Saturday, October 10, 2026

Columbus Statue, Free Tuition, and Buckeye Homecoming

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1936, The Ohio State University Marching Band debuted Script Ohio, with a cornet player dotting the “i”—a role now reserved for a sousaphone player.

🎉 We have exciting news to report: Today's Ohio Flyover will reach 100,000 readers, a new milestone for us. Thanks to all the readers who have helped make this publication a success! If you’re enjoying our publication, please click here to share with your friends and family.

Is the government really about to hand you $1,000 a year for retirement? The IRS has started mailing notices to millions of Americans about a new program that deposits federal matching money directly into retirement accounts, rather than just shave it off your tax bill. But there’s a catch. Plenty of savers will get the full $1,000, while others won’t see a dime, and the difference comes down to a few details on your tax return. So who qualifies, and how do you actually claim the money? Amy has the full story on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor is Curated Gift Guides, rounding up 37 of the most useful and ingenious gadgets of 2026 designed to solve everyday problems and make great gifts.

Trump Demands Statue Restoration

President Trump called on the city of Columbus to restore the Christopher Columbus statue removed from outside City Hall in 2020, while speaking at a White House Columbus Day celebration Friday.

"We demand that Christopher Columbus be put back into the heart of Columbus, Ohio. We want it back," Trump told the East Room crowd, where he also unveiled a new Columbus statue bound for the Rose Garden.

Mayor Andrew Ginther, a Democrat, ordered the 22-foot statue—a gift from the explorer's birthplace of Genoa, Italy—into storage amid civil unrest in 2020. Italian American groups sued the city over the removal in April.

After Trump’s remarks, Ginther said that he and the president "clearly have different priorities."

Vance Rallies in Lima

Vice President JD Vance urged Ohio Republicans to back U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy at an airport rally in Lima on Friday, crediting Husted with helping end taxes on tips and overtime.

Vance also said he won't watch if Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan's firing squad execution is livestreamed, while adding that Hasan "brutally murdered a lot of innocent people."

Earlier in the day, Vance cast his ballot early in Hamilton County, voting for Husted, Ramaswamy, and state treasurer candidate Jay Edwards.

Cleveland State Offers Free Tuition

Cleveland State University will offer free tuition to qualifying students from Ohio starting in fall 2027 under a program its board of trustees approved Friday.

The Cleveland State Commitment covers up to eight consecutive semesters for spring 2027 high school graduates with at least a 3.0 GPA whose families earn $125,000 or less. Students must keep a 2.0 GPA and full-time enrollment.

Its income cap eclipses similar programs at the University of Akron, the University of Cincinnati, and Ohio State's regional campuses, which range from $75,000 to $100,000.

University officials said the program targets middle-income families who often receive little grant aid.

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➤ Statewide: Ohio has begun notifying Medicaid expansion enrollees about federal work requirements that will mandate 80 hours a month of work, community service, or schooling starting Jan. 1, 2027. (More)

➤ Akron: Prosecutors dropped nine lesser charges against former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and lobbyist Michael Dowling in the House Bill 6 case, though the central bribery and corruption counts remain. (More)

➤ Youngstown: Ohio attorney general candidates Keith Faber and John Kulewicz will debate at Youngstown State University on Oct. 19 at 2:30 p.m., with retired journalist Tony Paglia moderating. (See Details)

➤ Toledo: Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Don Kissick and secretary of state candidate Tom Pruss found a body in the Maumee River near downtown Thursday while preparing to film a campaign video. (More)

➤ Dayton: Breeze Airways has launched weekday nonstop flights from Dayton International Airport to Fort Lauderdale, with one-way fares starting at $49. (More)

➤ Utica: Lynd Fruit Farm, a family-owned Pataskala apple orchard, bought a 74-acre property for $1.76 million at auction with the goal of protecting the land from development. (More)

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➤ Ohio State hosts Maryland for homecoming today as a 34.5-point favorite in Ryan Day's 100th game as head coach. Receiver Jeremiah Smith is chasing a third straight 200-yard game. (More)

➤ Buckeye fans can enjoy popcorn at the game with a new, exclusive bucket shaped like an Ohio State football helmet, which the university unveiled Friday. (See Photos)

➤ The Cleveland Guardians host the Chicago White Sox tonight in a winner-take-all ALDS Game 5 after rallying from a 2-0 series deficit. The winner advances to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS. (More)

➤ Ohio’s high school soccer state championships will move to ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, home of the Columbus Crew, Nov. 13-16 while Historic Crew Stadium undergoes turf maintenance. (More)

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Genius Gadgets: The 37 That Actually Earn Their Keep

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➤ The Ohio State University Marching Band, known as TBDBITL, will take fan-favorite halftime shows and school tunes to the stage for a hometown concert at Mershon Auditorium on Nov. 20. Tickets start at $18. (See Details)

➤ Giant pumpkins line downtown Hamilton through tomorrow for the 15th annual Operation Pumpkin Festival, with live sculpting taking place today. (See Details)

➤ Bratenahl neighbors criticized Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as an "absentee" couple amid a fight over fencing and landscaping at their lakefront mansion. One called the pair a "tremendous blow" to the community's "peace and quiet." (More)

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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.

➤ The IRS is mailing notices about $1,000 in free retirement money, but strict cutoffs apply. (Listen Now)

➤ This year’s Nobel Peace Prize went to a South African jurist, drawing swift condemnation from Israel. (Hear Details)

➤ Severe turbulence forced a Colombia-to-New York flight to divert to Miami, sending at least eight people to the hospital. (Podcast Available)

Who wins tonight's ALDS Game 5?

Yesterday's Results:

Which feature would you most want at a dream home?

Private lake: 27%
Big garage: 24%
Guest cottage: 18%
Indoor pool: 16%
Other: 11%
Horse barn: 4%

Which university’s marching band performed an early version of Script Ohio four years before Ohio State debuted its own?

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$615K for Downtowns, Google’s Home Repair Fund, Folk Fest Weekend

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1956, American film and television producer Mark Gordon was born in Newport News. Known for producing Saving Private Ryan, Speed, The Day After Tomorrow, Grey’s Anatomy, and Criminal Minds, he also served as president of the Producers Guild of America.

About 200,000 people are expected on Richmond’s riverfront this weekend as the Richmond Folk Festival marks its 22nd year, and tonight’s headliner is a family affair, with about 45 of the late D’Angelo’s relatives taking the stage in his honor. Find out more in Et Cetera!

Speaking of live music, we want to hear from you: What’s the best concert or music festival you’ve ever been to? Hit reply and let us know.

Today’s sponsor is Curated Gift Guides, rounding up 37 of the most useful and ingenious gadgets of 2026 designed to solve everyday problems and make great gifts.

22 Downtowns Split $615K in Grants

Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday announced $615,000 in Main Street grants for 22 Virginia downtowns, with projects ranging from directional signs to alley murals.

The biggest checks, $75,000 each, went to Farmville for downtown wayfinding and to Hampton’s Phoebus neighborhood for its Clock Alley project. In Southwest and western Virginia, Galax drew $50,000, while Christiansburg, Pulaski, Rocky Mount, and Clifton Forge got $15,000 apiece and Boones Mill got $5,000.

Galax and Pulaski are putting their money toward new directional signs, while Clifton Forge is buying amphitheater seating. In Fredericksburg, $17,000 will pay for three murals, new banners, and lighting in the alley leading into Market Square.

The governor’s office said the grants are expected to draw more than $230,000 in matching local public and private money.

Google Commits $10M to Home Repairs

Google is giving $10 million to help Virginians cut their utility bills, including about $1.8 million for homes near the data center it's building in Botetourt County.

The Virginia Community Action Partnership gets about $9.5 million for statewide work, and Dillwyn nonprofit FLIPP Inc. gets $500,000 to train home-repair workers. Google said low- and moderate-income households near its data centers in Botetourt, Loudoun, Prince William, and Chesterfield counties and Hampton Roads will get priority.

In Botetourt, Roanoke-based Total Action for Progress will help about 80 homeowners near the Greenfield industrial park make repairs over the next year, and $260,000 will train 40 people for construction, HVAC, and electrical jobs. Google said many of those homes are older, with leaky roofs, poor insulation, and outdated wiring, adding, "Many households need more than the available programs can cover."

The money comes from Google's $15 million Energy Impact Fund, which the company launched in June.

Virginia Tech Dogs Sniff Out Lanternflies

Virginia Tech is training dogs to sniff out spotted lanternflies and the egg masses the invasive bugs hide in hard-to-see places.

The research, underway since 2023, has found that trained dogs can find the insects better than people can. Sally Dickinson of the university’s School of Animal Sciences said, “The egg masses are typically laid in really hard to see places. And so, the dogs use odor to detect those.”

Dickinson said dogs could be trained to detect almost any major pest, giving vineyards, lumber yards, and other outdoor businesses a way to clear out invasive insects on their own. She added that the work has helped shy dogs become more confident, since searching by smell comes naturally to them.

A total of 182 dogs have been admitted to the program, and a few dozen dog-and-handler teams are still carrying on the research.

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The 37 Best Gadgets of 2026 You Won’t Find in Stores

Learn More

➤ Haysi: All six Town Council members voted to begin expelling Mayor Larry Yates after his September arrest on felony embezzlement, credit card fraud, and public-asset charges. Yates, free on bond, can appear before the council at an Oct. 19 hearing. (More)

➤ Bedford County: The School Board votes Oct. 15 on closing a second school: Otter River Elementary, Big Island Elementary, or Bedford Primary. Its redistricting plan already closes Stewartsville Elementary, and some parents say Forest-area schools are nearing capacity. (More)

➤ Manassas: Police shut down six massage businesses and arrested three people Tuesday in Operation False Front, seizing several hundred thousand dollars in cash. Police said they found several human-trafficking victims and connected them with services. (More)

➤ Amherst County: Geenex Power wants to build a small modular reactor project generating up to 650 megawatts on about 250 acres between Joshua Falls Road and a bend of the James River, across from Appalachian Power’s Joshua Falls substation. (More)

➤ Hampton Roads and Richmond: Haynes Furniture and The Dump Luxe Furniture Outlet are closing for good after 128 years, ending four Haynes stores in Newport News, Virginia Beach, and Richmond, plus Dump locations in Norfolk and Richmond. Liquidation sales began Thursday. (See Stores)

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➤ A former Cavalier whose rise with her twin sister inspired the 2002 Disney Channel movie Double Teamed has died at 54. Heidi Burge Horton helped Virginia reach three Final Fours before playing for the Los Angeles Sparks and Washington Mystics. (More)

➤ Central Virginia high school football teams took the field last night for Week 7, with scores and highlights from across the Richmond area. (See Scores)

➤ Virginia hosts Syracuse tonight in a primetime Homecoming game at Scott Stadium, looking to bounce back from last week’s loss at Florida State. All three Virginia On SI staff writers pick the Cavaliers to win by double digits but say UVA must clean up its missed tackles and revive the run game that powered its first three wins. (See Predictions)

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Flying together with our sponsor

Genius Gadgets: The 37 That Actually Earn Their Keep

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➤ The Richmond Folk Festival continues today and Sunday on the riverfront for its 22nd year and is expected to draw about 200,000 people over three days, with free admission and a $10 daily donation requested. Saturday’s 5 p.m. headliner at Allianz Amphitheater is a tribute to the late R&B singer D’Angelo, with about 45 of his relatives on stage. (More)

➤ The Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s 2026 Christmas ornament features Colonial Williamsburg’s reconstructed Capitol, where Virginia’s first General Assembly met in October 1776. It’s the ninth ornament in the museum’s annual series. (More)

➤ Eleanor Ipson, wife of Holocaust survivor and Virginia Holocaust Museum founder Jay Ipson, died Oct. 5 at 87. When Jay first saw her dancing at a party in Canada, he told a friend, “That’s the woman I’m going to marry,” and they were married 67 years. (More)

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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.

➤ The IRS is mailing notices about $1,000 in free retirement money, but strict cutoffs apply. (Listen Now)

➤ This year’s Nobel Peace Prize went to a South African jurist, drawing swift condemnation from Israel. (Hear Details)

➤ Severe turbulence forced a Colombia-to-New York flight to divert to Miami, sending at least eight people to the hospital. (Podcast Available)