🥾 Meet The Ohio Woman Who Conquered the Appalachian Trail at 67

Plus: ✈️ Columbus Airports Expect 1 Million+ Passenger Travel Surge

Author

Chelsea Wiley
March 09, 2026

Sponsored by North Market 🍴
North Market is calling your name! Whether you're exploring the original downtown location for its classic market charm or the Bridge Park spot in Dublin for a modern twist, there's no better place to eat, shop, and discover the best of Columbus. For more info, head over to northmarket.org.

Hello, Monday! Chelsea, here.

We hope you had a great weekend and got a little sunshine, because spring is finally starting to show up around Central Ohio. With longer days ahead, it feels like the perfect time to start thinking about getting outside and exploring. And there may be no better inspiration than an Ohio woman who once decided to walk more than 2,000 miles through the mountains. Emma “Grandma” Gatewood was 67 when she set out to hike the entire Appalachian Trail by herself. Her incredible journey turned her into a legend and helped spark a love of hiking across the country.

🏘️ A New Build-To-Rent Community Is Open Just North Of Columbus
A new rental home community has opened in Lewis Center, adding 121 houses to the Central Ohio housing market. But with rents starting around $2,700, it also highlights how expensive housing has become in the region.

✈️ Columbus Airports Expect 1 Million+ Passenger Spring Break Travel Surge
Spring break travel is taking off in Columbus, with nearly a million passengers expected to pass through local airports. Here’s what travelers should know before heading to the terminal.

Headlines 📰 

👏 Columbus is staking its claim as the nation’s next women’s sports capital. From hosting the SheBelieves Cup to exploring an NWSL expansion, the city is putting big events and big ideas behind the IgniteHER initiative. (Axios Columbus)

🏇 When Secretariat’s regular jockey was sidelined, 23-year-old Ohio native Eddie Maple stepped in and won the horse’s final race. His remarkable career, now in the Hall of Fame, started with muddy tracks in Carrollton and took him to racing glory. (WOSU)

🏗️ Intel says construction on its New Albany chip plant is humming along, with $1.4 billion spent in 2025 and no new delays. The $20 billion project has now reached over $5 billion in total investment, keeping Ohio on the tech map. (NBC4)

☀️ Weather: 68 and sunny

Sponsored by the Greater Columbus Arts Council 🖼️
Explore Columbus through a new lens by checking out the arts-focused event calendar from Art Makes Columbus. Discover the events that bring our community together and experience art made authentically. For more info, head over to columbusmakesart.com.

Coming Up This Week 📆

Coming Up This Month 📆

☘️ The Best Things To Do This March In Columbus
March is well underway, and it’s jam packed. You can cheer on the Crew and the Blue Jackets, catch a play, enjoy an evening at the symphony, and of course, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Get out there and make the most of March, my friends.

Today's Photo 🤳

Instagram Post

☀️ Throwing it back to summer with this gorgeous sunrise over the Main Library downtown.

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- Chelsea