Episode Archives - The Confluence Cast

Local Journalism Challenges

by Tim Fulton | Apr 25, 2023 | Episode, Journalism | 0 |

Journalism is a balancing act. Today, a conversation about the challenges facing journalism. This episode was recorded at the Gateway Film Center as part of their series Broadcast News: Journalism on Film. The discussion features Columbus Underground’s own Walker Evans, Susan Tebben from Ohio Capital Journal, and Michael Ouimette from the American Journalism Project. They discuss the challenges facing journalism today, including the rapid changes in media outlets, the impact of the culture wars, and threats to journalists’ personal lives.

Columbus City Council Residential Districts

by Tim Fulton | Mar 9, 2023 | Episode, Politics | 0 |

Five years after approving a restructuring of Columbus City Council, voters this fall will see an expanded council where members reside in geographic districts but one that remains largely the same in terms of who sits in the chamber. This week, Columbus Underground Co-Founder Walker Evans discusses the change, the lack of participation in the races, and a new resource for columbusites to explore their respective districts.

North (Market) Graveyard

by Tim Fulton | Feb 28, 2023 | Development, Episode, Journalism | 0 |

In the land surrounding the North Market, there are bodies. “Any time you stick a shovel in the ground out there, you’re gonna find somebody,” says one expert. As developers prepare to erect the 31-story Merchant Building, Columbus Underground reporter Jesse Bethea has been covering the removal of remains from what was once the North Graveyard, a site that pre-dates Columbus. Today, we discuss what is happening at the site, the work that should have been done 150 years ago, and the opportunity that Columbus has to look back at its history.

Columbus Downtown Development Corporation

by Tim Fulton | Feb 22, 2023 | Business, Development, Episode | 0 |

Downtown Columbus has continued to evolve over the last 20 years. That evolution has been more prescriptive than some might know. The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation was created in 2002 to implement the city’s strategic plan for Downtown and it has continued to iterate on the policies and projects that allow the neighborhood to reach its potential. On the occasion of its next strategic plan initiative, the organization’s president, Amy Taylor, discusses the organization’s history, tactics, and why they are pivoting to focus more on people.

Eastland Mall

by Tim Fulton | Jan 30, 2023 | Business, Episode, History, Neighborhoods, People, Politics | 0 |

Eastland Mall, once a thriving hub of retail activity in Columbus, has closed its doors for good. Historian Doug Motz takes a look back at the history of the mall and examines its impact on the local community, the retail industry, and the city as a whole. We also discuss the political fights that have always followed developments in Columbus and the need to look at the plan for the neighborhood now that Eastland is gone.

Columbus Metropolitan Library

by Tim Fulton | Jan 20, 2023 | Education, Episode, Non-Profit | 0 |

Public libraries are a democracy’s best-kept promise and the Columbus Metropolitan Library has boasted that it is “open to all” since its founding in 1873. Chief Executive Officer Patrick Losinski talks this week about the challenges and opportunities facing libraries today, how the system has grown and evolved during his tenure, and how they continue to meet their customers where they are.

The Columbus Beer Scene

by Tim Fulton | Jan 12, 2023 | Business, Episode, Food & Beverage, People | 0 |

Sours, IPAs, and stouts, oh my! Dan Whalen, a reporter for Columbus Underground, has quickly become well-versed in the local brewery and beer scene, despite only living in Columbus for two years. We talked about the high quality, diverse selection, and unpretentious atmosphere of the beer scene in Columbus, as well as ways for people to expand their taste preferences and the current trends in the city.

The Ohio Midterm Election

by Tim Fulton | Nov 3, 2022 | Civics, Episode, Journalism, Politics | 0 |

At the risk of sounding like a broken record that you’ve heard before: Voting is important. On the occasion of next week’s midterm election, David DeWitt, the editor-in-chief of the Ohio Capital Journal sat down with the Confluence Cast this week to discuss how the political landscape has changed in the last two years, the Ohio Supreme Court races and the issues that will be decided as a result of them, the Ohio governor’s race, of course, the US senate race, and why it is so important to vote.

Franklin County Commissioner Erica Crawley

by Tim Fulton | Oct 17, 2022 | Civics, Education, Episode, People, Politics | 0 |

The role of our elected officials is largely known to us. That is less true for our county commissioners. Franklin County Commissioner Erica Crawley joins the Confluence Cast this week to discuss what the commissioners’ office does, her background, and how she translates advocacy into her role on the board for the largest county in the state.

Making Columbus Festivals

by Tim Fulton | Aug 30, 2022 | Arts & Entertainment, Episode, Non-Profit, People | 0 |

It has been said that festivals are one of the best things about our community. By extension, the folks who conceive and orchestrate them are making the city measurably better. This week, on the occasion of the upcoming Hot Times Festival, organizer Candy Watkins discusses the origins of Comfest, why Hot Times Community Festival is the friendliest festival in town, and the importance of leaning in to ensure that these festivals continue to thrive.

Columbus Memes & Inside Jokes

by Tim Fulton | Aug 12, 2022 | Arts & Entertainment, Comedy, Episode, People | 0 |

Columbus has a lot of character to it. From Comfest to COSI, there are a myriad of topics, issues, inside jokes, and even memes that every Columbusite should be aware of. 614 enthusiast Doug Powhida, the man behind the satirical twitter account Fake Dispatch, graces us this week with a high-level survey of what makes the city great, and sometimes not so great.

Housing

by Tim Fulton | Jul 1, 2022 | Civics, Development, Episode, Neighborhoods, Non-Profit, People | 0 |

As the Assistant Director of Housing Strategies for the City of Columbus, Erin Prosser wakes up every day thinking about housing in the city. In today’s episode, we discuss strategies for combatting NIMBYism, the importance of non-commercial partners when we think about housing, why housing should be thought of as infrastructure, and how we can right-size our systems in order to align them to our priorities.

As a bonus this week, we have an additional conversation with entrepreneur David Hunegnaw about one possible micro solution to density: Lease the Lawn.

Category: Episode