Monday, January 12, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 2015, Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott scored four rushing touchdowns in a 42–20 win over Oregon, lifting the Buckeyes to their first national title since the 2002 season.

The arrival of the new year also brings statewide celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary (the nation’s semiquincentennial). Learn how the Buckeye State plans to mark the occasion in today’s Top Stories.

Former Trump administration official Steve Bannon is laying the groundwork for a presidential run in 2028. How serious is he? Listen to Ayla Brown as she breaks down Bannon’s not-so-quiet moves towards a run in 2028 in today’s Flyover Podcast episode. Watch it here.

As AI reshapes the global economy beyond just chips, today’s sponsor, EnergyX, is positioning itself at the center of the massive lithium demand powering the next wave of innovation.

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.

FOP Alleges Deal With Suspect’s Family

Cincinnati’s Fraternal Order of Police said City Manager Sheryl Long is negotiating a settlement with the family of Rodney Hinton Jr., who is charged with killing Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Henderson.

“This is an absolute outrage—crime literally pays in Cincinnati under this city manager,” Cincinnati FOP President Ken Kober wrote in a letter.

The settlement centers on the fatal police shooting of Hinton’s 18-year-old son in May 2025, which was ruled justified. After Hinton watched body-camera footage of the shooting, he allegedly struck Henderson with a car, killing the deputy.

Kober said a source at City Hall told him about the alleged agreement, but Long said no agreement has been reached.

ICE Protests Spread After Shooting, Arrests

Anti-ICE protests spread across Columbus, Cleveland, and other Ohio cities over the weekend, with demonstrators calling for the agency to leave the state after a deadly shooting involving an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

Meanwhile, federal immigration authorities said 280 people were arrested in Ohio from Dec. 16–21 as part of “Operation Buckeye.”

Vice President JD Vance, an Ohioan, commented on the video of the Minnesota shooting, writing, “Watch this, as hard as it is. Many of you have been told this law enforcement officer wasn’t hit by a car, wasn’t being harassed, and murdered an innocent woman. The reality is that his life was endangered, and he fired in self-defense.”

Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said Columbus police do not partner with federal immigration enforcement, nor do they “police solely on the face of immigration.”

Ohio Kicks Off America 250 Celebration

The Ohio Statehouse atrium was decorated in red, white, and blue last week as a choir and visitors sang patriotic songs to kick off Ohio’s yearlong celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Lawmakers earmarked $16.25 million for the state’s semiquincentennial commission to fund events in all 88 counties through November.

Ohioans can mark the anniversary by visiting museums and historic sites, walking trails, taking train rides, seeing Ohio-related movies, and more.

A complete calendar of America 250 in Ohio events is available on the program’s website.

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Nvidia’s Not the Only Winner of the AI Boom

The AI boom’s demand for chips turned Nvidia into the most valuable company on the market. But chips won’t be the only winner.

Keeping these AI processors running is creating substantial new demand for lithium. Google alone needs 100+ million lithium-ion cells to power its AI data centers.

With experts forecasting 5X lithium demand growth by 2040, it’s no wonder 40,000+ investors backed EnergyX. Their patented tech can recover 3X more lithium than traditional methods. That’s already earned investment from giants like General Motors and POSCO.

Now, they’re moving toward commercial production. With 100,000+ acres of lithium deposits in Chile, that’s a potential $1.1B in annual revenue opportunity at projected market prices.

Invest in this boom as an early-stage EnergyX shareholder today.*

➤ Statewide: The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported traffic deaths fell for a fourth straight year, dropping 3% in 2025 to 1,125 fatalities statewide. (More)

➤ Also statewide: Republican Heather Hill picked actor and businessman Stuart Moats, a retired U.S. Air Force major, as her running mate in the Ohio governor’s race. (More)

➤ Columbus: Michael McKee, the ex-husband of Monique Tepe, has been charged in connection with the Dec. 30 murders of Monique and her husband, Spencer Tepe. (More)

➤ Columbus: Students living in Taylor Tower at Ohio State University must relocate for the spring semester after a burst water pipe caused “major” flooding. (More)

➤ Defiance County: The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved a 20% rate increase for Christi Water System customers, overruling objections from the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel over charging consumers for water leaks. (More)

➤ St. Bernard: Mayor Jonathan Stuchell said a leak in a holding tank at the Synthica water treatment plant caused a village-wide foul odor. (More)

➤ A Franklin County judge extended a temporary restraining order blocking the state from using unclaimed funds for a proposed Cleveland Browns stadium in Brook Park as the court weighs a preliminary injunction. (More)

➤ The Ohio State University men’s hockey team upset No. 2 Michigan State 2-1 on Saturday as captain Davis Burnside scored the third-period game-winner and freshman goalie Sam Hillebrandt earned his first collegiate win. (More)

➤ Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore was arrested in Lakewood and charged with improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle and carrying concealed weapons. (More)

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➤ Michigan-based Taikisha USA, Inc., an industrial paint-finishing systems manufacturer, said it will close its Columbus plant at the end of May and lay off 81 workers. (More)

➤ Recreational marijuana sales in Ohio topped $836 million in 2025, the first full year of legal sales, up from $242 million in 2024. (More)

➤ A proposed Ohio Environmental Protection Agency permit would allow data centers to discharge wastewater into state waterways, with the Ohio EPA saying any approvals would include strict limits and monitoring requirements. (More)

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Investors Can’t Get Enough of This Precious Metal

The price of lithium recently hit its highest levels since late 2023.

No surprise with experts expecting demand to jump 30-40% next year and Google deploying 100+ million lithium-ion cells to help power their AI data centers.

Even less surprising? 40,000+ people joined General Motors as early-stage EnergyX investors to get a piece of this boom. Their patented tech recovers up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods. It’s more than the tech turning heads, though.

They’re moving toward commercial production on 100,000+ acres of lithium-rich Chilean land, a potential $1.1B annual revenue opportunity at projected market prices. Next up? ~50,000 acres of deposits in Arkansas and Texas.

Become an early-stage EnergyX investor today.

Comparisons to other companies are for informational purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (“EnergyX”) has engaged The Flyover to publish this communication in connection with EnergyX’s ongoing Regulation A offering. The Flyover has been paid in cash and may receive additional compensation. The Flyover and/or its affiliates do not currently hold securities of EnergyX.
This compensation and any current or future ownership interest could create a conflict of interest. Please consider this disclosure alongside EnergyX’s offering materials. EnergyX’s Regulation A offering has been qualified by the SEC. Offers and sales may be made only by means of the qualified offering circular. Before investing, carefully review the offering circular, including the risk factors. The offering circular is available at invest.energyx.com/.

➤ The Akron Zoo recorded its second-best attendance year in 2025 with 415,403 visitors and set a one-day record on May 11, drawing 7,332 guests. (More)

➤ Two sibling terriers from the Humane Society of Greater Dayton will compete in the Puppy Bowl, airing on Feb. 8 ahead of the Super Bowl. (More)

➤ A winning $1 million Powerball ticket was sold at an Acme Fresh Market in Akron, although no one won Saturday night’s $124 million jackpot. (More)

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