The news has been rather discouraging, from heat to drought to oil spills to court cases to an uncommon number of traffic fatalities in Gloucester so far this year.

We pause to call attention to a couple of pieces of good news that have slipped in under the radar:

1. Ospreys live! The piled-up osprey road-kill along Route 14 at Cow Creek is greatly reduced this year. In the past, fish have congregated at the creek’s headwaters, and as ospreys zoomed in for an easy meal, traffic along Route 14 has taken them out as they return to the air, heavily laden with their catches.

Thanks to the efforts of concerned volunteers, deterrent nets this year have succeeded in guiding the birds to a safe way out of the traffic. Good job.

2. New accounting methods; new trust. The Mathews Volunteer Fire Department was sent reeling this year by the discovery that thousands upon thousands of dollars had disappeared. With the subsequent arrest and guilty plea of its treasurer, the department, according to its leaders, is just about starting from scratch financially.

The MVFD needs the trust of its citizens who, for many decades, have freely donated nickels, dimes, dollars and big checks to help it meet its requirements. To regain this trust, the volunteers have established stringent new bookkeeping and accounting procedures.

And, to complete the equation, county residents and businesses have a great need of a well-trained and well-equipped fire department. Its all-volunteer force keeps costs down. Let’s show the department our gratitude by investing, when asked, in its future, and by trusting its dedicated members to make good use of our donations.