51 Comments
User's avatar
Oldandintheway's avatar

Wow! That’s a lot of good stuff. Now, we have to let everyone know how much good government benefits everyone! Thanks 💕

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Thank you! I agree!

Expand full comment
Joan Friedman (MA, from NY)'s avatar

Noem makes a valid point about herself and many other people, keeping in mind that humans are a type of animal: “any animal who kills because they enjoy it is a very dangerous animal”, not in a good way.

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Yes. This.

Expand full comment
Reese Erwin's avatar

Great substack. And no paywall, which is why I’m a paid subscriber here but not to any of the others. So much great info. Easy to read. Superb job, Jessica!

I just received 200 postcards to write with Center for Common Ground (www.centerforcommonground.org) a great organization that focuses on people of color, often overlooked. In 2023, they worked on 13 elections in 5 states and reached 1.2 million voters of color through postcarding, phone banking, and texting.

For us elderly (am age 88) with physical limitations, postcarding and texting are things we can do for the next 6 months. My busy daughter is willing to provide funds for stamps and cards to keep me busy. Many great Dem organizations provide such opportunities. Please join me!

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Yes! CFCG is one I talk about often and they’re in my postcarding document. I actually have some of their postcards on my front steps right now—I have a bunch of folks who come pick up. Thank you for writing those! So important!

Expand full comment
Trina's avatar

Thank you for this! Very much needed

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

I’m so glad!

Expand full comment
wes edwards's avatar

Help us keep the edge in voter registration in GA.

Text unregistered voters with Building Bridges and Field Team 6 at www.BuildingBridgesforAmerica.com

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Will you email this to me so I can put it in the newsletter?

Expand full comment
wes edwards's avatar

Yes, will do

Expand full comment
Diane L Kupelian's avatar

SMART DOG!

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Right?

Expand full comment
Little Bit & Lakiya's Mama's avatar

Thank you for taking the time to give us this great synopsis.

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

You’re very welcome! Thanks for being here!

Expand full comment
Joan Friedman (MA, from NY)'s avatar

Methyl chloride only now banned? It was infamous for causing health problems over 30 years ago!

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Yes. I know. I mentioned this is a recent tiktok as an example of how behind we are and how much good work Biden’s cabinet is doing.

Expand full comment
Mary Boergers's avatar

Thanks so much for posting this. There is so much MSM emphasis on bad news that it is important to hear good news. And see what positive things are being accomplished.

Expand full comment
JennSH from NC's avatar

I really appreciate reading about the good things that have happened. A number of the items on the list don't get much press. This list gives me hope. Thank you, Jessica.

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

You’re very welcome!

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

That’s why I do it! So glad you enjoyed.

Expand full comment
Alan Unell Ph.D.'s avatar

Thanks Jess. I've given a lot of thought to the dog execution story. She claimed that the dog would not be trained and so she killed it. It says nothing about the dog but it says when she fails she chooses violence. Watch out.

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Yeah. Metaphor for the whole party.

Expand full comment
Sara's avatar

I love all this progressive action in red states (however small or significant it may be). Feels like we're gonna be alright

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

We are!

Expand full comment
Sara's avatar

💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

Expand full comment
Colleen McGloughlin's avatar

What a horrible horrible creature she is. And she just can’t shut up about her horrible-ness.

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

I know. She’s really done herself in from a political standpoint. At least I think she has.

Expand full comment
Colleen McGloughlin's avatar

very trumpian… just keep saying the awful thing.

Expand full comment
Wendy Lee Forman's avatar

THANKS FOR THE GOOD NEWS, as always.

The dog video made my day---perfect!

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

So good, right?

Expand full comment
Judith L Hubbard's avatar

Kristi Noem is toast based on her complete insensitivity to animals. Forget your political career, lady. You blew it up.

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

One certainly hopes so.

Expand full comment
Mark In Colorado's avatar

Hmmm, about the NBA, I suspect that biggest carbon footprint is air travel. My understanding is that they now use mostly private charter jets (time was, they flew on commercial flights like the rest of the masses).

Executive jets have a larger footprint per person than large commercial aircraft. With the egos of professional sports players, I just don’t see them giving up that privilege.

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Fair. Did you read the article though? They seem somewhat sincere.

Expand full comment
Mark In Colorado's avatar

Oh, sure. My sense is that the basketball clubs are sincere. It is the egotistical basketball players out of college with huge contracts, feeling self important, that I am worried about. Way back it was normal for basketball teams to fly on commercial flights. If club owners can make that shift, to fly on regular flights, that would be a big deal.

Expand full comment
Mary Boergers's avatar

One reason athletes may need to fly on private jets is because of security concerns. Sadly they are targets.

Expand full comment
JustRaven's avatar

I saw those same flowers while camping at a local California beach state park the past several days! looks like the typical ice plant that is hardy and low maintenance.

Thanks for compiling this list of so much good news!

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Yeah they’re nothing special but even the most everyday flowers do the trick.

Expand full comment
JustRaven's avatar

I too admired them when I saw them, for their beauty. No matter how common or uncommon, flowers intrinsically have visual appeal, even the lowly dandelion.

Expand full comment
Elizabeth Ratkovich's avatar

Ice plant has become invasive along the CA coast. When my class visited Marin Headlands the tour guide told my students that they were allowed to roll over the ice plant in an effort to slow its spread. They had a blast!

Expand full comment
Jess Craven's avatar

Yes I know it's invasive. We used to have them in our garden and we tore them out. And yet...this one still struck me as pretty.

Expand full comment
JustRaven's avatar

yep, all of the above. I've seen them used in traffic medians/barriers because of their hardiness and yet they are contained because of the pavement on either side of them, but I wouldn't have them in my yard either.

Expand full comment
Elizabeth Ratkovich's avatar

I agree it’s beautiful, and I wasn’t implying any criticism of your photo, just had a fun story about my students’ experience. Here’s another one: As teens, my brother and I enjoyed sliding down the sand dunes at Pismo Beach which had ice plant growing at the bottom of the dunes. We both ruined our sweatshirts with the indelible juice that accumulated as we slid into the ice plant. Thankfully that didn’t happen to any of my students in Marin.

Expand full comment