Heroes of the Week: 300 Residents of Chelsea, Michigan Move Bookstore Inventory 1 at a time

Anyone can be a hero. In today's blog you'll read about a small local bookstore that was moving to a new location nearby but couldn't figure how to move their inventory. So a call was put out, and 300 residents answered... moving the books 1 at a time. This is a story to make anyone smile.

(Photo: People help move books for Serendipity Books. Credit:Burrill Strong)

See how a Michigan town moved 9,100 books one by one to their new home 

AP April 15, 2025

CHELSEA, Mich. (AP) — Residents of all ages in a small Michigan community formed a human chain and helped a local bookshop move each of its 9,100 books — one by one — to a new storefront about a block away.

The bookshop owner, Michelle Tuplin put out a call for volunteers, hoping some might lend a hand. What she got was a full-on movement — a human conveyor belt stretching 350 feet from the old store’s stockroom, around the corner and into the new location.

More than 300 people — and one very good dog — showed up to help. Neighbors, customers and even passersby joined in, forming two human chains to get the job done.

The “book brigade” of around 300 people stood in two lines running along a sidewalk in downtown Chelsea on Sunday, passing each title from Serendipity Books’ former location directly to the correct shelves in the new building, down the block and around the corner on Main Street.

“It was a practical way to move the books, but it also was a way for everybody to have a part,” Michelle Tuplin, the store’s owner, said. “As people passed the books along, they said ‘I have not read this’ and ‘that’s a good one.’”

(Michelle Tuplin, became the sole owner of Serendipity Books in 2017. Credit: Serendipity Books) 

Momentum had been building since Tuplin announced the move in January.

“It became so buzzy in town. So many people wanted to help,” she said Tuesday.

Tuplin said the endeavor took just under two hours — much shorter than hiring a moving company to box and unbox the thousands of titles. The brigade even put the books back on the shelves in alphabetical order.

Now Tuplin hopes to have the new location open within two weeks.

The bookstore has been in Chelsea, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) west of Detroit, since 1997. Tuplin has been the owner since 2017 and has three part-time employees.

About 5,300 people call Chelsea home and residents described it as a place where neighbors help neighbors.

“It’s a small town and people just really look out for each other,” said Kaci Friss, 32, who grew up in Chelsea and has worked at the bookstore for a little over a year. “Anywhere you go, you are going to run into someone you know or who knows you, and is going to ask you about your day.”

Friss said Sunday’s book brigade reminded her of “how special this community is.”

ABOUT THE SHOP/HISTORY: Serendipity has been in Chelsea since 1985, initially set up as a paperback exchange ( i.e., bring in ten books, take out ten books). Now, in addition to selling used books, the shop has accounts with multiple publishers, bringing in new books on the release day. Serendipity Books carries a diverse selection, including literary fiction, young adult fiction, children’s books, mystery, poetry, biography, spirituality/religion, and history. MORE:  https://www.a2books.org/serendipity-books/

GOOD NEWS -Overdraft fees could drop to as low as $3 under new Biden proposal

If you've ever accidentally overdrawn your checking account, and don't have a protection plan in place- like an automatic transfer from your savings account,  then you know Bank Overdraft fees can be Expensive!! Typically, large banks charge $35 per transaction in the event of an overdraft. Based on research conducted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the average U.S. consumer pays over $250 annually on overdraft fees. NOW, the Biden Administration is trying to Cut those Overdraft Fees! Here's the story from the Associated Press.

Overdraft fees could drop to as low as $3 under new Biden proposal 

Associated Press, Jan 18, 2024

The cost to overdraw a bank account could drop under a proposal announced by the White House, the latest effort by the Biden administration to combat fees it says pose an unnecessary burden on American consumers, particularly those living paycheck to paycheck. Read more.

Why this matters:

Overdraft fees have been a financial bonanza for the banking industry, with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimating that banks collected $280 billion from the fees in the last 20 years. The banking industry is expected to fight the new regulation vigorously to protect the fee revenue.

CFPB research has shown that overdraft fees overwhelmingly impact the poor and households of color. Biden has made the elimination of “junk fees” one of the cornerstones of his administration’s economic agenda, while banks have argued that government regulations on overdrafts could cause them to eliminate the service altogether.

GOOD NEWS : The US didn’t just avoid a recession — it’s adding hundreds of thousands of new jobs

 We all like to hear Good news instead of bad, and you have to look no further than our own U.S. Economy. The Associated Press published the story last week, and here it is for you (BTW, People on the opposite side of the political fence - Republicans- are crying about illegal immigration to ignore how well the U.S.A. is doing on its own. That's not to say immigration isn't an issue, but it's ALL parties' issue.). Meanwhile, I'll relish the good news!

(Photo: Tyler Reynolds of Old Hickory BBQ, Kentucky. Credit: Greag Eans, Messenger-Inquirer via AP) 

The U.S. didn’t just avoid a recession — it’s adding hundreds of thousands of new jobs

BY PAUL WISEMAN , Associated press  Updated 12:12 PM EST, February 2, 2024 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s employers delivered a stunning burst of hiring to begin 2024, adding 353,000 jobs in January in the latest sign of the economy’s continuing ability to shrug off the highest interest rates in two decades.

Friday’s government report showed that last month’s job gain — roughly twice what economists had predicted — topped the December gain of 333,000, a figure that was itself revised sharply higher. The unemployment rate stayed at 3.7%, just above a half-century low.

Wages rose unexpectedly fast in January, too. Average hourly pay climbed a sharp 0.6% from December, the fastest monthly gain in nearly two years, and 4.5% from January 2023. The strong hiring and wage growth could complicate or delay the Federal Reserve’s intention to start cutting interest rates later this year. 

The latest gains showcased employers’ willingness to keep hiring to meet steady consumer spending. It comes as the intensifying presidential campaign is pivoting in no small part on views of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship. Public polls show widespread dissatisfaction largely because even though inflation has sharply slowed, most prices remain well above pre-pandemic levels. Some recent surveys, though, show public approval gradually improving.

Need Some GOOD NEWS? Look at the Current U.S. Economy!

 Need Some GOOD NEWS? Here's a check on the U.S. Economy (sorry, GOP and Trump, it's the opposite of a disaster. In fact, it's darn good!).

Good News of the Week: Really Great Economic Numbers

 This week's Good News is about the U.S. Economy!  Here's the story-

US economy adds 253,000 jobs in April, unemployment falls.

May 5, 2023 CNBC

The nonfarm payroll growth is up from a revised growth of 165,000 in March and beats economist estimates of 180,000. The unemployment rate fell to 3.4%, down from 3.5% in March and below expectations of 3.6%. The unemployment rate is tied for the lowest level since 1969. Average hourly earnings rose 0.5% month-over-month and 4.4% year-over-year—both higher than expected.

KEY POINTS

1. Nonfarm payrolls increased 253,000 for April, beating Wall Street estimates for growth of 180,000.
2. The unemployment rate was 3.4% against an estimate for 3.6% and tied for the lowest level since 1969.
3. Average hourly earnings rose 0.5% for the month and increased 4.4% from a year ago, both higher than expected.

The unemployment rate was 3.4% against an estimate for 3.6% and tied for the lowest level since 1969. A more encompassing number that includes discouraged workers and those holding part-time jobs for economic reasons edged lower to 6.6%.

Average hourly earnings, a key inflation barometer, rose 0.5% for the month, more than the 0.3% estimate and the biggest monthly gain in a year. 

On an annual basis, wages increased 4.4%, higher than the expectation for a 4.2% gain. Both numbers raise the chances that the Federal Reserve could decide to raise interest rates again in June, though markets were only pricing in a small probability following the jobs report.

Good News: Alaska dog returns home after epic trek across sea ice

 Saturdays are reserved for heroes of the week or good news, and this week it's about good news. A dog who was lost in Alaska was returned home via freight plane. Here's the story.

(Photo: In this photo provided by Mandy Iworrigan, is Nanuq, a 1-year-old Australian shepherd, after it was returned to Gambell, Alaska, on April 6, 2023. The dog disappeared a month ago from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, and wound up walking on the Bering Sea ice about 150 miles to Wales, Alaska, on the state's western coast. (Mandy Iworrigan via AP))

Alaska dog returns home after epic trek across sea ice

The Australian shepherd was missing for about a month when he turned up 150 miles away in a town on Alaska's western coast.

Associated Press, April 13, 2023

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A 1-year-old Australian shepherd took an epic trek across 150 miles (241 kilometers) of frozen Bering Sea ice that included being bitten by a seal or polar bear before he was safely returned to his home in Alaska.

Mandy Iworrigan, Nanuq's owner who lives in Gambell, Alaska, and her family were visiting Savoogna, another St. Lawrence Island community in the Bering Strait, last month when Nanuq disappeared with their other family dog, Starlight, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

Starlight turned up a few weeks later, but Nanuq, which means polar bear in Siberian Yupik, was nowhere to be found.

About a month after Nanuq disappeared, people in Wales, 150 miles (241 kilometers) northeast of Savoonga on Alaska’s western coast, began posting pictures online of what they described as a lost dog.

“My dad texted me and said, ‘There’s a dog that looks like Nanuq in Wales,’” Iworrigan said.

She reactivated her Facebook account to see if it might be her wandering hound.

“I was like, ‘No freakin’ way! That’s our dog! What is he doing in Wales?’” she said.

The events of Nanuq’s journey will likely always be a mystery.

“I have no idea why he ended up in Wales. Maybe the ice shifted while he was hunting,” Iworrigan said. “I’m pretty sure he ate leftovers of seal or caught a seal. Probably birds, too. He eats our Native foods. He’s smart.”

She used airline points to get her dog back to Gambell on a regional air carrier last week, a charter that was transporting athletes for the Bering Strait School District’s Native Youth Olympics tournament.

Iworrigan filmed the happy reunion when the plane landed at the air strip in Savoonga, with both she and her daughter Brooklyn shrieking with joy.

Except for a swollen leg, with large bite marks from an unidentified animal, Nanuq was in pretty good health. “Wolverine, seal, small nanuq, we don’t know, because it’s like a really big bite,” she said.

Good News! LEARN ABOUT: 7 Passed Laws That Help Everyone!

I put a LOT of work and research into today's blog to make it easy for YOU to understand 7 helpful pieces of legislation that were passed over the last 2 years.    **PLEASE Take the time to read this and share it** 

    This is how the government is supposed to work. Both sides coming together to make things happen to benefit the people throughout the country.   Today's GOOD NEWS blog is a list of them, followed by a summary of what they DO! - 

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According to NBC News,  President Biden has racked up more bipartisan legislative victories than nearly anyone expected two years ago. 

The list includes: 

1) Infrastructure Package  

2) CHIPS and Science Act, 

3) Large Expansion of Veterans Benefits in the PACT Act, 

4) Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, 

5) Bipartisan Safer Communities Act 

6) Postal Service Reform Act 

7) Respect for Marriage Act

********************************* 

WHAT DOES IT DO / WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? 

1) Infrastructure Law- It makes our communities safer and our infrastructure more resilient to the impacts of climate change and cyber-attacks, with an investment of over $50 billion to protect against droughts, heat, floods and wildfires, in addition to a major investment in weatherization. new roads, bridges and other construction projects, basic materials, industrials and transportation.  it will add on average 1.5 million jobs per year for the next 10 years. 

2) The CHIPS and Science Act -  Lower Costs, Create Jobs, Strengthen Supply Chains, and Counter China. It has strengthened American manufacturing, supply chains, and national security, and invest in research and development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future to keep the United States the leader in the industries of tomorrow, including nanotechnology, clean energy, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.

3) The PACT Act and Veterans Benefits- President Biden has signed into law over 25 bipartisan bills that address some of the most important issues facing veterans today, including the landmark PACT Act to address toxic exposures. On education, housing, and health care 

A) Since enactment, more than 137,000 toxic exposure-related claims have been filed and more veterans are now eligible for health care.

B) 31 new clinical sites will be opened and more providers hired to deliver the care. 

C) The Department of Defense (DOD) also announced updates to its policies related to burn pits – thereby decreasing exposure for troops in the future. 

D)  VA awarded $52 million in grants for 80 community-based organizations to deliver or coordinate suicide prevention programs and services for veterans and their family members. E) In July, 2022 the 988 Veterans Crisis Line went live to provide veterans and their loved ones an easy to remember number to help veterans in crisis.

F) The number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by 11% between 2020 and 2022 – the largest decline in the last five years 

G)  The U.S.is on track to permanently house 38,000 veterans in 2022 alone.

H)  VA awarded $130 million to support programs to help veterans and their families find stable housing.**

4) Reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act - Biden wrote and championed the groundbreaking Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) as a U.S. Senator, landmark legislation that first passed in 1994.  In the nearly three decades since, he has worked with Members of Congress from both parties to pass legislation to renew and strengthen VAWA three times: in 2000, 2005, and 2013.

A) Increased funding for domestic violence and sexual assault services 

B) Reformed the military justice system to address sexual assault, harassment, and related crimes 

C) Ended forced arbitration for sexual assault and harassment

D) Directed action to protect students from campus sexual assault. 

E) Increased resources for survivors of crime, including gender-based violence. 

F) Prioritized the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, including gender-based violence. 

G) Strengthened regional leadership on violence against Indigenous women and girls.

5) the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act  A) the first major legislation to address gun violence in nearly three decades B) New Innovation Agenda Will Electrify Homes, Businesses, and Transportation  C) Lower Energy Bills D)  Achieve Climate Goals

6) the Postal Service Reform Act - establishes the Postal Service Health Benefits Program, repeals the prefunding requirement related to Postal retirement benefits, makes reforms to nonpostal and postal services, among other things. 

 7)  Respect for Marriage Act - A) will give peace of mind to millions of LGBTQI+ and interracial couples who are now guaranteed the rights and protections to which they and their children are entitled. B) Establishes statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages and repeals provisions of law that once prevented any State or territory from being required to give effect to a same-sex marriage from another State or territory. C) The act allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations.

Good News: Fort Smith Police Officer Extends a Helping Hand

It seems that only the GOOD DEEDS by anyone, especially police officers go unnoticed. Fortunately, someone did notice when officer Jeffrey Lum in Ft. Smith, Arkansas helped a woman struggling to mow her yard in 100°F heat. So, he stopped and mowed her yard for her!
   She said her face was red and she was out of breath from working outside. Officer Lum noticed Porter had stopped as he was driving by in his patrol car. “I stopped to check on her to make sure she did not need any medical attention or water or EMS or anything like that, and she said that she was fine,” Lum said. “As I started to leave she started trying to start the mower again, so I took it away from her and finished mowing the grass.”
  STORY: http://5newsonline.com/2015/07/30/fort-smith-police-officer-extends-a-helping-hand/