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Thursday, November 5, 2026

New Albany names Westerville's Brian Spoon its next police chief

Plus, the Delaware County Land Bank launches its own demolition grants.

The 5AM Delaware team1 story7 sources3 min read

Public SafetyTop story

New Albany picks Westerville's Brian Spoon as its next police chief

Spoon's path leads from Ontario to New Albany

  1. 1998Spoon starts with the Ontario Police Department in Richland County.
  2. 2002Spoon joins the Westerville Division of Police.
  3. 2022Spoon becomes assistant chief in Westerville.
  4. JulyChief Greg Jones announces he will retire.
  5. Early Dec.Spoon is expected to join the New Albany department.

Sources: NBC4 WCMH-TV, The Columbus Dispatch

New Albany has selected its next police chief, the city announced Wednesday. He's Brian Spoon, the assistant chief of the Westerville Division of Police. A Nov. 4 media release from the city says he starts in early December.

Spoon started with the Ontario Police Department in Richland County in 1998. He joined Westerville's police division in 2002 and has been assistant chief there since 2022.

  • Starts: early December
  • Replaces: Greg Jones, who announced his retirement in July
  • Degrees: bachelor's from Dayton, master's in public safety from Virginia

“Effective policing starts with earning and maintaining public trust.”

Brian Spoon, in a statement

Mayor Sloan Spalding said he's confident Spoon can maintain the department's standards. Jones is retiring after nearly four decades of service.

New Albany's police chief job changes hands in December

WhoRoleWhat's next
Brian SpoonIncoming chiefStarts in early December
Greg JonesCurrent chiefRetiring; announced in July

Sources: NBC4 WCMH-TV, The Columbus Dispatch

News Notes

Land bank

The has announced it is launching its own grant program. It will fund the demolition of blighted, vacant or abandoned structures in Delaware County. Delaware Gazette

Library

, the Delaware County District Library's book recommendation service, is back for good. Delaware Gazette

Beignets

If you like New Orleans-style pastries, Florida-based Beignets & Brew will open its first Ohio storefront in November. It's at 7381 OH-3 in Westerville. 614NOW

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Worthington's "Sheep Pastures to Progress" is an outdoor art and history installation of painted sheep silhouettes, each one representing a local organization. It's part of the city's year of events marking the nation's 250th birthday. Worthington was built by several New England families as one of the first planned communities in the Midwest. A flock with a story, and we're into it.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Early results: Delaware County voters appear to favor property-tax measures

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  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. NBC4 WCMH-TVnbc4i.com
  3. The Columbus Dispatchdispatch.com
  4. Delaware Gazettedelgazette.com
  5. Delaware Gazettedelgazette.com
  6. 614NOW614now.com
  7. Delaware events calendar5amdelawareoh.com

Past issues

  1. Sat., Nov. 7Bent Tree Golf Club in Sunbury will close Nov. 16
  2. Fri., Nov. 6Land-Grant Brewing buys Nocterra, plans Powell taproom reopening
  3. Wed., Nov. 4Early results: Delaware County voters appear to favor property-tax measures
  4. Tues., Nov. 3Delaware Hayes runners head to the state cross-country meet
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5AM Delawareto me · Thurs., Nov. 56:00 a.m.

New Albany names Westerville's Brian Spoon its next police chief

Plus, the Delaware County Land Bank launches its own demolition grants.

The TLDR

  1. New Albany picks Westerville's Brian Spoon as police chief
  2. Delaware County Land Bank launches demolition grants
  3. Beignets & Brew opens in Westerville this month
Read this edition

More stories this week

From 5AM Delaware’s other editions

All the news
SunburyBent Tree Golf Club in Sunbury will close for good on Nov. 16 after 37 yearsIf you've teed it up at Bent Tree Golf Club in Sunbury, you've got until Nov. 16. The public course, which opened in 1989, will close permanently that day. The club announced it on Facebook, and neither report gives a reason.Saturday’s editionRead Food & DrinkLand-Grant Brewing buys Nocterra and plans to reopen the Powell taproom in late NovemberIf you've missed Nocterra's Powell taproom, there's good news. Land-Grant Brewing Company has acquired the Nocterra brand and the taproom, the two breweries said in a joint announcement. Nocterra stopped operations at its Powell and Scioto Audubon locations on Aug. 31, with little notice for employees and patrons.Friday’s editionRead ElectionsEarly results show Delaware County voters favoring tax levies while a transit sales tax trailsIf you voted Tuesday, here's where things stood early. The Columbus Dispatch reported that in the first batch of unofficial results, early voters appeared to favor the property-tax measures. A new sales tax measure to support Delaware County Transit wasn't doing as well. One of the levies is the Delaware Area Career Center's renewal and decrease of a levy it has had since voters first approved it in 2001.Wednesday’s editionRead

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From Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, The Columbus Dispatch and 4 more newsrooms, gathered by 6AM News, 6AM City’s local news service.

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    DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) — A teenager is dead after they struck a tree Friday night in Concord Township, causing their vehicle to become engulfed in flames, according to the Delaware Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. A 17-year-old from Powell, Ohio, whose identity has not been released, was driving a 2022 Kia Forte southeast