Bob Collins
Evelyn lost her driver’s license because someone thought she was too old to drive. But she wasn’t too old to fight back for her neighbor. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
People doing good
How bad can we be at shunning? This is the second mother in a week who’s had to turn to strangers for what people in the community should be providing. Read more →
There are happy endings and sad ones and today there’s an example of both in the category of first responders and health care professionals. Read more →
Six years ago, Jonny Benjamin climbed to the edge of the Waterloo Bridge in London intending to jump to his death. But a stranger told him it would be OK, and offered to buy him a cup of coffee if he’d climb down from the railings. He climbed down and lived to tell his story. Read more →
When Janna Holm’s grandmother, Dorothy (shown above), died from cancer in Shakopee 18 years ago, she left behind a small stack of index cards covered in coded letters. Janna, who has since moved from the state to live the good winter life in the mid-Atlantic region, tried to decode them as a kid, but she Read more →
The owner of a restaurant in Texas is selling out, but not for the usual reasons. Read more →
Journalism’s Hall of Shame, why do you stand and clap for marginally good art, a school dance for an Osseo teen, why is Delta suddenly wanting to make flying comfortable, and Kevin Love reveals Team Dysfunction. Read more →
Nate MinorFive years ago, Minneapolis-area author Neil Gaiman donated a signed advance copy of his book Stardust to Wisconsin author Patrick Rothfuss who was organizing a benefit for Heifer International. Then a funny thing happened. Read more →
Keeping watch over one another, the cold reality of Minnesota, is there room for a driverless car in Minnesota, Friday Night Tykes, and church without the religion Read more →
For what did Americans die in Iraq, the oil trains of Minnesota, how a Minneapolis social worker gives people a lift, losing weight eating nothing but McDonald’s food, and the obligatory post about the cold. Read more →
In Johnston, Iowa Jonnie Wright stood by the side of the road on Christmas Eve. A few people stopped to help the apparent homeless man. But when they rolled down their window, he gave them an envelope. Inside was a letter explaining that he wasn’t homeless. And some money.
Reader Matt Black forwards us this video from The Random Altruist that seems appropriate for the afternoon. We’ll ignore the fact he didn’t seem to know what an army blanket is. He was doing good work.
In Ontario and many areas in the northeast, a December ice storm has brought its share of misery but also stories of people who don’t wait to help their neighbors.
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The bus stop cookie lady has been shut down. Somebody blew the whistle on her. Read more →
Your mid-day break from bad news should include the story of Scott Widak. Read more →