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Hello Columbus! Hope your coffee tastes especially good this morning. 

In today’s bring-the-kiddos edition: Dancing With The Stars live, Arnold Sports Festival frenzy, and a towering office-to-home makeover + excuses to get the fam out and about this week.

Today’s sponsor, Spot Pet Insurance, is something I wish I had before a late-night emergency vet visit left me with a $10,000 credit card bill. It’s cheaper than Netflix… and means you never have to choose between your pet and your savings. It takes less than 5 minutes to sign up – get started here.

📰 In the news

Inside the planned conversion: Columbus’ Downtown Commission approved on Feb. 24 a plan to turn the 280 Plaza office tower into The Centennial on High, adding apartments while keeping office space and new amenities — get all the project details.

Fresh additions and venues: Arnold Sports Festival starts tomorrow at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, and tickets are going fast. Some events are sold out, and Saturday, March 7, bodybuilding finals are VIP-only — get all the details.

One man’s urgent mission: The JCC of Greater Columbus screens The Road Between Us today, a documentary following retired Israeli general Noam Tibon’s 10-hour journey to rescue his family amid an invasion by Hamas — read the full story.

Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why they’re back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175/month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Highlights this week:

• See Dancing With The Stars live
• Taste Caribbean flavors with cocktail pairings
• Explore 1,800+ games at Buckeye Game Fest
• This top-tier home warranty is 50% off right now

🐾 One pet emergency can cost $10,000+

Together with our sponsor Spot Pet Insurance

Nothing prepares you for a late-night emergency at the vet. I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache.

From the initial exam fee just to be seen, to x-rays, surgery, medication, and follow-up visits… the bill racks up fast (to say the least). And at that moment? You’re not thinking about your savings, you’re just saying yes to whatever keeps them thriving.

As soon as we got home, I dug around online and ultimately signed up for Spot.

It’s super affordable and reimburses up to 90% on qualified vet bills. It was too late for me, but it’s not too late for you. Sign up today.

🫶 We got your back

Tapas plans, solved: Perfect for a midweek lift, Barcelona pairs shareable Spanish plates with a cozy German Village vibe and a good glass of wine. Ideal with a friend or three: graze through tapas, sip and chat…all the flavor, none of the flight.

Tie, cast, repeat: Whether you’re fly-curious or fully obsessed, Mad River Outfitters has flies, waders, and dialed-in advice, plus classes, guides, and destination trips, to turn a free afternoon into real river time. Consider this your nudge to make something fishy happen.

Pizza, pints, and plots: Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse pairs first-run hits and cult gems with 40 draft beers and an in-house pizza kitchen, so dinner and a movie takes care of itself. Family-owned comfort, sharp programming, and frequent special events make it an easy pick this week.

Access cash without selling your home: A reverse mortgage can help anyone over 62 cover everyday expenses, support healthcare needs, fund home improvements, or even reduce pressure on 401(k) withdrawals – all while staying in your home. Longbridge offers a free calculator to estimate how much flexibility your home could provide, with no commitment required.

📆 Fun for the whole fam

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🐦 Woodcock Watch @ Blendon Woods Metro Park | Thursday (3/5) at 6:30 PM – Skip the evening scroll and watch the woodcock’s aerial courtship dance, nature’s funniest flex, at the Natural Play Area group shelter. It is short, oddly romantic, and repeats Thursday and Saturday for anyone who can never find their car keys.

🧱 Brick Convention LEGO Fan Expo @ Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds | Saturday (3/7) at 10:00 AM – First time in Bristol, this LEGO takeover brings life-size builds, hands-on play zones, meet-and-greets with pro builders, and vendors selling new, rare, and retired sets. Bring kids or your inner eight-year-old, then head home without stepping on a brick. Tickets will go fast.

🐾 Adoption Event @ Petco Easton Gateway | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – If your place feels too quiet, Petco Easton Gateway has the best fix. Colony Cats volunteers are setting up shop so you can meet adoptable kittens and cats, ask real questions, and maybe leave with a new supervisor for your couch, windowsill, and heart.

🎁 NICU Care Packages Assembly @ Easton Town Center | Sunday (3/8) at 10:00 AM – Put those good intentions to work at Easton’s Community Room, where Wright’s Way assembles 100+ NICU care packages for parents on the hardest ride. Show up and help. Or rally your office, school, or faith group, and chip in via wishlist or donation link.

🛼 Girl Scout’s 114th Birthday Bash Skate Party @ Skate Zone 71 | Sunday (3/8) at 12:00 PM – Celebrate 114 years of badges, Thin Mints, and wobbly ankles at a Girl Scouts-only skate hour, then stay for the public session free. Scouts get cake and a fun patch, tag-alongs can roll too, and non-skating adults cheer from the sidelines.

📖 Authors at the Library @ Columbus Metropolitan Library | Sunday (3/8) at 2:00 PM – Whether you loved One Summer in Savannah or just miss that new book smell, Terah Shelton Harris brings Where the Wildflowers Grow, her bittersweet new novel, to Main Library. It’s free, register, free garage parking, and The Book Loft for the talk, Q&A, and signing.

🦅 Eagle Hike @ 100 Acre Wood | Sunday (3/8) at 2:00 PM – Grab your boots and meet at 5220 Cambria Way for a Sunday-in-March stroll through the Hundred Acre Wood, where the neighbors have feathers and better views. We’ll check the bald eagle nest, hike 1.5 miles on flat, primitive trail, and embrace the mud.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🔥 Worth a peek

We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.

• Thinning hair? Don’t wait – here are 3 treatments that work
• This free tool helps connect you with the right financial advisor
• Got debt? You may be able to pay less than you owe
• Protect your pet from disaster with this pet insurance plan
• You can own physical gold and silver in your retirement account
• Treat yourself: Save on self-care during the CVS Epic Beauty Sale

📻 Columbus report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 57°F – Low: 52°F – Precip: 79%

Rain before 4pm, then rain likely and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 57. East wind 2 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Later: Rain and a chance of thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

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Tomorrow – High: 67°F – Low: 57°F – Precip: 93%

Rain and a chance of thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 67. Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible. Later: Rain and a chance of thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Someone Googled you this week 👀

It may feel like an invasion of privacy, but unfortunately It’s the new normal. Whether you’re joining a committee, selling something locally, dating again, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up online.

Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are.

Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you – or someone you care about – to clean up outdated results that no longer tell the real story. Learn more here.

This house is wild

This custom home in a gated community in the Upper Arlington School District is minutes from Downtown Columbus and OSU. Multiple decks survey a cascading waterfall. Inside, a two-story family room, chef’s kitchen with double ovens, and a main-level guest suite shine. The owner’s spa bath features a marble-surround fireplace. Wide-plank floors, remodeled baths, HVAC, 2022 roof, and 3-car garage.

Take a peek inside →