Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1919, the Great Steel Strike began in Pennsylvania’s mill towns. More than 350,000 workers walked off the job in one of the largest labor uprisings in American history.

Toys ‘R’ Us is staging a comeback, with at least 21 new Pennsylvania stores opening this holiday season, nearly a decade after the chain went bankrupt. What’s the one toy you begged your parents for as a kid that you still remember unwrapping? Reply and tell us!

Have you picked your retirement date yet? A new study says that choice may shape how long you live, not just how much you save. What happens to your odds if you work one more year? And does it matter whether you leave the job healthy or already sick? Ayla walks through what the researchers found on today’s episode of The Flyover Podcast. Tune in here!

Today’s sponsor is hear.com, offering the sleek, AI-powered Horizon IX hearing aid designed to deliver clearer, more natural sound with personalized technology you won’t find at big-box stores.

Shapiro Responds to Latest Measles Jab

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro fired back at President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. amid a bitter dispute over the state’s measles outbreak, which has been tied to four deaths.

The clash escalated after Trump, in the Oval Office, called Shapiro a “bad governor” who is “close to incompetent.” Kennedy, standing nearby, accused Shapiro of refusing to cooperate with the CDC and of politicizing the outbreak for political gain.

Shapiro, a Democrat, shot back that “incompetence is standing right behind you, Mr. President,” saying the administration downplayed the deaths and stoked vaccine skepticism.

The feud centers on Pennsylvania’s outbreak, the nation’s worst, with nearly 800 cases across 38 counties.

Dozens of Superloads Rumble toward Data Center

A second massive “superload” shipment made its slow trek across Western Pennsylvania this week, bound for a data center site near Homer City.

It’s the second of dozens of such oversized hauls planned for the region in the coming months. The shipments are so large that they require special routing, escorts, and traffic controls that can snarl local roads for hours.

The deliveries feed the buildout of a sprawling data center rising on the site of a former coal-fired power plant, part of Pennsylvania’s push to court the energy-hungry industry.

For drivers, though, the immediate story is patience, as one superload after another creeps through the region well into the fall.

Turnpike Toll Signs Could Get Clearer

State Rep. Joe Ciresi is proposing legislation to require the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to post standardized signs showing toll rates at entrances.

The signs would display charges by vehicle classification, so drivers know what they’ll owe before they commit to the road.

The proposal lands as the Turnpike announced a 3.5% toll increase taking effect in January 2027, the latest in a long run of annual hikes.

Supporters say clear pricing is basic consumer fairness on one of the nation’s busiest toll roads. If passed, the measure would bring the Turnpike closer to the upfront pricing drivers already see at many gas stations and retailers statewide.

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➤ Statewide: Thousands of eligible Pennsylvanians are missing out on utility assistance, but regulators are wary of a proposed data-sharing plan that would automatically enroll them. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: Pennsylvania climbed to No. 18 nationally for electric vehicle readiness in 2026 on a growing charging network, though it still trails neighbors like New Jersey and New York in charger density. (More)

➤ Western Pennsylvania: A flood watch was issued for much of Western Pennsylvania as waves of rain moved through, raising the risk of flooding across the region. (More)

➤ Dauphin County: The search on the Susquehanna River ended Monday when crews recovered the body of a jet skier near Hill Island, days after the person fell into the water. (More)

➤ Philadelphia: Equipment problems at Philadelphia International’s TRACON facility triggered a ground stop yesterday, delaying departures and rippling out to Newark and Teterboro. (More)

➤ Lebanon: An attorney says the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau fired its controller in retaliation for reporting her supervisor to HR. The employee died unexpectedly in May 2025. (More)

➤ Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is expected to be fine after undergoing a precautionary MRI on a stinger he suffered during Sunday’s win over the Titans. He returned to the game wearing a neck roll but was limited to five touches. (More)

➤ Pittsburgh no longer has a voice in Pro Football Hall of Fame voting after the Hall removed its lone Pittsburgh-based representative, longtime Post-Gazette columnist Gerry Dulac, as part of a broader overhaul of the selection process. (More)

➤ The Philadelphia Waterdogs won their second Premier Lacrosse League championship this week, routing the Denver Outlaws 14-4. League MVP CJ Kirst scored five goals and added two assists on his 24th birthday, setting a PLL championship game scoring record. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | WNBA | NHL | Soccer

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➤ Toys ‘R’ Us will open at least 21 Pennsylvania stores this holiday season, including four in Montgomery County and one in Bucks, as part of a 120-store national comeback nearly a decade after its 2017 bankruptcy. (More)

➤ Made Scientific acquired an 85,000-square-foot cell-therapy manufacturing facility in East Norriton from National Resilience, nearly doubling its East Coast footprint to about 145,000 square feet. (More)

➤ Michigan-based Total Fire Protection entered Pennsylvania by acquiring Victory Fire Protection of Pottstown, marking its ninth location and a broadened service lineup. (More)

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➤ A good Samaritan helped eight people escape a house fire in York through a second-story window before crews responded to the blaze. No injuries were reported in the initial account. (More)

➤ Chick-fil-A’s Western Pennsylvania expansion is set to bring nine new restaurant locations along the I-80 corridor and north of Pittsburgh by 2028. (More)

➤ Mazezilla’s patriotic corn maze is back in the Poconos, giving fall visitors a “Field of Freedom” to wander through this season at Klingel’s Farm in Saylorsburg. (See Photos)

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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.

➤ Researchers found the timing of your retirement may matter far more than just to your savings account. (Listen Now)

➤ Insiders at major AI companies are openly mocking viral warnings that the technology could wipe out humanity. (Hear Episode)

➤ The New York Times writer behind the 1619 Project now says her decade-long public school experiment may have cheated her own daughter. (Hear Details)