Friday, February 20, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1962, New Concord native and astronaut Col. John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth.

🐟 It’s the first Friday of Lent, and fish fries have returned across the state. Here are resources for Lenten dinners in northeast, central, southwest, northwest, and southeast Ohio.

🍗 A peculiar lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings—which got its start right next to The Ohio State University's campus—was thrown out by a federal judge who declared that the complaint had "no meat on its bones." Details about the case can be found in today's Business section.

Today’s sponsor, GoldCo, is helping retirement savers explore how physical gold and silver could potentially strengthen and diversify their portfolios amid growing economic and political uncertainty.

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.

Ohio Native Powers USA Hockey to Gold

Cleveland Heights native Laila Edwards’ blue-line shot with 2:04 remaining was deflected for a tying goal, forcing overtime and propelling the U.S. to a 2-1 victory over Canada to secure its third Olympic gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games.

Canada took a 1-0 lead in the second period on a shorthanded goal, maintaining the advantage until U.S. captain Hilary Knight tipped in Edwards’ long shot into the net in the third period. Megan Keller scored the game-winner for the Americans in overtime.

Edwards finished third in Olympic scoring, while former Ohio State forward Hannah Bilka led with four goals. Ohio State forward Joy Dunne, former Buckeye Cayla Barnes, and Athens native Gwyneth Philips also won gold with the U.S.

Former Ohio State players Jenn Gardiner, Sophie Jaques, Emma Maltais, and Natalie Spooner won silver with Canada, while former Buckeyes goaltender Andrea Braendli took home bronze with Switzerland.

USAF Picks Software for Ohio-Built Aircraft

The U.S. Air Force selected Shield AI's autonomy software for an unmanned fighter set to be built at Anduril’s Arsenal-1 manufacturing complex in Pickaway County.

Anduril’s YFQ-44A is a collaborative combat aircraft, which the Air Force said will eventually fly “alongside new and existing crewed fighter jets to enhance operations in contested airspace.”

Anduril said last month it had about 50 workers at its Arsenal-1 plant and aims to hire up to 4,000 employees over the next decade.

The company also announced its AI Grand Prix—an autonomous drone racing competition aimed at identifying talent to design future systems. Winners will take home $500,000 and a job.

Ohio Museums Rank Among Nation's Best

USA Today’s 10Best lists ranked several Ohio museums among the nation’s best, highlighting collections across the Buckeye State.

Seven Ohio museums earned national recognition, headlined by the Toledo Museum of Art, which topped the list of free museums in the U.S. The National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton placed No. 3 in the same ranking.

Three other Ohio museums took No. 2 spots in their categories. The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati placed second for pop culture museums, the National Museum of the Great Lakes ranked No. 2 for maritime museums, and the Cincinnati History Museum placed No. 2 among history museums.

The Children's Museum in Cincinnati, the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, and the COSI Planetarium also made the cut for best children’s museums, best science museums, and best planetariums, respectively.

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A New Era for Gold & Silver

For years now, many people in or near retirement have viewed precious metals through a single lens: wealth preservation. It was the "safe haven" you turned to when the rest of the market looked shaky.

But that era may have ended… with a new one emerging.

We have now entered a period of unprecedented momentum.

Gold charged past $5,000/oz.

& Silver skyrocketed past $100/oz.

For the first time in decades, the conversation for retirement savers seems to be shifting. It’s no longer just about "holding the line"—it’s about the potential growth these physical assets could bring to a diversified portfolio.

Why This Could Just Be The Beginning

While $5,000 gold and $100 silver are historic milestones, many seasoned market analysts suggest this move may just be getting started, even with the recent pullbacks.

Analysts report that gold has more room to run. With the upcoming U.S. mid-term elections, political uncertainty may increase further. At the same time, persistent concerns about over-valued equity markets could reinforce portfolio diversification flows into gold.

Claim your FREE 2026 Gold & Silver Kit which reveals the latest market data and shows you exactly how to add physical metals as a hedge for your retirement strategy.

➤ Statewide: The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio ordered three FirstEnergy utilities to revise electricity distribution rates, reducing annual revenue by about $39.4 million over affordability concerns. (More)

➤ Cincinnati: Police said North College Hill High School students protesting federal immigration enforcement damaged merchandise at a Kroger, and two students were arrested in a separate incident tied to the protest. (Watch Video Report)

➤ Also Cincinnati: John Hancock, a Libertarian candidate for Congress, was charged with a felony count of failure to stop after a December crash that left a pedestrian with traumatic injuries. (More)

➤ Toledo: Officials announced a $20 million Shovel Ready Sites Fund to support economic and community development over 35 years, funded through a partnership with Rossford at no cost to taxpayers. (More)

➤ Cleveland: A free pop-up health clinic will offer dental, vision, and medical services at John Hay High School from Feb. 28 to March 1. (Details)

➤ Northeast Ohio: The Ohio Department of Transportation will close the State Route 14 Union Street bridge over Tinkers Creek in Bedford from March 2 through October for replacement, with posted northbound and southbound detours. (Details)

➤ Tickets to Ohio State’s April 18 spring football game go on sale at 10 a.m. today. General admission tickets are $13, and limited reserved seats will be available for $30 and $60. (Details)

➤ All-Pro offensive lineman Wyatt Teller, after seven seasons with the Cleveland Browns, announced in an Instagram post that he won’t return to the team in 2026, saying he wishes “things were different.” (More)

➤ The Akron RubberDucks, a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, will temporarily rebrand for one July weekend as the Akron Cream Stick Donuts, celebrating the local “signature donut.” (See Photo)

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➤ Upgrade your bathroom with the MatMend Instant-Dry Stone Bath Mat — a quick-dry, antimicrobial mat made from natural diatomaceous earth that absorbs water in seconds, resists mold and odors, and features a sturdy, slip-resistant surface for safer, cleaner floors with minimal maintenance. (LEARN MORE)

➤ A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging that Columbus-founded Buffalo Wild Wings misled customers by selling boneless wings that are not de-boned wings, ruling that reasonable consumers would not be deceived. (More)

➤ The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel urged regulators to reject $189 million in coal plant charges billed to AES Ohio, AEP Ohio, and Duke Energy Ohio customers from 2021 to 2023. (More)

➤ A sequel to the 2025 Superman film, code-named Exodus, will film in Cincinnati this summer after securing $1.9 million in state tax credits. (More)

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➤ Rare Unlimited Cash Back Match Turns Heads. If you’re carrying credit card debt, a new 0% intro APR card could give you breathing room to pay it down. This top-rated card also offers 5% cash back—matched after your first year for up to 10% on qualifying purchases. (Learn More)

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New Era for Gold & Silver: Despite recent pullbacks, Analysts report that precious metals have more room to run. With the upcoming U.S. mid-term elections, political uncertainty may increase further. For the first time in decades, the conversation for retirement savers seems to be shifting.

It’s no longer just about "holding the line"—it’s about the potential growth these physical assets could bring to a diversified portfolio. Get the latest market insights and learn how to add physical metals to your retirement savings with the 2026 Ultimate Guide to Gold & Silver.

➤ The National Museum of the Great Lakes opened an exhibit on the newly discovered Clough shipwreck, built in Lorain in 1867 and lost on Lake Erie while hauling stone in 1868. (More)

➤ Ohio zoos released seven rehabilitated manatees into Florida waters this week, after treating orphaned and cold-stressed animals through the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership. (See Photos)

➤ South Dakota artist Tim Taylor won the 2027 Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp competition with a wood duck painting selected by a panel of five judges from a field of 23 submissions. (See Painting)

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