3 baths

$1,100,000

Sold 1/8/24

8158 N. Crossgate Ct. 4 beds, 2.5 baths

$920,000

Sold 2/21/24

6475 Longshore St. 3 beds, 2.5 baths

$889,900

Sold 1/16/24

8415 Beeswing Ct. 3 beds, 2.5 baths

$760,000

Sold 1/30/24

Information is collected from the Franklin County Auditor.

write next door

with columnist Colleen D’Angelo Photos by Colleen D’Angelo

Tomorrow’s Teachers

Academy offers experiences for future educators

In a way, I grew up as a teacher’s aide since my mother taught second and third grade for 26 years. Correcting papers, constructing bulletin boards and helping students in her classroom was part of my life.

My mom attended Boston College and majored in education when women did not have many choices. Still, she found her passion in teaching, which I also enjoy as I tutor high schoolers and coach pickleball.

My mother was fortunate her career track worked out, but many college students have no idea what they want to study. Yet, imagine attending university with a clear path in mind, having already been exposed to multiple internships in the classroom. The Dublin Teacher’s Academy (DTA) offers an opportunity for

high school juniors and seniors to try out a career in education while earning college credits along the way.

Kristi Andrews has been the face of the DTA since its inception in 2006, roughly 17 years after she began her teaching career in 1989 with the aid of typewriters, ditto machines and one desktop computer for all teachers to share.

She came to Dublin Schools in 1995, the year Dublin Scioto opened and Marina Davis was principal. Andrews had been teaching Family and Consumer Sciences and running Career Pathways, where students interned with Nationwide Insurance. Davis had the vision to combat a future educator shortage by starting a teaching academy and pegged Andrews to lead it.

“The first year we had an unofficial curriculum and only 11 students, while now we regularly have over 50 juniors and seniors,” Andrews says.

The content standards are set through the state and students can receive Career

and Technical Assurance Guide (CTAG) credit. High schoolers must pass their exams and submit an online portfolio to the state for college credit at any Ohio public university.

The program is housed at Dublin’s Emerald Campus, the 118,000 squarefoot former Verizon building on Emerald Parkway. The renovated space is modern, with light-filled flexible spaces, community areas for dining, couches and ping pong tables, and houses several other learning academies outside of the Teacher’s Academy.

Students have classroom time when they study effective teaching techniques while documenting their new knowledge in their online digital portfolios. Outside speakers visit often to share their professions and lecture on subjects such as child abuse, decision making, human resources, dressing for success and being culturally responsive.

Kristi Andrews in the Dublin Teaching Academy classroom at Emerald Campus.

Kristi Andrews, head of the Dublin Teaching Academy, (left) and Elianna Norder.

Each student undergoes a six-week internship in Early Childhood (pre-kfourth grade), Middle Childhood (fourtheighth grades) Special Education as well as a choice session in High School, Speech Pathology, Guidance or other areas of interest. These experiences can take place in public, private or parochial schools in Dublin or surrounding areas.

Elianna Norder is a senior in the DTA who also participated in the program as a junior. She was inspired to consider a teaching career by her Spanish instructor, Emily Zaye, at Dublin Coffman.

“Mrs. Zaye is so approachable and has such solid relationships with her students in and out of school,” Norder says. “I thought, maybe I could do that too.”

Norder originally planned to teach high school but fell in love with the elementary school level after her internship.

“I love the sense of community built by staying together in the same classroom all day,” she says.

Another part of the DTA curriculum is preparing for the Educators Rising Conference at Capital University. Norder and her peer, Joy Nippa, wrote and illustrated a children’s book titled The Lone Wolf which qualified for the state competition.

The book introduces empathy and the idea of putting yourself in the shoes of others. The conference costs $50 per person to attend so the high schoolers hold the Election Day Bake Sale every year to cover the expenses.

The DTA has come full circle as several former participants are now teaching in Dublin schools and mentoring current high schoolers.

Amy Kelley was in DTA’s pilot class and has been teaching for 13 years. She is in her ninth year as an Intervention Specialist at Thomas Elementary.

Rachel Brooks graduated from DTA in 2009 and teaches kindergarten at Riverside Elementary.

“At Miami University I was one of the only ones who had already worked in an actual classroom,” Brooks says.

Local Schools as the Teacher Academy instructor and Educators Rising Advisor.

As these students begin their teaching journey, Andrews prepares to say goodbye to them and to her teaching career. She is retiring in May and is very proud of the program she has nurtured for 18 years.

“I am not sure about my next steps but hopefully I can continue to promote the teaching profession and encourage young adults along the way,” Andrews says.

Colleen D’Angelo is a Dublin Life columnist and freelance writer. She and her husband, Tony, raised three children in Dublin over the last 25 years. Colleen enjoys playing and teaching pickleball; walking her pup, Mason; and traveling internationally. You can reach her at colleendangelo1@gmail.com.

Andrews was an advisor to another graduate, Sunday Weakley, when she was at Dublin Scioto. In 2002, Weakley was Andrews’ long-term sub while she was out on maternity leave. Now Weakley mimics Andrews’ job in the Olentangy So

many best kept secrets— just minutes away!

weekend scene

bookmarks

From the Dublin Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library

By Hannah Burkhard, Librarian Supervisor at the Dublin Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library

The Berry Pickers

by Amanda Peters

From author Amanda Peters comes a riveting new story about the consequences of unraveling long-held secrets. In July 1962, a young girl goes missing launching a decades-long search by a family forever altered. Meanwhile, a little girl grows up with an over-protective mother who seems like she might be hiding something. This novel about identity and the unconditional love felt by a family is perfect for readers who enjoyed The Vanishing Half

Redwood Court

by DéLana R. A. Dameron

Redwood Court, which has already received glowing reviews from authors like Charmaine Wilkerson, is the newest work by artist and poet DéLana R. A. Dameron. The book follows Mika, the baby of her family, as she comes of age in South Carolina in the 1990s. Told in warm prose, Redwood Court paints a portrait of a family striving to reach their American Dream in a country still insistent on seeing them fail.

The Storm We Made: A Novel

by Vanessa Chan

In 1935, a woman seeking to make her mark is lured into the world of espionage by a charismatic Japanese general. The role she plays for what she believes is the

good of her country, Malaya, serves only to help those with colonization in mind. Now, it’s 1945 and in the midst of war, Cecily must confront the aftermath of her actions and fix what she has done to save her children and her people.

Dear Sister: A Memoir of Secrets, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds

by Michelle Horton

In 2017, Michelle Horton’s life changed forever when she learned her sister Nikki had just killed her partner after years of hidden abuse. Michelle was left stunned by this news and worse, the revelation that she was blind to her sister’s suffering. Determined to make things right for her family, Michelle opened her home to Nikki’s young children and took on a battle against a justice system bent on keeping her sister locked away.

Cook It Up: Bold Moves for Family Foods: A Cookbook by Alex Guarnaschelli and Ava Clark In this New York Times bestseller, Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli and her chef-intraining daughter, Ava, teach readers how to elevate family favorite recipes. With wit and helpful tips, mother and daughter cook their way through seventy-five delicious dishes including blueberry pie and crisp potato latkes. This smart and fun cookbook has something that’s sure to satisfy everyone in the family, even the dog!

Dublin Life Book Club Selection

Editor’s note: To be added to the Dublin Life Book Club mailing list or for more information, email kgill@cityscenemediagroup.com. The club will meet Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. Location TBD.

The Last Carolina Girl: A Novel

by Meagan Church

Set in 1935, the life of fourteen-year-old Leah Payne is flipped upside down when her father dies in an accident. Suddenly thrust into a new life where she is forced to work as a helpmate for her new well-to-do family, Leah fights for herself, her family and her right to control her future.

It’s that time of year! The sun is shining, the weather is warming up, and fire safety is as important as ever. Here is a list of safety tips to help make sure that you are staying safe

• Change batteries in all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace any equipment that is 10 years or older.

• Do you have a fire extinguisher? Fire extinguishers should be in the kitchen and near heating/utility appliances at a minimum.

• Clean under & around appliances, especially in the kitchen and laundry room.

• Clean up dry vegetation around your house that can be a quick, fire starter. Trim any tree branches or bushes that are near your home.

• Store gasoline for mowers in a safe place.

• Maintain a 10-foot clear ‘fire zone’ around structures.

• Check outdoor electrical outlets and appliances.

• Service your grill while inspecting propane tanks and lines for leaks while storing propane in a safe place.

• Keep a 100-foot garden hose with an attached nozzle connected and ready for immediate use.

• Don’t overload electrical sockets.

6200

(614)652-3920

wtwp.com