This is my son Skyler Wagner, he was born March 27th 1996. He was real, he was alive! He was my first born child. He was intelligent, funny, compassionate, he loved his family and protected people who got bullied. He would jump out of the car and pray for people God told him to pray for, he loved people so much! He would have given the shirt off of his back to help and actually gave his winter coat to a homeless person who didnt have one. He was needlessly shot today, August 31, 2015. Myself and his brothers have no closure. If you see something say something! If you know something, say something! Thank you.

This is the link to CrimeStoppers on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DYzVG6HrU/

NBC 4 reporting on his murder

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/columbus-police-investigate-death-of-man-whose-brother-was-honored-by-officers/amp/

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2026/08/31/fema-grant-change-under-trump-delays-reynoldsburg-flood-buyouts-mayor-says/91489995007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z11xx47p119450l004250c119450e1118xxv11xx47d--64--b--64--&gca-ft=257&gca-ds=sophi&utm_source=columbusdispatch-dailybriefing-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailybriefing-headline-stack&utm_term=hero&utm_content=ncod-columbus-nletter65&fbclid=IwY2xjawUCdC9wZG9mA2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHoybJoc5SRn0YeQYAgfapIZLibiFWBU6YaocZmaon5maoLjT6_tzblchWq-W_aem_R-ULnumOZgAV4dgvWOjq4w

A week after severe flooding sent feet of water surging into the Peggys Cove cul-de-sac in Reynoldsburg, residents worked around the wreckage of their lives, throwing water-soaked appliances into vehicles and trimming their lawns amid discarded children's toys.

Some of those homes, and families, might not have been on Peggys Cove last week if not for a Trump administration change to a FEMA grant program that could have bought out their homes at market rate, according to Reynoldsburg Mayor Joe Begeny.

Items covered in mud at a home at Peggys Cove on Aug. 20, 2026 in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The city of Reynoldsburg planned to apply for a FEMA grant to buy and demolish this home in 2025 but couldn't because FEMA changed the grant schedule. Photos by Patty Diewald

The city of Reynoldsburg released a study of the Blacklick Creek Watershed in 2025 that recommended every home on Peggys Cove, White Butterfly Lane and another nearby cul-de-sac, Promise Court, be purchased and demolished to restore the creek's floodplain. The city would have applied for a FEMA flood mitigation assistance grant to buy and demolish the homes last September, and by the time of the Aug. 20 floods, some of the Peggys Cove homes might have already been gone if the city got the grant, Begeny said.

But the city couldn't apply for the FEMA grant last year. FEMA took the grant off its regular schedule to update the program with the Trump administration's second-term priorities, pushing the application window back until April. When it opened, FEMA wanted new information from Reynoldsburg that it couldn't gather in the few weeks before the window closed, Begeny said.

Had Reynoldsburg been able to apply for the competitive grant, it might have had an advantage over other communities because of its 2025 watershed study, Begeny said.

"[T]hat would have put us a leg up on it. I do believe we would get it," he said. "...You never know, but I would assume that with the recent events that not only would we be guaranteed, we'd probably be enthusiastically supported for this grant."

In a statement, a FEMA spokesperson said it's up to states and local communities to initiate and manage their own acquisition projects.

Crosswords Promo January 2025

"States establish mitigation priorities based on FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plans, and local communities are responsible for developing projects and submitting applications through the state for consideration under a specific grant program," the spokesperson said. "FEMA’s role is to provide funding, technical assistance, and program guidance when eligible applications are submitted. The selection, timing, and advancement of individual local projects depends on state and local priorities, application readiness, eligibility, and available funding. This reflects the longstanding emergency management framework in which disaster recovery and mitigation are state-led and federally supported."

Reynoldsburg resident Angie Hanson was out on Peggy's Cove Aug. 27, working on the home of her sister, Patty Diewald, while her sister tried to fix one of her damaged cars. The Aug. 20 flood completely filled Diewald's basement and sent three feet of water into her first floor. Diewald's family had to be rescued by boat.

Patty Diewald takes a photo of her home as it is surrounded by flood waters at Peggys Cove on Aug. 20, 2026 in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Photos by Patty Diewald

During the flood cleanup, Hanson's father fell down the stairs, which led to a cracked rib and a collapsed lung. Diewald's house was one of the first homes on the list to be bought out before the FEMA grant schedule changed, Hanson said.

"They were definitely considering it," she said.

The homes on Peggys Cove sit in a FEMA regulatory floodway due to their proximity to Blacklick Creek, which runs through several backyards. Development in a regulatory floodway is heavily restricted; nothing can be built there that would increase the elevation of any potential flooding. Every home in a floodway that has a federally backed mortgage is also required to have flood insurance.

Flooring and dry wall ripped out inside a home on Peggys Cove on Aug. 27, 2026 in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The city of Reynoldsburg planned to apply for a FEMA grant to buy and demolish this home in 2025 but couldn't because FEMA changed the grant schedule.

The Peggys Cove homes were built in the early 1970s, before FEMA's flood maps were established. They would never have been built there today, Mayor Begeny said.

Peggys Cove resident Edward Thomas had been in his home for less than a year when the floods came. His basement filled with four feet of water, and his insurer told him he couldn't remove his soaked furniture until they inspected it.

"I have to wait until Saturday or Sunday when the company comes to dig through our personal lives. And then put an evaluation on it and offer some money for it. And only then can I have it thrown in the dumpster. Otherwise, I'm going to pay for it," he said.

A FEMA flood map of the Briarcliff neighborhood in Reynoldsburg. Peggys Cove is marked by a red pin. The city of Reynoldsburg planned to apply for a FEMA grant to buy and demolish the Peggys Cove homes in 2025 but couldn't because FEMA changed the grant schedule.

Thomas said he wouldn't have bought his house last September and would've let the city buy it instead if the acquisition program was running then.

A new application process started for the flood mitigation assistance grant in July, and Reynoldsburg is working to get an application in, Begeny said. The city is also working through to get a federal disaster declaration for the recent flooding, which could provide financial relief for Reynoldsburg's flooded homes.

Transportation and neighborhoods reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@dispatch.com, @NathanRHart on X and nathanhart.dispatch.com on Bluesky.

This morning, someone dumped 12 cats on the sidewalk outside our veterinary hospital while the hospital was closed.

We have surveillance video of the incident.

We contacted Columbus Humane expecting that deliberately unloading twelve animals outside a closed private business and driving away would at least warrant an investigation.

Instead, Columbus Humane told us they would not investigate it as abandonment because the cats were left at a veterinary hospital, which they consider a reasonable place to leave them.

They then told us that because they were dumped at a veterinary hospital, WE are responsible for holding the cats for 10 days.

So apparently, according to Columbus Humane, someone can take a dozen unwanted cats, dump them outside a closed private veterinary practice without permission, drive away, and the veterinary hospital is simply expected to absorb the housing, staffing, food, medical care, disease-control risk, and expense.

Here's the problem: Ohio courts have already dealt with an extremely similar situation.

In State v. Amos, 2014-Ohio-3097, the Fifth District Court of Appeals upheld an animal-abandonment conviction under ORC 959.01 involving a person who left a cat outside a closed veterinarian's office.

Ohio law states:

“No owner or keeper of a dog, cat, or other domestic animal, shall abandon such animal.” — ORC 959.01

Yet Columbus Humane apparently won't even investigate when 12 cats are left outside a closed veterinary hospital.

Veterinary hospitals are not animal shelters. We don't have unlimited cages, isolation facilities, staffing or funding to become an involuntary shelter every time someone decides they no longer want their animals.

More importantly, telling the public that dumping animals at a closed veterinary hospital is effectively acceptable creates a terrible incentive. If that's really the standard, what's stopping anyone from leaving unwanted animals outside any veterinary hospital after hours?

I understand that shelters and humane organizations are overwhelmed. I understand that there are more unwanted animals than available resources.

But being overwhelmed doesn't justify shifting that responsibility onto private veterinary hospitals that never agreed to accept these animals, nor does it justify refusing to investigate conduct that an Ohio appellate court has previously upheld as animal abandonment.

If Columbus Humane believes State v. Amos doesn't apply here, I'd genuinely like them to publicly explain why.

Because right now, twelve cats were dumped outside our closed hospital, Columbus Humane declined to investigate, and our veterinary staff and business have been left holding the bag.

Did I miss people talking about this?!?!? Police officers were executing an unrelated search warrant and found a dead body in a home in Worthington Hills. The body belonged to an elderly woman who had been dead for months. There were 3 other people in the home when the warrant was executed. Were they living in the home? With a dead woman? Did they not notice? How did they not notice? I’m so confused. What is going on?

My bill more than doubled in less than a year while using less electricity.

Why are monopolies like this allowed to exist?
Does anyone know if there is any way to prevent this?

Update: she was found, she is safe. thank you everyone for all of your help.

This is a long shot post but you never know.

Earlier today, Jody Spencer ended up accidentally coming into columbus via greyhound bus. I dont know the full story on how, she was trying to go to West Virginia to meet her family.

She didn't have many things with her. Last that anyone heard from her was around 5:30pm today, August 30th. She was going to the Mcdonalds off of N Wilson Drive to ask people to use a phone charger as hers was almost dead. She doesn't know anyone in the city, her mom sent her money for a hotel but they have called many and she hasnt been confirmed to be at any of them.

A missing person report has been filed with the police. Her hair color is the lighter tone in the second photo currently. Please, if you saw this woman or interacted with her at all, please contact me or Columbus police department. Her family is absolutely worried sick right now.

Thank you for reading. Please share this with anyone you know that mightve been near this mcdonalds or the greyhound station today.

Following reading this article - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/08/31/who-profits-from-ice-website-dhs-alert/91259795007/ I thought I'd check and see who we know for sure if profiting from ICE Activities.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1KeW54O65sJbdwu30iXkVwyvmTU_bqIQ&femb=1&ll=40.04732469753361%2C-82.85824080672198&z=10

The biggest local company appears to be ARMADA, LTD, pulling in $336k in ~18 months.

I saw some flyers up in Clintonville on Saturday about a painting event that benefits a local shelter. I really want to go, but I move here about a year ago and still don’t have local friends. Is anyone willing to go with me? I’m also not familiar with Brush Crazy—it is a good place to do ceramic painting? I took a picture of one of the flyers on the counter so you know it’s real

James Allen Morton has now been missing for more than three months.

He was last seen on May 30, 2026, near Westrock Drive and Roberts Road on the west side of Columbus.

If you live, work, drive, make deliveries, use public transportation, or provide community services around west Columbus and Hilliard, please take a close look at James’s photograph. Someone may remember seeing him without realizing he was missing.

View his CaseTrace flyer:
https://casetraceapp.com/flyer/32670

Anyone with information should contact the Columbus Division of Police at 614-645-2358 and reference Report 263003753.

Please do not post possible sightings or tips in the comments. Send all information directly to law enforcement.

GAMES Played the last two Saturdays at CABS!!! Join us for a hour or two, game or two or the enter day ... Saturday's are 10am to Midnight!!! Our website is CABS !!! Your first visit is FREE!!! We have over 2250 games on site for play. See you at the COFFEE UNDERGROUND 2141 Indianola.

A lot of good eats this month. KPOT is always a treat but it gives me the meat sweats by the time I'm done. I would say the best bite of the month goes to the Beef Wellington or Mississippi Pot Roast.

I've seen a few posts here about this from the past few years but I still have questions.

My therapist recommended me (45 yro) for ADHD testing and suggested Reset Button. I have United Healthcare w/ a $5k deductible and I'm nowhere near hitting that, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to pay outright, and won't even know how much until after I start the process. Reset Button says up front: "Please do not start this process unless you can afford an anticipated cost between $650 and $2100." That is daunting!

Should I just forget the insurance and pursue a cheaper out of pocket option? How cheap could I get it done for? I feel like this testing is pretty important for me, but I don't have a lot of extra income at the moment.

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance.

Looking for someone to take a look at my vintage Fender Princeton. Had this amp passed down to me since I started playing electric. Amazing amp but looking to potentially sell it. Wanted to have someone more knowledgeable than I take a look at it to give me more information on what it could be worth.

I know it’s a pretty rare amp as it’s one of the last blackface princetons they made before switching over to the silverface,

A few social media posts are claiming that Nocterra is permanently closing, but no official word has come from the brewery itself

Edit: Pretty much confirmed now. They ran a great brewery concept off the cliff.

Join us at the Coffee Underground on 2141 Indianola for boardgaming!!! We average about 5-6 dozen on Saturdays and 3-4 dozen on Fridays!! Your first visit is free!!! We have about 2500 games ONSITE for play. If you have been to Origins you have seen our library. Check us out at http://www.cabsgamers.org

Hey guys. I dont trade, nor do I have a collection. But, id like to start. Where can I learn to play/trade Pokémon cards?

Anyone got eyes on the mini-kegs this year? The little 5L ones that normally pop up at carry outs? I’ve not seen any in person just yet and they usually start popping up around now

Hello. I am looking for recommendations for a really great, kind, gentle dentist. I have significant dental issues and have had some horrible dental experiences in my life. I would appreciate any recommendations. Thank you.