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Health experts warn of flesh-eating bacteria in floodwaters
Following Hurricane Isaias and heavy rainfall, health experts are warning families about an unseen bacteria in the water that poses a serious health risk.
Savannah Bananas players visit Riverview Health & Rehabilitation Center
Savannah Bananas players brought fun and connection to Riverview Health & Rehabilitation Center, delighting residents with dancing, singing, and personal interactions.
Oklahoma City awarded $11.5M in federal grants to improve children's mental health care
Two federal grants totaling $11.5 million will help Oklahoma City expand mental health care for children in schools and communities, addressing growing needs and reducing emergency room visits.
Fans Are Calling GTA 6's Latest Trailer A Blurry 'Downgrade'
God forbid someone in Rockstar Games' marketing department decided to add a little artistic flair to a trailer
WKU celebrates CAYA Advancing Research and Community Health Institute
Western Kentucky University celebrated the newly established CAYA Advancing Research and Community Health (ARCH) Institute.
How laughter can help improve your mental health
They say laughter is the best medicine, but can adding a dose of humor to your life actually improve your mental well-being? According to the Journal of Psychiatric Research, the answer is yes.
Bernalillo County reviews four potential models for the future of MDC healthcare services
Bernalillo County reviews four potential models for the future of MDC healthcare services
Yankees Named Top Landing Spot For Tarik Skubal Entering Offseason
The New York Yankees could look to make a big splash this offseason.
Castlevania's Most Iconic Song Should Chain Whip Me To Death, Not Put Me In A Thousand Year Sleep
The Belmont's Curse version of "Bloody Tars" is more restrained than it should be
Anime Gambling Horror Game Ditches Free Steam Demo Over Fears Of Getting Ripped Off By AI
Drunken Goddess Reflux will have a closed beta instead
New RPG From Final Fantasy, Persona Vets Borrows From The Past To Ask How We Can Save The Future
Eternal Anima finds surprising strategic depth in letting you foresee your opponent's next move
Milwaukee leaders spotlight community-centered health care
A new documentary explores community-led efforts to close health care gaps. Its screening and a community conversation are on Saturday, Oct. 17, at No Studios.
Pokémon TCG Pocket Is Finally Fixing One Of Its Most Frustrating Features
Alongside slowing its release cadence, trading and immersive cards are also getting improvements
'Father Of PlayStation' Ken Kutaragi Blames A 'Mentality Issue' For The Backlash To Killing Discs
The Sony veteran doesn't sound very sentimental about the end of physical media on the platform he spearheaded
Jonathan Kuo receives 2026 National Science Foundation CAREER Award
Jonathan Kuo, assistant professor of chemistry, has been honored with a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the U.S. National Science Foundation.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
'I can't do performances': Billy Joel gives health update after recent brain surgery
"I'm not allowed to drive. And I can't do performances." | Billy Joel opened up about his health in a recent interview, saying that while he is better now, he doesn't know if he'll be able to perform again.
Business taking action for nature at CBD COP17
At the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia, from 19-30 October, IUCN will show how business can use science, data and technology to scale up its contribution to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs moved to new prison after reports of luxury lifestyle
The hip-hop mogul has been moved to a federal prison in Pennsylvania after reports that the he was living the high life and was injured in a fight at his New Jersey lockup, a source said
Jax from ‘Love Is Blind’ stands by comparing Stew to Mitt Romney after Kennedy comparisons
‘Love Is Blind’ stars Jax and Stew talk to EW about their awkward breakup — and whether he looks more like John F. Kennedy or Mitt Romney.
Veteran Players Manage To Kill New RuneScape In Just Two Weeks
RuneScape Reignited was set to launch in early December
Kuakini Breast Health Institute expands access to cancer screening and treatment
The Kuakini Breast Health Institute is now open in time breast cancer awareness month, offering specialized cancer treatment, including screening, surgery and monitoring.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs moved to a new prison after reports of a luxury lifestyle behind bars
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been moved to a federal prison in Pennsylvania after reports that the hip-hop mogul was living the high life and was injured in a fight at his New Jersey lockup | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM
Skubal Refused to Discuss Future After Dodgers Elimination
After a stunning NLCS sweep, Tarik Skubal faces a high-stakes free agency that could shatter records and ignite a bidding war between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.
Sony Has Caused 'Friction' Between It and PlayStation Fans Over Disc Mess, Says PS1, PS2, PS3 Creator
Kutaragi understands both sides of the argument
Christine Drazan says she’s her own person, but will it matter?
When asked if she’s MAGA, the Republican standard bearer in Oregon said she’s an Oregon Republican and her own person regardless of who’s in the White House.
Correction: ENT-Books-Kirkus Prize story
In a story published Oct. 7, 2026, about the Kirkus Prizes, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the first name of the nonfiction winner. Her name is Pamela Colloff, not
Science Missed the Giraffe’s Only Relative Until 1901
Science ignored the okapi for centuries while Indigenous communities in the Congo knew it well, and even after a skull reached London in 1901, researchers struggled to explain what they were looking a...
Science Missed the Giraffe's Only Relative Until 1901
Science ignored the okapi for centuries while Indigenous communities in the Congo knew it well, and even after a skull reached London in 1901, researchers struggled to explain what they were looking at. Today, this elusive giraffe relative faces threats that make it harder than ever to find, count, or protect.
Plague is stoppable. The next health threat may not be.
The word plague is scary. Centuries ago, the Black Death killed tens of millions of people and changed the course of history. Plague still kills people around the world, and the word still evokes catastrophe. New fears of plague surfaced on October 2, when a lab worker in Irkutsk, Russia, died of pneumonia. Reports suggested that she may have contracted plague through a laboratory exposure. Understandably, people were alarmed. On October 7, the World Health Organization called for the Russian Federation to be transparent about what it knew. WHO issued an update on October 10. Russian authorities told WHO that testing did not identify plague and that investigations found no laboratory release. WHO said confidence in its risk assessment remained limited and that further clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory information was needed. The cause of the woman’s illness remains unknown, and WHO says a laboratory-associated exposure cannot be excluded. As I explained in a recent interview, this incident is very unlikely to lead to a pandemic. Plague is still active, including in the U.S., which sees a handful of cases each year. But it is a disease we can prevent and treat. Plague doesn’t spread readily, and it responds to antibiotics. The standard response—isolate the patient, trace contacts, and administer antibiotics and monitor for symptoms among contacts for seven days—works. We have even planned for antibiotic-resistant plague. At CDC, we developed a playbook for antibiotic-resistant plague and ran exercises on how to find and stop it. CDC guidance anticipates engineered resistance and recommends two different classes of antibiotics if there’s reason to suspect it. There is no evidence that resistance—or even confirmed plague—is involved in this incident. We have thought through how to address plague, but we’re not ready for the next major health threat that emerges from a lab or from animal spillover to humans. What should concern people is how little stands between the world and the next pathogen to get loose. Since peak COVID, epidemic preparedness has fallen off the political agenda, but the risk is greater than ever. More labs handle dangerous pathogens with more ways to make those pathogens deadlier, and more people live and work in close contact with animals. There are actions we can take now: We need better lab safety in every country. The number of labs that work with dangerous pathogens has increased worldwide over two decades, but there’s no enforceable international standard and no inspection regime; the Biological Weapons Convention, fifty years on, still has no verification mechanism. Labs that study dangerous germs need strong safety systems, training, and oversight. We need to reduce spillover events. Three in four emerging human infections start in animals, and there’s a lot we can do to reduce spillover risk, but the world is doing very little of it. Live-animal markets are one place to act. For instance, closing live-bird markets helped control H7N9 influenza in China. Reducing opportunities for people to encounter infected animals can prevent infections before they become outbreaks. In The Formula for Better Health, which is now out in paperback along with the hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook versions, I argue that labs do too many risky experiments with too many dangerous pathogens in too many institutions, and that every experiment should first answer one basic question: Is the likely benefit greater than the risk? Spillover risk can also be reduced: In the book, I discuss how Brazil cut its deforestation rate by 70% from 2004 to 2012 while increasing agricultural production and reducing risky contact between people and forest animals. We need faster detection and response. Delay costs lives. Strong surveillance, good labs, and trained responders can turn a single case into a small cluster of infections instead of an epidemic. Resolve to Save Lives has worked for nearly a decade to help countries find and stop outbreaks faster. The 7-1-7 target, which Resolve to Save Lives developed with partners in Uganda and elsewhere, provides a clear standard: detect within 7 days, notify within 1 day and complete all essential early response actions within 7 days. In Uganda’s Kasese district, for example, a review of a measles outbreak using 7-1-7 identified shortages of accessible funds, fuel, and vehicles that delayed the response. District leaders established funds they could access quickly. When, a few months later, the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever appeared, the district detected it in three days, notified authorities in one, and mounted an effective response in two. Only one case was confirmed, and the patient survived. Because funds were available before the emergency, authorities were prepared and able to act. This kind of preparation can’t wait until the next crisis begins. Plague is an old disease we that know how to stop. The next threat may be harder to recognize, harder to treat, and easier to spread. Safer labs, less risk of spillover, and faster outbreak detection and response need sustained investment now, while we still have time to prevent the next emergency. Share
Ken Kutaragi ‘understands’ why PlayStation fans don’t want to give up physical games
‘Father of PlayStation’ suggests game companies need to change sentiment around digital ownership…
Police chase ends in Oakland, damaging cruiser and nearby business
A police chase that began outside city limits ended in Oakland, causing damage to a smoke shop and a Pittsburgh police cruiser, with multiple people taken into custody.
Power struggle erupts in Trump’s White House as midterm losses loom
Top personnel are jockeying for position as some expect Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to step down after the elections.
North Carolina State Health Plan to pull most Atrium Health providers out of network
Starting January 2027, most Atrium Health providers will be considered out of network for thousands of teachers and state employees in North Carolina.
New tax proposal raises concerns with business owners in Downtown Merriam
Merriam is proposing a new sales tax to help fund downtown redevelopment and flood protection, but some longtime business owners worry the plans could threaten historic buildings and force them to close.
Medical Advantage plans to leave NH including CVS Health, BMC Health System
There are major upcoming changes to Medicare Advantage plans that will impact thousands of Granite Staters.
Battlefield 6 Gets Slammed For More Slop Slipping Through: 'Charging Players $$$ For AI-Generated Content Is Peak Disrespect'
Operators with five guns and misspelled patches have fans shaking their heads
Iowa politics: KCCI to host Congressional 3rd District debate between Nunn, Trone Garriott
KCCI, Iowa’s News Leader, will host a 3rd Congressional District debate as part of its Commitment 2026 political coverage ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Biketoberfest brings economic boost to Daytona Beach small businesses
Biketoberfest has kicked off in Daytona Beach, drawing motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world and providing a much-needed economic lift for local businesses.
The Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Expansion Pass Adds Stories For Those Other Four Protagonists The Game Was Supposed To Have
But damn is it gonna cost you to get
Lambeau Field ready for Sunday’s Packers vs. Cancer game, presented by UW Health
Packers-Cowboys matchup to honor those who have battled cancer
Four corrections officers injured after attack at California Health Care Facility in Stockton
Four corrections officers were hurt after being attacked by a man at a state prison in San Joaquin County that specializes in medical care and mental health treatment for incarcerated people with “the most severe and long-term needs.”
IP Saves the Day On Streaming
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get started, I wanted to highlight a new idea I saw from Real Good AI, proposing a ratings system for AI use. (H/T to Anthony Kaufman’s article highlighting this.) It would look something like this: In general, I think that this is a solid, middle-ground solution that should appease both the pro-AI camp (who love AI) and the anti-AI camp (who wants to know if what they’re watching didn’t come from humans). Regardless of your feelings on AI/LLMs—I’ll never use it for my writing—transparency is often the best solution to many problems. In general, I think way more media outlets need to be using way more AI disclosures. My quick “Yes and...” to this idea: what about ads? In particular, I hate it when I see or hear ads that are obviously AI-generated, but a person or voice says, “I used this product”. AI doesn’t use products! Just today, I watched a YouTube ad where a “person” said they use some sort of rain wind chime...but that’s not a real person! They didn’t use this product. (Especially since the video of the wind chime itself also appeared to be AI-generated...) I believe most traditional advertising already has standards like this anyway.1 Okay, on to this week’s issue. We’re covering the week of 14-Sep, and then next issue, I’ll be fully caught up with Nielsen’s new release schedule. In the future, I plan to put out Streaming Ratings Reports each Monday after Nielsen’s Thursday releases. Overall, we had some big new shows this week, like Prime Video’s Reacher spinoff_, Neagley_, which is off to a big, big start, and Netflix’s latest in its Monster anthology, which is their largest opening since June and the second-largest since One Piece came out in March. All that, plus Slow Horses returns, the trio of returning shows (Lioness, Reacher and Ted Lasso) continue to dominate the top tens, Paramount+’s latest crime drama, a big whiff for a Netflix original film and a precipitous drop for Netflix film charts, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 14th to September 20th 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Television - IP For the TV Win Can I use the dirty word of entertainment journalism right now? IP. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone I said it. But IP works at the box office, and we’ve seen some evidence it works in TV too. Not as well, and not all the time—no absolutes here!—but often enough. And glancing at the Nielsen top ten…it worked this week! Take Prime Video, who has a monster hit in the crime drama Reacher. Would a spinoff work for that show? Yep! They binge-released Neagley, about a detective from the original Reacher series, and its eight episodes debuted to 29.6 million hours. Here’s how it stacks up to Reacher, one of Prime Video’s biggest shows: That’s great. Nearly as strong as Reacher’s opening! (Both shows started with eight, binge-released episodes, so this comparison is apples-to-apples.) Notably, Prime Video scheduled the debut of Neagley to overlap with Reacher’s most recent season, to help drive tune-in. Obviously, I love smart release strategies like that. And even though I wrote “obviously”, it’s not really that obvious, since streamers don’t often take advantage of natural overlaps like this_._2 Other data backs how well Neagley performed. It opened at second place on Samba TV for two weeks and got 51.7 million hours on Luminate. That’s the eleventh biggest opening on Luminate since May of 2024 and tied with Bridgerton’s third season opening. That’s a huge opening! Its IMDb is solid too, a 7.7 on 24K reviews. Netflix’s latest edition in the “Monster” series—which started with Jeffrey Dahmer and comes from Ryan Murphy—did well too, opening to 24.7 million hours. That’s the biggest opening for Netflix since I Will Find You in June, and second biggest since March. Unlike the Reacher series, this franchise is trending downward, though. The first Monster show—Dahmer - Monster—was giant. More than anything, I think this reflects that Netflix running out of extremely popular—if that’s the right word?—serial killers to feature. Still, the data says this is a very good opening. It made it to third place on Samba TV for two weeks. It also opened to 40.0 million hours on Luminate. That’s not quite as elite as Neagley, but still very, very strong. I’ll be honest: my priors coming into any given week are that IP works to help drive buzz for new shows, but TV shows need to stand on their own even more than movies, so they will succeed or fail based on their quality. But these two spinoffs definitely worked. Quick Notes on TV The top show, film or special this week? Football, again. Specifically, Prime Video’s season opener of Thursday Night Football. The games run long (three hours) but mainly a lot of people watch each game. That adds up to a lot of viewership. Paramount released the second season of MobLand on an unusual day for that service, a Friday! Often, they put their new shows out on a Sunday, as they did last year with a run of shows (Lioness, Tulsa King and Landman). MobLand didn’t make Nielsen in its first week, but on Samba TV it got to eighth and seventh place. Luminate had a smaller opening too, only 5.3 million hours. MobLand missed the Nielsen charts for its first eight weeks, so this season is off to a stronger start. (Bonus note: the first season streams on both Prime Video and The Roku Channel, but I only have it as Paramount+ on those charts.) I’ve mentioned a few times that foreign-language originals do lower numbers than English-language originals on Netflix most of the time. But I don’t usually emphasize what country those originals come from, and observationally, they tend to be from Western or Northern European countries, in general. So credit to Not a Stranger, a Turkish Netflix original, for breaking through on Luminate, getting to 7.9 million hours in its first full week on those charts. As I mentioned last issue, Crew Girl ended up making the Nielsen charts in its second week. That’s still a soft performance compared to many shows, but again this, one looks affordable. And if you’re curious, here’s how it stacks up to some other sports romance shows: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… …about a new data source and how it drives streaming viewership… ...what reality show is struggling in its latest season…. ...what Netflix film bombed…. ...How Reacher, Ted Lasso, and Lioness are doing on the charts… ...what obscure sport put up great viewership numbers… …how far streaming films are falling… …all the flops, bombs and misses for the last week… …and more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue, then we’ll be all caught up with Nielsen’s data. Yes! The goal is to have my report out on the Monday after I get Nielsen’s data. So next issue, I’m looking at East of Eden, The Great British Baking Show, a Willy Wonka game show (that people are upset uses AI, but viewers might not care), and a Cosby show spinoff reboot on Netflix, and Brothers on Apple TV (starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey). That’s about it for TV, but who’s going to win the streaming week, The Breadwinner or Backrooms on streaming? Answer: Toy Story 5. Plus Netflix has a Unabomber film and a new Tyler Perry film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma tries to repeat The Substance’s run on MUBI, and Paramount+ has Jackass: Best and Last. Long term, Netflix is remaking Lonesome Dove. I love this choice, but man, there are a lot of westerns on TV right now. And they’re making Sega TV shows, including a Crazy Taxi TV show and Sonic show with an “edge”.
Kyle Kuzma is taking his business interests to the microphone with new podcast
The Milwaukee Bucks forward will host weekly conversations with founders, investors, athletes and other leaders on “Read the Room with Kyle Kuzma,” premiering later this month.
The Ocarina Of Time Remake Doesn't Do Everyone's Favorite Bombchu-Bowling Baddie Justice
But her updated goth look is a vibe, though
NBA Star Kyle Kuzma New Business Podcast Read the Room
The Milwaukee Bucks forward and avid investor is launching 'Read the Room,' where he talks with founders, investors, scientists and other guests.
Alaska Communications to Resell Starlink for Remote and Backup Business Internet
Alaska’s remote businesses will soon have another option for staying connected
Jeff Kaplan Doesn't Engage With Overwatch After Leaving Blizzard: ‘I’ve Literally Not Played The Game Since April 2021’
The original director of the hero shooter is now working on a western game called The Legend of California
El-Sayed again denies ties to Muslim Brotherhood
“I wasn’t raised by my mother,” El-Sayed said in response to past social media posts that allege his mother was active in the Islamist movement in the 1970s.
Iowa faces a reckoning over water quality and cancer rates in midterm campaigns
Iowa is grappling with water quality and cancer rates, bringing these issues to the forefront of state politics. Candidates from both parties are addressing growing public concern, with events and advertisements focusing on water quality, conservation and cancer.
Atrium Health to invest $340 million to expand regional behavioral health
Atrium Health is committing $340 million over five years to expand behavioral health services across the Charlotte region.
Op-ed: Healthcare affordability debate misses insurers’ bad behavior
Premiums for small groups and individuals continue to skyrocket.
Activision's Head Marketer Says Modern Warfare 4 Faces A 'Call Of Duty Tax'
The newest sequel needs to bolster flagging engagement
76ers could explore an unexpected plan involving LeBron James
headlinephotos/Depositphotos Philadelphia 76ers consider James at center The Philadelphia 76ers are considering LeBron James as a possible backup center for the 2026–27 NBA season. Coach Nick Nurse discussed the option on October 7 following injuries within Philadelphia’s frontcourt. Nurse identified James among several players who could provide minutes at center when needed. James, who joined…
How lost fibre in sugar impacts health and how we can get it back
The loss of fibre in sugar has led to numerous diseases; the solution may lie in redesigning food and restoring beneficial biological signals.
Digital Brands Group Expands Sports and Entertainment Partnerships, Names Todd Kucinski Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Sports and Entertainment
AUSTIN, Texas, October 15, 2026--Digital Brands Group, Inc. ("DBG" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: DBGI), a publicly traded company specializing in apparel and e-commerce, today announced that the appointment of Todd Kucinski as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Sports and Entertainment, a newly created leadership role focused on expanding year-round sports, entertainment, licensing and brand partnership opportunities across AVO’s growing portfolio of university relationships.
The 2026 cold and flu season is approaching, health officials say
Health officials in Ohio are encouraging residents to get their flu shots before Halloween as cases begin to rise, with updated vaccines available to address new strains.
Kurtis Carsch Selected as a 2026 Packard Fellow
The fellowship will fund research on materials with applications in energy, medicine and drug discovery.
Touchscreen MacBook Pro and more launching at Apple event on Oct 28
We’ve long been awaiting the launch of the first OLED MacBook Pro, and a new report says that the official...
PDW Integrates Ukraine Technology Into Huntsville-made Drones
The collaboration advances PDW's strategy to field battle-tested technology through American engineering and industrial capacity, with planned Kurbas camera
Free flu shots offered by Lee Health at eight Lee County locations in October
Lee Health will provide free flu vaccinations at eight locations across Lee County throughout October, with consultations and health resources available.
Vintage Baltimore Sports shop targeted by burglars in Federal Hill
The owner of a Baltimore sports shop says thieves smashed his front facade and took rare vintage Ravens gear.
Where to watch Kansas basketball exhibition games: Schedule, channels, live streams for 2026 KU preseason
The Jayhawks have three home games to tune up for the regular season. Here's when and where to watch them all.
Andrews questions Graham’s family business ties to China; Graham fires back
A dispute that erupted during Monday’s U.S. Senate debate in South Carolina is spilling onto the campaign trail, with Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews and Republican Sen. Darline Graham clashing over alleged foreign business ties.
NC treasurer’s decision could raise costs for state employees using Atrium Health
The change is set to take effect in 2027.
New York Yankees’ Insider Unveils Latest Giancarlo Stanton Situation
The New York Yankees are facing uncertainty with Giancarlo Stanton.The 36-year-old slugger is a loyal veteran, but the Yankees’ crowded roster has been pushing him off the table.According to an MLB insider, here’s where things stand for both parties.Yankees’ Looming Giancarlo Stanton Decision Weighs HeavilyAs detailed by Brendan Kuty of The Athletic on Oct. 14, […] The post New York Yankees’ Insider Unveils Latest Giancarlo Stanton Situation appeared first on HEAVY.
Alta businesses prepare for PG&E’s largest planned power shutoff in eight years
Tens of thousands of Pacific Gas & Electric Co. customers could lose power as strong winds and dry conditions increase the threat of wildfires across Northern California.
Central Oregon's first children's museum finally secures a home, and a new name
After reaching more than 24,000 people through its Mobile Museum, the Children's Museum of Central Oregon is taking the next step. Rebranding as Ruckus, a Children's Science Museum, the organization has secured a permanent home in Bend and is working to create Central Oregon's first dedicated children's science museum.
Children's museum secures Bend building, rebrands as Ruckus science museum
The Children's Museum of Central Oregon is turning a nearly 8,000-square-foot building in Bend's Central District into Ruckus: A Children's Science Museum. Its Mobile Museum has reached more than 24,000
Iowa residents raise health and environmental concerns over data center expansion
Advocacy groups and residents are voicing concerns about the health and environmental impacts of Iowa's growing data center industry, citing increased fossil fuel use and air pollution.
Former Des Moines police sergeant sues city over mental health concerns
A former Des Moines police sergeant says his pleas for help went unanswered.
Banana Ball League star Bronny Balholm brings science, kindness and dance to Moon Township school
A Banana Ball star and aerospace engineer showed Moon Township students how baseball connects to physics and why a little positivity can go a long way.
Columbus Day weekend brought in high traffic, strong business
Toll data showed this year's Columbus Day weekend had the highest number of cars on the road in the past five years.
Maternal Health Takes Center Stage at Xavier University
Expert panel addresses healthcare policy, advocacy
LMPD introduces new task force to enhance safety in entertainment areas
The initiative is focused on "hot spot" policing.
After Guilfoyle dismissal, Rubio reminds diplomats to ‘avoid conflicts of interest’
The former U.S. ambassador to Greece was accused of a variety of ethical violations, including asking a political donor for $100,000 to pay her personal American Express bill.
New MedStar Health helicopter brings larger cabin, specialized care equipment
The hospital network debuted a new aircraft with a larger cabin space and additional capacities for specialized care.
Governor, health advocates push bill to lower drug prices for 23 medications
Under the proposed legislation, the state's Prescription Drug Affordability Board would have the authority to match the maximum fair price for prescriptions negotiated by the federal Medicare program.
A Rock Dragged 90 Km Into Earth Came Back With a Temperature Story That Breaks The Models
That's whack.
Champlain Valley Exposition brought animals, entertainment and crowds together in 2002
The 2002 Champlain Valley Exposition featured animals, agricultural exhibits, entertainment and an estimated 300,000 visitors
Ubisoft plans cuts at German studios, adding to wave of workforce reductions
Ubisoft is planning to reduce its workforce in Germany, where it operates a trio of studios, by about 100 workers, Game File has learned. The company wants to offer employees buyouts to, should enough people accept, avoid having to lay anyone off. “In Germany, we initiated discussions with the Works Council last week regarding a proposed voluntary departure plan across Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin & Ubisoft Mainz,” a company rep told Game File. A “works council” is a union-like group representing employees. “The voluntary plan is the primary measure being proposed to support the intended organizational changes,” the Ubisoft rep added. The company declined to confirm the scale of the potential headcount cut. Of the impacted studios, Mainz might be the best known to the public. It leads development of the Anno series and shipped the well-reviewed strategy game Anno 117: Pax Romana in November 2025. Berlin and Dusseldorf operate as support studios within Ubisoft’s creative network. Berlin recently supported the development of Rainbow Six Siege and the Rayman Legends Retold remake. Dusseldorf also contributed to those projects, as well as The Settlers and Ubisoft-branded escape rooms. Dusseldorf is the biggest of the three studios, with some 400+ workers, compared to just over 100 at the other two, a source familiar with the reductions and the teams told Game File. More than half of these new reductions of about 100 people are expected to happen at Dusseldorf. The planned cuts were announced at a town hall for the German studios on Tuesday of last week. In an email follow-up, the studio group’s managing director, Benedikt Grindel, said the cuts were intended to “best position our German studios for the future... with a clearer focus on their role, capabilities and organizational setup needed for the work ahead.” The email was an echo of the past. In January 2025, Grindel had emailed the Ubisoft developers in his region (or studio “zone”) to explain that a round of 185 cuts at the time, including about 65 at Dusseldorf, were “essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.” A half-decade of continued job cuts Ubisoft has been aggressively cutting its headcount for years. At the end of September 2022, it had 20,729 workers. By the end of March 2026, that total was down to 16,590. Studio management is trying to trim costs as it grapples with a changing industry and a drought of releases, let alone hits. The company announced earlier this year that it had reduced its costs since 2022 by “nearly €325 million” ($362m) and planned to lower them through 2028 by another €180 million ($200m). In June the company said it was closing down its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting roles in its Barcelona team. Even commercial and creative success hasn’t spared studios from this ongoing company-wide contraction. As Game File was nailing down details around the proposed cuts in Germany, Ubisoft management was informing workers of cuts in its Singapore studio, which shipped a hit remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag this past July. Some 70 positions in Singapore are being eliminated “to align the studio with upcoming production needs,” per a company rep’s statement to Game File. In early 2024, a large team in the Singapore studio launched the multiplayer pirate game Skull & Bones. It performed poorly but has been supported with regular content updates since. Many of Ubisoft’s studios around the world are heavily subsidized via regional grants and tax breaks. Singapore had been among them for years, but received no such local assistance in the 12 months ending this past March. News of the Singapore cuts broke today alongside word that Ubisoft is also proposing the closure of RedLynx, pending negotiations with officials. The Finnish studio behind the motorbike series Trials was founded in 2000 and sold to Ubisoft in 2011. As reported by VGC (and corroborated by Game File), Ubisoft management told employees it could not come up with a new, sustainable assignment for RedLynx. The 2025 workforce at Ubisoft Dusseldorf were straight-up cuts. This time, Ubisoft is hoping the reductions at its trio of German studios will largely come from workers taking a payout to leave. The company offered such voluntary dismissals at its Massive Entertainment studio (The Division) a year ago. For the German studios’ buyouts this time around, Ubisoft and the Works Council had discussed a formula that’d pay a worker’s monthly salary multiplied by 1.5 and by the number of years they’ve worked at the company, according to Game File sources. The formula is still subject to negotiations with the Works Council and has not yet been part of an official offer to workers. It could be adjusted up or down, and it could be supplemented with additional bonuses. Asked about the floated payout formula, a Ubisoft rep told Game File, “The terms of a potential voluntary departure program remain subject to negotiation with employee representatives. No final agreement has been reached, and we won’t comment on specific proposals while discussions are ongoing.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Epic’s AI adventures Epic Games (Fortnite, the Unreal engine) is all-in on using AI to try to transform the way it makes video games and game-making tools. It’s leaders appear to be undeterred by any resistance among gamers and some game developers around generative AI—and instead emboldened by advances, particularly in AI-assisted programming. A recap of the last three days: On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Epic management told workers last week that development of an upcoming game combining Star Wars and Marvel characters would be “AI first.” Employees would be expected to use AI models such as Claude to code the game. A manager told Epic’s developers there would be “[n]o more hand-written code” and that art for the game would be “generated with full AI workflows,” per the outlet. Just ahead of that story running, Epic founder Tim Sweeney tweeted: “We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.” In a follow-up, Sweeney predicted that most game development processes would be at least three times faster a year from now than they were in January 2026, thanks to AI. To a person on X who told him he was failing to read the room, Sweeney said: “Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it’s not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.” On Wednesday, Epic announced it was releasing a faster launcher for its Epic Games Store marketplace. It did so by stating in a blog post as clear as could be that the launcher is an AI-enabled, vibe-coded project: Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look. Programming is hard? That was unexpected phrasing from a company founded by a legendarily great programmer. Back in 2011, Sweeney told me that he’d picked up programming quickly as a kid and rejoiced at the power it gave him. “I could look at any program that anybody else had written and, with enough effort, build something cooler.” Item 3: The Xbox Labs experiment (and one of the people behind it) Microsoft’s Xbox division, which is flooding the zone with announcements lately, yesterday revealed a new internal tech-tinkering team called Xbox Labs. In the words of Xbox boss Asha Sharma Labs is “a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience.” Conventional wisdom coming out of the announcement is that Labs is a team that’ll focus on ideas driven by generative AI. In her announcement, Sharma cited some of the dizzying achievements in tech and gaming over the past month as AI agents and other AI tools have been deployed to swiftly figure out how popular games work, then rebuild them and mix them up. She mentioned seeing ”games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support” and said “[p]erhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another.” (Minecraft plus Elden Ring, for example, or Fortnite + Super Monkey Ball + Overwatch + Diablo + others.) Sharma also cited the work of Windows PC games being ported to run in browsers, a seeming reference to a recent AI-assisted fan port of Halo. Or perhaps Call of Duty or GTA. Sharma didn’t use the specific term “AI” in her memo, but she came close, citing AI “agents” and their potential for game-making tools that Labs could help craft: I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties, and people spend more than 72 billion hours a year playing XBOX games, roughly five times the estimated time spent writing code worldwide. We’ve spent 25 years learning how to make great games, and I want our game makers to help shape what these new technologies make possible. As we learn, we’ll share the tools we build with developers across the industry, just as we always have. When I asked an Xbox rep if Labs was an AI-centric team, they said genAI was not the focus, describing it as having a broader mandate for using new tech in new ways in gaming. As an example, they pointed to Xbox’s recently launched disc-to-digital gaming usage rights program. Microsoft didn’t specifically name anyone involved full-time in Xbox Labs yesterday, but on social media and LinkedIn, I spotted Adrian Mato IDing himself as leading the creatio of tools at Labs and talking up the launch. Mato first caught my attention in late September, when he said on X that he was “starting to build a new team at Xbox focused on products and tools for how games get built and distributed as agentic tools become more capable.” At the time, he framed AI-based tools as a supplement to traditional game dev tools. “I don’t think we need to replace them,” he said. Since then, he’s publicly shown interest in AI and in games. He’s recently spent some of his X feed marveling at the power of AI agents and praising the lighting in the latest Gears of War. Following the Labs announcement yesterday, he enthused about the Xbox Labs’ stylish landing page. He wrote: “We built some fun tools to art-direct shaders in real time, experimented with interactive ASCII art, and sprinkled in lots of tiny details. “Move your mouse to leave a colorful trail that reveals the original footage, or interact with the video to trigger bursts of particles. “A lot of love went into making it all feel just right. “More to come”
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