MLB Opening Day, News from Apple, and a Sweet Treat Takeover

Summary

The Ten News: MLB Opening Day, Apple News, and a Sweet Treat Takeover

Podcast: The Ten News, News for Curious Kids
Host: Small But Mighty Media
Date: March 26, 2026
Main Hosts: Pamela Kirkland (“Pam”), Ryan Willard (“Ry”)

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Ten News delivers a whirlwind of fun and informative updates geared toward curious kids (and their adults). The main topics include an exciting look at MLB’s 2026 Opening Day festivities, important tech and cybersecurity news from Apple, a hilarious syrup spill, and marvels of nature (both edible and endangered). The episode balances news with humor, quizzes, and shout-outs, making current events fun and understandable for a young audience.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. MLB Opening Day Excitement

[00:46 – 01:43]

• Opening Day Kicks Off: MLB’s 2026 season started, with the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees playing in a game broadcast exclusively on Netflix.
• Multi-Day Opening: The “opening day” is now a three-day extravaganza. On March 26, 22 teams will play, starting with the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. New York Mets at 1:15 pm ET.
• Pam’s Sports Context: Sets the energetic sports tone, “The most wonderful time of the year for baseball fans is finally here.” (Pam, 00:51)
• Ryan’s Snack Dilemma: Jokes about missing hot dogs for opening day, keeping the vibe light.

2. Apple’s Push for Balance & Cybersecurity

[01:43 – 03:13]

• Tim Cook’s Interview: Apple CEO emphasizes the importance of getting outside and having real life experiences beyond screens.
  • “Even though our phones may be a big part of our everyday life, they shouldn't replace real face to face connections or time spent in nature. Too much screen time can start to have negative effects...” (Pam, 01:55)
• Cybersecurity Update: Urges iPhone users to update their systems due to exploit kits, “Dark Sword” and “Karuna,” reportedly used by hackers (including Russian intelligence and Chinese cybercriminals).
  • No evidence of attacks on Americans yet, but “these tools have been used against specific groups including Ukrainians, Chinese crypto users and others.” (Pam, 02:56)
• Catchy Safety Reminder:
  • “Check yourself before you wreck yourself!” (Ryan, 02:27)

3. NASA’s Artemis II Moon Mission News

[03:13 – 04:11]

• Artemis II Launch: Scheduled for April 1; rocket was transported via Crawler Transporter 2 (world’s heaviest self-powered vehicle).
  • “It took nearly 12 hours to get there…basically moving about as fast as I move when I clean my room.” (Ryan, 03:36)
• Historical Journey: First astronauts to go beyond low Earth orbit since 1972's Apollo mission.

4. Washington State Law on Police Transparency

[04:11 – 05:04]

• New Law: Bans law enforcement from wearing face coverings that hide identity (except in specific cases).
  • Intended to increase accountability and transparency, especially after concerns over masked ICE operations.
  • Supporters say it ensures public knows “who’s exercising authority” (Pam, 04:45).

5. The Great California Syrup Spill

[05:04 – 06:13]

• Sticky Situation: Syrup from an overturned semi truck coated a section of the 10 Freeway in California.
  • Shutdown caused “a five mile long traffic jam” (Pam, 05:51).
• Cleanup Woes: Absorbent materials failed, so crews used water trucks and vacuums.
• Ryan’s Sweet Tooth:
  • “How come I never come across delicious accidents?” (Ryan, 06:13)
• callback joke: The “great spaghetti explosion of 2024.”

6. Pete the Bunny: Costco’s Giant Chocolate Treat

[06:22 – 07:07]

• Pete the Bunny: Costco sells a 10-pound chocolate bunny for Easter—requires a hammer or warm knife to open.
  • Price: $112.97.
  • “He requires quite a task force to eat.” (Ryan, 06:44)
• Pam & Ryan’s Deal: Ryan agrees to share Pete if Pam stops mentioning the spaghetti disaster.

7. Marvelous Marsupials Rediscovered

[07:07 – 07:57]

• Lazarus Species: Scientists, indigenous groups, and citizen scientists rediscover pygmy long-fingered possum and ringtail glider in New Guinea, thought extinct for 7,000+ years.
  • “Previously known only from fossils…now been identified in the wild.” (Pam, 07:29)

8. Mr. Flower Fantastic: The Anonymous Floral Artist

[07:57 – 08:51]

• Mr. Flower Fantastic (MFF): Anonymous artist (“Botanical Banksy”) reveals identity at NY Botanical Gardens.
  • “He’s allergic to flowers, so he wears a pair of gloves, too.” (Ryan, 08:08)
  • Art includes a “dumpster overflowing with white moth orchids” and a taxi car wash made of carnations.

9. Trivia on Meteors and Fireballs

[09:07 – 10:20]

• Trivia Segment (Owen): Explains the term “shooting star” and recounts a real fireball event witnessed in 10 states.
  • “Witnesses in places like Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania even heard a…it lit up the sky like a giant meteor.” (Owen, 09:44)

10. Kid Engagement, Reviews, and Shout-outs

[12:48 – 13:27]

• Listener Shout-outs:
  • Messi jokes “the animal was my dad snoring.” (Pam, 12:51)
  • Zayn4nine requests and gets a birthday shout-out.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Baseball season means warmer weather, and warmer weather means more time outside, which is exactly what Tim Cook has been encouraging smartphone users to do lately.” (Ryan, 01:43)
• “Not gonna lie, crazy freaky hackers make me wanna leave the planet for a bit.” (Ryan, 03:13)
• “Ryan, you were the cause of the great spaghetti explosion of 2024.” (Pam, 06:15)
• “He’s allergic to flowers, so he wears a pair of gloves, too.” (Ryan, 08:08)
• “Good gravy. But he requires quite a task force to eat.” (Ryan on Pete the Bunny, 06:44)
• “It took nearly 12 hours to get there…basically moving about as fast as I move when I clean my room.” (Ryan, 03:36)
• Listener review: “In the March 10 episode the animal was my dad snoring.” (Pam, 12:51)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:46–01:43: MLB Opening Day explained
• 01:43–02:23: Tim Cook's push for outdoor time
• 02:23–03:13: Cybersecurity risks and Apple update
• 03:13–04:11: NASA Artemis II mission overview
• 04:11–05:04: Washington state police mask law
• 05:04–06:13: California syrup spill story
• 06:22–07:07: Pete the Bunny—the 10-pound Easter treat
• 07:07–07:57: Lazarus species rediscovered in New Guinea
• 07:57–08:51: Mr. Flower Fantastic at NY Botanical Gardens
• 09:07–10:20: Trivia and fireball meteor sighting
• 12:48–13:27: Podcast listener shout-outs

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Closing Notes

The episode concludes with playful banter about mixing space ice cream and popcorn, invitations for listener feedback, and reminders about ad-free episodes and donations. The hosts keep the tone friendly, fun, and engaging, serving up a lively blend of current events and curiosity for kids and families.

Transcript

[A]

Good morning Ry.

[B]

Are you ready? Pam, are you ready?

[A]

Ready for wow, that is a lot of space ice cream.

[B]

Never enough Pam. Never enough. We are all stocked up for the Artemis II launch.

[A]

I'm surprised you didn't stock up on hot dogs and popcorn for MLB Opening Day.

[B]

Wait, when is that? I don't have any hot dogs.

[A]

Oh boy, then we should probably jump right in. I'm Pamela Kirkland and I am the

[B]

hot dogless Ryan Willard. It's Thursday, March 26th.

[A]

This is 10 things you need to know. 10. 9, 8, 76543, 21

[B]

well, we obviously need to start in the wild world of sports.

[A]

The most wonderful time of the year for baseball fans is finally here. MLB Open Opening Day 2026 the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees officially kicked off their season yesterday evening and the game was broadcast exclusively on Netflix.

[B]

I can't believe I missed it.

[A]

Well, today is the day opening day when 22 teams take the field starting at 1:15 Eastern as the Pittsburgh Pirates take on the New York Mets. This marks day two of the three day Major League Baseball extravaganza, with the third opening day kicking off tomorrow. Each team will for a three game series to open the season, setting the stage for what's sure to be another exciting year across the league. So you still have time to get your snacks. Rye play ball

[B]

Baseball season means warmer weather, and warmer weather means more time outside, which is exactly what Tim Cook has been encouraging smartphone users to do lately. In a recent interview with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan, the Apple CEO Tim Cook talked about the importance of experiencing the world outside of a screen. He emphasized that even though our phones may be a big part of our everyday life, they shouldn't replace real face to face connections or time spent in nature. Too much screen time can start to have negative effects on our mental health and even physical health. So let this be a sign to put the screens away and go play. Or just touch grass.

[A]

Well, just in case you needed another reason to put your phone down, check

[B]

yourself before you wreck yourself.

[A]

In other Apple news, iPhone users are being encouraged to update their phone after new cybersecurity research suggests that Russian intelligence, Chinese cybercriminals and other hackers have been using tools to take over phones running on older versions of iOS. These tools, nicknamed Dark Sword and Karuna, are called exploit kits that hackers can use to gain deep remote access to phones and search through content like WI fi, passwords, text messages, and more. While there's no evidence that Americans have been targeted Researchers say these tools have been used against specific groups including Ukrainians, Chinese crypto users and others.

[B]

Not gonna lie, crazy freaky hackers make me wanna leave the planet for a bit. Speaking of, NASA's Artemis II moon rocket is set to launch on Wednesday, April 1. Artemis 2 has already done quite a bit of traveling as it left Kennedy Space center last Friday and arrived at its final destination before takeoff, launch pad 39B. But get this, launch pad 39B was only 4mil and it took nearly 12 hours to get there. So it was basically moving about as fast as I move when I clean my room. It took that long, mainly because the rocket had to hitch a ride on NASA's huge Crawler Transporter 2, the heaviest self powered vehicle in the world. In the official Guinness world record holder, it weighs a whopping 6.65 million pounds. Artemis 2 will be taking four astronauts on a 10 day flight around the moon and they will be the first people to venture beyond low earth orbit since the 1972 Apollo mission.

[A]

Ignition sequence starts. Liftoff. We have a liftoff. Liftoff on Apollo 11. There's a new law out of Washington state that now bans all federal, state and local law enforcement from wearing face coverings that hide their identities when interacting with the public. The law aims to increase transparency and accountability over concerns about massed enforcement actions, especially by ice. There are some exceptions to the law, such as wearing safety gear, SWAT operations, or religious reasons, but for the most part, officers are required to remain identifiable. While supporters say this measure makes sure the public knows who's exercising authority, some argue it could endanger law enforcement. And with that, let's take a quick break.

[B]

Hey tenors. We're going to do a deep dive on artificial intelligence, AKA AI. So I'm curious, what do you think about AI and what do you want to know about it? Send us an email@helloten news.com or leave us an Apple podcast review or a Spotify comment and we might have you on the show. Speaking of back to it, we are back with a sticky situation out of Fontana, California. While traveling in the westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway at Citrus Avenue, a semi truck overturned spilling hundreds of gallons of syrup onto the highway. The exact cause of the accident is unknown, but officers said the syrup began to spread quickly, causing an inch thick layer of the gooey substance across all westbound lanes.

[A]

The California Department of Transportation first tried to clean up the mess using absorbent material, but that didn't work. So they pivoted to a water truck which hosed down the syrup and vacuumed up the remaining residue. The cleanup took almost nine hours and closed down four lanes of the freeway, causing a five mile long traffic jam.

[B]

How come I never come across delicious accidents?

[A]

Ryan, you were the cause of the great spaghetti explosion of 2024.

[B]

You're right. That was delicious, wasn't it? Huh? Well, onto another sweet treat story. Costco is taking Easter candy to the next level this year. The retailer selling a 10 pound chocolate bunny, also known as Pete the Bunny. Pete is a giant chocolate bunny made of semi solid milk, white and dark chocolate. With one floppy ear and a smile, you can purchase Pete the Bunny to enjoy during your Easter festivities for a low, low price of $112.97. Good gravy. But he requires quite a task force to eat. To enjoy the chocolate bunny, you have to crack it open with a hammer or mallet or slice it with a warm knife. So, yes, Pam, I will share my Pete the Bunny with you as long as you don't bring up the great spaghetti explosion of 2024 again. Deal?

[A]

You've got a deal. So, tenors, I'd normally play a sound and tell you to guess what animal this is. But not today, because this animal was thought to be extinct. But thanks to a collaboration among scientists, indigenous communities and citizen, it's actually alive and well. Previously known only from fossils, the pygmy long fingered possum and the ringtail glider have now been identified in the wild in New Guinea. According to the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, this marks the first confirmed sightings of these species in over 7,000 years. They're a part of the marsupial family and are now known as the Lazarus species too, which is a term for organisms that reappear after they're thought to be extinct.

[B]

Have you ever met Mr. Flower? Fantastic, huh? Not many people have. Until recently. Also known as MFF or Flower. You could call him the Botanical Banksy. Because this floral artist remains anonymous, because he wants the real focus to be on his work. Typically, when he's out in public, he's wearing a gas mask to hide his identity. And ironically enough, he's allergic to flowers, so he wears a pair of gloves, too. But this all changed during his work at the New York Botanical Gardens annual orchid show. Because he's a lifelong New Yorker, he used the opportunity to reveal his secret identity and invite the public to see New York as he does. Some of his floral structures in this show included a dumpster overflowing with white moth orchids and English ivy and a car wash with a taxi driving through it made of synthetic and real carnations.

[A]

Okay, that is so cool. I wish I got to see that in person.

[B]

And speaking of cool, for the last thing you need to know, let's go to our trivia master. Owen. What is going on here?

[C]

Trivia on the 10. Thanks Ry. I know how much you want to go to space, so today's trivia is all about it. Which of the following is another name? Meteor? Is it A, a comet, B a shooting star? C a solar flare, or D an asteroid? The answer is B, a shooting star. That's the bright streak of light we usually see in the night sky. And speaking of shooting stars, something pretty cool happened recently. Last Tuesday morning, just before 9am ET, people in 10 different states reported seeing a bright fireball in the sky. Witnesses in places like Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania even heard a It was an asteroid, about 7 tons roll racing through the atmosphere at 45,000 miles an hour. As it burned up, it lit up the sky like a giant meteor.

[B]

And that was 10 things you need to know.

[A]

So which snack are you going with? Space ice cream or popcorn?

[B]

Thank you for asking. I've realized that I can mix space ice cream into my popcorn and I get a sweet and salty sensation and it is out of this world.

[A]

Let me try. Oh wow. That is delicious. Can I have some more?

[B]

You can, right after we give some 10 new snaps to some of our listeners.

[A]

And before that, here's a quick note for the grown ups.

[D]

Hey 10 news families. As we head into spring, homeschool parents know this is the time to finish the year strong. Between activities, travel and everything else filling up the calendar, it can be tricky to keep learning on track. Well, that's where IXL comes in. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling. It offers interactive practice across math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. IXL personalizes learning for each child, keeps them engaged, and gives parents clear insight into progress. Kids get instant explanations so they can learn in the moment, and parents get detailed reports that clearly show the growth and areas to strengthen. Plus, everything is organized by grade and subject, so it's easy to find exactly what your child needs. So make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and the 10News listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at www.ixl.comtemple. visit www.ixcel.comtn to get the most effective learning program out there at the best

[B]

price

[E]

Grown Ups if there's a child in your life who is interested in, curious about or fascinated by people and places from history, then my podcast the Past and the Curious might just be a hit in your home. From the invention of microscopes to world traveling dogs to Fashions of the 1890s, Gold Rush Ghost towns and and audiences going wild for walking competitions, we've got a little bit of it all. Hosted by children's author and museum educator Mick Sullivan. That's me. The show is fun, funny, engaging, honest and beloved by kids and parents alike. Find the past and the curious at all the usual podcast places.

[B]

It's time for 10 news naps.

[A]

A tenor named Messi left us a five star Apple podcast review. I thought in the March 10 episode the animal was my dad snoring. Your dad must have a mighty snore.

[B]

And a tenor named Zayn4nine also left us a five star review on Apple Podcasts and said March 27th is my birthday so the closest episode to it. Can you shout me out please? Okay Zane four nine nine that work. Oh and also Happy birthday. My birthday was on March 25th. Can you shout me out please?

[A]

And two extra notes for the grownups. You can now get ad free versions of our episodes when you join the Tenors Club on our website.

[B]

And if you want to help support the 10News, you can make a tax deductible donation at the link in our show notes. The whole team thanks you for your support.

[A]

The 10 News is a co production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.

[B]

The 10News Creative team is putting their phones down and going for a picnic in the park. It includes Tracy, Nada Crooks, Adam the Great Bambino, Bernard, Brian Not Ryan Douglas, the Duke of Earl, Davis and Carson not so Harry Potter. Big thanks to Owen. Not slowing down for anybody.

[A]

Our production director is Jeremiah Tittle and our executive producers are Donald Albright. Albright Albright. And show creator Tracy takes the leads. Kaplan Pamela. I'm Pamela Kirkland.

[B]

And I'm Brian Willard. Thanks for listening to the 10 news.