Worthington
Worthington City Council voted 6-1 on September 21 to suspend sharing the city’s Flock license-plate camera data with outside law enforcement agencies, following nearly two hours of discussion over the cameras’ effectiveness, citizen privacy, and possible use in immigration enforcement. Council member Maria Ramirez, who favors removing the cameras entirely, cast the lone no vote. The motion also directs staff to deliver a status report in December and to pursue memorandums of understanding with any communities Worthington shares data with in the future.
The citizen group Democracy Before Developers submitted 3,976 petition signatures on September 21 seeking to put City Council’s July rezoning for the $52.4 million, 248-unit Elford Development project at 445 E. Dublin Granville Road on the November 2027 ballot; the signatures go to the Franklin County Board of Elections for validation.
The Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission met September 24 to consider residential additions and a conditional-use permit for an instructional institution at 150 E. Wilson Bridge Road.
In Friday night football on September 25, Worthington Kilbourne beat Delaware Hayes 38-7 while Thomas Worthington lost 49-14 to Olentangy and Worthington Christian rolled past Berne Union 56-17.
Galena
Harlem Township and the Village of Galena approved a 50-year Cooperative Economic Development Agreement covering roughly 1,000 acres in the township’s northwest corner, a proactive move to control growth, share infrastructure, and generate revenue without relying on annexation. Under the deal, Galena can provide sewer service while Harlem retains planning and zoning authority, and neither side can pursue or accept annexation inside the district. Planned Joint Economic Development Districts would let Galena collect income tax in the area with revenue split evenly.
Galena voters will also decide the BST&G Fire District’s levy renewal-plus-increase on November 3, combining a 4.85-mill renewal with a 2.5-mill increase into a five-year, 7.35-mill levy estimated to generate about $6.07 million annually; a homeowner would pay about $169.11 per $100,000 of market value.
Delaware County commissioners approved the annexation of about 58 acres of Berkshire Township farmland along Trenton Road into Galena for a Maronda Homes development, though Galena Village Council must still vote on the annexation and the land would need rezoning before development begins.
Harlem Township
The township approved the 50-year cooperative economic development agreement with Galena described above, covering a 1,000-acre district in the township’s northwest corner where Galena provides sewer service while Harlem keeps planning and zoning control and retains the land. Trustee Adam Holliday said the township wants to be “intentional” about growth rather than isolationist, and most residents who attended public hearings supported the deal. The joint economic development districts and tax-increment financing revenue would be split evenly between the two communities.
Harlem is also the eastern half of a roughly 96-acre Preservation Parks acquisition that Delaware County commissioners backed with a support letter on September 14 for a Clean Ohio Green Space grant application, tied to the Gertrude Lawrence Nature Preserve near Hoover Reservoir.
Galena Mayor Jeff Kinnell told the Dispatch the agreement gives the village “a seat at the table” and financial security, while Councilmember Gillian Doucette said it gives landowners and developers a pre-worked path to sewer service with no scramble for annexation.
Sunbury
The Berkshire, Sunbury, Trenton and Galena Fire District is asking voters on November 3 to renew its existing 4.85-mill operating levy and approve a 2.5-mill increase, combining into a five-year, 7.35-mill levy estimated to generate about $6.07 million annually. Fire Chief Christopher Kovach presented the case to Sunbury City Council on September 16, saying the levy is the district’s primary operating revenue and that none of the four communities contribute general fund dollars. If approved, a homeowner would pay about $169.11 per $100,000 of market value annually, up roughly $87.50 from the current $81.61.
Sunbury’s deputy police chief told council the department has seen a 44% year-over-year increase in calls, with 5,172 calls for service year to date, and described the extradition and prosecution steps in a downtown swatting case plus a drone deployment that helped locate an individual during a recent response.
The Sunbury Planning and Zoning Commission holds public hearings Monday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m. on conditional use requests for 82 E. Granville Street (Rammco Properties) and a Pulte Homes model home at 6001 Rogers Ave.
Dublin
Officials from COTA, Dublin, Washington Township, Ohio University, and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission broke ground September 18 on a LinkUS-funded shared-use path along Shier Rings Road. The $709,000 project, funded mostly by a $544,300 LinkUS grant, connects two separate neighborhood trails into a continuous path from Avery-Muirfield Drive to Cosgray Road, with drainage and driveway work included, and is expected to finish in October as likely the first completed LinkUS initiative project.
Dublin City Council held an operating budget work session on September 21, with first reading and a public hearing set for October 12 and adoption expected late October or November.
The city’s Walk With Your City initiative held its September 23 neighborhood walk in Ballantrae at 10 a.m., while the evening walk for Waterford, Mid Century Dublin, and the Villas at St. Andrews was canceled due to inclement weather.
Queued for the September 28 council meeting: a proposed fee schedule with an EV-charging pilot projected to add about $500,000 in 2027 revenue, a USDA deer-management ordinance, and a contentious Saint John Lutheran Church memorial-garden planned-unit-development rezoning.
Powell
Ohio State Outpatient Care Powell opened September 24 at 7171 Sawmill Parkway, a five-story, 208,000-square-foot facility bringing more than 20 services under one roof, including specialty care, advanced urgent care, behavioral health, rehabilitation, optometry, endoscopy and comprehensive cancer services. The building is designed to bring specialty and cancer care closer to northwest Columbus-area communities.
Powell City Council held its regular meeting on September 22, and the city posted the video.
The city announced adoption of its 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Program, outlining more than $60.5 million in planned capital investments over five years, including $3.6 million for annual street and path maintenance, $1.4 million for the Adventure Park CSX tunnel, and Liberty Road/Carriage Road roundabout design.
Genoa Township
Genoa Township is informing voters that three township-specific items appear on the November ballot: a trustee race, a fiscal officer race, and a Roads and Bridges Levy combining a 1.1-mill replacement with a 1-mill increase for a total of 2.1 mills. If it passes, the levy would produce an estimated $2,270,770 per year over its five-year term, with a $320,000 property paying about $19.60 per month ($235.20 per year).
Voter registration deadline is October 7, early in-person voting at the Delaware County Early Voting Center starts October 8, and absentee ballot requests are due by noon on November 2.
Delaware County commissioners voted September 14 to support Preservation Parks’ Clean Ohio Green Space grant application to acquire roughly 96 acres in Genoa and Harlem townships, connecting to the Gertrude Lawrence Nature Preserve near Hoover Reservoir with trails and educational programming.
Gahanna
Gahanna-based AEP Ohio, which serves about 1.5 million customers, announced it will operate as Ohio Power Co. starting October 1 and will introduce a redesigned monthly electric bill approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, intended to make distribution, transmission and generation costs clearer. The rebrand will not affect electric service, account information, rates or how customers contact the company, and no customer action is needed.
Gahanna Lincoln was ranked No. 11 in the USA TODAY Network Ohio Super 25 football poll released September 22, then beat Central Crossing 38-0 on September 25.
The Gahanna girls tennis team swept Lancaster 5-0 in a September 21 roundup.
Hilliard
The Flock license-plate camera fight stayed in the news: Hilliard’s pause on its Flock program drew fresh attention as the Dispatch reported September 25 that a Columbus officer is under investigation for improper Flock searches, part of growing misuse scrutiny across central Ohio. Hilliard City Council voted September 15 to pause the city’s use of the readers while officials examine privacy, data-access and misuse concerns.
Hilliard police Officer Tony Agosta was recognized at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office STAR Awards ceremony on September 24, an honor for officers exemplifying selflessness, teamwork, accountability and respect; Agosta has been with the department since 2011 and also serves as a CRASE instructor and field training officer.
City Council is expected to vote at its September 28 meeting on authorizing the transfer of 333 acres to Metro Parks to massively expand Homestead Metro Park, introduced September 14.
The cast of the WRESTLEHER documentary series appeared at Final X wrestling at Hilliard Davidson High School on September 25, and on the gridiron Hilliard Darby fell 20-19 to Olentangy Berlin while Hilliard Bradley lost 24-7 to Upper Arlington.
Johnstown
Johnstown volleyball ended Newark Catholic’s 78-match Licking County League winning streak in a five-set comeback win on September 24, sealed by sophomore Addy Kelly’s back-to-back aces after rallying from a 10-7 fifth-set deficit. The win was the Johnnies’ seventh straight and moved them within a game of first place in the LCL-Cardinal Division.
The Johnstown football team beat Newark Catholic 42-28 on homecoming September 25 at Frank H. Chambers Stadium, with senior tailback Ryan Sager rushing for 272 yards and three touchdowns to open LCL-Cardinal play at 1-0.
Johnstown City Council is accepting letters of interest from residents for seats on the Greater Johnstown Park and Recreation District board, the Personnel Board of Review, the Charter Review Commission, and the Johnstown New Community Authority board of trustees.
Organizers collected enough verified signatures for a charter amendment banning large data centers but missed the September 4 deadline for the November ballot, so a special election will be needed.
Grove City
Running back Blaike Jackson was voted the Wexner Medical Center Boys Athlete of the Week after a 534-yard, 5-touchdown performance against Dublin Coffman; a new AT&T cell site launched September 22 near Parkway Center and I-71; the Protect Grove City data-center charter amendment remains live ahead of the November 3 ballot.
Groveport
10TV’s 10 Investigates covered a homeowner’s complaint that construction runoff pools in his backyard after rain, with Ohio EPA saying it found no violations of the site’s stormwater requirements; the Cruisers won 21-12 at Teays Valley on September 25 to reach 5-1, and city council and the school board met September 22.
Sharon Township
Linworth Road closed September 21 for 30 days between Linworth Village Drive and Postlewaite Road for gas-line work, with a detour via Olentangy River Road and Dublin-Granville Road; a 2.46-mill road department levy is on the November ballot, and waterline work continues in Worthington Hills.
West Jefferson
The Roughriders routed Springfield Northeastern 47-12 on September 25 to move to 5-1, and the Dispatch picked them as its OHC-North champion for 2026; otherwise quiet, with nothing new out of council or development.
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