Good News Thursday: Utah rescue kitten captures hearts nationwide, farmer plants sunflower field as wedding anniversary gift

Utah rescue kitten captures hearts nation-wideRescue kitten Tater Tot begins their healing journey. Tater Tot’s origin story was posted on Kitty CrusAIDe’s Tiktok account on July 21. (Video courtesy of Kitty CrusAIDe)

Tater Tot, a rescued kitten found in Centerville, Utah, has inspired Utahns and viewers nationwide.

Found with all four of his limbs deformed and a cleft palate, Tater Tot was taken to Kitty CrusAIDe, a volunteer organization that rescues and fosters cats until they are ready for adoption.

Tater Tot is currently with foster mom Ash Houghton, a volunteer at Kitty CrusAIDe. She said she is hopeful about Tater Tot’s recovery.

“Right now we’re trying to get his legs into a better position in order to be ready for real splints,” Houghton said.

Tater Tot’s limbs have been in casts, which Houghton and the KittycrusAIDe have called badonkadonks, to help straighten them and enable him to walk. He’s been tube-fed, and the KittycrusAIDe often calls Tater Tot a hero.

Farmer plants sunflower field as wedding anniversary giftLee and Renee Wilson stand in front of a field of sunflowers in Pratt, Kansas that Lee Wilson gifted to his wife for their 50th wedding anniversary. The 80-acre field contains more than 1.2 million sunflowers. (Abby Wray via CNN Newsource)

Lee Wilson, a Kansas farmer, decided to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife Renee Wilson by gifting her millions of sunflowers.

The Wilsons have known each other most of their lives and were high school sweethearts, and will celebrate their golden anniversary on Aug. 10. Lee Wilson said he thought a lot about what to get his wife in honor of their 50 years together.

“What’s a guy get his gal for the 50th? And I put a lot of thought into it and she always liked sunflowers. And I thought this is the year to plant sunflowers so I planted her 80 acres of sunflowers,” Lee Wilson said. “Our first date was a roller skating party, an FFA roller skating party in Harper, Kansas.”

In May, Lee Wilson and his son planted the 80-acre field secretly so Renee Wilson could be surprised.

“It made me feel very special. It couldn’t have been a more perfect anniversary gift than a field of sunflowers,” Renee Wilson said.

Visitors have come from in and all around Pratt, Kansas to enjoy the more than 1.2 million sunflowers.

Massachusetts dog returns home to ownersGlenn and Dorothy Haskel are reunited with their lost dachshund Chelsea. Chelsea was lost for four days before returning home. (Samantha Read via CNN Newsource)

The owners of the 14-month-old dachshund named Chelsea asked the community for help when Chelsea ran off.

Owner Glenn Haskel described seeing Chelsea escape through a small hole in their backyard fence when he was out for a jog.

The family put up flyers and were in contact with local animal rescue organizations. A call came in reporting that a bystander saw the dog on a major roadway.

“Knowing your dog is on route 95. It’s a nightmare,” Dorothy Haskel said.

The Missing Dogs of Massachusetts volunteer group helped the Haskels put up a trap for Chelsea, which finally brought the dog home late on July 26.