Ohio Gets Some Relief at the Gas Pump, The Reason Behind Surging Electronics Prices, and More

Tuesday, October 6th, 2026

Good morning! Welcome to The Tradesman, a 5-minute newsletter tailored just for America’s tradesmen.

To listen to this newsletter, click “Listen Online” in the top right corner of this email.

Congratulations to Chuck P. of Roehrenbeck Electric for winning our gas card giveaway!

Chuck, we have sent you an email. Make sure you check your inbox to find out how to claim your prize!

We finally have some good gas news for you, in addition to the gas card giveaway we've been promoting.

On Sunday, a 90-day gas tax holiday began, suspending the state's tax of 38.5 cents a gallon on gasoline and 47 cents a gallon on diesel through Jan. 2.

With high gas prices hitting drivers across the country, U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is now urging Washington to temporarily suspend the 18.4-cent federal gas tax as well.

And yes, the weekly gas card giveaway continues.

The Congo Basin is home to some of the world's most dangerous and extreme river systems. Stretching across the center of Africa, its rivers are full of life-threatening rapids, crocodiles, hippos, disease, and more.

Now let us ask you this: Would you feel comfortable paddling down one of these rivers in nothing but an inflatable kayak?

That's exactly what adventurer Ash Dykes and his team are attempting right now. 

Dykes and two teammates have landed in Cameroon, where they plan to spend three to four weeks traveling the Sangha River. It's part of a larger effort dubbed "Project 6," in which Dykes plans to take on six of Earth's most extreme environments.

You can follow his journey on his TikTok page here.

If you've noticed that phones, computers, gaming consoles, and other electronics have been unusually expensive lately, you aren't imagining it.

As demand for AI has grown in America, so has demand for semiconductors, processors, and memory chips.

Because data centers require vast amounts of computing hardware, the components needed to make everyday electronics have become increasingly expensive to get, affecting everything from phones and TVs to washing machines and car displays.

The good news: Prices have dipped slightly since peaking in May, though they still haven't returned to where they were at the start of the year.

Some players, you have to find in the program or search for online. 

Others, you notice the second they appear on your big screen, making a one-handed catch while three defenders commit pass interference. 

At 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds, Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith is the second kind.

On Saturday at Iowa, he became the center of the college football universe. Smith caught 11 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 31-14 win, breaking Chris Olave's school record for career touchdown catches and Emeka Egbuka's record of 205 career receptions.

In just 34 games, the junior has 207 catches for 3,381 yards and 36 touchdowns, all Ohio State records. That's a full career for most receivers. Smith is only halfway through his third season.

He's now the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. Seriously, we're not convinced he's human. Somewhere, someone built him in a lab. To relive some of his most amazing catches, go here and marvel at this man.

Are you registered to vote?