Heroes of the Week: Two local people save lives in Dover house fire

 Two people driving through a neighborhood in Dover, New Hampshire saw a house on fire, pulled over and got the residents out and to safety. These unnamed people are the heroes of the week.

(Photo: Heavy damage is seen from a fire at 12 Old Rochester Road in Dover Aug. 16, 2026. Credit: Deb Cram/Foster's Daily Democrat) 

Two local heroes credited with saving lives in Dover house fire  

Sarah Donovan, Foster's Daily Democrat , Aug. 17, 2026,

DOVER — The quick actions of two people who encountered a house fire early Sunday morning saved the lives of the residents sleeping inside, the Dover fire chief said.

At 1:34 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, all Dover Fire and Rescue personnel were dispatched to 14 Old Rochester Road for a structure fire, said Dover Fire and Rescue Chief Brendan Driscoll.

"Upon arrival, crews were met with a large volume of fire showing from the front and the side of the building," the chief said.

The chief said the residents of the home were able to escape before firefighters arrived thanks to two people who noticed the fire while driving by. While one called 911, the other jumped out of the car and pounded on the front door to wake the sleeping occupants.

"The actions of the (passersby) saved the lives of the residents in that home," the chief said. "We are extremely thankful and proud of the two who first noticed the fire, notified 911, and worked to alert and assist the residents to safety," Driscoll said.

The chief said he'd like to know the names of the two local heroes so he can thank them personally.

Driscoll said on the scene, one resident was treated for a minor injury, but didn't need transportation to the hospital.

"No other injuries from residents or crews working the fire to report," the fire chief said.

Heroes of the Week: Waste workers help winner find binned €1m ($1 Million U.S;) lottery ticket in Italy

 This week's heroes are Italian sanitation employees who helped someone find a big winning lottery ticket they accidentally discarded in a store, when they thought the ticket was a losing ticket. Quickly the person learned it was the big winner, returned to the store to find the trash had been taken away. That's when heroes came to the rescue.

(Photo: Waste boss Roberto Nicola Toscano said the story was "nothing short of miraculous") 

Waste workers help winner find binned €1m lottery ticket in Italy

August 5, 2026 , BBC NEWS, André Rhoden-Paul

A lottery player who accidentally binned a €1m (£857,158) winning-ticket may be the luckiest person in Italy after refuse workers found the missing slip.

The anonymous player disposed of the ticket in a shop in Bitonto, southern Italy, after checking their numbers and being told it was "non-payable". The person only realised they threw away a winning ticket after a relative pointed out the numbers they always played had been drawn.

It sparked a two-day search through a "mountain of waste" which had been collected by a bin lorry, the head of the refuse company, Roberto Nicola Toscano, told Italian news agency Ansa."This story is nothing short of miraculous," he added.

Recounting the story, he said the mix-up happened because the "non-payable" message appears when the prize is too high to be paid out by the shop. When the player returned home, their family reportedly pointed out their favourite numbers - 2, 4, 8, 10, and 51 - had been drawn. "It was then that they realised the misunderstanding. So they all went to the shop together and discovered that the tickets had been thrown away and collected by one of our operators," said Toscano, director of SANB who handles waste collection in the area.

After the player made contact with the refuse company, the bin lorry was located before its contents were compacted for disposal."Luckily it was a Sunday, otherwise the load would have already ended up in landfill," the boss told Italian broadcaster TGCOM24. The truck was then escorted to a special site where the search began to find the "small piece of paper hidden in a mountain of waste".

Finally after a two-day search, the winning ticket was reportedly found by a waste worker on Tuesday morning, with the workers cheering as if they had won the prize themselves. "It was in a hole-ridden bag along with other damaged tickets: this was one of the few intact ones," Toscano told Ansa.

The cost of the recovery operation is set to be charged to the winner, who had previously signed a declaration promising to cover the search costs.

Toscano told BBC News that he was not authorised to reveal any details on the identity of the winner.

But the luck rubbed off - when Toscano and his colleagues bought a scratch card as a joke, they won €50 (£43).

Hero of the Week: U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani

This week's hero is U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, a federal judge who prevented the current administration's request to limit voting by mail. So many people in rural America, who can't get to polling places, or people who work long hours and care for their families rely on mail in ballots. Even the virus himself used a mail in ballot, yet he wants to remove that right from others. Fortunately, this week's hero blocked that ridiculous request to limit voting.

  

Judge again bars Trump administration from implementing order that sought to limit mail voting

AP News, August 11, 2026

BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday ruled against President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to create a federal voter list and directly involve the U.S. Postal Service in election operations in a way that would limit mail voting.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani had already halted the order Trump signed in March, his second one attempting to set national election rules. On June 25, she sided with Democratic state attorneys general in granting summary judgment, preventing the core parts of Trump’s order from taking effect.

Tuesday’s ruling creates another legal hurdle for the Trump administration to overcome should it get the initial injunction lifted by the U.S. Supreme Court.

“That it is now less than 90 days before the November 3, 2026 midterm elections underscores the critical need for an injunction to prevent Defendants from changing election rules on the eve of the election,” she wrote.

The Trump administration in late July requested that the Supreme Court halt lower court decisions that have blocked the sweeping changes in nearly half the country.

In the latest lawsuit, Talwani, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama, sided with the League of Women Voters and other voting rights groups.

Her ruling granting a preliminary injunction barred the Postal Service from taking any steps to implement the order for this year’s midterm elections. She said the administration has so far declined to defend the constitutionality of the executive order.

Heroes of the Week: NH State Troopers Stop Car Exceeding 100 mph

This week's heroes are the New Hampshire State Police who were able to stop 2 teens who were speeding at dangerously excessive speed on an Interstate in southeastern New Hampshire.The driver was accused of driving 100+ mph and failing to stop for troopers Friday; and a passenger faces a possession charge.

 

Teens From Belmont, Mass., Charged After Chase With New Hampshire State Police On Interstate 95

Tony Schinella, Patch Staf, Sun, Aug 9, 2026

GREENLAND, NH — Two Bay State teens face charges after a chase with New Hampshire State Police on Interstate 95 on Friday night.

Just before 9:45 p.m., a trooper on the northbound side of the highway attempted to stop the driver of a 2021 Hyundai Elantra, “which was observed traveling more than 100 mph” in Greenland, according to a state police report. When the driver, later identified as Justin Jedry, 18, of Belmont, MA, was accused of refusing to stop, a chase ensued.

“(Jedry) exited the highway into Portsmouth, at which time the pursuit was discontinued in the interest of public safety,” the report stated. “Shortly after, troopers located the vehicle and again attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The driver refused to stop, and the pursuit was reinitiated.”

Troopers tried to stop the chase by blocking the vehicle, which resulted in minor damage to their cruisers.

“Ultimately, assisting Troopers deployed tire deflation devices, successfully concluding the pursuit,” the report stated.

Hero of the Week: EMT is dressing up as 'The Roanoke Raven' to save his city

As a superhero fan, comic book reader, and someone who tries to help others, there's a guy after my heart who took it further and in a way I really admire. One man in Roanoke, Virginia decided to become his own community superhero and help people whenever and however he can. He's leading litter pick-ups,  returning grocery carts, distributing water to people who need it, and more. His message is that anyone can do heroic deeds. 

An EMT is dressing up as 'The Roanoke Raven' to save his city: 'If it takes wearing a superhero mask to do it, let’s do it'

  Jul 16, 2026 2:08 PM, Good, Good, Good

One man is looking inward for inspiration, by rebranding himself as a real-life superhero: The Roanoke Raven of Virginia.

Although he retains his anonymity, the Roanoke Raven did share his backstory with local news outlet WDBJ-TV.

By day, he works as an EMT for a local fire department. But when he puts on the “Spider-Man” inspired stealth mask and goggles, he becomes the superhero that he believes the city needs.

“We live in a city where thousands and thousands of emergencies happen a day, and no one really talks about them,” the Roanoke Raven said in an interview with WDBJ7.

“There are people on the street right now, homeless and not having the ability to eat at night, and you’ve got people passing them that refuse to make eye contact with them. That’s the society we live in right now.” He said seeing those needs “lit a fire” in him.

“I think we can make the city a better place to live,” he said. “And, I think that if it takes wearing a superhero mask to do it, let’s do it.”

When he’s not leading litter pick-ups and returning grocery carts, the vigilante takes a light-hearted approach to his social media videos, sharing his childhood inspirations, like Spiderman, Superman, and Batman.

“Growing up, I didn’t always have a stable anchor to teach me all the things that I needed to learn, and often I felt like I always saw the world in a different way than others around me,” the Roanoke Raven told Good Good Good.

“I’ve always been an optimist, and I feel as though those three superheroes who I have loved and adored since I was a kid amplified that fire.” The self-made vigilante also uses his platform to raise awareness about critical issues in his community. “Let’s talk about water,” The Roanoke Raven said in a recent TikTok video.

“The entire pack of 24 cost me less than $5 at Kroger,” he said. “And yet, no matter how cheap or simple this item is, we still have over 42 million Americans that are suffering from water insecurity.” “That's not good for anybody,” he added. So, the Roanoke Raven decided to do something about it.

“Today, me — and one of the citizens from Roanoke that wanted to help me out — lent a helping hand,” he said. “We got together, and we gave away over 120 bottles of water to random citizens in the area and donated the rest to the Roanoke Rescue Mission.” “That means that 120 more people have the ability to have a drink and stay hydrated with clean drinking water for the day.”

But he acknowledged that his mission-of-the-day could only go so far.

“The problem is, drinking water is temporary, being hydrated is temporary,” he acquiesced. “All we did today was put a tiny Band-Aid on a large problem. So what I’m asking for is [for] you to help, too. It takes two dudes and $20 to get 120-plus bottles of water donations in the Roanoke Rescue. So imagine what we could do if we all worked together.”

As opposed to the crime-fighting superheroes and bow-and-arrow-wielding vigilantes made popular by comic books, the Roanoke Raven platforms small, simple acts that help everyday people without a fight sequence. And while he encourages more people to get involved, the spotlight stays on the action — not his identity.

“Bottles of water are simple,” he concluded in his video. “And it is in their simplicity that we overlook their impact. Everything helps, anything helps. So today, I encourage you guys to go out there and help your community like I did. Let's give some people some drinking water. And tomorrow, who knows?”

He signed off with his trademark “My main goal is to make Roanoke city work together. Something that I’m really proud of is how the project is inspiring the community.”

Heroes of the Week: Taos, New Mexico County Fire and EMS rescued from Taos Rio Grande Gorge

This week's heroes are the Fire and EMS crews from Taos, New Mexico, when they had to drop a rope line into a gorge to rescue a trapped pregnant woman who was hiking. The Rio Grande Gorge, located just 10 miles northwest of Taos, New Mexico, is a dramatic 50-mile-long, 800-foot-deep canyon carved by volcanic activity and the Rio Grande.  

(Photo: Rio Grande River Gorge. Credit:  newmexicoriveradventures.com/)

Woman, 28 weeks pregnant, rescued from Taos Rio Grande Gorge 

By Geoffrey Plant The Taos News

TAOS — Taos County Fire and EMS rescued an injured pregnant woman from a trail in the Rio Grande Gorge on Saturday, when drought conditions in part determined the nature of the rescue.

“What we would be able to do in a normal year is we would be able to float her down in a raft — that would be our easiest option,” said James Hampton, the Taos County fire marshal. “But because the water’s so low this year, we can’t float them down because the raft just basically bottoms out on the river and they have to basically carry the raft the whole way.”

(Photo of the Taos County EMS and Firefighters. Credit: Wesley Foote)

The fastest way for a rescuer to reach her, he said, “was to go over the edge and send a rescuer down on a rope.”

After the rescuer determined the woman had an injured leg and was unable to walk, he said, they made a call: “We’re going to have to bring her up over the side.”

Hampton said the injured woman was on a trail that would have created dangers for anyone trying to carry her out.

The rescue, from dispatch to ambulance, took about six hours. The woman was then taken to Holy Cross Medical Center.

(Video of the Rescue as filmed by Wesley Foote. Taos County Fire and EMS rescued a woman, 28 weeks pregnant, from the Rio Grande Gorge July 4, according to officials, who emphasized the nature of the rescue was partly determined by drought.  SOURCE) 

Officials did not release the name of the woman, who reportedly had been hiking to or from hot springs in the area when she suffered an injury.

Deputy Taos County EMS Director David Varela said the woman, who was 28 weeks pregnant, was expected to make a full recovery.

Hampton said the woman was located by her cellphone’s GPS signal in the gorge, a 600-foot-deep crack in the Earth’s surface that defines the Taos Plateau. Cellphone service is poor or nonexistent in the gorge.

“They had an SOS on their iPhone, and when they sent that, it sent to the Apple Center and then they forwarded that information over,” Hampton said.

“One thing I want to highlight,” he added, “is that the people that were with her, and the injured person, they made the absolute right call: As soon as they recognized they weren’t going to be able to get her out of there, they called 911 immediately.”

*************************** 

This story first appeared in The Taos News, a sister publication of The Santa Fe New Mexican.

Hero of the Week: Firefighters Rescue Man From a Connecticut River

It's summertime, and that means rescues on the water!  Firefighters from New Haven, Connecticut brought out the boats to rescue a man who apparently fell or jumped from a bridge into a river. One man who lives near the river jumped into action to help, too. 

(Photo: Rescuers pull a man to safety by the Ferry Street bridge. Credit: Ian Christmann Photo

Firefighters Rescue Man From Q River; Kayaker Races To Help, Again

by Laura Glesby, New Haven Independent, July 1, 2026

Rescuers pull a man to safety by the Ferry Street bridge. Credit: Ian Christmann Photo Ian Christmann was working from home on Wednesday afternoon when he and his son heard shouting from the Fair Haven side of the Quinnipiac River.

“We grabbed our binoculars [and] looked out the window,” Christmann said. Behind the fence lining the Quinnipiac River Park seawall, “it looked like someone was holding a jacket over the railing. And there was someone in the water trying to grab on.”

So for the second time in his life, Christmann raced over to his kayak, scooped up a few life jackets, and began to paddle to a person in the river trying to stay afloat.

Christmann launched the kayak from his neighbor’s backyard on the Fair Haven Heights side of the river. By the time he paddled across to the Fair Haven side, by the Ferry Street bridge, the New Haven Fire Department had arrived.

(Photo: Rescuers pull a man to safety by the Ferry Street bridge. Credit: Ian Christmann Photo)

At around 2:30 p.m., the Fire Department deployed 18 firefighters on two rescue boats to reach the man: a larger boat, Marine One, that typically stations in Long Wharf and a smaller boat, Marine Three, that’s located in Fair Haven.

The Fire Department’s Marine Three boat came to the rescue. It was the smaller boat, Marine Three, that was best positioned to navigate the river and reach the man first.

“They did a very good job at executing the rescue,” said Fire Chief Dan Coughlin. He praised Battalion Chief Wayne Vetre, who “made sure he covered all of his bases” by sending two boats with different capabilities to the scene.

According to Coughlin, the man — about 40 years old — had jumped off of the Grand Avenue Bridge. He may have been inebriated or otherwise cognitively impaired, Coughlin said; it wasn’t immediately clear what the circumstances were.

“Once he was in the water, he was having trouble staying afloat,” said Coughlin. “You get some really bad currents in that area.” After he was rescued, according to Coughlin, the man was taken to the hospital for “minor injuries.” Ascertaining that he didn’t need to assist, Christmann documented the rescue in photographs.

Heroes of the Week: Jessamine County firefighters rescued a dog trapped in a cave

If you've never been to Kentucky, it's known for having some really extensive and cool caves to explore, like Mammoth Cave in the south central part of the state. But there's another cave system (not part of Mammoth Cave) located north of there in Jessamine County (just south of Lexington).  That's where a beagle named Foxy fell into a cave and couldn't get out.

(Photo:  A fireman using a line brings up Foxy from the cave floor. Credit: Jessamine County Firefighters)

Firefighters Rescue a Beagle Trapped in a Cave

Jessamine Journal, March 24, 2026

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — Crews with the Jessamine County Fire District rescued a dog trapped in a cave the morning of March 21, 2026 after a technical rope operation in a wooded area off Handys Bend Road.

According to an incident report, units were dispatched at approximately 10:45 a.m. March 21 to 2500 Handys Bend Road, Wilmore, Kentucky, near the Bluegrass Sportsman’s League, for a report of a dog stuck underground. Responding crews included Rescue 22, Engine 26 and Engine 23.

(Photo: It was a team effort to rescue Foxy from a cave. Credit: Jessamine County Firefighters)

Firefighters located the cave roughly 100 yards into the woods past a campground. Officials described it as a narrow vertical slot cave, about 35 feet deep and only a few feet wide at its largest point. It extends about 40 feet below ground.

Using a rope system anchored to nearby trees, one rescuer was lowered vertically into the cave to search for the animal. The dog, a beagle later identified as “Foxy,” was located approximately 35 to 40 feet below the surface in a tight chamber beyond the initial drop.

Crews said the rescuer was able to make contact quickly and coax the dog closer using voice commands and food. Once within reach, the dog was secured in a canine rescue harness provided by Jessamine County Animal Care and Control.

The operation then shifted to a haul system, allowing crews on the surface to raise both the rescuer and the dog safely out of the cave. Officials said the team navigated minor obstacles, including rock formations and debris near the entrance, during the lift.

A rescuer was lowered into the cave and found the dog approximately 35-40 feet down. Crews lifted the rescuer and dog out of the cave using a rope system. They say the dog appeared to be uninjured.

Hero of the Week: Fifth Grader Honored For Saving Younger Student's Life

This week's hero is a fast-thinking and observant student who was able to stop another student from walking in front of an oncoming car! 

(Photo: A fifth grader from Brooke Grove Elementary School was honored for preventing a distracted student from crossing into the path of an oncoming vehicle.  Montgomery County Police Department)

MoCo Fifth Grader Honored For Saving Younger Student's Life 

A fifth grader serving as a safety patrol at Brooke Grove Elementary School in Olney was honored for life-saving action he took in March.

Gaby Arancibia,Patch Staff, , Jun 18, 2026

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — A fifth grader who quickly acted to prevent a younger student from crossing in front of a car was honored at a School Safety Patrol ceremony.

Matthew Geiger, who serves as a safety patrol at Brooke Grove Elementary School in Olney, Maryland, carried out the quick-thinking save back in March 2026.

AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Ragina Ali said during the ceremony that Geiger was on patrol when he saw a distracted, younger student steps away from crossing into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

"Matthew performed a life-saving action at one of your school's busiest areas," Ali said during the ceremony. "Recognizing the immediate danger, Matthew acted proactively by physically intervening and immediately extending an arm that blocked the younger student's path."

"He communicated the hazards, pointing out the moving vehicle to ensure the student understood the danger, and he maintained the holding until the vehicle came to a complete stop and it was safe to proceed," she added. Geiger not only received recognition at his school but was also presented with a medal. Ali said that Geiger was just one of two children in the nation to receive such an award.

Heroes of the Week: 2 Pet Goats Point to Trapped Homeowners After Tornado

Animals are amazing... This week's heroes are two pet goats of a family in Oklahoma, who pinpointed the exact location where their family was trapped in a storm shelter after a massive tornado dumped heavy debris on the storm shelter door.

Pet goats save trapped family after killer tornado with winds reaching 200 mph demolishes their home

People.com, April 2026 

After a powerful tornado barreled through Enid, Okla., on April 23, the Sloat family was trapped beneath the earth in their storm shelter under tons of debris when they were suddenly rescued — by their two pet goats.

Two pet goats, Percy and Penny, helped save an Oklahoma family by leading first responders to their underground storm shelter after an EF-4 tornado flattened the family's home in Enid, Oklahoma.

The animals continuously stomped and bleated over the hidden bunker, allowing rescuers to locate and dig the trapped family out.

The harrowing event unfolded when the Sloat family—along with two neighbors—took cover in their underground storm shelter just as the destructive twister tore through their neighborhood. While the people inside survived the storm unscathed, the destructive winds collapsed their house, piling tons of bricks, glass, and lumber directly on top of the shelter's entrance.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Nnn0DBFXHEY?si=f9Z5WKi-Or0xkPUl

First responders searching the neighborhood struggled to pinpoint where the underground bunker was buried under the debris.

The family's pet goats, which had miraculously survived the storm, proactively gathered on top of the rubble. By refusing to leave the spot, stomping their hooves, and bleating loudly, the goats caught the attention of emergency personnel.Rescuers followed the commotion and immediately began digging at that exact location.

The firefighter in charge later explicitly credited the goats with the rescue, telling the family they had no idea where the bunker was until the goats pointed them to the right spot

Hero of the Week: Food Truck Owner Rescues Flash Flood Victim

In June, 2026 a storm generated flash flooding around Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Fortunately for one driver who was caught in a flash flood, Miguel Morales was nearby and helped pull the driver in the submerged car to safety. Miguel is this week's hero.

(Photo: Miguel is working hard cooking. Credit: Miguel’s Tacon Madre)

ABOUT MIGUEL AND HIS BUSINESS - Miguel’s Tacon Madre is the name of the Food Truck owned by Miguel. It is a vibrant, flavor-packed trailer bringing the taste of Mexico straight to Cape Girardeau. From home made birria and handmade gorditas to bold, authentic salsas, this trailer serves Mexican street-food in the most traditional way. Located at 408 S. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO, 63701  (901) 277-1388   

Cape Girardeau man honored for heroic flash flooding rescue  

By Heartland News, Jun. 15, 2026

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - The Cape Girardeau City Council honored a local hero at its Monday night meeting.

Business owner Miguel Morales received an official proclamation from city leaders for his service and dedication to helping others during a time of need.

Man rescues driver from submerged vehicle during flash flooding

On June 8, heavy rainfall in Cape Girardeau caused flash flooding throughout the city and surrounding areas.

During this time, a driver became trapped in a flooded vehicle, and Morales, who was working at his food truck, saw the emergency and saved the stranded individual--despite the dangerous conditions and rapidly rising floodwaters.

(Photo: One person was injured and rescued from a flooded vehicle on South Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, Mo.(KFVS))

On June 15, the city recognized Morales’s compassion, courage and public service, stating that “he demonstrated extraordinary bravery, selflessness and concern for the safety and well-being of a fellow community member.”

Community supports hero’s food truck after flood rescue The driver’s family also shared the following statement, thanking Morales for his heroism: “Thomas Beasley [the driver] and family would like to express our deepest gratitude for all of the prayers and outpouring support. We will never be able to thank Miguel Morales, paramedics, EMTs, and the fire department enough for saving such a vital member of our family. If it wasn’t for Miguel, the last seven days would look a lot different. Mr. Morales showed true selflessness and bravery, not traits we hear about often in this day and age. He is an example of what we should strive to be. Forever our hero, from the bottom of hearts, thank you.”

(Photo:  Miguel’s Tacon Madre food truck)

Hero of the Week: Our Neighbor Cody for Catching Joey and Jimmy

This week's hero is close to home. Our neighbor Cody (yes, same name as our dog who passed in March) helped corral our 4 year old, recently adopted dogs, Jimmy and Joey who ran out of our house and down the street...

(Photo: Joey and Jimmy, the runners)

WHAT HAPPENED? Tom and I came home from grocery shopping, we opened our garage door to bring in the bags. There's a door in the garage that goes directly into our kitchen, so Rob walked through it holding 2 bags of groceries. Tom was sitting in the truck on the phone with a friend, wrapping up the conversation. That's when Jimmy and Joey slipped between his legs and ran outside to the driveway, looked for 1 second for Tom and dashed down the Street!!!

I was horrified and panicked. I dropped the groceries, grabbed their leashes and ran out after them. They wouldn't listen to "Stop" and for two little Dachshund/Chihuahua mixes, they ran like hell. We're used to Dachshunds or Dachshund mixes who are older than 10 years and have short legs... Of course it was 90 degrees outside, too. 

OUR HERO STEPS IN! -  Fortunately, our neighbor Cody, who lives across the street was in her car and was driving just in front of them to pick up her kids at the bus stop, heard me shouting at Jimmy and Joey. She quickly parked the car, got out, and was able to grab Joey (the bigger one who resembles a Dachshund) while Jimmy sped off the road and into the backyard of another neighbor's house because he heard their dog barking from in the house.

Cody chased after Jimmy into the backyard while still holding Joey, and I was finally able to catch up. We cornered Jimmy, and I snapped on his leash. Then leashed Joey who was in Cody's arms. 

I had to take a few minutes because I had an asthma attack from running, panicking and it was 90 degrees (yes, here in Maine). 

Once leashed, I thanked Cody perfusely, because if she had not been there and not stopped, the boys may have run the entire 1/2 mile of our dead end street out to the main street and I shudder to think what would have happened. 

LESSON LEARNED - NOW we have a GATE in front of the kitchen door to the garage and they can't get through it. Runners are scary. I'm just thankful for our local hero and neighbor, Cody! 

Hero of the week: Baltimore County police officer Flores rescues dog from roof

This week's hero is Officer Flores, a Baltimore County police officer who helped rescue a dog stuck on a roof in Dundalk, Maryland.

Baltimore County police officer rescues dog from roof in Dundalk

WBAL-TV,  May 13, 2026, Blair Young

DUNDALK, Md. — A dog was saved from a roof in Dundalk thanks to the bravery of a Baltimore County police officer on Tuesday.

According to police, officers responded to the 300 block of Pine Street after receiving reports of a dog stranded on the roof of a two-story townhouse and unable to get down. Police spoke with a neighbor who allowed them into their home to attempt to access the roof.

Officer Alex Flores climbed onto the roof through a rear window and was able to reach the area of the roof where the dog was. She sat on the roof and was able to calmly persuade the dog to come to her. She then safely secured the dog and members of the Baltimore County Fire Department safely assisted both off the roof.

Police said they believe the dog exited a second-story window and ended up stuck on the roof due to the steep incline. The dog will remain in the care of Animal Services until its owner can be found.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/A6Vff-yrwHs?si=nsCOldzHjc3YPA6r

Heroes of the Week: National City Firefighters Save People and 12 Puppies

This week's heroes are the National City firefighters in California, who had to save a number of people and a lot of dogs. Sadly, three of the 15 dogs didn't survive, but the tried CPR on them. It's hard to imagine corraling 11 puppies, 3 adult dogs and humans. 

(Photo credit: Fox 5, San Diego, California)

National City house fire leaves 3 dogs dead after receiving CPR, 12 puppies rescued

  by: Sharisse Cohee , Fox 5, San Diego, California, Mar 15, 2026 / 01:12 AM PDT

NATIONAL CITY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A house fire in National City on Saturday morning left three dogs dead, while a dozen puppies from inside the residence were rescued, according to the fire department.

Crews responded to reports of a house fire around 11:03 a.m. Saturday, near East 13th Street in National City.

National City Fire Department Battalion Chief James Stiles told FOX 5 KUSI that units from San Diego, National City, and Chula Vista responded to the call.

According to Stiles, the corner of a house was on fire, which appeared to have been started from the outside. The fire spread to a shed on another property, but crews contained it to that area and prevented it from further spreading.

No residents or firefighters were injured, but Stiles says that there were a decent number of dogs in the house. He confirmed that three adult dogs passed away, and that crews were able to save around 11 puppies.

  

ABC News Local Video link: https://youtu.be/joqFG9TWJS8?si=sz1YaldFaM1hAaDW

Crews attempted CPR on the three adult dogs in the front yard of the house after it was confirmed that no residents or firefighters were injured.

“One of our San Diego crews switched over, and we do have the capability of doing some basic CPR on canines,” Stiles explained. “And they did try to resuscitate three of them.”

They attempted CPR on the canines for about 15 minutes, but they were unable to revive them.

San Diego resident Cynthia Plaza was in the area doing community work and just so happened to drive by at the right time. According to Plaza, the owner arrived and told volunteers and crews how many dogs were inside the residence.

“There was a major fire in this residential area,” Plaza explained. “We managed to get here just in time to see a dog come out on his own and go under the fire engine. That’s when we realized there was more dogs in there. We managed to get 11 puppies out.”

Units stayed on the scene for a little over five hours.

Stiles says that National City police are working with the Humane Society to make sure all the dogs and puppies are cared for and to assist the residents with the dogs that passed away.

Heroes of the Week: 3 Men saved and revived a Choking Man in a Restaurant

 A restaurant patron who was choking and  “turned gray from lack of oxygen,” was saved by three heroes who were dining at the time, jumped up to save him. That's the story of this week's heroes.

(Picture: The Capital Grille's Large windows in the bar area open out onto Boylston Street  Photo: https://www.wellesleywinepress.com/ )

Former Boston police commissioner, off-duty cop, firefighter, and restaurant partner save choking man 

 Quick action at the Chestnut Hill Capital Grille is credited with saving an 80-year-old diner on Easter eve.

By Morgan Rousseau,April 11, 2026, Boston Globe

Local off-duty first responders, the former Boston police commissioner, and a restaurant partner joined forces recently when an elderly man began severely choking while dining at a Chestnut Hill steakhouse.

The incident happened on April 4, the night before Easter, at the Capital Grille on Boylston Street, according to a Boston Herald report. An 80-year-old man collapsed when food became lodged in his throat, prompting his family to shout for help. That’s when a Boston police officer and a Newton firefighter, both off-duty, and former Boston Police Commissioner William Gross — all of whom were dining at the time — sprang into action.

The man had “turned gray from lack of oxygen,” according to the report. Gross told the news outlet that Patrolman Stephen Borne, who works out of Brighton, rushed to the man, along with Newton Firefighter Lt. James Trudo.

The pair got the man into a recovery position and struck him in the back to help dislodge the blockage. At that point, Chris Lynch, the restaurant’s managing partner, also came to help, according to the Herald report.

Lynch swept the man’s throat and was able to clear it, then Borne checked his vitals but could not find a pulse. He started performing chest compressions while Gross administered breaths, and Trudo communicated with on-duty dispatchers.

“You just revert to your training,” Borne told the Herald, while Trudo said, “instinct takes over.”

The man was successfully resuscitated by the time Newton Fire and EMS arrived, according to the report.

Gross called the effort teamwork and said he was “just happy they had a good Easter.”

Borne credited his training at the Boston Police Academy and the Red Cross, and called the outcome “the best case scenario.”

Trudo told the outlet that he felt “very lucky that I was in the right place at the right time.”

Bill Cormier, who administers the Facebook page Friends of William Gross, shared the story in a social media post, saying, “I wouldn’t expect anything less from Boston’s Finest! Thank you to both of them for saving this gentleman.”

Heroes of the Week: Prince George's Maryland firefighters Resuscitate Dog From House Fire

This week's heroes are the firefighters of Prince George's County, Maryland revived a dog who was unconscious after inhaling smoke during a house fire.

(Photo: Prince George's firefighters using a special CPR mask on the Australian Shepherd suffering from smoke inhalation. Credit: Prince George's County Fire and Rescue Department)

Unconscious Dog Rescued From Burning Garage By Firefighters 

A family's dog found unconscious in a burning garage at their Bowie home was given first aid and resuscitated by medics.

Kristin Danley-Greiner,Patch Staff, Updated Mon, Mar 23, 2026 at 11:42 am ET 

BOWIE, MD — Prince George's firefighters were called to a home located in the 2900 block of Tarragon Lane in Bowie, Maryland for a house fire. They found the single-family home with smoke coming from the garage. The fire was quickly extinguished, officials reported.

While searching the garage, the family's dog, an Australian Shepherd, was found unconscious from smoke inhalation. The dog received first aid from emergency medics who used specially designed animal CPR masks. They successfully resuscitated the dog before reuniting him with his family to be checked out by their veterinarian.

No injuries to firefighters or residents were reported. The cause of the fire was not immediately released.

Heroes of the Week: Vermont State Police’s search and rescue teamsaves Hikers amid sub-zero temperatures

This week's heroes are the members of Vermont State Police’s search and rescue team who braved subzero temperatures in the middle of February to rescue two Canadian hikes from Camel's Hump Mountain. You'll also learn about the mountain and the history of the area in today's blog.

(Photo: Search and rescue teams rescued two Canadian hikers, a 21-year-old man and 19-year-old woman. Credit: Vermont State Police)

ABOUT CAMEL'S HUMP 

Camel's Hump is a mountain in the Green Mountains in Vermont. The north slope of the mountain borders the Winooski River, which has carved through the Green Mountains over eons. At 4,083 ft (1,244 m), it is tied with Mount Ellen for the third-highest mountain in Vermont. Hiking time is approximately 6 hours. As in all mountain hiking, be sure to wear sturdy shoes, bring lots of water, and be prepared for changeable weather. This is an undeveloped, FREE ENTRY state park with no phone or visitor facilities.

Hikers rescued in Vermont amid sub-zero temperatures

Two hikers were rescued in Duxbury, Vermont, police said. Vermont State Police 

By Carson Lyle, Boston Globe, February 9, 2026

Two Canadian hikers were rescued Saturday after facing “life-threatening” conditions while climbing a Vermont mountain, Vermont State Police said.

State Police academy supervisor and 3 instructors charged with manslaughter in death of recruit

A 21-year-old man called 911 on Feb. 7 after he and a 19-year-old woman needed rescue after becoming extremely cold. The pair were close to the summit of Camel’s Hump mountain in Duxbury, State Police said.

Rescue teams began to climb the 4,083-foot mountain at about 6 p.m., searching for the freezing hikers, police said.

Temperatures were below zero, with wind chills nearing minus 20 degrees. There was also deep snow on the mountain, police said.

Emergency crews audibly directed the hikers to the Alpine Trail, where the two began to make their way below the tree line, police said.

Search and rescue teams began heading to the Monroe Trail, with a team of rescuers climbing the peak with a stretcher. The Monroe Trail intersects with the Alpine Trail, Vermont State Police said.

At 11:20 p.m. rescue teams reached the hikers, who were suffering from hypothermia, according to State Police.

The man was able to walk down the trail after being warmed. The woman was loaded onto the stretcher, police said.

(Photo: Camel's Hump Mountain. Credit: Vermont State Police) 

Crews reached the bottom of the trail close to 4 a.m., where an ambulance transported the woman to a local hospital for treatment. The hikers, both from Ontario, are expected to make a full recovery, police said.

Lt. Thomas Howard, commander of the Vermont State Police’s search and rescue team, said the combined efforts and multiple rescue crews in “incredibly challenging conditions” saved the hikers’ lives.

The state of Vermont does not hold those who call for backcountry help financially liable for their rescue, State Police said.

HISTORY OF CAMEL'S HUMP MOUNTAIN

Waubanaukee Indians first named it "Tah-wak-be-dee-ee-wadso" or Saddle Mountain. Samuel de Champlain's explorers in the 1600's called it "lion couchant" or resting lion. The name "Camel's Rump" was used on a historical map by Ira Allen in 1798, and this became "Camel's Hump" in 1830.

The park came about as an original gift of 1000 acres including the summit from Colonel Joseph Battell, who originally bought Camel's Hump to preserve the wooded mountainous view from his home. In 1911, care of the mountain was entrusted to the State Forester who managed with the aim to keep it in a primitive state according to Battell's wish.

Hero of the Week: Betty, assistance dog at Santa Fe sex assault services nonprofit, helps victims find calm

This week's hero is a black labrador retriever with a talent for bringing calm. Betty works in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her human, and has already done amazing things. That's today's blog. 

(Photo: Betty’s handler, Jacquelyn Belinsky, who is also a nurse practitioner and sexual assault nurse examiner getting ready for work. Credit: Nathan Burton, Santa Fe New Mexican) 

Betty, assistance dog at Santa Fe sex assault services nonprofit, helps victims find calm 

By Lily Alexander, February 9, 2026, Santa Fe New Mexican news

Though her 90-day orientation period is still underway, the newest staff member at Solace Sexual Assault Services — a black English Labrador named Betty — has already made an impact.

“One of Betty’s superpowers is that she will be nonjudgemental,” said Betty’s handler, Jacquelyn Belinsky, who is also a nurse practitioner and sexual assault nurse examiner. “There’s non-judgement coming from her eyes, and also she emits a sense of safety. And with those two qualities, she helps people — they feel safe, they don’t feel judged, they can just go ahead and tell their stories.”

Solace, a nonprofit facility located on Santa Fe’s south side, serves hundreds of victims of sexual violence in Northern New Mexico each year. Four-year-old Betty — the facility’s first assistance dog — sits with children and teenagers during forensic interviews, and she will soon accompany clients to therapy sessions, too.

She even has an office.

Having an assistance dog was a longtime dream of both Belinsky and Solace’s executive director, María José Rodríguez Cádiz. For Belinsky, the dream dates back two decades — to a day she was in Taos to testify in a case regarding the sexual abuse of a young girl by a family member.

The girl was so terrified she could not enter the courtroom, Belinsky recalled. Then a service dog was brought in. The dog lay down on the ground, the young girl locked eyes with it “and bravely disclosed — while making eye contact with the dog — the whole story of what had happened to her while her perpetrator was in the courtroom,” Belinsky said.

“The dog gave her this sense of safety and decreased intense anxiety,” she added. “And I saw, so long ago, the power of what a dog could do. … That stayed with me.”

A 2018 study published in the Journal of Child Sexual Abuse found a service-trained facility dog at a child advocacy center in Virginia significantly decreased the stress of children participating in forensic interviews.

Assistance dogs provide a new means of healing that traditional therapy — though also effective — does not, Rodríguez Cádiz said.

“It is just a very effective way to help folks regulate while undergoing acute trauma,” she said.

Betty is a product of Assistance Dogs of the West, where Belinksy started volunteering in 2019. The Santa Fe-based nonprofit breeds and trains dogs to work in a variety of settings across the country — courthouses, schools and following mass-casualty events, for example.

As she helped to raise puppies, Belinksy started thinking about her work with Solace and the impact an assistance dog could make there. And after several years of collaboration and discussion, Betty, with her temperament of calmness and peace, “became the ideal candidate,” Belinsky said.

AMAZING EXAMPLE OF BETTY'S TALENTS 

So far, Betty’s impact has been “amazing,” Rodríguez Cádiz said, citing a recent example of a child who was set to participate in a forensic interview, but was so nervous the staff did not think they would be able to do it that day. The advocate in the room quickly thought of Betty, and when they brought her in, the child’s demeanor immediately changed.

“It wasn’t seasoned professionals, fully trained, who have done this over and over again that were able to create that shift,” Rodríguez Cádiz said.

It was Betty.

It was the English lab, too, a couple of weeks ago, when a young girl who came in for services was anxious and hyperventilating, Belinsky said. Belinsky brought Betty into the room, and the girl wrapped her arms around the dog and cried into her chest. The pair stayed together for two hours, she said.

“And when she was done and she was going home, she said, ‘I couldn’t have done this without Betty,’ ” Belinsky said.

At the end of her day, Betty goes home with Belinsky and takes off her assistance dog vest. She enjoys chewing on her toys, watching the birds in her backyard and playing with Belinsky’s grandchildren.

“But when I put that vest on her ... she knows she’s on duty,” Belinsky said.

Betty also provides support to Solace’s staff. Belinsky brings her to visit the detectives at the Santa Fe Police Department’s Special Victims Unit, which is housed at Solace.

The pup is also prepared to attend meetings and accompany Rodríguez Cádiz to community events.

“And this is just the beginning,” Rodríguez Cádiz said.

Lily Alexander is a Santa Fe New Mexican reporter through a fellowship with the New Mexico Local News Fund.

Hero of the Week: Mass. snowplow driver who spotted legs sticking out of snowbank praised for saving older man

 This week's hero is a snowplow driver who spotted a man who was trapped headfirst in a snowbank and couldn't get out. Matte McGarry pulled over and freed the man, saving his life. 

Mass. snowplow driver who spotted legs sticking out of snowbank praised for saving older man 

A quick response during a snowstorm is credited with saving a man’s life in Auburn, Mass.  

By Morgan Rousseau Boston. com  January 31, 2026

A Massachusetts snowplow driver is being praised for helping save the life of an older man who became trapped face-down in a deep snowbank during a winter storm Sunday night, January 25, 2026

Matte McGarry was plowing roads near the Worcester–Auburn line when he noticed a pair of legs flailing from a snowbank along Burnett Street, according to a report by Boston 25 News. McGarry stopped his truck and pulled the man from the snow.

The incident occurred during Sunday night’s snowstorm as McGarry was making multiple passes along his route. At first, he couldn’t believe what he saw, he told the outlet.

“It looked fake — it didn’t seem real when I saw it at first,” McGarry told Boston 25. “I was doing my route, probably my third time around, when I was turning around and saw legs sticking out of the snow, pretty much just flailing.”

McGarry said the man had been walking home after watching the Patriots game when he fell headfirst into a snowbank about 3 feet deep.

“He couldn’t reach the bottom — the snow was really powdery — so he had no way of pushing himself back out,” McGarry told the news outlet. “It was scary.”

The man was face-down in the snow with his feet kicking as he struggled, McGarry said, adding that he appeared to be in shock and that his arms and face were freezing from exposure.

A nearby resident noticed the commotion and came outside to help McGarry bring the man to safety.

The man, who was not identified, told Boston 25 that McGarry saved his life and said he was “beyond grateful.”

McGarry is expected to receive a commendation from the Auburn Board of Selectmen, according to the report.

Hero of the week: Syracuse Police Officer Jamie Pastorello

This week's hero is Syracuse Police Officer Jamie Pastorello. At 33 he is a nine-year veteran of the police department, and he helped a woman get into a home when he realized she was sleeping in a cemetery on her husband's gravesite. This week's hero said the experience of meeting the woman and helping her reinforced why he became a police officer: seeing people in need and stepping in when it matters. Here's the story and a Go Fund me link to help her.

A grief-filled woman spent months sleeping in the cemetery where her husband is buried. Then "an angel" came to her rescue. 

By Steve Hartman January 23, 2026   CBS News

Syracuse, New York — Police officers in Syracuse, New York, were surprised in December to find a 55-year-old woman living among the dead at Oakwood Cemetery.

The story of how Rhea Holmes came to live in that cemetery started years earlier with the death of her husband, Eddie Holmes. The couple had been married 26 glorious years and were planning to finally buy their dream house.

In October 2020, they put in an offer, and it was accepted. That same day, however, Eddie died suddenly of a heart attack.

So, instead of buying the home, Holmes took the down payment and spent it on a cemetery plot for her husband, with a bench in front of it for reminiscing.

Unfortunately, living in the past took a real toll on her present. Left with little money and little left to live for, Holmes slipped into depression. She lost her job and got evicted. She was too proud to move into a shelter, so she took up residence at the only place she felt she owned: her husband's grave."This is what I purchased," Holmes told CBS News.

Beginning in May 2025, she would volunteer at the nearby food pantry during the day, and then quietly slip undetected into the cemetery at night, where she would sleep. "I assumed that I was going to die there," Holmes said of the cemetery, but then "along comes an angel."

(Photo: Rhea Holmes and Officer James Pastorello. Credit: Syracuse.com) 

In December, a retired officer who works at the cemetery noted Holmes' presence and contacted police. Syracuse Police Officer Jamie Pastorello responded and became the angel who took Holmes under his wing.

"It was just the right thing to do," Pastorello said. "And I wasn't going to let Rhea sleep outside again. A complete turnaround, you know, in 20 days, she went from sleeping on the cold, hard ground in a cemetery, to her own home."

First, he paid for a hotel room for Holmes. Then he connected her with the president of LeMoyne College, who let Holmes stay on campus while the students were on winter break.

Pastorello also started a crowdfunding campaign and connected Holmes with a nonprofit called A Tiny Home for Good, which rents tiny homes at affordable prices to those in need. When a tiny home became available, Holmes was able to move in.

Nothing will ever replace her husband Eddie, but the multiple hugs she bestowed upon Pastorello during their recent reunion provided the sense that this new friendship will keep Holmes from moving back into that cemetery any time soon.

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YOU CAN STILL  HELP OUT- (They were still $10K short on January 25, 2026) Officer James Pastorello created a GoFundMe page on behalf of Rhea Holmes to help her with necessities. To support, visit the GoFundMe page here. As always, stay inspired.

GoFundMe: https://gofundme.com/f/help-rhea-find-a-safe-and-stable-home

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For a more detailed story, visit Syracuse.com: https://www.syracuse.com/news/2026/01/how-a-police-officer-helped-a-woman-sleeping-in-a-syracuse-cemetery-find-a-home.html