Rahway, N.J. – September 23, 2026 -- Patients dealing with prolonged diarrhea and abdominal pain often confuse inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), despite the two being fundamentally different conditions, according to a new editorial from MerckManuals.com by Dr. Aaron E. Walfish of Mount Sinai Medical Center.

IBD causes physical damage that IBS does not

Walfish explains that IBS is a functional disorder where the digestive tract looks normal but doesn't work properly. IBD, by contrast, involves chronic inflammation that shows up on a colonoscopy, imaging, or biopsy. Left untreated, IBD can lead to fistulas, abscesses, undernutrition, and a higher risk of colorectal cancer. Because it's a systemic disease, it can also trigger joint pain, eye inflammation, skin issues, and fatigue elsewhere in the body.

Milford, Conn. – September 23, 2026 -- Athletic Brewing Company and olive oil brand Graza have launched Cold Off The Press, a limited-time non-alcoholic pilsner brewed with Graza Extra Virgin Olive Oil, available now in 6-packs of 12-oz. cans at athleticbrewing.com while supplies last.

The beer uses olive oil to feed its yeast, not to add oil flavor

Cold Off The Press is described as a classic pils with floral, herbal, and lemon aromas and a clean, dry finish. Athletic's brewing team incorporated Graza Extra Virgin Olive Oil early in the process, using it to nourish the yeast rather than to make the beer taste like olive oil itself.

Each 12-oz. can contains less than 0.5% ABV, 60 calories, 14g of carbs, 0g of protein, and 0g of fat. Ingredients listed include water, malted barley, rice, hops, lemon, yeast, olive oil, and wheat.

San Ramon – September 23, 2026 -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and GM Energy have launched the Smart Charge Bundle, a program giving new Chevrolet, GMC, or Cadillac EV buyers a free home charger and a $15 monthly credit on their PG&E bill.

The offer is available at participating dealerships across Northern and Central California at the point of sale when customers purchase or lease a new EV.

Customers get a home charger worth up to $1,999 at no extra cost

Buyers can choose between a GM Energy PowerUp 2 charger, which delivers standard Level 2 home charging, or a PowerShift Charger, which supports bidirectional charging -- allowing energy to flow from the vehicle back into the home during a power outage when paired with compatible GM Energy equipment.

Chicago – September 23, 2026 -- Shokz has released the OpenRun Pro 2 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Co-Branded Edition, a limited-run headphone priced at $199.95 USD ($249.95 CAD), available now exclusively at Shokz.com ahead of the October 11 race.

The open-ear bone conduction headphones come in a deep blue and gold colorway, with the marathon route illustrated on the gift box and case. Additional units will be sold at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Expo at Shokz Booth #339 from October 8 to 10, in both Standard and Mini sizes while supplies last.

The headphones pack 12 hours of battery life and DualPitch Technology

Built on the same platform as the standard OpenRun Pro 2, the co-branded edition includes DualPitch Technology for sound quality, up to 12 hours of listening time, and an open-ear design intended to keep runners aware of traffic, crowds and fellow participants during training and race day.

San Mateo – September 23, 2026 -- A nonprofit that has spent more than three decades helping people navigate life after a breast or ovarian cancer diagnosis is set to be featured on Public Television, with production planned at its San Mateo, California headquarters and aboard its Mobile Resource Center.

Bay Area Cancer Connections will appear in an upcoming episode of "All Access hosted by Andy Garcia," an educational short-form series distributed to Public Television stations nationwide. The organization was founded in 1993 by breast cancer patient Jill Freidenrich and her surgeon, Dr. Ellen Mahoney.

Traverse City, Mich. – September 22, 2026 -- RADwood, the automotive festival celebrating '80s and '90s car culture, returns to the San Francisco Bay Area on Saturday, October 24, with its first free-to-attend evening event, running from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Gold Bar Hangar in Alameda, CA.

Attendance is free with advance registration, a change from the event's typical $25 ticket price. Hagerty Drivers Club members get early entry at 3 p.m.

A new driving exhibition puts iconic cars at full-throttle

The show, presented by Goodyear, introduces Wheels in Motion, a demonstration featuring era-defining cars performing flybys against the San Francisco skyline backdrop. Hundreds of period-correct cars, trucks and motorcycles will be on display at the historic Alameda Point venue.

Fairfax – September 22, 2026 -- A missing shingle or a faint ceiling stain might look harmless, but according to Storm Restoration Expert Nathan Rowitz of Trident Contracting, Inc., those small signs often hide deeper structural damage in homes across Fairfax, Virginia.

Water travels along framing, not straight down

Rowitz explains that a ceiling stain in a hallway can actually originate from missing shingles on a distant part of the roof. Moisture moves beneath the roofing surface once wind loosens flashing or lifts shingles, following framing lines rather than a direct path to the visible damage.

Wet insulation can hide problems for weeks

Even when an attic inspection shows no active dripping, insulation can hold moisture long after a storm passes. This delays visible signs of damage until the materials begin to dry out, meaning early problems can go unnoticed without a professional check.

Tulsa, Okla. – September 22, 2026 -- The University of Tulsa has landed a spot among the Top 75 private research universities in the country, according to the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday. The publication also named UTulsa the No. 1 best value for higher education in Oklahoma.

The school jumped 10 places in the overall national university rankings this year. Its undergraduate computer science program leaped 57 spots, while undergraduate engineering rose 16 places and undergraduate business climbed 26 spots. UTulsa also moved up eight positions among the best colleges for veterans.

Petroleum engineering holds steady at No. 3 nationally

UTulsa's undergraduate petroleum engineering program kept its No. 3 ranking among all national universities and remains No. 1 in Oklahoma.

Nesconset, N.Y. – September 22, 2026 -- LifeVac, maker of an FDA-authorized anti-choking suction device, announced it has now saved 4,000 children from choking emergencies, following the rescue of a 3-year-old boy who stopped breathing while eating sausage at breakfast.

A toddler's airway closed completely despite standard first aid

The boy's mother first watched him try to cough up the food himself, but he went silent as the obstruction worsened. Basic Life Support choking protocols, including the Heimlich maneuver, failed to clear his airway.

A three-year-old device stored in a diaper bag became the last resort

The child's father retrieved the family's LifeVac Home Kit, which had sat unused in their diaper bag for nearly three years. Placed on the ground, the boy received the pediatric mask attachment three times; the third attempt dislodged the remaining piece of sausage and he began breathing again.

New York – September 22, 2026 -- Thousands of costumed dogs and their owners will descend on the East Village on Saturday, October 17, 2026, for the 36th Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade.

Registration opens September 25 for limited parade spots

The nonprofit New York Dog Parade, led by founder Fern Watt, organizes the event to celebrate dog-human friendship in New York City. Registration to march is required and opens September 25 at 12 p.m. ET at NYDogParade.org, with spots filled on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited capacity inside Tompkins Square Park.