10.08.2026

Kimberly Hunter (0:01)

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A popular Halloween candy is adding some fine print to its packaging. The wrapper of Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins will now read Carving Not On Actual Product underneath the picture of the chocolate and peanut butter jack-o-lantern. According to USA Today, parent company Hershey added the disclaimer following a lawsuit filed against it for deceptive marketing. The lawsuit itself was dismissed as the judge found the only injury to those who sued was their subjective disappointment that the candy didn't look the way they hoped.

Those aches, pains and sniffles may sneak up on us this year. We're experiencing an early flu season as cases began rising in early September, according to NPR, at rates we don't normally see until November or December. Where it's hitting is unusual, too. Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers says, it typically starts in the south and expands from there. But this time appears to have started in western states, such as California, Washington, Hawaii, and Alaska. Rivers says the culprit may be a new variant that may make the virus better at evading existing immunity, especially in teenagers. She says the best defense is a flu shot sooner rather than later. Many doctors suggest getting it before Halloween or, as the saying goes, flu before boo.

Hawaii is saying aloha or goodbye to one of its famous landmarks. The beloved Halei Sea Arch, a roughly 90-foot natural lava rock formation, collapsed into the ocean. The arch fell after a stretch of storms pounded the big island the last few weeks. According to the New York Times, it had shown signs of instability for a few years. The US Geological Survey reports the arch was carved from lava that erupted nearly 500 years ago and was chiseled by waves that pounded the coastline. The very same type of erosion that geologists note contributed to its demise.

Has fashion gone to the dogs? Hundreds of dachshunds stole the spotlight at Paris Fashion Week this week. They strutted their little legs for a half-mile stroll along the iconic Champs-Elysees for the annual sausage walk, sporting berets, knit sweaters and other colorful costumes, showing off their French flair before a cheering crowd. According to Reuters, the massive street parade takes place every year to celebrate the beloved breed and provide a light-hearted playful companion to the high-fashion runways across the city.

Still ahead, giant jack-o-lanterns may be small potatoes compared to some record-setting veggies. But first, today's KidNuz quiz. What Halloween company rapper will now say carving not on actual product?

Risa's Peanut Butter Pumpkins. What is the name of the tropical storm that could turn into a hurricane this week?

How big was the Hawaiian arch that fell into the ocean?

Roughly 90 feet tall. What is the name of the annual puppy parade that accompanies Paris Fashion Week?

The Sausage Walk. In today's Kid News Kicker, they even upstaged the Gordes. At last week's National Giant Vegetables Championship in Worcestershire, England, a total of seven Guinness World Records fell, and not one winner was a massive pumpkin. The septet were grown by five different gardeners showing off their supersized produce. Winners, according to the BBC, included the heaviest sunflower at 17 pounds, the heaviest sweet corn kernel at 0.8 of a pound, and the tallest cucumber plant at nearly 25 feet. Gardener Joe Atherton, who set the record for longest radish the last two years but just missed this year, shared his secret. It's all about getting the right seeds and a bit of know-how. You get that stage right, and then everything else fits in.