State of the Union Update, Animal News, and USA Hockey Team Takeover

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Ten News – “State of the Union Update, Animal News, and USA Hockey Team Takeover”

Date: February 26, 2026
Hosts: Pamela Kirkland & Ryan Willard
Podcast: The Ten News (Small But Mighty Media)

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Episode Overview

This episode gives young listeners a lively and thoughtful rundown of major current events, sports highlights, pop culture updates, and inspiring animal stories. Highlights include a tribute to civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, key takeaways from President Trump’s State of the Union address, rare Pokémon card news, a recap of historic USA Hockey team wins at the Winter Olympics, wild winter weather, and positive animal rescue stories.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Remembering Reverend Jesse Jackson

• Pamela Kirkland (00:41): Announces the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson at age 84, recounting his significance as a civil rights leader, two-time presidential candidate, and founder of enduring organizations like Operation Breadbasket and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

  “Even though Reverend Jackson is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in the movements and the people he inspired.” – Pamela Kirkland (01:25)

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2. State of the Union Recap (President Trump, 2nd Term)

• Ryan Willard (01:28): Summarizes President Trump’s unusually long (107 minutes) State of the Union address, noting:
  • No legislative agenda or detailed plan presented to Congress.
  • Trump reaffirmed illegal tariffs despite the Supreme Court’s ruling.
  • Emphasis on restricting undocumented immigration, referring to them as “criminal aliens.”
  • No mention of the recent tragedy in Minneapolis or American citizens killed by ICE.

    “He doubled down on tariffs even though the Supreme Court ruled that his tariffs were illegal.” – Ryan Willard (01:48)

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3. Pop Culture: Miley Cyrus & Pokémon Highlights

Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary

• Pamela (02:12): Announces Miley Cyrus’s return for a special Hannah Montana anniversary episode, premiering March 24th, including interviews, archival footage, and “iconic moments.”

  “Miley Cyrus is returning to her roots for the upcoming Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special.” – Pamela Kirkland (02:13)

• Ryan (02:37): Playfully reacts to the news.

Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary & Logan Paul’s Record Card Sale

• Ryan (03:07): Reports Pokémon’s milestone and YouTuber Logan Paul’s record-breaking auction of a Pikachu Illustrator card for $16.5 million, making it the most expensive card ever sold at auction.

  “At the auction, Paul put the card in a diamond necklace and hung it around the buyer’s neck. Because why not?” – Ryan Willard (03:53)

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4. Winter Olympics 2026: Team USA’s Golden Moments

• Pamela (04:06): Both men’s and women’s hockey teams win gold against Canada in overtime.

  “In a nail biting finish, the women of Team USA defeated Canada 2 to 1 in overtime.” (04:10)

• Ryan (04:37): Notes men’s historic gold (first since “Miracle on Ice” in 1980), remarkably on the same date.

  “The win came exactly 46 years to the day.” (04:54)

• Pamela (04:57): Team USA earns a record 12 gold medals overall, most since 2002.

  “Team USA as a whole made the 2026 Winter Olympics unforgettable by racking up a record breaking 12 gold medals…” (04:59)

• Ryan (05:17): Humorously comments on the athletes’ stamina.

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5. Science Snippet: Fun Snow Facts

• Pamela (05:27): Explains that snow is actually made of clear ice crystals; its whiteness is due to light reflection. Also, no two snowflakes are alike.

  “Snow actually isn’t white… So technically, you’ve never been hit in the face by the same snowflake twice.” (05:32–05:50)

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6. Winter Weather Update: Historic Nor’easter

• Pamela (05:59): Details the powerful Nor’easter (Winter Storm Hernando), burying parts of the Northeast in over a foot of snow and triggering record blizzard warnings in NYC for the first time in nine years, plus rare “thundersnow” sightings.

  “It became New York City’s heaviest snowfall in five years and marked the first time in nine years that all five boroughs were under a blizzard warning.” (06:30)

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7. Quirky News: Iced Coffee Glove Giveaway

• Ryan (06:55): Amusingly laments missing Dunkin’s limited edition iced coffee glove, a viral mitten for holding iced drinks in winter.

  “It was just a singular hot pink mitten meant to keep iced coffee lovers’ left hands warm while holding their beverage. So one hand stays cozy and the other hand just has to deal with it.” (07:04)

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8. Animal Updates: Viral Monkeys & Heartwarming Rescues

Punch the Monkey (Japan)

• Pamela (07:37): Shares the story of “Punch,” an abandoned Japanese macaque who found comfort with a stuffed orangutan toy and is slowly making friends at the zoo.

  “Punch can be seen carrying his orange plush orangutan around the Ichikawa City Zoo… But don’t worry, Punch has started to make real monkey friends.” (07:46, 08:16)

JetBlue the Dog (Las Vegas)

• Ryan (08:28): Reports on a goldendoodle abandoned at an airport, who was rescued, named JetBlue, and adopted by a police officer after the story went viral.

  “After his story went viral, more than 2,400 adoption applications poured in. So who’s the lucky new owner? None other than one of the police officers who helped rescue him at the airport.” (09:17)

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9. Quiz Time: UK’s First Pet

• Owen, Trivia Master (09:50): Asks what kind of animal serves as the UK’s “first animal” under the prime minister. The answer: Larry the Cat, official rodent catcher for 15 years and “basically runs the place.”

  “He served under six prime ministers and his duties spanned from greeting guests to testing antique furniture for napping quality.” (10:25) “Talk about a purr-fect job.” (10:45)

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10. Listener Feedback & Community Shoutouts

• Pamela & Ryan (11:29): Share listener feedback on Winter Olympics favorite sports and requests for more soccer coverage.

  “Could you make a soccer episode? With the World Cup coming up, I think we’ll have to cover it.” – Listener request read by Pamela (11:46)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “I got snow on my sneakers, got snow on my socks, and I’m pretty sure I’ve got snow coming out of my ear holes. I had to sled here.” – Ryan Willard (00:11)
• “Snow actually isn’t white. It’s made of tiny ice crystals that are clear, but when light bounces around inside them, it looks white to our eyes. Also, no two snowflakes are exactly alike.” – Pamela Kirkland (05:27)
• “I didn’t get [the iced coffee glove], so now I’m just wearing two regular mittens like a normal winter human.” – Ryan Willard (07:26)
• “According to a profile on the United Kingdom government website, he [Larry the Cat] basically runs the place. The humans just think they’re in charge.” – Owen, Trivia Master (10:38)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:41: Jesse Jackson tribute
• 01:28: State of the Union summary
• 02:12: Hannah Montana 20th anniversary
• 03:07: Pokémon card record sale
• 04:06: Winter Olympics hockey wins
• 05:27: Fun facts about snow
• 05:59: Nor’easter weather update
• 06:55: Dunkin’ iced coffee glove story
• 07:37: Punch the Monkey story
• 08:28: JetBlue the goldendoodle rescue
• 09:50: Trivia: UK’s “First Animal”
• 11:29: Listener feedback & soccer episode request

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Tone & Style

The episode is upbeat, playful, and informative, using humor and curiosity to keep younger listeners (and their adults) engaged while addressing big topics with clarity and warmth.

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Summary prepared for those seeking an engaging and insightful breakdown of current events and positive stories as reported on The Ten News for February 26, 2026.

Transcript

[A]

What in the wild weather is happening out there?

[B]

It's one of the worst storms we've had in decades.

[A]

I got snow on my sneakers, got snow on my socks, and I'm pretty sure I've got snow coming out of my ear holes. I had to sled here.

[B]

That's like all downhill coming from your house.

[A]

I know it was really fun, but getting home is going to be really tough.

[B]

Then we better get rolling. I'm Pamela Kirkland.

[A]

And I'm Ryan Willard. It's Thursday, February 26th.

[B]

This is 10 things you need to know.

[C]

Ten nine, eight seven six five, four, three, two, one.

[B]

We start today's episode with some sad news about a civil rights icon. Reverend Jesse Jackson passed away at the age of 84. He lived a long, meaningful life as a Baptist minister, a two time presidential candidate and an important leader who worked to make sure people were treated fairly under the law. Jackson was a close ally of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He not only participated in marches, but also built lasting organizations like Operation Breadbasket and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to Advance Economic Opportunity, Protect voting rights and more. Even though Reverend Jackson is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in the movements and the people he he inspired

[A]

and onto the President's agenda. President Trump held the first State of the Union address for his second term on Tuesday night. A State of the Union address is when the President gives a big speech to Congress about what is happening in the country and what they want to focus on next. President Trump set a record for the longest State of the Union ever at 107 minutes, but did not list out a legislative agenda for the year or a list of things he planned to accomplish with Congress. He doubled down on tariffs even though the Supreme Court ruled that his tariffs were illegal. Trump continued to attack undocumented immigrants, calling them criminal aliens, and promised to protect American citizens, though he did not mention Minneapolis or the two American citizens that were recently killed by ice.

[B]

And onto the red carpet. Up next, Miley Cyrus is returning to her roots for the upcoming Hannah Montana 20th annivers special. The Hannah Montana series originally aired on Disney Channel from 2006 to 2011, where Cyrus played Miley Stewart, an everyday teen by day and chart topping pop star by night.

[A]

Wait, Miley Cyrus is Hannah Montana?

[B]

Yes. Rye Cyrus announced the hanniversary special in her Instagram post featuring a Ford Mustang with a purple and gold license plate reading HM20, captioned going back to where it all began. The Special premieres on March 24th and will be filmed in front of a live studio audience featuring an interview with Miley Cyrus, never before seen archival footage, and some of the show's most iconic moments.

[A]

Friday, February 27th is Pokemon's 30th anniversary, and while the rest of us are celebrating three decades of the franchise, Logan Paul is celebrating the fact that he sold a Pokemon card for millions of dollars. The social media star set a Guinness World Record after auctioning off his rare Pikachu illustrator car for $16.5 million. This price isn't just a record for a Pokemon card, but for any card sold at an auction. When Paul purchased the card in 2021 for $5.275 million, it was yet another Guinness World Record for a Pokemon card. At the time, The Pikachu Illustrator card was designed by Atsuko Nishida for a contest in 1998. It's one of the rarest Pokemon cards on the planet, and Logan Paul's card is the only one with a PSA Perfect 10 condition rating. And yeah, at the auction, Paul put the card in a diamond necklace and hung it around the buyer's neck. Because why not?

[B]

And now on to the wild world of sports. The 2026 Winter Olympics are officially a wrap, but we can't go without giving a huge shout out to both the men's and women's USA Hockey teams. In a nail biting finish, the women of Team USA defeated Canada 2 to 1 in overtime. It's the American's third gold medal overall and the first since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games where they won in a shootout.

[A]

The US men also stepped up, beating Canada 2 to 1 in overtime to capture their first Olympic gold since the legendary Miracle on Ice victory when a team of US College players shocked the world by beating the powerful Soviet Union team. And believe it or not, the win came exactly 46 years to the day.

[B]

Not only did the men's and women's hockey team show out, but Team USA as a whole made the 2026 Winter Olympics unforgettable by racking up a record breaking 12 gold medals, the most the country has won since the Salt Lake city games in 2002.

[A]

I'm tired just thinking about all those medals. Let's take a quick break so I can catch my breath.

[B]

Snow actually isn't white. It's made of tiny ice crystals that are clear, but when light bounces around inside them, it looks white to our eyes. Also, no two snowflakes are exactly alike. Scientists have studied thousands and never found two that match perfectly. So technically, you've never been hit in the face by the same snowflake twice. Twice.

[A]

We are back. Whether or not

[B]

a historic nor' easter slammed parts of the northeastern United States on Sunday into Monday, bringing winter storm and blizzard warnings across the region, A nor' easter is a powerful storm that hits the east coast and usually brings heavy snow, strong winds and flooding. States including New York and Pennsylvania were buried under more than a foot of snow, with widespread power outages and coastal flooding left in the storm's wake. The Weather Channel named the system Winter Storm Hernando. It became New York City's heaviest snowfall in five years and marked the first time in nine years that all five boroughs were under a blizzard warning. And in a rare twist, some parts of the east coast, including southeast New England, experienced lightning flashes while the snow was falling, which feels winter and summer got their wires crossed. I don't know what's going on there now. That is some wild winter weather.

[A]

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm one of those people that actually likes iced coffee, even in the winter. Dunkin Donuts gave away something that I wish I snagged. The Donut and Coffee chain gave away a limited edition iced coffee glove to customers who purchased an ice drink. It was just a singular hot pink mitten meant to keep iced coffee lovers left hands warm while holding their beverage. So one hand stays cozy and the other hand just has to deal with it. The giveaway started at 10am at participating locations, but fans had to be quick because only a limited number of gloves were available and handed out on a first come first serve basis. I didn't get one, so now I'm just wearing two regular mittens like a normal winter human.

[B]

For 10 points. What animal is this? Punch the Monkey, a Japanese macaque, has become an Internet sensation and won over many hearts, including mine. The little monkey was abandoned at birth, and online videos showed Punch being shunned and bullied by other monkeys, and the Internet collectively said, nope, not okay. But the heartwarming part of the story is his comfort toy called Plushie. Punch can be seen carrying his orange plush orangutan around the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan and cuddling with his stuffed companion while he sleeps. But don't worry, Punch has started to make real monkey friends, and the zoo says that he's deepening interactions and others are warming up to Punch within the enclosure.

[A]

Punch, if you ever come to the 10 new studio, I will be your friend. And speaking of furry friends, we've got a heartwarming story out of Paradise, Nevada. A dog that was left at a JetBlue ticket counter at the Harry Reid International Airport has been adopted. Security footage released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department showed the two year old goldendoodle tied to a baggage sizer and left behind. Officers were able to locate the owner at an airport gate, where she was later charged with animal abandonment, which means leaving a pet somewhere without making sure they're safe. In a much happier turn of events, the pup was taken in by Animal Protective Services and later transferred to Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas. He was given the name JetBlue, and after his story went viral, more than 2,400 adoption applications poured in. So who's the lucky new owner? None other than one of the police officers who helped rescue him at the airport.

[B]

Aw. I love great animal news. I hope you love your new home, JetBlue. And for the last thing you need to know, let's see if our trivia master Owen can make it three in a row.

[A]

What is going on here?

[C]

Trivia on the 10 I got you Pam. Did you know that the British government has a first animal that serves under the prime minister before we introduce them? Do you know what kind of animal it is? Is it A, a dog, B a cat, C a hamster, or D a rabbit? The answer is be a cat. Larry the cat just celebrated 15 years as the British government's official rodent catcher and unofficial first feline. He served under six prime ministers and his duties spanned from greeting guests to testing antique furniture for napping quality. He served under six prime ministers and his duties spanned from greeting guests to testing antique furniture for napping quality. According to a profile on the United Kingdom government website, he basically runs the place. The humans just think they're in charge. Talk about a purr fect job.

[A]

And that was 10 things you need to know.

[B]

I bet Larry the Cat would get along with Midnight and Rigby.

[A]

Maybe I'll take them on an adventure to England.

[B]

Maybe you should wait until that wild winter weather clears up a bit.

[A]

And to wait, I'll give some 10 new snaps out.

[B]

But first, here's a quick note for the grownups.

[A]

It's time for 10 new snaps.

[B]

We asked what your favorite sport to watch at the Winter Olympics was and Eva Pookie, 67, left us a five star Apple review and said, my fave is figure skating. Mine too. Eva Pookie, thanks for letting us know.

[A]

And two tenors left us comments on Spotify ala said, great podcast. Could you make a soccer episode? With the World cup coming up, I think we'll have to cover it Football

[B]

is Life 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.

[A]

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.

[B]

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

[A]

The ten News creative team is currently fueled by hot chocolate and marshmallows the size of snowballs and includes Tracy, Nada Crooks, Adam the Great Bambino, Bernard Brian Not Ryan Douglas, the Duke Over Earl Davis and Carson not so Harry Potter. Big thanks to Owen not slowing down for anybody.

[B]

Our production director is Jeremiah Onfaya Tittle and our executive producers are Donald Albright. Albright Albright. And show creator Tracy takes the leads, Kaplan.

[A]

I'm Ryan Willard.

[B]

And I'm Pamela Kirkland. Thanks for listening to the 10 news.