mixed-use building that will eventually house restaurants apartments and a public parking garage is taking shape in Bexley Construction is underway at the mixed-use development Columbus-based Continental Development Ventures is the lead developer on the project The project, which the city approved in early 2024, includes about 232 apartments, more than 11,000 square feet for restaurants and retail shops, roughly 12,500 square feet for medical offices and about 300 parking spaces in a public parking garage, according to a city website about The Fitzgerald Crews have built the structural portion up to the third floor on the front of the building which is where the commercial space will be Site foundation work is ongoing for the back two-thirds of The Fitzgerald Bexley Building and Zoning Director Matt Klingler told The Dispatch on Wednesday A large crane was erected Tuesday directly off East Main Street where it will remain for the next six to eight weeks as trusses and other wood materials are delivered for framing Trusses are expected to go up in the next two weeks The commercial spaces are expected to be completed first with the residential portion finishing in summer 2026 There are no known tenants for the commercial or medical office spaces The nearly 3-acre site, on the north side of East Main Street between the Bexley Gateway development and Bexley Square, was formerly home to a 60-unit apartment complex that previously housed Trinity Seminary students with families. Demolition of the former structures was completed in the fall, according to the city website Eastern suburbs reporter Maria DeVito can be reached at mdevito@dispatch.com and @mariadevito13.dispatch.com on Bluesky and @MariaDeVito13 on X Kirsten Bridegan's mission was borne of heartbreak After her husband, Jared was gunned down three years ago while their daughter Bridegan launched a campaign to help soothe children stuck at police stations state attorneys for Florida's Fourth and Seventh Judicial Districts sheriff deputies and a host of local and government officials a tearful Bridegan accepted the award that recognizes law enforcement officers who go above and beyond the call of duty and community members who show extraordinary support for those officers “By turning tragedy into a source of compassion Kirsten Bridegan is making a lasting impact on law enforcement and our communities,” Uthmeier said “I’m honored to present a Back the Blue Award to Kirsten for her efforts to help others with the Bexley Boxes program — where essential childcare items are provided to Florida law enforcement officers to help them comfort children who find themselves in traumatic situations.”  Bexley Boxes are refillable boxes filled with items to comfort and care for small children left without a caregiver ― things such as diapers “We lost the man who meant the most to us,” Bridegan said while holding a now 5-year-old Bexley “I would like to thank every person who has supported us Without that support we would not be here today." Bridagan said the Back the Blue Award acknowledged “every single person that has helped us on our journey.” “We will continue to do our part to give back,” she said “We know what it's like to be in that darkest hour We want to make someone else’s darkest hour a little brighter.” who "made the Bexley Box a mission," to deliver and spread the word regarding the need to house Bexley Boxes in law enforcement facilities "It was like a bunch of worker bees at Christmas time," he said our awesome volunteers and our full-time workers physically put boxes together loaded and delivered them across the state Jared Bridegan was ambushed on an open road in Jacksonville Beach and shot execution style in the back of his head Police described the shooting as a murder-for-hire plot Bexley spent hours at the police station with little to comfort a small child Kirsten Bridegan then established the Bridegan Foundation and created Bexley Boxes. “In an effort to make children’s experiences at police stations a little less traumatic and scary, project Bexley Box aims to provide comfort items and basic necessities for children brought to police stations without their caregivers,” the organization says on its website. “Each Bexley Box is delivered directly to Law Enforcement Agencies to better equip them to care for children who are victimized by crime.” To date, the Bridegan Foundation has donated 66 boxes to law enforcement offices across 17 states. Uthmeier said he wants to ensure every law enforcement agency in the United States has a Bexley Box by the end of this year. "Today we got to celebrate a small silver lining that came out of a tragedy," he said. Scattered thunderstorms are expected Monday afternoon and evening. Some may become severe with large hail and high winds. TRACK RADARMaryland man in hospital with self-inflicted gunshot after allegedly killing girlfriendby Ida Domingo (7News) — A man is accused of killing his girlfriend Monday morning in Suitland according to the Prince George's County Police Department The woman killed has been identified as 36-year-old Neri Moreno Gratini Officers went to the home located on Bexley Place around 1:55 a.m where Gratini was found inside with several gunshot wounds Officers were able to get a description of Gratini's boyfriend and his vehicle information officers spotted his SUV and conducted a traffic stop They ordered the man to get out of the SUV Officers approached the vehicle and found the man in the driver's seat with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries The Back the Blue campaign recognizes individuals and organizations making extraordinary efforts to build positive relationships between law enforcement and their communities For more than two years, the daughter and widow of Jared Bridegan, the man who was ambushed and murdered in Jacksonville Beach in February 2022, have been turning a tragic experience into a beautiful act of kindness aimed at helping children who are in the middle of crime scenes or investigations Following Jared’s murder, Kirsten Bridegan started a nonprofit called the Bridegan Foundation to provide “Bexley Boxes” – a kit that contains essentials and comforting items to calm children in times of crisis or traumatic events The Bridegan family has delivered dozens of boxes to police departments in several states RELATED | Jared Bridegan’s daughter delivers ‘Bexley Boxes’ Sheriff Robert A. Hardwick opened the event, emphasizing the importance of community support in the wake of tragedy. “With every tragic incident brings some great things,” he said. “We get a chance in life to be blessed with these beautiful families, and this is one of those.” He acknowledged Kirsten and her daughter Bexley, who were present at the ceremony, along with other families affected by violent crimes. Uthmeier also spoke at the event, highlighting the significance of the Back the Blue awards. “We’re here today to celebrate our next award winner for the Back the Blue Awards, and these are awards that the Attorney General’s Office has been giving out to people that have made great sacrifice to help law enforcement.,” he said. Uthmeier expressed his commitment to supporting law enforcement, stating, “If you don’t have public safety, nothing else matters.” Kirsten Bridegan spoke with emotion after receiving the award, highlighting the positive impact the Bexley Boxes will have on children who end up in stressful and scary situations. “Three years ago, we lost the man that meant the most to us,” she said, reflecting on the chaos that followed her husband’s tragic death. “But as the sheriff said, the Bexley Boxes and being able to help other kids who might be in a similar situation has really been therapeutic.” She expressed gratitude for the community’s support, stating, “I just want to thank each and every person who has supported us, who has donated to the boxes, who has donated time, who has prayed for us.” Kirsten emphasized that the award is not just for her family but for everyone who has helped them on their journey. “This is a huge honor, but really this isn’t an award just for us. This is for every single person that has helped us on this journey.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by WJXT4 The Local Station (@news4jax) Sheriff Hardwick praised Kirsten’s efforts in creating Bexley Boxes which provide comfort items for children in distressing situations “She found it in herself to put together a really creative idea and to put these boxes together,” Sheriff Hardwick said and she’s on box number 66 as we speak today.” Kirsten Bridegan’s journey from personal tragedy to community support serves as a powerful reminder of resilience and the impact of collective compassion If you would like to learn more about the Bexley Box and the Bridegan Foundation, click here. Bexley was in the back seat of her father’s SUV in February when he was shot several times. She was 2 at the time and luckily wasn’t hurt. Officers rushed her to the police station after the murder. Mario Fernandez and his estranged wife Shanna Gardner are both charged with murder in Bridegan’s death. They’re accused of hiring Henry Tenon to carry out the murder. Tenon has already pleaded guilty in Bridegan’s killing. Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved. Tiffany comes home to Jacksonville, FL from WBND in South Bend, Indiana. She went to Mandarin High School and UNF. Tiffany is a former WJXT intern, and joined the team in 2023 as Consumer Investigative Reporter and member of the I-TEAM. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WJXT / WCWJ Closed Captioning / Audio Description WJXT Public File WJXT EEO Report WCWJ Public File WCWJ EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WJXT4 The Local Station (@news4jax) and Carlisle Police Officer Jamie DiMartile fill the department's Bexley Box Friday afternoon with toys diapers and other items for children who are brought to the station after a traumatic incident and Pat McEvoy of Carlisle examine a stuffed toy in the department's Bexley Box Friday afternoon diapers and other necessities fill the Carlisle Police Department's Bexley Box The items will be used to help comfort children who are brought to the station after a traumatic incident Toys fill the Carlisle Police Department's Bexley Box Pat McEvoy and Mike Pasquarett pose for a photo with the Carlisle Police Department's new Bexley Box Friday afternoon Pat McEvoy first read about Bexley Boxes in a news article about two years ago plans have percolated in the Carlisle resident’s head to bring one to the borough presented Pennsylvania’s first Bexley Box to the Carlisle Police Department Bexley Boxes are chests that can be filled with toys snacks and other items to comfort children brought to the police station without their caregivers The boxes are a product of the Bridegan Foundation a Florida-based nonprofit Kirsten Bridegan founded about seven months after her husband’s murder Jared Bridegan was shot to death outside his car in February 2022 while his 2-year-old daughter Bexley spent hours at the police station without her parents Kirsten Bridegan established the Bridegan Foundation to provide Bexley Boxes to police stations across the United States After reading the article about the foundation McEvoy reached out to see about bringing a box to Carlisle “I just thought it was an easy way to support children who are in crisis,” she said McEvoy also contacted Carlisle Police Officer Jamie DiMartile who coordinates a Christmastime toy drive each year but it didn’t take long for her to get on board “It’s one of those needs that you don’t know you need it until it’s too late and then you’re like scrambling,” she said Patrol Officer Jamie DiMartile has been with the Carlisle Police Department about four years After waiting several months for the foundation to restock its boxes McEvoy and Pasquarett paid the $500 necessary to ship the box to Carlisle and fill it with supplies As snacks expire and the supplies are used the couple plans to regularly replenish items McEvoy said she and Pasquarett are passionate about supporting efforts that benefit children Supportive Partnerships for Youth and the Carlisle Family Life Center In choosing to fund the Carlisle Police Department’s Bexley Box I would want them to have something that the police who were helping them would have something to soothe them until their parent or whoever could come and get them,” she said DiMartile hopes to see Bexley Boxes pop up in other police departments throughout Cumberland County and beyond The boxes could be funded by the department itself or through donations from the community “There’s so many departments in Cumberland County alone and especially the smaller ones like Mount Holly and Newville they’re limited in resources for their officers as well,” DiMartile said you’re supporting the foundation and the mother’s mission to spread her word and keep her child focused on the good that she’s spreading in the world because of this.” Patrol Officer Jamie DiMartile has served with the Carlisle Police Department for four years Maddie Seiler is a news reporter for The Sentinel and cumberlink.com covering Carlisle and Newville. You can contact her at mseiler@cumberlink.com and follow her on Twitter at: @byMaddieSei Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter Email notifications are only sent once a day After ruling out an agreement to buy Keystone Aquatics South Middleton Township has refocused its attention on the Boiling Springs High School pool Ashley Montgomery received the award during Synergy's HomeCare's Annual Franchise Meeting March 31 through April 2 in Scottsdale Sylvia Hess-Albright and Isabel Warrell wanted to get away from the "big box" feel of other brokerages and help people in their community find homes public drinking water systems are required to regularly monitor and report PFAS levels South Middleton School District has seen the demand for student services outpace its percentage growth in enrollment… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Central Ohio earned a new cocktail bar last week with the opening of The Lion in Bexley! The Lion is a little outpost on East Main Street from the Bexley Hospitality Group and it bills itself as Bexley’s only cocktail bar It draws its name from the Bexley high school’s mascot situated in a strip between a Great Clips and a community center but inside the bar features a soft and relaxing vibe The bar team is busy at work with their creations which run the gamut from all the classics to one of the city’s more unique cocktail selections Opening weekend they were sampling some of their menu like the Corn cocktail: a concoction that involved Mellow corn whiskey It was like a sweet corn version of of an old fashioned and snap pea – it’s lightly sweet and slightly vegetal The Lion’s beverage program is headed up by Dustin Ross, who has experience with a number of spots around town. You can read my interview with him at Service Bar for Experience Columbus here Our second round of drinks included the Fortunate One (right) with rum We also tasted the Trieste Melon (left) with oyster blanc vermouth Both an interesting balance of flavors (yes you can taste a touch of the oysters) while still being refreshing and unique they’re more than adept at the classics The Lion’s soft opening hours are Monday-Thursday The Lion2511 E. Main St.Bexley, OH 43209Web: thelionbexley.comIG: @thelionbexley but in addition to restaurants and recipes Columbus Breakfast Guide Columbus Coffee Guide Complete Donut Guide Columbus Diner Guide RESTAURANTS RESTAURANT NEWS TRAVEL RECIPES NEWSLETTER ABOUT CONTACT Fresh off a summer appearance on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," local breakfast brunch and lunch favorite Katalina's is set to open its third restaurant in Bexley on Nov Top Columbus restaurants: Here are the 11 Columbus restaurants that have been on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' A shakshuka-inspired breakfast sandwich is new to the Bexley menu in a Bexley building that once housed a Boston Market rvitale@dispatch.com Instagram: @dispatchdining Watch today's top stories and most popular videos which provide you with features like past/future radar and customizable layers Trust us to help you plan the best day possible with the most accurate weather forecast available We recognize our responsibility to use data and technology for good We may use or share your data with our data vendors The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview Several new coffee shops are opening in the coming days as local ice cream stores prepare to celebrate National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day on Feb we've got recent openings and closings to know about The Coffee Shop @ The Lion will be open from 7-11 a.m Cocktail service at The Lion begins at 4 p.m Satisfy your hunger for food news. Subscribe to Columbus Monthly's weekly dining newsletter, Copy & Taste. If you prefer your coffee in the evening, there are options for you this weekend. On Friday, Jan. 31, stop by Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co.'s newest location at 6181 Sawmill Road for its soft opening. The shop is offering free coffee from 6-9 p.m. that night This is the third Central Ohio location of the Dearborn Michigan-based chain that was founded in 2020 Saturday, Feb. 1, Black Kahawa Roastery and Bar is holding its grand opening celebration from 4-6 p.m. The shop at 2 E. Broad St. has grown from a coffee truck to a brick and mortar this year and expanded its offerings to include cocktails pairing ice cream and cold brew coffee into an ideal treat for grown-ups A decade after two coffee shop regulars jumped on an offer to keep their favorite store alive the pair now looks for someone to do the same Owners of Bexley Coffee Shop, Nikki Ore and Maria Schlegel, announced on Facebook Sunday that they're looking to sell the neighborhood coffee staple to new owners by the end of January "It's been a tough couple of years and I'm not getting any younger," Schlegel said in the Facebook post "It's time for me to move on and give someone new an opportunity to become an entrepreneur." Potential buyers are asked to email dreambigkitchens@gmail.com Schlegel said they are looking for someone who can get approved for a lease bakery and food service and will continue to honor the shop's strong ties to the community "I have many customers that have been coming to the shop since day 1 and it's really important to me that some of what I've created carries on," Schlegel said in another post Something sweet: Spinach makes its ice cream debut in Jeni's newest release: Green Smoothie Bexley Coffee Shop first opened in 2008 by owners Sean and Paulette Sullivan at 492 N The couple then transferred ownership to Ore and Schlegel in 2015 who have brought house-made baked good and a range of beverage options to the Bexley community abayo@dispatch.com A Reynoldsburg man will spend at least 15 years in prison after admitting to fatally stabbing his boyfriend in Bexley Stewart Dreier, 40, pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter and felonious assault in the March 28, 2022, stabbing death of his boyfriend, 30-year-old Jordan T. Brown. Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Karen Held Phipps ordered Dreier to serve 15 to 20½ years in prison a woman called Bexley police to report a strange man had put a dog in her vehicle the woman thought the man may be intoxicated or in mental health crisis Officers went to the Bexley House Apartments on the 2800 block of East Broad Street and met the woman telling them he had put the dog in the vehicle after killing someone in a nearby apartment Officers went to the apartment Dreier indicated and found Brown with obvious stab injuries to his upper body Police state in court records that Dreier admitted multiple times to killing Brown some of which were captured on body camera video Brown's homicide was the first in Bexley since 2014 bbruner@gannett.com This story has been updated to reflect a new price Margie and Jeff Coopersmith moved into their Bexley condominium in 2012 after selling the Parkview Avenue home nearby where they raised their family Now, with Jeff selling his business, the couple are ready for another change and have listed the condo for $1.975 million with Cutler Real Estate agent David Powers what really sets it apart is its outdoor space and location in the heart of Bexley and a Giant Eagle and the Drexel Theatre are a block away," said Jeff all religious denominations are within walking distance More: Lots of luxury and a record in the priciest Columbus-area homes to sell in 2024 also boasts three terraces totaling 1,800 square feet of outdoor space something highly valued by the Coopersmiths who were used to throwing parties around the pool at their Parkview Avenue home "We love the ability to have a condo with significant access to outside," said Jeff The unit comes with two parking spaces in the lower level More: Columbus home sales bucked national decline in 2024 as prices escalated amid limited supply The Coopersmiths have divided their time between Bexley and a home near West Palm Beach in Florida They are now building a home on the Michigan side of Lake Michigan to be closer to their children in Chicago but it doesn’t have the amenities you have to walk to," Jeff said It's been 61 years since Bexley's Jerrie Mock made history becoming the first woman to fly solo around the world Mock began her trip on March 19, 1964, and landed back at what was then Port Columbus airport on April 17, 1964. According to Dispatch archives, she typed articles for readers back home while on the journey she was greeted by a crowd that included Ohio Gov Rhodes and received greetings from President Lyndon Johnson Check out the slideshow with this story to for historic photos of Mock and her plane Perhaps the best thing for a mourning Ryan Pedon was keeping busy with an April 15 recruiting visit Illinois State’s men’s basketball coach finally got time in the late afternoon to gather a few thoughts on his high school coach at Bexley, Gene Millard, although Millard’s impact on Pedon went far beyond the court and he was the gold standard in our town as a coach He was a guy I just looked up to for a lot of different reasons “It was about way more than being my coach.” Millard, who won 496 games in 33 seasons as a coach and scored the first basket at St. John Arena as an Ohio State senior in 1956 Millard led Bexley to the Class AA state championship in 1983 and a 20-0 regular-season in 1984-85 and also served as the school’s athletic director for many years an assistant to Millard in the 1990s before a two-decade coaching career of his own and currently serves as athletic director at Olentangy Berlin he had a knack for getting the best out of everyone he was around.” Betz said Millard had a certain look he would give his players when they did something wrong “It’s like when your dad gets upset with you,” Betz said “He looks at you and he doesn’t have to say anything Betz and Pedon also recalled when Millard, his son Michael and Betz traveled to Illinois State to watch Pedon coach late in the 2023-24 season, shortly after Millard’s wife of almost 69 years, Sally, passed away “A full-circle moment,” Pedon said of that day “A big reason I went into coaching was because I idolized him so much.” Pedon played collegiately at Wooster and was an assistant at Toledo, Illinois and Butler before coaching at Ohio State under Chris Holtmann from 2017-22 He remembered attending Bexley’s state final victory at age 5 calling the game “one of my earliest memories.” and (Millard) was at the core of all of that,” Pedon said I think he has had as much impact on my life as a man and a coach as anybody I have ever come across.” He coached at Washington Court House for four years before going to Bexley in 1962 where he led the Lions until 1987 and again from 1994-97 OSU hoops: Ohio State basketball took home a national title 65 years ago | Arace Millard came out of retirement during the 1998-99 season to coach Bexley’s girls team leading them to a 21-3 record and Division II district championship “(We) made this school a little bit of a basketball power,” Millard said when he was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren and that speaks to the way he lived all the way to the end.” Get more high school sports news by listening to our podcastsHigh school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X Katalina's Tres, the third of owner Kathleen Day's Latin-leaning and Southern-influenced local restaurants, opens today in Bexley. dulce de leche or pumpkin-apple butter — are the first item on the menu Free snacks! Here's what to do with all those seeds from your Halloween pumpkins in a building that once housed a Boston Market Triple D: Here are the 11 Columbus restaurants that have been on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' The Shakshuka Brekkie Sammy includes an egg poached in a tomato-pepper sauce topped with queso fresco and a green hot sauce called zhug and served on a peppery bagel from Sammy's Bagels of Columbus The original Katalina's is at 1105 Pennsylvania Ave rvitale@dispatch.com The new cocktail bar opening in Bexley now has a name a food influencer continues his journey through Columbus a Pakistani restaurant is coming soon to Clintonville and Dublin loses a pizzeria Popular chain Cincinnati-based pizza restaurant LaRosa's Pizzaria recently closed its only area restaurant at 7048 Hospital Drive in Dublin Google and Yelp pages for the restaurant report the location has shut down The closest location for LaRosa's fans to visit is now in Centerville Ohio (WSYX) — Bexley police are looking for a weapon in connection to the case of an armed robbery on Sunday night Police said the incident happened in the area of Astor Avenue and South Remington Road and the suspect was taken into custody in the area of South Remington Road and Charles Street Police are urging community members to check around their yards for the firearm and to call them at614-559-4444 if the weapon is found A Columbus man has been charged with felonious assault accused of stabbing and hospitalizing a store employee at a Speedway gas station and convenience store in Bexley Tuesday at the Speedway station on 2240 East Livingston Ave The worker at the store was helping the 55-year-old suspect when a "heated argument" broke out and the suspect stabbed the employee in the chest and throat with a hunting knife according to a probable cause affidavit filed by Bexley police Neither police nor the probable cause complaint have said if there was any other motive in the stabbing beyond the disagreement or whether the man took anything from the store after the altercation Bexley police identified the suspect using video footage and speaking with eyewitnesses who were at the scene The employee was taken to a local hospital in critical condition Police gave no update on the employee's condition Tuesday night The suspect is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at 9 a.m Dispatch reporter Shahid Meighan contributed to this report bagallion@dispatch.com Ohio (WSYX) — A Bexley elementary school is going into the year a few teachers short Two staff members from Cassingham Elementary school put in their resignations seemingly after police were called to investigate the way they handled a student Investigators say this all started back in May of this year on the playground during recess a third-grade special needs student was giving two teachers a difficult time and would not get off of a swing One teacher allegedly tried to grab the child's arm The report says the other teacher then put the child in a position with his arms behind his back Those teachers are now identified as Lindsay Ammirante and Erin Clary the call to police was made by the principal a week after the incident happened the actions did not "align with the schools policies and procedures." Records show the teachers put in their resignation two months later Bexley's board of education accepted them during a July meeting The district agreed to enter a separation agreement with Clary and accepted Ammirante's resignation saying the two teachers would not be coming back for this year The letter provided to us by the district says; The Board of Education voted unanimously tonight to enter into a separation agreement with one teacher and accept the resignation of another teacher Both were involved in restraining a Cassingham Elementary School student in the closing days of last school year and will not be returning for the new school year Any serious situation requires that we take the time and care to conduct a thorough investigation that must be as fair as possible I assure you that the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools – students and staff alike – are paramount to everything we do in Bexley Schools." Police are not releasing the security video of the incident The district says it will go over the incident and ways to navigate that situation at Wednesday's board of education meeting are moving to a new house in the suburb of Bexley Schultz, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and book author, announced the move in a post to her Substack account on Wednesday Sherrod and I thought it was time for a change In November, Democrat Sherrod Brown lost his reelection bid for a fourth term to Republican Bernie Moreno Brown has yet to announce his next move but he has made it clear he wants to play a vocal role in politics Schultz tamped down on speculation that the move to Columbus may be tied to the 2026 election "Five of our eight grandchildren live in Columbus and they will spend more time with visiting cousins," she wrote "We love our grandchildren and want to be a bigger part of their lives." Also making the move to Bexley are their two dogs Schultz teaches at Denison University so the move will significantly cut down her commuting time Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio A newly listed Bexley condominium includes its own elevator entrance A Bexley condominium new to the market includes 4,800 square feet of living space The main living area in a Bexley condo listed for $1.975 million A newly listed condominium in Bexley features multiple seating areas The kitchen has been updated in a Bexley condo new to the market An office in a newly listed Bexley condominium features floor-to-ceiling windows A window nook in a Bexley condominium listed for $1.975 million A newly listed Bexley condominium features lots of natural light The primary bedroom in a Bexley condominium on the market includes a seating area A Bexley condo new to the market includes three and a half bathrooms A newly listed Bexley condominium includes three terraces totaling 1,800 square feet Wide terraces in a Bexley condo new to the market allow plenty of furniture This article has been updated to correct the name of Bexley City Schools Treasurer Kyle Smith Bexley City Schools began the process of a $6 million dollar land purchase in September as the district prepares to ask voters in November to approve a levy the district says is to avert a poor financial situation Voters are being asked to approve an incremental permanent levy raising up to $12 million a year for Bexley City Schools charging about $527 annually for every $100,000 of appraised property value the levy will be collected next year beginning at five mills and increase by 2.5 mills every year until 15 mills are collected in 2029 The vote on the permanent operating levy comes after the school board authorized the district in September to purchase a 28-acre parcel of land in Columbus at 935 N. Cassady Ave., the former Lutheran Senior Services site, for an outdoor learning and athletic complex for $6 million the funding for the land purchase approved by the school board in September comes from a separate levy approved by voters in 2016 specifically for capital projects Treasurer Kyle Smith said in a statement in September that the district has been saving permanent improvement levy money for years to purchase this parcel Half will come from existing levy proceeds and the other half will come from issuing a of a tax anticipation note which will use future permanent levy proceeds as payment this opportunity would have been difficult to complete," Smith said "The community should be proud of voters’ foresight in approving that 2016 PI levy.” Smith has previously warned the Bexley school board that if the levy fails the district will expect a negative cash balance by 2028 and will operate under a deficit in the 2024-25 school year of $5.2 million and $7.6 million in the 2025-26 school year the district has warned that it will have to cut costs The district says 75% of all expenses are related to payroll and benefits The district said the property would allow some sports venues to move to the new site including potentially baseball and softball fields a regulation-sized track and a practice field that could host multifield sports and a practice space for the district marching band The 28 acres of space the district aims to purchase will be more than double the space of the existing Cassingham Road complex it uses for athletics Superintendent Jason Fine said in a statement that developing extra practice and event locations will make things easier for student athletes and also open up available space at Cassingham road for expanding academic options “We are highly aware of the hardships of all of our outdoor athletic teams as they vie for practice time on our fields and other venues,” Fine said A frequently asked question page for the land purchase said the district has been searching for years for land within Bexley itself but has been unable to find a suitable property that is large and affordable enough for the district's needs The district also said that the district will be purchasing the property at a value of $6 million but the Franklin County Auditor's Office recently appraised the property at $10 million "Finding this much land this close to Bexley was not something we could ignore," the FAQ sheet said The district has until the end of November to negate the deal under the terms of the contract If the district were to buy the land but be unable to raise the funding to develop it the school district would have the option to sell the land as a "last resort." For now, Jackson Monus’ second Division II state diving championship does not top the first on a personal level But the manner in which the Bexley sophomore sealed another title Tuesday at Branin Natatorium in Canton was indicative of his dominance the entire season Ahead by 6.15 points after five rounds and 12.9 after six averaging more than 41 points in his final five dives and scoring at least 48 points twice to pull away from the field Using an inward 1 ½ pike in the seventh round and back 1 ½ twist in the 11th and final round dives that earned him 48.4 and 48.75 points 41.35 ahead of runner-up Charles Vatolin of Bay Village Bay The same duo also finished first and second in 2024 “Two of my stronger dives for sure,” said Monus “The front 2 ½ is up there with those; I got about 50 points or so on that in the second round After some of those bigger dives where I scored more “Last year might have been better just because I was a freshman Monus won central Ohio’s 46th state diving title “I think I stayed more on the calm side (than last year) and relaxed in between rounds,” Monus said “There were some times I had 20 or 24 minutes between dives at the start In a high-scoring Division I meet later Tuesday, Westerville South sophomore Andrew Keir stormed into contention with 187.75 points on his final three dives and finished third (527.05) Keir scored 70.5 in the ninth round with a reverse 2 ½ 1 ½ twist in the 10th round netted him 58.5 points “I was in the air (for the ninth dive) and it felt good,” Keir said “I kicked out and I remember going in super clean (My final dives) have been a lot more consistent the last couple seasons.” Solon junior Mitch Caldwell clinched his first title with 73.5 points on his final dive holding off Perrysburg junior Trevor Madigan (531.15) “I’m not sure (Caldwell and Madigan) counted me as competition because my dives weren’t as hard as theirs but hopefully they were feeling I was after the ninth round,” said Keir Dublin Coffman senior Ben Edwardson placed eighth (428.85) in his third state appearance Edwardson was 28th last year and 16th in 2023 Watkins Memorial sophomore Brezlin Harris also made a big jump Dublin Jerome’s Mason Sargel was 14th (405.3) in his third state meet and Gahanna Lincoln sophomore Dylan Sponseller Whetstone sophomore Mac Plank was 20th (259.1) Big Walnut junior Andrew Boldizar was 25th (166.9) and Olentangy Liberty freshman Leo Ryan placed 32nd (140.45) Wellington’s Jack McCarthy and Finn Wheeler finished 12th (310.75) and 13th (307.75) and Centennial’s Daniel Barnes was 17th (222.4) DeSales seniors Phu Bui and Matthew Bogue were 20th (187.7) and 27th (108.2) and Watterson sophomore Kevin Feehan placed 29th (102.5) McCarthy and Plank were at state for the second time Bui and Wheeler made their only appearances in the meet Tuesday Girls diving is Wednesday in Canton dpurpura@dispatch.com @dp_dispatch Villages-News.com This big boy alligator was photographed last week by a Villager after coming off the Bexley Bridge “It was his tee time on the tee box north of Bexley Bridge 10 feet from the golf car path,” Rick Watson said Share your alligator photos at [email protected] Fans of Katalina’s now have three locations for pancake balls Katalina’s Tres opens today on East Main Street in Bexley transforming a former Boston Market into another outpost for its signature Latin-inspired fare It joins the original location in Harrison West and the Clintonville outpost, Katalina’s, Too The long space features a front dining room with a kitchen at the back Counters and tables with benches line the windows while rows of tables run up the middle Katalina’s Tres has you order at the counter There are menus on the wall behind the ordering counter which are difficult to see until you get up to it Katalina’s features a number of locally sourced products and ingredients on its menu and it has a long-standing relationship with Thunderkiss Coffee plus cold brew and horchata cold brew in the coolers alongside a variety of juices then served with Milligan’s maple syrup and sweet and spicy bacon They’ve introduced a couple items that are unique to the Bexley location, so I decided to try those as well. The Bexley Shakshuka Breakfast Sammy uses an urfa pepper bagel from Sammy’s Bagels topped with a poached egg in a tomato-pepper sauce They’ve also added a side of Purple Craze Latkes It’s a pair of purple potato latkes made with matzo meal and cumin served with sides of Snowville crema and pumpkin apple butter There’s a small shelf with Katalina’s swag They even have special “Bexley or Bust” mugs Just like its two original locations are known for their patios Katalina’s Tres features a size-able al fresco dining area And the side of the building is decorated with murals by local artists Katalina’s Tres is open daily from 8 a.m Katalina’s Tres2741 E. Main St.Bexley, OH 43209Web: katalinas.com/katalinas-bexleyFB: Katalina’sIG: @katalinascafe “January 5, 2015…2 crazy middle-aged nurses took a leap, bought an existing coffee shop, added some unique baked goods and 10 years later, here I am. It’s been one heck of a ride. I have met some really incredible people and have been privileged to have had this opportunity,” said Maria, co-owner of Bexley Coffee Shop. With all that being said, Bexley Coffee Shop announced they’d be ceasing operations by the end of January. But they’re hoping to pass the torch on to another entrepreneur. “It’s been a tough couple of years and I’m not getting any younger. It’s time for me move on and give someone new an opportunity to become an entrepreneur,” said Maria. Bexley Coffee Shop is available for sale immediately “If I’m unable to secure a qualified buyer I plan to cease operating by the end of January,” Maria explained The coffee shop is located at 492 Cassady Ave. known for brewing Thunderkiss coffee and offering a variety of pastries and treats.  “It truly has been a pleasure and an honor to be a part of your morning routine for so many years the trust you placed in the shop and the enduring friendships along the way.” If you’re interested in purchasing the coffee shop contact the owners via email: dreambigkitchens@gmail.com  Want to read more? Check out our print publications, (614) Magazine and Stock & Barrel. Learn where you can find free copies of our newest issues here! Subscribe to stay up-to-date on things to do Bowles gutted out more than 5 ½ hours on the court Friday at The College of Wooster including her first dropped set in high school 52 minutes to outlast Cincinnati Indian Hill junior Martha Thompson 6-7 (8-10) then took control much earlier in the final to sweep Pepper Pike Orange freshman Genevieve Hayden 6-4 who went 16-0 this season and is 56-0 in her high school career “I knew that (semifinal) had an effect on my body so I just had to roll out and stretch and refocus Bowles is the seventh three-time singles champion in state history and first since Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown’s Lauren Gillinov from 2014-16 After finally subduing Thompson in a rematch of the past two state finals Bowles took the hour before the final to get a sandwich and a smoothie and stretch out on a yoga mat Bowles trailed briefly early in the final but dominated the end of the first set and the entire second “This one just seems sweeter than the other two because of the adversity,” Bexley coach Heath Goolsby said “She seems to embrace that when very few players do I think it was just a matter of her digging (in) and being willing to grind and grind and grind.” Bowles acknowledged already having an eye on becoming the state’s second four-time champion The only player to do so was Indian Hill’s Andrea Farley from 1985-88 “I have to finish the job next year,” Bowles said “I am proud of my mental strength and grit throughout this whole tournament and season I was able to get through all these matches.” who split two matches at state as a freshman is the highest state placer in Berlin’s seven seasons “I went into the match with the wrong strategy but (Cassidy) is a great player,” Cordell said “I could have played a little bit differently I should have been more patient from the baseline I knew I was capable of a state championship or something of that sort but my goal is to try my best every single match and give it my all Upper Arlington senior Alice Hawley and sophomore Alexa Roth came up on the short end of a back-and-forth third-place match in Division I doubles losing to Whitehouse Anthony Wayne’s Mara Boyd and Cara Langenderfer 7-6 (7-4) who lost to eventual state champions Pratyusha Chaudhuri and Emma Wagner of Mason 6-2 led 5-0 in the first set and also led in the third “We kind of played a little more conservative and let the other team give us the match instead of being aggressive,” UA coach Shaun Stamps said but then it was a matter of keeping balls in play and starting points We had some errors that cost us crucial points.” This was the first state placement for either Hawley or Roth both of whom were making their second appearance in the tournament Both played with different partners in their previous trip Hawley and Roth still have a chance to end their seasons on a high note. UA is participating in the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association team state tournament Saturday at Wooster and will face Medina Highland in a semifinal Anthony Wayne and Mason face off in the other semifinal and the first- and third-place matches are later in the day Get more high school sports news by listening to our podcastsdpurpura@dispatch.com Bexley Seabury Seminary is pleased to announce the appointment of Major Hatch as the new Director of Admissions and Recruitment Major brings more than 20 years of higher education experience with extensive expertise in admissions and recruitment at renowned institutions such as the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Columbia University Irving Medical Center With a background in developing and executing strategic admissions processes Major’s leadership will further enhance Bexley Seabury’s commitment to attracting a diverse and gifted student body His proven track record in managing admissions programs and implementing innovative recruitment strategies makes him an ideal fit for our growing seminary “Major brings not only expertise but a deep commitment to students and their journeys of faith and education,” said The Rev “We are confident that his leadership will help us continue to build an inclusive and dynamic community of learners living out our mission of theological education beyond walls.” Major will build on the strong foundation created by his predecessor continuing to shape the future of theological education at Bexley Seabury “It is an abundant honor to welcome Major to our community at such a vital moment in our institution’s history and future,” said Ash Love Vice President of Institutional Advancement married with his zeal for higher education and student flourishing aligns with our mission of shaping the next generation of faith leaders–beyond walls.” Major held leadership roles in admissions operations and recruitment at Columbia University’s School of Business where he evaluated applicants and managed the admissions committee Major also has experience coordinating large-scale admissions processes and collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure smooth enrollment operations Bexley Seabury is a nonresidential seminary with offices based in Chicago serving a nationwide community of students Dedicated to providing innovative and accessible theological education the seminary offers nonresidential programs grounded in a rich spiritual and intellectual tradition It aims to empower both lay and ordained leaders by fostering a culture of rigorous exploration and active engagement with the Gospel Supporting participation in both congregational and broader community contexts Bexley Seabury meets students where they are embodying its identity as ‘the seminary beyond walls.’ For additional information or to schedule an interview with Major Hatch please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at the provided contact details We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and analyse our traffic We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns The Bexley Mural Festival happening Saturday looks to paint the city with new color – and to celebrate five new murals on Main Street Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler dreamed up the mural project and new festival about two years ago after visiting a similar regional event said City Director of Administration Megan Meyer Around 60 artists applied to paint murals in the city a committee that included representatives from the Greater Columbus Arts Council Bexley residents and elected officials selected five artists to put murals on businesses mostly located along East Main Street “Bexley is wonderful and has this reputation for being a beautiful community to live “But we don't have the reputation for being where the energy and the fun is at Meyer said public art is a way to bring that energy to local businesses the city hopes to continue installing more murals in the future spent much of the week spray painting a large colorful mural of a lion on the side of 2nd Glance Hair & Nail "The local Bexley football team (has) a blue lion mascot,” said Kravtsov painted the new mural near Johnson’s Ice Cream She wanted to incorporate nature and positivity into her mural I noticed that they care a lot about their people and are known for their municipal arboretum,” O’Donnell Lueth said Columbus artist Dillon Beck painted a mural on the side of Rubino’s Pizzeria painted a mural on Anthony Thomas Chocolates painted a climate stripe on City Hall that celebrates sustainability That mural was supported by the Bexley Community Foundation and Volta Global The Bexley Mural Festival runs from 3 p.m on Saturday along Main Street and will include music The drink stood out among 18 entries for its use of frozen dairy served as a precursor to the boozy shot which balanced the creaminess with sweet peach says the finished drink is reminiscent of “peach pie sitting in the window of a pine forest.” He shared a simplified version of the cocktail recipe for imbibing at home and advises “It’s easiest to think about the recipe in terms of parts That way you can scale the recipe up or down based on your needs.” A kitchen scale is helpful for measuring ingredient ratios Bexley residents will have a fresh place to cozy up and carry on after-hours at the city’s newest cocktail bar, set to open at the end of August. Mike Davis, co-founder and managing partner of Bexley Hospitality, says that the new Main Street establishment (with a name that he’s keeping under wraps for the time being) may be open for early morning coffees as well as late-night libations. “The interesting part about our business is we can open at 5 a.m. and close at 2:30 in the morning because of the way our liquor license allows us to do so,” Davis says. Customers can expect a focus on unique cocktails, though “riffs on classics” will also be part of the menu. “We’re really going after the crowd that enjoys a night out, enjoying cocktails, wine and beer.” As the demographics of the area have changed, Davis and business partner Matt Eshelbrenner sensed a desire for a lively after-hours spot in the community. “There’s this pent-up demand for something like this, which is really fun to see,” he says. In fact, community investment is core to the business’ model. “We’ve invited 30 Bexley families to invest alongside with us, to really help shepherd the business into Bexley,” Davis says. “It feels good to have that support system as we open our doors.” The cocktail bar is scheduled to open at the end of August at 2511 E. Main St. FORECASTPolice arrest suspect in Bexley gas station stabbing; victim expected to recoverby WSYX Staff Ohio (WSYX) — Three people were detained for questioning after a gas station worker was stabbed Tuesday in Bexley a 55-year-old man is charged with felonious assault Police responded to a report of a stabbing at a Speedway on East Livingston Avenue around 9:45 a.m was taken to Grant Medical Center in critical condition Authorities said the worker and a customer got into an argument in the store that escalated after the two were outside the business not far from where people were pumping gas the parking lot is full," said the witness just seeing that man stab him in the chest." Police said a silver Ford pickup truck connected to the incident was found on East Broad Street about an hour later is now behind bars in the Franklin County Jail facing felonious assault charges in connection with the gas station stabbing A second man was arrested on unrelated traffic warrants Authorities have yet to provide a motive for the alleged assault Police said the victim is alert and expected to be okay following the incident.