Firefighter Comes Home + 105-Year-Old Stanford Grad: Saturday Smiles

It's supposed to be a sweltering hot weekend, and we hope you'll find these sweet stories to be nice and refreshing. Read on for some lighthearted news from across NorCal, and stay cool!

Firefighters Honor Injured Colleague Returning Home From Hospital

• Firefighters stood on freeway overpasses to honor Brandon Franco, who was badly burned in a wildfire.

105-Year-Old Dons Cap And Gown, Receives Overdue Degree From Stanford University

• At age 105, Virginia Hislop lived a full life with two children, four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Bay Area Native Could Break Olympic Record: Reports

• Olympic water polo champion and Monte Vista graduate Maggie Steffens will make history if she wins her fourth gold medal in Paris.

Duran Duran 'Rio' Girl Discovered 42 Years Later Living In Napa Valley

• The woman described as the Mona Lisa of Generation X had a successful modeling career before she married, settled down and started a winery.

This Giant Freshwater Fish — North America's Largest — Gains California Protection

• Die-offs from algae blooms in San Francisco and Delta water diversions have left a giant, shark-like, prehistoric creature at risk.

Pleasanton Student Raises Over $35K For Families In Need

• Mateo of Pleasanton has raised thousands for families in need by baking and selling cookies at Gene's Fine Food.

Let us know if you have an idea for a nice news story in your town. Email your story tips to autumn.johnson@patch.com.