Tuesday, April 21st, 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 1930, one of the deadliest prison disasters in U.S. history occurred at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, where a fire killed 322 inmates.

Last week, gas prices dropped nearly 20 cents in Central Ohio, but experts are saying this trend won’t last. Find out why in the Top of The Fold.

Also, be sure to check out our sports section for a write-up of this past weekend’s OSU spring game by guest author Tom Orr of Buckeye Weekly Podcast.

Central Ohio gas prices dropped nearly 20 cents last week to $3.67 per gallon, but fuel experts say the relief could be short-lived. Iran's re-closing of the Strait of Hormuz and escalating U.S.-Iran tensions caused oil prices to surge Sunday night.

Some analysts warn that pump prices could rise again within 24 to 48 hours.

To find out why, click here.

The Ohio Senate passed a bill that would allow people to sue cities and towns for extra damages if those local gun laws are stricter than state law.

The bill still needs to pass the House, but Democrats say it tramples on cities' rights to govern themselves, while Republicans argue it protects Second Amendment freedoms.

More on this story here, and The Pennant coverage here.

A 13-year-old Cleveland boy was taken into custody in connection with threats of violence directed at the Shaker Heights City School District.

According to police officers, two threatening calls were made to Shaker Heights Middle School on Thursday, April 16, after dismissal, and again on Friday, April 17, just before 9 a.m.

It was later discovered that the boy was not a student at Shaker Heights Middle School.

For more on this story, click here.

COLUMBUS — A big fight is brewing in Ohio over property taxes. These are the taxes that homeowners pay based on the value of their house. Right now, Ohio collects more than $21 billion a year from property taxes. That money pays for schools, police, fire stations, libraries, and parks.

One group wants to get rid of property taxes for good. They are called Ax OH Tax. Their leader, Brian Massie, says many Ohio families are paying too much, and it is hurting them. The group is collecting signatures to put the idea on the November ballot. They need 413,488 names by July 1.

On April 23, Ax OH Tax plans to hold a press conference to share how many signatures they have gathered so far. If they collect enough names, Ohio voters will get to decide in November.

But a very large group is pushing back. It is called Ohioans to Protect Public Services. More than 65 groups have joined together — including police officers, firefighters, teachers, nurses, libraries, and businesses. They say getting rid of property taxes would be dangerous.

Why? Because if property taxes go away, the money for schools and fire stations goes away too. Governor Mike DeWine has said that to replace the money, Ohio might need to raise the sales tax by 18 to 20 percent. That means everything you buy at a store could cost more.

Both sides say they care about Ohio families. One side says taxes are too high. The other says the services taxes pay for are too important to lose. Over the next few months, Ohioans will hear a lot more about this fight — and may get to vote on it this fall.

COLUMBUS — The Ohio State football team wrapped up its 2026 spring practice schedule Saturday with the annual spring game inside Ohio Stadium. In front of an announced crowd of more than 40,000 fans, the defense beat the offense 35-26 under a modified scoring system.

It is always dangerous to read too much into what is just one of 15 practices in the spring, but there were a few young Buckeyes who stood out during the spring game.

One was backup quarterback Tavien St. Clair. Friday morning, in the second-to-last practice of the spring, St. Clair had an uneven performance. Saturday, in front of tens of thousands of fans and the Big Ten Network cameras, he looked much more confident.

St. Clair threw for a game-high 166 yards and the only passing touchdown of the day.

That touchdown went to true freshman wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., another standout performer. He caught four passes for 96 yards and that score, including two impressive catches on downfield throws.

On the defensive side of the ball, true freshman defensive end Khary Wilder was a menace in the offensive backfield, recording a sack and disrupting things on several other occasions.

With all that said, most of Henry's production came against other true freshmen, and Wilder did most of his damage against the second-and third-team offensive lines.

How much will it mean when the season kicks off for real in September? Buckeye fans will have to wait 138 more days until the season opener against Ball State to start getting an answer to that question.

The conversation around data centers in our region is real. People have genuine concerns — water use, power load, traffic, and the shape of the town they've spent their lives in. Those concerns deserve honest answers and honest debate. That's the kind of journalism The Pennant was built to do.

But there's something happening alongside that legitimate debate that deserves attention. When organized opposition arrives at a local hearing, and the signs are already printed, and the talking points are tight, and there's a consultant on hand with documentation — that's not a neighborhood that woke up worried. That's a campaign that found a neighborhood.

Continue reading here.

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