9 Good News Stories: A Hidden Treasure, But More In Plain Sight

ACROSS AMERICA — Americans have long been captivated by the lure of hidden treasures and the clues that lead to them. One man found his in the Rocky Mountains, picking up the hints left by a famous art and antiquities collector who hid the treasure a decade ago to get people to take in the majestic range.

The gold, jewels and other valuable items the lucky treasure hunter found inside a bronze chest were worth about $1 million. Understandably, the guy who found it wants to remain anonymous.

For 89-year-old Forrest Fenn, who hid the treasure, there’s great satisfaction in having instilled what he titled “The Thrill of the Chase” in a 2010 autobiography.

Thousands of people participated in the search, and Fenn said in a statement that it’s his “hope they will continue to be drawn by the promise of other discoveries.” By Amber Fisher on Across Colorado Patch

Treasures are found all around. Many treasures are found in nature for those who look for them, surely to Forrest Fenn’s delight. But some of the most valuable treasures are in plain sight.

Community Treasures

Who Was That Masked Hero?

Surely, the anonymous masked person who rescued a 3-year-old boy’s teddy bear counts as a community treasure. Thomas Levi was inconsolable after his beloved teddy bear slipped out of his hand and into Hudson River during a family stroll along an inlet. A man who saw the boy’s heartbreak unfold sprang into action as a strong undertow threatened to take “Doobie” — a Hebrew name for teddy bear — away from the toddler forever. But who was he? The family wants to know. He was wearing a mask. By Caren Lissner on Hoboken Patch

Sometimes, The Meal Is The Treasure

Isabelle Lambotte knows that. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the Princeton, New Jersey, woman created the Share My Meals public charity to make sure her neighbors have enough to eat. With unemployment still high from coronavirus-related layoffs, the need is more urgent than ever. “I really want people like myself or many others who are not aware that less than a mile from where they live are people who are really struggling,” she said. “It's really something we have to understand.” By Alexis Tarrazi on Princeton Patch

Treasured Family BBQ Feeds The Kids

Atwater’s Best BBQ & Soul Food has been a staple in south St. Petersburg, Florida, since 1952. Surveying the economic damage wrought by the coronavirus, Eric Atwater knew he had to help. "I was prepared, and the first thing that came to my mind is that kids got to eat," Atwater told Patch. "So I put my money together and went and bought some meat, fresh vegetables and some supplies to feed my community and the kids in the community." By Skyla Luckey on St. Pete Patch

Treasure This Moment And Just Dance

Sometimes, you just have to dance. Last week, a Tucson, Arizona, mom captured the adorable moment in which her young daughter realized just that — as she joined in a heartwarming two-person dance party in an El Paso shopping mall. By Danny Wicentowski on Tucson Patch

Nature's Treasures

Treasure Of The Sea’s Impeccable Timing

In a charming bit of kismet, it just so happened that a cownose stingray pup’s birth Monday at The Florida Aquarium coincided with World Oceans Day. The whole thing was captured on video, which you'll want to watch. Three pups born in recent weeks have all been named— Bimini, Kitts and Nevis — and you'll want to know why. By D’ann Lawrence White on Tampa Patch

“Miraculously,” A Yellowstone Treasure Survives

The internationally acclaimed chimpanzee researcher Jane Goodall was on the receiving end of a text message that said, “Miraculously, she still lives!” The reference was to “399,” one of the Yellowstone region grizzly bears that Goodall championed and helped save from trophy hunting seasons in the three states that are part of the region. Not only did the 350-pound grand dame of the Yellowstone region survive the winter, she had four cubs in tow — a rarity not just because of her age. By Beth Dalbey on Across America Patch

A Moving Treasure

Young bighorn rams love to roam before they rut, and some have been spotted in the Tucson Mountains, but at least one is venturing into a new territory, and Arizona wildlife officials want to know about it. By Danny Wicentowski on Tucson Patch

The Treasures In The Wild

"Jungle" Jack Hanna, who took the Columbus Zoo from obscurity to certifiable fame with his televised cuteness explosions with wild animals, is retiring after almost 42 years as the zoo's director and director emeritus. Sometimes, the animals he introduced to the world almost got the better of him. By Gillian Smith on Columbus Patch

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