Monday, June 5 2017

Hello Monday. It's James.

It's theme park season in Ohio. If you've been craving some coasters, the Red Cross is offering free tickets to Cedar Point or Kings Island with a blood donation. Check out the post for select dates and locations. Do something good, get rewarded. Hard to beat.

Navigator full story: A Ridiculously Easy Way To Get Free Tickets To Cedar Point Or Kings Island

The Rundown:Weather: 81. Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of precipitation.To do: Ever want to take a crack at Antiques Roadshow? Well, it's not television, but JA Baker is having a night of free appraisals at their new location on E. Main St. Guests are welcome to bring two items for a free appraisal from 4-6pm. More info here.

Navigator Originals:From Fallout To The Witcher, One Local Artist Is Crafting Armor From Your Favorite Video GamesZoey Miller takes a look at Mad Anvil Armory, run by Salvador Zemeno. The things this guy creates will amaze you.Make Columbus Stronger With Beer! Drink This Year’s Exclusive Comfest Beer And Money Will Go Back To The CommunityComfest is getting its own beer. Actual Brewing Company and Ram Brewery are teaming up to create Comfest Wheat Ale. $1 from every one sold will go towards local community projects.Get Out There And Get Your Sophistication On: A June Art-Exhibit Round-upZoey Miller rounds up what's happening in June in the art scene.An Uncultured Schmuck’s Guide To Art ShowsAnd Zoey also has you covered if you feel nervous checking out an art show. It's something accessible to all, and worth doing.17 Gorgeous Places To Go Camping In Ohio With Pictures To Prove ItOhio is a great camping state, with destinations in all regions. Madeline Keener takes a look at 17 of the best places to pitch a tent in Ohio.

The Monday Conversation:The average rent in Columbus is forecasted by the end of this year to be $898 a month, or $10,776 a year. The average household income of those living in public housing or using vouchers is $14,197. And the waiting list for subsidized housing is over 25,000. [Ferenchik/Dispatch]ACT has agreed to do the right thing and score the hundreds of tests it had previously ruled invalid due to their own error. I'm sure there are a lot of relieved kids out there. [Huson/Dispatch]It's always interesting to see what outsiders think of our city. Open Table has a list of the top 7 restaurants to try in Columbus for visitors. These are not the 7 I would personally recommend to a guest, but it's an interesting list. [OpenTable]

Longread for your lunch break:Oh god, on second thought maybe don't read this at lunch.The first artificial skating rinks were opened all the way back in 1844, but of course they didn't have the technology to reliably freeze water. The solution? Pig fats and salt.Smithsonian: The First Artificial Skating Rinks Looked Pretty But Smelled Terrible

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