Report. Reflect. Respond.
Wednesday, July 15th, 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 2006, Twitter (now X) launched publicly.
A federal judge just ordered Wilmington to redo its Amazon data center ordinances, and a wrongfully imprisoned Cincinnati man is suing the city that put him away for 13 years.
Plus: our take on why Ohio's voter ID amendment only locks the front door.
Top of The Fold
DeWine, Ohio EMA Warn of Deadly Heat as Wave Continues
COLUMBUS — Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio EMA issued an extreme heat alert, warning that heat is the deadliest weather hazard in the state and urging outdoor workers, older adults, and people without air conditioning to take precautions.
Central Ohio emergency officials specifically flagged construction workers and landscapers, recommending frequent breaks in shade or AC, hydration with electrolytes, and watching for cramps, dizziness, and excessive sweating as early warning signs.
Judge Orders Wilmington to Redo Ordinances in Amazon Data Center Dispute
WILMINGTON — A federal judge ruled that Wilmington violated open-meetings law when passing three ordinances tied to a proposed Amazon data center on farmland south of downtown, and ordered the city to repeal, replace, or re-ratify them before taking further action on the project's site plan.
The ruling, stemming from a lawsuit by residents Jessica Sharp and her husband, also requires the city to allow unrestricted public participation at future site plan hearings, including legal counsel, expert testimony, and cross-examination of the applicant.
Wrongfully Imprisoned Cincinnati Man Sues City, Police
CINCINNATI — Marcus Sapp, who served 13 years in prison before his 2010 murder conviction was overturned, has sued Cincinnati and several detectives, alleging police suppressed evidence and fabricated testimony to convict him in a 2008 home invasion.
Sapp was declared "wrongfully imprisoned" under Ohio law, and the state has since approved a $506,717 payment, the first installment under Ohio's compensation statute.
Page One
National
WASHINGTON — The U.S. struck Iran for a third straight night Monday as President Trump reimposed a naval blockade and proposed a 20% fee on cargo through the Strait of Hormuz, escalating a conflict after Iran declared the strait closed and the ceasefire over.
WASHINGTON — Oil prices jumped roughly 9% to $83 a barrel after President Trump announced a renewed naval blockade on Iran, pushing the national gas average toward $4 a gallon.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham Nordone, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, to fill his Senate seat following his sudden death Saturday at 71.
Statewide
NEW LEXINGTON — Former police officer Justin Lally, 44, has been indicted on rape, kidnapping, and gross sexual imposition charges relating to the alleged abuse of a 10-year-old.
CLARKSVILLE — A grand jury indicted former Clarksville Mayor John Neeley Jr. on theft, money laundering, and corruption charges tied to roughly $50,000 in stolen village water bill payments.
OHIO — A state report estimates nearly a third of Ohio's licensed veterinarians are within 10 years of retirement, raising concerns about access to care for livestock and rural farmers.
OHIO — ODNR will hold a lottery-based special deer hunt program across 22 counties this hunting season to manage high deer populations threatening native plants in state nature preserves.
FOSTORIA — Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, stops in Continental today from 11:30 a.m. to noon on its return trip across Ohio.
COLUMBUS — The Ohio State Highway Patrol placed in the top five of this year's "Best Looking Cruiser" contest.
Business
What Fuel Cells Mean for Ohio's Data Center Boom
By The Pennant Staff
HILLIARD — As Ohio's electric grid strains under a surge of new data centers, companies like Amazon are turning to on-site fuel cells to keep operations running without waiting years for utility upgrades.
Fuel cells generate electricity through a chemical reaction between natural gas and air, rather than combustion, producing power directly at the site instead of pulling from the public grid. In Hilliard, AEP Ohio plans to install 228 Bloom Energy fuel cells, generating 73 megawatts for an Amazon Web Services campus. Residents raised safety and environmental concerns about the project at a July 8 open house with AEP.
Editorial
Ohio's Voter ID Amendment Is Half a Law
By The Pennant Editorial Staff
COLUMBUS — Ohio Republicans want voters to enshrine photo ID requirements in the state constitution this November. Fine in principle. But as written, Senate Joint Resolution 10 protects one class of ballot while leaving another wide open.
Show up to a polling place in person, and you'll need a driver's license, passport, or military ID. Mail in an absentee ballot — as a growing share of Ohioans do — and no photo ID is required at all, just a signature and a partial Social Security number. That's not election security. That's theater performed for the cameras at the polling place while the back door stays unlocked.
Lawmakers had the chance to close that gap. A companion bill requiring absentee voters to include a copy of their ID went nowhere. Supporters counter that photo ID doesn't translate to the mail — there's no poll worker to check a face against a card — and that signature matching serves the same verification purpose in a different form.
Maybe so. But if lawmakers believe that, they should say plainly that in-person and absentee ballots are secured by different standards, rather than letting one get the constitutional spotlight while the other quietly stays as is.
Questions, comments and letters to the editor are welcome at [email protected]
The Back Page
Should local communities and the public have input into the planning and construction of corporate data centers?
Previous Poll Results
Has your school district recently tried to pass a levy?
- Yes, and it passed - 37%
- Yes, but it failed - 38%
- No - 12%
- Unsure - 13%
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]