Good morning and welcome to Kid News.
I'm Kevin.
Today is Friday, October 24th, 2025.
And we begin with a gambling scandal rocking the NBA.
Miami Heat all-star guard Terry Rozier, and Portland Trailblazers head coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups are now benched following a four-year investigation of foul play.
In all, 31 people, including coaches and players from the Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors, have been arrested for allegedly rigging poker games with high tech cheating devices, using their star status to lure unsuspecting players to the table, or betting on NBA games using insider information on injuries.
Both Billups and Rozier were immediately placed on leave by their teams.
So far, there's been no public comment from either of them.
It's been two years since Florida hit the off switch on phones in class and early results say it's working.
A newly released study from the National Bureau of Economic Research reports higher test scores, fewer behavior problems and even a small bump in attendance since the rules took effect.
Principals describe quieter rooms with more focus and fewer mid-lesson interruptions.
Governor Ron DeSantis is calling the policy a big win for students and teachers, saying the data show better behavior and better academics.
Districts plan to keep or expand the rules this year and families are being asked to check each school's policy before the next grading period starts.
Measles is on the move again.
Health officials are now reporting 123 cases in Utah and Arizona, in addition to the outbreaks in Minnesota and South Carolina we told you about last week.
It's not known yet if any of the latest cases are connected to this summer's larger outbreak in Texas.
According to the CDC, there have been 1,618 confirmed cases so far this year, up from 285 last year.
Reacting to the latest surge, Walter Orenstein, an emeritus professor at Emory University, said we certainly have not had anything like this in many many, many years.
The fall classic kicks off tonight, pitting the power of the defending champs, the Dodgers, against the Blue Jays' roster of sluggers.
First pitch is 8 p.m.
Eastern time in Toronto.
But one team that didn't even make it close to this year's series is also in the headlines.
In what NBC is calling an unprecedented gamble, the San Francisco Giants hired Tennessee baseball's Tony Vitello as their new manager.
It's unheard of.
No college coach has ever jumped right to the pros without any prior big league coaching experience.
But Mr. Vitello has good creds.
He lifted the volunteers to national powerhouse status and won the College World Series just last year.
Bears in Strange Places, take three.
A mama bear and her cubs have been spotted roaming around a Southern California residential neighborhood.
Early morning sightings and ring camera videos also caught the foursome up trees and poking around multiple backyards.
Wildlife experts have been tracking the mama bear known as Yellow 2291 for over a year and twice placed her back into her habitat in the Angeles National Forest.
But...
They say she keeps wandering back into the burbs in search of an easy dinner.
And they're now urging Encino residents to remove pet food or garbage from outside.
As officials told NBC Los Angeles, these bears can smell something from five miles away.
They have noses that are 100 times stronger than a human and eight times stronger than a bloodhound.
Still to come, a school principal gets the surprise of her life.
But first, we want to wish Ronan Sani of Washington, D.C., a very happy birthday.
Ronan, your mom, pop and Leah tell us you're their favorite engineer and that you love fixing things around the house and searching for DC's boundary stone markers, which are the country's oldest federal monuments.
They're all so proud of all your hard work and incredible creativity.
Happy birthday, Ronan.
Now, today's Kid News quiz.
How many people have been arrested in an NBA gambling sting?
More than 30.
What state is reporting positive news related to its no cell phones in school policy?
Florida.
Where is game one of the World Series being played tonight?
According to wildlife experts, bears can smell food from how far away?
Five miles.
In today's Kid News Kicker.
School bells turned into wedding bells when students at Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School pulled off a surprise wedding for their principal.
The school's assistant principal enlisted hundreds of kids to help decorate and plan Principal Bianna Lanois' dream of having her entire school community take part in her big day.
Classmates from each grade participated by her down the aisle, giving speeches and even officiating what was, in the end, a pretend ceremony gearing up for the real one, which took place on school grounds a week later.
Thanks again to the Hopping Sonny family of Washington, D.C., for sponsoring today's quiz.
A big shout out to Ronan for his birthday.
And hello to his sister and favorite storytelling partner, Leah.
And shout outs for our Kid News classrooms.
Ms.
Kurtz Jetz at Northeastern in South Vienna, Ohio.
Mrs. Minton's Lions at St.
John's Episcopal in Dallas, Texas.
Mrs. Southlands Eagles at Belmont Central in Belmont, North Carolina.
And Stacy Nitschke's Lions at Gideon Hausner in Palo Alto, California.
Have a great weekend, and we'll see you back here for more Kid News Monday morning.
