Month: March 2026

By Allie Kaiser

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    CLEWISTON, Florida (WFTX) — A nonprofit is giving monkeys and apes rescued from abusive and illegal situations a second chance at life, and its founder said the rehabilitation work at the facility is vital for the animals.

Deborah Misotti is the founder and director of Talkin’ Monkeys Project in Clewiston.

For Misotti, the work is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream — one that started at the zoo when she was just a child.

“I was that weird four or five-year-old child standing there going ‘whoo whoo’ and calling with the Gibbons,” Misotti said.

She spent years volunteering at other sanctuaries before launching her own — a dream that didn’t become a reality until she was in her 50s.

“I never thought at 50 years old that I’d be able to do something like this, and it happened, because I made it happen,” Misotti said.

The monkeys and apes at the sanctuary are all rescues.

“Some people had them as pets illegally, or they had them as pets, and they couldn’t handle them anymore, or from the investigations, where they were illegally held,” Misotti said.

Now in her 70s, Misotti said the nonprofit could use more help, as the manual labor of caring for the animals is becoming more difficult. She said the future of her childhood dream remains uncertain, but she thinks about it often.

“I can’t imagine walking outside and not seeing them, not hearing them, but we all get old,” Misotti said.

If you would like to volunteer or donate to the Talkin’ Monkeys Project, you can contact Misotti by calling (863) 677-0053 or emailing debbie@talkinmonkeysproject.org.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WFTX verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Annie Brown

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    LEXINGTON, Kentucky (WLEX) — A Lexington 3D printing business is helping restore a historic Victorian home — and its new owner says the technology’s potential is only beginning to be realized.

Complete3d, located on Limestone Street on the University of Kentucky’s campus, offers a full range of 3D printing services, from in-house printing to retail sales, printer repairs, and materials.

“We’ve got the space itself, where we do 3D printing for customers and things, but we also have the storefront aspect where people can buy materials and the printers themselves. They can bring them here for repairs, it’s like I said just a little bit of everything. If you can think of something 3D printing related, we probably do it,” Alec Whisman said.

Whisman took over as owner and operator of the business in January. He said the shop handles an unusually wide range of projects — from replacement vintage car parts to anatomical models of horse hooves for a UK professor.

“I have a university lecturer here at UK that has these molds of horse hooves for horses that have had a disease. He’s taken these molds, brought them to me, I’m scanning them, and he’s showing me the part that he’d like to cut and I can make a physical prop he can hand out to students and you can just detach and re-attach that little side of the hoof,” Whisman said.

Among the shop’s recent projects is the restoration of the Aisling House, a historic Victorian home in Winchester’s Thompson neighborhood built around 1888. The home had sustained significant damage to architectural components that are no longer easily reproduced using traditional methods.

“It was very damaged. And the processes for recreating that is not really around anymore. What they did was they brought an example of each damaged component to me, I’ve taken a 3D scanner, scanned those objects, and then re-created them as a 3D model you can mass produce to create all of this siding,” Whisman said.

With 3D printing often costing significantly less than traditional manufacturing, Whisman believes the technology’s most transformative applications are still ahead.

“I think that the amount of people getting exposed to it will inspire the people who will find another use for it,” Whisman said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Alex Barber

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    PARIS, Kentucky (WLEX) — Paris, Kentucky, is marking a historic moment — 65 years after three Black teenagers were jailed for sitting down at a local diner and asking to be served.

Margaret Nichols, Weida Allen and Augustine Fields — known as the “Paris 3” — were honored Sunday with their own day in the city. Paris Mayor proclaimed Mar. 1, 2026, as “Paris 3 Day” in the city of Paris, Kentucky.

During the era of segregation, the three sat down at a local diner as teenagers, wanting to be served. They were arrested and held in jail for 36 hours. The three women’s actions led to a yearlong boycott and brought local change to Paris.

Karrie Claybrook, the granddaughter of Weida Allen, produced a documentary film to tell their story. The ceremony was held in the very courtroom where the “Paris 3” were originally sentenced.

“I have no words….. God is good,” Claybrook told LEX 18.

Claybrook said the film is meant to spark conversations about stories similar to the “Paris 3” that played out across the nation throughout American history.

“These types of stories happened all across our country. We hope when people watch the film, they see their grandmother or their auntie. They start to have some conversations,” Claybrook said.

For Claybrook, preserving this history goes beyond looking back.

“It’s so important to preserve our history, not because we want to get stuck in the past, but because we want people to move through it. In order to do that you have to confront it and have the hard conversations. But what happens when you do that, life gets more full and beautiful. You have what you have today. You have a town coming together and choosing healing over silence,” said Claybrook.

Claybrook hopes the documentary will carry Nichols’, Allen’s, and Fields’ message of healing, beyond Kentucky, to a national audience.

“We got a lot of work ahead of us. I think what we are seeing with this film isn’t just about Paris. It’s about, how do we heal as a nation?” Claybrook said.

Karrie Claybrook, is also the director of the nonprofit called TapUStry Collective.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Jessica Davis

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    SUFFOLK, Virginia (WTKR) — A Suffolk church is tackling food insecurity with an indoor aeroponic farm that grows fresh vegetables without soil and gives them away for free.

Greater Works Community Outreach Ministries operates the “Garden of Eat’n,” a vertical indoor farm that uses a growing method called aeroponics. Twenty gallons of water and nutrients sit at the base of each tower, flowing upward and directly onto the roots of the plants.

Valerie Baker, a minister and first lady at Greater Works Community Outreach Ministries, described how the system works.

“There are holes or a pipe that goes up the middle of the tower and it goes into the rain cap, and the water rains down on the roots of the plants, the plants don’t get wet but it goes directly on the roots,” Baker said.

Baker said the vertical system uses 90% less space and 95% less water than traditional growing methods.

“That’s why we can get so many more plants with the space that we have, they’re 28 pods in each garden so we can have 28 plants in each one and we have twelve,” Baker said.

With 12 towers and 28 plants each, the church harvests every three weeks and replants immediately to keep up with demand. Lettuce, collards, basil, and cucumbers are among the many vegetables grown inside the Garden of Eat’n.

Baker said the program is especially important for residents in the area who face barriers to accessing fresh food.

“We’re in a food desert, a lot of people don’t have access, they don’t have cars… food is so expensive and it’s more expensive to eat healthy,” Baker said.

Community members who visited the Garden of Eat’n left with fresh produce, including kale for soup and lettuce for salad.

The Garden of Eat’n is open the first three Wednesdays of each month, alongside the church’s “House of Bread” program. On third Saturdays, the church also hosts a drive-up mobile pantry. The church will not be operating this Wednesday.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Megan Knight

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    ELLICOTT CITY, Maryland (WMAR) — They stop in their tracks when they see her in the hallways.

“Look, there’s Frankie!” said one student.

“Oh my gosh, hi Frankie!” said another.

To say Frankie the three-legged chihuahua-pug mix is a celebrity at St. John’s Parish Day School, is not an exaggeration.

“The students adore her, love her. They look for her when she’s not here,” said Steve Springer, the head of the school.

Springer started his position in July. He moved from Los Angeles where he adopted Frankie. She was hit by a car and brought to a rescue. Veterinarians had to amputate her front leg.

The injury did not affect her sweet and gentle disposition.

“I think it’s rare you find a dog you completely trust. There’s not a mean bone in her body, she just loves to be around people,” said Springer.

He started bringing Frankie into school over the summer and the staff fell in love. He continued to bring her in once classes started and the students quickly fell in love too.

“She’ll go out when kids are coming in and greet them in the morning,” he said. “She goes to classes and reads with the kids, she does math with them.”

Frankie has a basket full of fan mail from the students, filled with notes and drawings. She has her own school uniform, her portrait hangs outside the front office and she’s a certified therapy dog.

“You can always tell where she is,” said Brooke Wakeman, a second grade teacher. “Inevitably there will be a group of kids on the floor surrounding her and giggling and having a great time.”

Wakeman said Frankie not only provides comfort to the kids, her disability also serves as a teachable moment.

“At our school, we talk a lot about social and emotional learning and just kindness and empathy and compassion and she brings that out in people naturally,” she said.

“We talk about that sometimes in life, people have differences but they learn to adapt. She’s like any other dog, she can run, she can jump,” said Springer.

“It’s important for us to recognize that in people around us, that even though we may be different, people may have to adapt because of a situation in their life but in the end, we’re all the same.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Wayne Covil

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    COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Virginia (WTVR) — Despite having just returned home from chemotherapy treatment, a Colonial Heights woman is being recognized for rushing into a burning apartment and rescuing two young boys.

Jerkesha Petty had barely fallen asleep after finishing treatment — her 232nd day of chemotherapy — when a smoke detector jolted her awake.

“I looked across and I look at the door, and it was smoke coming from out of the top of the door,” Petty recalled. “I ran across the street, don’t know how I got the strength.”

Once she was outside the apartment, she spotted one of the young boys who lived there and grasped the full scope of the emergency.

“I could see straight through the kitchen and it was just flames everywhere,” Petty said.

Petty made sure both boys were outside before grabbing a fire extinguisher and going back in.

“It worked, but it didn’t put the fire out. So I ran back home, I got the second fire extinguisher, I started at the base, and it still didn’t put the fire out,” Petty said. “So I went back home and got the white one. I had like a specialized one and then I just started spraying everywhere.”

The third extinguisher knocked the fire down and out.

“I didn’t really have time to respond, react. I just knew that they needed to get out of the residence and that the fire needed to be put out,” Petty said.

Because of smoke inhalation, Petty was taken to an area hospital, where she was treated and released.

Battalion Chief Geoff Turner of the Colonial Heights Fire Department praised Petty’s actions.

“I think it is great. She was at the right place, at the right time and she was already fighting a battle of her own,” Turner said.

Firefighters said the smoke detector in the apartment was working. Turner also used the moment to remind the public about proper fire extinguisher use.

“The training is pretty simple,” Turner said. “We use the acronym P.A.S.S. Which stands for pull the pin, aim, squeeze and sweep.”

On Friday morning, the Colonial Heights Fire Department presented Petty with a certificate recognizing her bravery — along with a new fire extinguisher. Two area businesses also gave her special gifts.

“Should the opportunity arise again, you have a replacement that is ready to go,” Colonial Heights Fire Chief Stephen Hoke said.

Petty has since finished all of her chemotherapy and radiation treatments and is now a breast cancer survivor.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVR verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Forrest Sanders

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    NASHVILLE (WTVF) — In a city like Nashville, we know some people were just born to entertain. A stage can be many things. Sometimes, there’s a lot of reward in an audience of one.

Colleen Myers knocked on a door. As she walked into the apartment, she burst into song. She danced through the room singing Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee. The woman who lives in the apartment laughed as she watched.

Then, Myers was on to another room, another show.

She sang Hit The Rock Jack to a man as he danced.

Myers is an LPN at Burton Court at Blakeford assisted living and memory care community.

A lot of the residents will tell you, there is something special about the Myers visits.

“I have a favorite nurse,” a resident nodded. “This nurse right here.”

Myers has gotten to know the residents well enough that the person behind each door gets their own show.

“I have a resident from Germany, so I will go in her room and yodel!” she explained. “I have another resident who worked at Ohio State.”

For that resident, Myers performs the school fight song.

One resident likes Shakespeare.

“Romeo, Romeo, where art thou Romeo!” Myers called as the resident smiled.

“Just crazy all the time!” he said.

“We have fun,” Myers added.

The story with Myers is this; as a kid, she became a fan of someone.

“My mom and I used to watch Carol Burnett,” Myers said.

Between the Tarzan yell, the Eunice sketches, the ‘Went With The Wind’ parody, Carol Burnett was just so good.

“As a little girl, I was just performing the skits,” Myers continued.

Since it’s a little rare to get an eleven-season network variety show, Myers determined she could sing, dance, and make people laugh. She’d just do that here.

Something Carol Burnett once said was, ‘if you’re an entertainer, you should be able to entertain.’ The people here are so glad to have this time together, just to have a laugh or sing a song.

“People need to laugh, older people especially,” one resident said. “Our life is kinda somber. It makes us so happy. I think it really is excellent.”

“I love what I do, and they are my family,” said Myers. “I’m so happy to be here.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Eric Pointer

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    NASHVILLE (WTVF) — A Nashville woman making history as the first recorded Black female violin maker in the United States is inspiring others far beyond her workshop — including a Chicago-area musician who owns one of her instruments.

Ann Harris, a fiddle player, singer, and songwriter, said she found Nashville violin maker Amanda Ewing through social media — and immediately knew she wanted Ewing to build her an instrument.

Harris said the commission marked what she believes is the first documented collaboration between a Black professional violinist and a Black professional luthier in U.S. history.

Harris used crowdfunding to finance the violin. When the instrument arrived on her birthday, she said the moment felt full of meaning.

“It was just — I can’t even begin to explain the well of emotions that really surged through me. And I was just like, I have to connect with this woman,” Harris said.

Harris said she hopes their story opens doors for the next generation of young Black and brown musicians and craftspeople.

“Hopefully, what’s happening are there’s young, young people, young brown and black people that see pictures of Amanda in her shop or her work or see me on stage and I’m promoting her work and holding it, and that’s That’s a really powerful, and elevating promise,” Harris said.

Harris has since performed on Ewing’s violin on the Grand Ole Opry stage.

Ewing has been recognized as the first recorded Black female violin maker in the United States.

This story was reported by Eric Pointer and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Eric Pointer and WTVF verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.