5 Good News Stories - happiness and fun

Every day the news feels heavy. 5 Good News Stories is your daily antidote — five short, uplifting stories about human kindness, scientific breakthroughs, unexpected heroes, and moments that remind you the world isn't as broken as the headlines suggest. Hosted by John McDermott, each episode is under 10 minutes and designed to start your morning right or reset your afternoon. If you're looking for a positive news podcast, a feel-good daily listen, or just five minutes of happiness — this is your show. New episode every day. Follow wherever you listen to podcasts. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support.

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  1. 22 hrs ago

    Punch the Monkey!

    Johnny Mac shares five good news stories: Punch, a Japanese zoo monkey abandoned by his mother and rejected by other monkeys, went viral with a stuffed toy and now comforts and protects younger monkeys struggling to adjust, acting like a big brother. In England, 76-year-old John fought a parking company for over two years over a 90p fee after a machine printed only part of his plate; a judge dismissed the company’s £277 claim, awarded John £289.50 plus expenses, and he advised drivers to keep tickets and records. Nevada wildlife officials hired Karelian Bear Dogs Badger and Banjo to chase black bears away from neighborhoods as the population rebounded to about 700. WWF reported monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico rose to about 7.2 acres in 2025–2026, up from 4.4, though still far below 1990s levels. NASA extended Voyager 2’s life by powering down integrated systems to save energy.   00:10 Punch the Monkey Hero 01:18 Ninety Cent Ticket Win 02:56 Dogs Chase Black Bears 03:57 Monarch Butterfly Rebound 05:09 Voyager 2 Power Save   Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support. 5 Good News Stories is a daily podcast with five positive, uplifting news stories to brighten your day. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network John also hosts Daily Comedy News Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media!  For Apple users, hit the banner which says Uninterrupted Listening on your Apple podcasts app.  Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5 Good News Stories’ with no commercials! Plans start at $4.99 per month, or save 20% with a yearly plan at $49.99. Join today and help support the show! Get more info from Caloroga Shark Media and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to get in touch our email is info@caloroga.com

  2. 2d ago

    The Squidpocalypse closed the highway

    Johnny Mac shares five good news stories: France has banned unsolicited telemarketing calls unless consumers opt in, with fines up to 75,000 euros per illegal call and limited exceptions for consent or existing contracts. Dale “Graybeard” Sanders, 91, became the oldest person to complete the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail, finishing Aug. 31 after 71 falls, injuries, and a hospital visit, encouraged by his wife and supporters. UC San Francisco researchers found a frog protein, saxiphilin, that prevented and reversed lethal saxitoxin poisoning in mice, offering hope for an antidote to paralytic shellfish poisoning. A Tulsa high school tradition has seniors cheer freshmen into kissing parents or grandparents goodbye, begun in 2001 to replace pranks. In Rhode Island, a trailer spill dumped squid onto a road—no injuries—prompting a cleanup and the joking label “squidpocalypse of ’26.” Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support. 5 Good News Stories is a daily podcast with five positive, uplifting news stories to brighten your day. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network John also hosts Daily Comedy News Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media!  For Apple users, hit the banner which says Uninterrupted Listening on your Apple podcasts app.  Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5 Good News Stories’ with no commercials! Plans start at $4.99 per month, or save 20% with a yearly plan at $49.99. Join today and help support the show! Get more info from Caloroga Shark Media and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to get in touch our email is info@caloroga.com

  3. 4d ago

    La Tomatina : the festival where you throw tomatoes

    Johnny Mac shares five good news stories: Spain’s Buñol hosted La Tomatina on August 26, with thousands throwing overripe tomatoes in an hour-long fight rooted in a 1945 food fight and popularized for some by a 2011 Bollywood film; inventor Diana created the iThrone, a waterless toilet that evaporates about 95% of the water in human waste and has been deployed in Uganda, Panama, and the U.S., earning a Global Citizen Wastelets Award and $100,000; ReShark released 82 young zebra sharks into protected Indonesian waters after estimates of only about 20 adults remained in 2019; missing dog Teddy was rescued after nearly three weeks on an English mountain and reunited with his owner; and a pickup spilled about 120 containers of Utz cheese balls on LA’s westbound 105, slowing traffic as some drivers stopped to collect them.   00:12 La Tomatina Tomato Fight 01:17 iThrone Waterless Toilet 01:57 Zebra Shark Comeback 03:01 Teddy Mountain Rescue 03:38 Cheese Balls Highway Spill   Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support. 5 Good News Stories is a daily podcast with five positive, uplifting news stories to brighten your day. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network John also hosts Daily Comedy News Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media!  For Apple users, hit the banner which says Uninterrupted Listening on your Apple podcasts app.  Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5 Good News Stories’ with no commercials! Plans start at $4.99 per month, or save 20% with a yearly plan at $49.99. Join today and help support the show! Get more info from Caloroga Shark Media and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to get in touch our email is info@caloroga.com

  4. 5d ago

    OnlyMarms: OnlyFans with wholesome marmot videos

    Johnny Mac shares five good news stories: Colorado researchers studying yellow-bellied marmots launched “OnlyMarms,” a free OnlyFans account with wholesome marmot videos that has drawn about 1,700 fans and roughly $6,000 in tips, plus events like Fat Marmot Week and a fundraising beer called Marmot Tears. Desertas Island land snails, once thought to have only 21 left under a single rock in Portugal, are being restored after Chester Zoo bred 300+ descendants and conservationists removed invasive species and repaired habitat before a careful nighttime release on Bujio Island. Florida teens Ashrita and Anish built the Pizza For a Purpose app, helping donate 25,000 slices to charities. Ethel marked her 117th birthday and is recognized by Guinness as the world’s oldest living person. A Half Moon Sunoco near Albany offered 20% off for 15 seconds of dancing, generating a million-view TikTok.   00:10 OnlyMarms Fundraiser 01:07 Snails Saved 02:01 Pizza Donation App 02:37 Oldest Person Birthday 03:20 Dance For Discount Gas   Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support. 5 Good News Stories is a daily podcast with five positive, uplifting news stories to brighten your day. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network John also hosts Daily Comedy News Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media!  For Apple users, hit the banner which says Uninterrupted Listening on your Apple podcasts app.  Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5 Good News Stories’ with no commercials! Plans start at $4.99 per month, or save 20% with a yearly plan at $49.99. Join today and help support the show! Get more info from Caloroga Shark Media and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to get in touch our email is info@caloroga.com

  5. Sep 3

    Goosey the hero goose

    Johnny Mac presents five good news stories: an Italian lottery player in Bitonto won about $1.15 million but mistakenly threw away the ticket after a store scanner said it was “non-payable,” and a local garbage company safely sorted the collected trash to recover the intact winning ticket; a juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle found stranded in Wales in December 2023 was rescued by Anglesey Sea Zoo and, after 2.5 years of permits and planning, will be transported in a temperature-controlled crate back to Texas via helicopter, road, and a British Airways cargo flight; JK Boots in Spokane turned its HQ into a rest stop for wildfire firefighters and is giving away new boots; a pet goose named Goosey alerted a Texas family to a barn fire; and a 1973 message-in-a-bottle note from Lori Blair was found in New Jersey, traced to her sister, and will be framed after Lori’s 2019 death. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support. 5 Good News Stories is a daily podcast with five positive, uplifting news stories to brighten your day. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network John also hosts Daily Comedy News Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media!  For Apple users, hit the banner which says Uninterrupted Listening on your Apple podcasts app.  Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5 Good News Stories’ with no commercials! Plans start at $4.99 per month, or save 20% with a yearly plan at $49.99. Join today and help support the show! Get more info from Caloroga Shark Media and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to get in touch our email is info@caloroga.com

  6. Sep 1

    Runaway Bull Rodeo Rescue

    Johnny Mac presents five good news stories: the University of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx opened Dax House, a renovated convent residence offering housing-insecure women private rooms for $250 a month, a permanent address, and case management through a partnership with the Sisters of Charity of New York and DePaul USA. Chester Zoo in England celebrated five endangered secretary bird chicks after its first successful breeding in 95 years, credited to the father bird sharing incubation. Thornton, Colorado opened the Anythink Nature Library, lending books and outdoor gear like snowshoes, tents, telescopes, and wildlife cameras in a solar-powered, nature-focused space. New Orleans recycler Glass Half Full turns bottles into sand to help rebuild wetlands, with experimental islands attracting wildlife. In Pickens County, Alabama, officers on horseback lassoed a 1,500-pound escaped bull without injuries. Mac plugs his Daily Comedy News podcast.   00:25 Convent Housing for Students 01:55 Secretary Birds Baby Boom 03:24 Nature Library You Can Borrow Gear 04:22 Turning Bottles Into Wetland Sand 05:24 Runaway Bull Rodeo Rescue Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support. 5 Good News Stories is a daily podcast with five positive, uplifting news stories to brighten your day. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network John also hosts Daily Comedy News Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media!  For Apple users, hit the banner which says Uninterrupted Listening on your Apple podcasts app.  Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5 Good News Stories’ with no commercials! Plans start at $4.99 per month, or save 20% with a yearly plan at $49.99. Join today and help support the show! Get more info from Caloroga Shark Media and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to get in touch our email is info@caloroga.com

  7. Aug 30

    Bottle of Guiness from 1864 Found

    Johnny Mac shares five good news stories, including a TikTok-viral baby sea turtle named Franklin in Barbados that safely reached the ocean after onlookers let nature take its course, with a marine biologist explaining the beach crawl’s developmental importance. Two former teenage pen pals, Jo Ellen and Eiko (Agnes), reunite after 50 years when Jo Ellen uses Google to find her in Illinois and they meet for brunch. In suburban Chicago, Wheaton’s Buddy Baseball program pairs volunteers with players with disabilities to make baseball accessible and fun. In Idaho, record-setter David Rush clears Hungry, Hungry Hippos solo in 9.03 seconds using one finger. A diver finds an 1864 Guinness from an English shipwreck, and scientists explore recreating the beer, while Johnny recalls saving an unopened 1990s Guinness bottle. He plugs his Daily Comedy News podcast and notes names including Tim Dillon, Marcello Hernandez, and Gianmarco Soresi. 00:00 Welcome and Setup   01:15 Pen Pals Reunited 03:15 Buddy Baseball Inclusion 03:58 Solo Hippos Record 04:45 1864 Guinness Discovery   Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support. 5 Good News Stories is a daily podcast with five positive, uplifting news stories to brighten your day. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network John also hosts Daily Comedy News Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media!  For Apple users, hit the banner which says Uninterrupted Listening on your Apple podcasts app.  Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5 Good News Stories’ with no commercials! Plans start at $4.99 per month, or save 20% with a yearly plan at $49.99. Join today and help support the show! Get more info from Caloroga Shark Media and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to get in touch our email is info@caloroga.com

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4.3
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Every day the news feels heavy. 5 Good News Stories is your daily antidote — five short, uplifting stories about human kindness, scientific breakthroughs, unexpected heroes, and moments that remind you the world isn't as broken as the headlines suggest. Hosted by John McDermott, each episode is under 10 minutes and designed to start your morning right or reset your afternoon. If you're looking for a positive news podcast, a feel-good daily listen, or just five minutes of happiness — this is your show. New episode every day. Follow wherever you listen to podcasts. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support.

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