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The Thursday Flyover Replay : Minerals Deal Signed, Cheap Vacation Spots, and Bygone Sandwiches.
Presented by Russell Sherrard.
Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Our Hosts are Christopher and Jenny.
THE FLYOVER REPLAY.
Thursday, May 1, 2025.
Good Morning! On this day in 1931, President Herbert Hoover symbolically dedicated New York City’s Empire State Building by pressing a button from the White House to turn on its lights, while someone else flipped the switches in New York.
Ever dreamed of soaring through the treetops like Luke and Leia on Endor? The Volonaut Airbike brings that fantasy to life, fusing sci-fi imagination with jet-powered innovation in a real-world flying motorcycle. Read more in Science below.
We hope you enjoyed reading today’s Flyover. Let us know how we’re doing by replying to Russell Sherrard at russellsherrard@reagan.com.
The sponsors keep the tanks full around here. Be sure to check out today’s sponsors.
TAKEOFF.
U.S., Ukraine Ink Rare Minerals Deal.
Ukraine signed a deal Wednesday granting the U.S. access to its rare minerals in exchange for continued American support in its war against Russia.
Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko traveled to Washington to finalize the agreement, which also establishes a U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund to attract global investment for Ukraine’s recovery.
The signing followed tense last-minute negotiations, as Kyiv initially balked at two additional documents the U.S. sought to include alongside the main deal.
U.S. Growth Slows as New Investments Surge.
The U.S. economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its first decline since 2022, according to new Commerce Department data.
The slowdown was driven largely by a surge in imports, as companies moved to stockpile goods ahead of President Trump’s planned tariffs.
At an Invest in America event at the White House, Trump highlighted corporate investment and reiterated support for tariffs as part of his broader economic strategy.
The White House has also unveiled a new public tracker that lists 47 projects from 50 companies, including high-dollar commitments from tech giants like Nvidia, Apple, and OpenAI.
Best Cheap Vacation Spots in U.S.
From red rock deserts to puffin-packed beaches, U.S. News & World Report just released its 2025 rankings of the best cheap vacations in the U.S.—a list packed with national parks, small-town charm, and wallet-friendly adventures.
Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming claimed the top spot, with Moab, Utah, and Gulf Shores, Alabama, rounding out the top three.
Most destinations boast scenic views, free museums, or low-cost campsites—with entrance fees often $35 or less.
Rankings were based on affordability, availability of free or inexpensive attractions, natural beauty, and overall value for travelers.
POLITICS.
A federal judge ordered a Columbia student’s release, ruling his imprisonment was retaliatory and violated his right to protected speech as an anti-Israel activist.
House Democrats Reps. Kweisi Mfume, Robin Kelly, and Jerry Nadler withdrew support for a resolution to impeach President Trump. Mfume and Kelly said they had mistakenly believed party leadership had approved the resolution.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on whether a Catholic charter school in Oklahoma qualifies for public funding, despite a lower court ruling it unconstitutional.
President Trump joked about becoming the next pope, days after Pope Francis died, then endorsed Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, stating he was “very good.”
After a word from one of our sponsors Jenny will be Narrating the last half of the news.
And Now, A word From one of Our Sponsors.
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I have added audio to my blog posts and am getting good comments. I can add voice to your blog posts. You choose Male/Female $10 per post. Direct your inquiries to russellsherrard@reagan.com
Thanks Christopher.
Now, back to the News.
SPORTS.
University of North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick is dealing with media backlash after a “disastrous” interview involving his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordan Hudson. One of Belichick’s former players even suggested UNC should fire him.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year for the 2024-25 season, securing 92 of 100 possible first-place votes.
The New Jersey Devils’ NHL season ended Tuesday night in a double-overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom finished the game with 49 saves, including 18 in overtime.
At least 106 basketball players have filed for early entry into the NBA Draft, the lowest number since 2012.
FINANCE.
Big Stock Move: The AI-driven beauty brand Oddity Tech jumped 27% Wednesday after posting strong first-quarter sales and raising its full-year outlook, saying tariff risks remain “manageable.”
Google CEO Sundar Pichai warned that DOJ proposals—especially forced data sharing and a Chrome divestiture—would undermine innovation and make further investment in search unviable, threatening Google’s AI efforts.
General Motors is recalling 721,000 full-size trucks and SUVs from model years 2021 to 2024 due to defective 6.2-liter V8 engines that could fail without warning, the company confirmed this week.
Forbes has released its 2025 list of the richest person in every U.S. state.
SCIENCE AND TECH.
A Polish inventor has revealed the Volonaut Airbike, a jet-powered flying motorcycle that resembles the iconic Star Wars speeder in both look and speed, topping out at 124 mph.
Billionaire Jared Isaacman, the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space, cleared a key Senate committee this week and is now a step closer to leading NASA.
Some 72,000 people in Australia tuned in daily to a four-hour music show hosted by “Thy,” never realizing the voice behind the mic was entirely AI-generated.
THE ROTATOR.
THROWBACK THURSDAY.
In the 1970s, McDonald’s was a fast-food juggernaut built on burgers, heat lamps, and sheer hustle. The chain had already sold millions of burgers and was cranking out soon-to-be classics like the Big Mac (1968), Egg McMuffin (1972), and Quarter Pounder (1973).
Barbra Streisand marked her 83rd birthday this week, and Vogue celebrated with a throwback gallery of vintage photos highlighting her rise from Brooklyn nightclubs to Broadway stardom and Oscar-winning fame.
These 15 bygone sandwiches once filled lunchboxes and wartime kitchens—some nostalgic, others downright questionable. Do you remember any of these?
ET CETERA.
A bizarre online debate asking whether 100 men could take down a gorilla has gone viral on social media, drawing in big names like MrBeast and Elon Musk.
A kangaroo named Sheila brought traffic to a halt on Interstate 85 in Alabama on Tuesday after escaping from a local family’s petting zoo and pumpkin patch.
A 103-year-old woman living in a nursing home in England has become an unexpected TikTok star after a video of her daily makeup routine racked up nearly 200,000 views.
Daily Quote.
“As you know, we’re looking for rare earth all the time. They have a lot, and we made a deal, so we can start digging and doing what we have to do. It’s also good for them.”
— President Trump, on the Ukraine rare earth minerals deal.
And thats the news for today.
And Now, a word from our sponsor – The Life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Go to https:// payhip.com/ Christian NonFiction eBookStore then scroll down and click on The Life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
In publishing the life of the late CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON, the publishers feel a peculiar pleasure and believe themselves especially fortunate in having secured the Rev. Russell H. Conwell, D.D., LL.D., pastor at The Temple, of Philadelphia, to prepare the work. There are many reasons why the popular preacher, who might justly be called the Spurgeon of America, should in this way pay a loving tribute to the memory of his great English ecclesiastical brother, and why such a book must have an absorbing interest for all readers. Foremost among these might be considered his personal acquaintance with the great divine of gigantic efforts and wonderful achievements, and the deep study he has ever given to his popular brother preacher’s life and the measure of its successes.