In Case You're Looking For Some Good News This Holiday Weekend, Here's A Baker's Dozen

ACROSS AMERICA — The baby that 911 dispatcher Trisha Ames helped deliver wasn’t just any baby.

Through kismet or whatever, the baby that the police and fire dispatcher for San Ramon, California, talked into the world was the son of someone she regularly sends out on emergency calls: Firefighter Brett Herendeen.

Ames, a dispatcher for 32 years, never had a day quite like that. And there’s little chance she will forget it.

The dispatcher met the baby, named Cruz, and the two posed for photographs before a cherry red fire truck in their matching blue outfits. » By Courtney Teague for San Ramon, California, Patch

8 Touchdowns Heaven Sent?

Say whatever you will about this story from Alex Brown, a quarterback for a New Jersey Catholic high school’s football team. The day after his mother died after a 14-year fight against cancer, he threw for six touchdowns and ran for two more. “Yesterday I lost my amazing mother,” he wrote on social media. “Today I scored 8 touchdowns, thank you for watching over me mama.” » By Catarina Moura for Howell, New Jersey, Patch

‘A Victory For Her And Her Family’

Korinna Hernandez brought the secrets to a good tamale and other Oaxaca favorites with her when she emigrated from Mexico. Hernandez, who settled in Joliet, Illinois, a decade ago, recently opened her own restaurant. “She feels proud about being an immigrant in this country, starting at the bottom, making tamales at home, and she became popular around the community," a family friend told Patch. "That's what basically pushed her to open her own business. She's super excited. Her dream finally came true. It's a victory for her and her family.” » By John Ferak for Joliet, Illinois, Patch

Bear Freed Of Jug Stuck On Her Head

A poor bear ran around the outskirts of Naples, Florida, for nearly a month with its head stuck in a plastic jug. She could still eat and drink, but the residents of the neighborhood she frequented fretted about her for days. Thanks to their vigilant watch for her, Florida wildlife officials were able to sedate the bear and free her of the jug that fit like a welder’s hood around her face. Everyone involved shared gratitude for the other. We can’t know if the bear was grateful, too, only that her life is infinitely more pleasant. » By Beth Dalbey for Across America Patch

Elf On A Shelf Ban Is Toast

“Judge, what have you done?” — or words to that effect. The bar association in Cobb County, Georgia, took a judge’s tongue-in-cheek order banishing the Elf on a Shelf as his “gift to tired parents.” Lawyers — and Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Jingles the Elf — convinced the judge that the elves are necessary to carry out the bar association’s annual toy drive. The judge agreed “it is in the best interest of the children of Cobb County to allow elves to continue their work." » By Kara McIntyre for Marietta, Georgia, Patch

Students Give Teacher $50K+ Worth Of Help

Ted Levey’s wife has a terminal illness. Two students in his English class at San Ramon Valley High School know that’s a burden shared by the entire family — and the community, as it turns out. “Mr. Levey spends his days in the classroom working hard to pay his bills and spends his nights by his wife's hospital bed," the students wrote on a GoFundMe crowdfunding page. "He worries about the future of his children, and his story breaks our hearts." Since this story ran, more than $50,000 has been raised. » By Courtney Teague for San Ramon, California, Patch

More Than Just A Handshake

Three students at Temecula, California’s, Chaparral High School students who are part of the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps experienced something most never will: They met the secretary of the Navy, and it was much more than just a handshake. The visit, arranged by their Naval science teacher, retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. William Lauper, included breakfast and conversation. » By Toni McAllister for Temecula, California, Patch

Wisp Of Hair A Call To Sleuths

Little is known about the little girl whose lock of hair was fastened to a page in a baby book tucked into a box of other books for an auction. But surely it means something to someone, says the woman who found it, and she’s grateful to anyone who can help her. » By Beth Dalbey for Across America Patch

No One’s Thanksgiving Dinner

Not everyone thinks a Thanksgiving table is incomplete without a turkey. Activists with LION — or Long Island Orchestrating for Nature — convinced a New York City slaughterhouse to spare the life of a turkey and a weeks-old chick. In exchange, they gave the slaughterhouse owner a vegan roast. The turkeys whose lives were spared will eventually go to a sanctuary. » By Lisa Finn for Riverhead Patch

Only In Florida ...

You'll never celebrate a white Christmas in Florida, but the Sunshine State boasts some wonderfully weird — and incredibly kitschy — holiday traditions. Check them out. » By Tiffany Razzano for Sarasota, Florida, Patch

Macy’s Parade: ICYMI

If you missed the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, back live and in person after a year’s hiatus due to the pandemic, here’s a gallery of some of the photos from the day. » By David Allen for New York City Patch

Little League World Series Hitchhiker?

The cat Dex was found in wandering around an Upstate New York village a couple hundred miles from his home in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where he had been missing for several months. Fortunately, Dex was microchipped and a reunion was possible. But how did the cat end up across state lines? Some New Yorkers had traveled to Williamsport for the Little League World Series last summer, and it’s possible Dex “happened to hitch a ride from one of us without our knowing,” someone theorized on social media. » By Jon Campisi for Across Pennsylvania Patch

So, A Bear Walked Into A 7-Eleven ...

We leave you with this story about a bear that walked into a 7-Eleven store like he owned the place. He used the hand sanitizer and everything. » By Megan VerHelst for Roseville, California, Patch

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