Report. Reflect. Respond.
Tuesday, October 27th, 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 in 2014, Taylor Swift released “1989,” her first full pop album. It became one of the best-selling albums of the decade.
Top of the Fold: Ohioans are voting early in record numbers, both parties make their closing pitch, and a Cleveland debate asks who’s paying for surging power demand.
And with a week to go, Democrats have momentum and Republicans have history. Plus, our editorial on what the Blade’s closing says about today’s news.
Top of The Fold
Ohio Early Vote Tops Half a Million
COLUMBUS — With Election Day a week away, more than 527,000 Ohioans had cast ballots through Oct. 23, the Secretary of State reported.
News outlets report early in-person voting nearly quadrupled 2022’s pace in week one, and Hamilton County is seeing 3,000-plus voters daily.
The Associated Press puts Ohio’s total 30% ahead of 2022. Absentee requests fell after Ohio ended its mail-ballot grace period.
Nationally, 13 million-plus ballots were cast by Oct. 20, up from 9 million in 2022. Early in-person voting ends Sunday, Nov. 1. For updated data, go here.
Campaigns Make Final Push Across Ohio
COLUMBUS — With a week left, both parties are making their closing arguments across Ohio.
On Friday, Republicans launched an 11-day, 33-stop bus tour through 32 counties, featuring Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Jon Husted and other statewide candidates.
Opening-day stops included Strongsville, Delaware County, and the Circleville Pumpkin Show.
Democrats brought in former President Barack Obama, who rallied thousands Saturday in Cleveland alongside Amy Acton and Sherrod Brown.
For more on the campaigns’ final push, go here.
Power Demand Forecasts Spark Debate in Cleveland
CLEVELAND — Industry leaders debated Friday at the City Club of Cleveland how Ohio should handle surging electricity demand and rising prices.
Ohio Manufacturers’ Association President Ryan Augsburger said customers pay “sky-high” transmission costs while overstated demand forecasts create “an appearance of scarcity” that raises prices.
FirstEnergy’s Abigail Phillips described a “very rigorous” process for vetting new demand.
Ohio Business Roundtable’s Alexandra Denney said AEP’s data center tariff, requiring large users to cover 85% of grid upgrade costs, has thinned speculative projects.
For more, see the City Club of Cleveland forums.
Page One
National
NEW YORK — Your 401(k) may be leaning on just two chipmakers. Without Nvidia and Micron, S&P 500 earnings growth would drop from about 29% to 20%. See market trends here.
WASHINGTON — A U.S. intelligence memo warns Iranian plots to kill American officials and citizens in the Middle East have reached “advanced stages,” prompting embassy staff cuts. This story continues here.
AUSTELL, Ga. — Six Flags will add seat belts to its Goliath roller coaster and others with similar restraints after a rider was ejected and killed this month. Read more here.
Statewide
COLUMBUS — Venues in Delaware and Newark canceled Ohio GOP events featuring Vivek Ramaswamy amid backlash over his ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother. The party moved the Delaware event. More here.
CLEVELAND — U.S. marshals and Cleveland police are searching for Khalil Suber, 18, wanted in the August killing of the 15-year-old mother of his child. A reward is offered for tips.
PATASKALA — Microsoft paid about $6.65 million for 37 more acres along Refugee Road, pushing its Licking County holdings past 700 acres. It hasn’t said what it will build. See the Microsoft story.
CLEVELAND — The Diocese of Cleveland will serve Thanksgiving meals and offer holiday grocery pickup across eight counties for families facing food insecurity. For dates, times, and locations, click here.
SUNBURY — Part of a basement collapsed Sunday at a downtown commercial building on South Vernon Street, forcing a hair salon to evacuate and closing East Cherry Street. No one was hurt. This story continues here.
NILES — A $184,000 Ohio Lottery ticket was sold at a Niles Giant Eagle.
Election 2026
Momentum vs. History in Ohio’s Final Week
By The Pennant Staff
COLUMBUS — One week out, Ohio’s gubernatorial race offers Democrats momentum and Republicans history. Early voting is well ahead of 2022, and two national forecasters, Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball, shifted the race toward Amy Acton after backlash over a Vivek Ramaswamy ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother.
But Republicans have dominated Ohio statewide races for years, typically gain ground on Election Day and hold a $79 million advertising edge. Polls remain split. The U.S. Senate race between Sen. Jon Husted and Sherrod Brown ranks among the nation’s most competitive and expensive.
Editorial
What the Blade’s Last Edition Says About the News
By The Pennant Editorial Board
The Toledo Blade is older than the city itself. It was launched in 1835, two years before there was a Toledo. And unless someone buys it, the paper will print its last edition Dec. 31.
Last week, the Blade notified the state it will lay off 116 workers. The owners say they can’t keep pouring money into it. They hope for a buyer like the one that saved the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this year. None has come forward.
We have a soft spot for the Blade. Our Friday Peach Section is named for its old peach-colored entertainment pages.
There was something you could count on when a newspaper hit your front door. A team of reporters answered to an editor. Their job was to get it right. Good editors pushed for their version of balance. Did it always work? No. But most actually tried, or they were sent to the home and garden section or fired.
Delivering news today is a whole new electronic animal. Balance has been replaced by getting something posted. If it’s wrong, we’ll fix it later, or who cares. Twenty minutes later, nobody remembers.
A good lead, the first line of a story, gave you the who, what, when, and where so you could make up your own mind. Today, it’s been replaced by a headline built to make you feel something. Joy or rage, it doesn’t matter, as long as you click.
Information overload has made all of us less informed. Social media has left millions of us emotionally broken, mentally exhausted, and topically triggered. Just look at the 2020 lockdowns. Six years later, people are still arguing about them. The most dangerous trend now is attacking the author instead of the facts.
The days of a newspaper surviving on print are long gone. It’s doubtful the Blade will be saved. But the process of real news reporting needs to be recaptured.
This editorial reflects the views of The Pennant Editorial Board. Questions or comments are welcome at [email protected].
The Back Page
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]