Friday, November 1, 2024

Welcome to the first edition of The Feel Good Flyover!

Looking for some good news to kick off your weekend? We've got you covered. It may seem hard to believe these days, but there are lots of good things happening in the world—you just need to know where to look. That's where we come in!

Every Friday, we'll share stories that make you laugh, celebrate our shared humanity, and help you find connection, hope, and joy beyond the headlines.

We hope you enjoy The Feel Good Flyover. One last thing: will you do us a favor and let us know what you thought of our maiden flight? How did we do? Just hit reply and let us know.

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West Virginia Miners Move Mountains

Coal miners from West Virginia, nicknamed the "West Virginia Boys" by grateful locals, moved a mountain in late October to rebuild a crucial 2.7-mile stretch of Hurricane Helene-ravaged Highway 64 in North Carolina.

In just three days, they completed what officials said would take months. Using a bulldozer and two excavators balanced on the newly widened banks of the Broad River, they maneuvered a 20-ton granite boulder into place to restore access. Take a look at the drone footage here.

The volunteer miners—working without official permission while FEMA and state transportation officials turned a blind eye—restored road access between Bat Cave and Chimney Rock.

"For a small community like ours without many residents, that could easily get overlooked, it's unreal what they're doing," said Robin Phillips, 49, who hadn't been able to check on her house or family campground business since the hurricane hit.

Lightning Owner Gives Staff $20M

Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, who recently sold a majority stake in the NHL franchise valued at $1.8 billion, is distributing $20 million in bonuses to the team's full-time employees.

The bonuses, ranging from $50,000 to $66,000 per employee, were announced in a memo recognizing staff members' contributions to making the Lightning a world-class organization.

While Vinik sold his majority stake to a group led by Blue Owl Capital co-CEOs Doug Ostrover and Marc Lipschultz, he will retain control of the team and serve as its governor for the next three years.

12-Year-Old Leads $11.5 Million School Project

A Connecticut 12-year-old led a project that secured $11.5 million in state funding to install student-designed air filters that remove COVID-19 and other viruses from school classrooms.

Eniola Shokunbi, along with classmates and university scientists, developed the air filtration system in fifth grade using just $60 worth of materials, including a box fan, furnace filters, duct tape, and cardboard.

The EPA-certified system removes over 99% of viruses from the air, and the state funding will expand the program to more schools. Watch a video report here.

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➤ At a county fair auction in Wisconsin, a young girl donated her lamb to support her friend’s heart transplant. Inspired bidders raised $27,000 for her cause. (More)

➤ A man thought it was his lucky day when he found $20 on the ground. But the real luck came when he bought a scratch-off lottery ticket with the money and won $1 million. (More)

➤ A 17-year-old clinging to his kayak off the coast of Honolulu was rescued by an off-duty lifeguard after 12 hours at sea. “Being able to find him was very emotional.” (More)

➤ A little girl jumped into the end of a marathon to finish the race hand-in-hand with her dad. This clip will make you smile! (See Video)

➤ A remote camera captured a young wolf pup’s adorable attempts to howl outside its den, with tiny squeaks replacing full howls. (Watch Video)

➤ Charles Boehm's obituary of his father, Robert, 74, went viral for its hilarious and warm-hearted frankness about his dad's colorful life. "He is God's problem now." (More)

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