IJR News

Tig Notaro Schedules Early 2027 Dates for Out of Nowhere Tour — 1dTig Notaro is taking her “Out of Nowhere” stand-up tour to venues in Wilkes-Barre, Richmond and Wilmington in early 2027. Several Wilmington reports confirm her Jan. 8 performance at the Wilson Center, with tickets going on sale to the public Oct. 16.

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Kentucky Basketball Pro Day Draws NBA ScoutsSports — Oct 6, 2026Kentucky’s annual Pro Day at Rupp Arena gave NBA scouts and fans a look at the Wildcats through drills and scrimmages, with forward N’Diaye, shooter Alex Wilkins and freshman guard Mason Williams among the players who stood out. Separate coverage showed Kentucky’s Pro Day and Tennessee’s media day, while Grand Canyon announced expanded live coverage of Mountain West Basketball Media Day.

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White Sox Shut Out Guardians 3-0 in ALDS Opener — Oct 1, 2026The White Sox plan to use rookie Hagen Smith as an opener in Saturday’s ALDS Game 1 against Cleveland, which will start rookie Parker Messick; Guardians manager Stephen Vogt named Gavin Williams for Game 2. Smith is expected to work multiple innings as Chicago continues its bullpen approach after sweeping Houston in the wild-card round.

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Yankees leave Aaron Judge off wild-card roster — Sep 28, 2026The Yankees left Aaron Judge off their wild-card roster against the Red Sox, opting for caution despite his late push to return from a right calf strain. Giancarlo Stanton, Trent Grisham and Ryan Weathers made the roster, and Judge could return if New York advances.

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Elena Vasquez Keeping Judge sidelined is the smart call to protect that calf even if it weakens the lineup against Boston.

Cubs Loss Creates Three-Team Wild-Card TieSports — Sep 22, 2026A dynasty baseball year-end review grades prospect recommendations, while the Cubs’ 12-inning loss left them tied with the Phillies and Padres in the wild-card race after missed chances to clinch. Other baseball coverage looks back at notable MLB milestones and previews the Mariners’ season-ending series, which will honor broadcaster Rick Rizzs.

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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.

White Sox Hold Wild-Card Lead, Tigers Near Elimination — Sep 17, 2026The Chicago White Sox remain in the thick of the AL playoff race, buoyed by Miguel Vargas's 33rd homer and Davis Martin's return as they chase a wild-card berth behind the fading Tigers, while Chicago also aims to outpace the Guardians in the Central. In a separate development, Detroit's rookies sparked an 11-8 comeback against the Sox, underscoring a volatile finish as both teams prepare for a pivotal four-game series that could decide postseason fate.

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Diamondbacks Lose Ground in Wild-Card Race — Sep 16, 2026The Diamondbacks dropped a 4-2, 11-inning loss to the Marlins, leaving them about 2.5 games behind the NL wild-card and facing a tight finish with limited games remaining while highlighting wasteful offense and late-inning missteps. In response, Arizona is shaking up the rotation—reinstating Soroka and moving Gallen to the bullpen—amid injuries and continued reliance on Corbin Carroll as they battle for a postseason berth.

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Cape Town Plans Permanent Confinement for 60 Baboons — Sep 17, 2026Cape Town officials propose relocating about 60 chacma baboons to an Urban Wildlife Centre as an alternative to culling, arguing that urban encroachment has worsened human-wildlife conflicts and welfare concerns; the plan has triggered fierce protests from conservationists and residents who say wild baboons should roam free. Debates over how to manage baboons—relocation, culling, or coexistence—center on how to balance public safety, animal welfare, and the pressures of urban expansion, with calls to secure properties and reduce attractants as part of coexistence strategies.

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Wheeler’s Seven Scoreless Lift Phillies in Wild-Card Race — Sep 15, 2026Zack Wheeler delivered seven scoreless innings against Washington, boosting the Phillies' playoff hopes as he nears 2,000 career strikeouts and helps stabilize a rotation shaken by Luzardo's IL placement. With Luzardo out and inconsistencies from other starters, Philadelphia faces a critical stretch and relies on Wheeler to anchor the staff ahead of the Wild Card round.

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Penguins sweep Hartford, Providence with 13 goals — 3dWilkes-Barre/Scranton swept its weekend games, routing Hartford 7-1 behind a five-goal second period before beating Providence 6-2. Rutger McGroarty led Sunday’s win with four points, while Taylor Gauthier made a career-high 39 saves.

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MBC plans Thanksgiving news break October 12Lifestyle — 5dThanksgiving coverage included a local newsroom holiday schedule, a wild-turkey pot pie recipe and a Honolulu restaurant’s feast-to-go offering. An unexpected NHL debut also brought the Stanley family together in Ottawa for the holiday weekend.

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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.

Valkyries Beat Aces, Take 2-0 Semifinal Lead — Oct 5, 2026Golden State beat Las Vegas 71-60 in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals, holding the Aces to a season-low while dominating the boards 52-25; former Aces center Kiah Stokes had 14 rebounds, and Gabby Williams led the Valkyries with 25 points. A’ja Wilson scored 24 but managed only four rebounds on inefficient shooting, as Las Vegas also faced injury and depth concerns heading into Game 2.

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Northwestern defeats Ball State 45-14Sports — 6dNorthwestern dominated Ball State 45-14 in its homecoming game, with quarterback Aidan Chiles throwing for 272 yards and three touchdowns and receiver Griffin Wilde catching eight passes for 144 yards. The Wildcats’ defense also kept steady pressure on Ball State’s quarterback to help secure the decisive win.

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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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Padres start Michael King to even NLDS against Brewers — Oct 4, 2026The Padres will turn to Michael King against Brewers rookie Logan Henderson in Game 2 of the NLDS, seeking to even the series after Milwaukee won the opener 3-2. King enters off a dominant seven-inning shutout in the wild-card round, while the Brewers look to build on their late-game comeback and home-field advantage.

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Sam Okafor Brewers have that home edge after their late rally, so San Diego needs to score early before Milwaukee gets rolling again.

Toy Story vs ShrekYourlist — VS BattleThe toy box vs the swamp: two animation revolutions, one inevitable playground argument.

White Sox Take 1-0 Lead Over AstrosSports — Sep 30, 2026The Chicago White Sox swept Houston in their American League wild-card series, earning their first postseason-series win in 21 years after Pope Leo XIV, a lifelong fan, sent the team a letter of support before Game 1. Chicago won the opener 6-3 and closed out the series with a 7-3 victory.

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MLB Divisional Round Opens After Wild-Card Eliminations — Oct 2, 2026The 2026 MLB divisional round is underway, with coverage highlighting early ALDS action and previewing the day’s games, alongside updates on Cincinnati’s roster and arbitration outlook. Other baseball coverage spotlights speed-first hitter Chandler Simpson as a counterpoint to analytics-driven play and profiles prospects from South Carolina’s Fall Games.

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Chris Dalton Simpson's speed game is a smart way to push back against all the launch angle hype.

Sports Shows Debate MLB, NFL, NBA — Oct 1, 2026The Braves eliminated the Phillies with a 6-2 win in Game 3 of their wild-card series, with Philadelphia’s decision to start Aaron Nola drawing scrutiny. Elsewhere in the MLB postseason, commentators debated whether the Dodgers slighted Yoshinobu Yamamoto by choosing Tarik Skubal to start Game 1 of the NLDS.

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Phillies Clinch Berth, Face Braves in Wild-Card Series — Sep 26, 2026With their playoff berth in jeopardy, the Phillies turned to Aaron Nola to start against Tampa Bay on just two days’ rest, despite his recent 88-pitch outing. Nola is expected to offer only a few innings, leaving a struggling bullpen to cover much of the game as Philadelphia tries to protect its narrow lead over Arizona, which holds the tiebreaker.

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Nor’easter Prompts Cubs-Red Sox Schedule ChangesSports — Sep 21, 2026A powerful nor'easter threatens the Cubs‑Red Sox series in Boston, risking rainouts and possible makeup games that could affect wild-card seeding with six games left for both teams. Forecasts from EC‑AIFA and other models point to heavy rain, high winds, and a potential need for a makeup doubleheader or even a neutral-site solution if the games matter for postseason positioning.

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Exits Rangers Game Early With Back Tightness — Sep 20, 2026Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left Toronto's game with the Rangers in the fourth inning due to left lower-back tightness, a setback as the Blue Jays sit three games out of the AL wild-card with a week left in the season. Toronto is preparing for his return and potential activation from the injured list as it pursues a postseason bid.

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Sam Okafor This late in the season a back issue like that could sideline him when Toronto needs every win.

Ten Lions Found Dead in Tanzania, Probe Underway — Sep 20, 2026Ten 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.

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

Orioles Rally in Ninth but Fall to Brewers 6-5 in Extras — Sep 19, 2026The Orioles’ late-season push remains hampered by a flawed roster, flawed fundamentals, and costly misplays from Rece Hinds, as the team’s depth and decision-making are repeatedly scrutinized while the bullpen keeps them in games only to see late leads slip in extra innings against Milwaukee. With elimination looming, Baltimore fights to stay alive in the wild-card race, but continued offensive droughts and baserunning errors highlight a rebuilding process under fire from fans and critics alike.

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Elena Vasquez Our bullpen keeps fighting to hold leads but the lack of depth and those late extra inning mistakes are killing our wild card hopes.

Padres Build Wild-Card Lead During 6-1 Road Trip — Sep 16, 2026Padres’ late-season push features a high-usage bullpen, a revitalized offense backing Michael King as he posts quality starts, and a historic two-homer burst from top prospect Ethan Salas that could shape their playoff push, while also juggling workloads and resting key players. Meanwhile, rehab updates and strategic days off—such as Jason Adam’s rough rehab stint and Fernando Tatis Jr. taking a half-day off at Coors Field—underscore the club’s focus on reaching the postseason.

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Developing storylines

2026 MLB stretch run: wild-card races and top performances