The Flyover Podcast: Trump, FAA, and Retirement Hotspots - November 16

Political Developments

• 📌 President Trump announced he is withdrawing support from Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, calling her a "ranting lunatic" and vowing to back any primary challenger.
• ⚠️ Greene responded on X, suggesting her advocacy for releasing Epstein files and defending victims led to this.
• ⚖️ A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from cutting funding or fining the University of California system over alleged discrimination and anti-semitism.

Aviation and Travel Updates

• ✈️ The FAA has reduced flight cuts by half at 40 US airports, now requiring airlines to cut only 3% of flights, down from 6% during the government shutdown.
• 🧑‍✈️ This rollback is due to improved staffing levels for air traffic controllers, though the FAA is still short of targeted staffing by 3,500 controllers.

Best Places to Retire and Market News

• 🏡 Midland, Michigan was ranked the best place to retire by US News, topping a list of 850 cities based on affordability, quality of life, and healthcare access.
• 📈 Google plans to invest $40 billion in three new Texas data centers.
• 🚗 Toyota is recalling approximately 127,000 pickup trucks and SUVs (2022-2024 models) due to potential engine issues.
• 💰 The IRS has raised 2026 retirement plan limits, increasing 401k caps to $24,500 and IRA contribution limits to $7,500.

Additional News and Features

• 🐕 A new analysis of K9 skulls suggests dogs began transforming from wolves into companions much earlier than previously believed, with significant variation emerging by 11,000 years ago.
• 🌠 The Leonid meteor shower is expected to peak early Tuesday morning but is predicted to be weak with few visible meteors.
• 🏛️ A report confirmed former Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Cougler violated trading rules by making prohibited stock purchases during blackout periods.
• 📺 Disney reached a deal with Alphabet, restoring ABC and ESPN content to YouTube TV.

Sports and Nostalgia

• 🏈 James Franklin is reportedly in talks with Virginia Tech for their head football coach position.
• 🏀 The New Orleans Pelicans have fired head coach Willie Green after a 2-10 start to the season.
• 🏨 The segment "Whatever Happened To..." looked back at Howard Johnson's, once the largest restaurant chain in America, which has now largely disappeared, with only hotels remaining under Wyndham.