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
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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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