The week's good news: February 6, 2020
It wasn't all bad!
- 1. Book lover's dream comes true when she opens the Bronx's only bookstore
- 2. Kansas City Chiefs player celebrates Super Bowl win by paying adoption fees for shelter dogs
- 3. Students work together to replace beloved teacher's stolen shoes
- 4. FDA approves 1st peanut allergy drug for kids
- 5. Woman sees picture of her missing pet in an unlikely place: on a beer can
1. Book lover's dream comes true when she opens the Bronx's only bookstore
Noëlle Santos wasn't going to let the Bronx's only bookstore close without a fight. In 2014, Barnes & Noble announced it was shuttering its lone store in the Bronx in New York City. Because it was the only bookstore in the borough, Santos joined thousands of others to protest its closure. As a kid, the Bronx native adored reading, and books were "my window outside of my little five-block radius, which many of my peers never expanded beyond," she told Inside Edition. Santos started researching what it would take to open her own independent bookstore, and spent months writing a business plan and figuring out financials. Last April, her hard work paid off, as she opened The Lit. Bar — a bookstore, wine bar, and community center. "Our mission is to give the community additional access to literature and create intellectual visibility in the Bronx," Santos said.
2. Kansas City Chiefs player celebrates Super Bowl win by paying adoption fees for shelter dogs
Some Super Bowl champions celebrate by going to Disney World, but Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi decided to commemorate his victory in a different way. After the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV on Sunday, the KC Pet Project announced Nnadi was celebrating by paying the adoption fees for the more than 100 dogs available at its Missouri and Kansas locations. Nnadi's philanthropic foundation supports organizations like the KC Pet Project in Kansas City and his hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia. He first partnered with the KC Pet Project in September, and every time the Chiefs won a game this season, Nnadi paid the adoption fee for one dog. KC Pet Project told CBS News that Nnadi's big Super Bowl donation comes "at a great time as our shelter is full of wonderful pets looking for homes."
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3. Students work together to replace beloved teacher's stolen shoes
When their teacher's pricey basketball shoes were stolen from his office last month, a group of eighth grade students in Bellevue, Nebraska, immediately came up with a way to replace them. The students from Logan Fontenelle Middle School hatched their plan in a group chat. They decided to raise money to buy their teacher, Trey Payne, a new pair of shoes, and asked friends to contribute to the effort. When they had enough to pay for the shoes, they ordered a pair online, and presented the box and a card to Payne. As soon as Payne realized what they had done, he started to cry. "It's more than a pair of shoes," he said. "It's about doing things to build everyone up around you. I try to show my kids this and I think the lesson has sunk in for many, in turn, reaffirming my purpose and my ideals."
4. FDA approves 1st peanut allergy drug for kids
For the first time, kids with peanut allergies have a treatment option that could help reduce their risk of allergic reactions. On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration approved Palforzia, the first peanut allergy drug for kids. Peanuts are one of the most common food allergies in the United States, with about one million children affected, the FDA says; only one out of five kids will outgrow their allergy. When exposed to even the smallest amount of peanut, children with allergies can experience severe reactions, including hives, swelling, and fainting. While under a doctor's care, patients will ingest controlled dosages of Palforzia, which is made of peanut protein. If they tolerate the drug, patients will take it for several months, eventually reaching a daily maintenance dose. Palforzia is not a cure and patients will still need to avoid peanuts. It has been approved for kids between the ages of 4 and 17.
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5. Woman sees picture of her missing pet in an unlikely place: on a beer can
A woman whose dog went missing three years ago was shocked when she saw her pup's picture on the side of a beer can. In 2017, Monica Mathis' dog, Hazel, ran away from their Iowa home. Mathis, who now lives in Minnesota, was recently scrolling through Facebook when she saw an article about Motorworks Brewing, a brewery in Manatee County, Florida, that puts photos of local dogs available for adoption on their cans. "I saw one of the dogs on there, and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, that looks like my dog,'" Mathis told ABC Action News. She called Manatee County Animal Services, and when they scanned the dog for a microchip, an address came up: It was Mathis' old home in Iowa. The pair will soon be reunited, and Mathis said having Hazel come home "is amazing. I'm just so happy that I'm getting her back."
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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