Good morning and welcome to Kid News.
I'm Tori.
Today is Tuesday, October 28th, 2025.
And we begin with a 13 year old who's not your average 13 year old.
Kevin Tang of San Gabriel California, has invented a camera-based device that can detect when people fall down and automatically call for help.
Kevin says he was inspired by his grandmother. who took a tumble and now has permanent injuries.
With 90 worth of off-the-shelf parts.
He designed a device using AI to track body movements and alert caregivers if someone loses their balance.
Unlike Life Alert-style devices, Fall Guard does not require charging, wearing or a subscription for it to work, and it already has a long customer waiting list.
For his astonishing ingenuity and inventiveness.
Kevin was awarded 25000 and the title of America's Top Young Scientist by the 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge.
He says he eventually hopes to make Fall Guard even more affordable by bringing the cost of parts down to just 30.
Right about now, Jamaica is getting pummeled by the strongest hurricane of the year and one of the strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic.
Melissa's winds topped 175 miles an hour yesterday, shortly before it was expected to turn and make landfall.
The island issued mandatory evacuation orders to get people out of flood prone zones and into shelters.
We'll have more on the impact tomorrow.
The U.S. mainland will get spared.
A cold front is expected to push Melissa out into the Atlantic, away from the coast, but it will still churn up rough seas and rip currents until the end of the week.
It was an expensive afternoon for the Navy and the USS Nimitz.
Within 30 minutes.
Sunday, in separate incidents, two different aircraft from the carrier crashed into the South China Sea.
One was a Seahawk helicopter, the other a Super Hornet fighter jet.
The good news, crews from both were rescued, are safe and in stable condition.
Both crashes are under investigation, but President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Tokyo yesterday that foul play has been ruled out and that the accidents could have been caused by bad fuel.
Whatever the reason, it's the fourth loss of an F-18 Super Hornet this year, which is especially painful to the Navy's wallet, as these planes cost upwards of 70 million each.
The saying, a penny for your thoughts, may soon be impossible.
President Trump officially discontinued the one-cent piece in February because it cost more to make them than they're worth.
And U.S.
Mint pressed its last new batch in August.
Now some stores like Home Depot, Quick Trip and Kroger's are running out a whole lot sooner than expected.
Retailers are asking shoppers to pay with exact change or are rounding down to the nearest nickel.
But at least 10 states have laws that prohibit adjusting transactions up or down.
So a number of retail groups have sent a letter to the government asking for a national law allowing businesses to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel.
A legendary film director is making an offer he hopes someone can't refuse.
Francis Ford Coppola, famed for The Godfather films and other titles, says he is broke after the flop of his latest movie called Megalopolis, which he personally financed with 120 million of his own money.
It made only $14 million.
So to help make up some of the losses, Mr Coppola sold his stake in a winery and is now selling seven wristwatches from his personal collection.
One of those watches is a one-of-a-kind piece valued at a million dollars but expected to sell for a lot more.
He told the New York Times he's getting rid of all his expensive watches except for one which is going to his grandson.
So what's he wear now?
Something more plebeian, he told reporter Jacob Bernstein, by which he apparently meant the Apple Watch he was sporting during the interview.
Still to come, ever wonder what celebrities and politicians have on their Spotify playlist?
So did one San Francisco computer engineer.
So he found out and then posted it online for everyone to see.
But first, today's Kid News quiz.
In what time frame did the U.S.
Navy lose two aircraft in two separate incidents from the USS Nimitz on Sunday?
Within 30 minutes, but all crew members are safe.
A 13-year-old's invention to help people who fall down was inspired by whom?
His grandmother.
What legendary film director is selling some of his wrist watches to pay the bills after a big movie flop?
Francis Ford Coppola.
Some stores are now running short of what coin? pennies.
In today's Kid News Kicker, so what did Vice President J.D.
Vance listen to on long trips?
Or how about late-night TV host Seth Meyers?
23-year-old San Francisco software engineer and notorious prankster, Riley Walls, wondered that very question and found out surprisingly easily just by looking up their playlists on Spotify, which were set to public, not private.
Now he's created a website showing what famous people chill to.
Seth Meyers grooves to Jackson Brown and Ricky Lee Jones.
The vice president likes Justin Bieber and the Backstreet Boys.
While the CEO of Salesforce, Mark Benioff, prefers Katy Perry and Lady Gaga.
Interestingly, some of the other listed playlists are from the tech and privacy reporters at the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.
Before we go we want to give a shout out to some of our terrific Kid News classrooms.
Mrs Blair and her Wildcats at West Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Ms.
Payne and her fabulous falcons at Millennium Middle School in Sanford, Florida.
Mr. Kramer and his links at Brandon in Brandon, South Dakota.
And Mr. Bush and his rebels at South Spencer Middle School in Rockport, Indiana.
Thanks for listening.
A friendly reminder that we're a nonprofit that hopes to make your giving list this holiday season.
Donations are tax deductible, can be made on our website, and are very much appreciated.
Have a great day.
We'll see you back here for more Kid News tomorrow morning.
