t’s kind of a big deal.” To this day, that simple phrase is burned in my memory. I was so oblivious to something happening so close to home. Before Idaho experienced a total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, my brother-in-law Tim called me. It was at least a year in advance if not earlier. He asked if he could stay at our house for the eclipse. He loves science and astronomy, so I was happy to oblige. Full confession: when he called about visiting us to see this solar thing, I had no idea what he was talking about. Looking back, I can’t believe I was so clueless.

I assured him he could stay with us, and even though I would most likely be at work on that day, he was more than happy to check out whatever this science thing was. I quickly forgot about his request and went on with my life. Then, as we got closer and of course everyone was talking about how cool the eclipse was going to be, I started paying a little more attention.

Our area began preparing for the influx of visitors who would come from miles around and from neighboring states to view the total solar eclipse. It finally occurred to me that this wasn’t just a science thing that only my brother-in-law was interested in. I remember talking to my wife and stressing the importance to her that this “thing” Tim is referring to is kind of a big deal. It’s safe to say that was an understatement of momentous proportion. She just laughed at me. I guess I was the only one who didn’t know how unique it is to be able to view a total solar eclipse without leaving your hometown.

At the time, it was the first total solar eclipse to visit the contiguous United States since 1979. It was also the first coast-to-coast U.S. total solar eclipse since 1918. As luck would have it, Southeast Idaho was directly in its path. It really was a big deal.

Fast forward to last fall when I first started seeing the America250 celebration logo in ads. Again, showing my ignorance, I thought the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a pivotal moment in U.S. history, was worthy of celebration, but I don’t feel I truly grasped how significant this milestone really is.

This year we’ve seen nationwide festivities promoting community engagement, as we reflect on the nation’s values and achievements over the past two and a half centuries. Everything seems to be ramping up for the Fourth of July holiday, and I’m excited to celebrate.

If you participated in the state-wide challenge to record 250,000 acts of service before July I applaud you. Notice I used the word “record” and not just “do” that many service acts in the first six months of 2026. That’s because the great state of Idaho has never needed to be reminded to do kind things for our neighbors. The real challenge was getting us to record what we do every day anyway. Turns out Idaho didn’t need until July, the challenge was easily met by May and the city of Idaho Falls recorded over 130,000 alone.

I’m sure you’ve noticed a different feel-good vibe this year in your circles as we head towards the Fourth of July holiday. For over 30 years, the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration—the largest Independence Day fireworks show west of the Mississippi River—has been dazzling spectators with a high-flying, ground-shaking, adrenaline-filled fireworks display. Thanks to the generosity of Frank VanderSloot, the founder and executive chairman of Melaleuca, the celebration 250 years in the making is sure to be bigger and better than ever. I’m gearing up for an epic celebration that I’m sure we’ll be talking about for years! Why? In case you haven’t caught on, celebrating the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence is kind of a big deal.