Saturday, September 26, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1774, John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, was born in Massachusetts. He planted his first apple nursery in northwestern Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Valley, and by 1801 he was hauling bushels of seeds from western Pennsylvania down the Ohio River.

The age at which Americans can start collecting full Social Security checks could drop for millions of workers. A new bill in Congress would move retirement up years early for some, just as Social Security speeds toward insolvency, and not everyone thinks it’s a good idea. So who would qualify, and who gets left out? Amy has the full story on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor, Splash Spotless Cleaning Products, is here to upgrade your cleaning routine with a hands-free foam toilet cleaner that tackles stains and odors without scrubbing. Just pour, let it foam, and flush for a fresh, sparkling bathroom.

Butler Rally Shooting Victim Dies

James Copenhaver, one of three rally-goers shot during the 2024 assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, has died at 76, his lawyer said Thursday.

Attorney General Dave Sunday said Copenhaver died “from complications stemming from those wounds.” One bullet hit his triceps and another damaged his colon, leaving him with nerve damage.

The Moon Township man still carried bullet fragments near his spine, author Ken Silva said. The medical examiner hasn’t released a cause of death. Corey Comperatore was killed at the rally.

Trump called him a “true American Patriot,” and Gov. Josh Shapiro said the political violence that occurred in Butler “is never okay.”

Edgewood Mourns Slain UPMC Doctor

Dr. Idris Evans, 46, was stabbed to death early Thursday when an intruder attacked him and his wife as they slept in their Edgewood home.

UPMC called Evans, a pediatric critical care doctor and Pitt assistant professor, “a dedicated caregiver.” His wife was also stabbed and hospitalized, and their two children escaped unharmed.

Police charged a 32-year-old man with homicide and aggravated assault. He had been released without bail after a July burglary arrest, and police don’t know whether he knew Evans.

Neighbor Jeannine Fisher recalled Evans helping carry her groceries the day they met and the family’s big backyard Halloween parties. “They’re a wonderful family and they didn’t deserve this,” she said.

Penn’s Cave Hits the Market

Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park, owned by the Campbell family since 1908, is looking for its next owner for the first time in 118 years, with proposals accepted starting Oct. 1.

The 1,400-acre Centre County property, first developed in 1885, is listed for $34 million. Owner Russ Schleiden had pitched it as a state park, and county commissioners backed the idea.

The proposal would make it Pennsylvania’s 126th state park, but the state budget passed without the needed legislation. State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff says he’ll try again if reelected.

Visitors tour the all-water cavern by flat-bottom boat, and it’s the only Pennsylvania cave on the National Register of Historic Places.

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➤ Statewide: Lawmakers return Monday from a 10-week recess with skill games, data centers, and utility costs unresolved. The Senate has just six session days before the Oct. 13 skill games deadline. (More)

➤ Central Pennsylvania: Cider is topping $12 a gallon at some grocery stores after the spring freeze. Strite’s Orchard, which would normally be pressing 1,000 gallons a week, is bringing cider in. (More)

➤ Pittsburgh: PennDOT’s $14.3 million fix for the Parkway East’s flood-prone “Bathtub” starts Oct. 1, with ramp closures and lane restrictions lasting through August 2027. Each flood diverts about 43,000 vehicles. (More)

➤ Luzerne County: Council unanimously vetoed selling the county rail line to R.J. Corman Railroad Group, setting up special meetings next week. If no sale closes by Oct. 9, the county takes over the line. (More)

➤ Philadelphia: The nor’easter will hit New Jersey hardest this weekend, but United, American, and JetBlue are already letting travelers change flights through Philadelphia International for free. (More)

➤ Allentown: PPL Electric won up to $71.5 million in federal matching funds to upgrade 29.3 miles of transmission lines through Columbia, Luzerne, and Montour counties, nearly tripling their capacity. (More)

➤ No. 13 Penn State opens Big Ten play today by hosting Wisconsin for Homecoming. The Nittany Lions have beaten the Badgers six straight times. (See Preview)

➤ Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko left for Russia after his father died during a fishing trip. Russian media reported that a bear killed 62-year-old Alexander Kuzmenko in southern Siberia. (More)

➤ Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras drew a two-minute delay-of-game penalty for tucking his jersey into his pants during a preseason win over the Boston Bruins. The last recorded jersey-tuck penalties came in 2013. (More)

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

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➤ Chuck Norris spent years researching what he believed were hidden threats inside the body that contribute to “rapid aging.” He identified three “internal enemies” that may affect energy, digestion, muscles, and joints. Before his passing, Chuck recorded a short video explaining what he discovered and the approach he believed could help. Watch the video here >>

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➤ DelGrosso’s Park hosts its 39th Harvest Fest this weekend in Blair County, with craft vendors, puppet shows, and a petting zoo, while local fire companies and churches raise money. (More)

➤ A lost Revolutionary War fort may be turning up in Centre County, where Juniata College’s “battlefield detectives” have found musket balls at the suspected site of Watsons Fort. (More)

➤ Hundreds of vintage sellers and makers will fill three Fishtown blocks along Frankford Avenue Oct. 3 for Now + Then Marketplace’s Mega Market, the series’ eighth edition. (More)

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➤ Most Americans think eating sweets for breakfast is unhealthy… But according to Stanford researchers, there’s one delicious “dessert” food that Costa Ricans in the famous “blue zone” there eat each morning that… So, what’s the #1 “dessert” food that helps Costa Ricans live healthy, lean, and energetic past 100?

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.

➤ Some American workers could start collecting full Social Security years early, but critics warn of fallout. (Hear Details)

➤ Coastal flood alerts cover 33 million people as a rare multiday nor’easter threatens the East Coast through the weekend. (Listen Now)

➤ The robotic spacecraft launched to save a failing NASA telescope has itself plunged back to Earth. (Podcast Available)