We had a great time talking with pal and local legend Matt Barnes for this edition of the HBAC. We go through the arc of Matt’s career and unearth some great stories and bits of wisdom for people taking the unconventional route through working life.

Risk, Transition, and Making it Go

We talked first about the excitement and intensity that drives a lot of career change. If lucky, it’s a thrilling moment of fulfillment but under stressful conditions it becomes more difficult. Repetition, support, and consistency personally all on top of market conditions and capital requirements makes for a powerful change agent good and bad.

When you’ve finally started the thing and become an expert at all it requires - that’s merely the first step.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream

One of Matt’s first major career stops was Jeni’s - but not the juggernaut they are today.

From his entry point into the company (a spot handwriting sample) through his “recruitment” as a lead sales person for the company (going from 35 locations to over 450), Matt’s run through the early and massively expansion oriented phase of this national company taught him a lot about scale and logistics.

Aside from brute force and a little Charlie Day “can-do” dry ice shipping and in-store sampling were transformative to the business of moving premium ice cream, charging premium prices, and locking in committed buyers and fans.

Tubi Time

With such a pop culture enthusiast in the house our run through Tubi this week was extra enjoyable. Make sure to check out some…SOME…of the following.Tim - Stunt Rock, Electric Dragon 80,000 volts, Terminus

Jordan - Fistful of Dollars, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, For a Few Dollars More

Kevin - Discusses Svengoolie Movie Night - Still won’t watch Tubi

Matt - Brings up the Iron Eagle clubhouse (not streaming on Tubi - But IE2 is!) in the context of his next business venture but we also take time to talk the influence of regional cultural icons like Ghoulardi or Big Chuck and Little John

Leisure Club - From Art Space to “Third Place”

From its beginnings in the influential 400 West Rich arts hub - Leisure Club was always an evolving atmosphere. Tapping into mid-century modern aesthetics and nostalgia made for a place that grew into a social, cultural hub the wider scene lacked and that social media or exclusively online spaces could never match.

Barnes is reminded of rooms full of people connecting and colliding over shared memories and a cold beer. The sense that Leisure Club was defining a social scene just prior to the devastating re-adjustment of the Covid-19 pandemic was very real.

Subsequent pivots and re-formats were successful but very different. Vintage brands, merchandise, alternate locations with slight variations on the theme.

All these efforts were adding to the Leisure Club brand and presence but subtracting from Matt Barnes.

The New Style

The group then move into discussion of suburban development and how small owners and entrepreneurs would instantly be better stewards of markets and communities without landlords and developers becoming permanent rent extractors.

Using his own experience, after 17 years of tenancy and more than a half million in rent, Jordan is no closer to owning the location he’s made profitable while other addresses in the same plaza have turned over and over or remained vacant.

He suggests, if a massive tech park can be spun up with 10 year 75% tax abatements at city expense then other models and modes of commercial ownership in traditional sectors could be developed across the city’s neighborhood geography for less.

Jordan concludes, developing commercial land bank and trust models - providing alternate paths to ownership stakes and shared risk financing - would go a long, long way towards providing 21st century Hilliard small business with new, stable growth.

Hilliard’s Rise

We wrap the conversation with more Hilliard talk: The Mill Run renaissance, parks and trails, housing and amenities growth…all emphasizing the point Matt made at the outset. Change is the only constant and communities are not static.

As we have always said at the Beacon the variable that matters is YOU.

Do you know about the bulldozers?The data centers?The scooter laws?Is your life being considered? Your voice heard and honored in council chambers?

Will the next Hilliard be yours?

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Kevin returns from his vacation to the island of Roatan, off the coast of Honduras.

Related: Check out what some of the richest people in the world are getting up to with the Prospera “economic development zone.”

Local Weather Continues

The Franklinton flood wall erected and additional images from our latest round of heavy storms that delivered nearly 3 inches of rain overnight in some areas.

In neighboring Gary, Indiana - power remains out for large portions of the city leaving thousands in the dark with no climate control.

On a Lighter Note

Tubi Time with Tim returns to great acclaim and fanfare.Jordan - Out of Time - A “not great” re-teaming of Denzel and director Carl Franklin.Tim - Nuke ‘em High - Comedy / Horror in need of fine tuning.Kevin - (non-Tubi) Obsession and Blazing Saddles - The generational divide widens.

We Apply for a Grant

We discuss the Franklin Street non-profit grant application and a new documentary short featuring Kevin and Jordan about Hilliard and Ohio data centers.

City Council Returns & Colorado Mountain Sports Applies for New Growth

In a very packed August 13th meeting Planning and Zoning heard from Colorado Mountain Sports as they brought forward another stage of site development in keeping with the infill focus of the Community Plan.

We wrap with some discussion of the upcoming second reading (TONIGHT 8/24) of the new legislation attempting to place some safeguards on minor use of devices in the rapidly expanding personal mobility market.

We thank you for reading the Hilliard Beacon. Enjoy some Mahalia Jackson on us and have a great Monday, Hilliard.

Cover image credit: The island of Roatán, off the northern coast of Honduras. [Source: ambienteterritoriosociedade-ics.org]

Production by Tim Hofmann

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This episode was recorded just prior to the severe storms that rocked the area Tuesday morning. The Beacon passes our sincere best wishes to those affected and thanks profusely those responding to all our neighbors in need. If you’d like to tell your storm story or discuss other local matters contact us [email protected]

We open this edition of the HBAC by discussing some of our favorite walks and new business stops in Hilliard before kicking things over to Tubi Time w/ Tim where we learned about R.O.T.O.R. (a hastily developed, mustachioed and disastrously implemented law enforcement technology run amok) and Tim’s tour through the lesser known works of Jim Varney…

A brain without a heart... a conscience without recognition... a will without a soul. R.O.T.O.R.

The importance of being Ernest

Oversight and Engagement

Talk then shifts to legitimate local matters where we discuss the increasing and intentional fog around the “business” side of government and what is required of local elected officials to provide meaningful access. Certainly, and given the law, organizations like the Hilliard Development Corporation can be given critical responsibilities within city government but ultimately must remain fully accountable to democratic decision making and oversight.

Efforts on the state and private level to obfuscate or hide business incentives behind layers of NDA (non-disclosure agreements) and general legislative prohibitions do not remove the responsibility of local elected officials to use government to not only implement programs like the HDC but to openly evaluate their effectiveness and their appropriateness for the task of economic development over time.

With the state level (and similarly structured) JobsOhio economic development scheme coming under new bipartisan scrutiny the time has never been better to begin evaluation of its local extensions.

Jordan discusses what the hotel occupancy rate can tell us about the type of revenue being generated for use at the city level and what a council level commission might do to improve how residents are involved with the allocation of these resources.

Flock Flailing…

Amid a wave of coast to coast national stories detailing specific abuses the country is re-evaluating its relationship with Flock and ALPR generally as an evolving surveillance technology. While no one can deny the power of the tool to interdict crime in new ways, similarly, no one can deny the traditional disappointments and vulnerabilities to personal abuse overflowing in any serious appraisal. It is the defining, cutting edge of mass surveillance technology under stress.

Once again, having been largely re-assured the city and department are treating the technology carefully by Chief Woods in a direct interview the Beacon suggests in this discussion an additional, separate layer of city commission evaluation will be necessary to make clear what our residents find unacceptable about the use of the technology and to set guard rails alongside law enforcement. If we have any hope of equitably navigating this new technology at the municipal level both partners (the police and the people) have to share the responsibility of the nearly unlimited data harvesting taking place and guarding against those who will abuse it.

Thank you for reading and listening to the Hilliard Beacon. We appreciate your support and could not do this work of local journalism without you. Please take a moment to consider signing up to support us in an ongoing way through the link below.

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Tim bangs drums on this record!

For this installment of the Hilliard Beacon our usual hosts Jordan, Tim and Kevin welcome local certified naturalist and author Don Kloss to hold court on a range of important issues and bring light to some lesser known or fading Hilliard history.

EPA Gives Tech World a Brake Check

In the growing pushback to data center ubiquity across the US the Ohio EPA issued a consequential decision whereby approvals for wastewater dispersal will have to be worked out on a project by project basis. This individual process had been the standard in almost every prior case of projects of this type but the decision heads off a proposed general permit that would have allowed data centers without sewer access to discharge wastewater back into rivers, lakes and streams.

Don brought up the famed local Blatz Lake being filled in with little fanfare and after just a few minutes digging I found another EPA document pertaining to its filling. Interesting to note that as recently as 2024 the site plans were all still showing connectivity to AEP via onsite substation with no indication of current plans for “behind the meter” fuel cell generation.

Local History & Brood X

We let Don take us through the known history of Ohio Cicada and feature some of his digital work from archive site Central Ohio Nature.

Days of Local Future Past

We also spend some time talking the new Hilliard e-bike and micro mobility ordinance. Kevin leads us through his latest reporting and Don, as an avid e-bike and trail user wondered at their compatibility for such a wide variety of users and speeds.

Don also took a moment to highlight a popular post he’d made recently on NextDoor regarding a famed Ohio Wyandot native who refused the removal order and we share that history for you here as well…

You can click this link and visit the Dublin Historical Society website for a more complete accounting of the life and time of Kihue (who came to be known as Bill Moose.)

Thanks for listening, Hilliard!

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

As you’ll hear, we’re always in the Heat Dome at the Beacon and never more so than mid-July.

We intro a new segment, Tim's "Tubi Corner,” with Bronx Executioner & Heavy Metal.On a personal note we talk recent and (not so recent) International travel stories and how the embedded family is an ideal unit for real cultural exchange.

We also had a great response to Kev’s ‘87 Reliant during the Fourth of July Parade and got some nice praise for the kind of local journalism you’ve come to expect over 25+ years of Corvo’s Hilliard reporting.

Jordan wants a Donut Factory x Meatball Mafia crossover to discuss owner / operator Robert DelliQuadri’s piece in Stock and Barrel on rising costs in the food world.

Tentative Tax Budgets for Norwich Township and Hilliard are out. The Popular Annual Financial Report ‘25 for Hilliard has also been made available (Click here PAFR) with the Comprehensive version of the same report to follow once approved and complete.

The Noor / Hilliard federal lawsuit remained in discovery at the time of recording with the original expectation of 6-8 weeks for this phase.

Hilliard City Council is weighing legislation regarding scooters, e-bikes and micro-mobility devices. On Sunday afternoon (7/27) I personally witnessed two kids cross both lanes of traffic heading southbound on Leap Road without looking back while entering the flow of traffic…at all. No helmets. Without being alarmist and even with legislation it feels uncomfortably likely that a tragedy is looming.

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Amy Fleshman, the year round manager of the fair stops by to get us up to date on this special community tradition!

This episode of the Beacon offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to stage one of central Ohio's longest-running community traditions. The guys are joined by Amy Fleshman, manager of the Franklin County Fairgrounds, for a conversation about the months of planning, hundreds of volunteers, evolving agricultural traditions, and the partnerships that make the fair possible. The discussion also explores how the fair is expanding its accessibility, educational mission, and role as a gathering place for the entire county.

* Final preparations for the 2026 Franklin County Fair and the logistics of transforming the fairgrounds for opening day.

* Year-round planning, infrastructure, scheduling, and the role of the volunteer board in organizing the fair.

* Staffing the fair: full-time employees, part-time workers, and the extensive volunteer effort.

* The 109-year history of the Franklin County Fair, its agricultural roots, and how it has evolved alongside Franklin County.

* Agriculture today, changing livestock exhibits, home arts, horticulture, and the central role of 4-H youth development.

* Why the fair is a defining social experience for 4-H members and multi-generational families.

* Community partnerships, including the Hilliard Moose, Groveport Lions Club, Kiwanis, and other civic organizations.

* Daily attractions and entertainment, including laser tag, train displays, dog shows, chainsaw carving, Jurassic Kingdom, and family activities.

* Food vendors, new concessions, local favorites, and classic fair food.

* The fair’s mission of creating an inclusive, family-oriented environment.

* Accessibility initiatives, including sensory-friendly hours, quiet spaces, nursing rooms, adult changing restrooms, and mobility improvements.

* The fairgrounds relationship with Norwich Township and the role played in shared public facilities like the Joint Safety and Services building.

* Franklin County’s role in supporting the fair, recent facility improvements, and public investment.

* Public safety partnerships with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and collaboration with the County Engineer.

* Future vision for the fair, stronger countywide partnerships, and plans for the new Brundige 4-H Youth Innovation Center.

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The wider ‘Ax the Tax’ movement came up short for the November ballot this year but nonetheless provided a challenging spur to the status quo.

On this installment, the usual Beacon Boys and local ace Paul Lambert host the Franklin County Auditor as projected home values hit doorsteps around Columbus and start the cycle of argument and education all over again.

We’re ‘lovers and understanders’ here at the pod so we chose education this time out and Auditor Stinziano proved a capable teacher!

Resources

Primary Website of the Auditor

https://auditor.franklincountyohio.gov/Home

‘Know Your Home Value’ website and tools

https://audr-kyhv.franklincountyohio.gov/

Topics Discussed

* Role of the Franklin County Auditor and responsibilities beyond property taxes

* Consumer protection through Weights & Measures inspections

* Government transparency and public trust

* Political and professional background

* How the Auditor’s Office is funded

* Understanding Ohio’s HB 920 and why higher property values do not automatically mean higher taxes

* Public misconceptions about property tax increases

* The impact of neighborhood appreciation on individual homeowners

* The 2026 Franklin County property reappraisal process

* How homeowners can review or discuss their tentative valuation

* Housing affordability, density, and future residential development

* Ohio’s “Axe the Tax” movement and property tax reform

* Tax Increment Financing (TIFs) and economic development incentives

* JobsOhio transparency and accountability

* Data center incentives and their long-term community impact

* Hilliard Development Corporation and local economic development transparency

* Understanding county government and why residents should pay attention to county offices

We really appreciate the Auditor’s office making this conversation possible.

Much of our discussion, thanks to Paul’s understanding and background knowledge, centered on Ohio’s HB 920, the law that prevents most voter-approved levies from generating windfall revenue simply because property values rise. The Auditor emphasized that an increase in a home’s valuation does not automatically produce a proportional increase in property taxes. Instead, new levies approved by voters remain the primary driver of long-term tax increases, though changes in neighborhood valuations and recent sales trends can shift tax burdens among individual property owners.

Beyond the always thorny property taxes, we discussed broader issues affecting Central Ohio, including housing affordability, increasing residential density planning, tax incentives, JobsOhio transparency, and the rapid expansion of data centers. Stinziano said transparency remains essential in public economic development programs and expressed support for making more information readily available to taxpayers.

As usual, we narrow the focus with a look at local accountability, including questions about the Hilliard Development Corporation, and a broad reminder that county government still plays a large role in the day to day lives of every Ohioan.

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Ohio’s rapid expansion of data centers is building stress around electric reliability, rising utility costs and who ultimately bears the burden of responsibility for billions of dollars in new infrastructure. Those issues were the focus of our conversation with State Rep. Tristan Rader who serves as (among other assignments) the ranking minority member on the Ohio House Energy Committee.

Rader has long argued that lawmakers should ensure the costs of serving this new, investor driven electricity demand fall on the companies creating it and not existing residential ratepayers. He warned that Ohio’s unprecedented pipeline of data center projects could strain a largely reliable but aging electric grid.

The discussion turned to Hilliard’s own proposed data center developments, including behind-the-meter “fuel cell” natural gas generation. Rader said requiring large facilities to provide some of their own power addresses only part of the demand while simultaneously introducing new environmental and neighborhood concerns. He said Ohio should instead encourage cleaner on-site generation such as solar and other renewable technologies where feasible.

Rader also defended maintaining strong electric reliability standards through the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, citing repeated outages in the Cleveland area that prompted local officials to push for regulatory intervention. He praised regulators for rejecting proposals that would have allowed utilities more time before outages triggered performance concerns.

Renewable energy policy was another major topic. Rader criticized recent Ohio laws that have made large-scale solar and wind development more difficult, arguing the state has created uncertainty that discourages investment at the very time additional generating capacity is needed.

On a brighter note, Jordan pointed to Hilliard’s electric aggregation program which city officials report has saved the community millions of dollars as an example of how competitive energy markets can benefit consumers.

The interview also revisited the legacy of the House Bill 6 scandal and the continuing need for utility oversight reforms. Rader said Ohio has improved some regulatory appointments but has not fundamentally changed the structures that allowed the scandal to occur, advocating for greater transparency, limits on utility influence and reforms to the Public Utilities Commission.

A second major focus centered on government transparency. Rader discussed legislation he has introduced to increase oversight of JobsOhio, arguing that an organization receiving public resources should be subject to stronger public records requirements, audits and legislative review. He questioned whether economic development organizations should operate with fewer transparency requirements than traditional government agencies.

That conversation naturally expanded to local government and given Tristan’s background on City Council his experience was extremely relevant.Jordan, using the Hilliard Development Corporation as an example, asked how appropriate it is that economic development entities distance public spending decisions from routine public oversight. Rader suggested a cost to this mode of operating is that even when such organizations comply with existing law, limited transparency erodes public confidence and reduces long-term trust in government. The discussion suggests that a government role in growth and development is obvious but needs much more direct participation from residents.

Closing out the interview, Rader said bipartisan cooperation remains possible on issues such as energy affordability and data center policy because legislators from both parties share concerns about rising utility bills and local impacts. As a Democratic Socialist he said his approach has been to directly represent the priorities of his district while seeking progressive legislation that can attract support from Ohioans across party lines.

Thank you to the Representative for calling in and giving us some time while on the road.

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

A HOT hello to you all!

We interview a quadruplet of guests this week, starting off with returning brothers Sam and Charlie Owsley who join us to hype the second annual Food for the Fourth donation event benefiting Hilliard Food Pantry.

Every donation helps local families, and just $1 donated allows the Hilliard Food Pantry to purchase about $6 worth of food from the Mid-Ohio Food Collective.

How to Donate on Parade Day:

Starting around 8:45 a.m., look for volunteers, trucks, and police escort moving along the parade route ahead of the parade. Donations will be collected from parade attendees all along the route before the parade begins at 9 a.m.

Last year the brothers and volunteer teams collected 800 pounds of food and north of $800 in direct donations. We’re really proud of these young guys who have created a lasting commitment to help their neighbors and larger community. Let’s all pitch in this weekend and help each other out!

And in the Second Half…

We welcome Deputy Planning Director Jackie Yeoman and Chair of the Housing Steering Commission, Vince Papsidero to walk us through the findings of the year long process to redefine the City’s collective approach to Housing.We allude to the fact in the interview that housing policy can be political and personal with opinions coming in hot and heavy from every perspective but the work over the past year of the commission has been rooted in a broad, comprehensive approach that unlocks some immediate mechanisms and lays the groundwork for future evolutions within our city.To get a look at every stage of the process - including the final June presentation - follow the links below:

We’ve always said on this program that knowing where the bulldozers will be BEFORE they start ripping up your neighborhood is preferable. Developing these systems alongside city administration and staying involved in the ongoing process is your entry point to deeper understanding of your property and your city.

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Join us for a night of stargazing and Stellar Conversation, won’t you?

If you like what you see and hear in this episode then take the plunge and explore the skies with the Columbus Astronomical Society, spend a Friday evening at historic Perkins Observatory or travel to some of the darkest skies in the state at the John Glenn Astronomy Park.

Images and accompanying text by Jason.

Twilight approaches as the rig stands ready.

The Cygnus Milky Way. If you look close, you can see the North America Nebula right of center. The Cygnus Milky Way region contains many interesting objects including the “Great Rift”, an area of dust and gas that will one day form new stars. The famous Cygnus X-1 Black hole is also in this region. Taken with the Seestar S30Pro’s Milky Way capture feature.

The center star of the Northern Cross of Cygnus, Sadr and surrounding nebulosity. I used Sadr as the anchor to take my Cygnus Milky Way image.

Markarian’s Chain in Virgo. I wanted to use the Seestar S30Pro to get this chain of galaxies. These galaxies are part of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.

The Eagle Nebula, M16, in the constellation of Serpens. This object became famous in the 90s when the Hubble Space Telescope took the “Pillars of Creation” image. My version is a false color image using Hydrogen Alpha and Oxygen III filters. M16 is a large star forming region. Taken with the main imaging rig.

The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex. Rho Ophiuchi is embedded in this cloud complex and it is a large, and one of the nearest, star forming regions. You can see the red glow of Antares at the bottom left, and the globular star cluster M4 at the bottom right. Above and to the right of Antares is the globular cluster NGC6144. Taken with the Seestar S30Pro.

M17, also known as the Swan Nebula, is a massive star forming region in the constellation of Sagittarius. There is an open cluster, NGC6618, is embedded inside the nebula and this is what causes it to glow like it does. Taken with the S30.

TIMESTAMPS & TOPICS

Intro and Welcome1:00-5:15 What is Master Data Management?5:15-15:00 Layoffs and Transitions15:00-24:25 Lifelong Fascination with Astronomy- Columbus Astronomical Society- Perkins Observatory and John Glenn Astronomy Park24:25-31:30 Astronomy Provides Perspective31:30-41:20 Ambient Radiation, Nuclear Power, and Learning as a Method for Managing Fears42:05-44:05 AI and Human Creativity- The curious case of German alchemist Henning Brandt (aka, ‘You’re crazy for this one, Rick.’)44:05-47:45 Current Skywatching Opportunities and Closing

Thanks again to one of our oldest and most interesting friends for sharing his awesome passion!

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.