May 14,2008 2008 Police Summer Strike Force Kicking Off The City is building upon three years of pro-active neighborhood policing that led to 2,187 arrests and took 449 crime guns off the streets by launching the 2008 Police Summer Strike Force.  Today, Mayor Michael B. Coleman joined Councilmember Andrew Ginther, the Division of Police and residents to discuss the new season’s plans and praise Officers for their dedication. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 12,2008 Mayor Coleman and Councilmember O'Shaughnessy Unveil details of Bicentennial Bikeways Plan Dozens of bike riding commuters came together at the Ohio Statehouse this morning with Consider Biking, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Councilmember Maryellen O’Shaughnessy to hear details on the City’s 20-year Bicentennial Bikeways Plan. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 7,2008 Mayor Coleman Salutes DSCC on 90th Anniversary Mayor Michael B. Coleman today offers his thanks and best wishes to the thousands of employees of the Defense Supply Center Columbus, as the facility celebrates 90 years in its mission to support America’s Armed Forces. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 29,2008 Mayor Opening New Fleet Maintenance Facility More than 3,100 cars, trucks, Police cruisers and Fire trucks, and 2,000+ off-road vehicles are getting the best possible attention from a more centralized Fleet Maintenance team that includes 59 ASE Certified Mechanics, thanks to the City’s continued improvement in the Fleet Management Division. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 29,2008 Mayor and Council Join Franklinton Development Association to Dedicate Newly-built Home Efforts continue to build and sell new, quality homes in Columbus’ oldest neighborhood, and the Franklinton Development Association today invited Mayor Michael B. Coleman, neighborhood leaders and residents to join them in cutting the ribbon on the first of three new homes that they are building. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 21,2008 City to Purchase 10 ?Smart? Neighborhood Speed Trailers The City of Columbus will increase its arsenal of speed awareness trailers from 12 to 22, pending approval tonight from Columbus City Council. The trailers are part of Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s continuing effort to address the challenge of dangerous driving and to keep residents safe in Columbus Neighborhoods. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 21,2008 Lifestyle Communities Development Efforts Moving Forward his 2008 State of the City speech, Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced that Lifestyle Communities would break ground on more than 200 new apartments and condos along Front Street between Town and Rich streets. The Mayor is asking City Council to approve legislation tonight to invest more than $5 million in bond proceeds for public improvements to the area, including updated infrastructure like brick sidewalks and new granite curbs, that will beautify the area.  Click here to read more (PDF)

April 15,2008 Mayor Coleman Joins with Residents to announce New Neighborhood Pride Areas A new season of Neighborhood Pride is kicking off next week, and it will start in North Central Columbus, centered around the Brentnell Recreation Center and reaching out to help hundreds of families and small businesses work with City crews to clean-up, fix-up, beautify and strengthen Columbus’ neighborhoods.  Click here to read more (PDF)

April 14,2008 AEP, City of Columbus and Partners Celebrate Groundbreaking for The Scioto Mile Project leaders Michael Morris of American Electric Power (AEP) and Mayor Michael B. Coleman today joined partners from the business community, Federal Government, State of Ohio and Franklin County to celebrate the groundbreaking for the $38 million Scioto Mile Park. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 7,2008 Residents Called On To Fight Litter Along Waterways During River Pride Month Families, schools, churches, neighborhood organizations and local businesses are encouraged to “hit the streams” as volunteers during May for the city’s seventh annual Central Ohio River Pride Month.  The Columbus Department of Public Utilities-sponsored events offer more ways for volunteers to “get green” and help clean up our waterways.    Click here to read more (PDF)

April 4,2008 Mayor Appoints Frederick J. Yates to Serve as Columbus Equal Business Opportunity Commission Executive Director Mayor Michael B. Coleman today announced the appointment of a new Cabinet member, Frederick J. Yates as Executive Director of the Equal Business Opportunity Commission. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 2,2008 Nationally Recognized Pastor, Dr. Charles E. Booth to headline 9th Annual Mayor's Community Prayer Lunch Mayor Michael B. Coleman is bringing together community leaders and citizens from many faiths to celebrate the National Day of Prayer on April 30th with nationally recognized Pastor Dr. Charles E. Booth of the Mt Olivet Baptist Church in Columbus, OH.   Pastor Booth will keynote the 9th Annual Mayor’s Community Prayer Luncheon at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 1,2008 Mayor Coleman Leading Trade Delegation to Israel Mayor Michael B. Coleman will pitch the city to companies in Israel, encouraging them to locate U.S. operations and jobs in Columbus, during a trade mission April 4–11, 2008. The Mayor and business leaders will tour high-tech companies, meet with Israeli business owners, political leaders and potential future partners as they promote the benefits of doing business in Columbus. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 31,2008 City Investing $7.9 Million for new West Side Health Center In an effort to provide greater access to primary care and other health services to the residents of the West Side, Mayor Michael B. Coleman, members of Columbus City Council, Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long, neighborhood leaders and area residents came together to break ground on a new west side health center in the Hilltop. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 28,2008 Mayor, City Employees and Residents team up to Tackle Litter in Weinland Park Neighborhood The City of Columbus and area residents are teaming up to fight litter, bringing together residents, volunteers and City employees with Mayor Michael B. Coleman on Saturday March 29 for the Mayor’s 6th annual City Employee Cleanup. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 27,2008 Mayor Coleman Unveils Streetcar Financing Plan Streetcars could be riding the rails in Columbus in 2012 under a plan outlined tonight by Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Councilmember Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, and a team of engineers and financial experts. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 27,2008 Columbus Streetcar Project Financial Plan Final report of the Columbus Streetcar Working Group for the completion of the Columbus Streetcar Project Click here to read more (PDF)

March 14,2008 MAYOR AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS GATHER FOR CURFEW ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION Following his State of the City speech last evening, Mayor Michael B. Coleman called together a group of stakeholders to discuss a community education plan regarding the City’s 2008 Summer Curfew Initiative. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 13,2008 Mayor Presents 2008 State of the City Calling on residents to get involved and make Columbus great, Mayor Michael B. Coleman tonight rolled out his 2008 State of the City Address.  This is the Mayor’s 9th Annual Address, and included updates on the past year as well as significant announcements on economic development, housing, safety, health and the future of downtown. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 13,2008 The John R. Maloney Health Center to serve as First Anchor at Former Schottenstein's Department Store on Parsons Avenue When the John R. Maloney Health Center closed in August 2006, Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Councilmember Charleta Tavares, Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long and the Columbus Neighborhood Health Centers promised South Side residents that it would be replaced.  Click here to read more (PDF)

March 12,2008 NetJets Inc. to Expand in Ohio Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher and Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman today joined NetJets Inc. Chairman and CEO Richard T. Santulli, Ohio business leaders and hundreds of guests at the company’s hangar to announce that NetJets and FlightSafety International have chosen Columbus, Ohio as the site for a major expansion that will create at least 810 new jobs and more than double the size of FlightSafety, thereby creating the largest flight training facility in the world.  Click here to read more (PDF)

March 11,2008 MAYOR ANNOUNCES $1.45 MILLION INVESTMENT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY CAMERAS Looking to protect residents and prevent crime with high tech tools, Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s 2008 State of the City Address will include a proposal for $1.45 million for the first round of neighborhood safety cameras, in addition to $200,000 set aside by Councilmember Priscilla Tyson for adding cameras and other security enhancements at recreation centers. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 10,2008 Northland Village starting Phase I development Redevelopment of the former Northland Mall has been a commitment of Mayor Michael B. Coleman since the mall closed its doors in 2002, and tonight the Mayor and City Council will move forward a land transfer to allow Phase I of the development of Northland Village to progress. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 7,2008 2008 State of the City Invitation Mayor Michael B. Coleman cordially invites you to attend the 2008 State of the City Address Thursday March 13th, 2008. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 6,2008 Mayor, Council, OSU President and Students join Campus Area Residents to Dedicate 150 New Streetlights Last July, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Ohio State University students broke ground for 150 new streetlights in the campus area with a projected completion date of July 2008.  Today, four months ahead of schedule, the Mayor, OSU students, City Council, OSU President E. Gordon Gee and neighbors turned on the lights in a dedication ceremony near the Summit United Methodist Church.  The nearly $1 million project upgraded street lights installed in the 1970s to improve safety in the neighborhood. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 6,2008 Mayor and Council Appoint Erika C. Jones as Advocate for the Homeless and Social Services As Columbus continues to experience the challenges of weakened national and state economies, the City is creating a new position to help coordinate and advocate for increased assistance to those most in need of social and human services, particularly the homeless.  Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Council President Michael C. Mentel today announced the creation of the position of Advocate for the Homeless and Social Services, to serve in the Mayor’s Cabinet, and appointed Erika C. Jones to the role. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 26,2008 City and Rumpke to Continue Curbside Recycling and Yard Waste Collection RUMPKE of Ohio will continue to offer fee-based curbside recycling to Columbus residents and continue offering free curbside collection of yard waste, which is also recycled, under the terms of legislation passed unanimously by City Council on February 25.  As proposed by Mayor Michael B. Coleman, the City will no longer directly subsidize families who subscribe to curbside household recycling, saving $389,311, the equivalent of the 2008 funding for 11 Police recruits in the class scheduled for July. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 25,2008 City continues efforts to educate homebuyers during growing national foreclosure crisis The City of Columbus continues its efforts to educate potential home-buyers on homeownership and financial responsibility, and Mayor Michael B. Coleman will ask City Council to approve Ordinances #0279, 0280 and 0282-2008 on Monday, February 25, to invest $100,000 to educate more than 1,200 families through a partnership with Homes on the Hill, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and the Columbus Housing Partnership. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 22,2008 Mayor Coleman Endorses Issue 29, Mental Retardation Levy on March 4th With the number of individuals receiving mental retardation services rising at a rate of 3 to 5 percent per year, Mayor Michael B. Coleman today officially endorsed Issue 29 the Mental Retardation Levy on the March 4th ballot.  Issue 29 would replace two levies, one of which was passed in 1998 and the other in 1982. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 12,2008 Mayor Coleman, City Council and Auditor Dorrian Form Economic Advisory Committee A team is coming together with backgrounds from neighborhood leadership, managing businesses, accounting, providing social services, and planning municipal finances, to help the City of Columbus plot a long-term course to maintain its history of balanced budgets, economic growth and the continued delivery of quality neighborhood services.  Mayor Michael B. Coleman today joined with City Council President Michael C. Mentel, Councilmember Kevin L. Boyce and City Auditor Hugh J. Dorrian to announce the creation of the Economic Advisory Committee. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 11,2008 Columbus Goes 24/7 with Top Quality ASE Mechanics More than 3,100 cars, trucks, patrol cruisers and fire trucks, and 2,000+ off road vehicles are getting the best possible attention from a more centralized Fleet Maintenance team that includes 59 ASE Certified Mechanics, thanks to the City’s continued improvement in the Fleet Management Division.  Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the Department of Finance and Management have been implementing the plan over the past year, and the City’s heavy truck maintenance mechanics began working 24/7 on December 30, 2007, increasing the number of specialized mechanics available to work on heavy equipment, including Fire Division apparatus. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 11,2008 Mayor Coleman advances legislation for more Sidewalks near five schools to keep kids safe while walking in their neighborhoods. Walking to school will get safer this year for children in three Columbus neighborhoods thanks to Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s Operation Safewalks.  Working with City Councilmember Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, the Mayor is advancing legislation to invest $1 million to build 1.25 miles of new sidewalks in 2008 on the Hilltop, in Linden and on the Far East Side.  Council is expected to vote on February 25. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 4,2008 ENHANCED 911 SYSTEM TO IMPROVE SAFETY OF COLUMBUS RESIDENTS A new emergency service began going live over the weekend, allowing 911 communication technicians to pinpoint the location of wireless “cell” calls made in the City of Columbus.  The new system was turned on February 3rd at 11:00 p.m. and will be completed with hour-by-hour steps becoming “live” during the evening of Monday, February 4th, followed by 3 to 4 weeks of field testing with the various wireless companies. Click here to read more (PDF)

January 29,2008 Mayor Coleman, 2012 Bicentennial Commission and Area Residents Unite to Discuss Columbus' Bicentennial Working to bring voices together from across the city, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and 2012 Bicentennial Co-Chairs Bishop Timothy J. Clarke, of the First Church of God, The Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee, and Abigail S. Wexner, Founder and Chair of the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence and KidsOhio.org, joined together with more than 1,700 Columbus residents to participate in the largest community-wide event in the city’s history, the 2012 Bicentennial Citizen Summit. James Surowiecki, author of the national bestseller, The Wisdom of Crowds was the featured keynote speaker. Click here to read more (PDF)

January 18,2008 Mayor Coleman working with State Senators Stivers and Miller to advance Law Allowing "Clean Columbus Fund" Following up on a plan announced in his State of the City Address, Mayor Michael B. Coleman, State Senator Steve Stivers and State Senator Ray Miller are advancing a plan to the Ohio General Assembly allowing cities to create a new kind of Capital Fund that would be used for brownfield revitalization.  Ohio Revised Code, §133.52 would allow the City to create the Clean Columbus Fund for the issuance of public obligation bonds for environmental conservation and revitalization purposes. Click here to read more (PDF)

January 15,2008 City Set to Build Two Downtown Parking Garages Addressing one of the top concerns facing businesses, workers and visitors to downtown Columbus, the City and Capitol South are working together to build two new parking garages in the heart of the city beginning in 2008. Click here to read more (PDF)

December 27,2007 Mayor Sets Goals for "Greener" City Fleet While Mayor Michael B. Coleman is planning for the 2008 operations and construction seasons, he is also setting green goals for City Departments and finding more ways to make the City’s almost 6,000 vehicle fleet greener in the new year. Click here to read more (PDF)

December 21,2007 Mayor Seeks Residents' Input on Bicentennial Bikeways Plan With goals of greatly improving the biking culture in Columbus, making it safer and easier to get around by bike and helping people get fit, Mayor Michael B. Coleman is pushing for the 2012 Bicentennial Bikeways Master Plan in partnership with MORPC and others.  As part of the planning process, the Mayor is asking residents to give their feedback on the proposed Master Plan and what they want to see done. The feedback is part of an ongoing effort to develop a complete system of shared-use paths and on-street bikeways between now and the City’s Bicentennial in 2012. Click here to read more (PDF)

December 17,2007 Mayor and City Council Dedicate $106 Million Improvements for Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant The City of Columbus’ $106 million investment in Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant’s new Headworks Facility will boost treatment capacity 50%, cutting sewer overflows and basement backups and improving the quality of area rivers and streams.  On December 17, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council Members cut the ribbon to dedicate the new Headworks, the first phase of construction of approximately $346 million in improvements planned for Southerly, and part of $2.5 billion in EPA mandated projects in the Wet Weather Management Plan. Click here to read more (PDF)

November 14,2007 Safety Department Top City Budget Priority in 2008 In a preview of his 2008 General Fund Budget, Mayor Michael B. Coleman today joined with the Department of Public Safety, Police and Support Services employees to show off some of the kinds of vehicles and tools the City will purchase through the proposed budget.  The Mayor also announced plans to hire more police officers and purchase more than 150 police vehicles through the budget, of which 71% will go to Public Safety. Click here to read more (PDF)

November 13,2007 Fiscal Discipline Continues to Pay Off for Columbus The Auditor, Council and Mayor were notified last week that the City’s fiscally conservative spending and responsible Capital budgeting once again made Columbus the highest credit ranked big city in the nation.  Columbus again earned AAA ratings from Moody’s Investor’s Service and Standards and Poor’s, as well as Fitch, the only one of the nation’s largest 25 cities to hold such a high rank. Click here to read more (PDF)

November 7,2007 Gay Street Converts to 2-Way Traffic from Cleveland to Front Gay Street officially changes today from one-way traffic between Cleveland Avenue and Front Street to two-way traffic to make the area safer – and friendlier -- for pedestrians while effectively managing traffic flow. The conversion will begin at Cleveland Avenue after morning rush hour and is expected to be completed by early afternoon. Click here to read more (PDF)

November 5,2007 Columbus Earns $6.2 million Federal Grant to Purchase High-Tech Tools for Divisions of Police and Fire Mayor Michael B. Coleman is forwarding legislation to accept a $6.2 million Federal grant to buy new high-tech tools to enhance communication between Columbus Police Officers, Firefighters, residents and neighboring law enforcement agencies. Click here to read more (PDF)

November 1,2007 Mayor Coleman Joins Columbus Area Students for 2012 Dream it, Do it Youth Forum and 2012 College Student Symposium Working to bring voices together from across the city, Mayor Michael B. Coleman today joined Columbus area students at two 2012 events. The 2012 Dream it, Do it Youth Forum and the 2012 College Student Symposium brought together over 300 Columbus young people to talk about their dreams for the future of their City. Click here to read more (PDF)

October 29,2007 Operation Safewalks Gets Under Way on South Side With 1 Mile of New Sidewalk Construction Near Schools Weather-permitting, sidewalk construction is getting under way on Wednesday, October 31, in the afternoon, near several South Side Schools as the first new sidewalks built under Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s Operation Safewalks.  Operation Safewalks is a $50 million initiative to make it safer for kids walking to school by addressing infrastructure inequities in some of the City’s oldest neighborhoods and areas that were annexed into Columbus without infrastructure. Click here to read more (PDF)

October 25,2007 Green Resurfacing Project in the North of Broad District Will Benefit Current and New Housing on 21st Street The City of Columbus and the State of Ohio are working together to turn 21st Street into a 21st Century road. As part of Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s Get Green Initiative, work will get under way at 2 p.m. today to resurface a block of 21st Street with a mixture of asphalt and recycled tires. The project, between Mount Vernon Avenue and Long Street, will be the first of its kind on a residential street in Columbus. Click here to read more (PDF)

October 25,2007 DEDICATION OF POINT OF PRIDE BUILDING AT FOUR CORNERS IN LINDEN Residents of Linden, Huntington Banks Chairman and CEO Tom Hoaglin and the Greater Linden Development Corporation (GLDC) joined with Mayor Michael B. Coleman, County Commissioner Marilyn Brown and City Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig to celebrate the completion of the fourth and final piece of the historic Four Corners redevelopment – the Clarence D. Lumpkin Point of Pride Building, which includes the Huntington Community Center.  Click here to read more (PDF)

October 19,2007 Mayor and Council Move to Annex Cooper Stadium To Allow Future Redevelopment in City Cooper Stadium, long-time Franklinton home of Baseball’s Triple-A Columbus Clippers, is on-deck to become a part of the City of Columbus after 75 years in Franklin Township.  Mayor Michael B. Coleman is forwarding Ordinance #1665-2007 to City Council for first reading on Monday to annex the property, which is owned by Franklin County. Click here to read more (PDF)

October 17,2007 City and County Testing Global Satellite Technology to Better Manage Snow Warriors During Storms The City of Columbus and the Franklin County Engineer’s Office are working together to test a global positioning satellite system that will enable them to know where Snow Warrior’s trucks are, what they are doing and how much salt or other chemicals they are spreading. Click here to read more(PDF)

October 16,2007 City, County, Businesses and Residents Celebrate Start of Restoration of Historic Lincoln Theatre The east side’s historic Lincoln Theatre today entered a new phase in its life. The cultural icon that sat empty through a generation of neglect is now being restored to serve a new generation of arts and artists.  The $11 million initiative, begun in 2004 by Mayor Michael B. Coleman, is moving forward with the cooperation and support of the City of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) and local business partners. Click here to read more(PDF)

October 15,2007 Mayor's Pedestrian Safety Initiative Moving Forward in Linden Work on the second phase of the City’s plan to slow down drivers and make it safer for pedestrians in Linden is getting underway today.  The project that Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council started planning with residents four years ago will include a quarter mile of new sidewalks built and speed bumps installed on six streets and six intersections between now and November. Click here to read more (PDF)

October 12,2007 Mayor Coleman Advances Job Creation Incentives To Help Create 325 jobs at DSW Selling shoes is about to take a step up in Columbus through one of three job creation ordinances forwarded this week to City Council by Mayor Michael B. Coleman offering performance tax incentives to create 325 new jobs.  Click here to read more (PDF)

October 11,2007 Mayor Coleman Endorses Issue 14, Senior Options Levy on November 6th Mayor Michael B. Coleman today met with area seniors and announced his official endorsement of Issue 14 the Senior Services Levy on the November 6th ballot.  The current Senior Services Levy will expire at the end of this year and Franklin County Senior Options Program is asking voters to approve a renewal of the levy of .90 mill property tax to continue senior services. Click here to read more (PDF)

October 10,2007 Columbus Companies Team Up for Feature in New DiversityInc Magazine Nationally distributed DiversityInc Magazine highlights the City of Columbus in its October issue, in a special section created in partnership with leading local corporations and highlighting the community’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. Click here to read more (PDF)

October 1,2007 City, SWACO and Columbus Schools Team Up to Expand Drop-Off Recycling in Columbus Neighborhoods It is getting easier to recycle in Columbus neighborhoods at free drop boxes this fall, thanks to a partnership between the City of Columbus, Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio and Columbus City Schools that is placing 121 new recycling drop boxes at most public-school locations.  Click here to read more (PDF)

October 1,2007 City Lays Out Plan to Replace Fire Hydrants The City of Columbus plans to invest nearly $900,000 to replace damaged fire hydrants through 2008 to keep neighborhoods safe.  Mayor Michael B. Coleman has forwarded legislation to Columbus City Council for First Reading tonight, as part of the Department of Public Utilities’ on-going effort to repair and replace damaged hydrants. Click here to read more (PDF)

September 28,2007 Mayor Coleman Advances Job Creation Incentives To Help Create 200+ Positions at DSW Continuing Columbus’ job creation efforts, Mayor Michael B. Coleman is advancing legislation to ask City Council to approve a job incentive agreement that would bring more than 200 jobs to the Shoe retailer DSW, Inc., a leading specialty branded footwear retailer.  Click here to read more (PDF)

September 27,2007 MAYOR JOINS OFFICERS TO ANNOUNCE STRIKE FORCE RESULTS Standing amid stacks of crime guns and confiscated illegal drugs taken off Columbus streets, Mayor Michael B. Coleman joined Police Officers and Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther today to release the results of the third annual Summer Strike Force.  Click here to read more (PDF)

September 24,2007 $6.1 Million in Clean Ohio Grants to Help Continue City's Revitalization of Neighborhood Industrial Sites Mayor Michael B. Coleman will advance legislation to City Council on Monday to accept Clean Ohio Fund grants totaling $6.1 million to clean up three former manufacturing sites, clearing the way for new developments that will help bring thousands of jobs and hundreds of new homes to the neighborhoods. Click here to read more (PDF)

September 21,2007 City Lighting Up Campus Neighborhood for Student Safety Installation of 150 New Streetlights Starts Monday Last year, Mayor Michael B. Coleman committed to invest nearly $1 million for 150 new streetlights to the campus area after hearing concerns from Ohio State University’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG).  Beginning Monday, September 24, installation of the lights will begin, with completion of the project scheduled for July 2008. Click here to read more (PDF)

September 18,2007 Mayor's Anti-Gang Initiative Gets Federal Funding Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s Neighborhood Safety Working Group (NSWG) has been awarded a second year of funding for an Anti-Gang Initiative that works to reduce crime and provide family and youth with positive alternatives to gangs.   Click here to read more (PDF)

September 17,2007 City Teams Cleaning Up Graffiti as Columbus Add Technology to Reduce Graffiti, Dumping and Vandalism Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Councilmember Maryellen O’Shaughnessy got a little dirty today while helping clean up graffiti in the Glen Echo Ravine between Clintonville and the University Area. Click here to read more (PDF)

September 17,2007 Columbus' Effort to Protect Children from Lead Paint Poisoning gets $4 million grant The City of Columbus was awarded a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to continue its Lead Safe Columbus initiative to remove dangerous lead paint and other health and safety hazards from homes.  Click here to read more (PDF)

September 13,2007 Mayors Coleman and Anderson, Senator Brown and local leaders tour Columbus' first ?Green? Neighborhood In just the past year, an 11-acre site off of Woodland Avenue on Columbus’ north side went from an abandoned former housing project known as Woodland Ridge Apartments and transformed into GreenView Estates, the city’s first energy efficient and environmentally friendly “green” neighborhood.  Today, Mayor Michael B. Coleman took residents, local leaders, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson to tour several of the first 13 completed homes. Click here to read more (PDF)

September 12,2007 MAYOR COLEMAN JOINS POLICE AND COUNCILMEMBER GINTHER TO TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT JOBS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT Mayor Michael B. Coleman brought together three dozen area high school students interested in careers in law enforcement today with special Police Units based at new facilities being built at 2409 McKinley Avenue to highlight jobs in public safety and the Columbus Division of Police.  Click here to read more (PDF)

September 10,2007 City Investing $4.7 Million In Three Neighborhood Sewer Improvement Projects Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the Department of Public Utilities is proposing the investment of $4.7 million to improve sanitary sewers in three neighborhoods through a trio of projects going to City Council tonight. Click here to read more (PDF)

September 7,2007 MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO PURCHASE 20 POLICE CRUISERS Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Council are taking steps earlier in the year than ever before to ensure that Police Officers get needed patrol cars for initiatives like next year’s Summer Strike Force, investing $688,000 to purchase 20 Police Cruisers.  Mayor Coleman forwarded Ordinance #1366-2007 to City Council for its September 10th agenda. Click here to read more (PDF)

September 6,2007 Big Darby Accord Earns Statewide Recognition Two years of historic multi-party negotiations and a long-term plan to protect the endangered Big Darby Watershed earned the leaders of western Franklin County the first place award from the Ohio Planning Conference (OPC).  Click here to read more (PDF)

September 4,2007 Mayor Coleman, Council and residents break ground on 28 new Condos in the historic King-Lincoln District Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s vision for bringing new life, investment, jobs and housing to the historic King-Lincoln District is beginning to take shape as ground was broken today on “The Whitney,” a new 28-condominium development that replaces the blighted and crime-ridden Whitney Young Apartments.  Councilwoman Pricilla Tyson, neighborhood leaders and residents and were on hand for the event at 761 Mt. Vernon Avenue. Click here to read more (PDF)

August 28,2007 Pedestrian Safety Tops the City's Back-to-School List Students and teachers aren’t the only ones getting ready for the start of school.  The City of Columbus is wrapping up a $2 million, seven-year initiative to make students safer when walking to class.  Click here to read more (PDF)

August 24,2007 Mayor, Columbus City Schools and Mayor's Office of Education Teaming Up for Project Mentor Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus City Schools Superintendent Dr. Gene Harris, Mayor’s Office of Education, Councilmember Priscilla Tyson and Ed Cohn, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Ohio came together this Friday to announce the City’s partnership with the Columbus City Schools Project Mentor Program. Click here to read more (PDF)

August 21,2007 Mayor Coleman Joined West Side Residents to Celebrate Completion of West Side Road Improvement Project at Sullivant and Demorest West Side residents will find the going a lot easier in the months and years to come thanks to sidewalk, roadway and sewer improvement projects completed on Sullivant Avenue and Demorest Road. Click here to read more (PDF)

August 6,2007 Partnership for America's 21st Century City brings nearly $6.2 Billion in neighborhood investment Mayor Michael B. Coleman established the Partnership for America’s 21st Century City in 2002 as a way to bring together financial institutions, corporations and charitable organizations to bring new investment to urban neighborhoods.  Click here to read more (PDF)

July 31,2007 Mayor and Capitol South Sue to Evict Managers and Gain Control of City Center Mall Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Capitol South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation announced today that they were filing suit to take control of City Center Mall. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 27,2007 Mayor and Council join Franklinton residents for double demolition and to tour newly-rehabbed Home Again properties in Franklinton Franklinton resident Carol Stewart lived beside two blighted properties for years, but today something changed.  Carol stood with Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Councilmembers Charleta B. Tavares and Hearchel F. Craig as the City began tearing down the houses through the City’s Home Again program. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 26,2007 City's Bicentennial Bikeway Planning Clicking Into High Gear Flanked by dozens of bike riders, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Councilmember Maryellen O’Shaughnessy biked from City Hall to North Bank Park today to announce the launch of the City’s Bicentennial Bikeways Plan to add off-street trails and on-street bike lanes, and to make biking safer for residents. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 25,2007 TREASURER CORDRAY AND MAYOR COLEMAN LAUNCH STATE PROPERTY INITIATIVE Just months after beginning his inventory of underused state properties, Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray joined Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council members to cross a significant site off the list and help bring nearly $200,000 dollars into state coffers.   Click here to read more (PDF)

July 24,2007 City and OSU Studying Ways to Get Green with Sludge Continuing the City’s commitment to Get Green, the Department of Public Utilities is partnering up with The Ohio State University’s Center for Resilience to study ways to reduce greenhouse gases and recycle the sludge left from wastewater treatment. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 23,2007 Mayor and Council Announce 2012 Bicentennial Commission Chairs and Steering Group Working to bring together voices from across the city’s many diverse neighborhoods and communities, Mayor Michael B. Coleman today joined Council President Michael C. Mentel and Councilmember Kevin L. Boyce to announce the appointment of the 2012 Commission Chairs and Steering Group.  Click here to read more (PDF)

July 20,2007 City Working to Create 4,300 Jobs at MORSO and Whirlpool Two jobs incentives going to City Council Monday Mayor Michael B. Coleman is advancing two jobs incentive plans to City Council to create 4,300 jobs in Columbus.  The City’s proposing to grant Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) incentives to the MORSO Holding Company and the Whirlpool Corporation. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 20,2007 Mayor Announces New Plan for Downtown Parking Addressing one of the top concerns of local business leaders this morning, Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced that the City and Capitol South would embark on a strategy to build two new parking garages downtown, adding some 1,400 spaces to improve the area for business and economic development. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 20,2007 CITY INVESTING $1.9 MILLION FOR NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING CENTER ON FAR EAST SIDE The City is taking a significant step to enhance safety services on Far East side today, as Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Council Member Andrew J. Ginther, Police and neighborhood residents broke ground on a $1.9 million Neighborhood Policing Center at 2510 Park Crescent Drive. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 18,2007 City to receive $4.7 million Homeland Security grant The City of Columbus was notified today that our Police Officers, Firefighters and regional safety partners will receive $4.7 million in Federal Homeland Security grants. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 12,2007 Glimcher Realty Trust Commits to Stay Downtown The City of Columbus is proud to have wrapped up negotiations to keep an important local business working in the heart of Downtown.  Mayor Michael B. Coleman and company officials announced today that Glimcher Realty Trust entered into a long-term lease ensuring their headquarters will remain in the downtown Columbus business area. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 11,2007 Mayor joins Residents and OSU Students To Break Ground for 150 New Streetlights In Campus Area Last year, Mayor Michael B. Coleman committed to invest nearly $1 million for 150 new streetlights to the campus area after hearing concerns from Ohio State University’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG). Click here to read more (PDF)

July 9,2007 Columbus boosts Snow Warrior's Fleet - $1.4 million Invested in New Trucks and Plows Mayor Michael B. Coleman isn’t letting warm July weather distract his team from planning for the next snowstorm, and tonight he’ll ask City Council to approve two pieces of legislation to invest $1.4 million to boost the City’s snow-fighting fleet.  Click here to read more (PDF)

July 9,2007 DOJ STUDY SHOWS COLUMBUS HIRED POLICE OFFICERS AT DOUBLE NATIONAL RATE SINCE 2000 A study released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) shows that the City of Columbus added sworn Police Officers by nearly twice the national rate between 2000 and 2004 (the latest stats available). CLick here to read more (PDF)

June 28,2007 New Census Update Shows Columbus Continues Growth - Population Increases to More Than 733,000 The city of Columbus added nearly 3,500 more residents between July 2005 and July 2006, according to population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau, continuing a growth streak that analysis by the Columbus Chamber shows has never paused.  With a total population of 733,203, Columbus maintains its rank as the 15th largest city in the U.S., less than 11,000 below 14th-ranked San Francisco, and the largest city in Ohio. Click here to read more (PDF)

June 26,2007 City of Columbus Reservoirs Currently In Good Shape, But Conservation Encouraged In Midst of Dry Weather Every day the City of Columbus serves the water needs of one million customers throughout central Ohio, and while local reservoirs are currently nearly full, it is always good to conserve water during dry periods.  There is currently no significant rain in local forecasts, so the Columbus Department of Public Utilities is asking residents to monitor their personal water usage and conserve where possible. Click here to read more (PDF)

June 15,2007 ?Pedal Instead? Makes Columbus A Greener City This weekend’s Festival Latino on the Downtown Riverfront will provide another opportunity for residents to ride their bicycles to and from an event and help make Columbus greener.  Pedal Instead provides City-sponsored secure bicycle corrals at summer festivals where riders can park their bikes, helping to reduce vehicle emissions, cut demand for parking and encourage fitness.  Mayor Michael B. Coleman this spring implemented Pedal Instead, a recommendation from his Green Team. Click here to read more (PDF)

June 6,2007 Mayor Coleman kicks off National Home ownership month in Franklinton Three new houses are currently under construction on a street in Franklinton that has not seen new housing construction in decades and today Mayor Michael B. Coleman, along with officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus and the Columbus Board of REALTORSâ kicked off National Homeownership Month.  Click here to read more (PDF)

June 5,2007 COMMUNITY SHELTER BOARD (CSB) AND CITY OF COLUMBUS ANNOUNCE INITIATIVES TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF STREET HOMELESSNESS 800 corporate, civic and government leaders attended the Community Shelter Board (CSB) Mel Schottenstein Birthday Celebration today, where CSB and the City of Columbus announced new initiatives to break the cycle of street homelessness. Click here to read more (PDF)

June 4,2007 City investing $11.3 million in sewer and water improvements Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the Department of Public Utilities is proposing the investment of $11.3 million to improve sanitary sewers and upgrade water lines in neighborhoods through six projects going to City Council tonight. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 30,2007 City of Columbus Drinking Water Quality Meets or Exceeds State and Federal Standards?Annual Report Released To Water Customers The City of Columbus’ annual report on its drinking water shows the water pumped to some one million customers again meets or surpasses all requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and all other state and federal health standards. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 29,2007 Mayor, students and residents celebrate Briggs Road project Briggs High students and neighborhood residents now can enjoy a safer walk to school and less flooding thanks to a $6.67 million dollar investment in new sidewalks and storm sewers.  The City’s Capital project is wrapping up now, and Mayor Michael B. Coleman joined Briggs HS Principal Kurt Yancey, students and residents today to celebrate the end of construction. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 25,2007 Mayor, Council and Columbus Public Health Kick-off Columbus SIGNS at area Restaurant Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus City Council Member Charleta Tavares and Columbus Public Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long joined patrons of Phillip’s Original Coney Island on West Broad Street today to kick-off Columbus SIGNS, a new initiative to tell customers how restaurants and other businesses are meeting health codes. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 24,2007 Mayor Begins Demolition of Woodland Meadows, ?Public Enemy #1? for blight and crime It was a day that residents living near the long-blighted and now-vacant Woodland Meadows apartment complex have long waited for - the demolition of the blighted 122-building Complex. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 17,2007 Mayor, SWACO & Columbus Public Schools Team Up to Get Green with Neighborhood Recycling Drop Boxes Getting Green is getting easier thanks to a new partnership that will be placing dozens of new recycling bins in neighborhoods where they will be easy to access for Columbus residents.  SWACO is working with Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Columbus Public Schools to place drop off recycling centers at every CPS school building, adding 132 new neighborhood drop locations (for a total more than 200 SWACO drop off centers in Franklin County).  Click here to read more (PDF)

May 15,2007 Mayor and Council Unveil $818 million Capital Improvements Plan Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Council President Michael C. Mentel and Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther and City Directors joined residents and neighborhood leaders today at the Marion Franklin Recreation Center to discuss the $818 million Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) that was sent to City Council by the Mayor this week. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 11,2007 Menards picks Northland Village for first Columbus area store Northland community leaders today joined Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus City Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig, the Columbus Urban Growth Corporation, and The Stonehenge Company to announce a partnership to redevelop the 54 acres at the former Northland Mall as an approximately $80 million project dubbed “Northland Village.” Click here to read more (PDF)

May 9,2007 HUNTINGTON AND CITY OF COLUMBUS RE-COMMIT TO REVITALIZING NEIGHBORHOODS Huntington Bank and Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced they are teaming up again to bring new investment and revitalization to neighborhoods.  Huntington will follow its 2002 five-year, $275 million Hometown Partnership goal with an even larger goal of $300 million in new lending and investments in neighborhoods identified by the City for revitalization over the next five years. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 8,2007 Mayor Promotes Getting Green for Local Small Businesses at 2007 Expo Mayor Michael B. Coleman will welcome more than 400 local small businesses to come hear how they can Get Green and be effective in contracting their goods and services to the City of Columbus at the 2007 Small Business Forum and Expo, on Friday, May 11, at COSI, 333 West Broad Street. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 26,2007 $1 MILLION INVESTED IN SUMMER STRIKE FORCE FOR 2007 Mayor Coleman joined neighborhood leaders, Columbus Police and City Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther today to discuss the 2007 Police Summer Strike Force, a key part of the City’s innovative 2007 neighborhood safety campaign. Following up on the successes of two consecutive summer campaigns, Mayor Coleman announced that this year’s Strike Force would last longer and work closely in coordination with the City’s Anti-Gang and crime technology efforts. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 19,2007 Mayor and Council Announce Pedal Instead for Summer Festivals As Columbus continues to promote Get Green ideas, the Mayor is implementing a recommendation from the Green Team of advisors to increase the bicycle-friendliness of major festivals.  This season, the City will sponsor a secure bike corral, where riders can park their bikes at the festival and pick them up when heading home, helping reduce the demand for parking, cut car traffic and encourage fitness. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 13,2007 Mayor Coleman and Council Announce New Housing Development in Franklinton In its heyday, B&T Metals, at 435 W. Town Street in historic Franklinton, employed 500 workers and made aluminum products ranging from carpet strips to door frames and exterior weather stripping.  Today, Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Councilmember Kevin Boyce and Franklinton residents joined with Lance Robbins’ development team from Brick Investment Corporation and affiliate Urban Smart Growth to announce plans to transform the manufacturing site into 130 new residences along with a creative center comprised of a small arts theater, gallery space, retail, coffee shop, and unique office space. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 13,2007 Mayor Coleman and Council President Mentel Rally with Residents to announce Neighborhood Pride Areas A new season of Neighborhood Pride is beginning, and it will start in historic Franklinton, as City crews prepare to work with residents, businesses and volunteers to clean-up, fix-up, beautify and strengthen Columbus’ neighborhoods.  Today local children, residents, small business owners and City crews joined Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Council President Michael C. Mentel to announce six new neighborhoods to be toured and four mini-Prides for the initiative’s 8th year. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 2,2007 The John R. Maloney Health Center Re-Opens Doors on South Side Mayor Michael B. Coleman, City Council Member Charleta Tavares, State Representative Dan Stewart, Columbus Public Health WIC Director Sheila Anderson, and Columbus Neighborhood Health Center Practice Administrator Darin D. Johnson joined community leaders, residents and other health care providers for a ribbon cutting and open house at the John R. Maloney Health Center. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 2,2007 Mayor and Council to Appoint Leaders to Protect Darby Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council are fulfilling their promise and completing the next step in the regional mission to protect the environmentally sensitive Darby Watershed this week by appointing three experienced local leaders to serve on the nine-member Big Darby Accord Advisory Panel. Click here to read more (PDF)

April 2,2007 Nanotechnology Jobs to moving to City's Tech Corridor 109 jobs in the high-tech world of nanotechnology will be moving into the City if legislation proposed by Mayor Michael B. Coleman to City Council is approved.  Zyvex Performance Materials, Inc., one of the leading nanotechnology companies in the world, is planning to move the jobs to Columbus from Richardson, Texas.  Mayor Coleman and Council are considering a 65%, 10 year, Jobs Creation Tax Credit and a 30% Jobs Growth incentive. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 30,2007 City and State Teaming Up to Fight Litter The State of Ohio and City of Columbus are teaming up to fight litter, bringing together residents, volunteers and City and State employees with Mayor Michael B. Coleman for a neighborhood cleanup on Saturday, March 31. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 28,2007 Mayor Coleman honors members of the Ohio Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen as the receive the Congressional Medal of Honor On March 29, 2007, Mayor Michael B, Coleman and community leaders will celebrate the legacy and achievements of the Ohio Chapter of Tuskegee Airman as they are awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 26,2007 World-renowned Pastor, Bishop T.D. Jakes to headline Mayor Michael B. Coleman is bringing together community leaders and citizens from many faiths to celebrate the National Day of Prayer on May 4th with renowned Pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes, founder of the 30,000 member Potter’s House of Dallas.  Bishop Jakes will keynote the 8th Annual Mayor’s Community Prayer Luncheon at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Click here to read more (PDF)

March 23,2007 Mayor Coleman Appoints Ned Pettus, Jr. After a formal review, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Public Safety Director Mitchell J. Brown today announced the reappointment of Division of Fire Chief Ned Pettus, Jr. Click here to read (PDF)

March 22,2007 State of the City 2007 Arichived Video Click the link below to view the arichived video of Mayor Coleman's State of the City 2007 Speech. Click Here to view.

March 21,2007 Mayor Coleman, Council, County Commissioners and local Partners Open One-Stop Jobs Center Every year local partners with the City, County and Federal Government spend $14.5 million helping train, retrain, support and place workers into new jobs.  Starting this spring, Central Ohio has a new, easy to use, one-stop center for all these employment services, located at 1111 East Broad Street.  Click here to read (PDF)

March 8,2007 COLUMBUS DIVISION OF FIRE OFFICIALLY GRANTED ACCREDITATION STATUS FROM The Columbus Division of Fire has officially received Accredited Agency status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, Inc. (CFAI) for meeting the criteria established through the CFAI’s voluntary Click here to read more (PDF)

March 6,2007 Mayor suggests law to combat metal theft The mayor of Columbus is proposing a new city law to address a problem that Athens County law enforcement officers say they face. Frequent thefts of copper wire and other building materials that are then sold in a booming market for scrap metal have prompted the mayor to propose a city law that would force scrap dealers to require identification from their sellers. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 26,2007 Mayors of Columbus, Gahanna, and Whitehall Announce Partnership for Port Columbus Economic Development and Job Creation Taking regional economic development cooperation to a new level, Mayors Michael B. Coleman of Columbus, Becky Stinchcomb of Gahanna, and Lynn Ochsendorf of Whitehall are working together with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority (CRAA) to create the Port Columbus Area Development Partnership – a plan to jointly create a premier job center crossing jurisdictional lines around the airport Click here to read more (PDF)

February 23,2007 2007 State of the City Address Mayor Michael B. Coleman brought together hundreds of citizens and community leaders tonight for the State of the City Address, outlining a vision for the next five years as Columbus prepares for its Bicentennial in 2012. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 20,2007 AEP, the City of Columbus and CDDC Launch Scioto Mile Campaign (Columbus) American Electric Power (AEP), Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation announced $20 million in commitments to begin transforming downtown’s Scioto riverfront into a beautiful, modern park - the Scioto Mile. Click here to read more (PDF)

February 6,2007 Ohio and Columbus Foreclosure Prevention Columbus Housing Partnership and NeighborWorks America invite you to attend an important press announcement regarding the Ohio and Columbus Foreclosure Prevention Initiatives. Click here to read more (PDF)

December 11,2006 City Helping Two Columbus Companies Grow (Columbus)  Mayor Michael B. Coleman continues to work with City Council on job creation and retention to boost the economy of Columbus, and is forwarding legislation on Monday that will help Abbott Nutrition's Ross Products Division and Heartland Petroleum expand.  The two incentive packages will help leverage more than $58 million in private investment, protecting more than 2,000 jobs and creating 112. Click here to read more (PDF)

November 28,2006 2007 City of Columbus General Fund Budget Mayor releases 2007 General Fund Budget proposal On November 15, 2006, Mayor Michael B. Coleman joined his cabinet and dozens of neighborhood leaders to unveil the details of the proposed 2007 General Fund Budget. This $631 million plan will guide City operations, including the Divisions of Police and Fire which make up 70% of GF spending. 2007 City Budget Click here to read more (PDF)

November 28,2006 City Taking Next Steps to Tackle Blighted Woodland Meadows “Vacant and abandoned buildings are a drain on a neighborhood and attract crime, and Woodland Meadows is the worst of the worst in Columbus,” said Mayor Coleman.  “All 122 buildings at the Woodland Meadows Apartment Complex need to come down and we are demanding that the owner be held accountable.  We’ve pushed every angle to get the owner to cooperate, and now we’re asking the Environmental Court to step in and make things happen.” Click here to read more (PDF)

November 27,2006 COLUMBUS – The Franklin County Board of Elections has certified the results of a request for additional funding for the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). Voters have approved an additional 0.25 percent, 10-year renewable sales and use tax to fund COTA’s Long-Range Transit Plan (LRTP). Click here to read more (PDF)

November 20,2006 Pedestrian Countdown Timers Coming To Columbus (Columbus) Timers that will show pedestrians how many seconds they have to cross the street will be operational Friday afternoon, Nov. 17, at the intersection of West Broad Street, Civic Center Drive and Marconi Boulevard. Click here to read more

November 14,2006 MAYOR COLEMAN TO RELEASE 2007 BUDGET DETAILS Mayor Michael B. Coleman and members of his Cabinet will make the public presentation of the 2007 General Fund Operating Budget on Wednesday, November 15, at 10:30 a.m. in City Council Chambers. Click here to read more (PDF)

November 6,2006 Mayor to present Hometown Airline legislation to City Council (Columbus)  Mayor Michael B. Coleman will ask City Council on Monday to approve performance-based incentives for Skybus Airlines.  Skybus is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs over the next five years and will begin service in spring 2007.  Under the plan, as Skybus creates jobs and invests in the community, it will be eligible for up to $14 million in incentives. Click here to read more (PDF)

November 1,2006 Port Columbus Records Second Busiest September in Airport History COLUMBUS – Over one half million people traveled through Port Columbus in September 2006 to make it the airport’s second busiest September in history. Click here to read more (PDF)

October 25,2006 2006 Veterans Day Ceremony and Parade The 2006 Veterans Day Parade will once again show our City’s pride for the brave men and women defending our nation today and all of the veterans of past conflicts who protected our freedom throughout history,” said Mayor Michael B. Coleman.  "On November 9th, we invite every family in Central Ohio to join us, to salute all of our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Coasties. Click here for more information...

October 16,2006 Mayor and City Council Supporting State Minimum Wage Raise Columbus City Council and Mayor Michael Coleman will join with a state coalition of workers and working families to endorse State Issue 2, a raise in the state minimum wage Click Here to View the PDF...

September 13,2006 COTA, City of Columbus and Capital Crossroads Unveil New/Refurbished Bus Shelter  On September 19, COTA, City of Columbus, and Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (SID) will unveil COTA’s new and refurbished bus shelter with enhanced customer information on COTA routes, programs and services. Click here to read more (PDF)

September 6,2006 Mayor, Police and ATF Discuss Initiatives to Get Crime Guns off the Street (Columbus)  With a backdrop of 1,000 confiscated crime guns at the Columbus Police Property Room, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the ATF’s Chris Sadowski today discussed efforts to get more crime guns off the street. Click here to read more

September 5,2006 Columbus-Ranked Americas 7th Strongest Economy Despite the continuing stagnation in Ohio’s economy (see Dispatch story today on poverty figures for further examples), Columbus is moving up the nation’s ranks of America’s strongest economies. Click here to read more (PDF)

August 31,2006 Mayor and Police to Announce Results Summer Strike Force After 11 weeks of intense neighborhood activity, the Mayor’s Anti-Violence Summer Strike Force is wrapping up operations and looking to the future. Mayor Michael B. Coleman will join neighborhood leaders and Police Officers tomorrow on the south side to discuss this years results. Click here to read more (PDF)

August 31,2006 Columbus Ranked America's 7th Strongest Economy Columbus is moving up the nation’s ranks of America’s strongest economies. According to a POLICOM Corporation ranking released today, the Columbus Metropolitan Area is now the 7th strongest economy in the nation, from a list of 361 Metropolitan Areas and 577 Micropolitan Areas. Click here to read more(PDF)

August 23,2006 Time Warner Digital Phone Customers Now Can Call 311 (Columbus) Calling the City of Columbus’ 311 Call Center just got easier for customers of Time Warner Cable’s Digital Phone Service. About 20,000 of Time Warner Cable’s 75,000 Digital Phone customers will now have access to the 311 service. Click here to read more (PDF)

August 21,2006 Back to School 2006-2007 (August 24, 2006) The Columbus Public Schools (CPS) expects to welcome approximately 59,000 pre-kindergarten-through-12th-grade students on August 30, the first day of the traditional 2005-2006 school year. Click here to read more (PDF)

August 18,2006 Save America's Treasures Mayor Coleman and the King Lincoln District Redevelopment Corporation applied for $700,000 for the Lincoln Theater from the Federal "Save America's Treasures" fund from the FY 2006 Historic Preservation Fund Grants to Preserve Nationally Significant Intellectual and Cultural Artifacts and Historic Structures and Sites. Click here to read more (PDF)

July 26,2006 Fiscal Discipline Paying Off for Columbus The Auditor, Council and Mayor were notified yesterday that the City’s fiscally conservative spending and responsible Capital budgeting once again made Columbus the highest credit ranked big city in the nation. Click here to read more (PDF)

June 23,2006 MAYOR LAUNCHES SUMMER SAFETY CAMPAIGN (Columbus)  Putting extra heat on criminals as the summer months warm up, Mayor Michael B. Coleman joined neighborhood leaders today to announce that the Division of Police’s Summer Strike Force was being activated. Click here to read more (PDF)

June 16,2006 Mayor Coleman Kicks Off Home Again Program The City is stepping up to tackle vacant and abandoned houses through Home Again, a promise made by Mayor Coleman during his 2006 State of the City Address, along with the committment of $25 million over six years to buy, fix up or tear down the first 1,000 blighted properties. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 18,2006 Mayor Coleman and Area Veterans Groups Announce Operation Unity Week (Columbus, Ohio)  A coalition of national, state and local groups is coming together to honor Central Ohio’s veterans and offer a new level of coordinated services, resources and opportunities to those currently in the military and their families. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 17,2006 Mayor Coleman, MilVets and Central Ohio Military Groups to Celebrate Armed Forces Day (Columbus)  Mayor Michael B. Coleman will join with MilVets to celebrate the 2006 Armed Forces Day Luncheon on Friday, May 19.  As the conclusion of the annual ceremony, the Mayor will conduct the wedding of Army Specialist First Class Shane Mark and Melissa Ann Cross of Westerville. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 16,2006 Mayor Announces New Police Class (Columbus)  Continuing to keep Public Safety the City’s the number one neighborhood priority, Mayor Michael B. Coleman today announced that the Public Safety Department will seat a class of 30 Police recruits in July 2006, in addition to the 150 new officers already budgeted in the 2005 and 2006 December classes. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 11,2006 MORPC Honors Five Local Groups The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) honored five area groups as the first recipients of the commission’s Clean Air Awards yesterday during MORPC’s Clean Air Fair in the Arena District. Click here to view PDF...

May 10,2006 Mayor and Council Announce First Round of Home Again Demos (Columbus)  Kicking off the $25 million HOME AGAIN plan to acquire, clean-up, fix-up or demolish some of Columbus’ worst vacant and abandoned properties Click here to read more (PDF)

May 10,2006 $6 million in New Investment to Fix Roads (Columbus)  West Side residents will find the going a lot easier in the months and years to come thanks to roadway and sewer improvement projects now getting underway. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 10,2006 Diabetes Conference and Health Fair Columbus will host Taking Control of Your Diabetes - a National Conference and Health Fair on June 3. Conference goers can get practical advice, learn of developments in treatment, and speak one-on-one with diabetes experts. Click here to read more

May 10,2006 Low Income Discount Program For Water and Sewer Customers (Columbus)  The City of Columbus continues to work to aid families facing tough financial times and poverty, and is currently accepting applications for the new Low Income Discount Program for water and sewer bills. Click here to read more (PDF)

May 10,2006 City Helps Bring 20 New Jobs to East Side (Columbus)  The City is working to keep and create jobs on the East Side, offering an incentive plan to Farber Specialty Vehicles, Inc., that will allow the company to stay in Columbus, protecting 95 jobs and creating 20 new jobs Click here to read more (PDF)

May 10,2006 Diabetes Conference and Health Fair Columbus will host Taking Control of Your Diabetes - a National Conference and Health Fair on June 3. Conference goers can get practical advice, learn of developments in treatment, and speak one-on-one with diabetes experts. Click here to read more

April 21,2006 Columbus Heralded as One of Top 10 Big Cities For Art Columbus, OH-The Short North Business Association is pleased to announce that Columbus has been ranked nationally as one of the top 10 big cities for art. The ranking of the nation's top 25 cities with populations of 500,000 or more is featured in the June 2006 issue of American Style Magazine. Click here to read more

March 23,2006 Mayor Coleman Announces Streetcar Working Group Moving forward on the potential for a new, rail streetcar system to reconnect downtown neighborhoods, housing, jobs and attractions, that was first unveiled during the State