The Wall Of Hope
We hope this note finds you enjoying a peaceful Saturday morning – coffee in hand, maybe even a quiet moment to yourself. We're coming to you with a quick recap of the week's top stories.
As search and recovery efforts in Central Texas continue after the devastating July 4th flood, the Kerrville community came together this week to pray and grieve with one another. At the special worship service, one speaker offered this message:
"Our community was struck with tragedy literally in the darkness. But as the sun rose, the light came."
We remain resolute to honor the victims, their families and the community. Here's our full conversation with singer-songwriter Julia Hatfield who gives a powerful testimony of this historic night. This short story brought us to tears:
We also found this firsthand account – definitely worth the read: "On July 4, the Guadalupe ripped our home from its pillars, pulling my family into its waters and into the night. Then morning came."
And here's an interesting article about why the Guadalupe River rose so fast — along with background on "Flash Flood Alley." Keep scrolling for more of Jenna's coverage on the flood this week.
📰 A Recap Of News & Conversation Starters:
✍️ Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The tax and budget reconciliation bill, previously known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," was officially signed into law by Pres. Trump. The Tax Foundation wrote an article breaking down the good, the bad, the ugly.
🦠 On The Rise: The U.S. hit the highest rate of measles cases in over 30 years. Track the spread of cases. 👇🏽
🅧 Stepping Down: That's what X CEO Linda Yaccarino is doing after two years in the position. She didn't share specifics about her reasoning for the departure, but the news comes after X's AI chatbot, Grok, caught fire for problematic comments.
🇷🇺 "Nice, But Meaningless": How Pres. Trump described Russian President Vladimir Putin during a public cabinet meeting this week — along with some choice words. 😬 The comments come after Pres. Trump said that the U.S. will resume sending weapons to Ukraine after a pause last week.
👩🏽⚖️ SCOTUS Decision: The Supreme Court ruled Pres. Trump can temporarily move forward with reductions and restructuring at federal agencies. How this will impact federal workers.
📋 No "Client List": That's what the Department of Justice says about the Epstein files. Critics accuse AG Pam Bondi of saying a client list existed earlier this year, but the White House says she was referring to the entire case file. Reports swirl of discord amongst the administration about this issue.
✈️ TSA: A two-decade policy requiring flyers to take off their shoes during screening is coming to an end. Details remain TBD, but one airport already has jokes. ⬇️
🇺🇸 America Party: Billionaire Elon Musk used July 4th to declare "independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!" While details on the America Party are limited, one thing we know for sure: Musk was the single-largest political donor in the last election.
🎨 Raphael Rooms: The Vatican revealed the Raphael Rooms — named for the famed Italian painter — after a 10-year restoration project. Watch highlights of the restoration HERE.
🌯 Guess Who's Back: SNACK WRAP IS BACK — tell a friend! McDonald's heard cries from many of its customers (including one of our colleagues, Kelly) since 2016 and decided to put the popular item back on its menu.
❌🥳 Sorry For Not Partying: Data shows that between 2003 and 2024, the amount of time Americans spent going to or hosting a social event decreased by 50%. And the number is even higher for younger Americans. Why? One writer goes into a deep dive in this Substack post.
🎙️ This Week From Jenna:
Three key voices on the historic Texas flood that underscore key facts of the story. Plus ~ a bonus: For the first time, Kerrville Community Service Officer Jonathan Lamb reveals new, never-before-heard rescue stories from the tragic flood. 👇🏽
WATCH ABOVE OR BY CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on podcasting platforms everywhere (Apple, Spotify).
🎙️ SCOOP (approx. 57 minutes) The Texas Flood. Listen. (SCOOP Insiders can attend this live broadcast once a week and get their news questions answered; they also receive the special video report EXCLUSIVELY delivered to their inbox along with a "cheat sheet" for the week ahead — learn more HERE).
🎙️ Interview (approx. 36 minutes): “IT HAPPENED THAT FAST …” ~ First-Hand Perspective on the Historic Texas Flood. Watch or Listen.
🙌🏽 What We Found SmartHER This Week:
This week brought us back to the things that really matter and reminded us to always be prepared. My husband, a combat veteran, swears by one piece of gear — his headlamp. From changing a tire in the dark to, believe it or not, changing a diaper, this hands-free light has saved us countless times. Grab a few for the car, your home and travel.
👜 Pricey Purse: The original Birkin just sold for $10.1 million, making it the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction. The new owner? A private collector from Japan.
And that's The Weekend Digest!
❤️,
Jenna and the SHN Team
Daily news, interviews, our latest podcasts and more at www.SmartHERNews.com.
