‘Chalk Granny’ Lifts Spirits | $2.7M Powerball: Saturday Smiles

We are well into January, and as our communities continue to struggle during these unprecedented times, the anecdotes highlighting acts of kindness and giving back to others keep pouring in. We have curated 12 sweet Northern California stories to make your weekend better.

Redwood City’s ‘Chalk Granny’ Lifts Spirits Amid Dark Times

• Mary Kay Mitchell’s started with her sketching colorful drawings in her driveway. She soon got hooked.

Sunflower Hill Awarded $2K Grant To Tackle Hunger In Tri-Valley

• Sunflower Hill continues to plant, grow, harvest, and donate over 4,500 pounds of produce to local nonprofits supporting low-income families

Novato Firefighter-Paramedic Earns 'Firefighter Hero Award'

• Nicole Scott of Novato Fire Protection District was recognized for her leadership in addressing the behavioral health of firefighters.

Bay Area Powerball Ticket Worth $2.7M

• That was a runner-up prize. No one won the jackpot which grows to $640 million for Saturday's drawing.

'Holy Cow:' Officials Usher Cattle Off Highway 1 In Santa Cruz

• California Highway Patrol reported that cows were causing a bit of a delay along Highway 1 near Mar Monte Avenue.

Off-Duty Firefighter Rescues Driver From Wrecked Car

• The off-duty firefighter got the driver out of the car by breaking out the windows and forcing the door open with metal from the debris.

Beloved K-9 Retires From The Pleasanton Police Department

• K-9 Falco, a German Shepherd, who worked with the Pleasanton Police Department since 2011 retired this week.

Hope Hospice Uses Animatronic Pets To Comfort Tri-Valley Patients

• Hope Hospice began distributing the cats to its dementia patients throughout the Tri-Valley in December.

New Texas-Style BBQ Restaurant Opens In Danville

• Open for about a month now, Hazy Barbeque in Danville isn't letting a pandemic stop it from proudly serving up some tasty Texas-style BBQ.

Drive-Thru Crab Feeds 2021 Guide: SF Bay Area

• The beloved extravaganzas are back! The formats have changed. But the crab still is tasty, and fundraising goals remain the same.

Feed Alameda Campaign Helps Local Restaurants, Residents

• An online campaign has raised more than $20,000 to support the program, which will buy meals from restaurants and donate them to the needy.

San Francisco Tops 2021’s Best Paying Cities: U.S. News

• If you’re in the market for a job change, these other U.S. cities offer the highest number of best-paying jobs.

If you have an idea for a nice news story in your town, let us know. Email your story tips to autumn.johnson@patch.com.