Saturday, October 3, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November a national Thanksgiving, capping a 17-year campaign by Sarah Josepha Hale, the Philadelphia-based editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book.

Amish riders just finished a 30-mile wagon trek to honor the Stoltzfus family’s first American ancestor. Learn more in Top Stories, then hit reply and tell us the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your own family roots.

Sick season is here. Plenty of people are coughing and clearing their throats through every conversation, but that stubborn tickle might have nothing to do with the cold going around. Doctors point to a surprising culprit, and your go-to remedy could be making things worse. Amy breaks down that stuck-in-your-throat feeling on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Is your trusty allergy pill actually helping? Which popular nasal spray should never be used for more than three days? And what if that lump in your throat isn’t really there? Tune in here!

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WVU Takes Over 5 Hospitals

Five western Pennsylvania hospitals officially joined WVU Medicine Thursday as West Virginia University Health System completed its acquisition of Greensburg-based Independence Health System.

The deal, which comes with an $800 million investment pledge, brings Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe, and Westmoreland hospitals, with 925 beds and nearly 7,000 employees, into a system that now spans 30 hospitals in four states.

Under an agreement with the state attorney general, WVU must keep the hospitals open for at least five years and report any significant service changes.

A WVU spokesperson said the move will widen emergency care for the hospitals, which serve 750,000 people in more than 10 counties.

Video Shows Mangione’s Altoona Arrest

Newly unsealed police body camera footage shows Altoona officers handcuffing Luigi Mangione inside a McDonald’s in 2024, ending a five-day manhunt after the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Officers asked him to lower his face mask, and one quickly said, “That’s 100% him.” Asked why he’d lied about his name, Mangione said he “clearly shouldn’t have.”

The videos, from eight Altoona officers’ body cameras, also show the station search in which an officer found a gun in his backpack.

A Manhattan judge unsealed the videos Friday after a news outlet petitioned. Mangione has pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges and faces life in prison.

Amish Wagon Train Retraces Family Roots

A few dozen Amish riders set out by horse and wagon Thursday from a Leacock Township farm on a 30-mile, two-day trek to the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead in Berks County.

“Ninety percent of the Amish in Lancaster County all descend from the Stoltzfuses, even if they’re not called Stoltzfus,” said organizer Ben Riehl, whose own mother was born a Stoltzfus.

German immigrant Nicholas Stoltzfus and his son Christian bought the Wyomissing farmhouse in 1771, and the family gave rise to every Stoltzfus in America. The trek ends today with the dedication of the homestead’s new Beiler-Renno Pavilion.

The stone house dates to the early 1700s, and a replica barn built in 2011 now hosts private parties and history lessons.

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➤ Statewide: Archery deer season opens today and runs through Nov. 20, the first year with hunting allowed on every Sunday within the season, thanks to last year’s new law. (See Season Dates)

Also Statewide: Stacy Garrity, R, Athens, says skill games should be taxed below the 52% casino rate Gov. Josh Shapiro wants, though “the answer is not zero.” Machines face seizure Oct. 14. (Hear Her Take)

➤ Harrisburg: Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R, Butler County, denies claims he used a homophobic slur about Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta at a bar. Two GOP colleagues who were there said they heard none. (Read More)

➤ Pittsburgh: Two teen boys and a teen girl were shot near Cupples Stadium Thursday night as officers tried to break up fights after a City League game. All three are stable. (See Details)

➤ Philadelphia: Eagles tailgaters won concessions on new parking rules before Sunday’s game. Regular cars can now unload in oversized-vehicle lots during the first hour, and Lot P regulars keep their spots. (Read More)

➤ York: Mayor Sandie Walker gave the city’s first State of the City address since 2017, touting a 40% drop in firearm incidents, 40 repaired homes, and more than 160 filled potholes. (See Highlights)

➤ Pitt rallied from a two-score deficit to beat previously unbeaten Virginia Tech 35-33, improving to 5-0 for the second time in three seasons. The Hokies missed a 36-yard field goal as time expired. (Watch Kick)

➤ Penn State managed just 48 rushing yards to Northwestern’s 413 in a 34-13 loss to the Wildcats in the inaugural game at Northwestern’s new Ryan Field. It’s the Nittany Lions’ second straight defeat. (More)

➤ The Phillies reportedly plan to “gracefully” part with interim manager Don Mattingly, likely next week, and offer him a chance to stay in the organization after Thursday’s season-ending loss in Atlanta. (See Report)

➤ The Hershey Bears will debut their first glow-in-the-dark jerseys Sunday against the Charlotte Checkers. The black sweaters, inspired by Hersheypark’s Dark Nights haunted attraction, will be auctioned off after the game. (See Jerseys)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | NHL | WNBA | Soccer | Golf

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➤ Gazebo Room salad dressing fans are shrugging off a price hike blamed on rising oil and packaging costs. “They could increase to $100 a bottle and I’d still buy,” one wrote. (Pour It On)

➤ Mellow Mushroom will open its first Pennsylvania restaurant in fall 2027 on Hershey’s Chocolate Avenue, pairing its retro-psychedelic look with nods to the town’s chocolate history. (Get a Slice)

➤ Police and firefighters in Lancaster County will face off on the ice Oct. 24 at the Lancaster Ice Rink in their third annual charity hockey game. (Drop the Puck)

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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.

➤ Sick season is here, and doctors say relief for that stubborn throat starts with one surprising fix. (Listen Now)

➤ Nobel watchers say the International Space Station is a serious Peace Prize contender this year, alongside far more contentious earthbound names. (Hear Names)

➤ Pope Leo XIV is urging artists to join the church in a fight to protect human creativity from artificial intelligence. (Podcast Available)