Report. Reflect. Respond.
Tuesday, May 26th, 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.
On this day in 1977, George Willig scaled the South Tower of the World Trade Center, climbing the 1,350-foot building in about 3½ hours. New York City fined him $1.10, one penny per floor.
A Note from The Pennant
Today's edition is a condensed version — we gave our staff Memorial Day off. Full coverage of what's happening around Ohio will be back tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
Page One
National
National - Meta began laying off roughly 8,000 employees and reassigning 7,000 others to AI-focused roles as the company pushes to reshape its workforce around artificial intelligence while planning up to $145 billion in capital expenditures this year. (Meta)
California - With 50,000 American troops deployed to the Middle East as the Iran war enters its third month, one California family's daily routine has been quietly reshaped by worry, missed milestones, and a phone call each morning that means he's still alive. (More)
Iran - Despite Trump's announcement of a near-finalized deal, the U.S. and Iran remain far apart on key details, with both sides now saying there is no rush to reach a final agreement. (More)
Strait of Hormuz - Oil prices fell more than 5%, though economists warn the full economic benefits of a potential U.S.-Iran deal will take time as shipping bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz slowly clear and traders wait for a signed agreement. (More)
Vatican - Pope Leo XIV warned that artificial intelligence is dangerous and said that a small group of powerful companies should not be allowed to control technology that affects everyone in the world. (More)
Statewide
Statewide - Ohio drivers may soon have a sleek new option on the road — the state Senate just unanimously passed a bill that would offer blackout license plates with a black background and white lettering. The plates would cost $40 plus a $10 admin fee. The bill now heads to the House before reaching Gov. DeWine's desk. (Plates)
Also, Statewide - With gas now over $4.50 a gallon, plenty of Ohioans are trading in their gas mowers for lower-maintenance battery ones. Akron Tractor & Equipment says they sold more than twice as many battery mowers this past year — and less than half as many gas ones. (Mowers)
Memorial Day - Ohioans Pause to Honor the Fallen on Memorial Day
From Cleveland to Cincinnati, Ohioans gathered Monday at cemeteries, parks, and town squares for parades and ceremonies honoring the men and women who died in service to their country.
Cleveland- A Memorial Day shooting in Cleveland left five officers injured after a suspect opened fire and an officer returned fire, sending police on a dramatic chase across the city.
Toledo- Toledo police are under fire after a Facebook video surfaced showing two officers using profanity while speaking to a group of teenagers, including a reference to a teen arrested earlier in the week.
Also, Toledo - A kindergarten graduation at Toledo's Queen of Apostles School turned ugly when a fight broke out over seating, sending one woman to the hospital with staples in her head. Police arrested 28-year-old Jessica Anderson at the scene, who now faces a felonious assault charge after allegedly grabbing the victim by the hair and slamming her head into a chair. (Video)
Parenting
Too Much Screen Time Is Changing How Young Kids Learn
By Morgan B.
New research is raising red flags about how much time young children spend in front of screens — and what it may be doing to their developing brains.
Studies show that children under 2 years old learn almost nothing from TV or tablets on their own. They learn best by talking, playing, and interacting with real people. Yet American kids between 8 months and 8 years old are exposed to nearly 4 hours of background TV every single day. By age 3 to 5, most children average 2 hours of screen time daily — double what health guidelines recommend.
The risks are real. Heavy screen use in early childhood has been linked to language delays, attention problems, and weaker reading and math skills. Fast-moving or violent content can make it even harder for young kids to focus and think clearly.
The good news is that quality, age-appropriate programming watched together with a parent can help with language and learning — but only when adults are engaged and talking with their child about what they're watching.
The 5 Cs — A Guide for Parents
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a simple framework to help families make better media choices:
Child — Every child is different. Consider your child's age, personality, and needs before handing over a screen.
Content — What your child watches matters as much as how long. Choose slow-paced, age-appropriate programs with educational value.
Calm — Screens should never replace sleep, physical activity, or face-to-face time. Keep bedrooms and mealtimes screen-free.
Crowding Out — Screen time that replaces reading, outdoor play, or conversation does the most harm. Protect those moments.
Communication — Talk with your child about what they watch. Co-viewing and conversation turn passive screen time into a learning experience.
For more resources, visit the AAP 5 Cs Resource Hub at aap.org
Editorial
Harvard Finally Figures Out That A's Should Mean Something
By The Pennant Editorial Staff
Here's a sentence that should not need to exist in 2026: Harvard just voted to limit the number of A's its professors can hand out.
One of the most expensive and prestigious universities on the planet spent years — and presumably a great deal of money — studying why nearly every student was getting top grades. Their conclusion, after reviewing 25 years of data, was that "anything short of a cap doesn't work." Somewhere, a tenured committee wrote that down and called it a breakthrough.
The numbers are hard to ignore. About 60% of Harvard grades were A's during the 2024-25 school year, up from 25% in 2005-06. Last year, 55 students tied for the highest GPA in the graduating class. Fifty-five. The prize for academic excellence was essentially handed to everyone who showed up and tried.
One professor compared grades to currency and said professors had been printing money with no limit. It costs students $80,000 a year to attend a school where everyone gets an A.
Students pushed back, of course. They argued that the cap punishes them for their peers' performance. They said it increases stress. Nobody mentioned that it might also require them to actually earn the grade.
A Berkeley study found that AI is making grade inflation worse — professors teaching AI-exposed classes handed out 30% more A's. So the same institutions charging a fortune to prepare students for the future are handing out A's while students use AI to do the work.
Meanwhile, at Ohio State, Cincinnati, Bowling Green, and dozens of other Ohio universities, students are still sitting through exams where a C is a C and a B feels like something. Nobody gave them a participation A. They passed, or they didn't. That's how it works when a school isn't in the business of managing failure — just teaching people how to push through it.
Yale is now watching Harvard closely, nervous that its own A's might look cheap by comparison. The students paying $80,000 a year for a degree just found out it comes with a curve.
Questions, comments, and letters to the editor are welcome. Email [email protected].
The Back Page
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