10 Heartwarming CA Stories From 2022 Worth Revisiting

CALIFORNIA — It's important for residents to be aware of crime happening in their communities, policy decisions by lawmakers, and how the economy is affecting people and businesses. But those who make our communities better places to live are also important to Patch and stories that we relish telling.

Throughout the year, we've brought our Patch readers examples of people doing great things in their communities in our "Saturday Smiles" feature.

Here are our 10 of our favorite articles that we've highlighted this year in California:

Woman Finds $36K Hidden In SoCal Craigslist Free Couch

A SoCal woman found a couch and matching chair for a song on Craigslist & discovered an unbelievable surprise when she brought it home.

Temecula, Riverside County Libraries Announce Computer Loan Program

Library card holders can now check out a Chromebook for up to three weeks.

'My Heart Was Racing So Fast': Teen Wins Apple Worldwide App Challenge

Fremont's Audrey Wang met Apple CEO Tim Cook and her fellow winners and is being mentored by engineers and developers.

Whale Safe Launches Off The San Francisco Coastline

The AI-enabled system prevents ship collisions with whales.

Danville Native's Crew Team Raises Money For Boat In Her Memory

The crew team of Shawn O'Donnell, a Danville native fatally struck while riding her bike, is raising money to buy a boat named after her.

Marin Backpack Drive Raises $20K

The Ritter Center hopes to raise $25,000 to provide some 170 students in need with school supplies.

North Island Brown Kiwi Hatches At San Diego Zoo Safari Park

It's the first time this species has hatched at the park in Escondido.

Second Sand Dune Restoration Project Comes To Santa Monica

A second Santa Monica Beach Dune restoration project is coming to the north end of Santa Monica beach.

On 9/11, A California Woman Swam From Catalina To LA

On her 21st 'channelversary,' Andrea Halligan remembers both euphoria and horror.

OCSD Explorers Celebrate Earth Day With San Clemente Beach Cleanup

Orange County youth spent Thursday afternoon combing San Clemente's beaches and trails for trash and debris.