The Weekend Digest: "The Sounds of Spring" 🐦
Before we get to the news, a Saturday morning moment of zen: listen to birdsongs from your neck of the woods, thanks to The Washington Post.
And speaking of birds, the National Park Service managed to capture an actual photograph of us this morning:
🗣️ Your Conversation Starters:
🇸🇻 "Unjust": A Maryland senator met with El Salvador's VP, advocating for Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s release. Later, he met with Garcia himself. The case is complex — here’s a thought-provoking look at both sides of the story.
🦷 Brush up on both sides of the debate: Fluoride in drinking water is being studied and there's different opinions on the matter. One side says get it out, the other side says keep it in. This NYT article from December explains how the topic is "nuanced."
⏰ Holiday hours: Which stores are open Sunday, which are closed. You better grab those last-minute Easter basket gifts via Target curbside now. 🎯
☔️ 5 million: The number of Americans in the Midwest who will experience a stormy Easter Sunday.
🥔 Are potatoes the new Easter egg? With the high cost and short supply of eggs, a new contender for an old tradition emerges.
🐣 Easter Monday?! Speaking of Easter, a Republican senator recently proposed new legislation that would make the Monday after Easter a federal holiday. Here's why.
🛍️ Shop til you drop. Monthly retail sales show many consumers did just that in March.
🐖 Pig livers saving lives? Potentially! The FDA just approved a first-of-its-kind study giving liver failure patients some hope. Think dialysis, but using a pig's liver.
🦑 Capturing the ocean's hidden creatures– by film, not literally. Scientists released footage of a bright yet translucent squid in the South Atlantic ocean. The mysterious animal is expected to grow to over 1,000 pounds.
Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute
🎙️ This Week From Jenna:
On Monday, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake shook Southern California.
Surveillance video captured reaction from around the state - but one video in particular went viral: Elephants forming an “alert circle.” 🐘 Get the story behind the viral moment. 👇🏽
WATCH ABOVE OR BY CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on podcasting platforms everywhere (Apple, Spotify).
🎙️ SCOOP (approx. 41 minutes) Are Married Women Losing Their Right To Vote? 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).
🎙️ SmartHER Series (approx. 28 minutes): The first of two interviews with different perspectives on the same hot topic: education in America. First up is Former Sec. of Education under the Obama administration, Arne Duncan. Watch or Listen.
🎙️ SmartHeR Series (approx. 24 minutes): The second interview on education in America. Meet Erika Donalds, Chair of the America First Policy Institute’s Center for Education Opportunity. Watch or Listen.
🎙️ Quick Hit (approx. 17 minutes): China vs. USA: WHO WILL WIN the Tariff War? Watch or Listen.
🙌🏽 What We Found SmartHER This Week:
Jenna found THE shorts of summer – trust her on this. She already has them in multiple colors. Yes, they're that good. And they pair well with some of her favorite spring tops.
"And the greatest of these is love". We'll leave you with an encouraging message King Charles shared ahead of Easter.
And that's The Weekend Digest!
❤️,
Jenna and the SHN Team
Daily news, interviews, our latest podcasts and more at www.SmartHERNews.com.
