Have a Boo-tiful Halloween 👻
LISTEN HERE
The Ten News Season 3: Episode 7
In today's episode:
🗞️ Ten things that you need to know right now: from a midterm update to a bread sculpture of Han Solo
🎃 Worried about your jack-o-lantern rotting before Halloween? Laine Farber shares the best time to carve your pumpkin
👻 Explore some of the most haunted places in America with Ryan Nerz
🤔 Trivia with Tessa: what Fall flavoring is almost as old as the United States?
Links
Anna May Wong will become the first Asian American on U.S. coins : NPR
Florida flesh-eating illness cases spike after Hurricane Ian - BBC News
US midterm elections: Record turnout as early voting starts in Georgia - BBC News
Tens of Thousands March in Paris to Protest Rising Living Costs - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Biden will release 15 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserves : NPR
'Pan Solo' rises from a California bakery : NPR
MacKenzie Scott gives the Girl Scouts nearly $85 million : NPR
Where Does Pumpkin Spice Come From? (bhg.com)
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TRANSCRIPT:
Ryan Willard 0:11
Give me your candy!
Pamela Kirkland 0:16
Ryan, why do you look like a zombie?
Ryan Willard 0:19
We have our office Halloween party today. Why aren't you dressed up?
Pamela Kirkland 0:24
Oh no, I totally forgot I didn't bring a costume.
Ryan Willard 0:28
Oh, Dumbledore won't let you into the party without one.
Pete Musto 0:31
No butter beer or peppermint toads for anyone without a costume.
Pamela Kirkland 0:37
Pete, that is an awesome Dumbledore costume.
Pete Musto 0:40
I know nothing of this Pete you speak of.
Ryan Willard 0:42
All right, Pam, if you start the show, I'll help you figure out a costume. I'm Ryan Willard.
Pamela Kirkland 0:47
I'm Pamela Kirkland. It's Wednesday, October 26th.
Ryan Willard 0:51
And this is the Halloween episode of The Ten News.
Sound Bit 0:56
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Ryan Willard 1:03
Pamela, what if you take this carved pumpkin and put it on your head, you can be Pumpkinhead Pamela.
Pamela Kirkland 1:09
No way. I hate the slimy seedy stuff inside pumpkins.
Ryan Willard 1:14
What? That's the most fun part of carving a pumpkin, getting your hands covered in pumpkin guts.
Pamela Kirkland 1:20
No, thank you. I think we need a Ten News correspondent to give you the facts about how gross pumpkins can be. Laine Farber, take it away.
Laine Farber 1:35
Happy Fall y'all. Halloween is just around the corner and you know what that means... time for candy, costumes, and spooky decorations. But, also freaky fun of Halloween takes some serious preparation. To be ready for the big night, you've probably spent all month crafting costumes, shopping for candy, and picking pumpkins to place on the porch. But, there's no such thing as being too prepared for Halloween, right? No way. Well, the droopy jack o'lantern you put out on October 1st begs to differ. Is a stinking pile of pumpkin goo not enough evidence? Disgusting. How about a word from the pumpkin experts at the Old Farmer's Almanac? The US is the oldest continually running periodical, their official decree: leave the jack o'lantern for last. But why? Well, pumpkins start to get funky within three to seven days of being cut. This is due to the fascinating, yet the foul, smelling phenomenon of decomposition, aka rot. Ah, rotting is when animal or plant material breaks down because of bacteria or fungi. Ever found an unidentifiable fuzzy leftover in the fridge or a squishy piece of fruit on the counter? Then you, my friend, have witnessed rot. Rot is super common. In fact, all organic material eventually rots. But there are certain things that speed up the decomposition process. Some of the biggest contributors are air temperature and physical damage. So, when you carve that snaggletooth smile into your pumpkin, you're speeding up the decomposition process by a lot. This is because you've damaged the pumpkin’s protective peel. Fruits and vegetables are all coated in protective outer layers that keep in moisture and keep out air and harmful bacteria. Pierce the peel and you speed up the putrification. So, do yourself and your jack-o'lantern a favor and wait to carve until the last second.
Ryan Willard 3:51
Ewwww. Thanks, Laine. Okay, that's pretty gross. But this is a fresh pumpkin perfect for carving.
Pamela Kirkland 3:56
Well, I'll hold the outside while you carve.
Ryan Willard 4:00
Yes! Thanks, Pamela. Yo, Pete. I mean, Dumbledore. Were you at my guy?
Pamela Kirkland 4:09
I think Pete stepped out to go on a Zombie Run.
Ryan Willard 4:13
What is a Zombie Run? And why wasn't I invited? I'm coming, Pete!
Pamela Kirkland 4:21
I hope you catch him, Ry. Let's go to our editor Pete Musto, who stopped by the Hyattsville Zombie Run to learn what's going on.
Pete Musto 4:31
Every year on a cold clear morning in mid-October, just outside our nation's capitol. The dead walk the Earth. Actually, I think they prefer the term undead so... the undead who walk the Earth. Though, I guess most of them are really doing more of a light jog. Anyways, it's the Annual Hyattsville, Maryland Zombie Run. That's right. On October 15th, hundreds of rotting corpses took part in the annual tradition that started in 2016, which includes a one-kilometer family run, a one-mile kids challenge, and a 5k for shambling horrors of all ages. There were also local businesses selling food and drinks, music, and even face painting. When I went to check out the event, it was pretty clear to me that most of the people there weren't rapidly decomposing, brain-hungry, monsters. They were kids and grownups from all over the area dressed up in costume. There were, of course, some folks who looked like they had been chewed on a little bit.
Sound Bit 5:46
I saw this guy with like a zip, zip zipper, and it was open.
Pete Musto 5:57
And I met a doctor who fell in the line of duty.
Sound Bit 6:00
So, I'm an ER doctor on the frontlines of the zombie apocalypse. I get bit and then someone tries to kill me on their way out of the hospital, but they don't do a good job because they just got the tip of the axe in the head.
Pete Musto 6:13
But, honestly, most of the costumes weren't too spooky. I even saw one woman dressed as a taco.
Sound Bit 6:21
Totally scary. Yeah, most of them are funny, but it's kind of scary.
Pete Musto 6:25
The Hyattsville Zombie Run is organized by the Hyattsville Elementary School Parent Teachers Association. PTA President Lauren Vulonovic told me that the group had wanted to find a way to bring their community together and raise money to support their school and tying it all into the Halloween spirit with everyone's love of zombies seemed like a fun idea.
Sound Bit 6:47
The PTA lives and dies through this fundraiser and we can do so much with the money we get from it.
Pete Musto 6:54
The event raises tens of thousands of dollars, she says which goes to schools all over the area, and this year saw a record of over 1000 people participating in the races. Lauren adds that parents and staff at Hyattsville elementary school are super aware of the national teacher shortage going on. So, they use the money they raise to make sure everyone at the school feels as happy and supported as possible.
Sound Bit 7:20
We do things like Staff Appreciation, so like you know events for our Teacher Appreciation Week, we do welcome back breakfast, and we give all the classroom teachers stipends at the beginning of the year. So you know all the materials that teachers often have to use their own money for, we the PTA, give them money for that.
Pete Musto 7:36
Zombie Run fever is spreading like wildfire across the country these days. In October alone, there have been similar events in Iowa, Pennsylvania, New York, and Texas to name a few. And they're often fundraisers for local charities or other causes. For Amy Martinez Sanchez, who works as a community school coordinator for Riverdale Elementary School, not far from Hyattsville. The best thing about the Zombie Run is the unique way it builds connections between all her neighbors.
Sound Bit 8:06
We're really community-based and we love for our kids to also engage with the community and see the value and just coming together.
Pamela Kirkland 8:15
Thank you, Pete. What a great cause. Oh, if you see Ryan, tell him we need him back ASAP. One thing I love about Halloween is ghost stories. Hauntings are fascinating and a little scary. Ten News correspondent Ryan Nerz investigated the most haunted places in America.
Ryan Willard 8:44
This won't be too scary, right?
Ryan Nerz 8:49
Don't worry Ryan. Question, do you believe in ghosts? Hmm, me too. And we're not alone. Nearly half of Americans believe in ghosts. This may be why America is chock full of not just haunted houses but haunted... pretty much everything. So, for all you ghost story lovers out there, here's a spooky little history of America's most haunted places. In the year of our Lord 1909, F-oh and Flora Stanley opened a super creepy hotel nestled way out in the mountainous wilderness of Colorado. They love their weird hotel so much, they decided to never, ever leave. Why? After the couple died, according to the totally freaked-out staff of the Stanley Hotel. Mrs. Stanley's ghosts would play her piano late at night. And Mr. Stanley kept showing up in the background of people's photos. Guests complained about bags being unpacked, lights blinking on and off, and children's laughter echoing in the hallways. Which begs the question, why would you ever book a room at the Stanley Hotel? Well, if you're the world's most famous horror novelist, that's an easy question. When Stephen King stayed there with his wife and son for one night in 1974, they were the only guests. That night, King had a nightmare that his three-year-old son was being chased through the hallways by a fire hose. He woke up drenched in sweat, and frantically jotted down the idea for his best-selling novel turned horror film, The Shining, which I gotta admit, pretty much scarred me for life. Well, if you want permanent psychological damage, you can not only still stay at the hotel but also watch the movie over and over and over. That's because guest bedrooms have a channel where the shining plays on a 24-hour loop. Sounds like torture, right? But if you want actual torture, look no further than the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. When this terrifying Castle-like-prison was built in 1829, it took solitary confinement to a whole new level. Prisoners lived alone, ate alone, and exercised alone. When an inmate left his cell, they always covered his head with a hood so he couldn't see or be seen. But, the inmate’s ghosts got their revenge. Turning the prison into a haunted compound of horrors. Former guards and visitors have reported disembodied laughter, shadowy figures lurking around the cellblocks, and the pacing footsteps of ghostly guards. Airports can kind of feel like prisons, what with all the flight delays, but there's one airport that can be particularly traumatizing. Honolulu International Airport has its own resident ghost known as the lady in waiting. She's a blonde spirit in a white dress who shows up in the off-limits areas of the airport. The story goes that the lady-in-waiting fell in love with a man who promised to marry her, but he abandoned her at the gate, and she's been waiting for him ever since. Beyond the sight of her floating through the back quarters. The lady in waiting also haunts the bathrooms. Travelers have reported paper rolls that unravel on their own and toilets that flush by themselves. But, American ghosts don't just sit around flushing toilets, In Chicago, they've taken over the zoo. Are you kidding me? Lions and tigers and ghosts, oh my. As it turns out, where Lincoln Park Zoo now stands used to be the city cemetery, but in the mid-1800s, most of the cemetery was moved. Notice I said most, that's because historians have proven that after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, thousands of bodies were still buried there. And as we've learned from horror movies, messing with burial grounds is pretty much the easiest way to get haunted. So now along with the hunks of seals, people have reported the moans of ghosts around the Lincoln Park Zoo. But why do we even believe in ghosts? Some experts say it's actually not some dark impulse. Psychologists Christopher French says many people see ghosts as proof that the soul can survive the body's death. And sociologist Margie Kerr says that feeling terror when we know we're safe can give us a special kind of euphoria and even confidence. That's incredible. So go ahead, walk boldly into your creepy basement, and go to that haunted house. It's Halloween, Ten'ers. So, get out there and scare the bejesus out of yourself. Until you scream so hard that it makes you totally crack up.
Pamela Kirkland 14:15
Thanks, Ryan Nerz. Hey, Ry, you forgot your bag of trick-or-treat candy. Maybe I'll just have a few pieces for myself.
Tessa Flannery 14:39
Welcome to the trivia room!
Ryan Willard 14:43
Wait, Winnie the witch from Hocus Pocus?
Tessa Flannery 14:46
Yes! Well, actually, it's me, Tessa.
Ryan Willard 14:49
Dude, that's an awesome costume. Do I get candy if I get the trivia right?
Tessa Flannery 14:53
You do, but only if you get the answer right, Ryan. You know what to do, hop on up on the trivia thrown for today's trivia question. You ready?
Ryan Willard 15:03
It's candy time.
Sound Bit 15:04
What is going on here!?
Tessa Flannery 15:17
I love Halloween and all the flavors of Fall, but what fall flavoring is almost as old as the United States? Is it a) candy corn, b) pumpkin spice, or c) maple syrup? Ten'ers, did you guess it? Ryan, what's your answer?
Ryan Willard 15:34
My answer is a) candy corn.
Tessa Flannery 15:37
The answer is B. Pumpkin spice. Sorry, no candy for you, Ryan. In one of the first cookbooks written and published in the US in 1796, Amelia Simmons wrote down a recipe for a pumpkin pie that featured a spice blend with nutmeg, ginger, allspice and mace which is made from the outer covering of nutmeg. The recipe has barely changed in 200 years and has only grown in popularity. Ten'ers, do you want to sit on the trivia throne and share your trivia knowledge? Visit thetennews.com/contact to get in touch and we might have you on the show.
Ryan Willard 16:22
Hey, Pamela, sorry. I couldn't figure out a costume for you.
Pamela Kirkland 16:25
That's okay. I guess I'll just wait outside.
Ryan Willard 16:29
Hey, Kap. Whoa. Are you one of the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus, also?
Tracy Kaplan 16:34
I am, Tessa is Winnie and I'm Mary the witch that can smell out children. Wait, Pam, where's your costume? I totally forgot about the Halloween party and forgot a costume. Oh, well, you can be Sarah Sanderson. The third witch in Hocus Pocus. Tada!
Pamela Kirkland 16:55
Whoa, this is awesome. I guess it's time to party. So, we should probably wrap up the show.
Ryan Willard 17:04
But, first here's a quick note for the grownups. Thanks for listening to The Ten News. Our show is now weekly and drops every Wednesday. Did you miss the 10 things you need to know right now segment? Well, check out our feed later this week and we will drop it right there for you. And if you want some bonus content, you could join the Ten'ers Club on our website or on Apple podcasts, club members get special bonus content and more.
Pamela Kirkland 17:26
The Ten News is a coproduction of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts.
Ryan Willard 17:31
The Ten News creative team is arguing about candy corn and includes Tracey Crooks, Pete Musto, and Tessa Flannery. Laine Farber, Ryan Nerz, and Pete Musto contributed to this episode.
Pamela Kirkland 17:41
Our production director is Jeremiah Tittle. And our executive producers are Donald Albright and show creator Tracy Leeds Kaplan.
Ryan Willard 17:49
I'm Ryan Willard.
Pamela Kirkland 17:50
And I'm Pamela Kirkland. Thanks for listening to The Ten News.
