Friday, May 8th, 2026

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

On May 8th, 1970, thousands of students protested against the Vietnam War after the shooting at Kent State University.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost resigned on Thursday. Read what this means for Ohio in the Top of the Fold.

Sunday is Mother’s Day. Find out what gift she actually wants in our Peach Section.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost resigned Thursday to accept a private sector job, leaving Gov. Mike DeWine to appoint a replacement with eight months remaining in Yost's term, according to the Statehouse News Bureau.

The departure could trigger a political chain reaction, with Auditor Keith Faber seen as a possible appointee — a move that would ripple through several other statewide offices where candidates are already lined up for the November ballot.

More on Yost’s resignation here.

Vice President JD Vance directed his anti-fraud task force on Monday to investigate suspected Medicaid fraud in Columbus after a Daily Wire investigation found hundreds of home health companies registered at empty office buildings and collectively billing taxpayers more than a quarter billion dollars.

Ohio Auditor Keith Faber, in a separate interview with radio host Bruce Hooley reported by the Daily Wire, said a full audit was warranted and pointed to a striking data anomaly — 38% of one $1.6 billion Medicaid program was being spent in Franklin County alone, with more than $200 million concentrated in just two zip codes.

Read about the Fraud here.

A jury is again deliberating the fate of former Franklin County Sheriff's deputy Jason Meade, who faces charges of murder and reckless homicide in the 2020 death of Casey Goodson Jr., 23.

Meade shot Goodson once in the side and five times in the back in December 2020, killing him.

This is his second trial in two years after a mistrial ended the first.

The case has drawn heavy media attention, with some citing it as an example of racial bias in policing, as Meade is white and Goodson was Black.

Read the full story here.

This Sunday is Mother's Day, and here at The Pennant, we think that deserves more than a card and a box of Russell Stover chocolates picked up at the drug store.

There's an old Family Circus cartoon where little Billy draws a picture of his mom and hands it to her like it's the Mona Lisa. She hangs it on the refrigerator like it is.

That's a mom.

To every mother reading this, thank you. You've earned it.

Forget the flowers and the brunch reservation. Two new surveys say what moms really want this Mother's Day cannot be bought at any store.

A poll of 2,000 American moms by It's A Family Thing found that 42% want personal time to rest, 40% want more help from family, and 37% want to stop reminding everyone about chores and responsibilities.

A separate Lego and Moonpig survey found that 58% of moms just want to drop everything and do absolutely nothing.

The message is pretty clear. Put down the bathrobe, pick up some of the load, and give mom a break.

Read more here.

A small city in northwest Ohio is about to make a decision that will be felt far beyond its borders. Van Wert City Council votes Monday, May 11, on whether to approve rezoning for a proposed $10 billion data center that would bring 250 permanent jobs and more than 1,000 construction positions to a community that has spent decades fighting its way back from economic decline.

This is not just a Van Wert story. Cities like Portsmouth, Grove City, and Wilmington are watching. Economic developers across Ohio are watching. And the outside groups working to stop data center development wherever it appears in this state are watching, too.

In this week's editorial, The Pennant looks at the real history of Van Wert — a proud city built on the Lincoln Highway, home to the first county library in the United States, and a community that has held its Peony Festival since 1932. We also look hard at who is really behind the opposition, what the environmental objections actually amount to, and why unconditional resistance to development is not protecting Ohio's small cities. It is slowly killing them.

Ohio cannot keep turning its back on investment that may never come again. The tax base, the schools, the police and fire departments — they all depend on decisions like the one Van Wert makes Monday.

We feel strongly about this one. We think you will too.

Read the full editorial at thepennantoh.com.

Are you happy with the primary results?
- Yes - 5%
- Partially - 45%
- No - 50%

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.

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