Kitten survives journey in truck's undercarriage, and more

Kitten survives journey in truck's undercarriage

After having driven his pickup 70 miles, Rod Thomas of Wenatchee, Wash., heard a faint purring coming from the vehicle. When he investigated, he saw a furry tail sticking out near the transmission. “I gently tugged on it,” Thomas said. “It pulled away, then this little fuzzy head peeks out.” A 6-week-old kitten apparently had ridden the distance in the truck’s undercarriage. Though allergic to cats, Thomas seems inclined to keep “Lucky” as a barn mouser. “We need a cat,” he said, “and one appears in a kind of magical way.”

Building a beaver city in the Bronx

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New York City’s Bronx River has seen better—and cleaner—days. So three years ago, when a beaver was spotted plying the Bronx’s waters, environmentalists deemed it a hopeful omen. Beavers were once central to New York’s economy—a pair even grace the city’s official seal. But they were hunted to extinction in the early 1800s, and deforestation and heavy pollution kept them from returning. A second beaver has recently been spotted, and conservationists believe the river may be coming back to life. “We’ve doubled the population of beavers in New York City,” said John Calvelli of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Former high school friend donates a kidney

Steve Hutchings of Missouri received some bad news this summer: His kidneys were shutting down. Hutchings began dialysis treatment and posted news of his illness on Facebook, where Earl McCormick, a former high school friend, saw it. “We always got along good and we were both good guys in school,” said McCormick. “I couldn’t sit back and watch that happen to him.” McCormick donated a kidney to Hutchings. “I don’t know how to thank him,” said Hutchings, whose prognosis is good. “He gave me a gift I couldn’t even fathom someone would give.”