Wednesday, March 11th, 2026

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

30 Years Ago, Your Dollar Went Twice as Far: In 1996, gas averaged $1.24 per gallon, the median monthly rent was $374, and a typical home cost around $79,100. Today, Ohio gas averages $3.43 per gallon, most Ohio homes top $200,000, and rents have more than doubled. A dollar in 1996 bought roughly twice what it buys now.

A school secretary was caught sleeping with her student in Union City. Scroll down to Page one to read more.

Also, be sure to read our editorial on Ted Carter’s exit from Ohio State below.

Gov. Mike DeWine delivered his final State of the State address Tuesday, reflecting on his administration's accomplishments and expressing optimism that Ohio's best days are still ahead. The 79-year-old Republican, nearing the end of his second term, highlighted the statewide cellphone ban in classrooms, a balanced budget, and thousands of economic development projects as top achievements. 

DeWine also focused on combating chronic absenteeism, announcing that school districts will be required to have clear attendance policies this fall and a new statewide dashboard launching April 15 to track progress. He also touched on environmental efforts, child health programs, and raised the possibility of ending the death penalty in Ohio. (More)

Seventy percent of Columbus's 30,000 new residents last year came from international and domestic migration, according to Columbus Partnership CEO Jason Hall. Over the past four years, the region added more than 61,600 net new international residents, making up 71% of total growth, while 50 international business projects brought nearly 4,000 new jobs to the area. Read more here.

Ohio's average gas price jumped 66.5 cents to $3.43 per gallon as national prices rose for the fifth straight week, with diesel climbing to $4.60. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan sees no relief ahead while overseas tensions persist. (More)

Two Democratic senators are demanding answers about a $143 million no-bid Department of Homeland Security advertising contract awarded to a company incorporated just seven days before receiving the deal. Sens. Peter Welch of Vermont and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut sent a letter to the Ohio-based Strategy Group Company, which subcontracted on the campaign, questioning how the contract was awarded without competitive bidding to Safe America Media LLC, a firm with no proven track record in the work it was hired to perform.

The inquiry also focuses on prior business relationships between the Strategy Group, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and her chief advisor Corey Lewandowski. The senators have set a March 13, 2026, deadline for documents and responses. 

You can read more here.

The Ohio State University needed Ted Carter. That may sound odd to say about a man who just resigned in disgrace, but it is true, and the timing makes it all the more painful.

Carter arrived as a steady hand during an unsteady era. When campus protesters showed up, he listened, respecting their right to speak while drawing the line at disrupting classes and meetings. When the Department of Education announced DEI reform, he followed the law without apology or grandstanding. In today's climate, that kind of institutional steadiness is rarer than it should be.

It showed up in subtler moments, too. When faced with growing pressure to rename buildings bearing Les Wexner's name, including the Wexner Medical Center and the Leslie Wexner Football Complex, Carter didn't flinch or pander. He acknowledged Wexner and his wife Abigail as wonderful philanthropists, noted he'd met the billionaire on a few occasions, and said the university would take renaming requests through its official process—no dramatic gesture. No capitulation. Just an institutional process, applied evenly.

His record in athletics was equally serious. A Naval Academy graduate, former superintendent, and past president of the University of Nebraska, Carter brought real credibility to one of the most chaotic moments in college sports history. He raised legitimate concerns about NIL and escalating spending, even as Ohio State sat comfortably among the elite, with football remaining a powerhouse and other programs continuing to generate revenue.

He was Ohio State's third president in ten years, navigating constant change, competing pressures, and reform on multiple fronts. And he was handling it.

Then, just before an executive session with the board of trustees, Carter disclosed an inappropriate relationship with someone seeking public resources for her personal business. His contract ran through 2028. Now it doesn't.

There is no softening that. He knew better, and he didn't do better, and Ohio State is left searching for its fourth president in a decade.

What makes this frustrating is the timing's specific cruelty. Higher education is under enormous pressure. The NIL era has transformed college athletics almost beyond recognition. Ohio State needed a president who could hold a firm line without being rigid.

They had that person. They don't anymore.

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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