A Coffman Kid Just Made the OSU Roster

Local News

If you've noticed a container out front of a house in town that looks a little too good to be accidental, there's a decent chance Sow Local had something to do with it. That's Julia's business — seasonal container plantings, garden consultations, and a CSA flower subscription — all grown and sourced as close to home as possible.

The container service is exactly what it sounds like: they shop, they plant, they handle the whole thing. Spring through winter, swapping out arrangements as the seasons change. An average 18-inch container runs somewhere in the $125–175 range, labor included.

The flower subscription is the part that's a little harder to find around here. You buy in for the season upfront — which helps her cover seeds, bulbs, and supplies — and get locally grown, pesticide-free bouquets in return. Pickup is at a Dublin porch address she shares with subscribers, or she can deliver.

If you've been meaning to actually do something with that side bed that's been sad for three years, she also does garden consultations starting at $125 — walk the space with you, come back with a real plan, or stay involved through the season if you want.

If your porch could use some love this season, Julia's your person. More info here.

Local News

July is a good month to be outside in Dublin. America's 250th birthday, Parks and Recreation Month, and the Dublin Community Recreation Center's 30th anniversary all land in the same few weeks — which gives the city a good reason to pack the calendar with outdoor programming.

The rec center anniversary is the one worth pausing on. It opened in July 1996, expanded faster than anyone expected (the Abbey Theater and community hall addition opened in 2000, ahead of schedule), and has been a cornerstone of this community ever since. If you've got a favorite memory from the rec center over the years, the city is collecting them.

On the programming side, July has a lot going on. A few worth knowing about: Wild Weeknights on July 9, where Nature Education Coordinator Barbara Ray introduces some of her wild friends — birds, mammals, reptiles — and talks about coexisting with Dublin's wildlife. Family Fishing Fun at the rec center pond on July 21. Red, White & Splash water fitness classes at Dublin Community Pool South on July 5. And Shamrock Splash, a pool carnival with food, games, and prizes on July 10.

Full calendar and details here.

Local News

If you watched Coffman football in 2024, you remember Amari Valerio-Hudson. He had a playoff game where he put up 370 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns — the kind of performance that made people stop and look twice. By the end of the season he'd picked up every major local honor worth having and was one of the more talked-about players to come out of Dublin in years.

What happened next is the more interesting part. He committed to Army — not exactly the typical next step for a kid with that kind of highlight reel — and spent a season at West Point's prep school. Then in January, he changed course entirely, enrolled at Ohio State as a walk-on, and posted two words on social media: "Born A Buckeye."

This week, the 2026 Ohio State roster went public — and he's on it. Number 30, wide receiver, freshman. He's also been coaching this summer at the 614 Passing Academy in Columbus, working with the next wave of high school and middle school quarterbacks and receivers.

Getting onto the official Ohio State roster as a walk-on from Dublin Coffman, after a detour through West Point's prep school, is already a pretty good story. A fun one to follow this fall.