In today’s #NotBadNews, we look at Rio’s tribute to medical workers and a grandma who loves her beer.
Welcome to #NotBadNews, our new (and hopefully short-lived) daily column where we round up the good, surprising, and weird things that have happened around the world during this coronavirus pandemic.
We Can’t Bear the Cuteness
While Yosemite’s bear population hasn’t increased, the National Park has been seeing the often-elusive animal more frequently. With fewer people in the park, the bears have been coming out and exploring, a wonderful sighting for the few people still there. One ranger spotted this black bear next to their housing.
Yosemite National Park is home to about 300-500 black bears. Though there hasn’t been an increase in their population since the park closure, bears have been seen more frequently than usual. Check out this bear caught on camera yesterday, climbing a tree next to ranger housing! pic.twitter.com/9rXxIOMRbR
— Yosemite National Park (@YosemiteNPS) April 14, 2020
For those still at National Parks, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the animals that call it home.
Rio Lights up the Redeemer
It seems everyone everywhere has a different way to thank medical workers and first responders, including Rio. Before, the city lit up its famous Christ the Redeemer statue with the flags of countries suffering from COVID-19, now they have lit it to thank hospital workers.
Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue is lit up as a doctor in tribute to healthcare workers fighting coronavirus across the globe https://t.co/saVuyuVbeT
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) April 13, 2020
Alternating between different projections of Christ in scrubs and the faces of those on the front lines, Rio thanked those workers in a moving way this Easter Sunday.
Recommended Fodor’s Video
Bourbon Saves a Florida Restaurant
Restaurants everywhere are struggling to stay afloat, and while takeout and delivery have allowed for some income, the amount simply doesn’t match what these businesses would normally make. One Florida restaurant trying to make ends meet listed a rare bourbon with a selling price of $20,000. What they did not expect was a patron to offer more.
Florida man buys $20,000 bottle of bourbon for $40,000 to help struggling restaurant stay afloat from r/Coronavirus
This frequenter not only bought the bourbon, but paid double, his generosity helping his favorite restaurant remain open.
Justin Theroux’s Doggy-Dining
Actor Justin Theroux is known for his roles, relationships, heart-throb status, and now his ability to whip up the perfect dinner…for his dog. The actor took to social media to share his newest hobby, crafting the perfect meal for his quarantine companion.
Justin Theroux has been making his beloved Kuma a pupper-sized version of his dinner almost every night and my heart swells every time pic.twitter.com/FzS0BmqX4C
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) April 14, 2020
All we’ll say is that that’s one lucky dog.
Get Grandma a Beer!
Olive Veronesi, a 93-year-old woman from Pennsylvania currently quarantining had just one request: more beer! After running out, Veronesi made a sign to hang in her window asking for someone to pick her up more beer and one heroic company responded. Coors Light came to the rescue, sending this 93-year-old 150 cans.
JUST IN: 93-year-old Olive Veronesi of Seminole, PA, who held up a sign at her window asking for more beer, has received a delivery from @CoorsLight. The brand tells me 150 cans arrived at her house today. pic.twitter.com/c2lfGFBBTS
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 13, 2020
Good news—she got more beer!
Your Not Bad News
In addition to the good news we’ve been seeing around the internet, some of you have been sharing your own! In personal #NotBadNews, Maria of Alpharetta, Georgia, emailed us to tell us what was making her family smile—her daughter’s acceptance to her dream college program at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Congrats to her daughter Kamryn who will embark on a musical journey this upcoming fall!
If you have good news to share, email [email protected] and as always, check-in every day for an update on the wonderful and weird things happening in our current coronavirus world.