Author: CNN Newsource

By Jennifer Bisram

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    NEW YORK CITY, New York (WCBS) — The number of grandparents raising their grandchildren has risen over the past decade.

According to the American Society on Aging, over two million grandparents across the country are primary caregivers to their grandchildren. That comes with unique challenges, especially when it comes to housing and community support.

In New York state, there are over 120,000 grandparents who are the kinship caregivers. In New York City, about 250,000 children are being raised by relatives – mainly grandparents.

New York City has a special housing complex that helps “grandfamilies,” as they’re known, meet those challenges, so both the older adults and their grandchildren can survive, and thrive.

“I don’t know how long I can do this”

Seniors like Rosali Wynter have been taking on a second act of parenting after losing a child to death, addiction or incarceration.

Wynter, 77, is raising her 13-year-old granddaughter Aaliyah Myles. Wynter became Aaliyah’s caregiver when she was in her 60s, and Aaliyah was just 6 months old. Aaliyah’s mother was battling drug addiction when she was born, and Aaliyah was placed in foster care as an infant, until her grandmother, who she now calls “mommy,” stepped in.

“At first, when she was much younger, it was harder because I have to take her to the babysitter, go to work, pick her up,” Wynter said. “I didn’t realize it was so much. I was always saying I don’t know how long I can do this.”

“She’s always there for me, and she’s always there for important times,” Myles said.

“It’s hard to raise a child at that stage in your life”

Advocates say more living spaces, financial support and and resources are needed to take care of the growing grandfamily population.

Wynter and Myles have been living in a grandparent family apartment in the Bronx for more than two years. It’s a 50 unit building designed specifically for grandfamilies, with a social worker on site 24/7. Chalonda Reid is the building manager.

“At this point in your life, you are not supposed to be parents. You are supposed to be enjoying life, and it’s hard to raise a child at that stage in your life,” Reid said.

The West Side Federation for Seniors and Supportive Housing is the organization behind the program, which is financed through public and private funding. It was started in 2005, and the building that houses grandfamilies is still the only one of its kind in New York City.

“How do you look at a senior, or child, in need of something, and you don’t help. That’s hard to do,” Reid said.

So is there help for grandparents who are caregivers?

“You have to go out there, and it’s not as plentiful as it should be. It’s hard,” Reid said. “The social workers here will help them get children enrolled in school, medical benefits, medical doctors themselves, finding the services they might need.”

Some additional resources for grandfamilies in New York can be found here, and for families in New Jersey, they can be found here.

“I know I’m not alone”

The building is more than an address. It’s a home, with shared stories and helping hands.

“I know I’m not alone in this situation,” Myles said.

“The grandparent, as well as the child, still see the family unit together somewhat. They get that love,” Reid said.

“The difficulty is just to let her listen and understand what life is all about,” Wynter said.

Wynter said Myles is starting to take care of her.

“If I tell her to do something, she will do it,” Wynter said. “At night she will say, grandma why don’t you go lay down, why don’t you go sleep.”

Myles said her grandmother has been her guiding light.

So what has given Wynter the strength to care for Myles all these years?

“Just pray and have faith, If I’m not around, whatever I teach her can can carry her through,” Wynter said.

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By Ashley Paul

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — You’ve probably seen spotted lanternflies all around Maryland and Baltimore. They are tan and covered in black spots.

When they open their wings, a bright red flashes in front of you.

Spotted lanternflies are an invasive species in Maryland, and although they will not harm you, they are threatening our ecosystem and farms.

What are they and how did they get here?

Experts believe the spotted lanternfly came over from China on a stone shipment to Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014. They then entered Maryland in 2018.

Megan Carr, a Forest Ecologist with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks’ Forestry Division, said they were first found in Baltimore in 2021.

They are an invasive hopper insect that suck sap from grapevines and trees, including the weeping willow, maples, and black walnuts.

Jessica Boyles, an Environmental specialist and coordinator for the spotted lanternfly program at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, said you’ve probably seen what the adult looks like.

“Usually you see the pictures with the splayed wings, where you see the red underneath, and they’ve got those black dots on the forewings with the brown,” Boyles said. “That’s pretty typical. We also have fourth instars, which are right before adults. The fourth instars are rather small; people mistake them for spiders most of the time because they’re so low. They’re red and black and white.” The youngest ones are just black and white.

The insect will lay their eggs in the fall. The egg masses have been described as grey-white and look like mud or clay on a tree. Those eggs will hatch in April or June.

Local News Spotted lanternflies are wreaking havoc on Maryland vineyards and ecosystem baltimore By Ashley Paul September 22, 2025 / 6:52 PM EDT / CBS Baltimore

You’ve probably seen spotted lanternflies all around Maryland and Baltimore. They are tan and covered in black spots.

When they open their wings, a bright red flashes in front of you.

Spotted lanternflies are an invasive species in Maryland, and although they will not harm you, they are threatening our ecosystem and farms.

What are they and how did they get here? Experts believe the spotted lanternfly came over from China on a stone shipment to Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014. They then entered Maryland in 2018.

Megan Carr, a Forest Ecologist with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks’ Forestry Division, said they were first found in Baltimore in 2021.

They are an invasive hopper insect that suck sap from grapevines and trees, including the weeping willow, maples, and black walnuts.

Jessica Boyles, an Environmental specialist and coordinator for the spotted lanternfly program at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, said you’ve probably seen what the adult looks like.

“Usually you see the pictures with the splayed wings, where you see the red underneath, and they’ve got those black dots on the forewings with the brown,” Boyles said. “That’s pretty typical. We also have fourth instars, which are right before adults. The fourth instars are rather small; people mistake them for spiders most of the time because they’re so low. They’re red and black and white.” The youngest ones are just black and white.

The insect will lay their eggs in the fall. The egg masses have been described as grey-white and look like mud or clay on a tree. Those eggs will hatch in April or June.

Where do you see them?

In short, everywhere.

Their preferred tree host is the Tree of Heaven, which is invasive itself. It first came over as a landscaping tree because it provides good shade and beautiful flowers.

Boyles said the Maryland Department of Agriculture does a lot of management for vineyards and high-transportation pathways.

The Tree of Heaven grows in disturbed environments, like where roads and trains are built.

“We get a lot of reports of people going to Marc stations and seeing a ton of Spotted Lanternfly,” Boyles said.

How are they harmful?

“The good news to people is that it’s not harmful to humans, but it definitely has some impacts on our local ecosystems,” Carr said.

But she also said they rarely kill trees, and our forests aren’t losing canopy from them.

They hop around a lot and can be startling, but they do not bite or sting. However, they can attract others who do.

“My biggest concern about spotted lanternflies in a home landscape is that the honeydew will attract vast numbers of stinging insects,” said Michael Raupp, a former professor of entomology at the University of Maryland. “Yellow jackets, paper wasps, hornets, honeybees, this poses a risk to humans and pets in those landscapes.”

Boyles said it’s the secondary issues that can harm the trees. Since the bugs eat sap, they are creating wounds in the trees, which can open them to other pests and diseases.

Spotted lanternflies also excrete honeydew, which is just sugar and water. However, when it sits on vegetation, it creates sooty mold. “And that sooty mold stops photosynthesis,” Boyles said. “Or it decreases the ability for that plant to photosynthesize.”

The sooty mold can also get on your outdoor furniture and cars and cause a mess that’s hard to get rid of.

“The No. 1 complaint I get is that it reduced people’s quality of life, ” Boyles said. “Because they feel like they can’t enjoy their backyard.”

Broyles doesn’t have an answer on how to clean it up.

“I’ve heard some people say that if they took regular cleaning products to their grills and porches, they are able to get it up; sometimes it stains, but they are able to get it up. It’s not a good solution,” Broyles said.

The bugs can also deter people from getting outside and enjoying nature and the city’s forests.

“For us, our main issue is that they’re really just kind of gross,” Carr said. “You see all these bugs moving around, some people are afraid of them. And sometimes you’ll have the honeydew actually raining down on you. And those can be issues.”

Impact on vineyards All the experts that WJZ spoke to about the spotted lanternfly seem to agree that one of the biggest threats of the insect is to vineyards and grapes.

“When spotted lanternflies are able to feed on them, they reduce their ability to overwinter, deplete nitrogen, and they can reduce the ability for the vines to grow profitable grapes the following year, sometimes they’re really sickly,” Broyles said. “They can stunt the growth of young vines, so it’s an awful, awful sentence for vineyards.”

Edward Boyce and his wife planted the first grapes at Black Ankle Vineyards in Mount Airy in 2003.

Farming can always come with unforeseen challenges, but Ed says on average, they are probably down about 60% in their harvest so far this year. And the bugs are a big part of it.

“We’ve been through multi-colored Asian Lady Beetles, been through stink bugs, been through a couple other invasive insect pests,” Boyce said. “Eventually, you deal with them. That’s farming. This is the worst. By far.”

Boyce said the invasive bugs tend to go to the edges of his field. That’s because they aren’t the best flyers, but tend to hop to nearby plants.

“The middle is down maybe 40-50% but the edges are literally nothing,” Boyce said about his grape production this year.

And nature is not helping much.

Boyce has seen some yellow jackets attack them, but not much else.

“The only thing I’ve actually seen eat them is my cat. Who just whacked one out of the air. Who looked at it and gobbled it right up,” Boyce said. “But there’s a few too many for my cat to eat them all.”

To try to mitigate the problem, Black Ankle Vineyards knocked down the Tree of Heaven they had around their property. They also work with the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

And, they scrape off egg masses when they see them.

But when the bugs start killing the vines, they have to start spraying insecticide, which he does not like to do.

“That’s really frustrating because we worked so hard to build a good balance in the vineyard between the good, bad, and the bad bugs,” Boyce said. “And the good bugs keep the bad bugs in balance and to a dull roar, and everyone’s happy. Then something like this happens, and it throws the whole balance off. And it’s a lot of work and a long time to get it back.”

Boyce said they usually harvest about 200 tons of grapes, but he thinks it will only be about a hundred or so this year. He believes it’s mostly due to the bugs.

Eventually, he said it will impact their profits.

“We have wine down here stored from the last couple of years. This just means we will have less in the future, and we are gonna run out, and I don’t know what we’re going to do from there,” Boyce said. “But that’s tomorrow’s problem. Today is just how much we can save with what we have.”

For the wine-loving consumer, Ed said his prices will not go up because of the competition.

“It’s a very local phenomenon,” Boyce said. “If there were a market for Maryland wine, then yeah, prices would go up. But we are competing with wine from France, California, Washington state, Chile, and wherever else. And they don’t have this problem.”

But looking at the bright side, the wine they do harvest could taste better.

“We may only have last or less of our normal harvest, but if we keep getting decent weather the next few weeks, we may make some really good wine, and that might compensate a little bit for it, with really good quality,” Boyce said.

Boyce remains optimistic.

“If I’ve been good about keeping on these things, then yes, next year’s looking better,” he said. “Just know we are all trying to deal with it the best we can. And help us by buying local.”

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By Donald Fountain

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — From the streets to your screen, an Atlanta-based social media page is spotlighting homeless musicians, turning their everyday struggles into viral music stories.

Dirty Luxury began producing the series in May and quickly starting getting attention online.

“Johnny,” a singer experiencing homelessness who shares his perspective through his music, is one of many entertainers who have been showcased on Dirty Luxury’s Instagram and TikTok.

“I thought we would be entertaining, but the comments saying what we’re doing is God’s work—that’s big,” said Demetrius Worthy, Dirty Luxury’s creative director.

One of their biggest successes featured 1440 Tah, a rapper whose freestyle video in July helped him grow from 2,000 followers to over 100,000 and earn more than $13,000 in a month.

“I felt like it would happen at some point because I already knew it was going to,” said 1440 Tah, reflecting on his viral success.

Dirty Luxury meets talent throughout the city, including Desman Mosley, who became unhoused after the death of his wife and time in jail. Despite these hardships, Mosley maintains his faith and continues pursuing music.

“You gotta make sure you manifest what God wants for you,” Mosley said. “I’m trying to help you see the truth.”

The project has resonated with viewers, many of whom say it has changed how they perceive homelessness.

“They’re saying, ‘I’m thinking about homeless people so differently now,'” Worthy said.

Mosley and others featured in the series now have opportunities to share their music and stories with a wider audience. Fans and supporters can contribute through a Kickstarter campaign set up by Dirty Luxury to support these artists.

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By Demetrios Sanders

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    WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WXYZ) — A Waterford family is turning their backyard into a field of dreams by restoring a historic baseball diamond.

Katie Belliotti has a long history with softball from playing at the collegiate level to coaching.

“I coached at Walled Lake Central, Lake Orion and Kettering. Now, I’m here just to raise my kids and be there for their sports,” Belliotti said.

Earlier this year, she took her passion to the next level when she and her husband were alerted to a house listing that included an entire baseball diamond.

“I had never even heard of it, even though I live in this town. So, I looked at the listing and I called my husband and I was like we have to look at this house, we have to buy it. We weren’t even looking for a house,” Belliotti said.

The property came with Freehan Field, a baseball diamond that has been around since 1972. According to Belliotti, it was built by a Waterford police officer with help from former Detroit Tigers catcher Bill Freehan.

However, over recent years, the field had fallen into decay and hadn’t been used for many sports.

“This was all grass and overgrown,” Belliotti said.

Now, Belliotti is working hard to restore the field including chopping down tall grass, raising money for a new backstop and fixing the scoreboard. She plans to make it the home of her daughter’s team, the Lady Outlaws.

“So many coaches and different organizations, they guard their fields like nobody can play on here and they lock them up tight and they don’t let kids play, and that’s all they want to do is play softball or baseball,” she said.

She also envisions the field being accessible to the entire community, opening it up and renting it to other teams for a fraction of what other fields may cost.

“We can rent the field out to them for 50, 60 dollars comparable to 100, 200 dollars that other fields charge,” Belliotti said.

One local parent, Lynn Koyl, says her father played at Freehan Field and she’s glad her daughter has that same opportunity.

“Harper is really excited to continue the legacy and hopefully pitch on the field he pitched on as well,” Koyl said. “Who could’ve dreamed of this.”

Belliotti’s niece, Marjorie Zizelman, a softball player herself, says when she first saw the diamond in her aunt’s backyard, she could only imagine its impact.

“I could see the potential it had and just the opportunities it’s going to make for all the kids in the area,” Zizelman said.

To support the restoration efforts at Freehan Field, a GoFundMe has been created has been created.

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

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By Kyle Langellier

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    NEENAH, Wisconsin (WGBA) — Over 2,000 runners from across the country participated in the Fox Cities Marathon Sunday morning, but one couple’s finish was particularly memorable.

Drew Scott, a technology education high school teacher from La Crosse, Wisconsin, ran his first marathon with a very specific goal in mind. Scott ran alongside his girlfriend, Vanessa Kuenzi, a nurse at UW Health in Madison.

“This is my first marathon, and I really only did the marathon with this goal in mind,” Scott said.

Scott’s goal wasn’t just to finish the 26.2-mile race. Right before crossing the finish line, he faked a knee injury, dropped to one knee, and proposed to Kuenzi.

“He pulled out the ring, and I was speechless. I had no idea. My mind went blank and then I thought this is the perfect spot to do this,” Kuenzi said.

Kuenzi, who is from Neenah, was completing her third marathon Sunday.

“No man would run 26 miles for me, except for him,” Kuenzi said.

Scott said he trained for months specifically for this proposal moment.

“I knew that moment at the end would be worth all the pain I went through,” Scott said.

The couple met three years ago at a festival in Wisconsin, where Scott asked Kuenzi to dance. After years of dating and months of marathon training, they are now engaged.

“She makes me a better person, I’m so excited for our future because I know she’ll be an amazing wife and one day, an amazing mom,” Scott said.

Scott’s brother, Quintin, played a crucial role in the surprise proposal. Quintin ran the half marathon and handed the engagement ring to his brother at mile 17.

“My job was big,” Quintin Scott said.

“It was electric. He kept it a surprise for everyone, so there wasn’t too many people who knew,” Quintin Scott said.

Almost everyone in Kuenzi’s family was surprised by the proposal.

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By Maggy Wolanske

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    EVERGREEN, Colorado (KMGH) — The Clarkson triplets describe this time as a sad summer break, as classes at Evergreen High School have been canceled after a student opened fire at the school on September 10 and injured two classmates. This week, faculty and students will return to the high school with opportunities as part of the gradual return.

Last week, a survey was sent to students, parents and staff about the return-to-school plan, with 85% of students participating in the feedback. A letter was sent to the community on Friday, with Evergreen High School Principal Dr. Skyler Artes sharing an upcoming schedule with faculty returning on Monday, September 22. Half-days scheduled for students on Thursday, September 25, and Friday, September 26.

Denver7 listened to how Katie, Bella and Hailey Clarkson were feeling about this decision. They are triplets and sophomores at Evergreen High School. The girls were also in the same classroom when the shooting happened and have since been processing what happened that day.

“It’s really traumatic to think about. Every time I think about being stuck in the classroom, I think about the moments when I heard the first gunshot. It just like it keeps replaying in your head like, ‘what could I have done differently?'” Katie Clarkson said.

The Clarkson triplets said they were in the classroom for 44 minutes. Dduring that time, Bella was able to Facetime their mom for comfort. She said the comfort provided over the phone helped her during this scary time.

“I’ll always remember my mom on that FaceTime call and trying to keep me as calm as possible, and her telling me that I’m safe and I’m okay, and to take a deep breath because she kept me from freaking out,” Bella Clarkson said.

Hailey also used her phone to reach out to loved ones, saying she ‘thought I was going to die’ and wanted to say how thankful she was for them. Now, she is processing what happened and preparing for the return to school.

“I think the school is doing an amazing job at having those half days for us, to start going back to school, and so I think with the upcoming week, I think we can go back to school, not much like start assignments, but definitely go back into the routine of going to school,” Hailey Clarkson said.

Each triplet has different reactions to the return. Katie knows that class will have to start back up, but she said she’s scared it will make her remember all that happened the day of the shooting.

“Especially when it becomes lunchtime again, I can’t imagine how that’s going to be,” Katie Clarkson said. “Like me personally, I just think that’s going to make me relive everything.”

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Denver7 that Evergreen High School will have a full-time school resource officer on campus. There will also be a full-time armed JeffCo safety and security officer, which Bella referenced when asked about going back to school.

“I feel safe going back to school because the police station is really close by us, and they’re going to have like an armed security guard and all that stuff,” Bella Clarkson said.

The triplets also shared their nerves about focusing on schoolwork and what classwork will look like moving forward. Their mother, Annie Clarkson, said this time is a ‘roller coster of emotions’ and taking it moment by moment.

“They are scared, understandably. I think they also understand that going back to school is going to start the process of healing for that, so I think that I know they’re going to be okay, but it’s going to take some time. It is going to be a long process,” Annie Clarkson said.

Now, there is a reminder on the triplets’ wrists of the strength they each have moving forward. Each one wore a bracelet in their favorite color with the words ‘forever and always.’

“When they go back to school, they can wear the bracelets and look down and remember, like, we got this as a family. We got this. We’re there for each other. We support each other. We love each other. Remind them that they’re very loved forever and always,” Annie Clarkson said.

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