The week's good news: March 25, 2021
It wasn't all bad!
- 1. Indonesian man spends 24 years transforming fire-ravaged land into lush ecosystem
- 2. Baltimore chef drives to Vermont to cook customer her favorite dish
- 3. Teenager saves her best friend's life, 1 day after learning CPR
- 4. Doctor and patient find a way to run a marathon together, 355 miles apart
- 5. Once nearly extinct, the American bald eagle has made a comeback
1. Indonesian man spends 24 years transforming fire-ravaged land into lush ecosystem
A man in Indonesia has transformed barren, arid land into a lush ecosystem over the course of 24 years, defying naysayers. The land in Central Java was destroyed by a fire meant to prepare it for cultivation. Sadiman, 69, said he knew if he didn't plant banyan and ficus trees to store water, the little resources left would dry up. So he planted more than 11,000 trees across 617 acres, and paid for it by selling and bartering goats and plants from his nursery. Eventually, springs formed and water was piped to homes and farms. Now, the area's once-annual harvest takes place two to three times a year thanks to the additional water. "I hope the people here can have prosperous lives and live happily," Sadiman said.
2. Baltimore chef drives to Vermont to cook customer her favorite dish
Brandon Jones' mother-in-law adored the tempura broccoli at Ekiben restaurant in Baltimore, and after learning she had terminal cancer, Jones made it his mission to serve her that favorite dish one more time. His mother-in-law lives in Vermont, so Jones sent an email to Ekiben's owner, Steve Chu, asking if he'd share the recipe for the family to recreate at home. Chu responded with a better idea: "We'd like to meet you in Vermont and make it fresh for you." He assured Jones that he understood it was a six-hour drive, but was happy to make the trek. When Chu and his business partner arrived in Vermont, they got cooking in the back of a pickup truck outside of the mother-in-law's condo. She recognized Chu and his crew, and was in disbelief that they drove up to Vermont to cook for her.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
3. Teenager saves her best friend's life, 1 day after learning CPR
Torri'ell Norwood's CPR training came at exactly the right moment. Last month, Norwood, 16, finished a basic life support class at her high school in St. Petersburg, Florida, just one day before she used her new skills to save the life of her best friend, A'zarria Simmons. On Feb. 20, the girls were driving when another car plowed into their vehicle. After Norwood climbed out to safety, she saw Simmons was still in the backseat, unresponsive. Norwood carefully pulled Simmons out of the car and began to perform CPR — after 30 compressions and two rescue breaths, Simmons regained consciousness. Norwood told CNN she "never would have thought" that out of all her classmates, she would be the one to save someone's life, but Simmons wasn't surprised. "She will always help any way she can, to help anybody," Simmons said.
4. Doctor and patient find a way to run a marathon together, 355 miles apart
As he recovered from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and reconstruct his hip, Colin Jackson could only think of one thing: running his next marathon. His surgeon, Dr. James Flint, was against the idea, worried Jackson would dislocate his new hip, and he "half-jokingly" told his patient he'd join him for the marathon. A year later, the pair came up with a way to tackle the Arizona Rock 'n' Roll Marathon together. Flint ran and walked 26.2 miles in San Diego, while Jackson and a support group did the same in Phoenix. During the 12-hour marathon, they kept in touch through phone calls and text messages. Jackson told the San Diego Union-Tribune Flint has "made such a difference this entire journey," and he "can't put it into words because it means so much."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
5. Once nearly extinct, the American bald eagle has made a comeback
In 1963, there were just 417 known nesting pairs of bald eagles in the contiguous United States. Now, that number has soared to 71,400 pairs, according to a report from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The bald eagle population has quadrupled since the last major count in 2009 — there are now an estimated 316,700 individual birds in the lower 48 states, with more than half living in the Mississippi Flyway, spanning roughly from Minnesota and Wisconsin down to Louisiana. Conservation methods were enacted in the 1960s, and the bird was removed from the list of endangered and threatened species in 2007. For the best chance at spotting the bird, visit shoreline forests, where they often perch atop trees. In flight, they pump their wings slowly, with a 5- to 8-foot wingspan. Their large brown bodies and white heads are unmistakable, though younger birds are almost completely brown.
-
Can Elon Musk really lead the House?
The Explainer The Constitution is silent about whether non-members of Congress can be elected House speaker
By David Faris Published
-
'Welcome to America's customer service nightmare'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of the X-odus
IN THE SPOTLIGHT How a year of controversy turned social media juggernaut X into 2024's hottest platform to leave
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The week's good news: Sept. 21, 2023
It wasn't all bad!
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
The week's good news: Sept. 14, 2023
It wasn't all bad!
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
The week's good news: Sept. 7, 2023
feature It wasn't all bad!
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Lives transformed by swimming with Newfoundland dogs
feature Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published
-
The week's good news: August 31, 2023
feature It wasn't all bad!
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
The week's good news: August 17, 2023
feature It wasn't all bad!
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Earring lost at sea returned to fisherman after 23 years
feature Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published
-
Farmer plants 1.2m sunflowers as present for his wife
feature Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published