15 Good News Stories: Palindrome Day Babes; Published Author At 3

ACROSS AMERICA — First, let’s dispatch the news about all of the babies born this week with a special birthday in common on “twosday” — 2/22/22 — a palindrome day that won’t come back around for another 400 years.

Some cultures attach spiritual meaning to palindrome days; others just appreciate their symmetry. By those measures, a pair of twins born in California won the palindrome day lottery.

Their names are Minika and Mishika, and their names mean “beautiful and precious gifts from God,” according to the twins’ parents, Rahul Taneja and Prachi Adlakha. » By Eric He for Palo Alto, California, Patch

Also in the palindrome day stratosphere is the birth of Vaughn Walker, who wasn’t scheduled to be born until next week, but decided to arrive early and was delivered at 2:22 a.m. Tuesday at an Altoona, Pennsylvania, hospital. Wait for it: He was born in delivery Room 2. » By Eric Heyl for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Patch

What’s Next? Nobel Peace Prize?

It’s fair to call Lucas Wesley-Buckley (top photo), who’s almost 4, an overachiever. He’s read thousands of books, from the storybooks most kids age are reading to adult novels. He has 7,000 of them at his disposal in a dedicated room in his family’s home, and his mom checks out 150 a week for him to read. So it should come as no surprise that as a 3-year-old, the suburban Chicago boy published his first book, “Let’s Choose Peace,” and it’s already topped the new releases bestseller list on Amazon. » By Jeff Arnold for Naperville, Illinois, Patch

These Kids Are ‘Alwrite,” Too

A couple of kids in Hoboken, New Jersey, slipped their own books into Little Free Library boxes, apparently taking a page from the playbook of an 8-year-old from Idaho, who put a book written by “Dillon His Self” on the shelves of his local library, sparking a yearslong waiting list. Kabir Sahu's "The Tallest Building In The World" and Luke Mei's "Super Bird" are available for Hoboken residents to borrow. Leah Mermelstein, a literary consultant who helped start the city’s Little Free Library project, couldn’t be happier, saying she had always hoped the project would “ignite an interest and an excitement in both reading and writing.” » By Caren Lissner for Hoboken, New Jersey, Patch

Saving Lives, An Organ At A Time

Robyn-Anne Blosio had Marine Corps veteran John Rubino at “Does anyone in Connecticut want to save a life?” Her friend needed a kidney transplant to save her life. Rubino jumped on the opportunity. He gave his left kidney. That was in 2019. Next week, he’s scheduled to donate a piece of his liver to a 7-month-old baby girl. Double donors like Rubino are rare; a parent himself, he empathized. “To be able to help this family and relieve that pain and anguish of knowing that their child is in organ failure, it's indescribable,” he said. “It's just an amazing feeling.” » By Richard Kaufman for Stamford, Connecticut, Patch

‘You’re A Human Being. We Get It!’

Hoboken, New Jersey, coffee shop owner Anand Patel wants the person who burglarized his business to know that he understands. “You’re a human being,” he wrote in a note posted on the door. “We get it! I can be tough living in this world.” The note went on, and closed with this: “If it’s food you were seeking by stealing money, please just come in during our business hours next time, and we would love to offer something on the house.” » By Caren Lissner for Hoboken, New Jersey, Patch

RIP, K-9 Officers

The police department in East Haven, Connecticut, has a memorial stone dedicated to its officers, and it has headstones for three K-9 officers buried there. But it lacked recognition for all 18 dogs who have served the department over the years, including Bear, Officer Joe Peterson’s K-9 partner. He sought out to change that. » By Gabby DeBenedictis for East Haven, Connecticut, Patch

With This Ring …

An Arlington Heights, Illinois, man’s wedding ring is back on his finger after he lost track of it for a week. Village officials posted a photo of the ring on social media after public works employee Ryan Holthouse found it while working to fix a water main break. They withheld one piece of information — the date inscribed inside — and its rightful owner got it back when his daughter, who lives in California, saw the post. » By Eric DeGrechie for Arlington Heights, Illinois, Patch

Essential Re-entry Program

Calvin Bass spent nearly four decades of his life behind New Jersey prison bars before he was paroled in 2021. If there’s anyone qualified to know the struggles that former inmates face when they're released, it's Bass, who was first incarcerated at age 14. Now, he’s the Newark outreach coordinator for the nonprofit New Jersey Reentry Corp., which offers group programs that focus on issues such as addiction, mental health, conflict resolution, parenting and job training. “This group is essential for men coming home after a long stretch of time in prison,” he said. “Men need to know they have support in the community and among each other.” » By Eric Kiefer for Newark, New Jersey, Patch

Here’s A Baby Orangutan For You

A family of Bornean orangutans at ZooTampa has increased to nine with the birth of a new yet-to-be named baby on Feb. 6. Mom Hadiah has began making public appearances with her baby. There are now three generations of critically endangered Bornean orangutans living at the zoo. » By D’Ann Lawrence White for Tampa, Florida, Patch

Bonus: More Palindrome Day Babies

• Baby Born At 12:22 On Twosday, by Chris Mosby for Strongville, Ohio, Patch
• Baby Born At 2:22 On 2/22/22 In Delivery Room 2, by Cassie Fambro for Mooresville, North Carolina, Patch
• Family Welcomes Twosday Baby, by Amie Schaenzer for Libertyville, Illinois, Patch
• Baby Arrives Early On Palindrome Day, by Bea Karnes for Walnut Creek, California, Patch
• Palindrome Baby Born At 2:22 On 2/22/22, by Carly Baldwin for Matawan-Aberdeen, New Jersey, Patch

Find Your Patch

Patch is in more than 1,000 communities across America. Find your community and see what's happening outside your front door.