Mississippi is Getting a Museum Dedicated to Black Farmers and Helping Them Succeed

Willena Scott-White is working to open a museum honoring the struggles and triumphs of Black farmers in the Mississippi Delta. The museum will also be a cultural and educational center, teaching young students about farming and what areas of farming they can pursue as a career. Willena's father, Ed Scott Jr., was the nation's first Black catfish farmer and she witnessed firsthand the challenges he faced in trying to succeed in farming. Despite many setbacks, the family persevered and Willena is determined to help other Black farmers do the same.

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Humpback Whale "Pi" Returns to Isles of Scilly, Delighting Wildlife Enthusiasts

A humpback whale known as Pi has returned to the waters off the Isles of Scilly, continuing a tradition that’s now spanned several winters. The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust confirmed the familiar visitor had once again been spotted near the islands, which sit 45 km off the Cornish coast and lie directly along the whales’ migration route. Olivia Willmore, fundraising and communications manager at the trust, called the annual sightings “absolutely wonderful.” She said, “We are so privileged to have them pass by us every single year.” The whale was identified as Pi thanks to the distinctive markings on its dorsal fin, which researchers say function much like fingerprints do for humans. Pi has been observed visiting the area in previous years, including 2023 and 2024, though the whale’s gender remains unknown. “Those markings are incredibly unique from whale to whale,” Willmore explained. While the Isles of Scilly are already known as a hotspot for seabirds and rare wildlife, the return of Pi is adding a new layer of excitement for visitors. “Some people are starting to come with the hope of whale spotting,” said Willmore. The trust hopes Pi’s return will continue to raise awareness of marine conservation and strengthen the islands’ growing appeal as a destination for wildlife watchers.

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Six-Year-Old Names Beloved Hospital Rocking Horse, Now on Display at Guildford Museum

For over half a century, a well-worn wooden rocking horse brought comfort and joy to young patients at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. Now, it's starting a new chapter — with a brand new name. Six-year-old Jack from Sandhurst won a naming competition to officially christen the horse “Alfonso,” beating out more than 50 other entries. The horse has now taken up residence at Guildford Museum, where it will feature in the museum’s Playtime! exhibition, a hands-on display of vintage toys and games running until April 11. The horse was a fixture in the children’s outpatients department for decades, often helping to distract and soothe nervous little visitors. “So many local people have fond memories of the rocking horse from their time at the hospital,” said a spokesperson for the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust. “With so much history, we are delighted it will now be preserved and enjoyed by our local community at Guildford Museum.” Tom Hunt, deputy leader of Guildford Borough Council, called Alfonso’s arrival “a wonderful example of how we can preserve and share stories from our community.” “The rocking horse holds decades of memories for local families,” he said. “We’re pleased to welcome this new addition to our museum collection and we know Alfonso will continue to bring smiles to children for years to come.” Alfonso is now part of a broader exhibition designed to be interactive for kids and nostalgic for adults — a space where toys from the past are celebrated not just as objects, but as threads in the fabric of local life. Jack, the young winner of the naming contest, hasn’t shared what inspired the name Alfonso — but museum staff say it fits the horse’s character perfectly.

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'Kendal Kingfishers': How One Man's Love for Fishing is Giving Kids a New Cast on Life

Most Sundays, rain or shine, you’ll find Kieron Banks by the River Kent with a rod in one hand and a grin on his face. The 43-year-old Kendal native, known for his deep knowledge of the riverbanks, has been fishing the local waters for over 30 years. Now, he’s passing that passion on to a new generation — for free. Banks founded the Kendal Kingfishers Fishing Club in March 2024, opening up the river to children and their families. What started with just one boy and a borrowed rod has turned into a thriving local club that’s already introduced dozens of kids to the peace and thrill of angling. “It started from one little boy who wanted to learn,” Banks said. “I knew his grandad when he was alive and he helped me on my way so I thought it only right to reciprocate.” His motivation is simple: give kids a healthy way to connect with nature, especially those who may not otherwise have the opportunity. “Fishing helped me escape estate life,” he said. “It gives you a nice place to get away from it all.” Banks has lived on the same Kendal estate for all of his 43 years. “A lot of my friends and lads I went to school with didn’t get past the age of 40. It’s tragic,” he said. For him, fishing has always been a way to find calm in the chaos. “You sit by [the river] and put your thoughts in order.” That sense of peace is something he’s now trying to share. The club meets every few weeks, welcoming kids with any level of experience. Thanks to donations from locals and nearby businesses, the club has collected about 150 fishing rods — enough for every child to have one. "I want the kids to get engaged... that's the key," Banks said. Kids like Hunter and Teddy have taken the lessons to heart. "It's fun," said Hunter. "We get to see all the fish and meet different people. I've learned to be patient." Teddy agreed, saying he’s learned how to cast a line and reel it in. “We’ve seen trout, carp and a couple of otters,” he added. Joel, who attended for the first time, said he usually fishes with a net but was excited to try using a rod. “I haven’t caught anything today, but before I’ve caught catfish, bullheads and minnows,” he said. For twins Thomas and Elijah, the best part is simple: “catching fish” and “getting wet.” Banks doesn’t just teach how to fish — he teaches how to respect the water and everything in it. All fish are caught and released, and each session includes lessons about the river’s ecosystem. “If we don’t look after the river, the stocks and watch for the pollution, eventually there won’t be any fish,” he said. “I’m a conservationist first, fisherman second.” He proudly points out the creatures the kids have spotted — otters, kingfishers, salmon, and crayfish among them. It’s not just about what they catch, but what they observe. Bailey, another young angler, said being by the river is “relaxing and quiet” with “a nice feeling of fresh air.” He added, “My dad takes me out fishing and I’d love it if we could go out more... but this club gives me more chance to fish, which makes me happy.” Banks sees every smile, tangled line, and released fish as a small victory — a chance to get kids off screens and into nature. “Fishing has helped my mental health. It gives peace and tranquility,” he said. Now, with word spreading and more families showing up each week, the Kendal Kingfishers are only growing. As Banks put it, “The river is the jewel in Kendal. And I just want more people to see it that way.”

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This Navy Musician is Bringing Melodies To Antarctica While Overcoming Some Icy Challenges

On the edge of Antarctica, far from concert halls and practice studios, a New Zealand navy musician has found an unusual workaround to keep her craft alive. French horn player Natalie Paine has been stationed at Scott Base since October, working alongside 20 other military members who support scientists on the frozen continent. In her spare moments, which she admits are rare, she pulls out a bright plastic training instrument and sends soft melodies across the Ross Sea. “It’s beautiful and very inspiring,” Paine told the Associated Press. “I’ll sit there by the window and I will do my routine and play music in my time off, which is not very often.” Her path to Antarctica was anything but straightforward. Paine grew up in Adelaide, where summers scorch and Antarctica felt impossibly far away. As a child she dreamed of visiting the continent as a scientist. She studied music instead and set the idea aside. Years later, while serving in New Zealand’s navy, she discovered that military staff could apply for seasonal postings at Scott Base. “My eyes lit up and I was like, what? Even a musician?” she said. “He’s like, heck yeah, why not?” Getting there took persistence. Paine applied four times without success. On her fifth attempt she secured a slot, not as a musician, but as a communications operator. The job runs in six day blocks and demands constant attention to radio, phone and email traffic. Some of the calls she takes come from people deep on the ice who have not heard another voice in weeks. She still carves out minutes for scales and practice sessions, most often by slipping into an old hut built in 1957 under the direction of Sir Edmund Hillary. There, a window looks out on seals resting on the ice, and she says the view shapes her playing. “There’s so much beauty and it’s not tame either, it’s this wild, untamed beauty of the land around you and the animals as well,” she said. “It’s just so overwhelming, spiritually, emotionally, physically sometimes as well.” She also faced a practical problem. A brass French horn is heavy and metal parts can freeze to skin in Antarctic cold. She needed something she could hold with gloves and warm layers. The answer was a jHorn, a children’s practice instrument made of plastic. “It was designed to be a beginner brass instrument for children,” said Paine. “So it was like, super compact, super light plastic, very durable, nowhere near as much maintenance required.” The navy does not have a record of another military musician ever being posted to Antarctica, so Paine may be the first. Her presence has become a small cultural boost at Scott Base. During ceremonies, such as the changing of the flag, she now plays live instead of relying on a speaker. Sometimes that means performing outside in minus 21 degrees Celsius with double gloves and hand warmers. “I had to have ski gloves on with double layers and hand warmers on the inside to be able to hold the trumpet and still my fingers were freezing,” she said. Paine will remain at Scott Base until March. The collaboration she sees between countries on the ice stays with her during her long shifts. “Music is the universal language and it’s something that reminds us that we’re all connected,” she said. “It brings that connection back to home, back to land and back to the people you’re with as well.”

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Vibrant Community Fridge Offers Free Fruits And Veggies To Hundreds Of New Yorkers Weekly

On the corner of 155th Street and 8th Avenue in Harlem, a line begins forming by 11 a.m. every Saturday. It's not for concert tickets or sneaker drops — it’s for groceries. For nearly six years, the 155th Street Fridge has been quietly serving as one of the neighborhood’s most reliable sources of free food. What started as a simple community fridge in 2020, led by local resident Stéphanie Tonnoir, has evolved into a full-fledged food distribution effort run by neighbors, teens from the nearby Polo Grounds Projects, and a rotating cast of enthusiastic volunteers. One of those regulars is Juanita, a local favorite who’s often spotted in a beanie and headphones, directing traffic and bringing energy to the sidewalk. “We do this each and every Saturday; I want y’all to come out and enjoy,” she said in a TikTok this summer. “We have plenty of food to give… we all family out here.” And for many in East Harlem — where 22.4% of residents face food insecurity — it feels exactly like that. Family. The 155th Street Fridge rescues surplus produce from nearby grocery stores, often organic and still perfectly fresh, along with juices and pre-portioned meals donated by local businesses. “All of this was headed for the trash — not because it wasn’t fresh, but because supermarkets overproduce,” Juanita explained recently on Instagram, showing off a basket of ripe fruit and vegetables. “Meanwhile, so many of our Harlem neighbors need healthy, affordable food. That gap is why we started our community fridge six years ago: to rescue what’s still good and share it with love.” Once the line starts moving, it becomes an assembly line of generosity. Volunteers pack and hand out full grocery bags or boxes — one per person, no forms, no ID required. “What are we doing here?” one young volunteer asked another in a TikTok posted by the group. “Giving food to people that need it,” came the answer. “Why?” “’Cause why not?” That ethos sums up the fridge’s entire approach. While New York City has large-scale food bank networks and is considering city-subsidized grocery stores, mutual aid efforts like the 155th Street Fridge remain essential — hyperlocal, nimble, and rooted in community. With an estimated 1.4 million New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity, it fills a critical gap. Despite its impact, the group keeps a low profile online, focusing instead on showing up week after week. “The 155th Street Fridge has grown to become one of the largest and most reliable food pantries in the area,” noted NYC Locals in a recent Instagram post. “They have never unplugged the fridge since they started and remain committed to their mission.” That mission? Feed people. Waste less. Build community. Repeat. Donations are always welcome — through CashApp or Venmo — and every dollar goes directly toward keeping the fridge stocked and the bags full. “We want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the love and support,” the group posted last year. “We won't stop. Harlem is lit.”

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Artists Rescue And Restore Nina Simone’s Historic Childhood Home

The childhood home of Nina Simone has officially been restored, nine years after a group of artists banded together to save the fragile North Carolina house from destruction. The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund confirmed this week that the small, three-room home in Tryon—where Simone lived from 1933 to 1937—has undergone a full restoration using original materials and historically accurate colors. Renovation efforts, which spanned 18 months, aimed to bring the 650-square-foot structure back to the way it looked when the iconic singer and civil rights activist first discovered music within its walls. “This preserves the piano lessons, the joy, the discipline, and the discovery of her gifted talent all recorded in those walls,” said Dr. Samuel Waymon, Simone’s younger brother, who helped lead the restoration effort. “It’s an honor to share this with the world as she would have wanted me to.” The house is not yet open to the public, but the work marks a major milestone in one of the most high-profile artist-led preservation projects in the U.S. today. New additions include a preservation-compliant ADA ramp, a low-impact geothermal climate system, and a historically recreated swept-dirt yard. Archaeologists uncovered and preserved the remains of an original outhouse and work shed, and a 100-year-old Magnolia tree, affectionately known as “Sweetie Mae,” still stands on the property. The initiative began in 2016 when artist Adam Pendleton learned the house where Simone first learned piano was at risk of demolition. Pendleton recruited fellow artists Julie Mehretu, Rashid Johnson, and Ellen Gallagher to help purchase the home for $95,000. They formed Daydream Therapy LLC and partnered with the Action Fund to secure the property and chart a path forward. In 2023, that partnership staged a major gala and art auction with Pace Gallery, raising $6 million to fund the restoration. Grammy-winning artist H.E.R. performed Simone’s “Four Women” at the dinner, which featured food by chef JJ Johnson. “We didn’t even know what we were embarking on,” Pendleton told guests at the event. “What we did know was the power of Nina Simone’s music... and the power of defining actively as an artist, as a citizen, what America is and what America can be.” Tennis champion Venus Williams co-curated the auction with Pendleton. Eleven works, including contributions from all four artist-founders, went up for sale via Sotheby’s online platform. Several lots surpassed expectations: Julie Mehretu’s New Dawn, Sing (for Nina) sold for $1.6 million—well beyond its $1.2 million estimate—while works by Cecily Brown and Sarah Sze each brought in $900,000. The final tally from the auction was $5.38 million, with the gala rounding it up to $6 million total. Since then, Daydream Therapy and the Action Fund have worked closely with local Tryon residents to envision the home’s next chapter. Though it will remain unfurnished for now, its future likely includes community events and educational programming, with a focus on intergenerational cultural exchange. The restored home is meant not only to honor Simone’s legacy but to anchor it in the community where she first found her voice. For Waymon, that’s deeply personal. “Preserving our home preserves her spirit,” he said. “We wanted to do it right.”

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Scientists Discover Bird Droppings Boost Seagrass Growth

Along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, conservationists are turning bird droppings into a secret weapon for saving seagrass—and it’s actually working. The effort is part of a larger push to rebuild storm-battered islands and restore marine ecosystems that are vital for birds, fish, sea turtles, and even humans. Judy Haner, coastal programs director at The Nature Conservancy in Alabama, says the work is as scrappy as it is science-based. “We’re building coastal islands, and as part of that, we needed to mitigate for some small seagrass impacts,” Haner said. One technique borrowed from the Florida Keys involves using “bird stakes”—PVC poles topped with a T-bar—installed in areas damaged by propeller scarring. The idea is simple: birds perch on the stakes, poop into the water, and their nutrient-rich waste helps fertilize damaged seagrass beds. It’s an experiment that’s already shown promise. “In the Keys, they found that in areas with bird stakes versus no bird stakes, the seagrass recovered faster,” Haner explained. “Now, is that because people saw the stakes and stayed away because they thought it meant shallow ground? Or is it actually because there were more nutrients? Either way, it worked.” Alabama’s own restoration efforts began with a major project on the Perdido Islands, where seagrasses had been damaged by years of prop scarring—gouges in the seafloor left by boat propellers in shallow water. Working with Dauphin Island Sea Lab, conservationists transplanted about an acre of seagrass in 2024. That included 4,679 individual sods—hand-planted, underwater, in the middle of a record-setting heat wave. “It was insane,” Haner said. “It was weeks of work, so many volunteers. Then we were hoping for a nice mild winter to let the roots set. Well, last year, we had 8 inches of snow on the Gulf Coast. It was unprecedented. But somehow it survived, and it’s really taking off.” That resilience is a bright spot in a global picture of declining seagrass meadows. While much of the world is seeing die-offs, Alabama’s coastal grasses have doubled or even tripled in the last few years. A mix of better conservation, ecological shifts, and possibly warmer water temperatures is behind the surge. Parrotfish, a species more common in Caribbean waters, have even started appearing in the northern Gulf—part of a broader “sub-tropicalization” trend changing the ecosystem. Seagrass may not get the attention that coral reefs or rainforests do, but it plays a foundational role in coastal life. “They support so much: fish, crabs, shrimp, all of our invertebrates, the base of our food chain,” Haner said. “We have ecotourism that targets dolphins, which love feeding in this area… and then the sea turtles come in to forage in these areas, too.” The islands themselves are being rebuilt with dredged material from nearby navigation channels, a move that helps the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and avoids hardened infrastructure like seawalls. “We’re even building a no-human-access island for birds, because they nest out where lots of people are,” said Haner. “Eventually, the earth and sand will wash around, but when it does, it will feed the next island.” It’s a long-term process, not a quick fix. But the Nature Conservancy and its partners have stuck with it for over a decade, seeing steady progress. Now, they’re expanding their focus to boaters, particularly rental users who might not understand how much damage they can cause in shallow waters. The team is developing a boating map app with the City of Orange Beach that will show navigation channels, seagrass zones, and speed limits. The idea is to require renters to download the app before taking a boat out. Alabama’s marine law enforcement loves the idea so much they’re pushing to expand it statewide. “It’s not a one-off,” Haner said. “It’s a long-term investment, but it’s paying off in spades, because we are really seeing positive results for the island building, as well as the seagrasses.” And yes, some of that success might be due to pelican poop.

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The First “Sacred” Swans Arrive in the UK, Marking the Start of Winter Migration

The first Bewick’s swans of the season have landed in the UK, officially ushering in the start of winter at Gloucestershire’s WWT Slimbridge wetland reserve. Three swans—paired birds Heerlen and Olga, along with a solo traveler named George II—touched down early Sunday morning after completing their epic 3,500-kilometre migration from Arctic Russia. The arrival, just ahead of a cold snap and pushed by north-easterly winds, marks the first wave of what is expected to be many more Bewick’s returning to their long-standing winter refuge. “As a young visitor I appreciated the Bewick's swans flock at WWT Slimbridge,” said reserve manager Martin McGill. “But it wasn't until I began working on the reserve that I realised just how sacred these special birds were.” Bewick’s swans, known for their distinct black-and-yellow bills and smaller size compared to other swans, are considered an iconic presence at Slimbridge. Their annual return has been closely tracked for decades, beginning with legendary conservationist and WWT founder Sir Peter Scott in 1964. Since then, more than 10,000 individual swans have been recorded at the site. WWT Slimbridge has earned a reputation as one of the only places where visitors can get close to these birds, thanks to what McGill describes as “a relationship we’ve built on trust.” That trust, built up over generations of swans returning, has helped establish a deep connection between the reserve and its avian guests. Heerlen was first spotted at Slimbridge as an unpaired adult in December 2020. Olga arrived a year later, as a cygnet with her parents, Orkney Reed and Doodles. The two swans eventually formed a pair during the 2023–24 winter season, and now return together. Just a day after their arrival, eight more Bewick’s swans showed up on Monday, including a familiar name—Maisie, a Slimbridge regular since 2014. She was fitted with a tracker in 2015 and later paired with Maifeld in 2016. The two have been returning to Slimbridge every winter since, adding to the rich history of returning birds that make up the wetland’s seasonal soundtrack. In total, 11 swans have now arrived for the winter, including one cygnet. And this is just the beginning. For decades, the return of the Bewick’s swans has been part of Slimbridge’s winter spectacle—an enduring symbol of the colder months ahead and the powerful pull of migration instincts. As the weeks go on, conservationists expect many more to arrive, continuing a tradition that spans generations and connects Arctic Russia to the wetlands of southwest England.

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Deputy Helps 70-Year-Old Resident Through Window as House Fire Rages

A sheriff’s deputy in Avon Park, Florida, helped a 70-year-old resident escape a house fire on November 18 by lifting the woman out a window to safety, bodycam footage shows. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office released this bodycam footage from Deputy Massey, which shows him responding to a house fire on Gobourne Street on Tuesday. The fire, which police said was caused by a cooking accident, can be seen burning at the back of the house while the woman attempts to exit through the window.

‘They Got Us Through’: Cancer Survivor Now Volunteers at Food Project That Once Fed Her Family

When Lisa Parkinson was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic, life quickly became unrecognizable. Her husband left his job to care for her, their two children couldn’t attend school clubs due to shielding, and bills kept piling up. “Things became quite difficult,” she said. “We still had bills to pay.” That’s when she turned to the Big Food Project in Blackpool — a network that redistributes surplus food from supermarkets and manufacturers to more than 125 foodbanks, schools, crisis services, and families across Blackpool, Fylde, and Wyre. Now cancer-free for five years, Lisa is one of the project’s most dedicated volunteers, helping distribute food to families every Tuesday at Blackpool FC. It’s her way of giving back. “They helped me through a very dark time,” she said. “Now I feel as though it’s my time to help and give back.” Like many who first use a foodbank, Lisa said she wrestled with the decision. “I thought, ‘I don’t want to have to do this,’” she recalled. “I thought they’ll judge me, people will be thinking, ‘Oh, she does nothing.’ But they made me feel so welcome. We had a cup of tea, and I relaxed because there is a stigma about using foodbanks.” At the Big Food Project’s Blackpool FC hub, £8 gets you four bags of food — far more than you’d get at the supermarket, she said. It made a huge difference when her family needed it most. “It was 100% there for us,” Lisa said. “It was hard enough going through all the treatment as well as having two children. It was a massive, massive help.” The project, founded by Neil Reid, is still in high demand. Last week alone, the warehouse distributed enough food for 17,600 meals. Each Tuesday, Lisa helps supply food to 50 to 60 families at her venue — and the stories she hears are as heartbreaking as ever. “People will say to us, ‘Oh, it’s a lifesaver,’” she said. One person hadn’t had a cup of tea in a week because they couldn’t afford tea bags. Others get excited over a bottle of shampoo or nice shower gel. “It makes me sad,” Lisa said. “People who are working full-time or pensioners are still struggling to pay for food.” After three and a half years of volunteering, Lisa says the work is deeply personal — not just because of what it gave her, but because of what it continues to give others. “They got us through a very difficult time,” she said. “And now I get to help do the same for someone else.”

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