Tuesday, September 1st, 2026

Welcome to Tuesday’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, Sept. 1, 1985: A joint American-French expedition discovered the wreck of the Titanic in the North Atlantic, 73 years after it sank.

An Ohio ethics probe targets Rep. Max Miller over abuse allegations, and experts urge communities to negotiate early as data centers expand statewide — both top of the fold today.

And Dolly Parton's quiet dropout-rate miracle gets a second look, while our editorial board makes the case for trusting Glenville's Ted Ginn Sr. over the outrage.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) remains under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of domestic violence and illegal drug use, a probe the panel opened in early August amid mounting pressure for him to resign or exit his reelection race.

The committee launched the review after Miller himself requested an investigation to "clear" his name, insisting he had "nothing to hide." As of now, no findings or timeline for the investigation's conclusion have been made public.

COLUMBUS — As data centers spread across Ohio, experts say local leaders should negotiate benefits before construction begins. 

Greg Lawson of The Buckeye Institute pointed to New Albany's strong deal and Loudoun County, Virginia, where data centers fund a third of the county budget and have helped cut residential property taxes nearly in half since 2012. 

Smaller Ohio communities, he said, may need outside help securing similar terms.

COLUMBUS — USA Today published Niche.com's 2027 party school rankings Monday, with Florida State claiming the top spot. 

Four Ohio schools made the list: Dayton at No. 4, Ohio State at No. 7, Ohio University at No. 20, and Miami University at No. 21. 

Dayton's placement puts it ahead of national powerhouses USC, Penn State, and Georgia in the rankings.

It has been seven days since Dolly Parton died. People will be talking about her for a long time.

Parton gave away money like she ran a business. Some gifts were huge and public — like the $10 million from Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" royalties that she put back into a Nashville neighborhood.

But make no mistake, education is where she was laser-focused.

Most people know about her Imagination Library, which mails free books to kids. Fewer know about the Buddy Program, which she started in 1988.

The idea was simple: an incentive, not a handout. Middle schoolers in her home county in Tennessee got a promise — stick with school and earn $500 when you graduate.

It worked. And it worked really well. The dropout rate eventually went from 35 percent to just 6 percent.

Dolly invested in people the way most of us invest in a 401k — a little at a time, over a long period. Change, like a return on investment, takes time. She understood that.

And her ROI is a bunch of kids in Tennessee with high school diplomas.

Glenville High School football players are accused of stealing more than $4,500 in merchandise from a Dick's Sporting Goods in Grove City last week, according to a police report.

Between 15 and 20 juveniles were involved, store staff told officers. The team's coaches cooperated with investigators, and some of the merchandise was returned. It's an ugly story, and the outrage online has been swift.

Much of that outrage comes from people who know little about the facts — or about Glenville's head coach, Ted Ginn Sr.

Ginn has led the program since 1997, nearly 30 years, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. He's won three state football titles and six in track. He's sent more than 100 players to Division I programs and over 20 to the NFL.

Glenville sits in one of Cleveland's toughest neighborhoods. Frankly, most people would never want to work there. But for Ginn, Glenville is part of his ministry, not a job.

More than 15 years ago, a member of our staff visited Ginn in his office. It was basically a converted basement space that looked more suited for custodial supplies than a state championship coach. Ginn is a throwback. He uses football to give kids structure most of them have never had.

Does it always work? No. Kids do dumb things.

Kids break laws — kids from Glenville, and kids from Mason, Dublin, Ottawa Hills, and Amanda Clearcreek too. That's not an excuse. But Ginn understands something habitual phone scrollers don't: it's far easier to correct behavior in a kid who's still on your roster, under your watch six days a week, than in one you cut loose to roam the neighborhood.

Hold the sanctimonious judgment and trust a process that works more than it doesn't. We trust people like Ted Ginn Sr. — and we don't put much stock in what unenlightened TV news readers and social media claim to know.

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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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