Columbus government officials say all local offices will be open today even though it is a federal holiday.
This is the first year city government will not shut down for Columbus Day. Federal offices will be closed but local residents will not see an interruption in trash collection, parking enforcement, or library hours. Joseph Contino, an organizer of the local Italian-American Festival, says it's an obvious attempt to be politically correct, and a missed opportunity. Contino says with the explorer as its namesake, Columbus should have embraced the day to celebrate both Italian and indigenous cultures.
