Category: CNN Regional

By Megan Mannering

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    BARDSTOWN, Kentucky (WLEX) — A dog who stole Kentucky’s heart will soon capture the world’s, as his story becomes a movie filmed in Bardstown.

“It’s been an unexpected journey, for sure,” said Jeff Callaway, dog owner turned animal welfare advocate.

Callaway was referring to the remarkable journey of his dog, Ethan.

In 2021, Ethan’s previous owner abandoned him, leaving him severely neglected and weighing only a third of his healthy weight.

Ethan was placed in the care of the Kentucky Humane Society, and his story captured hearts statewide — none more so than Callaway’s, who adopted him.

“This little dog, in the worst shape you could be in, needing all the love and support he could get, is now the one giving that support back to others,” Callaway said.

Over the past five years, Ethan’s miraculous recovery has inspired real change, including the passage of Ethan’s Law, an anti-cruelty bill in Kentucky.

The story caught the attention of a Hollywood filmmaker, and plans are now underway for the movie Ethan Almighty — Ethan’s Law.

Actors Trevor Donovan, Sean Patrick Flanery and Selma Blair have signed on to the project.

“When they first reached out and said, ‘Have you ever thought about this being a movie?’ I said, ‘No, I never thought that,’ but it wouldn’t surprise me because his story is about perseverance, inspiration and giving people hope,” Callaway said.

Filming will begin soon in Kentucky. Callaway told LEX 18 the screenplay brought him to tears, even though it’s only based on Ethan’s story.

“I know it’s not a documentary, but the parts that are true to life I want to be as true to life as they possibly can,” he said. “There will be people who have followed Ethan for all these years who will recognize things as they pop up in the movie.”

Callaway hopes the film builds awareness of animal cruelty and showcases the tireless work of good people — and good pups — striving to make the world better.

“It’ll be a story that, if you’re from Kentucky, you’ll be very proud of,” he said. “You can take your kids to it. It’s gonna be a very cool thing.”

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 Ajay Patel

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    PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico (WLEX) — Whitney Goldsberry and Jeoffrey Teage had planned their destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta for a year and a half. Then everything changed when the Jalisco New Generation Cartel set the city on fire.

This comes after the death of their leader, “El Mencho,” at the hands of the Mexican military.

The couple was staying in Puerto Vallarta when the violence broke out just hours before they were supposed to walk down the aisle.

“Out of all the anxieties a bride has for her wedding, it never crossed my mind to worry about the cartel bombing our wedding. That was not a part of it,” Goldsberry said.

Vehicles were set ablaze, gas stations were burned, and the smell of smoke filled the air around their hotel.

“It smelled like burning rubber for sure. They were asking people to evacuate their cars and buses. They were setting them on fire. They were burning gas stations,” Travis Young, a friend of the couple, said.

With the city in turmoil, the couple made the difficult decision to reschedule their wedding.

“We don’t want people trying to enjoy our love and this beautiful ceremony when they’re feeling scared,” Goldsberry said.

But the couple refused to give up entirely. With help from Teage’s band, the Blind Corn Liquor Pickers, and other friends, the wedding was rescheduled for the following day.

“It’s very unfortunate because we seriously do empathize with like the town, like. I mean, this city is burning around us and we’re like, can we actually make our wedding happen,” Teage said.

The band’s tight-knit spirit helped make it possible.

“We always have this joke as a band. It’s like, blind corn unite, everybody get back together, get away from what you’re doing,” Teage said.

The couple also had to improvise in other ways. They found their wedding photographer at a resort bar.

“We happened to find him by taking shots with him and, and hired him for the wedding,” Goldsberry said.

Goldsberry even clipped flowers from trees to make her bouquet.

The wedding did not go according to plan — but for those who were there, it became something far more meaningful. Travis Young, a friend of the couple and member of the Blind Corn Liquor Pickers, reflected on what the night meant.

“The world feels chaotic right now. And we felt that very directly this weekend. And the only answer that we could come up with, is the only answer that I think anybody could ever come up with at these times, and that’s to combat it with love,” Young said. “And that’s what we had… a couple at the core of that who love each other very deeply and are inspiring to all of us,”

For Teage, the experience was something he will never forget.

“We made what was a disaster, the most beautiful thing I’ve ever been involved with,” Teage 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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    LEXINGTON, Kentucky (WLEX) — Amanda Durand was born and raised in Lexington and has spent years teaching at Morton Middle School — but on November 11, 2023, her life changed in an instant.

Durand turned on the TV to watch a University of Kentucky game and fell asleep. When she woke up, she couldn’t speak.

“Right then I knew this isn’t normal,” Durand said.

She managed to get first responders to her home. As they struggled to determine what was wrong, Durand mustered the energy to type out a message on her phone.

“I somehow manage to type out on my phone. Stroke because I thought I was having one,” Durand said.

First responders rushed her to Baptist Health Lexington, where doctors determined she was not having a stroke. After several tests, they diagnosed her with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis — or ADEM — an inflammation of the brain.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, ADEM is rare, affecting only one in 250,000 people in the United States.

“My head right here was swelling so much that it was pushing my brain off its stem,” Durand said.

She needed surgery immediately. Doctors removed a piece of her skull to relieve the pressure. For the next eight weeks, she had to be extremely cautious until doctors could put her skull back in place.

Durand was out of teaching for several months, but she was determined to return.

“When I came back those kids were fantastic,” Durand said.

She continues to teach middle schoolers and is now involved with Encephalitis International, a nonprofit that gives her a platform to share her story and raise awareness about the condition.

“I let it be part of who I am and not define who I am,” Durand said.

Since her brain surgery, Durand has recovered and returned to the life she loves — though she still faces several challenges.

“Memory loss, my processing if someone says something I have to have them repeat what they’re saying several times. Fatigue is my biggest issue,” Durand said.

Durand often looks back at photos from her time in the hospital. Each year on Nov. 11, she takes the day off from work.

“November 11 I take the day off from work. It’s like a day for me to live again,” Durand said.

What was once a source of pain has become a reminder of how far she has come.

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 Pheben Kassahun

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    BUFFALO, New York (WKBW) — Built in 1957, Kerns Avenue Bowling Center has seen generations roll through its lanes. 18 years ago, it became part of Black history in New York State when Daniel Adams stepped in to save it from shutting down.

For decades, the bowling center has been more than just a place to knock down pins. It has hosted everything from “Beat the Champ” to private parties to Caribbean nights, becoming the hub for community connection.

However, the future was almost not guaranteed.

“The previous owner was getting ready to shut it down and it was going to become a warehouse,” Adams said.

Instead of losing another neighborhood gathering spot, Adams took a risk and bought the bowling center 18 years ago, committing to something he said was bigger than business.

“We’re in a neighborhood that really had nothing and I thought that the community needed some place to go, a place to gather sports, etc. I thought that I’d give it a chance,” Adams said.

He told me that chance came with its challenges. Running a bowling center is not like running your typical business.

“It just offers drinks, dancing and so on and so forth. I thought the versatility of bowling, which is something that families can do, it has a much broader reach to the public,” Adams said.

Despite the grind, staying the course has been absolutely worth it.

“I’m proud that I’m still here,” Adams said.

Now, Kerns Avenue Bowling Center is entering a new chapter with new leadership and a deeper mission. Daniel’s daughter Kimberly Adams is stepping in as general manager, bringing purpose shaped by a personal loss.

“The thought behind the kids’ bowling league is my baby nephew, 3 years old, was fatally shot and killed June 21st, 2024 and his nickname is Luckie and so we would like to have a foundation in honor of him and included in that foundation will be a bowling league for children,” Kimberly Adams said.

For Daniel Adams, creating opportunities for kids, especially Black kids, is important to him.

“My wife and I have gone to several banquets with the Bowling Proprietors Association and no Black kids involved whatsoever,” Adams said. “It’s really something to see kids, their enthusiasm and the joy when they get their trophies and scholarships and so on and so forth. I think that all the kids in the city need to be able to experience that also.”

While Kerns is the only Black-owned bowling center in the state, Adams said inclusion is the goal.

“To keep driving it is more important than it about being a Black business. My appeal is to everybody but being the only Black-owned in the state has its own merits, I would think,” Adams said.

To keep Kerns rolling forward, they plan to renew a focus on youth and keep the tournaments and leagues coming.

“So we just will continue to just be innovative and creative,” Kimberly Adams said.

For Daniel, the future looks brighter, especially since he’s got his daughter as his new business partner.

“Looking forward to more growth with my daughter and we can work together,” Adams 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 Marvin Hurst

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    DALLAS (KTVT) — Everything for Malcolm Moore comes back to composure, focus, growth and family – from the roots of his lineage to the future he’s building. The 17‑year‑old is a bi‑institutional student in the Dallas Independent School District.

“Tennis? I have a deep love for tennis,” Moore said.

His love for tennis started with a visit to his grandfather’s place in Longview. Joe Terry David Pierce Jr., Moore’s grandfather, had some equipment that caught the five‑year‑old’s attention.

“And he said, Grandpa, you got tennis rackets in your car,” Pierce recalled. “I said, yeah, I keep them so if I meet somebody who wants to play, I’ll have a racket.”

Moore’s journey in tennis began. He’d gone through soccer, football, checkers, chess, Monopoly, backgammon and fishing. Now, his father, Eric, thought, here we are with another tab, compliments of the grandfather.

A costly passion takes hold

“He introduced him to things that weren’t so expensive first, like chess, right, and other things, but no, there’s a running joke that,” Eric Moore said. “Dad, you got the boy to love the sport that costs the most money, right?”

The 55‑year‑old said they started with mental activities like chess to cultivate his son’s mind. They also saw his athletic ability, so Malcolm Moore got tennis lessons. He improved through repetition and persistence.

A global connection through tennis That investment continues to pay off in expected and surprising ways. Eric Moore wanted his son to travel to Africa to understand his roots. On that work trip with his father to Ghana, Malcolm Moore was having a peer‑to‑peer conversation with the students of Yendi. He mentioned tennis.

“You play lawn tennis? That’s what they call it, lawn tennis?” his father said. “And all the kids, he plays lawn tennis. He plays lawn tennis.”

Tennis made such an impression that Moore and his family donated supplies. The Dallas ISD student created an exchange program called Across the Net to donate tennis supplies to the students at the school. They would need it for their brand‑new tennis court.

“Now they have the option right there at home in the northern region of Ghana to play tennis whenever they like,” the younger Moore said.

His father said the students would also use tennis to apply math, physics and geometry.

Making DISD history

Back in Texas, his son played his way into DISD history. He was the first tennis player, the district said, in more than 60 years to go to state. He was a sophomore and placed. The same as a junior. He hopes to have fun and win this year.

“I’ve had an adverse support system, meaning all the people in my family have always pushed me to do things and get out there,” Malcolm Moore said.

Part of that support was watching him play the drums in the school’s jazz ensemble and at church. The tennis player said it helps him relieve stress, which is tough to see. On and off the court, his focus and composure feel like pieces of his skin.

The tennis player comes from a football lineage. His grandfather was a wide receiver. His father was a defensive back. Even now, his dad believes his son is a tennis player in a defensive back’s body.

Lessons passed down

That equipment his grandfather had when he was five is a wish‑list item Pierce could only watch from a distance as a child in Longview. The 78‑year‑old said he remembered coming out of Mary C. Womack High School, across from a city park.

Pierce said he wanted to watch pros instruct white players on the game, but he said they ran him off. He was still able to get a view.

“And so I started mimicking the forehands and mimicking the backhand, and I learned to count and score the game,” he said.

Pierce was able to pass those lessons along to his grandson, Malcolm, who has signed a tennis scholarship to Coppin State University in Baltimore. He will play tennis and begin his journey to medical school.

” I mean, knowing about it is one thing. Having to deal with it is something else. And it made him a much better person, and it gave me so much satisfaction,” Pierce said.

His grandson calls it inspirational.

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 Kiley Vaughan

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    WAVERLY, Florida (WFTS) — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) said a woman was arrested after she threw bleach on a victim’s face and hit a deputy with her car.

PCSO said deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a battery in-progress at a residence on Avenue C in Waverly.

As deputies were on their way, the suspect, 30-year-old Amber Setiva Pittman of Deltona, fled the residence, according to the report.

The victim told deputies Pittman had arrived at her house uninvited and immediately started a verbal argument with her, per PCSO.

According to the victim, Pittman splashed the contents of a water bottle in the victim’s face during the dispute, which deputies said was later determined to be bleach.

Pittman then reportedly began to batter the victim and threatened to kill her.

The victim said Pittman then walked to her vehicle and retrieved a handgun. A man who was at the residence took the gun from Pittman, according to the victim, and she fled.

Shortly after she left the residence, PCSO said a deputy located the vehicle she had driven away in on Hodge Street and conducted a traffic stop.

According to the report, as the deputy tried to detain Pittman, she resisted and sped away, striking the deputy with the side of her vehicle.

PCSO said the deputy was not injured.

Deputies stopped Pittman in the vehicle again shortly after, and she was taken into custody, per officials.

Deputies said Pittman was arrested and charged with aggravated battery, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, battery, resisting without violence, and fleeing to elude.

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 Annette Gutierrez

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    TAMPA, Florida (WFTS) — A Tampa Bay rescue organization is mobilizing to evacuate Americans stranded in Mexico after the killing of a top cartel leader sparked widespread violence.

Grey Bull Rescue, a Tampa-based organization, has already received at least a hundred of calls for help from Americans stranded in Mexico after the death of a notorious cartel leader known as “El Mencho” triggered widespread violence over the weekend.

“They’re pouring in, people are very scared,” said Bryan Stern, the Chairman and Founder of Grey Bull Rescue.

Criminal groups immediately reacted by setting cars and buildings on fire and blocking roads in and around popular tourist destinations. The U.S. Embassy is warning Americans in Mexico to shelter in place, as suspected cartel members have left many travelers with no flights in or out of the country, Sunday and early Monday morning.

Stern said the organization immediately began preparing a mission — dubbed “Operation: Condor Reach” — to rescue Americans stranded in the country.

Tampa Bay 28 reporter Annette Gutierrez has previously covered stories with Grey Bull, helping rescue people out of Jamaica, Venezuela, and now Mexico. She caught up with Stern in a virtual interview on Monday as he was preparing to catch a flight to Mexico.

Stern said the scale of the response effort will require significant resources.

“This is a large-scale evacuation operation — helicopters and airplanes is how this will be done, until that is not available. If that becomes the case, then we have a maritime option as well,” Stern said.

Stern warned that the operation will be dangerous, citing the cartel’s capabilities.

“They are very well trained, very well resourced, very well equipped. They have night vision, and good guns, and body armor, and all the things that we have. So, this is a very capable threat, unlike a lot of the other places that we see,” Stern said.

Stern also expressed concern about the potential for Americans to be taken hostage.

“The cartels like to kidnap people, they like to take hostages, they like to torture people,” Stern said.

A Tampa man who was born in Mexico and left the country partly because of the cartel spoke with us about the situation, asking to hide his face to protect his family back home. In Spanish, he described the conditions on the ground.

“The situation in Mexico is very tense,” he said.

He added that the danger is severe for anyone who does not comply with cartel demands.

“It’s so dangerous … if you don’t cooperate with them, they will kidnap you and ask for ransom,” he said.

He said he is not at ease knowing his family back home cannot leave their house out of fear of being caught in gunfire in the streets.

Despite the dangers, Grey Bull Rescue is offering its services at no cost.

“There’s no such thing as a Grey Bull Rescue Invoice,” Stern said.

If you are stranded in Mexico or know someone who is, you can reach out to Grey Bull Rescue for help. The organization runs solely on donations.

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 Frances Peyton

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    WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (WPTV) — The Palm Beach Zoo is using acupuncture to help one of its oldest residents stay comfortable as he ages.

Cruz, a 26-year-old anteater, has been experiencing mobility issues, prompting zoo veterinarians to explore acupuncture as a treatment option.

Dr. Carrie Ullmer, the director of veterinary services and conservation medicine, said the treatment is part of a comprehensive, personalized approach to animal care at the zoo.

“Here at the zoo, we provide concierge medical service, so we have a team of two veterinarians and two vet techs that provide the healthcare for all the animals,” Ullmer said.

Ullmer said Cruz’s age has brought on some familiar challenges.

“For animals as they age, sometimes they start to show their age in different ways, and Cruz has developed a little bit of arthritis,” Ullmer said. “He’s 26, so his latest treatment that we have started is acupuncture.”

One of the keys to Cruz’s treatment is the trusting bond he has built with his care team — and a very specific reward.

“We really work hard on developing our relationships with animals at the zoo, and so his zoologists have this very trusting relationship with him, and so they have worked to train him to basically hold still for an avocado smoothie reward and we can go in and do the acupuncture safely,” Ullmer said. “It’s totally voluntary. He can walk away if he chooses to participate in his own healthcare.”

Ullmer said Cruz’s care also highlights the zoo’s commitment to working with outside specialists.

“It’s a good example of how we work with our community partners,” Ullmer said. “We actually bring in a veterinarian, Dr. John Block, from outside of the zoo who comes in to provide this specialty service for us.”

Zoo visitors are encouraged to stop by and visit Cruz on their next trip to the Palm Beach Zoo.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI.

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 Kayla McDermott

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    WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (WPTV) — A West Palm Beach couple says they haven’t been able to use the street outside their home for more than a year due to an abandoned construction project that has become a hub for drug activity.

Christopher Young and his wife live on 20th Street, where blockades, garbage and water leaks now dominate the landscape outside their front door.

The construction project came to a halt about 14 months ago, leaving residents dealing with safety concerns and daily inconveniences.

“It is absolutely a ticking time bomb,” Young said. “We just want to be safe. We just want to have a normal place to live.”

The couple says they haven’t seen construction workers at the site in several months. The abandoned project has created multiple problems for residents, including limited parking and difficulty receiving deliveries.

“The parking is a bad situation,” Young said. “Good luck getting a delivery here.”

More concerning are the safety issues that have emerged. Young says people have started camping between the barriers at night, and he has found drug paraphernalia inside his gate.

“I’ve seen fights in the streets. I’ve seen drug usage,” Young said. “We have seen somebody defecating in front of my house.”

The situation has become so problematic that Young says no one in his household goes outside after dark. If nothing changes, he and his wife are considering moving.

“We want out, and we want out badly,” Young said.

The city of West Palm Beach provided a detailed timeline of the construction issues. Code enforcement officers initially cited the property for violations in July 2025. The property owner obtained the required permits to continue construction at that time, and the case was closed. However, the property was later sold while construction was still underway.

“Following the sale, construction activity paused, and the initial permits expired after six months of inactivity,” the city said in a statement. “In January 2026, Code Enforcement opened a new case after observing ongoing impacts to the street and sidewalk and work occurring in the public right-of-way without active permits.”

The project is associated with private development at 2032 N Dixie Highway and is not a city engineering project. The new owners, Essential Living, are now responsible for completing the work.

The city says the property owner has been advised of the steps needed to become compliant, including obtaining updated permits.

“The City understands that the property owner is working to improve the building, and our goal is to work collaboratively with them to address safety concerns, keep the right-of-way clear and accessible, and ensure the site is properly maintained as the project moves forward,” the city said.

ChenMoore, the engineering company involved in the project, said they were hired in 2023 by the property’s previous owner to design and certify a new water main extension.

“The project did not advance at that time due to a lack of required resources from the owner,” ChenMoore said in a statement. “The property has since changed ownership, and we have worked with the surveyors engaged by the new owner to obtain the data required for certification. We received comments from the City of West Palm Beach dated February 20, 2026 and are actively addressing those items.”

A violation notice from the city gives the owners less than two weeks to fix the site, obtain required permits to finish the work and stop blocking the street. If these requirements aren’t met, a hearing is scheduled for next month where the owners could face fines of $1,000 to $15,000 per day.

“I would love to see that this road gets reopened,” Young said. “Go back to normal, the way (it was) three years ago when I moved in.”

If the problem isn’t fixed by the owners, the city says it might clean up the site itself and send Essential Living the bill.

When contacted about the issue, Essential Living declined to comment.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WPTV 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.