IJR News

JCPenney closes Ross Park store, leaves threeBusiness — 2dJCPenney closed its Ross Park Mall store in Pittsburgh after nearly 40 years, saying it could not renew the lease or find another suitable location. The closure leaves three stores in the Pittsburgh area and is part of the retailer’s plan to shutter about 150 underperforming locations through 2026.

Teacher and student die during Iowa school field trip — 2dA fifth-grade teacher, Hannah Jorgensen, and 10-year-old student Ahmed Osman died after entering the water during a school field trip to Iowa’s MacBride Nature Recreation Area. Authorities are investigating the circumstances, and the school district is providing support to students and staff.

Backyard Bear Encounters Reported in Washington, North CarolinaWorld — 3dA 12-year-old boy in Bellingham, Washington, fought off a black bear that attacked him in his backyard; the bear then injured his father before fleeing, and both were treated for minor injuries. Wildlife officials have set a trap after the bear returned to the area, while the family says the encounter has not changed their view of the risks posed by local bears.

Pope Leo Begins Four-Day Visit to France — 4dPope Leo XIV’s 2026 apostolic tour across France, Peru, Uruguay and other stops is drawing massive crowds and spurring tourism and infrastructure planning, from Paris’s Notre-Dame area to Lourdes, Lima’s Las Palmas mass and Chiclayo’s urban preparations. The visits are framed as both a major spiritual renewal for local communities and a significant economic and logistical undertaking for host cities.

Boise’s Unknown Wanderer Identified After 44 Years — 3dAda County investigators are set to reveal the identity of Boise’s “Unknown Wanderer” and say there may be a link to the 1982 Tylenol poisonings, with a news conference scheduled for Wednesday at 10 a.m. local time. The case dates back to the 1982 Boise church death and involves a cyanide-suicide, a mysterious alias, and tens of thousands of dollars in play, now being revisited in light of potential Chicago-area ties.

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.

Cities with fastest-growing home prices listed by metro area — 4dTypical U.S. home value hit $369,678 in August, up 1.3%; Sandy Ridge, NC led Winston-Salem metro gains at +12.7% per Zillow-Stacker lists.

Derek Foss I hope these gains do not push more families out of buying in smaller metros where values are moving fastest.

Florida reports 152 local dengue cases and one death in Tampa area — Sep 18, 2026Florida recorded 152 locally acquired dengue cases in 2026 and confirmed a dengue-related death of an elderly Tampa woman who died Sept. 4.

Consumers Raise Eurozone Inflation Expectations Above ECB Target — Sep 18, 2026Euro-area consumers' one-year inflation expectation rose to 3.0% in August 2026, above the ECB's 2% target, with three- and five-year views also higher.

Derek Foss Seeing the five-year number rise too means people are losing faith in price stability over time.

Ten Lions Found Dead in Tanzania, Probe Underway — 6dTen lions were found dead in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with preliminary findings suggesting poisoning as the cause and authorities launching an expert investigation amid long-standing tensions with the local Maasai community over evictions. The incident echoes broader regional wildlife-poisoning concerns, including recent elephant deaths near Kenya’s Amboseli ecosystem.

Derek Foss This poisoning shows how badly human-wildlife conflicts need real solutions before more animals die.

Report says Chicago-area businesses lost $1.2 billion in immigration crackdown — Sep 8, 2026

Starbucks Plans 250 North American Store Closures — 6dSeveral beloved coffee destinations are closing: Starbucks in Hove, UK will cease trading on October 4 after a long-running location, with staff offered roles at nearby stores; Williamsburg’s Partners Coffee flagship in New York City is also shutting as lease ends amid financial pressures, though a new Bedford Avenue cafe will continue the brand’s presence in the area. In Kent, The CakeShed on The Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells is closing with its last day on September 27, marking the end of a well-loved cafe and restaurant staple in the town.

Madonna vs Lady GagaYourlist — VS BattleThe Queen of Pop versus the artist who studied at her throne.

Oregon Ohio and Pennsylvania high school football scores from Sept. 18 — Sep 18, 2026Across regions, high school football dominates the sports slate with regional score updates and key matchups. Highlights include Oregon's top-ranked games and early results, Columbus-area scores, an Ohio Streetsboro-Roosevelt preview with standout players, and Bucks County Week Four updates.

Sam Okafor Bucks County had a couple of tight games in week four that could shake up the standings before October.

Seattle parents sue Salem hospital alleging staff told them to drive son's body home — 4dA Seattle-area family is suing Salem Health and an emergency physician, alleging hospital staff pressured them to transport their nearly 9-month-old son’s body home in their private car after his death at Salem Hospital, citing cost concerns and a lack of paperwork for proper transport. The lawsuit also accuses the hospital of failing to provide dignified, timely options or a morgue response and claims the family was guided through decisions in a state of shock, with the infant’s death tied to Down syndrome and other health issues.

Most Expensive Homes Ranked in Alabama Alaska Arkansas Arizona — Sep 17, 2026Stacker identified the cities with the most expensive homes in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, and Arizona using Zillow Home Values Index data as of August 2026, illustrating how prices cluster in certain metro areas amid high mortgage rates. The reports converge on affordability pressures and factors like location, size, age, and condition driving the valuations.

Tom Gallagher Location and condition clearly drive those big gaps more than people admit.

Boil Advisories Lifted and Issued in Several CommunitiesEnvironment — Sep 11, 2026Boil-water advisories were issued in multiple communities after water-line breaks or leaks and have been lifted in several areas following repairs and satisfactory water tests, though a few locations still operate under advisories or emergency directives. The affected communities include Great Bend (KS), Modeste (LA), the Richmond County area, White Plains (KY), and Cedar Rapids (IA), with precise closures, testing, and lifting timelines noted for each locality.

Could you pass as a prompt engineer?Quizie — QuizFifteen real prompting scenarios — pick the move an actual pro would make. The rank at the end is built for your bio.

Undefeated Clarke Central faces North Oconee in Athens-area showdown — Sep 3, 2026High school football is underway nationwide with Week 3 Athens updates featuring Clarke Central vs North Oconee, Nebraska area results including South Loup’s 40-6 win, and Texas and Florida markets highlighting Fort Worth-area scores and Big Bend action with Pensacola Catholic at Godby live coverage.

Dana Whitfield Pensacola Catholic at Godby is the game I'm watching tonight, Big Bend football has some real talent this year.

Calendars List Upcoming Tech, Community EventsTech — Sep 17, 2026A Seattle-area Space Week tabletop exercise will simulate a cislunar infrastructure scenario as Artemis-era policy moves shape space operations, with input from DHS and policy experts. Separately, a PRSA Puget Sound panel will explore what Pacific Northwest tech reporters seek in coverage, while GeekWire aggregates and promotes local tech events across Seattle and Portland regions.

Pregnancy Rewires Brain Circuit Driving Food Cravings in Mice — Sep 18, 2026Researchers have pinpointed a brain mechanism in mice linking pregnancy to stronger cravings for palatable foods: serotonin neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus become less active during gestation due to increased SK3 channel activity, which drives food-seeking behavior. The team also traced a neural pathway to the ventral tegmental area, where activation reduces cravings, shedding light on the neural basis of gestational eating patterns observed in humans.

Nine Women’s Deaths Spur South Africa Protests — Sep 17, 2026Memorials and silent protests across South Africa followed the discovery of eight to nine deaths of women in the Ekurhuleni and Kempton Park areas, renewing public anger over femicide and calls for stronger policing and action against gender-based violence. Authorities and activists cite a national crisis in GBV, with President Ramaphosa pledging intensified investigations and police operations like a broader crackdown to protect women.

Heavy Rain Threats Expected Across Nepal, U.S.Weather — Sep 17, 2026Nepal faces a potential spell of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall this week as a Bay of Bengal system may strengthen and interact with a westerly flow, prompting authorities to urge monitoring and precautions. In the United States, South Florida is warned of frequent showers and high rainfall rates with flood risk, while the Northeast—from New York City to surrounding areas—faces a flash flood threat this weekend that could affect the I-95 corridor.

Arrest Follows Second Teen Shooting, East Price Hill — Sep 14, 2026An 18-year-old Adrian Washington was arrested and charged with multiple felonies in connection with a shooting on Ring Place in East Price Hill that left a teen with serious injuries. The incident adds to a pattern of gun violence in the area, with a prior teen shooting in the same neighborhood and no other suspects named in several reports.

Heatwave Persists Across Regions, Cooling ExpectedWeather — Aug 8, 2026Heat persists across Europe, with Switzerland and surrounding regions forecast to hit around 35°C and drought conditions continuing, while in the Pacific Northwest the pattern shifts toward autumn with average highs slipping into the upper 70s to 80s and occasional showers. Homeowners are advised to curb heat with window blinds—roller and Vision/Day & Night styles—alongside other cooling strategies as warmer conditions linger in some areas and cooling remains a priority.

UN Resolution Endorses Equal Earth Map — Sep 17, 2026A global debate over map projections and colonial legacies is intensifying as the UN considers replacing Mercator with equal-area models like Equal Earth to correct distortions that skew Africa and other regions, drawing support from many nations while major powers and some allies abstain or object on sovereignty grounds. Separate tensions over Ceuta and Melilla illustrate how historical borders and colonial legacies continue to shape contemporary disputes even as cartographic debates seek more equitable representations of the world.

White Sox Scouting Director Shirley Resigns Amid Allegations — Sep 12, 2026Mike Shirley resigned as the Chicago White Sox amateur scouting director amid an internal investigation into alleged verbal harassment, including racist and sexist remarks reportedly made at Area Code Games. The team has not disclosed the investigation's findings and has a history of prior inquiries related to his conduct.

Elena Vasquez Shirley stepping down makes sense after those repeated complaints about his language at events like the Area Code Games.