Friday, February 13, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1807, the first edition of The Western Star was published in Warren County. It became the oldest weekly newspaper in Ohio, publishing for 206 years before ceasing operations in 2013.

💰 A northeast Ohio woman had a tough time sharing some big news with her husband because he wouldn't answer his phone! You can read more about the couple's Ohio Lottery win in Et Cetera.

🌹 Also, are you looking for last-minute Valentine's Day ideas? Explore activities available in northeast, central, and southwest Ohio.

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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.

GOP Bill: Birth-Sex Pronouns Not Abuse

State GOP lawmakers introduced legislation to bar courts from restricting a parent's access to a child solely for affirming the child's biological sex.

House Bill 693 stipulates that "affirming a child's sex" includes referring to a child using pronouns consistent with the child's biological sex or declining to consent to sex-change operations for the child.

State Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania, said that the Affirming Families Act "restores common sense" to the state's child welfare system by confirming that affirming a child's biological sex "is not abuse, neglect, or contrary to a child's best interest."

An Ohio nonprofit criticized the bill's sponsors, saying the measure discriminates against LGBT children.

No. 2 Buckeyes Meet No. 1 Penn State

Second-ranked Ohio State wrestling faces No. 1 Penn State tonight in the final weekend of the 2025-26 dual season at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, airing on Big Ten Network.

Both teams enter the contest undefeated, with the Buckeyes recently earning victories over No. 25 Wisconsin, No. 13 Michigan, and No. 5 Iowa. Ohio State's 17-0 start is the best in program history.

The Buckeyes haven't won in State College since 2009, and the Nittany Lions lead the all-time series 27-12. Projected lineups for the match are available here.

Ohio Man Bikes Across Frozen Great Lakes

A northeast Ohio man has completed an unusual winter challenge—biking across each of the ice-covered Great Lakes.

Eric McKinney's journey began in early January with a four-mile bike ride across Lake Huron to Michigan's Shelter Island. He then traversed Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, and Lake Ontario.

He had one close call, sliding into Lake Huron while his bike's front tire clung to a piece of ice. "It was kind of a Buddy the Elf moment where I'm floating away on my own little iceberg," he recounted.

McKinney saved his home state's Lake Erie for his final crossing, biking from Port Clinton to the southern side of Put-in-Bay. "It's an awe-inspiring place to be riding," he said of Lake Erie.

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➤ Statewide: The Ohio Department of Transportation is testing autonomous crash trucks placed at the rear of construction zones to absorb vehicle collisions and protect road workers. (More)

➤ Columbus: An Ohio State University professor was placed on administrative leave after allegedly tackling a cameraman attempting to interview Gordon Gee, who now serves as a consultant to the university. (Watch)

➤ Cincinnati: Cincinnati Bengals fans can bid on suite furniture from Paycor Stadium, including branded bar stools, beer taps, and padded seats, during an online and in-person auction hosted by Nicodemus Auction Company. (Details)

➤ Miami Valley: Kettering Health notified patients of a May 20, 2025, cyberattack that exposed personal data, including Social Security numbers, financial details, medical records, and other sensitive information accessed between April 9 and May 20, 2025. (More)

➤ Springfield: The community faced bomb threats for a third straight day as two churches received emailed warnings of a pipe bomb, though officials reported no substantiated threat. (More)

➤ Zanesville: Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel visited Maysville Elementary on Wednesday to promote the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge—a 30-day health initiative for students in third through eighth grade. (More)

➤ Vice President JD Vance, an Ohio native, advised U.S. Olympic athletes that they risk "pushback" if they choose to make political statements, urging them to instead aim to unite the nation. (More)

➤ Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and Akron natives LeBron James and Steph Curry earned selections for this weekend's NBA All-Star Game. Curry isn't expected to participate because of an injury. (Rosters)

➤ Aidan Sayin, the older brother of Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, was signed by the Columbus Aviators of the United Football League. (More)

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➤ Two Ohio asphalt companies will pay $30 million to settle claims that they submitted false quality-control test results for more than a decade. (More)

➤ Del Webb broke ground on welcome centers and model parks at Del Webb Maygrass in Plain City and Del Webb Explore at Northstar in Sunbury, expanding active-adult communities in Central Ohio. (More)

➤ Chick-fil-A will temporarily close its West Main Street restaurant in Miami County starting March 1 to undergo remodeling and expansion. (More)

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➤ A northeast Ohio woman won $300,000 on Ohio Lottery scratch-offs purchased with her husband's birthday winnings, but couldn't share the news because he didn't answer his phone. (More)

➤ Cleveland National Air Show officials announced the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo will return Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5-7, joining the U.S. Navy Blue Angels at Burke Lakefront Airport. (More)

➤ Ohio has more old-growth forests than any other state, featuring mature, largely undisturbed ecosystems that have developed over centuries without significant logging or development. (More)

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