Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer.
Hero swimmer saves lives during floods
The recent floods in Texas, United States claimed over 100 lives and a Coast Guard swimmer has been credited with ensuring that number was not any bigger. Scott Ruskan was on his very first rescue mission and his bravery is being lauded by authorities and the many people he saved.
“Ruskan, who joined the Coast Guard in 2021 and qualified as a rescue swimmer only last year, is credited with saving at least 165 lives during the three hours he spent on the ground triaging children and adults, and prioritizing the evacuation of the neediest cases, many on board Texas national guard black hawk helicopters.
“Coast Guard petty officer Scott Ruskan, 26, of Oxford, New Jersey, spoke of plucking mud-covered children to safety after his helicopter crew flew through appalling weather to reach the campsite [camp Mystic] in rural Hunt. ‘That’s how quickly this floodwater rose, he said. ‘They didn’t have time to grab shoes. You’re just carrying kids that don’t have shoes on, they’re covered in mud, and you’re trying to get them out of there. Some of it was simply talking to them and consoling them and trying to make them feel comfortable.'” (Source: “Teen counselors and rookie rescue swimmer save dozens in Texas camp flood,” by Richard Luscombe, July 8, www.guardian.co.uk).
While camp counselors also helped to save as many people as possible, Scott’s efforts are truly incredible.
5 stars – an amazing feat of skill, bravery, and determination.
Historical treasure returns to UK after 900 years
One of the most significant artefacts in UK history will be returning to where it was created after nearly 900 years. The Bayeux Tapestry is a visual representation of events before, during, and after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
“The 70m-long masterpiece, which tells the story of the Norman conquest of England in 1066, will be loaned in a historic agreement to be signed between the French and British governments. The huge embroidery – which is widely believed to have been created in Kent – will go on display at the British Museum in London next year. In exchange, treasures including artefacts from the Anglo-Saxon burial mounds at Sutton Hoo and the 12th Century Lewis chess pieces will travel to museums in Normandy.
“The Bayeux Tapestry will be displayed from next Autumn until July 2027, while its current home, the Bayeux Museum, is being renovated. 2027 is also the 1000th anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror. George Osborne, the British Museum’s chair of trustees, told the BBC the exhibition ‘will be the blockbuster show of our generation’ – like Tutankhamun and the Terracotta Warriors in the past.” (Source: “Bayeux Tapestry to return to UK on loan after 900 years,” by Katie Razzall, July 8, www.bbc.com).
5 stars – a huge boon for the British Museum, the loan and exchange with France shows the cultural and social value of historical treasures.
Lasers solve issue of seagull damage
In an effort to protect a kiwifruit crop, Simon Horsfall, who works at the 60-hectare kiwifruit orchard owned by Ngāi Tukairangi Trust in Hawke’s Bay, installed a net. Unfortunately that just made matters worse. The overhead netting became a sanctuary for over 600 seagulls and their droppings were destroying the fruit.
“Frustrated by traditional methods, Horsfall knew the solution must be out there, so he partnered with local bird control expert Michael Krause. Krause introduced him to the AVIX Autonomic Laser Bird deterrent, sold by the Dutch company Bird Control Group. This is an automated, environmentally friendly solution using green laser beams to scare birds away without harming them.
“Once the system was installed strategically throughout Horsfall’s orchard, there was a significant drop in seagull numbers within days. Over time, the gulls’ nightly visits ended. ‘The laser changed everything,’ Horsfall said. ‘It was immediate, effective and far more sustainable than netting or other deterrents.’ Horsfall estimated substantial savings from reduced fruit loss, lower cleanup costs and improved harvest quality.” (Source: “On The Up: Laser bird deterrent saves Hawke’s Bay kiwifruit orchard from seagull invasion,” by Kem Ormond, July 13, www.nzherald.co.nz).
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