Spotlight

Hunter Biden Federally Indicted

"This is really happening ... (and) we just watched Lahaina burn." 

Maui resident and mother Pamela Reader recalls the moments before and after one of the deadliest wildfires in American history – a fire she describes moving at an almost incomprehensible pace, leaving only minutes to evacuate her family, including her husband, Keenan and their two daughters, 14-year-old Kaia and 12-year-old Ellie. While the Readers lost their home and most of their belongings to the blaze, the family remains resilient in the face of uncertainty: "The Reader Family is built on love," said Keenan. "We feel we are the fortunate ones. We got out alive." 

Maui Resources mentioned by the Reader Family: 

https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/

A local family shares their story. Plus ~ How you can help.

Escaping One Of The Deadliest Fires in U.S. History 

Journalist Hollie McKay joins us to discuss Afghanistan as we reflect on the nation now under Taliban control as we mark two years since the fall of the country and the U.S. withdrawal.

Hollie shares her experience reporting in a city suddenly taken over by the Taliban in August 2021, effectively trapping her with no escape. She eventually finds her way out of the country only to return and stay as one of the few western journalists to witness life under the "new" Taliban rule. She also returned in the fall of 2022 to observe the changes in the country and shares what she has now heard from friends and contacts still living in country.

Along with her important insight, Hollie also shares about her next adventure.

"Afghanistan: The End of the US Footprint and the Rise of the Taliban Rule"

Journalist Hollie McKay joins us to discuss Afghanistan as we reflect on the nation now under Taliban control. 

Two Years Since The Taliban Takeover 

As the stars of HGTV's hit show "Home Town," Erin and Ben Napier have created a variety of ways to enrich the lives of others - from taking "sad homes and making them happy" as their daughter Helen describes their home renovation program, to building a business highlighting American-made craftsmanship called "The Laurel Mercantile." 

But now the Napiers are adding a new project to their palette, a nonprofit platform to connect parents who want to help their children have "social media free" childhoods called "Osprey" which stands for "Old School Parents Raising Engaged Youth". The grass root effort is not only inspired by Erin and Ben's love for their own two daughters, but a reflection of shared experiences and values of close friends and family. 

As Erin and Ben say in the interview - Osprey helps us build nests for our kids - "so they can soar."

HGTV's Erin and Ben Napier's New Passion Project

From "Home Town" To Home Front

Here's a direct download link for the interview below on podcast: 

Police make a surprising arrest in a murder mystery spanning more than a decade. Is the man currently in custody responsible for one of the most infamous crimes in America today? Hear from an investigative reporter who spent 8 years traversing the area central to these crimes. Alexis Linkletter's personal perspective will illuminate one of the darkest cases to date and provide hope that this arrest may lead to answers. 

Listen to Alexis' incredible series on the Long Island Serial Killer on her podcast "Unraveled," and check out her weekly podcast "The First Degree." 

 is ad-free – that's because we want to make sure to make news consumption easy and seamless in your day. Please consider joining SCOOP – our insider community of contributors to SmartHER News. For less than a cost of a cappuccino, you'll receive special reports once a week, with a cheat-sheet of news. We think it's "smarter" :) Click here for more: 

Investigative reporter Alexis Linkletter illuminates one of the darkest cases to date.

Is This Mystery "Solved"? The Long Island Serial Killer

Here's a direct download link for a podcast: 

"Dear Soldier, ..." and so begins a letter penned to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the birth of a new nation. 

The author of this letter - Air Force veteran, Stacey Ferguson, Historic Camden Foundation, felt compelled to write it after joining a team who carefully excavated the remains of 14 soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. 

The soldiers, laying in shallow graves since 1780, received proper military graveside honors in 2023. 

Stacey placed her letter in their coffins. 

Stacey describes this life-changing experience, and shares a story that many of us don't know about the American Revolution and one of the deadliest battles for American forces. 

The soldiers remain unidentified at the time of this conversation but now, they do not remain unknown.

Wishing you a Happy July 4th - Thank you for choosing SmartHER News.

For more on preserving battlefields across America: 

Considering supporting a free press this Independence Day - Here's how you can shop SmartHER Gear (

join our weekly insider report called SCOOP

 ~ where we give you a foundation for the week ahead and a peek at the editorial decisions made in newsrooms everyday around the world). 

A Special Conversation To Celebrate America: The Battle Of Camden

Dear Soldier, ...

Listen on podcast platforms everywhere under "SmartHER News":

Here's a 

 to David Satter's previous interviews that date to the beginning of Russia's war with Ukraine 

Author and Journalist David Satter on the mutiny aimed at Moscow.

Unraveling A Russian Revolt

Our Interviews with journalist David Satter:

Context: What To Know About Putin's Russia

Review: Journalist David Satter

"We're basically spending more to finance the borrowing of the past than investments in the future." 

Maya MacGuineas has led the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget for two decades, placing her center stage to confront BOTH political parties on their management of our nation's fiscal health. 

Our SmartHER interview provides an insider's perspective on America's debt and why it matters – with a personal touch! (Listen for the big life event that happened on the same day that Maya got her job!) 

A must-listen on a topic we all know, we should know more about ~ a brewing fiscal storm that has the potential to impact all of our lives for years (and generations) to come.

A conversation with the President of the nonpartisan Committee For a Responsible Federal Budget, Maya MacGuineas.

SmartHER Take: What Is The Fiscal Health In America?

A quick answer to one of our top questions this week on student loans - specifically, what's part of the debt ceiling deal and what's not!

There are two separate and big programs that (potentially) have effected you or your friends/family on student loans.

These plans also impact your money (as a taxpayer) even if you're not a borrower!

Here's a quick explanation as part of our weekly SCOOP.

Keep your questions coming! hello@smartHERNews.com

 (you receive our exclusive weekly report in text, audio, video on what to know and why it matters!).

What's Going On With Student Loans?

More than 20 stories claim to have inspired Memorial Day, so which one is the "right" one? We take a closer look at the holiday honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice and the remarkable journey to our shared traditions.

Origins of Memorial Day

I was honored to write the cover story for

 for their May Women's issue. Although we likely live in different communities, I think this message resonates regardless of geography and it just feels right to share it on Mothers' Day weekend! I think of us 

 as pioneers, on the frontier of a new age in journalism. Thank you for being an invaluable part of this journey. ❤

I often look out across the land of Dripping Springs and wonder what these Oak trees have seen — curious about the stories of souls who have passed underneath their branches on foot, or horseback, or a Ford F-350 Super Duty pick-up truck. I think of the women, who in wool dresses in the middle of summer, cooked over an open fire, and I marvel at the strategy and skill required to simply feed a family (without “Dino Nuggets” or running water). I drift to thoughts of loss, grit and the hard days that many experienced — and the immense courage and hope in the future that must have pulsed through their veins like the inspired freshwater springs here — cool and steady — magnifying during those moments where the night of heartbreak felt all too dark and the quiet light of dawn all too far away.

What a life so many forged here to follow their dreams.

100 years ago, on this same land, families emerged from war and pandemic, charting a way forward. 100 years later, we share this familiar storyline — in many ways different but still confronting those same timeless questions ranging from the daily (“Mom, what’s for dinner?”) to the deep: “What truly makes us FREE?”

We find ourselves in a developing story and that’s why good journalism matters.

And also why it needs to come from somewhere in the middle.

Here in Dripping Springs, I live almost equidistant between my two previous lives — 1740 miles to the rolling, fog-laced hometown of San Francisco and 1768 miles from the screaming streets and electric lights of New York City. The contrast of these experiences leaves me more disoriented than I would like to admit.

I’m Texan by marriage. Six years ago, when we moved suddenly to the Hill Country, I had never heard of “Dripping Springs.” But the place and the people have changed my life forever at such a critical chapter.

I wish I could report to you a smooth transition, but the reality is best expressed by a treasured gift I received from special friends here, Todd and Megan White — a painting of Todd’s interpretation of Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz,” falling from the sky — with heavy lashes and red heels against a bright, floral graffiti background. She looks how I have so often felt, tumbling into Texas in an unexpected plot twist.

Working as a national news anchor in New York City wasn’t my original goal. I wanted to work as a broadcast journalist, but it didn’t seem probable. After graduating with a master’s degree in journalism, I was rejected from most jobs I applied for across the country (including Texas), but right when I decided to accept whatever came next, word spread of a new television network launching in Manhattan — a network looking for “fresh” faces — and in a moment, my rejection became a blessing. I anchored the first broadcast of the Fox Business Network and three years later, co-hosted my own two-hour weekday show on the Fox News Channel.

I worked on the national stage for a decade — until I chose to walk away in 2017. And that happened due to two important roads converging.

The news changed. My show covered news of the day or “straight” news — breaking headlines, live reports and interviews on a variety of topics, from the weather to scientific discoveries and politics (with balance). I loved learning, and sharing the news with our viewers; I felt especially helpful during chaotic and confusing times. But several years into the job, a slow-burn of anxiety started to keep me awake at night. The network was changing — as were so many others — investing in opinion programming, and prioritizing debate panels and commentary over the news. This concerned me, but it really bothered our audience, who regularly told me they wanted less arguing and more clarity on the key issues. I became increasingly alarmed about the future — and the survival of nonpartisan news for the people we promise, as journalists, to serve. I knew some difficult decisions lay ahead.

Separately, my view of women changed. My life entered a new level of joy AND complexity — I had two children aged two-and-under. My career supported our family as my husband built his new business. I felt the weight so many women shoulder, trying to balance it all. And despite all the discussion during the #MeToo movement, of which Fox News found itself at the center, none of the talk seemed to lead to practical solutions for women at work or at home. Many of my best friends — single women, stay-at-home moms, corporate bosses, young women — all felt the same about the news. They felt they did not have time, or the patience required to sort through the partisan press for what’s really happening; Even if they had a few minutes, they didn’t know who to turn to or who to trust. And consistently, they felt if they fell behind, they couldn’t catch-up (not only just in the news, but in life). I felt this way too and my experience put me in a unique position to help.

These revelations ignited a purpose to build a solution in news — something new, different and smarter.

Because women really matter — not because men matter less — but women matter in ways we don’t often directly discuss.

Regardless of region, religion, age or demographic, if you’re an American woman, you are arguably the most sought-after entity in the world. As the CEO of your household, you are the most attractive target for advertisers, and any company (like media giants) that thrive off those advertising dollars. You are the #1 consumer of goods in the #1 economy in the world. What a Fortune 500 CEO says about the state of business may momentarily shift the stock market, but what a busy mother buys at Target at 10 a.m. on Tuesday sends ripples through the global economy (and en masse, arguably more). More women vote than men, and vote at higher rates than men. Women can decide who gets elected and who stays in power, all the while *also* birthing and raising the next generation of leaders. Your actions as mothers, voters, and consumers have an outsized impact on not only the direction of America but the entire world.

Everyone, everywhere, wants your time, energy and attention. No wonder you’re exhausted!

Which makes prioritizing American women, and delivering news to them in an accessible way, critically important. So, I started with a basic premise: What would happen if the news industry put HER first?

Quick, concise, nonpartisan news for busy Americans.

Instead of trying to serve everyone all at once, I started with my peer group: The American woman. How could I structure the news so I could serve her better?

I thought of what I knew of my core consumer. When women go out to dinner, we order appetizers instead of entrees and share — so I’ll deliver news in a similar way: small bites of high quality, shareable information. If she can easily consume trustworthy news as a regular part of her online diet, news will become more seamless with her life and she’ll accumulate a lot of current event knowledge quickly over time. She doesn’t have to show up anywhere (not an hour, not a date, not another task) — we’ll exist on the platforms she uses most to serve her best — like Instagram — and be there when she needs us, or when she’s on her regular scroll. We’ll show respect through our fierce dedication to nonpartisanship — She doesn’t need another opinion; she is already smart. She just needs trustworthy information, a clear view of both sides of the story so she can make up her own mind and a reliable pathway to more information.

Our guiding light: curiosity over commentary.

I launched SmartHERNews.com in the living room of our first Texas home in Driftwood in 2018. It publishes online and across social media platforms, including to a quarter of a million Instagram followers. During certain news cycles, we reach an audience larger than my show on Fox News.

While the majority of our audience consists of women, turns out if you deliver nonpartisan news in a slightly different fashion, men like it too!

This sounds impressive, but this frontier remains wild and untamed. I struggle to wrap my hands around what I helped build, protect it and ensure it grows in a healthy way. In that way, entrepreneurship is like motherhood — with many peaks and valleys.

I remember a distinctly low moment in a Schlotzky’s bathroom on Highway 290 shortly after I moved to Texas, where I had my two toddlers, in need of a nap, hysterically crying in a metal bathroom stall — their screams echoing so loud that I literally sank to the ground and put my hands over my ears. I wanted to cry too but they both needed their diapers changed. When we walked out of the bathroom, sweaty and tear-stained, the whole place turned to stare at what was causing that racket. I looked up at the TV, broadcasting my old show, in a perfectly lit, air-conditioned studio.

At that moment I wondered: “What did I do?”

But I chose this chapter based on solid information.

I no longer work in a fancy studio, but I have my integrity. And on the hard days, that fact and the cappuccinos at 

We can’t choose certain parts of our story, but we can choose others. And that’s why a healthy, free press matters, so we’re fully equipped to make the choices we need as voters and citizens about the directions of our own lives.

We live in a unique country that despite all its challenges provides us opportunity to change and recreate our own stories over, and over, again — where a mother of three can broadcast from her home, reporting opposing viewpoints of those in power. Few places have such liberty.

If you walk across the bridge on Mercer Street, not far from the banks of Onion Creek, you can read a beautiful quote by historian Robert Shelton etched in stone.

“With a past firmly rooted in faith and civic pride, we face the future with confidence.“

It brings tears to my eyes, because that’s how I think of the here and now — the new and old stories intertwine like the roots from the trees that so often canopy above us. The oaks reach tall. The families stand strong. And the next chapter continues to develop with the frontier of possibilities stretching out before us as endless as the Texas sky.

🍃,


A New Frontier

On Wednesday, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, also known as "The Nation's Report Card") released results from their latest assessment which tested around 8,000 eighth-graders in U.S. history and 7,800 eighth-graders in civics during early 2022. The NAEP's last assessment in these subjects – which measures students understanding of government principals and the significance of civic participation – was given in 2018. 

On average, eighth-graders scored 150 out of 300 in civics, with only 22% of students at or above the NAEP's Proficient level in the subject (

). (See a graph of eighth-graders' past civic scores 

 On average, eighth-graders scored 258 out of 500 in U.S. history, with only 13% of the students scoring at or above the NAEP's proficient level (

). Since 2014, eighth-graders scores in U.S. history have declined. (See a graph of eighth-graders' past U.S. history scores 

"included open-ended questions that asked, for example, for students to name one advantage of having the government operate programs to provide for the needs of people, and to describe a way that political candidates use technology during political campaigns" (

 asks students to determine which of the following (in a provided list) is a right in the Constitution's Bill of Rights. 

 For perspective on how eighth-graders have historically scored in U.S. history and civics assessments by the NAEP, the average scores of eighth-graders tested in both U.S. history and civics have never reached at or above NAEP's proficient level since the organization began testing in these subjects in the 1990s. Of 2022's results, National Center for Education Statistics Commissioner Peggy Carr said,

 "Self-government depends on each generation of students leaving school with a complete understanding of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship. But far too many of our students are struggling to understand and explain the importance of civic participation, how American government functions, and the historical significance of events." 

, where you can see the different questions asked for each grade level and for each subject tested by the organization – Test your knowledge! 

Highlights from the NAEP's U.S. History Assessment

Highlights from the NAEP's Civics Assessment

Read our report on the NAEP's recent assessment on reading and math scores for fourth- and eighth-graders 

How Do We Improve Our "Nation's Report Card"? 

A snippet from SCOOP! Is there a bigger story behind Tucker Carlson's departure from Fox News? Is the media "too big to fail"? Where is the line between personal freedom and freedom of the press? 

A snippet from SCOOP! Is there a bigger story behind Tucker Carlson's departure from Fox News? 

Tucker Carlson – Something To Consider 

Every week, our SCOOP insiders receive a special report. Our goal? You have a great foundation for the news week so you're 1) "in the know" and 2) can spend less time on social media/internet and more time on your owns story. We received 

 on this ruling that will allow the drug to stay on the market for now with new restrictions. The Supreme Court remains the possible next destination. 

Questions/Concerns? Let us know! And if you believe in SmartHER News – consider becoming an insider for about $1 a week: 

A quick cheat sheet on what to know about the so-called abortion pill and why it suddenly has burst onto center stage. 

Quick SCOOP: The "Abortion Pill" 

Why were two lawmakers expelled in Tennessee? Why does it matter? What's next? And something to consider as we ponder this week's news cycle.

Quick. Concise. Nonpartisan. Thank you for your support of SmartHER News!

Coffee Talk

A quick coffee talk on the big story as we end the week.

What Happened To The "Tennessee Three"? 

Grab a cup of coffee, bring your questions, concerns, and thoughts. This is a moment for a deep breath and a gentle review of this week's top story: the school shooting in Nashville. Jenna will report on the key facts, answer your questions, and provide some insight on a few of the most discussed headlines. A live event to both understand and decompress. ❤️

A deep breath and gentle review of this week's top story: The school shooting in Nashville.

Coffee Talk With Jenna

Inna provides a window into her life, professionally and personally, living at a time of war – mapping out what's at stake for her, her country and her 10-year-old son (who makes a special after-school appearance). 

To listen to this interview in podcast form, click 

A wide-ranging conversation with member of the Ukrainian parliament and mother, Inna Sovsun.

SmartHER From Inside A Country At War 

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) caught many off-guard. Here's what you need to know and why it matters. 

The Second Largest Bank Collapse in U.S. History

"We just want to know the truth, and we want to know if our family is safe," 

explains Heather Beresford, one of four mothers who joined SmartHER News for a wide-ranging conversation from those who experienced the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, first hand. 

You'll hear from residents Heather, Misti, Kari, and Jess about their experiences from the night of the train derailment onwards — from scary moments, quick evacuations, and lingering concerns. 

Now, more than two weeks since the accident, all four have returned home but still have questions about the greater impact the derailment might continue to have on themselves, their families and their community at large. 

It’s a truly eye-opening conversation and provides some SmartHER lessons about what to consider in the event of a major emergency in your own hometown.

 or tap screen below - Also available on podcasting platforms everywhere or 

Photo cred: Misti Allison, February 3, 2023, East Palestine, Ohio

Ohio’s Toxic Train Derailment

"Our men and women in uniform should not be paying for the weapons being designed to kill them." 

Just one of many revelations from author and analyst Gordon Chang in this wide-ranging interview on America's current state of affairs with China, including how Gordon says some investment funds for U.S. government workers are actually going to support Chinese companies working against America. 

Listen to this interview on podcasting platforms everywhere 

Listen to why Gordon believes the world has never been closer to a nuclear exchange than now ... and what we can all do to stop it. 

BTW - follow Gordon on Twitter - Gordon "G" Chang: 

If you want to be part of the next live audience for interviews like this, join 

 - for less than a price of a latte, you get the SCOOP on this week's news and become part of getting the SCOOP on a whole range of issues, like China: 

SmartHER With Gordon Chang: Beyond China's Spy Balloon

What we learned about the latest jobs report.

How Are Layoffs Counted? 

A once “high-valued” detainee was released from Gitmo this week. 

Will Gitmo finally close? Is it an example of the American justice system “working” or its ineffectiveness? 

Writer & war correspondent Hollie McKay joins us to talk about her recent trip to the home of infamous prison… and shares a very unique interaction with one of Gitmo’s most famous former prisoners.

A once "high value" detainee "resettled" - Will the notorious prison finally close?

Quick. Concise. Nonpartisan.

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