3 Up
1. Solar Eclipse - A super rare occurrence that admittedly went overlooked due to the chaos happening in the world. It's a reminder that there is beauty on this earth, and we screw it all up by being, well, us.
2. $1.73B Powerball Jackpot Winner - A lucky winner won all that money. 1 person. I hope they use it well.
3. Junk Fees Bill - I'm adding this to the "Up" for extreme practicality with a touch of levity. We all despise these fees that drive up costs and bust our budgets unexpectedly. I'm for this bill - get it done.
3 Down
1. War in Gaza - Another week since the madness began in the Middle East and the violence and devastation continue to pile up. Please continue to pray for peace. The people in the region need it - the world can use it.
2. Social Media - The images and videos online are horrific. Even worse, the amount of graphic material and misinformation continues to flood social media making an already horrible ordeal much worse. Protect your kids. Use caution with what you view and believe. There are families on the other side of all of this.
3. Low ACT Scores - I still think our deteriorating education system is a major concern for our future. With already reports of low math and reading overall performance, we now see that college-bound students are testing worse (and worse).
Cover Photo
The moon passes between Earth and the sun during the annular eclipse of the sun in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.
Rick Bowman, AP