Here are some of the Valley’s best feel-good stories of 2024

PHOENIX — The news cycle can be turbulent, especially during an election year, but there were happenings in the Valley in 2024 that hit a little different — in a good way.

From rescues and reunifications to celebrating ends of an era, there were plenty of feel-good stories to celebrate in metro Phoenix this year.

Top Valley feel-good stories of 2024

Arizona Humane Society rescues senior dog from Phoenix canal

Who doesn’t love a good a-dog-ption story?

A senior dog named Dorothea is living her best life now after being rescued from a tumultuous situation over the summer.

A Good Samaritan spotted Dorothea stuck in the middle of a water canal in Phoenix on June 16.

The dog was eventually rescued using a ladder and other devices.

Dorothea now lives in the Valley suburb of Youngtown.

Scottsdale hospital performs breakthrough heart procedure with new technology

Medical advancements are always worth celebrating.

HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center doctors used the Edwards EVOQUE system, which got FDA approval in February, to perform a tricuspid heart valve replacement.

The new technology’s primary purpose is to prevent the backflow of blood in the upper-right chamber of the heart.

The goal is to make most forms of open-heart surgery obsolete and as a result, lead to less pain and faster recovery.

ASU football wins Big 12 title, makes first College Football Playoff appearance

A Cinderella season for the Arizona State University football team ended with a victory in the Big 12 title game and a New Year’s Day date with Texas.

ASU was picked to finish last in its first year in the conference. Instead, the Sun Devils finished 10-2 in the regular season and blasted Iowa State 45-19 in the conference title game.

It was ASU’s first conference title since 1996.

Missing children found safe

On multiple occasions this year, a nightmare scenario for parents unfolded when their children went missing.

Oftentimes, there are no happy endings. A couple of situations did end well, however.

Two children who went missing at separate recreation sites in the state were found safe in August.

Canyon Hartley, 8, was located at Grand Canyon Village on Aug. 22 after going missing the night before. Tzion Maron, also 8, was found safe shortly after near Lava River Cave close to Flagstaff.

KTAR mainstays retire

A pair of longtime KTAR News fixtures called it quits in favor of retirement.

The hall of fame career of Jim Cross ended Dec. 6. Cross, known for his enthusiasm for covering wildfires in the state, retired after spending 25 years at the station and more than 40 years in radio.

Cross reported from many of the largest blazes in state history, among them the Wallow Fire in 2011, the Rodeo-Chediski Fire in 2002 and the Bush Fire in 2020.

“Detour Dan,” otherwise known as Dan Beach, had his final traffic call on the station 11 days later.

Beach started providing traffic reports for KTAR News by plane in 1989 before technology made it possible for him to monitor Phoenix-area roadways from the studio or his home.

In addition to traffic, he covered wildfires, storms and other newsworthy events from his perch in the sky.

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