Hello, Columbus, and welcome to a fresh week.
If you took a news breather over the weekend, you’re not alone. Let’s face it. Life gets stressful and sometimes, the last thing you want to do on your weekend is get hit with a reality check.
But before you dive into the days ahead, here’s a quick catch-up:
After more than a year of inaction, the discussion of Ohio’s unconstitutional maps is back on the table. The last time the ORC met for official business regarding the Statehouse districts was May 5, 2022. (Ohio Capital Journal)
Blendon Township Police have released the body cam footage showing the deadly shooting of 21-year-old Ta’Kiya Young in a parking lot last week. The video is about five minutes long and shows just how quickly the situation became fatal. Just 30 seconds pass between the start of Young’s interaction with police and her shooting. (WOSU)
An invasive bug called the spotted lanternfly is now cause for concern in Franklin County. The bug is a pest of grapes, hops, apples, and multiple other plant species. If you see a spotted lanternfly, the Ohio Department of Agriculture asks you to snap a photo, kill it, and then fill out a form. (NBC4)
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is expecting an extremely special primate birth. Khali,, a 17-year-old Bornean orangutan is pregnant. Alongside father 30-year-old Sulango, the birth of the pairs baby is crucial to a species that is critically endangered in their native habitat of Southeast Asia. The baby is due in late-autumn. (Axios Columbus)
Fleeing Hurricane Idalia, flamingos have been spotted around the Eastern United States this week. The pink birds first started showing up all over Florida as Hurricane Idalia passed through. But by this weekend, they had been spotted in Alabama, South and North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and yes, right here in Ohio. (Dispatch)
Featured image by Ellie Brown on Unsplash