Monday, June 1, 2026

Moreno Visits Colombia, Data Center Testimony, and Sports Championships

Monday, June 1, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1813, mortally wounded U.S. Navy Capt. James Lawrence gave his final order aboard the USS Chesapeake: “Don’t give up the ship!” Months later, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry flew a flag bearing the phrase from his flagship during his victory over the British Royal Navy on Lake Erie.

🏉🏐🎾 Ohio high school athletes competed for state titles over the weekend in rugby, boys volleyball, and boys tennis. See who came out on top in Top Stories.

Flyover Updates officially launches today! Each weekday afternoon, we're bringing the nation's biggest developing stories straight to your phone via text message. It's designed to be brief and easy to read, giving you news that breaks after your morning edition lands. If you’d like to stay informed between editions of The Flyover, sign up today.

Today’s sponsor, the knēNest Pillow, is designed to relieve nighttime pain and improve sleep by keeping your body properly aligned for deeper, more restorative rest.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Moreno Observes Colombia's Presidential Vote

Bogotá-born U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, traveled to Colombia over the weekend to serve as an official international observer for the nation's presidential election.

Colombia's National Electoral Council, an autonomous government agency that oversees the country's elections, invited Moreno and said his participation played a key role in strengthening “international cooperation” and ensuring “transparency, integrity, and legitimacy in the Colombian electoral process.”

The presidency is currently held by leftist President Gustavo Petro of the Historic Pact, whose coalition is fielding a Petro ally in the race. If no candidate secures at least 50% of the vote, the two leading contenders will advance to a June runoff.

Ohio High Schools Cap Sports Seasons

St. Ignatius secured its ninth consecutive Ohio rugby state title Saturday, defeating rival St. Edward 31-19 in a weekend packed with high school championship games across the state.

In boys volleyball, Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller outlasted Hudson 31-29, 25-11, 25-21 in the Division I championship at Wittenberg University, while Middletown Bishop Fenwick swept Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary 25-17, 25-15, 25-20 in the Division II state final.

Cincinnati St. Xavier captured its first Ohio Tennis Coaches Association team tournament title since 2009, defeating Olentangy Orange, while Bexley claimed the Division II boys championship by beating Cincinnati Indian Hill.

New Ohio Trail to Honor Veterans

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is gathering wartime messages from Ohio service members to create a new "Letters to Home Trail" at Mohican State Forest.

The trail will sit near the Mohican Memorial Shrine, honoring the nearly 20,000 Ohioans who have given their lives in service from World War II to the present. Signs along the path will display words sent home during wartime—letters, emails, voicemails, and texts from six conflicts are eligible.

Gov. Mike DeWine called the trail “a space for reflection” that will share “what service members felt and thought during these times of conflict.” ODNR Director Mary Mertz described the project as “a dedication of honor and patriotism.”

Submissions must include the service member's rank, branch, unit, and Ohio hometown, and must be filed through the ODNR's online form by Aug. 10. The trail is set to open in November 2026. Details are available on the ODNR’s website.

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➤ Columbus: More than 1,160 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Columbus since January 2025, the White House reported via a new online federal database. (More)

➤ Also Columbus: A sewer collapse in German Village forced St. Mary Catholic School to close early for the year after combined sewage and stormwater backed up into the building, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. (More)

➤ Harrisville: Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed emergency legal action against the village of Harrisville after its failing wastewater treatment plant began discharging untreated sewage into a local creek. (More)

➤ Statewide: A random sample audit by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth found $1 million in overpayments made to taxpayer-funded licensed childcare centers, leading to terminated agreements with 10 facilities. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: About two dozen activists completed the "Great Ohio Climate March" last week, covering more than 100 miles on foot from southern Ohio to the Statehouse over two weeks in a bid to draw attention to state climate policy. (More)

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➤ University of Cincinnati baseball was eliminated from the NCAA tournament's Starkville Regional, falling to host Mississippi State 10-5 on Saturday and to Louisiana 8-6 on Sunday. (More)

➤ FC Cincinnati midfielder Evander was named MLS Player of the Month for May after a dominant five-game stretch during which he scored seven goals and added five assists. (More)

➤ Eva Moran, a 19-year-old freshman pole vaulter at the University of Toledo, died Friday in a three-vehicle crash in Marion County. Moran had recently placed 10th at the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships, recording the sixth-best height in program history. (More)

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➤ Ohio residents are set to testify before the Select Committee on Data Centers at the Statehouse today, following Gov. Mike DeWine's decision to halt tax breaks for new data center projects. (More)

➤ Gas prices across Ohio fell an average of 27 cents per gallon to $4.46, with Mansfield reporting the state's highest prices and Lima the lowest. (See Prices)

➤ Cincinnati-based Kroger has closed Starbucks kiosks at four central Ohio locations: 299 W. Bridge St. in Dublin, 150 W. Sycamore St. in Columbus, 1375 Chambers Road in Columbus, and 3417 N. High St. in Columbus. (More)

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➤ Post Malone and HARDY will headline the Salute 250 concert at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus on July 2, celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary. (More)

➤ Steam in the Valley returns this weekend aboard the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's Nickel Plate Road No. 765, a steam locomotive built in 1944. Excursions run June 5-7 and June 12-14. (Details)

➤ Ohio Bike Week kicks off Thursday in Sandusky with nine days of concerts and motorcycle rides, as parking and traffic restrictions around the city take effect today. (Details)

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Have you ever ridden on a train pulled by a steam locomotive?

Yesterday’s Results:

As a die-hard Ohio sports fan, what would you rather your legacy be?

I’m not that into Ohio sports: 27%
Watching every game on TV: 19%
Owning a team: 19%
Attending every home game: 19%
Superfan stunts: 16%

Which ship did Oliver Hazard Perry transfer to during the Battle of Lake Erie, taking his “Don’t Give Up the Ship” flag with him?

See the answer

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Wedding Tragedy, Seafood Testing, and UGA Presents

Monday, June 1, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1980, Ted Turner launched CNN in Atlanta, introducing viewers to the first 24-hour cable news channel.

Flyover Updates officially launches today! Each weekday afternoon, we're bringing the nation's biggest developing stories straight to your phone via text message. It's designed to be brief and easy to read, giving you news that breaks after your morning edition lands. If you’d like to stay informed between editions of The Flyover, sign up today.

Today’s sponsor, the knēNest Pillow, is designed to relieve nighttime pain and improve sleep by keeping your body properly aligned for deeper, more restorative rest.

Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

DOJ Moves to Oust Election Judge

The Justice Department asked a federal judge to step aside from a Georgia voter records lawsuit, citing evidence that she attended a partisan political event honoring Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

Judge Eleanor Ross of the Northern District of Georgia drew DOJ scrutiny after reports surfaced that the 11th Circuit Judicial Council issued her a private reprimand over attending the event.

The reprimand also involved a finding that Ross engaged in a sexual relationship with a high-ranking Atlanta police officer in her chambers. Atlanta police are now investigating the officer for possible misconduct.

The DOJ argued in its motion that, if the reports are accurate, Ross' appearance at a Willis victory event creates the appearance of bias, since Willis led the now-dismissed prosecution of President Trump over the 2020 election.

Ross and court representatives have not commented.

Deadly Helicopter Crash Investigated

Federal investigators are on the ground in Dawson County after a helicopter carrying two newlyweds and a pilot went down on Friday night, killing two and leaving one injured.

The crash happened during a flight from a wedding venue in the mountain foothills north of Atlanta. Those killed were the unidentified pilot and the groom, Dave Fiji, 25, who was on the helicopter with his bride, Jessni.

Fiji was an Atlanta resident and a Delta Air Lines pilot. He and his bride were traveling by helicopter to DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, with plans to spend the night in a downtown Atlanta hotel, family members and friends said.

The cause remains under investigation. The NTSB will review the aircraft's maintenance history, weather conditions, and flight path as part of its standard investigation.

Community Braces for Hurricane Season

As the Atlantic hurricane season opens today, some residents of Lowndes County say they are still recovering from Hurricane Helene in 2024.

County leaders say the emotional scars from Helene have changed how people prepare for storms moving forward, with even ordinary thunderstorms triggering anxiety.

County emergency officials advise residents to register for the county's free AlertLowndes notification system. County Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye called the service one of the agency's most important communications tools.

You can find hurricane preparedness tips here.

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➤ Central Georgia: More thunderstorm chances are in the forecast through Tuesday, providing some drought relief to parched farms. (More)

➤ Cordele: Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Quay Walker returned to his hometown Saturday for a community fun day. (More)

➤ Statewide: The Georgia secretary of state's office conducted a routine audit of the state's May 19 primary election, with observers rolling a 10-sided die to select a random sample of ballots to hand-count. (More)

➤ Warner Robins: A bakery owner thanked the community after residents helped identify a man accused of taking an air conditioning unit and other items from the business's new location. (More)

➤ Haralson County: A confidential crime tip led investigators to the body of a missing north Georgia man in the woods. Two people have been charged in connection with his death. (More)

➤ Georgia baseball defeated Liberty 6-1 on Sunday to advance to the Super Regional, while Georgia Tech fell 15-8 to Oklahoma, setting up an elimination game between the Yellow Jackets and Sooners today. (More)

➤ Three-star offensive tackle DJ Dotson, a 6-foot-7, 320-pound prospect from Mississippi, committed to Georgia. (More)

➤ Matt Ryan has become a fixture at Atlanta Falcons practices, with players praising the former quarterback’s leadership and involvement as the team's president of football. (More)

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➤ A seafood testing company reexamined Savannah restaurants to see whether they're serving imported or domestic shrimp. The testing found mixed results. (More)

➤ Georgia cotton farmers are getting federal support as the USDA rolls out a new program supporting producers. (More)

➤ Business leaders from across the state gathered in Atlanta last week to discuss the state’s energy sector, with a focus on how data is powering both the economy and daily life. (More)

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➤ More than 900 cyclists kicked off a multiday charity ride across the Peach State, making a stop Sunday in Rome. (More)

➤ A rare blue micromoon peaked over Georgia and other states early Sunday. (More)

➤ UGA Presents unveiled its wide-ranging 2026-27 performing arts season in Athens, themed around American voices and featuring national touring acts alongside local premieres. (More)

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