$10M awarded to Raleigh nonprofits from American Rescue Plan funds

Good News Notes: “The City of Raleigh was awarded a total of $73.2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. All that money needs to be spent by December 2026. The money can be used on a wide range of issues including community health initiatives, small business support, and infrastructure support. City staff has selected 13…

People are turning to horse therapy to improve mental health during the pandemic

Good News Notes: “As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on people’s mental health and wellbeing, an equestrian center in California is offering programs for healing.  Sabine Niederberghaus started La Esperanza Ranch in Topanga Canyon, California, 27 years ago, but it wasn’t until COVID-19 hit when she decided to start the Equine Leadership Program.  “I had time during the…

Shawn Mendes on How Meditation Has Transformed His Relationship

Good News Notes: “Back in 2019, during some downtime from his relentless schedule after releasing his chart-topping, Grammy-nominated third album, Shawn Mendes found himself in the U.K. with a rare moment to reflect. While his girlfriend, the similarly chart-topping Camila Cabello, was working in the studio every day, she recommended he download the Calm app as a means of helping…

NASA is learning how to farm on Mars and the moon

Good News Notes: “Whether from continent to continent or coast to coast, people have always made their big moves together with plants. Traveling away from Earth would be no different. Our success on other worlds will rest, in part, on the supple stems of plants. “Plants are things that we take with us as explorers,”…

MHA Nation opens Healing Hearts Lodge to help those in recovery

Good News Notes: “Cianna Rabbithead knows firsthand the effects of addiction. “I have family members that struggle with it, and I really wanted to get into this field to be able to help them,” Rabbithead said. She’s the director at Bismarck’s newest recovery center, MHA Healing Hearts Lodge. The $7 million housing facility has 24…

Rust Raised $80,000 for Charity Through Virtual Mustaches

Good News Notes: “Rust is a survival horror game initially developed in 2013 by Facepunch Studios for PC gamers everywhere to enjoy. Players of the game will remember it fondly for how brutally difficult a game it can be at times, but how rewarding it can be when gamers can collaborate in a community to solve problems and meet new…

Yoga, tai chi, meditation improve veterans’ mental, physical health

Good News Notes: “A combination of yoga, tai chi and meditation was linked to significant mental and physical health improvements among veterans, according to study results published in Medical Care. ‘Deployment in the Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom wars led to increased musculoskeletal pain and decreased mental and physical health functioning among many returning…