The U.S. Surgeon General has declared a public health crisis of loneliness and social isolation.

New research from Colorado State University suggested Americans are pretty happy with the number of friends they have, they just want to spend more time with them.

Natalie Pennington, communication studies researcher at Colorado State University and co-leader of the American Friendship Project, said she was eager to learn more about how interactions across a person's social network -- from Facebook acquaintances to forever besties -- can affect people's lives.

"Understanding how, over time, how changes in our relationships might affect our well-being," Pennington outlined. "Things like life satisfaction, loneliness, stress, connection, disconnection."

Researchers looked at three different surveys conducted by the American Friendship Project starting in 2022, and found 98% of respondents said they had at least one friend. Three in four American adults said they are satisfied with their number of friends but just half said they're satisfied with the time spent together. Four in 10 said they want deeper connections with the friends they have.

Pennington pointed out people did lose some friends during the pandemic, a time of prolonged social isolation, especially relationships with weaker bonds. But she added many friendships grew closer.

"Your closest friends, you actually kind of strengthen those because now, suddenly you can't see each other," Pennington explained. "We have this need to belong to each other. We're reaching out and deepening a few connections, even though we might lose some as well."

Maintaining connections with friends, especially those who now live far away, can be challenging. Pennington emphasized there are ways to remain close if you do not have the time or resources to meet up in person.

"In the absence of that, knowing that there are little ways we can connect, sending emails, sending a text message, phone call, voice memo, those are ways that we can sustain that relationship," Pennington concluded.

North Texas leaders are celebrating today's opening of the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington.

The museum is dedicated to highlighting the stories of the nearly 3,500 service members who have been awarded the nation's highest honor. The opening coincides with National Medal of Honor Day.

Chris Cassidy, CEO of the museum, said the facility is unlike any other military or war museum.

"We've paid a lot of attention to telling a broad swath of stories - from the Civil War to present day - of all branches of service, of all hometowns and states and ethnicity," Cassidy outlined. "Just kind of covering a broad section of America, because the Medal of Honor recipients really do represent America."

At the museum 75 Medal of Honor recipients from Texas are recognized. The $290 million structure has classrooms and spaces for meetings, memorials and ceremonies.

Tuesday is the 162nd anniversary of the day the first Medal of Honor was awarded. Only 61 recipients are still living. Cassidy pointed out the museum will be a place where the public can interact with the heroes.

"In the ensuring weeks and months, we have several programs that we'll put on in the museum, where folks can come and listen to their stories live and ask the Medal of Honor recipients questions in person." Cassidy explained.

Cassidy added the museum is already giving back to the community by working with kids in its Leadership Institute.

"We're actively right now delivering programs on character excellence to youth - particularly seventh and eighth graders," Cassidy emphasized. "It's not just a museum. (The) museum is going to be amazing but we want to be able to transmit those stories around the country, and that's where our Leadership Institute comes in."

The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In 2020, the Cameron Peak Fire burned more than 200,000 acres, destroyed 469 structures and forced the evacuation of more than 6,000 residents in Colorado.

Since then, researchers have documented how the scars of wildfires influence adaptation, build resilience and offer insight into how communities can better prepare for and recover from natural disasters.

Pilar Morales-Giner, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Granada in Spain, said as wildfires scorch forests or communities, they also affect our connection to the places.

"In addition to this tragedy of losing a home, when a fire burns an emblematic community building, for example, or a trail or a forest that we usually go to, this also affects what connects people to places," Morales-Giner explained.

Colorado State University researchers interviewed 34 Larimer County residents, local leaders and environmental organizations to learn how the largest wildfire in Colorado history affected them. The results, "Ash Everywhere: Place Attachment and Meanings in the Aftermath of Wildfires," were recently published in Sage Journal.

Anne Mook, senior team scientist for the Institute for Research in the Social Sciences at Colorado State University, said wildfires are incredibly disruptive for people's lives and stressful to people's mental health. But she added people are also drawn closer together after natural disasters to rebuild homes, schools and churches, which strengthens social bonds and resilience.

"There's also this message of hope that these kinds of events can be a catalyst for growth and unity and building new and stronger connections with our environment," Mook observed.

Researchers also found communities affected by wildfire are more open to different mitigation strategies, including prescribed burns, which improve soil health and help trees grow faster.

"These things that initially were very much met with resistance now are much more embraced and people are learning," Mook noted. "These are practices that have been used for a very long time, for example, in the U.S. South, but also by the Native Americans."

This story is based on original reporting by Stacy Nick for The Audit.

A new State of the Commonwealth report by Old Dominion University finds Virginia had a strong year in 2024. But researchers say challenges remain.

The report finds housing will be a major issue in the state, as local governments work to address housing shortages and zoning laws.

Virginia had its fourth straight year of economic growth in 2024, ranking as the number one state to do business.

Bob McNab, professor of economics at Old Dominion University, said the overall outlook for Virginia in 2025 is positive. But he said a number of factors may impact that forecast.

"We saw inflation decelerate, real wages - that's wages after inflation - rise, jobs continue to increase," said McNab. "As Virginia enters 2025, it is in a good position to continue growth."

McNab did warn that international trade, immigration, and the status of the federal workforce could impact Virginia's economy.

Despite data that points to a strong economy, consumers aren't quick to agree.

The report finds consumers still feel less optimistic about the state of the economy than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Higher prices on goods and services because of inflation have driven that sentiment. McNab said people interact with prices daily - and their paycheck may be once or twice a month.

That, he said, leads to the data not coinciding with consumer feelings on the economy.

"And since 2019, real hourly earnings have increased after accounting for inflation," said McNab. "People's wages have outgained inflation. But they don't feel like that has occurred because they see prices much more frequently."

The report also finds Virginia's unemployment rate is nearing record lows.




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