Columbus Local Headlines: Measles Alert, ICE Limits, Poindexter Museum Update

Measles watch: airport exposure window and local cases

Health officials are asking travelers who were at John Glenn International Airport on Feb. 18, between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., to keep an eye out for measles symptoms through March 11. The guidance is aimed especially at people who are not vaccinated, since vaccinated travelers are considered at very low risk.

Separately, local public health leaders say six measles cases have been confirmed in Franklin County, all involving young children. Investigators are working through close contacts and monitoring for additional illness, while urging families to check that vaccinations are up to date.

City Hall: Council votes on limits for federal immigration enforcement activity

Columbus City Council approved a package of emergency ordinances and a resolution designed to limit how federal immigration enforcement can interact with city resources. The measures include restricting the use of city-controlled property for enforcement staging without a judicial warrant and creating new hurdles for any new detention center projects inside the city.

The legislation also addresses city employees and policing policy, including limits on certain cooperation agreements and rules around secondary employment. Supporters framed the vote as a way to set clearer boundaries and reduce fear in immigrant and refugee communities; state leaders have criticized the approach and warned of potential legal conflict.

Neighborhood history: Poindexter Village museum timeline firms up

Plans continue to move forward for a Black history museum at the remaining historic buildings of Poindexter Village on the Near East Side. Organizers say a groundbreaking is scheduled for May 6, with an opening targeted for early 2028, and exhibits expected to include a recreated 1940s apartment and interactive displays.

For many residents, it is a meaningful step toward preserving a site tied to decades of community life and change, even as the surrounding neighborhood keeps redeveloping.

Sources

• https://www.wosu.org/2026-02-25/six-measles-cases-confirmed-in-franklin-county
• https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/state/ohio-department-of-health-says-there-was-possible-measles-exposure-at-john-glenn-international-airport
• https://www.wosu.org/politics-government/2026-02-23/columbus-city-council-to-consider-legislation-restricting-ice-activity-urging-agents-to-show-id
• https://www.axios.com/local/columbus/2026/02/25/poindexter-village-museum-black-history