A Ten News Deep Dive: Episode 708
What's up with early voting? Why is a giant pumpkin rolling down the road? And how did a mechanical bird become the center of celebrity drama?! 🗳️🎃🐦 Pam and Ryan are on the case!
Plus, the Brewers are making baseball history, coral is making a comeback, and some VERY noisy owls have moved into New York City.
And don't miss a Halloween costume shout-out and Owen's Houdini-inspired trivia! ✨
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Transcript:
[INT. STUDIO]
<SFX Knock knock knock> <SFX door opens>
RYAN: Hey Pam, do you have a moment for some “Would you rather?” Spooky season edition?
PAM: Absolutely, you know I love spooky season!
RYAN: Would you rather be chased by a gi-ganta-normous pumpkin rolling after you?
PAM: Wow that’s so specific. Or…what?
RYAN: Or chased by a nocturnal, flying warrior that makes this sound? <SFX Barn owl screech>
PAM: I’m gonna go with a pumpkin, because I could just… move out of the way. <SFX Barn owl screech> Wait, was that screeching a…barn owl?
RYAN: That was a barn owl. Wow, you are good at this game.
PAM: Yeah, well, I am Pamela Kirkland.
RYAN: and I am Ryan Willard.It’s Thursday, October 22nd. We are the Ten News…
PAM: And here are Ten Things You Need to Know!
RYAN: A Big Number One: Early Voting is Starting Off Strong
<SFX: Ding>
PAM: Election Day is November 3rd, but Americans are already heading to the polls. In many states, people can vote early, either in person or by mailing in their ballots.
RYAN: And some states are already seeing BIG numbers!
PAM: Let's start in Georgia, where more than 188,000 people voted in person on the very first day of early voting, about 40 percent more than on the first day of early voting during the last midterm elections in 2022. <SFX: ticker tape sound under this> A new first-day record for a midterm election in Georgia! And Georgia isn't the only state seeing big numbers. Texas just passed 19 MILLION registered voters. More than 400,000 additional people are registered in Texas compared with the 2024 presidential election.
RYAN: But here's something I hadn't really thought about. Not everyone can just walk down the street to vote.
PAM: That's true. In North Carolina, hundreds of college students made a pretty impressive journey to cast their ballots.
Students from North Carolina A&T State University, Bennett College, and UNC Greensboro walked for about 45 minutes to reach an early voting location.
RYAN: Forty-five minutes?! That is a lot of steps. Why didn’t they ride scooters or rollerblades?
PAM: Well, the students were upset that their campuses didn't have early voting locations this year. So they organized a march to the polls. They carried signs, chanted, and marched together - all in temperatures around 85 degrees. <SFX: sounds of students marching> A voting rights study found that nearly 1,700 polling places closed across parts of 13 states between 2012 and 2018! The students say having voting locations on campus makes it easier for young people to participate in elections.
RYAN: So they were making their voices heard AND casting their votes. Ten News snaps to students who are doing democracy and doing it well!
<SFX: Indian music>
PAM: Number Two: Dancing, Deities, and Demon Kings
PAM: Hindu communities around the world have just wrapped up some pretty spectacular celebrations, filled with dancing, colorful decorations, and even giant demon kings!
RYAN: Dancing AND demon kings? Say more.!
PAM: It all starts with Navratri (nuhv-RAH-tree), a nine-night Hindu festival honoring the divine feminine, especially the goddess Durga (DOOR-gah). Different communities celebrate in different ways.
RYAN: Like Garba (GAHR-bah)! It's a traditional dance popular in the Indian state of Gujarat (goo-jah-RAHT), where people gather in giant circles, clapping and dancing to the beat.
PAM: Meanwhile, in eastern India, communities celebrate Durga Puja during the later days of Navratri. They build elaborate displays called pandals (PAHN-dahlz), filled with artwork and sculptures honoring Durga's victory over a powerful demon.
RYAN: Okay, but where does the giant demon king come in?
PAM: That's the grand finale! On the tenth day comes Dussehra (duh-SAY-rah), celebrating the triumph of good over evil. And in some places, people build ENORMOUS figures of the ten-headed demon king Ravana (RAH-vuh-nuh) and set them on fire! So from dancing to artwork to giant flaming figures, these connected celebrations are all about faith, courage, and good winning over evil.
RYAN: Now THAT'S a grand finale!
PAM: Number three: Banana Ball For All!
<SFX: baseball bat crack>
RYAN: Banana Ball fans, this one’s for you! The Savannah Bananas and their wacky baseball, but not quite baseball league are going big in 2027. They’re taking the fun international by adding games in Canada and Mexico AND debuting something called Banana Ball 360, where one game will be played on two fields which they say is to make sure everyone in the 80,000 seat stadium has a view of the action! Want to see dancing players, ridiculous baseball antics, and umpires who know who to put on a show? The ticket lottery is officially open! Fans have until October 31st to enter for a change to buy tickets when they go on sale at bananaball.com. And for more Banana Ball fun, check out our past interview with Loco Beach Coconuts player Dane Tofteland. The link is in the episode description. Happy Banana Ball!
PAM: Number four: Baseball's Underdogs Are Going to the World Series!
RYAN: While we’re talking baseball, it's time for the World Series, and this year, the Milwaukee Brewers have punched their ticket to the big show.
PAM: They did it by sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. And here's the wild part. Last year, the Dodgers knocked the Brewers out of the playoffs by winning four games in a row. <SFX: big cheer>
RYAN: And this year, the Brewers did the EXACT SAME THING to the Dodgers?! Baseball revengence!!
PAM: That’s not a real word but it sounds cool! And yep! And the Brewers did it with a much smaller player budget than the Dodgers. Now Milwaukee is headed to the World Series for the first time in 44 years! The World Series begins this Friday, October 23rd, where the Brewers will face the Tampa Bay Rays. The first team to win four games will take home the championship. The big question is: Can Milwaukee finish the job and bring home its first World Series title? We'll be watching!
RYAN: Number five: RUN! THE PUMPKIN IS COMING!
RYAN: Picture this: You're driving down the road, minding your own business, when suddenly...
[SFX: WIND HOWLING / COMEDIC ROLLING SOUND]
RYAN: A GIANT PUMPKIN COMES ROLLING TOWARD YOU! That’s exactly what happened in Cary, North Carolina!
PAM: At Phillips Farms, a giant inflatable pumpkin was set up as a decoration for the farm's annual Pumpkinfest celebration. But some strong wind had other plans. The pumpkin broke free from its ropes and went rolling right down a nearby road!
RYAN: This pumpkin had places to be, Pam!
PAM: Apparently! Luckily, an Uber driver and some helpful people nearby were able to stop the runaway decoration.
RYAN: Imagine ordering an Uber and the driver saying, "Sorry, I'm going to be late. I have to catch a pumpkin."
PAM: Yeah, I’d definitely be tipping that Uber driver.
RYAN: Here’s a tip, let’s take a quick break!
[SFX: SPACEY SCI-FI MUSIC / UFO LANDING]
RYAN: Pam, I'm picking up a strange transmission from somewhere in Pennsylvania!
PAM: A strange transmission? Like from outer space?!
[PLAY SASHA VOICEMAIL]
"Hey, my name is Sasha and I'm 11 years old. I'm from Browningville, Pennsylvania, and I would like to share that I'm dressing up as an alien for Halloween. Thank you."
[SFX: ALIEN BEEP BOOP]
PAM: An alien! I love it. Thanks for sharing your Halloween plans with us, Sasha!
RYAN: And hey, Ten'ers! We want to know what YOU'RE dressing up as for Halloween!
PAM: Leave us a voicemail at 877-TEN-NEWS or send a voice note to hello@thetennews.com and tell us all about your costume. You might just hear yourself on the show!
RYAN: Speaking of… back to it!
[SFX: UFO ZOOMS AWAY]
PAM: Number six: Perseverance Perseveres!
PAM: It’s time to celebrate NASA's Perseverance rover. On October 11th, Perseverance broke the record for the greatest distance ever driven by a vehicle on the surface of another world. The intrepid rover has covered just over 28 miles on Mars becoming officially the greatest off-world road-tripper of all time!
RYAN: Which might not sound like much when you think about driving here on Earth. But remember, this little robot is traveling across the rocky, dusty surface of Mars. And it's not like NASA can send someone over to change a flat tire.
PAM: The previous record belonged to NASA's Opportunity rover, which traveled about 28 miles during nearly 15 years on Mars. Perseverance passed that distance by 131 feet in just five and a half years!
RYAN: How does it know where to drive?
PAM: Perseverance has a system called AutoNav, which is short for autonomous navigation. It uses cameras and computers to identify obstacles and help plan safe routes.
RYAN: So it's basically a self-driving car... on MARS.
RYAN: Number seven: A Coral Comeback
PAM: We've got some hopeful news from the ocean, thanks to researchers at Stanford University. Scientists may have discovered a surprising way to help damaged coral recover from something called coral bleaching.
RYAN: First, can you remind us what coral bleaching is?
PAM: Of course! Coral might look like a colorful underwater rock or plant, but it's actually made up of tiny animals.
RYAN: Wait, coral is an ANIMAL?
PAM: Yep! And many corals have microscopic algae living inside them that provide food and give them their beautiful colors. But when the ocean gets too warm, coral can become stressed and lose those algae, turning white. That's called bleaching. And if stressful conditions continue, the coral can die.
RYAN: Not great news for all the fish and other creatures that depend on coral reefs.
PAM: Exactly. But researchers at Stanford found that when bleached coral was placed next to healthy coral that was genetically identical — basically coral clones — the damaged coral could recover!
RYAN: Wait. So one coral can help heal another coral?
PAM: Yes, that's what they discovered in their lab experiments! The corals' tissues could connect, and the bleached fragments recovered over about seven weeks.
RYAN: Coral teamwork!
PAM: Now, scientists say there's still a lot to figure out before this technique could be used to restore large reefs in the ocean. But an exciting discovery for our underwater friends.
PAM: Number Eight: Ruffled Robot Feathers
RYAN: Pam, I've got a story about a pop star, a $15,000 mechanical bird, and a whole lot of internet drama.
PAM: I'm sorry. A WHAT?
RYAN: A mechanical songbird named Molly. Pop star and TV host, Kelly Clarkson, visited a shop in Brooklyn, New York called Art of Play and wanted to buy the bird. But things didn't exactly go as planned. Kelly says she was treated rudely by one of the store clerks and made to feel like she couldn't afford it. The store says Molly wasn't for sale, but another similar bird was available for $15,000 and that they offered to show Ms. Clarkson some alternatives. Kelly posted about the experience online, and suddenly EVERYONE had an opinion.
PAM: And there's security camera video?
RYAN: Yep! But there's a catch. The video has no sound, so nobody watching it can actually hear what was said.
PAM: So it's a bit of a mystery, and many, many people are weighing in with their own opinions online. And here's a twist: one of the store's owners is Adam Rubin, the author of Dragons Love Tacos!
RYAN: I love that book! And in it, one small mistake has huge consequences, but in the end, everyone works together to set things right. So I’m curious to see how this story works out.
RYAN: Number nine: The owls next door
PAM: In other bird news, Ryan, there's a new family moving into New York City, and they're causing quite a stir.
RYAN: Who? A family of rare barn owls has made its home inside a water tower on Manhattan's Upper West Side. According to bird experts, this is the first documented barn owl nest in modern Manhattan history! Residents first noticed strange screeching sounds coming from the area.
RYAN: Which must have been a little creepy, especially with Halloween coming up!
PAM: It turns out those sounds were coming from the owls. And birdwatchers have spotted at least one adult and five young owls.
RYAN: Here's a fun fact: Barn owls don't make the classic "hoo-hoo" sound you might expect. They often make a raspy, screeching noise instead. Like this <SFX Barn Owl Screech>
PAM: Once word got out, crowds of bird lovers started gathering near the water tower, hoping for a glimpse of the unusual family.
RYAN: Who knew Manhattan's newest celebrity family would have feathers? And for the last thing you need to know, let’s go to Owen for today’s trivia.
OWEN: Number Ten: A great escape
[SFX: TEN NEWS TRIVIA STINGER]
OWEN: Ten’ers, did you know that this Halloween marks 100 years since the death of one of the world's most famous magicians, Harry Houdini! So here's today's trivia question. Which of these was one of Houdini's most famous escape acts?
A. Escaping from a giant bowl of spaghetti
B. Escaping from a water-filled tank while hanging upside down
C. Escaping from a locked cage full of chickens, OR
D. Escaping from a burning phone booth?
OWEN: Ten’ers did you guess it? And the answer is... B! Houdini escaped from a water filled tank which involved being lowered upside down into a tank of water with his ankles locked in place. Houdini was famous for his incredible escape acts. He could get out of handcuffs, locked containers, and even some pretty dangerous underwater situations. And he did it all without actual magic. Just clever tricks, lots of practice, and some seriously impressive skills!
OWEN: Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926, which means this October 31st marks exactly 100 years. His magical legacy lives on today.
RYAN: And that was Ten Things You Need to Know.
PAM: So Ry, would you rather be chased by a giant pumpkin or a barn owl…
RYAN: Definitely a barn owl, because after some hide and seek he might realize that we should be friends.
PAM: I’m not sure that’s how that works.
RYAN: Sure it is, look. <SFX opens door> See, that’s my friend Mr. Tony Toenail the barn owl.
PAM: Kap is definitely not gonna like you having an owl in the studio…
RYAN: Maybe not but we should probably give out Ten News Snaps before he wakes up…
PAM: But before that, here’s a quick note for the grownups.
<AD BREAK>
RYAN: It’s time for Ten News Snaps!
PAM: On our Spotify, Ben left a comment with some spooky emojis.
RYAN: Oooooh, you know I love spooky season, thank you Ben!
PAM: And on Apple Podcasts, Podcast Person 67left us a 5 star review and said, “I like this podcast, it's really good for knowing what’s going on. Do an episode on Silver Rail elementary since I’m from that town.” Thanks so much Podcast Person! Maybe you could tell us some news that’s happening in your town of Silver Rail?
RYAN: In the meantime, big snaps to the students at Silver Rail elementary! <SFX lots of snaps>
PAM: “The Ten News” is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts, and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.
RYAN: The Ten News creative team includes Tracey Crooks, Brian Douglas, Earl Davis and Carson Potter. Big thanks to our titan of trivia, Owen!
PAM: Our Production Director is Jeremiah Tittle, and our Executive Producers are Donald Albright and show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan. I’m Pamela Kirkland.
RYAN: And I’m Ryan Willard, thanks for listening to the Ten News.
PAM: Okay Ry, that barn owl is pretty cool–
RYAN: Pam you’re still being a little too loud–
<SFX Barn owl SCREECH! SCREECH! SCREECH!>
RYAN: Okay, he’s awake now.
