In 2012, Yonkers, New York, completed a project to uncover a section of the Saw Mill River that had been buried beneath a downtown parking lot since the 1920s. The former Larkin Plaza was turned into a three-acre public park. Within six months, the restored river supported 14,000 square feet of new aquatic habitat and several species.
A 13-year-old boy from Lehi, Utah, spent about 300 hours during his summer designing, printing, testing and assembling a custom mobility chair for a 21-month-old girl. Zac Waters found MakeGood, a nonprofit that provides free 3D-printed mobility devices, and used his interest in 3D printing to build a chair tailored to the toddler’s needs.
A large Burmese python was discovered hiding beneath a New Jersey family's shed. Animal control officers carefully removed the reptile after dismantling part of the structure. An X-ray revealed the snake's swollen belly contained a recently swallowed opossum. Officials suspect the exotic pet was abandoned by its previous owner. The SPCA warns against releasing such animals into local environments.
The Fernald uranium plant in Ohio stopped production in 1989 after nearly four decades of operations. A $4.4 billion environmental cleanup followed, involving radioactive waste, contaminated soil and groundwater. The 1,050-acre site was eventually transformed into the Fernald Preserve, with restored wetlands, prairie and forest. A Visitors Center now documents the site’s history and cleanup.