IJR News

Orioles cut mascot jobs in private payroll reset — 3dBaltimore ends the dedicated Mr. Splash role and lays off the Oriole Bird performer in a business-side reshaping after a 79-win year, drawing sharp fan pushback while the club keeps the Bird Bath alive.

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Jared Kim After a 79-win season this feels like the wrong place to cut costs when the Bird and Mr. Splash helped keep families coming.

Bird Flu Confirmed in Racine County FlockHealth — 5dWisconsin officials confirmed highly pathogenic bird flu in a backyard poultry flock in Racine County and euthanized the birds, which will not enter the food supply. The virus is highly contagious, and authorities urged livestock owners to strengthen biosecurity and keep poultry indoors when possible.

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30 Flamingos Ride Out Isaias in Zoo BathroomWeather — 1dZooWorld keepers moved 30 flamingos into a sturdy restroom as Hurricane Isaias threatened their outdoor enclosure, where the birds huddled together away from dangerous winds. Video of the flock’s cramped shelter went viral, and the zoo reported that its animals survived the storm.

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Father swan flaps at kayak as Porter frees hooked cygnet in three minutes — 2dGraham Porter kayaked out near Godmanchester on October 2 and untangled a cygnet while its father hissed nearby. The bird swam back quacking.

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Orioles Cut Mascot Roles, Reshape StaffBusiness — 5dThe Orioles have laid off staff across several departments, including the performers behind mascots Oriole Bird and Mr. Splash, as part of organizational changes. The team says it will keep the Bird Bath fan section, while its business leadership says it plans to continue hiring for critical roles.

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AP Top 25 College Football TeamsRankingCollege football fans argue endlessly over which programs deserve the top spots in the AP Poll based on wins, schedule strength, and legacy.

Regional Art Events Span Plein-Air, Bird WatercolorsLifestyle — 4dPlein air painters are finding inspiration outdoors, from a beginner experimenting with watercolor to artists at Omaha’s first Heartland Plein Air Festival, where stormy weather shaped their work. Festival paintings earned an honorable mention and a sale, highlighting how the event encouraged artists to respond to the landscape and light around them.

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October Gardening Guides Cover Planting, WildlifeLifestyle — Oct 5, 2026Garden experts recommend planting hardy flower seeds and bulbs such as calendula, campanula and daffodils in October for spring color. They also advise leaving coneflowers standing through winter, as their seedheads feed birds and add structure to the dormant garden.

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New England Restaurants Spotlight Brunch, Seafood BuffetsLifestyle — 5dFour highly praised brunch destinations—the Farmer’s Daughter in Massachusetts, The Whitney in Detroit, The Brunch Pub in Dayton, and Early Bird Breakfast Pub in Springfield—stand out for memorable settings and distinctive dining experiences. Several emphasize fresh, farm-to-table cooking, while The Whitney pairs brunch with the grandeur of a historic mansion.

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Iowa sues ADI over undisclosed risks from Chinese camerasTech — 4dIowa Attorney General Brenna Bird sued ADI Global Distribution, alleging it concealed that cameras it sold were made by Chinese firms Hikvision and Dahua, which U.S. authorities have identified as national security risks. The lawsuit claims misleading labeling and undisclosed security vulnerabilities could expose consumers’ images and location data to hackers or foreign actors; ADI’s response was not included in the reports.

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Butterfly wing patterns create motion illusions like barber pole — Sep 30, 2026Research suggests that the bold, moving patterns on butterfly wings can distort predators’ perception of the insects’ speed and direction, making birds more likely to miss during aerial attacks. High-speed footage, bird-vision models and a volunteer tracking experiment support the proposed optical-illusion defense, which resembles the barber-pole effect.

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Maya Lindstrom Nature using something like a barber pole effect to dodge attacks is pretty clever.

Pheasant Seasons Set to Open in Minnesota, PennsylvaniaLifestyle — 3dPheasant seasons are opening across the Upper Midwest and Pennsylvania: Minnesota’s starts Oct. 10, with state reports showing higher bird numbers than last year, while Pennsylvania’s junior hunt begins Oct. 10 and its regular season opens Oct. 24 with expanded hunting dates and about 232,000 pheasants slated for release. South Dakota is also seeing rising interest ahead of its season, reflected in increased small-game license sales as crop harvesting may improve hunting opportunities.

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Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

Bird Secures $450 Million Debt for Shareholder Payouts Amid AI Repositioning — Sep 23, 2026Bird automated from more than 1,000 staff to about 120, says some channels cost 90% less than rivals, and raised $450M in debt to pay shareholders.

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Hundreds of smuggled animals seized in Miami, SicilyWorld — Oct 5, 2026A U.S. legal permanent resident arriving from Cuba was arrested at Miami International Airport after authorities found 10 live birds concealed in tubes sewn into his underwear. Separately, Italian authorities intercepted a Maltese man allegedly transporting 300 tortoises and 77 parrots in a car to Malta; 76 parrots were protected species, and the man faces charges related to animal welfare and wildlife-trade violations.

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Fossilized dinosaur dung preserves feathers from extinct aquatic bird — Sep 14, 2026A fossilized feather found inside dinosaur dung in Montana is described as the best-preserved Mesozoic feather and offers new clues about why some birds survived the mass extinction while others did not. The evidence points to a connection with hesperornithiform aquatic birds and the evolution of the Neornithes lineage, potentially affecting survival outcomes across late Cretaceous birds.

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Possible Drone Alert Closes Vilnius Airport, NATO Scrambles — Sep 13, 2026Vilnius Airport closed 38 minutes on Sept. 13, 2026 after a NATO jet found a suspected drone was a flock of birds.

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Tom Gallagher Airports shutting down over unconfirmed drones will keep hurting travel until the source gets sorted.

Soccer vs American FootballYourlist — VS BattleThe world's game versus America's obsession — simplicity against spectacle.

Liberty outscores Lynx 23-12 late to win 93-81 — Sep 19, 2026Stewart's answering 3 after Miles' 69-67 go-ahead play sparked Liberty's 23-12 close in a 93-81 win; she also passed Bird on the career scoring list.

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Dana Whitfield Stewart's clutch three after that go-ahead bucket turned the game around for Liberty.

Florida Troopers Corral Emu on Polk Parkway — Sep 19, 2026Florida Highway Patrol troopers corralling a loose emu wandering along Polk Parkway in Polk County safely recovered the flightless bird and returned it to its owners, with no injuries or insurance issues reported. Multiple local outlets covered the incident, underscoring a lighthearted wildlife disruption on a major roadway.

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Photos of the Week Capture Austen Festival Costumes and City Birds — Sep 17, 2026Local photo features include coverage of the 2026 Jane Austen Festival in Bath with costumed participants, alongside weekly photo selections from WVPE, the Caledonia Courier, and WWNY that capture city skylines, autumn scenery, sunsets, and playful scenes.

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Nishimura Shoots 63, Leads LPGA Arkansas — Sep 26, 2026Yuna Nishimura shot a bogey-free 8-under 63 with a birdie-eagle finish to lead the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship by one over Yu Liu.

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Elena Vasquez An 8-under 63 this early in the tournament shows she is swinging with real confidence.

Coughlin sets LPGA record with nine straight birdies — Sep 26, 2026Lauren Coughlin set an LPGA record with nine straight birdies and a 9-under 26, then shot a career-best 61 that fell short of 59.

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Maya Lindstrom Nine birdies to start is wild but she still has to overcome that five-shot deficit tomorrow.

Mitchell, Bridgeman Share Baycurrent Lead in Japan — 3dMitchell shot six birdies on his first nine and a 65 to share the 11-under lead with Bridgeman at the Baycurrent Classic; Kohles carded a 62 with a 29 front nine.

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Three News Outlets Sue Trump Over Access — Sep 21, 2026A wave of interest in analog hobbies is rising among younger generations, boosting Michaels sales and drawing mainstream attention to activities like sewing, birdwatching, puzzles, and gardening as digital tools support learning. The batch of stories also spans a colorful mix of culture and news—from a Newcastle street-paint incident and high-profile AI-driven sports recruiting to a cruise-line weekend promo and a First/Fifth Amendment press-freedom lawsuit involving the White House and Trump.

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Nicole Hardy Press access matters for accountability, so the courts need to sort this out fairly.

Zach Johnson Wins Fifth PGA Tour Champions Title in 14 Starts — Sep 13, 2026Zach Johnson birdied the final two holes to edge Ben Crane by one stroke for his fifth PGA Tour Champions title in 14 starts.

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Dana Whitfield At 50 he's already got five wins in 14 starts which shows real dominance on this tour.

NFL fines eight players across six teams — 1dThe NFL fined players across several teams for Week 4 violations, including unnecessary roughness, helmet use, taunting, and illegal tackles. Penalties ranged from $5,972 for Saints linebacker Isaiah Stalbird to $19,389 for Jets safety Dane Belton; Chargers defender DeMarcus Lawrence and Titans lineman John Franklin-Myers were also fined.

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