Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Trump Rally, Gas Tax Vote This Week, and Giant Pumpkin

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1916, newspapers reported that Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller, who built his empire in Cleveland, had become the world's first billionaire.

A 1,837-pound pumpkin won the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival's weigh-off. See pictures in Et Cetera.

Could your pet be adding years to your life? A study that followed 3.4 million people for 12 years found that owners of a particular pet were 40% less likely to die during that period than those who didn't own it. And no, it's not a golden retriever. Ayla counts down the seven pets linked to longer lives on today's episode of The Flyover Podcast. Where do cats fall? Are pet fish, reptiles, or even chickens in the top seven? And which pet landed at No. 1? Tune in here to find out!

Later today, watch for an email from our partner, Green Coffee Company, about its farm-to-shelf coffee business and a private investment offering at $1.10 per share through Sept. 30.

If you haven't compared your car insurance in a while, there's a good chance you're paying more than you need to. Even if you checked rates a year ago, the market has changed. That's why today's sponsor, Insurify, makes it easy to compare quotes from more than 120 insurers in just a few minutes.

Trump to Rally for Husted

President Trump will hold a rally in Vandalia on Saturday for Sen. Jon Husted, who faces a competitive challenge from former Sen. Sherrod Brown.

The event is set for 5:30 p.m. at Butler High School, with doors opening at 3:30 p.m. Trump carried Ohio by 11 percentage points in 2024.

Husted, a former lieutenant governor, was appointed to the seat JD Vance left to become vice president. Brown, a Democrat, is seeking a comeback two years after losing to Sen. Bernie Moreno.

Ohio GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou called Trump the party's "best messenger against lifelong politician Sherrod Brown." At a Fremont rally last week, Brown cast the race as workers versus corporate interests, and Husted's campaign called his claims lies.

Ohio Infant Deaths Hit Decade Low

Ohio's infant mortality rate fell to 6.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, the lowest in a decade of reporting.

That's still above the national rate of 5.36, according to the CDC. The rate for black infants is 12.6 per 1,000, more than 2.5 times the rate for white infants.

Groundwork Ohio's Caitlin Feasby credited more than a decade of bipartisan work, including a full year of postpartum Medicaid coverage. Advocates told the Ohio Capital Journal that many mothers still feel unheard by providers.

"Access alone is not enough," said Maleka James of Dayton Children's Hospital.

Advocates want lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 396, which would create up to 18 weeks of family and medical leave insurance. The bill had a first hearing in June.

Lawmakers Return for Gas Tax Vote

Ohio lawmakers return to Columbus Wednesday to vote on suspending the state's gas tax for 90 days.

The pause would lift the 38.5-cent tax on gasoline and 47-cent tax on diesel, costing an estimated $640 million to $700 million. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who's running for governor, says it would save a typical family about $165.

Because it would take effect immediately, the bill needs 66 votes in the House, and Speaker Matt Huffman said that will take Democratic support. Democrat Amy Acton called for a gas tax holiday hours before Ramaswamy, and her campaign accused him of copying her.

Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio called the session a "Hail Mary" for a candidate trailing in the polls. Local officials warn the pause could cost millions in road funding, and Gov. Mike DeWine opposed a similar suspension earlier this year.

A Note from Cole, CEO of The Flyover

Dear Reader,

Buried in the official editorial guidelines of one of the world's largest news organizations—on the books for decades, published for anyone to read—is a remarkable sentence. It says the word terrorist "can be a barrier rather than an aid to understanding."

The written policy is that the plainest true word for an act of terror gets in the way of understanding it.

That's not one outlet's quirk. It's mainstream media doctrine. And last month, you got to see where doctrine like that leads. Ahead of the 25th anniversary of September 11, reporters at another major news organization, a national public broadcaster, received a memo from the standards office: "Do not refer to the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist attacks."

The approved language for the deadliest terrorist attack in American history, in which nearly 3,000 people were murdered, was "hijackings that led to plane crashes."

The memo leaked. Two days of daylight later, the broadcaster backed down. Sort of. They carved out an exception for 9/11, and only 9/11. The rule stands.

And their defense was telling. They didn't argue that the rule is right. They argued that it's the industry standard and that newsrooms everywhere follow the same practice.

The worst part is, they're right. It is the standard. That's the problem.

You know why we exist. The truth isn't a barrier to understanding. It's the only road there. The facts arrive the way we found them, in plain words, and you decide what they mean. That's your job, and we'd never dream of doing it for you.

We call things what they are.

We keep the spin out and trust you with the facts.

And The Flyover stays free.

A terrorist attack is a terrorist attack. We'd print that sentence any day of the week. No memo required.

So today I'm asking: if news that calls things what they are is something you want to see thrive, will you stand behind it?

Support the news in plain words. Free, every morning.

Make a generous donation to support The Flyover.

Give $10
Give $25
Give $50
Give $100

Our promise: we answer to you.

Help us keep it.

— Cole CEO, The Flyover

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➤ Statewide: County auditors say Ohio overpaid some school districts nearly $54 million and shorted others about $15 million under the new Inflation Cap Credit for homeowners, with a few districts getting nothing. Lawmakers plan to fix the formula after the November election. (See Details)

➤ Cleveland: Cleveland Orchestra musicians agreed to a new three-year contract Sunday, ending a strike that began at midnight Friday and canceled a Severance Music Center concert. The orchestra leaves today for a European tour. (More)

➤ Akron: Crews used explosives Sunday to drop the steel arches of the 1953 State Route 8 bridge into the valley below. The $158 million project's new northbound span is expected to open by fall 2028. (See Video)

➤ Southington: Southington Christian Church packed 240 shoeboxes Sunday for Operation Christmas Child, which ships gifts to children worldwide. Each box holds hygiene and school supplies, a stuffed animal or doll, and a letter with photos from the congregation. (Read Story)

➤ Toledo: Firefighter Kenasia Guilford faces abduction, burglary, and two theft charges after court records say she handcuffed a man to a staircase in her West Toledo home. She's also accused of stealing a car, a cellphone, and a house key she used to break into a home. (More)

➤ Franklin County: Mosquito spraying occurred in parts of Hilliard and Dublin on Monday, after mosquitoes collected in traps tested positive for West Nile virus. (More)

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➤ Ohio State climbed two spots to No. 5 in the AP Top 25 after Saturday's 42-19 win over Illinois, passing Indiana as the Big Ten's top-ranked team. The Buckeyes moved up one spot to No. 6 in the Coaches Poll, behind the Hoosiers. (More)

➤ The Cleveland Browns reportedly have no plans to trade quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel before the Nov. 10 deadline, despite injuries to starters around the league. Gabriel is on injured reserve and could return as soon as Week 5. (More)

➤ Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith: was named the AP's national player of the week after catching 12 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns against Illinois, leading the nation in all three categories. His four scores tied the school's single-game record. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | Soccer

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➤ Gas prices in Akron fell 28 cents in a week to $4.22 a gallon and Cleveland's dropped 17 cents to $4.37, according to GasBuddy, as Great Lakes prices eased after a major refinery restarted. Cleveland's average is still $1.48 above a year ago. (More)

➤ The main street at Brecksville's $678 million Valor Acres development is now open to pedestrians, and the first tenants are moving into its 221 downtown apartments. Insurance broker Hylant and CSA Group are also moving offices there. (See Photos)

➤ Barcelona Restaurant & Bar in German Village marks its 30th anniversary with wine dinners, a flamenco show, and other events through November. Barcelona says it has served about 1.5 million guests since 1996 and goes through roughly 6,000 bottles of wine a year. (Read Story)

➤ 7 Brew, a drive-thru coffee chain, opens its third Mahoning Valley stand Oct. 12 at Mahoning and Howard avenues in Austintown, a $1.7 million project. The Arkansas-based franchise has more than 700 locations in 38 states. (More)

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➤ Jerry Rose II of Huntsburg won the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival's weigh-off with a 1,837-pound pumpkin, his first title since 1993 and 1994. Rose has grown pumpkins for 47 years and says the giants can pack on 50 pounds a day. (See Photos)

➤ Downtown Columbus' 2,695-seat Palace Theatre turns 100 on Nov. 8, and CAPA is marking it with free trick-or-treating Oct. 21 and a Nov. 14 Ray Charles tribute hosted by Paul Shaffer. Built as a vaudeville house, it was designed in the spirit of France's Palace of Versailles. (See Details)

➤ Michigan State University researchers found that lake sturgeon may routinely live beyond 200 years, with some approaching 300. The prehistoric-looking fish vanished from the Maumee River about a century ago, and the Toledo Zoo has released hatchery-raised sturgeon there every fall since 2018. (Read Story)

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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.

➤ Scientists ranked the seven pets linked to longer lives, and No. 1 isn't a golden retriever. (Hear List)

➤ Every household in a Pennsylvania town was offered $10,000 by a data center developer, but residents are pushing back. (Hear Details)

➤ Experts say Spirit Halloween's real estate strategy quietly signals something about the shopping centers it moves into. (Listen Now)

Who will win Saturday's Ohio State-Iowa game?

Yesterday's Results:

What's your drink of choice on a night out?

Nonalcoholic: 27%
Beer: 23%
Wine: 17%
Cocktail: 17%
Whiskey: 9%
Other: 7%

In which Cleveland cemetery is John D. Rockefeller buried?

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Medicaid Fraud Recovery, Starbucks Closures, and 40 Pancakes

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1864, Union troops under Gen. Benjamin Butler launched the Battle of New Market Heights, near Richmond. A brigade of black soldiers played a key part in the battle, and 14 eventually received the Medal of Honor.

Forty pancakes. Ten minutes. One world record. Joey Chestnut ate at a pace of one pancake every 15 seconds Saturday in Williamsburg, beating the previous record by five and taking home $2,500. Find the syrup-soaked details in Et Cetera, then head to today’s Poll and tell us how many pancakes you could put away.

Later today, watch for an email from our partner, Green Coffee Company, about its farm-to-shelf coffee business and a private investment offering at $1.10 per share through Sept. 30.

Medicaid Fraud Unit Recovers More Than $21 Million

Virginia’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit recovered $21 million in court-ordered restitution, fines, penalties, and civil settlements during the fiscal year that ended June 30.

The unit employs more than 100 investigators, auditors, prosecutors, and support staff. It secured 53 convictions and 10 settlements during the year, raising its cumulative recoveries since 1982 above $4.1 billion.

A separate federal report highlighted the unit’s work with federal partners in the McKinsey & Co. investigation. The firm agreed to a $650 million criminal and civil resolution in 2024 over its advice to Purdue Pharma on OxyContin sales.

The case accounted for 52% of MFCU criminal recoveries nationwide in federal fiscal 2025. Virginians can report suspected fraud by calling 1-800-371-0824.

Starbucks Closes Four Virginia Stores

Starbucks closed four Virginia stores Saturday as part of approximately 250 North American closures. The affected locations were in Richmond, Charlottesville, and Harrisonburg.

The Richmond stores were at 400 N. Robinson St. in the Fan and 11735 W. Broad St. near Short Pump Town Center. The Fan location operated for 20 years before closing Sept. 26.

Starbucks said the closures represent approximately 1% of its more than 18,000 North American coffeehouses. The company selected locations that could not consistently deliver its intended experience or lacked a path to acceptable financial performance.

Property owner Charlie Diradour said he is fielding interest in the 4,100-square-foot Fan building. He has shelved a three-story mixed-use project planned for the adjoining parking lot.

42% of Virginia Households Food Insecure

Virginia’s first statewide hunger survey found that 42% of households experienced food insecurity between May 2025 and May 2026, meaning someone lacked consistent access to enough food.

Households with children were hit harder, with 51% experiencing food insecurity statewide. Regional rates ranged from 32% in Northern Virginia to 55% in Southwest Virginia.

More than 5,600 Virginians participated in the study, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago with Virginia Tech support. The survey followed the USDA’s 2025 decision to end its annual food-security reports.

A Note from Cole, CEO of The Flyover

Dear Reader,

The written policy is that the plainest true word for an act of terror gets in the way of understanding it.

The approved language for the deadliest terrorist attack in American history, in which nearly 3,000 people were murdered, was "hijackings that led to plane crashes."

The memo leaked. Two days of daylight later, the broadcaster backed down. Sort of. They carved out an exception for 9/11, and only 9/11. The rule stands.

And their defense was telling. They didn't argue that the rule is right. They argued that it's the industry standard and that newsrooms everywhere follow the same practice.

The worst part is, they're right. It is the standard. That's the problem.

We call things what they are.

We keep the spin out and trust you with the facts.

And The Flyover stays free.

A terrorist attack is a terrorist attack. We'd print that sentence any day of the week. No memo required.

So today I'm asking: if news that calls things what they are is something you want to see thrive, will you stand behind it?

Support the news in plain words. Free, every morning.

Make a generous donation to support The Flyover.

Give $25Give $50Give $100Give $250

Our promise: we answer to you.

Help us keep it.

— Cole CEO, The Flyover

Flying together with our sponsor

Your Insurance Rate Might Be Higher Than It Should Be

Many drivers simply renew their policy every six months without checking what else is available. A quick comparison could be one of the easiest ways to lower a monthly bill.

Compare your rates with Insurify today and see if you could save.

➤ Statewide: Virginia DMV wait times averaged 8.3 minutes in 2026, down nearly 80% from 37 minutes in 2019, following expanded appointments and redesigned service-center operations. (See Changes)

➤ Richmond: A man fired a gun multiple times near a VCU residential facility at West Broad and North Belvidere streets early Monday. VCU police arrested him within minutes. No one was injured, and police said he was not affiliated with the university. (See Arrest)

➤ Maryland: Enhanced enforcement against residents with improperly registered out-of-state vehicles, including those carrying Virginia tags, begins Oct. 1. Drivers still out of compliance 60 days later face fines of $7 per day, capped at $420 per vehicle. (Check Rules)

➤ Chesterfield County: Virginia and Chesterfield officials are preparing a request for proposals to build and operate a leachate pretreatment facility at the inactive Shoosmith landfill. Crews now haul 20,000 to 100,000 gallons of the contaminated wastewater off-site for treatment each day. (See Plans)

➤ Hampton Roads: Moore Comfort Home Care will pay $60,000 to settle an EEOC lawsuit alleging one owner subjected at least three women to sexual comments and unwelcome touching. A three-year consent decree also requires a third-party monitor, employee training, and policy changes. (See Settlement)

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➤ UVA running back Jekail Middlebrook will join coach Tony Elliott for Coach’s Corner from 7–8 p.m. Tuesday at Charlottesville’s Dairy Market. Fans can attend in person or listen on the Virginia Sports Radio Network. Middlebrook leads the Cavaliers with 177 rushing yards through four games. (See Details)

➤ Virginia Tech running back Jeffrey Overton Jr. earned ACC Running Back of the Week after rushing for a career-high 209 yards in Saturday’s 21-14 win over Boston College. His 76-yard fourth-quarter touchdown sealed the victory. (See Honor)

➤ UVA’s Homecomings game against Syracuse will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at Scott Stadium and air on the ACC Network. The matchup will also serve as Virginia’s Breast Cancer Awareness game. (See Kickoff)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | Soccer

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➤ Luna Innovations was acquired by an affiliate of New York-based TJC LP for $1.39 per share in cash, effective Sept. 18. The Blacksburg fiber-optic technology firm traded near $8 in early 2024 before accounting errors led to missed SEC filings and its Nasdaq delisting. (See Sale)

➤ Danville’s Caesars agreement would remain unchanged if Fertitta Entertainment completes its proposed $17.6 billion acquisition, City Manager Ken Larking said. The city is guaranteed at least $5 million annually, plus gaming taxes. Caesars shareholders approved the merger last week, but federal review continues. (See Agreement)

➤ Flying Biscuit Café signed a franchise agreement to bring its first Virginia location to the Richmond area. The Atlanta-based breakfast and brunch chain is searching for a site, with the address and opening date to be announced after a lease is signed. The franchise partners eventually hope to open three to five cafés. (See Plans)

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➤ Forty pancakes vanished in 10 minutes Saturday at Williamsburg’s Merchants Square, setting a world record. Joey Chestnut beat the previous mark of 35 and won $2,500 at the second annual World Pancake Eating Championship. (See Record)

➤ Six local beekeepers participated Saturday in Buchanan’s fifth annual Honey Festival. The event highlighted local honey and the important role honeybees play in farming. (Meet Beekeepers)

➤ Chincoteague’s Oyster Festival returns for its 53rd year Oct. 10 at Tom’s Cove Park. The $65 ticket includes all-you-can-eat seafood, including oysters on the half shell, oyster fritters, and clam chowder. Organizers say tickets are selling quickly. (See Menu)

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