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Power doesn’t just show up in big scandals; it hides in procurement rules, town halls, and the shade over a park bench. We start with Columbus’ new requirement that newspapers secure audits or expert affidavits to qualify for city legal ads. On paper that sounds like due diligence. In context—coming after public complaints about coverage—it feels like a pressure valve on the free press. When the government can target one business, they can target any business.

Then we pivot to the refreshing tone change from Columbus Municipal School District, specifically a fresh leadership style from new Superintendent Craig Chapman

Then, retired publisher and Columbus tree board member Birney Imes brings stories of replanting storm-hit parks, building a native-species arboretum along the Riverwalk and designating a majestic centuries-old bald cypress as the city’s “Mother Tree.” Beyond beauty, trees are infrastructure: cooler streets, soaked-up stormwater, cleaner air, calmer nerves. Partnerships, small grants, and community hands can turn a walk into a living field guide and a playground back into a refuge.

If you care about press freedom, school stability, and the everyday design of a livable city, this one brings receipts and roots.

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A dangerous intersection, a doubled construction bill, and a voice that carries decades of experience - George Irby. We start with Highway 45 and Mike Parra Road, where 29 crashes since 2020 and the death of a young man have galvanized a petition and renewed pressure to improve public safety. We lay out the facts the way residents need them: what a traffic signal would change, why engineers might prefer cutting the crossover with managed U‑turns, and which interim measures could save lives now while a long-term design moves forward.

From there, we pivot to the Stokes Beard gym and a shocker: a $2.8M estimate swelling to $6.4M after a storm-shelter requirement came to light.

Then we welcome George Irby, a Columbus legend whose life spans NFL locker rooms, Tuskegee in the Civil Rights era, and a relentless commitment to service through the Happy Irby Fund.

If you care about safer roads, smarter schools, and a community that remembers its people, you’ll feel this one.

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Councilman Rusty Greene brings a bold idea to the table: three elevated, 750-square-foot cottages tucked behind a Waffle House, built for folks who want ownership without the bloat. We talk through the real economics of building small along with floodplain design, tree preservation, and the zoning flexibility needed to make infill sing. It’s a clear-eyed look at what “affordable” really takes. The councilman also discusses why this council makes it fun to go to meetings again.

Statewide education enters the chat with a dramatic twist: the House’s sprawling bill dies, largely over private school vouchers. The Senate’s slimmer version lives on with public-to-public portability, cutting the tie between a kid’s ZIP code and their prospects. And then a hard local story: a sheriff’s apprehension dog bites a young girl during a classroom demo. We unpack why that setup was never safe, credit the sheriff’s transparency, and lay out common-sense protocols for future outreach.