Wednesday, April 1st, 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.

Happy April 1^st! Pranksters Are Everywhere Today — You're Safe Here

Three Ohio Air National Guard members who died when their KC-135 refueling plane crashed in western Iraq on March 12 were returned to Columbus with full honors — more.

The State Teachers Retirement System board has approved a 1.6% cost-of-living increase for retired educators starting July 1. The Board also voted to delay a planned pension eligibility increase by five years — a move praised by the Ohio Federation of Teachers as a sign of continued progress in restoring trust and benefits to the pension system. For more on this story, continue here.

A man considered a victim in Cincinnati's politically charged July 26 downtown brawl is now facing his own disorderly conduct charge — despite his attorney's claims he was struck 28 times and suffered lasting injuries — raising accusations that election-year politics influenced the decision to charge him. More here.

Two Ohio tickets hit major Powerball prizes in Monday's March 30 drawing, with a $1 million jackpot winner purchased at Miami Valley Gaming in Lebanon and a separate $50,000 winner elsewhere in the state. (More)

The Ohio Department of Aging is warning residents that scammers are making unsolicited calls pretending to represent the Golden Buckeye program in order to steal personal information such as Social Security numbers. (More)

On the heels of last week's tornadoes, northern Ohio faces another round of severe weather this week, with damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes possible as a cold front pushes through the state. (More)

Big buildings full of computers are popping up all over Ohio. They are called data centers, and they process and store information for companies around the world. That sounds simple enough. But these buildings use enormous amounts of electricity and water, and they are changing the look and feel of communities across the state, especially in rural areas.

Ohio needs to stop and ask some important questions before this grows any further. That is exactly what H.B. 646 does.

This bill creates a Data Center Study Commission. Think of it as a team of experts brought together to study data centers and figure out what is good, what is bad and what Ohio should do about it. The team would include people who know about farming, water, electricity, local government and the environment. Both political parties would have a seat at the table. That is how good decisions get made.

The commission would hold at least four public meetings, meaning everyday Ohioans would have a chance to speak up and be heard. Within six months, the group would hand a report to the governor and state lawmakers with their findings and recommendations. Then the commission would close. No waste. No dragging things out. Just answers.

This matters because data centers do not just appear without consequences. They need huge amounts of power and water. They can change farmland forever. Local communities often have no say in where they go or how big they get. Farmers, families, and small towns deserve better than that.

Ohio lawmakers work for the people of this state, not for big technology companies. Passing H.B. 646 is a smart, responsible step that puts Ohio families and communities first.

Study the problem now. Find real answers. Pass H.B. 646.

Easter brunch is April 5, which means it's time to make a plan before the holiday grocery chaos kicks in. According to a survey conducted by The Pennant editorial staff, we discovered that trust us, you do not want to be fighting over the last spiral ham on Saturday morning.

Your best bet is to do your big shopping trip on Thursday, April 2. Stores are fully stocked, the crowds are manageable, and you can actually find what you need without turning it into an Olympic sport. Load up on your ham, sausage, bread, eggs, milk, cheese, potatoes, and all those pantry staples like brown sugar and spices.

Hold off on the fresh fruit until Friday, April 3. Strawberries and blueberries bought too early turn into a soggy mess by Sunday, and nobody wants that on their pretty Easter table.

Before you head out, peek inside your pantry. Spices, vanilla, and olive oil might already be hiding in there, and skipping those could save you $20 right off the bat!

THE PENNANT KITCHEN TEAM

Feeding 10 Adults + 6 Kids · $175–$200 · Zero JudgmentRestaurants

We normally save this kind of content for the Friday Peach Section, but with Easter this weekend — and if you take our advice and go grocery shopping on Thursday — we felt it was best to get this out today.

Let's be real. We're all keeping an eye on the grocery bill these days. Good news: Easter brunch doesn't have to break the bank. Here's how we pulled it off at The Pennant for 16 people and kept it under $200. No shame, all delicious.

The Star of the Show · ~$25–$35 (Recipe)

A big bone-in ham feeds everyone and looks fancy with almost zero effort. Glaze it with brown sugar, honey, and a little mustard. Done. If you go the Honey Baked Ham route, you'll love it — but you're already over $100.

Egg Casserole · ~$20–$25 (Recipe)

Eggs, sausage, cheese, and bread all mixed together the night before. Pop it in the oven in the morning. Kids love it, adults love it, and your wallet loves it. If you have a copy of The Dayton Cookbook from 1985 lying around, use that recipe. If you don't, email us and we'll send it to you. [email protected] 

Sides · ~$34

Roasted potatoes with peppers and onions (~$9), a bright fruit salad with strawberries, grapes, and mandarin oranges (~$20), and buttery crescent rolls (~$6). Simple, colorful, and filling.

Sweets · ~$23–$25 (Recipe)

A baked French toast casserole counts as breakfast AND dessert. The other option is Toll House cookies with M&Ms instead of chocolate chips.

Drinks · ~$15–$20

OJ, lemonade, and coffee. Classic. Everyone's happy.

Kid Activity + Bonus Dish · ~$8

Hard-boil two dozen eggs. Let the kids decorate them — that buys you 20 minutes of peace. Then toss the eggs into a simple egg salad that must include sweet relish and celery. Two birds, one egg.

This spread should run you between $175 and $200. The best part is that almost everything can be prepped the day before, so come Easter morning, you're actually relaxing with your guests instead of sweating in the kitchen trying to time everything out.

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]