Data center, police chief, new CEO and more: top Columbus stories
The police chief’s new departure timeline, a new CEO for W.C. Bradley Co. and a new map of where the Project Ruby data center would be built if the proposal is approved — these are among last week’s significant news stories in Columbus.
Here are key takeaways from the five most-read Ledger-Enquirer stories about Columbus in the past seven days:
• Curbside pickup guidelines: Columbus residents have specific protocols for items beyond regular household trash, including sharps, dead animals, electronics and hazardous waste. The city does not have a dedicated route for needles but offers scheduled collection through 311, and free dead animal removal is provided on public property. Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day is held the first Saturday in October at the Recycling and Sustainability Center. Click this link to read the full story.
• Project Ruby data center map released: Choose Columbus released a map showing where the proposed Project Ruby hyperscale data center would be built on 865 acres in northeastern Muscogee County, with four buildings occupying about 15% of the site. The project represents a potential capital investment of more than $5.18 billion between 2027 and 2030 and would create 195 jobs with salaries ranging from $80,000 to $120,000, according to Choose Columbus. The city council’s first reading of the technology overlay ordinance to allow any hyperscale data center in Muscogee County is expected to be May 14. Click this link to read the full story.
• Miles Crossing Senior Residences opens: A new $26 million mixed-income apartment development for seniors opened at 450 Fifth Ave. with 90 units, including 80 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom apartments. The development includes 52 project-based voucher units, 28 low-income housing tax credit units and 10 market-rate apartments, with amenities such as a fitness center, movie theater and dog park. About 77% of the units are already occupied. Click this link to read the full story.
• W.C. Bradley Co. names new CEO: The Columbus-based, family-owned company announced Christopher Ball as its new chief executive officer. Ball, the great-great-grandson of founder William Clark Bradley, has served as board chairman since April 2023 and as interim CEO since October 2025, when former CEO James Hillenbrand retired. He will continue as chairman while taking on the CEO role, bringing more than 30 years of leadership experience across hospitality, marketing, investments and manufacturing. Click this link to read the full story.
• Police chief updates departure timeline: Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis now plans to “fade out” of the department around January 2027 after originally announcing he would likely leave in 2026. Mathis said the department has reached full staffing at about 400 officers, increased base pay and reduced Part I crimes, with only three homicides reported this year as of April 24 compared with 24 in 2023, 14 in 2024 and six in 2025 by that date. He said he wants the next mayor to consider internal candidates as his successor and is open to private-sector opportunities in Columbus or Atlanta. Click this link to read the full story.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. All the Ledger-Enquirer articles linked in this recap were reported, written and edited by journalists.
