Today’s good news is from the Good News Network.

Rare Sighting of Four Snow Leopards Together Sparks Frenzy of Excitement – (WATCH)

In the remote mountains of northern Pakistan, four majestic snow leopards have been recorded recently moving through the snow-covered hills in a piece of footage that has ignited a flurry of excitement among conservationists.

These animals are seldom seen alone, much less in a group, and it’s being considered a sign of success for Pakistan’s conservation efforts in the animal’s habitat.

“For the past 15 days, I had been noticing leopard pawmarks. While I was on the roof of my house, I used binoculars to observe the mountains and spotted a female snow leopard along with her four cubs,” the photographer Sakhawat Ali told GNN.

“As a wildlife lover, I was extremely happy to see the snow leopards. I quickly moved closer and filmed them from a distance of about 150 meters.”

Ali lives in the remote village of Hushe and is also a gamekeeper at the Central Karakorum National Park in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, where the sighting was made. Snow leopards thrive here; their coats allow them to blend into the snowy mountains and remain undetected by their prey species.

That a female could have three large and healthy cubs is a sign that as much as the snow leopard population is doing well, prey populations of Siberian ibex, argali, roe deer, and Thorvold’s deer must also be thriving.

Still, the snow leopard is considered vulnerable by the IUCN Red List because of its susceptibility to habitat loss and fragmentation across the mountain ranges in which it lives.

Pakistan, and indeed all 12 of the snow leopard range countries, have made great strides in halting and reversing snow leopard declines over the last twenty years. CNN reported that local villagers celebrated Ali’s footage, even though snow leopards sometimes kill livestock.

Dr. Zakir Hussain, the Chief Conservator of Parks and Wildlife for Gilgit-Baltistan, told CNN that 80% of the region’s communities are engaged in the tracking, monitoring, and reporting snow leopard populations on a citizen science basis.

The snow leopard can be found in Russia, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, which together make up the Global Snow Leopard Forum, an international platform for coordinating and sharing conservation strategies to protect this borderless wanderer between state wildlife and environment ministries and NGOs like the Snow Leopard Trust.

WATCH them move across a snowy landscape… 

The good news here is that conservation efforts are showing results. Today’s JohnKu talks about conservation. I hope you have a super weekend.

Preservation by John W. Howell © 2025

Saving animals,

Is a step to save ourselves . . .

We all should do it.

Today’s story comes from the Good News Network

Verizon teamed up with ForgiveCo to eliminate $10 million in consumer debt for 6,500 Western North Carolinians who are still recovering from Hurricane Helene’s sweeping devastation.

The North Carolina families learned that Verizon—the world’s second-largest telecommunications company—cleared their medical, financial, and other debts with the help of ForgiveCo, whose “random acts of kindness” model purchases consumer debt with no applications required. In fact, the beneficiaries did not need to take further action.

Recipients were then notified through surprise letters, emails, and text messages.

But if a phone call learning that your debt has been cleared isn’t exciting enough, Basketball Hall of Fame coach and Asheville native Roy Williams has signed on to share the news with the impacted families.

“These are challenging times, but I’ve seen the strength and resilience of this community. Verizon’s support is a powerful reminder that no one is alone, and together, we’ll rise stronger,” said Mr. Williams.

“It’s a privilege to share this message of hope with the incredible people of North Carolina.”

The hurricane destroyed Shelley Queen’s home in Jackson County. Still, she was one of those touched by Verizon, having medical debt forgiven after she was diagnosed with diabetes, which turned her family’s life upside down.

“There were numerous hospital visits, including times I was in a coma and needed a pump to survive. These medical challenges have been difficult, both emotionally and financially. This forgiveness is truly a life-changing gift.”

Craig Antico, Founder and CEO of ForgiveCo, confirmed the debt relief, saying, “Through this effort, Verizon will bring transformative change to the lives of North Carolinians in crisis, leaving a lasting mark on future generations.”

Tim Luker, who also lives in Jackson County, has congestive heart disease and was hospitalized the day before the hurricane hit. Since then, he’s been working tirelessly to clean up lots of water damage, floor issues, and yard damage. “When I got out of the hospital, I couldn’t go home because of storm damage.”

“It means everything to me,” said Tim. “I don’t have much… $11,000 is life-changing for someone like me.”

“This makes a huge difference.”

The good news in this story is that a giant company is willing to help its customers in their time of need. Today’s JohnKu talks about helping others. I hope you have a beautiful weekend.

Giving by John W. Howell © 2025

A large company,

Finds out helping customers . . .

Is good for business.

Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network.

An intuitive piece of hardware collects days’ worth of renewable energy from airplane engine exhaust before takeoff from a Dallas airport.

“Boarding is completed” is a common refrain heard over the intercom system in the moments before taxiing to the runway.

At that moment, the pilot will begin a series of engine tests and pre-flight checks, during which the turbine engines will idle with their ferocious noise and exhaust fumes.

A company called JetWind has realized that all that idling force is like the strong winds needed to power a wind turbine and has built a series of pods that can capture it during the 5-10 minutes the aircraft is sitting at the gate waiting for clearance to taxi.

“The main goal of our project is to harness the consistent wind created by jets and convert it into an eco-friendly energy source,” JetWind’s founder and president, Dr. T. O. Souryal, told Interesting Engineering.

“What was once considered wasted energy can now benefit energy grids, ultimately promoting smarter and more sustainable infrastructure across the globe.”

Three years of testing between 2021 and 2024 have informed the official deployment of JetWind’s flagship product at Dallas Love Field airport. 13 sets of pods will sit beneath the gate hooked up to external batteries that connect to the grid the airport uses. Solar panels add to the energy generation, and the whole set can create about 30 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy, enough to power a family home for a few days.

While it isn’t nearly what the average airport will consume during a day of operations, when combined with 12 other systems like it, it can make a big difference in reducing the building’s carbon footprint.

“Dallas Love Field has always been a hub of progress, and the introduction of JetWind’s Energy Capturing Pods reinforces its position as a testing ground for innovative technologies,” said former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert.

“By converting man-made wind into energy, we highlight Dallas as a leader in sustainable solutions and prove that cities can take significant steps toward tackling global energy challenges.”

The debut of the JetWind pods at Love Field has attracted attention from around the globe, including companies and governments from Switzerland, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, the UK, France, and Australia.

The good news in today’s story is that not all energy projects are enormous. Even the little ones count. Today’s JohnKu is about little steps. I hope you have a beautiful weekend.

Small by John W. Howell © 2024

Even small projects,

Can add up to big savings . . .

It is worth small steps.

Today’s good news comes from The News Tribune in Tacoma, Washington.

First responders in Alaska had an unusual overnight guest: a juvenile bald eagle needing help.

A good Samaritan came across the “quite frozen” eagle that couldn’t fly on the evening of Jan. 11 and waved over a Fairbanks International Airport police officer, the Fairbanks Airport Police and Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post.

According to the post, after checking with the Alaska Raptor Center, first responders put the eagle in a patrol car to keep it out of the cold.

A quote from the Facebook post “Dispatch, we’ve got one detained…

While we normally wouldn’t release the name of those we take into protected custody, we figured this time it would be ok!

One of our officers was flagged down this evening by a Good Samaritan who found a juvenile bald eagle who was quite frozen and unable to fly. After consulting with representatives of the Alaska Raptor Center, the decision was made to secure the little guy or gal in the backseat of the patrol car till it could thaw out and get dry. It’s now resting peacefully in a dark, quiet corner of the station until tomorrow when representatives from Alaska Fish & Game and the US Fish & Wildlife Service help us release it back to the wild as long as it’s not showing signs of illness or injury. (Hint…keep an eye our page tomorrow) “

The eagle spent the night munching on fatty steak and salmon and “resting peacefully in a dark, quiet corner of the station,” officials said.

Officials said the eagle was assessed with help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and it was determined to be in great shape.

The Fairbanks Airport Police and Fire Department said in a follow-up Facebook post on Jan. 12 that the bird was released back into the wild, declaring it “the best ending ever.”

Here is that post, which you need to log into Facebook to view.  https://www.facebook.com/fairbanksairportpoliceandfire/videos/2081709672272277 

The post included a video.

People can be heard celebrating in the background.

“Oh yeah, he soars,” someone said as the eagle fled.

Another person said, “He’s super strong. That’s wonderful.”

In the follow-up Facebook post, officials thanked “everyone who showed concern, especially the Good Samaritan who called in the frozen bird and helped (rescue) it. We wish every day could be as exciting as this one was!”

The good news in this story is that someone cared enough to report a bird in distress, and as a result, it was saved. Today’s JohnKu talks about involvement. I hope you have a great weekend.

Action by John W. Howell © 2024

Heroes can’t explain,

Why they jumped into action. . .

Involvement is key.

Today’s good news story comes from The Good News Network and is about a best-selling author.

Believing that books save lives, international best-selling author James Patterson is taking the reins for dozens of American booksellers this year and giving their employees a $500 holiday bonus.

To protect the beloved industry and its bottom line, Patterson’s donations totaled $300,000 this holiday season and were divided between 600 bookshop workers.

According to the American Booksellers Association (ABA), workers either submitted an application for the bonus or were nominated by their colleagues, friends, or perhaps even an author.

“Booksellers save lives. Period,” Patterson said in a statement to ABC News. “I’m happy to be able to acknowledge them and all their hard work this holiday season.”

People Magazine reports that Alabama’s Thank You Books, Iowa’s The Nook, and San Francisco’s City Lights Books are just some locations that have witnessed Patterson’s gifts.

“We appreciate Mr. Patterson’s financial generosity as well as his generosity of spirit. We all continue to be awed by, and grateful for, Mr. Patterson’s continuing support of independent booksellers,” Allison Hill, CEO of the ABA, also said in a statement.

“It means everything to have him recognize and reward booksellers’ valuable role in the industry.”

This is just one of many large donations offered by Patterson to bookstores, totaling over $1.5 million of personal wealth over the last 20 years. This included a $500,000 donation during the opening salvos of the COVID-19 pandemic when enforced lockdowns and business closures threatened small businesses in many states.

“The White House is concerned about saving the airline industry and big businesses — I get that. But I’m concerned about the survival of independent bookstores, which are at the heart of main streets across the country,” Patterson said in a statement at the time.

“I believe that books are essential. They make us kinder, more empathetic human beings. And they can take us away momentarily from feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and scared.”

Today’s Good News comes from the Good News Network.

Endangered Thick-billed Parrot That Once Roamed the US Is on the Way to Recovery

A public-private partnership in Mexico just announced that the population of thick-billed parrots is approximately 2,500 individuals—at least 10% higher than that recorded 12 years ago.

The number was determined in a recent population survey in a protected area in the state of Chihuahua, where this charismatic species once roamed north into the United States.

The thick-billed parrot is an emblematic species of the temperate forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental, once found in Arizona and New Mexico.

Since 1995, this species, listed in danger of extinction by the Mexican government, has been the subject of numerous studies and actions for protection and management, while the mountain forests on which it depends have been the focus of extensive reforestation.

These efforts, led by the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) and the civil organization Organización Vida Silvestre (OVIS), along with the participation of local communities and other organizations in the US and Mexico, are yielding encouraging results as demonstrated by the increase in population, a statement from OVIS details.

“This emerging success story reflects the importance of collaboration between society and government and a vision of healthy ecosystems and sustainable communities, which is in line with the policies and practices that CONANP will strengthen in the following years,” said the head of CONANP, Pedro Álvarez-Icaza.

The census data suggests that the population of thick-billed parrots will continue to increase as the region’s communities consolidate sustainable forestry management practices.

Sergio Jiménez, OVIS’s executive director, thanked the various institutions’ support.

“This multi-institutional effort led by Ernesto Enkerlin Hoeflich, scientific director of OVIS, is bearing fruit after three decades, which gives us hope for other species at risk and points to the need for cooperation, persistence, and long-term planning to produce results and effective conservation.”

A significant effort was undertaken in the 1980s to restore populations of this parrot among the sky islands of Arizona. These dramatic, short, squat mountain chains amid the scorching lowlands were perceived as perfect havens for the reintroduction. Still, the problem was that predatory species like the American goshawk had already returned in large numbers to these hills, and their take of the parrots proved unsustainable.

In October 2020, it was announced that a higher elevation among the sky islands, including the Chiricahua mountains, would be sought to form the basis for a new reintroduction attempt.

If populations recover substantially enough in Mexico, the bird may recolonize its former haunts in the Southwestern US without the need for scientists’ intervention.

The good news in this story is that species on the verge of extinction can recover with concerted effort. Today’s JohnKu talks about efforts. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Recovery by John W. Howell © 2024

Even the hopeless,

Can benefit from our help. . .

The key is hard work.