Month: June 2026

By Ellie Nakamoto-White

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    FOND DU LAC, Wisconsin (WDJT) — What many might see as pieces of trash, 30-year-old Grant Maniér sees as pieces of possibility.

The Fond du Lac artist calls himself the ‘Eco-Friendly Artist’ and takes vintage jewelry, scraps of paper, old coins, puzzle pieces and everything in between to turn into detailed mixed-media artwork.

“It’s basically reducing the landfills when you’re taking away materials that people normally just throw away,” Maniér told CBS 58’s Ellie Nakamoto-White.

He works almost daily to turn trash into treasure with a modern version of the three R’s — reduce, reuse, recycle.

Many of his works feature thousands of those recycled items and depict animals or other elaborate scenes.

One piece in particular features a dragon whose shiny silver scales are made from the foil from a pack of contact lenses.

His goal? To be both environmentally and artistic — something he’s had a passion for since he was a young child diagnosed with autism.

“My autism does allow me to be hyper-focused so when I’m working on something I can just concentrate to get it done,” Maniér said. “Working with a disability like my autism, it gives me anxieties from time to time, but working on art is like a form of meditation to sooth anxieties and turn them into something different, something creative, something I can show to others.”

His mom, Julianna Coy, doesn’t remember a time when her son didn’t like art.

“It’s a pleasure and an honor to be Grant’s mom,” Coy said, recalling a childhood memory of his. “We were at Walmart, and it was the end of the month, so I hadn’t gotten paid yet, and I said, boys, I have two boys, don’t ask for anything let’s wait til next week. Well, Grant’s little voice in the back says, “Mom, can I have this?” And of course, as a mom, you want to give them everything, so I turned around and he’s holding a ream of paper.”

But she didn’t know that love for something as simple as paper would turn into talent that’s recognized nationwide.

“I ask myself what is that word when you’re beyond proud of someone? Like thank you for letting me be a part of it,” Coy said.

Grant is now considered a savant in the art world.

“Savant syndrome is a spectacular rare condition in which someone has a coexisting cognitive disability and super ability such as music, math, art, memory etc.,” said Dr. Jeremy Chapman, the medical director for the SSM Treffert Center. “The center is a research and clinical locus in Milwaukee that’s one of the main epicenters for savant syndrome in the world.”

Grant has won numerous accolades for his work including a congressional award where his art hung in the U.S. Capitol.

“I worked so hard to make this one art piece no matter what it is, no matter how big or small, and they want to put it in their living rooms or in their offices? No matter where they want to put it, just the idea that my art is hanging on that wall with them? I feel so proud,” Maniér said.

He also sells some pieces and has raised $500,000 dollars for others like him.

“So, Grant raises money for wheelchairs and hearing aids and scholarships, horse therapy, everything he was able to receive because somebody helped him,” Coy said.

Like any artist, he has a signature which includes hiding his face in nearly every piece, camouflaged among the layers.

A reminder to find value in everything, not for what it is but what it could become.

“Just working on art has always kept me grounded. It’s just a great form of meditation for me and I’m so glad I was able to discover that,” Maniér said. “It’s not what you can’t do that makes you different. It’s what you do that will change the world.”

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 Sydney Ferguson

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    CHENEY LAKE, Kan. (KAKE) — The storms and heavy rains have passed, but areas like Cheney Lake are still dealing with the aftereffects of flash flooding. Saturday, a campground had to be evacuated due to higher-than-normal water levels, and the state park says the water isn’t likely to recede for a while.

Greg Neuway has been camping at Cheney Lake since April. On Sunday, he said he was here last Thursday when storms rolled through during a flash-flooding event.

“Pretty ferocious — lot of rain coming down in a hurry,” said Neuway. “It washed rocks out of the lot where we park our campers, so it was coming down like cats and dogs.”

The flooding left lake levels 3.28 Feet above normal, according to a post from Cheney State Park officials on Saturday.

Just hours after that post, the park made another saying Heimermann Point campground had to be evacuated.

“We’ve been through the last one here, so we knew they would be first evacuated before we ever get evacuated here,” said Neuway.

Neuway says he likes seeing the lake full after the drought, but it made using and storing his boat more difficult.

“I just had to relocate and put it up on land a lot farther, because it’s coming up so quick,” said Neuway. “I can’t get a boat out, I mean [I] reloaded it on my trailer because [the water] comes up too high.”

The high water also left the parking lot at the lake’s boat ramp half-flooded, with multiple gazebos and benches slightly submerged.

Collin Arp says he came to the lake on Sunday to jet ski, and he can relate to Neuway’s struggle to get his ride into the water.

“It’s crazy … stuff doesn’t work how it’s supposed to normally,” said Arp. “If I were to go into this water with that big boat, my wheels can just keep on spinning and drag me into the water, so I just decided to ride the jet skis out here today.”

Arp says he’s never seen the lake this high, but there are still ways to enjoy it.

“Be safe, watch the waves, and know your surroundings,” said Arp.

Around the lake, M&M Point and Wichita Point were blocked by barricades, similar to those at Heimermann Point, but park officials would not provide additional information about the closures.

In its post about the flooding, the park says it’s likely the water won’t recede for a while because of downstream flooding in other reservoirs.

“It’s gonna mess up some Fourth of July plans,” said Neuway. “They’re gonna have to open the gates wide open to get her down where they can open some of the campsites back up.”

Neuway says it’s likely people trying to celebrate won’t want to deal with the high water levels or the issues that come with it.

“They’re gonna come out and look, but they probably won’t come out and stay,” said Neuway.

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.