🇺🇸 2,000 Pounds of Red, White and Blue
We’re still recovering from a whirlwind trip to Philadelphia for a special interview with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. From what happened off-camera to the bigger purpose behind the interview, we’re sharing a closer look at the trip with our Insiders — the community that helps make our independent journalism possible. You can check out a small preview of that post here.
And keep reading for new colon cancer screening options, the “sweet spot” for sleep, faster Wi-Fi coming to some American Airlines flights and centuries-old shipwreck wood turned into fashion.
Up first, a patriotic display at Hoover Dam ... 👇🏽
Credit: U.S. Department of the Interior
“One of the most ambitious patriotic installations ever displayed.”
The U.S. Department of the Interior, announcing an America 250 installation at Hoover Dam featuring red, white and blue lights, along with a massive 300-by-150-foot, 2,000-pound American flag. that went live on Memorial Day. The display debuted on Memorial Day and will light up Hoover Dam nightly, weather permitting, through Saturday, July 4.
🗣️ Your Conversation Starters:
🏩 Expanded Screening Options: The American Cancer Society updated its colon cancer screening guidelines, adding a blood-based test done in a doctor’s office and two at-home stool test options. The update comes as recent data shows an uptick in cases among people younger than 55. ACS still calls colonoscopy the gold standard, but says the most effective screening test remains the one a patient completes.
😷 Optimistic: How American medical missionary Dr. Peter Stafford described his outlook while receiving care in Germany after testing positive for Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Meanwhile, the White House confirmed plans for a health facility in Kenya where Americans exposed to the virus in affected regions could quarantine and receive care closer to the outbreak.
😴 6.4 and 7.8 Hours: The “sweet spot” for a good night’s sleep, according to a new study linking the nightly range to healthier aging. But too much sleep? Researchers found that can carry similar risks as too little sleep — correlating with higher disease risks and all-cause mortality. The CDC still recommends adults get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.
💻 “World of distraction”: How one teacher described student Chromebooks as more school districts rethink technology use in classrooms. In related tech news, the Supreme Court declined to hear Meta’s appeal in a Vermont lawsuit alleging Instagram harms young users through addictive features, allowing the case to move forward. Meanwhile, Meta recently settled with a Kentucky school district over a similar issue.
🏕️ “Kid Safety Has To Come First”: This week on the podcast, Jenna takes a Closer look at summer camp safety with leading advocate Elizabeth Phillips.
💃 Dancing Through Life: Speaking of healthy aging, medical professionals say dance can support older adults’ physical, mental and social health. That message inspired lifelong dancer Carol Ross to create the Rodeo City Wreckettes, a tap and jazz dance group for women 50 and older, more than two decades ago.
🛫 Speed in the Sky: Beginning in early 2027, American Airlines will install Starlink on more than 500 select aircraft, calling it “the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky.”
📕 “Vicious editor”: Vice President JD Vance, jokingly describing his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, and her role in his forthcoming book, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith. Vance credits Usha with providing invaluable feedback and support as he wrote about his faith journey and conversion to Catholicism. Vance says Usha, who was raised Hindu, supported his path back to the church even though she does not share his beliefs.
🙌🏽 What We Found SmartHER This Week ~ Philly Trip Edition:
A few things that helped us get through a whirlwind work trip — from our go-to shoes and camera-ready makeup to the tech we were glad we packed.
“If something this beautiful can be made from centuries-old wood, why do we keep throwing away materials that could still be circulated and reused?”
Aalto University material design expert Pirjo Kääriäinen, on a project that transformed surplus wood from a 17th-century shipwreck into a pair of maxi dresses. Researchers turned the wood into pulp, created fibers, spun them into yarn and knitted the yarn into seamless garments. One dress will appear at an art museum in Finland, while the other will appear at Aalto University.
And that's The Weekend Digest!
❤️,
Jenna and the SHN Team
Daily news, interviews, our latest podcasts and more at www.SmartHERNews.com.
