Good News: Stories that cheered us up for the week 16-22 September

New nests for little penguins, a hospo-led clean-up of K Rd and the unbearable cuteness of capybaras are among the latest feel-good stories from RNZ.

New nests for Kaikōura's little penguins

When building starts on a major revamp of Kaikōura's waterfront, special attention will be paid to little penguins / kororā. Ten nesting boxes must be built for the penguins, which are known to nest nearby, as part of the Wakatu Quay development. Project Wellbird co-ordinator Sabrina Luecht said the aim was to provide spaces where penguins could come ashore and nest or moult. The trust already had 55 penguin boxes built by volunteers from spare wood donated by Kaikōura ITM.

Hospo legends hit K Rd for clean-up

A street clean-up, a few pizzas and a couple of proseccos isn't a bad way to celebrate your 15th birthday. And that's exactly what Coco's Cantina - a staple of Auckland's Karangahape Road - decided to do. About 30 staff and volunteers trekked K Road collecting nearly 90kg of rubbish, including 39kg of landfill material, 26.4kg of glass, 12.2kg of plastic, 9.4kg of cans and 1.9kg of bottle caps. Owner Renee Coulter said the event was about celebrating each other and their community, especially when times are tough.

The unbearable cuteness of capybaras

There are many cute animals around, but there is something special about capybaras, says Li Jing. "They have the vibe of being able face everything with a relaxed attitude ... walking slowly, eating slowly and standing very still." There's a lot of pressure to do well in life, especially in the highly volatile and super-competitive post-Covid world. Instead of the rat race, it turns out young people have embraced a very different rodent. "The capybara's personality is described by fans as 'Buddha-like', suggesting a desire to seek peacefulness and tranquility," says Qian Gong, a Chinese popular culture researcher.

Sounds of home in Slovakia

A Kiwi was on a train in Slovakia when she heard a familiar accent come over the speakers. It was a New Zealand voice and it belonged to Gavin Shoebridge - the English announcer of the Central Europe country's national rail carrier. So how did a Kiwi wind up with that job? Shoebridge was working as a broadcaster for the English version of Slovak Radio, when his colleague - who also worked a public transport announcer - told him about the job. "I had like 1000 stations to read out in the microphone, which took me a long time, but we got there," says Shoebridge.

Introducing Judy Drench

Hawke's Bay Airport's brand-new fire truck has a brand-new name - with Judy Drench winning the naming competition. Other submitted names were: FRED (Fire Rescue Emergency Deployment), Spraying Mantis, Te Wai Wai (Water in abundance) and Toa Ahi (Fire Warrior). "And just like the grand dame who inspired the winning name, we are looking forward to our Judy Drench having a long and stellar career with Hawke's Bay Airport," said its chairperson Wendie Harvey. The $1.6m Rosenbauer Panther fire truck is made in Austria and has the capacity to carry 7400 litres of water.

Ngāi Tahu singer passes 'The Voice' blind audition

Jaydin Shingleton (Ngāi Tahu) has made it through The Voice Australia's blind auditions to land a spot in the battles round. Shingleton, 25, from Westport first appeared in August when he wowed the judges with his rendition of "Tennessee Whiskey". He says his dream was always to become a full-time musician performing in front of a crowd of thousands. "I've been singing since I was about four." He submitted his application for The Voice the night before his son Bowie's birth and said he was proud to celebrate the 2024 series launch with his son a year later.