Letter writer’s choice of states seems curious in Senate debate
I noticed in Randall Condra’s Wednesday letter that he used Vermont as a comparative low-population state in discussing the current electoral system for the U.S. Senate. I find this rather disingenuous as Vermont, which happens to be Sen. Bernie Sanders’ state, ranks 49th.
Condra leaves out the ruby-red states of No. 50 Wyoming, No. 48 Alaska, No. 47 North Dakota and No. 46 South Dakota.
I wonder why?
John Lanka, Columbus
More evidence emerged this week that the pandemic shifted home-buyer attention away from big, expensive cities to smaller, more affordable ones, including those in Ohio.
Whether such a shift lasts is another question.
According to Federal Housing Finance Agency data, homes appreciated the most in 2020 in second-tier cities, while former hot spots languished. The figures are the latest in a string of data showing that COVID-19 dampened buyer demand in big, costly cities while more modest cities boomed.
“Price appreciation has slowed in some areas that we think of as tech hubs, and areas that are major urban centers,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist with the listing site Realtor.com.
“You see an even bigger effect in rent because renters are more flexible. That’s where we’ve seen the biggest impact, with rent declines in Boston, San Jose,
After dialogue with the city’s eating and drinking establishments and the Ohio Restaurant Association, Columbus agreed to create the temporary permit program.
Collin Castore, co-founder of Seventh Son Brewing Co. in Italian Village, was one of the foremost advocates for the change.
“I think it’s fantastic that the city acknowledges the hard times and difficulties that a lot of small restaurants throughout the city have had,” he said. “This will be a good way to let people regain some revenue and get a little bit back from what was a really difficult year.” pcooley@dispatch.com @Patrickacooley