The Hilliard Beacon Podcast

In the final week of the 2026 midterms the Hilliard Beacon was able to secure interviews with Republican Shawn Kaesar and Incumbent Democrat Crystal Lett both competing November 3rd for the State Representative seat in District 11 currently held by Lett.

In the interest of fairness and in order to get these interviews to the ears of our audience as quickly as possible we will be releasing them simultaneously today, October 31st, with an accompanying timestamp based list of topics discussed.

We thank both candidates for making time so close to the end of their campaigns. These...

In the final week of the 2026 midterms the Hilliard Beacon was able to secure interviews with Republican Shawn Kaesar and Incumbent Democrat Crystal Lett both competing November 3rd for the State Representative seat in District 11 currently held by Lett.

In the interest of fairness and in order to get these interviews to the ears of our audience as quickly as possible we will be releasing them simultaneously today, October 31st, with an accompanying timestamp based list of topics discussed.

We thank both candidates for making time so close to the end of their campaigns. These...

Paul LambertOriginally published on EducateHilliard

Ever since the 1980s, when the population of the Hilliard School District began exploding in response to the Penick vs Columbus Board of Education desegregation lawsuit, we’ve heard the phrase “Hilliard Schools, Columbus Taxes.”

It was a powerful sales tool for the new home builders who were banging out houses by the thousands in the parts of the Hilliard School District which had been annexed into the City of Columbus. I remember hearing that phrase in 1979 when we bought our first home in Golfview Woods, one of many neighborhoods which...

We were happy to renew an annual tradition by hosting Artistic Director of the Hilliard Arts Council, Robin Brenneman, for another fun conversation around the thrill of putting on a show…

Upcoming Season

A Renewal of Voice

We discussed Robin’s commitment to vocal performance and a re-emphasis on the multiple choir programs on offer at the Arts Center for performers young and old. Click the image below to visit the Choir website (with interactive calendar) or click to head to online registration for the Hilliard Community Choir right here!

Diversifying the...

On this edition of the Audio Companion we sift through a full week of Hilliard happenings and big decisions affecting you!

In a first since 2011…

After a brief discussion of the shooting we reflect on our chat from last week with other local journalists and share our thoughts on their approach and our collaborative effort. Kevin reminds us that he usually looks to step up the posting rate with Council back in session and setting the pace. So, keep an eye out for additional writing on the website and your email inbox.

Tubi Ti...

Telling it like it is…

For the latest HBAC Jordan, Tim and Kevin called in the big guns, bringing together three pioneering local publishers for a conversation about the state of news and reporting in our region. We spend an hour with the the trio of bestsellers describing their individual efforts to rekindle the relationship between residents and good journalism in each of their communities.

Gary Gardiner of Westerville News, Joe Case of Marysville Matters and William Lutz of Civic Capacity each came to Substack from different backgrounds but their reasons for picking up the lo...

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...

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 Li...

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, mu...

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...

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 Hill...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 Am...

We open the latest episode of the Audio Companion by welcoming Sam Swank, a longtime member of 4-H, who discussed his experiences with the organization and his current project studying yeast breads. Sam, who joined 4-H at age six, described the program as a place where you learn about nature, practical skills and career interests while pursuing projects that match your passions.

His own interests have ranged from birding and fishing to baking. Currently working on a yeast bread project for the county fair, Sam turned the tables on Jordan and asked thoughtful questions about donut making...

We were recently joined in studio by Austin Rutherford and Megan Miracle as they promoted Hilliard’s upcoming short film festival. Both Austin and Megan are former students in Hilliard and we’re very pleased to see them developing their passion into local opportunities for fellow creators.

0:00 - 17:34 Intro with the guys…

17:35 - 19:21 Meet Austin and Megan!

19:21 - 21:56 Origins and structure of the festival

21:56 - 24:24 AI and filmmaking

24:23 - 29:28 Record participation (100+ submissions) and FilmFreeway

29:28 - 31:31 Establishing Hilliard’s film culture

31:31 - 35:04 Creative careers and entr...

It was a real treat to host old friend Nate Grenier for a chat about our shared history and the business he, his wife and family have grown in Hilliard.

0:00-5:30 - In the beginning...two ‘wild and crazy’ guys.

5:30-10:30 - Building a local coffee culture

10:30-16:30 - Family, marriage, and entrepreneurship

16:30-20:30 - Expansion and COVID’s hard lessons

20:30-23:30 - The economics of Main Street

23:30-25:00 - “It’s no Stonehenge…”

25:00-31:30 - Rent vs Ownership in small business survival

31:30-34:45 - Busin...

Thanks for listening, everyone!

In this episode:

* We review our recent interview with Chief Woods.

* We spend a good portion of the episode discussing expanding surveillance technology in Hilliard, including the prevalence of residential cameras and growing police use of Flock license plate reader systems.

* The growing resistance to the data center buildout at local, state, national levels

* Attention then turned to Hilliard City Council’s postponed vote on allowing Capital Church to operate out of the Makoy Center property. (Postponed 5/11 - Vote occuring 5/26 Tuesday)

* We discuss pe...

With the latest episode of the HBAC the guys welcome Hilliard Police Chief Michael Woods to the program for a focused conversation on our burgeoning suburb.

Community Policing

Woods described community policing as a core operational philosophy beginning at the hiring stage. Officers, he said, are expected to be visible and approachable whether that means walking neighborhood events, interacting with children at city celebrations, teaching self-defense classes or participating in programs like the Citizens Police Academy and Youth Safety Academy.

The chief emphasized that officers are encouraged to build relationships before crises occur...

All jokes aside…

* Milestone episode (No. 150) and recap of recent studio activity, including filming a documentary segment with Nicolette Jaworski on our Data Center reporting. Her team recently produced a documentary short on another Ohio story.

* We then kick off the episode proper with the return of local super guest Jake Trubiano!

Gold Path Solar

* Performance and visibility impact of the Westwood Fieldhouse and Junction solar installations in Hilliard

* Recognition as 2025-2026 Ohio Installer of the Year and growth in residential solar business

* Sharp shift in demand du...

We welcome back Council President Emily Cole this episode for a great conversation on the realities of local governance in our rapidly growing city.

Cole, now roughly two and a half years into her first term, described a role full of rewards and demands where meeting preparation alone can range from several hours to well over a dozen depending on the agenda. That workload, she said, is necessary to meet the expectations of residents and appreciate the competing perspectives that inform council decisions. Her approach has emphasized direct engagement, including one-on-one meetings with residents and outreach to...

Last Week, The Audio Companion sat down with our second congressional interview of the cycle as we spoke to former state representative Adam Miller on his way to the May 5th primary against Don Leonard.

https://www.adammillerforamerica.com

Still no interest from the Republican side of the conversation as sitting Rep Mike Carey awaits his own primary challenge from the unconventional conservative Samuel Ronan.

In the opening minutes of our interview candidate Miller discussed his own career path encompassing public education, the law, and lengthy military service. As a result of that...

On the latest episode of the Audio Companion Jordan and Tim sit down with guests Katie Bondy and Jeff Sanderson for a conversation that (pardon my dad joke) moved well beyond the touchlines. Centered on the Greater Ohio Amputee Soccer Team, the discussion arrives during Limb Loss Awareness Month and offered us a timely look at a sport and community on the rise.

Bondy, a teacher at Hilliard Darby is a Forward and member of the U.S. women’s amputee national team, described a game built on constant adaptation. Field players compete without prosthetics, relying instead on...

«This Episode was recorded March 20th - The day after Hilliard’s punishing windstorm and the afternoon of the public Ohio EPA meeting at The Well»

Welcome everyone!

Our show opens with a look at the aftermath of high winds ripping across Hilliard leaving behind scattered damage but a quick community response. Tim shares what he’s seeing on the ground in the roofing and siding business, with homeowners dealing with missing shingles, hanging siding, and a wave of insurance claims that are getting harder to push through. Kevin adds reporting from the city side, where...

Kevin Corvo leads the first segment with an update on the Norwich Township trustee appointment process. The position drew 13 candidates and was very fast moving. Looking forward and back this conversation took place a few days before the interviews and we now know their outcome.

Corvo highlights the importance of the appointment, since (Barker) will serve for nearly two years. He also notes that this moment marks a shift from the past, when trustees often held their positions for decades. With new leadership coming in, the township faces major decisions as it deals with development pressure and...

Editor- Just so readers are aware, we are reaching out to all candidates for the seat and offering equal time

In a first for us, a Democratic primary challenger for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, Don Leonard, joined the Hilliard Beacon Audio Companion for a wide-ranging discussion of economic inequality, foreign policy, and the motivations behind his campaign for Congress. Leonard, who taught on the city and regional planning faculty at Ohio State, framed his candidacy as emerging from years of research into governance and inequality. “I’m not a career politician. I’m not a lawyer or a lob...

Trustee Rick Tidd Resigns; Appointment Process Underway

* View the full application / guidelines page HERE

Big Darby Accord Revision Enters Public Phase

* View the full Draft of the updated Accord HERE

Ridgewood Parking Restrictions Rescinded

* Decision came after improper public meeting rules. Read our original 2024 story HERE and read the latest HERE

Beacon Elementary Construction - Early Impacts

Beacon Expands Coverage to Congressional Race

* The Beacon is in conversations to interview Don Leonard, congressional primary candidate for Hilliard district (OH-15) We will be extending...

As we experience the shifting pace of life here in Hilliard we give consideration to the pressing issues of the day and the pacing issues that will determine our shared future. The last few weeks have provided example after example of that kaleidoscopic effect; whether it be another historic snowfall for Ohioans, a new school groundbreaking or iterating a twenty-five year housing plan. This week Jordan, Tim and Kevin do their best to catch back up!

Discussion Outline

* Historic snowfall and extended school cancellations

* Dedication of the new land trust home at 3474 Bryant<...

On the latest edition of the HBAC we were really pleased to welcome Exec. Director and lifelong Hilliard resident Samantha Brill for a long overdue visit to the studio!

Destination Hilliard, the nonprofit organization charged with promoting tourism, is increasingly positioning its work not only around attracting visitors but also around helping existing residents engage more fully with the city’s growing slate of events, businesses and amenities.

The organization operates independently while coordinating closely with city government.

While its formal role centers on tourism, Brill emphasized that its work frequently overlaps with re...

As Hilliard faces fast-approaching deadlines tied to state and federal permitting for the proposed Amazon data center along Scioto-Darby Road, local advocates Paul Lambert and Cathy Cowan-Becker joined the us to outline the rapidly escalating number of changes affecting community interests, state-level legislation, and the energy demands of hyperscale data infrastructure.

The immediate concern centers on a pending Ohio EPA air permit that would authorize approximately 150 Tier 2 diesel generators at the Hilliard site. The draft permit, now open for public comment, has heightened fears about air quality, particulate pollution, and the proximity of large-scale industrial equipment to...

For our first fresh Audio Companion of the new year we featured an in-depth conversation with Annette Singh, a Hilliard resident who has emerged as a leading local advocate around the environmental and governance implications of Amazon’s expanding data center footprint on Scioto Darby Road. Singh described how a neighbor-to-neighbor conversation in October quickly escalated into sustained civic engagement, legal appeals, and coordination with city officials over air permits and on-site power generation plans.

Originally, residents understood the Amazon facility as a conventional grid-connected data center, but later learned that plans included extensive behind-the-meter power generation, in...

We pass the torch to 2026 and recommit to our mission: keeping you reliably informed about the dynamic city of Hilliard!

David Letterman Style…here are our TOP 10 stories of the year by view count!

Number 10

https://hilliardbeacon.substack.com/p/new-shared-use-path-on-dublin-road

Number 9

Number 8

Number 7

Number 6

https://hilliardbeacon.substack.com/p/hilliard-city-council-will-appeal

Number 5

https://hilliardbeacon.substack.com/p/amazons-power-play-ohio-revised-code

Number 4

Number 3

Number 2

Number 1

The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported pu...

(Music and Production by Tim Hofmann for Franklin Street Creative)

Folks, we’re back. Been a minute…sorry about it! In the latest episode of the Hilliard Beacon Audio Companion we opened with a community-wide call to action centered on Hilliard Food Pantry Plus. Hosts Jordan, Tim, and Kevin Corvo highlighted a now concluded December drive at the UALC Mill Run Campus and emphasized that ongoing monetary donations are especially impactful, as funds can be multiplied through Mid-Ohio Food Bank partnerships. We hope our quick plug emphasized the expanding role of the pantry, which provides not only food...

In the latest episode of the HBAC, the hosts sat down to unpack the results of Hilliard’s most consequential local election in years, discuss the future of city leadership, and close out another election season of community coverage.

A Historic Sweep for Hilliard Democrats

Corvo opened with final election results confirming a clean sweep for Democratic candidates in the Hilliard City Council race, cementing complete party control of all seven seats for the first time in city history.

* Top vote-getters: Nadia Rasul led the field with 5,537 votes, followed by Andy Teater, Kathy Pa...

City Updates and Meeting Highlights

We opened this episode with an update on several city developments discussed in the latest Hilliard Happening newsletter and recent council meetings.

* Local Heroes Recognized: Four Darby High School and Tolles Career Center students (Future potential first responders Dylan Shields, Luke Self, Logan Faulkner, and Seth French) were honored by City Council for providing emergency aid to a semi-truck driver who suffered a medical episode.

* City Manager Search: The formal search for Hilliard’s next city manager is underway. The city has partnered with the national firm Raftelis to...

Hilliard City Council Democratic candidate Nadia Rasul returned to the Beacon studio to reflect on a campaign she described as humbling and energetic. Rasul, who previously ran in the spring primary, shared stories from the campaign trail, her focus on community inclusion, and her views on Hilliard’s growth and governance.

Listening at the Door

Rasul said most residents express overall satisfaction with their neighborhoods, citing strong community ties and affordability. Common frustrations include traffic congestion and a need for better recreation facilities. Anecdotally, one resident lamented a perceived shortage of baseball fields and another wi...

Educator and longtime Hilliard resident Kathy Parker-Jones joined the Hilliard Beacon for a sharp conversation in the waning days of campaign season (Thursday October 16th), outlining her bid for City Council as an extension of a career spent working on solutions and building consensus. A 30-year teacher and now district administrator in Dublin Schools, she said the leap into politics came from wanting to counter national divisiveness with local action. “I’m a doer,” she said.

Parker-Jones says she’s knocked on more than a thousand doors since the primary. Most residents seem to express broad satisfaction with lif...

Our guest is Hilliard resident, electrician and substation safety specialist Doug Williams. Together, we convened to discuss and examine Amazon’s decision to power its Scioto Darby data center using what could become the largest fuel cell installation in the United States. Williams, an AEP employee speaking strictly in a personal capacity, offered rare technical insight into how such a system functions and what it could mean for residents, the grid, and Hilliard’s long-term infrastructure.

How the Original Plan Changed

Originally, the Scioto Darby location was to be powered directly from AEP’s regional transm...