Monday, September 21st, 2026

Welcome to Monday’s edition of The Pennant. To listen to this newsletter, click the “Listen Online” link in the top right corner of this email.

On this day in 1970, Monday Night Football debuted on ABC as the Cleveland Browns beat the New York Jets, 31-21, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

Ohio's attorney general pushes to criminalize Flock camera misuse, and the Vinton County mother of 16 faces new charges — both in today's Top of the Fold.

And SkillsUSA Ohio joins the Independent Electrical Contractors to expand its programs, while Little Tikes trades its rainbow for a quieter look.

COLUMBUS — Attorney General Andy Wilson last week called on lawmakers to criminalize the misuse of Flock license plate reader cameras.

Wilson defended the cameras as a useful law enforcement tool but acknowledged documented instances of misuse for purposes unrelated to criminal justice.

The statement comes amid a statewide debate over Flock cameras, with Columbus recently pausing its use of the technology and Cleveland voting to extend its contract.

MCARTHUR — Elizabeth Siders, the mother of 16 children rescued from a Vinton County home this past summer, faces four new charges after a court appearance last week.

Siders was charged with two counts of sexual battery and two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, adding to the 19 counts of child endangerment she already faces from the original case. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Her recent court appearance sparked speculation that she may be pregnant, based on her appearance and the way she clutched her stomach. Her attorney declined to confirm or deny the speculation.

COLUMBUS — Ohio State University will launch BuildX in spring 2027, a new initiative offering courses, mentorship, funding and lab space to help students launch startups.

The university says its goal is to produce 100 investable student businesses per year by 2030.

For those interested, applications open Oct. 1 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

COLUMBUS — SkillsUSA Ohio has partnered with the Central Ohio Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), opening its programs to merit shop trades and contractors for the first time and giving students a direct line to employers, apprenticeships, and career pathways in the electrical trade.

SkillsUSA Ohio serves more than 40,000 students and educators across 125 career centers and 104 high schools, making it the second-largest state association of its kind in the country. Under the new partnership, Central Ohio IEC member contractors will join SkillsUSA Ohio's programs and competitions, help shape technical standards and offer professional development, giving students more direct exposure to the trade.

The move comes as Ohio faces a major shortage of skilled electrical workers and as merit shop contractors now dominate the market, as they make up nearly 90% of the nation's construction workforce, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"This is ultimately about giving students more opportunities," said Jackie Walker, SkillsUSA Ohio's executive director. "The students coming through our programs are preparing for real careers, and they deserve access to the full range of employers and training available to them."

IEC President Greg Laws called the partnership a win for students, contractors, and the state alike, crediting Executive Director Barb Tipton with building "one of the best apprenticeship programs in the nation."

Little Tikes built its name on being loud. Founded in 1969 by Tom Murdough in Hudson, Ohio, the company turned red-and-yellow plastic into a childhood landmark: the Cozy Coupe, the turtle sandbox, toys that looked like they'd been dipped in a paint factory. Little Tikes didn't just make toys for kids — it was really good at making toys for kids.

Toys that seem to be in every home with children under the age of six. Fifty-seven years later, the company is going quiet. Its new "Cloud Collection" reimagines the classics, Cozy Coupe included, in soft neutrals designed to match a living room.

Parents who grew up wrestling a Cozy Coupe out of the garage may find this a betrayal of everything the brand stood for. Fair enough. Little Tikes has some actual research behind this colorless move.

It seems thin, but their product development team has bought in. A 2023 Frontiers in Psychology eye-tracking study found children's attraction to color rises with brightness and falls with saturation up to a point, then drops off. More color doesn't mean it's better, but it kind of is in most cases. Montessori classrooms have used neutral backdrops for a century on a related premise: a quiet room lets the object in a child's hands do the work.

No one's proven a beige Cozy Coupe teaches a kid anything a red one doesn't. And to be candid, isn't the red one more fun to look at?

The Cozy Coupe is a whole different type of classic car, one driven by generations of kids. Change can be good.

But the toy makers in Hudson better make sure they're not running a New Coke campaign they'll live to regret.

Do you know whom you'll vote for in the upcoming election?
- Yes, I've made up my mind - 50%
- No, I'm still undecided - 10%
- I've decided on some candidates, but I'm undecided on others - 40%

The Pennant welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns from readers. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity, and AP style. The Pennant reserves the right to verify all information contained in submissions before publication.

Please send all submissions to [email protected]