Saturday, November 7, 2026

Police Mishap, MLS Decision Day, and Pickleball Fever

Saturday, November 7, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1922, Florence Ellinwood Allen was elected to the Supreme Court of Ohio, becoming the first woman elected to the highest court of any state.

🎁 Ohioans spent an estimated $32 billion last holiday season, and the state has a free guide to help keep this year’s spending in check. Find out more in Et Cetera.

Is there a right day to run your errands? Gas is cheapest on the day you’d least expect, the DMV has two days you’ll want to avoid, and airlines, car dealers, and grocery stores each have a sweet spot of their own. We’re counting down what the data says about all seven, saving the biggest surprise for last. Amy has the full story on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

If you have $1 million or more, you may be asking how to create a retirement plan that fits your goals and situation. Download the guide from todays sponsor Fisher Investments, and discover the fundamental retirement questions, then schedule a conversation with a financial professional.

Assistant Chief’s Gun Found in Restroom

Columbus’ second-highest-ranking police officer left her gun unattended earlier this week in a women’s restroom at the Ohio Department of Public Safety headquarters.

Officers found the weapon in the Charles D. Shipley Building on West Broad Street, an area open to the public, and traced it to First Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts. She later retrieved it, and the building never went into lockdown.

The city’s inspector general has opened an investigation, though the office stressed that doing so "is not a finding or admission of wrongdoing."

Potts followed Chief Elaine Bryant from the Detroit Police Department in 2021.

Wexner’s Name Stays at Ohio State

Ohio State will keep Les Wexner’s name on its campus buildings after interim Provost Trevor Brown declined to order a full review of hundreds of removal requests.

Most of the 512 requests cited the billionaire’s longtime ties to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019. Wexner has given Ohio State more than $200 million, and his name appears on the medical center and football complex.

Brown noted that Wexner has never been charged with a crime and has denied any allegations under oath. Further review, he wrote, would put the committee in a "nearly impossible position."

State Sen. Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, said he was "deeply disappointed" and that the university "is not listening."

Pickleball Players Flock to Cleveland

More than 450 players from 10 states and four countries have converged on Cleveland’s Huntington Convention Center for the Midwest’s largest pickleball tournament, which wraps up Sunday.

The fourth annual Pickle in the Land has drawn players from all over, from elite competitors to weekend hobbyists, with $6,400 in Open Division prize money at stake.

Competitors range in age from 11 to 82, including Esther Daniels, who took up the game just three years ago: "The best years of pickleball are ahead of me!"

The event, hosted by the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Rock Entertainment Group, is open to the public for viewing.

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The 15-Minute Retirement Plan

A successful retirement strategy should account for more than individual investments. Your goals, health, spending needs, family and other accounts all contribute to creating a retirement plan that fits your needs and situation. For investors with $1 million or more, bringing those pieces together can be especially important. The 15-Minute Retirement Plan explores four key questions, including how to establish your primary goal, balance short-term volatility against long-term growth needs, prepare for inflation and schedule withdrawals.

Download the guide for advice on creating a strategy that’s cohesive, current and aligned with your full financial picture. Then schedule a conversation with a financial professional to discuss ways to bring your retirement plan to life.

➤ Statewide: Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said he won’t sign any bill that "dramatically" strips the governor’s powers before Democrat Dr. Amy Acton takes office in January. (More)

➤ Licking County: Southwest Licking Schools may move some grades to split schedules in fall 2027 after voters rejected an income tax and a building bond Tuesday. (More)

➤ Oregon: Vantage Data Centers won’t move forward with its planned project in this Toledo suburb after voters banned data centers larger than 25 megawatts. (More)

➤ Northeast Ohio: University Hospitals patients still can’t fully use MyChart, view test results, or pay bills online more than two weeks after UH took its systems offline over unusual server activity. (More)

➤ Cleveland: The U.S. EPA has begun hauling hazardous waste and asbestos out of an abandoned Slavic Village warehouse after years of neighbor complaints. (More)

➤ Nelsonville: Nelsonville-York City Schools plans to open an $11 million community center in January 2028 with STEM classrooms, a dental office, a family laundry, and job training. (See Plans)

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➤ Former Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor told jurors Thursday he didn’t know gamblers could bet on individual pitches until the case involving ex-teammates Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz arose. (More)

➤ Former Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson, now with the New England Patriots, said he was hospitalized for several days with neurological symptoms that doctors have yet to explain. (More)

➤ FC Cincinnati can avoid the East’s wild card match with a Decision Day win over Nashville SC, but a loss or draw could drop it as low as ninth place. (More)

➤ Ohio State’s women’s basketball team routed Central Michigan 103-36 Thursday, tying a program record with a 59-14 halftime lead. (See Recap)

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➤ Dermatologist Begs Women With Thin Hair To Use This Household Item. An Austin hairstylist's 7-year client file revealed why thinning hair products fail after 50. The fix starts in your medicine cabinet. Learn More

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More accounts, managers and investment choices do not always add up to a cohesive wealth strategy. Investors with $1 million or more may benefit from considering how each decision fits their goals, time frame and full financial picture.

The 15-Minute Retirement Plan examines risk, inflation, withdrawals and how long you need your wealth to last. Download the guide and schedule a conversation with a financial professional to talk about your plan.

➤ Fiona’s giant nutcracker will return to the Cincinnati Zoo for the Festival of Lights, standing 24 feet tall in honor of the famous hippo’s Jan. 24 birthday. The festival opens Nov. 19. (See Nutcracker)

➤ Steubenville’s first international film festival wraps up today at the downtown Sycamore Youth Center, featuring 58 films from around the world and the Ohio Valley. (More)

➤ Actor Will Poulter praised Hoyo’s Kitchen in Columbus’ North Market on Last Meals, saying the Union County cast went straight there after landing, suitcases still in the car. (More)

➤ Holiday shoppers can lean on Ohio’s free budgeting guide, which offers a spending template, a one-minute readiness quiz, and warnings about buy-now-pay-later traps. Ohioans spent an estimated $32 billion last holiday season. (More)

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➤ Hot cacao vs Green Tea... Which of these hot drinks was proven in a study boost stem cells by 220% in 30 days? Billionaires drop 6 figures on stem cell therapy, but this hot drink costs 50 cents a day and boosts anti-aging stem cells improving heart health, blood pressure, and longevity.

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country.

➤ Most people run errands on the wrong days, and it’s costing us time and money. (Watch Breakdown)

➤ Social Security has set a new earnings limit that could temporarily cost some working seniors nearly $1,000 in benefits. (Listen Now)

➤ More young homebuyers are putting parents on their mortgages, with the practice surging in some of America’s priciest cities. (Podcast Available)

When do you usually start holiday shopping?

Yesterday's Results:

Which wild animal would you most like to see up close?

Bald eagle: 33%
Whale: 27%
Moose: 13%
Wolf: 10%
Bear: 9%
Other: 8%

Ohio has both an official state fruit and an official state native fruit. What are they?

Show me the answer

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Kemp Declares Emergency, Dwarf House Closing, and Zoo Atlanta's Pandas

Saturday, November 7, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1972, Georgia voters elected Sam Nunn to the U.S. Senate. He served 24 years and chaired the Armed Services Committee, becoming one of Washington's leading voices on defense.

Kemp Declares Flood Emergency

Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, and Union counties after record flooding along the Toccoa River.

The order makes state resources available for recovery and bans price gouging on water, fuel, and other necessities. It runs through Nov. 12 unless the governor renews it.

In McCaysville, residents are sweeping out mud and hauling away debris while crews hand out bottled water. Floodwaters swamped the town's water treatment plant, and a boil water advisory remains in effect.

The city also imposed an overnight curfew to keep people off the streets while crews work.

Thursday's flood was the town's third major flood this year, arriving a week after some shops reopened from an August flash flood. "And then we get hit again," Police Chief Michael Early said.

Eight More Charged in Vienna Shooting

Investigators charged eight more people with felony murder in the Oct. 4 homecoming block party shooting in Vienna, and two of them remain on the run.

The GBI identified the fugitives as Brexton Gaston, 19, of Cordele and Vanravious Williams, 34, of Perry. Authorities consider both armed and dangerous and urge anyone who sees them to call 911.

The other six, ages 16 to 23, are in custody after searches in Crisp, Dooly, and Houston counties. Ten people have now been charged in the case.

Authorities also updated the toll: 28 people were shot, two fatally, and 16 others were hurt while fleeing. "Two men lost their lives as a result of this senseless violence," Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy said.

Fayetteville Dwarf House Closes for Remodel

Chick-fil-A's Fayetteville Dwarf House closed Friday to be torn down rebuilt as a Truett's Chick-fil-A in early June 2027.

"When one little red door closes, another opens," the restaurant's staff said in a farewell message.

Founder Truett Cathy created the Dwarf House concept in the 1980s to recreate his original Hapeville diner, the Dwarf Grill, which opened in 1946. Truett's locations feature specialty menu items and Cathy family memorabilia.

The Hapeville original kept its signature little red door through a 2022 renovation. Dwarf Houses still operate in Forest Park, Jonesboro, and Riverdale.

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The 15-Minute Retirement Plan

➤ Statewide: Georgia's incoming Democratic majority on the Public Service Commission plans to open an "affordability docket" examining what households can pay and how data center costs are split among customers. Georgia Power has said existing rules already protect residential ratepayers from those costs. (More)

➤ Albany: City commissioners approved a $388,800 contract to replace aging underground power lines as part of a five-year grid upgrade. Utility officials said a recent outage affecting about 1,800 customers was caused by copper theft at a substation, not failing equipment. (See Details)

➤ Cobb County: The school district's new Choose Cobb program will let students who live outside the district attend 12 participating schools for $600 per semester, space permitting. Applications for spring 2027 are open through Nov. 30. (See Details)

➤ Effingham County: Commissioners unanimously delayed a vote on the site plan for OpenAI's Project Camellia data center until Nov. 17. They want firm answers on wetland impacts and a written promise of a 20-foot earthen berm shielding homes along Hodgeville Road. (More)

➤ DeKalb County: An explosion Thursday evening blew out several windows and damaged an exterior wall at the First Place Hotel on Snapfinger Woods Drive. Employees put out a fire before crews arrived, and no injuries were reported. (More)

➤ Gainesville: Lee Darragh resigned Thursday after more than 20 years as district attorney for Hall and Dawson counties. Chief Assistant Jennifer Bagwell, acting district attorney, plans to run for the seat. (More)

➤ Atlanta: A federal jury convicted Roderick Battle, 49, of running a nationwide drug ring that hid fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs inside guitar amplifiers and under vehicles hauled on tow trucks. He faces at least 20 years in prison at his March 2 sentencing. (More)

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➤ Georgia receiver Isiah Canion is off the SEC availability report ahead of tonight's 7:30 p.m. game at Ole Miss on ABC. Running back Chauncey Bowens, receiver Thomas Blackshear, and tight end Elyiss Williams are listed as questionable. (More)

➤ Mading Kuany, a Georgia freshman forward from Australia, hit two 3-pointers in eight minutes in Monday's 78-62 season-opening win over NC Central. Coach Mike White says Kuany "will have some big games" for the Bulldogs this season. (More)

➤ The College Park Skyhawks opened their G League season Friday night at Gateway Center Arena under new coach Sanjay Lumpkin. Lumpkin played for the Skyhawks in their first College Park season in 2019 and is the first former player to lead the franchise. (More)

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➤ Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, Zoo Atlanta's new giant pandas, made their public debut Friday in the zoo's renovated $6 million Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove. The pair arrived from China in September and spent about a month in quarantine. (More)

➤ Eight Fort Stewart soldiers were honored Thursday for their response when a fellow soldier shot five people on base in August 2025. Two sergeants received the Soldier's Medal, the Army's highest award for noncombat heroism, and six received Meritorious Service Medals. (More)

➤ FoodeesFest fills downtown Augusta through Sunday with food trucks, local restaurant fare, dessert makers, and crafters. Admission is free, and the festival runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days. (See Details)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country.

➤ Most people run errands on the wrong days, and it’s costing us time and money. (Watch Breakdown)

➤ Social Security has set a new earnings limit that could temporarily cost some working seniors nearly $1,000 in benefits. (Listen Now)

➤ More young homebuyers are putting parents on their mortgages, with the practice surging in some of America’s priciest cities. (Podcast Available)