Thursday, January 1, 2026

Happy New Year! On this day in 1883, Roy W. Howard—a newspaperman who led the E. W. Scripps Company for three decades—was born in Gano.

As 2026 kicks off, we thank you for helping The Ohio Flyover reach nearly 65,000 readers in less than a year.

Today we're looking back at the state's biggest stories of the past year (in chronological order)—plus a few staff favorites worth revisiting.

Ohio State's national title win last January made the list. On Wednesday night, the Buckeyes fell short in their bid to repeat, losing 24–14 to the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

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Jan. 20: Vance Sworn In As VP

On Jan. 20, Middletown native JD Vance was sworn in as the 50th vice president, becoming the first Ohioan to hold the job since Charles Dawes, who served under President Calvin Coolidge from 1925 to 1929.

A graduate of The Ohio State University and a Marine Corps veteran, Vance had served less than one term as a U.S. senator from Ohio before he was elected alongside President Trump in November 2024.

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was chosen to replace Vance in the U.S. Senate and sworn in on Jan. 21. Jim Tressel, a former Ohio State football coach and former Youngstown State University president, was named to replace Husted as lieutenant governor.

Ohio's other U.S. Senate seat was won by Republican Bernie Moreno, who defeated longtime Sen. Sherrod Brown in the 2024 election. Moreno also began his term in January 2025.

Husted, once seen as the favorite to succeed Gov. Mike DeWine, plans to run in a 2026 special election to complete Vance's term. With the governorship also on the ballot this year, the Ohio Republican Party has endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy, who is expected to face Democrat Amy Acton.

Jan. 20: Buckeyes Win Football Title

On Jan. 20, Ohio State won its ninth national championship, beating No. 7 seed Notre Dame 34-23 in the inaugural title game of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

After a crushing regular-season loss to rival Michigan, the Buckeyes responded with blowout wins over No. 9 seed Tennessee and No. 1 seed Oregon. Defensive end Jack Sawyer sealed Ohio State's Cotton Bowl win over No. 5 seed Texas with a fumble return for a touchdown, sending the Scarlet and Gray to the national championship game.

In the title game, Ohio State built a 31-7 lead over the Fighting Irish, who rallied to cut the deficit to eight points late in the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes sealed the win with a long third-down pass from Will Howard to Jeremiah Smith.

Fast forward to the current season: Ohio State snapped a four-year losing streak to Michigan with a 27-9 win in Ann Arbor, and earned a College Football Playoff berth as the No. 2 seed.

March 28: Anti-DEI Law Signed

On March 28, Gov. Mike DeWine signed the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at the state's public colleges. The law took effect on June 27 after an effort to repeal it through a referendum failed.

Also known as Senate Bill 1, the law barred faculty strikes, required students to take a U.S. history course, and shortened terms for university trustees.

The Ohio State University closed both its Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Student Life's Center for Belonging and Social Change. The university also told residence halls to keep decorations focused on school spirit to avoid violating state law.

Several other Ohio colleges made changes to their DEI practices, including Ohio University, the University of Cincinnati, and Kent State University.

April 15: Paper Mill Closure Announced

On April 15, HIG Capital announced that it would close the Pixelle Specialty Solutions paper mill in Chillicothe, eliminating 780 jobs and shutting down an industry that had been a community staple for more than 200 years.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno initially persuaded the private equity firm to delay the closure until the end of the year, but paper mill operations ultimately ceased on Aug. 10.

On Oct. 10, state officials announced that the paper mill had been purchased by U.S. Medical Glove Company, which repurposed the site to manufacture medical gloves.

The uncertain future of the mill site raised environmental concerns among state officials and researchers.

July 1: Unclaimed Funds Tapped for Stadium

On July 1, Gov. Mike DeWine signed the state's $60 billion operating budget, which included $600 million in unclaimed funds earmarked for the planned Cleveland Browns stadium in Brook Park.

Ohio holds about $4.8 billion in unclaimed funds—money owed to Ohio residents that hasn't been claimed, including settlement payments and overpaid utility bills. Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of residents in July, alleging that the plan to use the funds violates the state and federal constitutions.

On Dec. 23, a Franklin County judge temporarily blocked the state from transferring the funds. Earlier in December, a federal judge had declined to block the state's use of unclaimed funds.

The proposed Browns relocation faced other obstacles. Cleveland filed lawsuits and lobbied state officials to block the move, but eventually reached a $100 million agreement with Haslam Sports Group aimed at clearing a path for the relocation and supporting lakefront redevelopment after the team's departure.

In August, the state Department of Transportation objected to the stadium's proposed height near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, despite approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. ODOT approved the permit a month later.

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➤ Ohioans watched the first total lunar eclipse in three years in the overnight hours of March 13. Earth lined up between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that turned the moon a coppery red. The next total lunar eclipse visible in Ohio will occur on March 3 of this year, followed by a nearly total eclipse on Aug. 27. After that, the next one isn't expected until June 2029. (See Photos)

➤ The only privately owned Confederate flag captured by Union forces during Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg sold for $468,000 at Fleischer's Auctions in Columbus on April 26. The 11th Virginia Infantry carried the flag. Union Capt. Henry F. Dix of the 16th Vermont Infantry preserved it, and his family kept it for generations into the 20th century. All other Confederate flags captured during Pickett's Charge are held by museums or other institutions. (See Photos)

➤ An Ohio woman gave birth to quintuplets—four boys and one girl—at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital on Aug. 4. Betsy and Dan Santiso said they wanted names that were unique, but "not too weird." They chose tree-inspired names: Juniper, Cedar, Linden, Torrey, and Alder. The Santisos said the names reflect their love of nature, and a Bible passage Dan shared: "Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water, that sends out its roots by the stream." (More)

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