Property Tax Reform, FirstEnergy Penalties, and Protecting Kids Online - Columbus Local Pulse

Good morning, this is Columbus Local Pulse for November 20, 2025. We’re starting the day with some major news from City Hall, where Ohio lawmakers are on the verge of passing sweeping property tax reform that could change how much we pay and how schools are funded. The Ohio House has already approved four bipartisan bills, and the Senate could vote as early as today. The Chamber of Commerce is hosting a forum downtown this morning to help residents understand what these changes mean for families and businesses. On the legal front, FirstEnergy has been ordered to pay more than 250 million dollars for its role in the Statehouse bribery scandal. The Public Utilities Commission says nearly 187 million will go back to customers, and the rest is in penalties. This is a big step toward accountability after years of controversy. In local crime news, a Columbus man named Austin Pittman is set to plead guilty to federal charges for using artificial intelligence to manipulate family photos into sexual images of minors. Authorities recovered nearly 200 images, and experts are warning parents to be extra careful about what photos of children are shared online. The Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is urging everyone to report suspicious activity right away. Turning to the weather, we’re seeing cloudy skies this morning with a chance of light rain later. It’s a good idea to grab an umbrella if you’re headed downtown or out to the parks. The forecast calls for temperatures in the upper 50s, so it’s not too cold but not quite warm enough for outdoor events. On the business side, there’s new activity along High Street, with a couple of shops opening and a few others closing after years in business. The job market remains steady, with about 2,500 new positions posted in the last week, mostly in healthcare, tech, and retail. For community events, the annual holiday market at the Ohio State Fairgrounds kicks off this weekend, and there’s a free concert at Schiller Park tonight. Local schools are also celebrating some big wins—Lincoln High’s basketball team took first place in the regional tournament, and several students earned scholarships for their science projects. And for a feel-good story, a new Joshua Alert system is being proposed to help find missing children with developmental disabilities. It’s a reminder of how our community comes together to protect the most vulnerable. This has been Columbus Local Pulse. We’ll see you tomorrow with more local updates. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.