Good morning, Franklin County. The sweet sounds of recovery are echoing through Columbus as the Jazz Orchestra swings into its 52nd season with Byron Stripling at the helm. After weathering pandemic challenges, the ensemble is bringing Ellington, Basie, and Miles to the Southern Theatre this weekend, continuing their tradition of featuring impressive talents like Pickerington's own Bobby Floyd alongside unexpected guests such as Molly Ringwald—proof that our local jazz scene remains vibrant as ever.
While music fills the air, there's encouraging news from Columbus City Schools, where academic performances are hitting high notes with math scores jumping 9-11 percentage points and graduation rates soaring to 83.2%. This remarkable comeback story stands in stark contrast to Wednesday's dramatic scene on I-270, where a dump truck plunged off the interstate and flipped onto Refugee Road below, sending two people to the hospital and closing Hamilton Road as investigators piece together what happened.
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0%☕️ What's Brewing Locally
🎷 Columbus Jazz Orchestra swings into its 52nd year with Byron Stripling. The renowned ensemble, led by Artistic Director Stripling, continues to bring musical joy as they emerge from the pandemic period. Their upcoming performance "Ellington, Basie and Miles" will take place at the Southern Theatre this weekend. The orchestra has featured notable guest performers including Molly Ringwald and Grammy nominee Bobby Floyd, a Pickerington native who plays piano and organ for the group. Through vibrant performances, they aim to reconnect audiences with the power of live jazz.
🚚 Dump truck plunges off I-270, flips onto Columbus road below. The dramatic incident occurred Wednesday afternoon when a driver veered off the southbound interstate near Hamilton and Refugee roads in southeast Columbus. After traveling down an embankment, the truck overturned onto Refugee Road around 1:50 p.m., also involving at least one other vehicle. Two people were hospitalized in stable condition, though it remains unclear if the truck driver was among them. Hamilton Road has been shut down in the area as authorities continue to investigate.
📚 Columbus schools celebrate big academic comeback after pandemic slump. The district reports significant improvements in math scores across grade levels, with increases of 9-11 percentage points in various grades. Their Performance Index Score jumped to 60.7 for 2024-2025, marking a 33.7% increase since the pandemic-affected 2020 score. Graduation rates have climbed to 83.2%, exceeding both their immediate goal of 79.2% and their 2026 target of 81.2%. Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman credits these improvements to focused resources, curriculum guidance, and the dedication of educators working to "recover lost time" since 2020.
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