Good News Headlines 10/14/2024
Chicago skyline behind The Lakeside Center overlooking Lake Michigan – Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
After Building Causes 1,000 Bird Deaths, $1.2M Window Makeover Shows Chicago How To Beak Kind
by Andy Corbley, Good News Network
A Chicago real estate company has shelled out $1.2 million for a sophisticated suite of decals that will deter birds from crashing into glass windows. McCormick Place was alerted by local wildlife advocates that the glass facade of its Lakeside Center building had, during a single night in the autumn migration season, fatally attracted 1,000 birds to fly into it. McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America, and the total area of the Lakeside Center’s glass exterior—just one of its five buildings—is 2.6 acres.
‘I See My Disability As A Positive’: The Blind Women Who Detect Breast Cancer
by Sarah Sinclair, Positive News
Neha Suri’s fingers move slowly and with precision across the breast. Strips of Braille-marked tape divide the chest into four parts, each made up of 1cm boxes to guide her. Knowing the exact measurement of her fingers, she feels her way along the chest, subtly altering the pressure to scan the layers of skin for abnormalities. Furnishings are sparse in the government-run health centre but, with her gentle nature, Suri ensures the women lying before her are comfortable. Breast examinations remain taboo in India. Cultural norms encourage modesty, and there’s also a fear of diagnosis and a stigma associated with cancer.
‘Cajun Navy’ Volunteers Who Participate In Search-And-Rescue Operations After Hurricanes Are Forming Long-Lasting Organizations
by and , The Conversation
The volunteers who take part in search-and-rescue operations and then support disaster survivors belong to organizations that have become more formal and established over the past decade. That’s what we found after spending more than four years volunteering alongside eight of these groups to better understand their role and the motivations of the people who participate in these efforts. We did this research as part of a larger team of sociologists, an urban planning scholar and emergency management specialists. All of us worked alongside civilian volunteer search-and-rescue groups from Louisiana and Texas between 2017 and 2022.
India’s Rhino Stronghold Sees 86% Drop In Poaching And Five-Fold Increase In Rhinos
by Andy Corbley, Good News Network
Since 2016, poaching of one-horned rhinoceroses in India’s Assam state has fallen 86% after a change in government brought determined action to protect them. By expanding protected areas and bolstering ranger patrols, the steady growth in the number of rhinos, seen since the late 60s, has now accelerated to the point where 3,000 horns grace the Assam savannah. “Rhinos are synonymous with the identity of Assam. They are our pride and the crown jewel of our biodiversity. Ever since we assumed office, we have taken various initiatives to protect the prized species, expand its habitat and ensure its safety,” Assam state’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on Twitter-X.
One Possible Housing Crisis Solution? A New Kind Of Public Housing For All Income Levels
by Jennifer Ludden, NPR
A few miles outside Washington, D.C., a large dirt and gravel lot dotted with construction equipment was the site of a recent celebration. Local housing officials lined up in hardhats, each holding a shovel decorated with a brightly colored bow. “Beautiful, beautiful,” a photographer said as he clicked away. It marked the kickoff for construction of Hillandale Gateway: 463 new mixed-income apartments that will be majority owned by Maryland’s Montgomery County. It’s public housing. Although this is a far different model than traditional, federally funded housing for only the very poor.
