Chop Wood, Carry Water

Extra! Extra! 3/5 🎉

Jessica Craven

[Note from Annie: I came across this roundup of good news via Robert Hubbell’s Today’s Edition newsletter yesterday. I’m pleased to pass it on. If you make it through the last item–the Bad Lip Reading–the final few minutes may seem familiar; I included them in my January 10, 2023 post.]

The White House @WhiteHouse

Today, President Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to Retired U.S. Army Colonel Paris Davis for his remarkable heroism during the Vietnam War.

10:00 PM ∙ Mar 3, 20237,216Likes927Retweets

Hi, all, and happy Sunday!

Here’s some positive news to counteract the seemingly endless stream of negativity we’re facing.

Remember: good news is quiet—it doesn’t insist on being heard. It gets few clicks, minimal shares, and no outraged “did you see this?” re-posts.

It needs to be heard, but won’t shout to make itself known. It relies, in other words, on folks like you to push it out into the world.

So do that! After first enjoying it yourself, of course.

Thanks!

Celebrate This! 🎉

The EPA announced last week that it’s making $550 million available to fund community projects that reduce pollution in overburdened communities.

Thanks to conservation efforts, Australia just removed 26 animal species from the “threatened” list. Additionally, three species that were already delisted were confirmed to have made continuing recoveries, including two frogs and the humpback whale. 

The Biden administration on Monday announced a wide crackdown on the labor exploitation of migrant children around the United States, including more aggressive investigations of companies benefiting from their work.

Eight people have been charged with violating the FACE Act after forming a blockade at a Michigan clinic to prevent patients from getting care.

Chip makers seeking U.S. funding will need to limit stock buybacks and guarantee workers’ child care.

On the final day of Black History Month, Joanna McClinton made history by becoming the first Black woman to be elected speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 

The United States Department of Agriculture has announced plans to modernize and streamline WIC, the nutrition program aimed at low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children. 

Former President Obama is launching a leadership network focused on local civic engagement!

Brazil’s new left-wing government has repealed a draconian Bolsonaro-era anti-abortion law!

Unionized farmworkers signed a collective-bargaining agreement with the North Carolina Growers Association. The new agreement protects the rights of more than 9,000 H-2A visa workers on hundreds of farms throughout the state.

The ACLU has launched a new project, the Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative, which will establish a network of defense lawyers prepared to represent health care providers, patients, or anyone else who might be prosecuted for abortion-related ‘crimes’.

Rooftop solar is on track to become Australia’s number one power source. More than 3.4 million Australians have a rooftop solar installation, and around 300,000 new ones are being installed annually.

A House ethics panel will investigate Rep. George Santos on alleged campaign violations and allegtions of sexual misconduct with a job applicant. Good!

Norfolk Southern has agreed to give one of its unions the paid sick days it demanded for members in negotiations last year, and is in talks to grant sick days to its other unions as well.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that it’s suing a major Japanese petrochemical company called Denka over alleged violations of the Clean Air Act, arguing that its chemical plant in Reserve, Louisiana, poses an unacceptable risk to the health and welfare of the area’s majority-Black population. 

A NLRB judge ordered Starbucks to reopen closed stores and reimburse backpay and damages to employees who launched a nationwide organizing drive at the company. 

The Justice Department argued that Trump can be sued by injured Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers over the January 6 insurrection

Eli Lilly will cap the out-of-pocket cost of its insulin at $35 a month, a decision that could prompt other U.S. drugmakers to follow suit and help the millions of people with diabetes afford the essential medicine.

California’s remarkably wet winter has helped ease drought conditions considerably, with large swaths of the state no longer considered to be in drought, according to federal officials.

More than three in five Americans now support allowing women to legally use prescription abortion medication at home to safely end early pregnancies.

On Wednesday, a Pennsylvania state House committee removed a proposed constitutional amendment requiring proof of ID to vote from Senate Bill 1. The move comes after Democrats won control of the chamber for the first time in over a decade.

President Biden and Vice President Harris announced a record $65 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand “Internet for All” — so that everyone in America has access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet.

President Biden announced his intent to nominate Julie Su, a champion for workers, to serve as Secretary of the Department of Labor.

Watch This! 👀

An extremely enjoyable 15 minutes, if you have it.