(NewsUSA) - A third of U.S. Governors have recognized window film as a cost-effective solution to reducing energy costs in homes, protecting skin and home decor from the sun's damaging UV rays, and enhanced window glass safety. The International Window Film Association (IWFA) is sharing recent proclamations kindly made by those governors on its website.

"Consumers and government officials are zeroing in on window films as a cost-effective energy saving solution designed to reduce high utility bills and carbon emissions and they can be installed at about one-tenth the cost of a re-placement window and offer similar performance ratings," explains Darrell Smith, executive director of the IWFA.

Window films, which may be installed in a day or less without significant disruption, are widely seen to save about five to 10 percent of a building's total energy bill. Many window films, which are all permanently adhered to the glass, are also designed to block 40 to 60 percent of room heat being lost through glass during the heating season while still reducing air conditioning costs by 30 percent during the cooling season.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), cooling and heating account for more than half of the energy use in a typical U.S. home, making it the largest energy expense for most homes. The DOE also points out that roughly 40 percent of unwanted heat that builds up in a home comes in through windows and that windows also account for up to 50 percent of a building's energy loss.

Consumer awareness of the energy saving benefit of window film has increased nearly 50 percent in eight years, from 54 percent of Americans in 2014 being aware that window film can help control interior temperatures, to 79 percent of homeowners this year being aware that window film may improve the energy saving performance of their existing windows today.

While window films differ in how they perform based on how they are manufactured, they can reduce solar heat gain in your home by as much as 80 percent. This means fewer if any hot spots, more even interior room temperatures and less power consumption so your air conditioning system may keep up with the sun's heat.

This benefit is especially noticeable when the sun is at it's peak energy transmittance during the day, which is when utility companies have to produce more power to meet the increased peak demand from both homeowners and businesses. Find window film at www.iwfa.com

(NewsUSA) - As the ongoing coronavirus pandemic highlights the importance of maintaining good health, many Americans continue to struggle with the cost of health care, especially prescription medications. In fact, many people are overcharged for medications, even for generic drugs, according to leading experts and as highlighted in a 2018 in-depth expose' shown on PBS.

MyFreePharmacy, a new membership service launched in 2017, makes paying for prescriptions easier and more affordable. The company offers more than 600 medications for a flat monthly fee that includes standard shipping. Strategic partnerships make it possible for MyFreePharmacy to control costs and make prescriptions more affordable for everyone, including those without health insurance. MyFreePharmacy also offers a more affordable option for those whose insurance deductibles are so high that they never meet them, which means they typically pay full price for medications.

"MyFreePharmacy currently mails out truckloads of FREE prescriptions nationwide every month to our members," says founder Doug Behrens. "The program is a game changer -- where else can you get FREE prescriptions? We want to make a difference out there, and we are doing it for our members, one prescription at a time," he explains.

The membership plan involves four easy steps.

- Sign up. Simply visit myfreepharmacy.com/join to sign up for a membership card.

- Search. Review the MyFreePharmacy list of medications. They offer not only prescription drugs for chronic and acute conditions, but also over-the-counter products such as acetaminophen, allergy medications and vitamins.

- ePrescribe or Transfer. Your prescriptions can be transferred or e-prescribed by your doctor, who can send prescriptions with the click of a button. Or if you are transferring a script, MyFreePharmacy will handle it for you while you sit back and relax.

- Receive. Your medications are processed and shipped the same day and will be delivered to your home in one to three days.

MyFreePharmacy is working to change the way Americans get their prescriptions. They take the stress and high costs out of the equation by helping consumers control their costs without sacrificing quality. For safety and security, all medications are shipped through the U.S. Postal Service, with a standard shipping time of one to three days.

For more information, visit myfreepharmacy.com/join.

(NewsUSA) - We all do it: we let over-the-counter (OTC) medicines like pain relievers for a headache, allergy medicine or cough and cold products pileup in our bathrooms. Especially over the past few years, you may have let medications linger in the house past their expiration dates. But old and unneeded medication should be disposed of safely, and springtime is the perfect time to get it done.

Proper medicine disposal keeps our homes and communities safe and our environment clean, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), the national trade association representing manufacturers of OTC medicines.

"Medication safety is everyone's responsibility, and proper medication disposal is an important part of medication safety," says Anita Brikman, Executive Director of the CHPA Educational Foundation, which is a 501c3 organization focused on promoting the safe use, storage and disposal of OTC medicines and dietary supplements to consumers. "How you dispose of unwanted, unused, or expired OTC medicines is important and easy," she says.

So clean out your medicine cabinet this spring, and choose one of these three quick and easy disposal methods:

- In-Home Disposal. Many OTC medications, and some prescription medications, can be thrown out with your regular trash at home. Mix the medicine (do not crush any tablets or capsules) with some especially unappealing trash, such as kitty litter or used coffee grounds, and place the mixture in a sealed plastic bag. Then put the bag in your usual household trash bin, and you're done.

- In-Store Disposal. Many pharmacies provide designated kiosks where you can bring any medication, OTC or prescription, for safe disposal. The website MyOldMeds.com has a zip code locator tool to find more than 22,000 verified sites nationwide that offer free medicine-disposal options all year long.

- Take-Back Events. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducts national Drug Take-Back Day events, and the next one will occur this year on April 30.

These events, which are set up temporarily at convenient community- based locations throughout the country, serve as an opportunity to return medications safely as a friendly public-service reminder to clean out your medicine cabinet.

Visit KnowYourOTCs.org for more details about safely disposing of medications at home, and visit MyOldMeds.com to find secure and safe disposal locations near you.

(NewsUSA) - Summer 2022 promises to be particularly challenging as it relates to America's home energy costs due to a confluence of three events - rising temperatures, costs and demand - resulting in homeowners facing an intensified fight to keep bills at bay.

The Farmer's Almanac predicts a "Sizzling Summer Ahead" stating this summer weather is going to be remembered as a hot one nationwide. Second, homeowners are experiencing a "rate shock" as the global energy crisis drives up prices with energy costs up 25.6% year over year, according to the Consumer Price Index. Third, there is surging demand due to our post-pandemic "hybrid home" dynamic. Studies support this trend with 83% of workers believing a hybrid model would be optimal going forward, according to an Accenture survey, and 87% of managers believing working from home is the future, according to Remote-How research.

The good news is that families can offset this "Utility Bill Trifecta" by following a few simple tips. With home heating and cooling accounting for nearly half of home energy use, small steps can go a long way.

* Ease Into Electric: According to Columbia University's Earth Institute, electric systems are a solution to decarbonize home climate control. Among the most energy-efficient heating and cooling products, electricity-powered ductless mini-split systems, offered by companies including Fujitsu General America, can save as much as 25 percent on your energy bill. Mini-splits use thin copper tubing to pump refrigerant from an outdoor compressor directly into an indoor air-handling unit, where the air is quietly distributed to the interior space.

* Get "Smart" About Climate Control: When it comes to smart home temperature control, there are Smart HVAC Systems and Smart Thermostats. Smart HVAC systems have built-in Wi-Fi and can be controlled directly without additional equipment. Smart Home Thermostats create "smart" systems by enabling remote temperature control via a mobile or Internet-con-nected device or voice-operated home automation system.

* Voice Your Preference: Take control of your comfort. Most HVAC manufacturers offer apps that enable systems to be controlled from anywhere using a mobile device. Voice-control capability uses digital assistants, like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, to verbally dictate home temperatures. Easily controlling the temperature more closely, allows homeowners to be more comfortable and improve energy savings.

* Find Your Efficient Comfort Zone: Many of us live in homes designed for bigger families, but have yet to downsize. If you find yourself using a fraction of your home on a regular basis, consider upgrading to a zoned ducted, or ductless system. That will allow you to save energy heating and cooling spaces where you and your family don't spend a lot of time. This will multiply savings as you're not only needing less cooling but you also gain from a more efficient system in the spaces you do still use.

* Try Low-tech Fixes: Simple changes can have a big impact. Try to use heat-producing appliances -- stoves, irons and dryers -- at night or early morning. Switch to LED light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs - which consume 90% more power. Seal air leaks around windows, doors, and places where pipes and wires come through walls. Check existing caulking and weather-stripping for gaps or cracks.

Curbing energy bill costs can be more than just a summer dream. If a new system is right for you, many Fujitsu systems with the Energy Star rating are more than twice as efficient as the minimum standard set by the government. To learn more or find a contractor near you, call 888-888-3424 or visit www.constantcomfort.com.

(NewsUSA)

“An Upside-Down Sky”
by Linda Dahl

When Lidia, a blocked Latinx artist in her sixties, goes on a group tour of Namyan, a fictional Southeast Asian country reopened to the world after a long dictatorship, she gets much more than the vacation she thinks she’s signed on for. Against a backdrop of pagodas and enigmatic customs, she and the disparate crew of 18 Americans encounter one adventure after another -- experiences that challenge their assumptions about their host country’s placid surface of beautiful pagodas and wandering Buddhist monks.

Lidia finds companionship and sexual pleasure with Haynes, a Black man seeking adventure. They watch the nighttime sky, and the stars look upside-down -- a metaphor for Namyan as a foreign place for her. She enjoys Haynes but is conflicted. The final chapter reveals a secret and her steps towards a new freedom. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3rAGBd7.

“Love…as of late”
by Adrienne N. Wartts

How do you respond if a loved one you lost touch with suddenly reappears in your life? Celebrating National Poetry Month, “Love … as of late” is a poetic narrative about a man and woman who desired to be together despite the geographical distance between them. Years after losing contact with each other, she discovers he has passed away.

As she reflects on memories of their past, grief turns to comfort when the Holy Spirit reveals he has received the gift of eternal life -- an affirmation conveyed through a series of synchronicities that demonstrate how love, hope and faith work together to provide a glimpse of the potential promises God has planned. Purchase at https://bit.ly/337q1bn.

“Celebrities Against Violence: Case Studies in Speaking Out”
by Truman R. Keys

Violence is more than an issue in America; it is a pandemic. Its negative impacts and corrosive character are undeniable, whether you are a victim, a bystander or a professional tasked with public health and safety. Violence itself does not discriminate, affecting individuals regardless of class or social standing.

This book spotlights the celebrities and their loved ones who have experienced various types of violence and survived to tell their stories to the world. Whether they encountered self-harm, bullying, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, family abuse, home invasion, gun violence or police brutality, these public figures were able to work through their trauma and share their tales of survival. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3gRNfFP.

“Leave No Trace”
by Tim Mulholland

In this mystery thriller, Fred, a skilled backpacker in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, stumbles upon a woman who has been kidnapped. Kim, a leading computer scientist, has created a security tool that is thwarting the efforts of an international computer hacking group, and the group seeks to neutralize her or bring her to their side. To keep her out of trouble, mercenaries capture her, seclude her in a house, and take her to the mountains to keep her away from computers and rescue.

Fred works out with Kim how to get her safely back to civilization. The story involves Fred’s backpacking trip, Kim’s kidnapping and the amazing story of how they continue backpacking together and then create their rescue in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3JbEH8w.

NOTE: BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - Interest in, and demand for ,personal financial advice has never been greater in the United States, due in large part to the aging of the Baby Boomer generation. At the same time, the demographics of wealth in the country are changing. The purchasing power of Black and Latino communities continues to rise, women control one-third of household financial assets, and about $30 trillion in wealth is projected to shift to Millennials.

The current financial planner workforce, however, does not reflect these realities. There are more CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professionals over the age of 70 than under the age of 30. Among the more than 92,000 CFP® professionals, only 23% are women, and about 8% are Latino and 7% are Black -- all smaller proportions than the broader U.S. population.

The gap between the current state of the financial planning profession and what is needed in this shifting landscape presents big career opportunities for aspiring CFP® professionals, particularly female and minority candidates.

If you're looking for a rewarding and flexible career, financial planning could be a good fit for you. Here are four benefits of financial planning careers:

1. Opportunity to make a difference. CFP® professionals help people in important, life-changing ways. By taking a holistic look at their clients' finances, CFP® professionals help families build wealth, manage financial challenges and achieve their goals.

2. Career flexibility. You may choose to work for a large firm, a small company, a bank or a broker dealer. You may decide to start your own business. About 20% of personal financial planners are self-employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

3. Work-life balance. Financial planning careers offer the flexibility to balance professional demands with your personal life, whether you are making time for family or for other activities that are important to you.

4. Financial rewards. Financial planning careers offer excellent income potential that is comparable to other distinguished careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for personal financial planners is $89,000.

The CFP Board Center for Financial Planning offers a variety of resources and programs to help you launch a financial planning career, including a Guide to Careers in Financial Planning that provides information on career paths for financial planners and the types of firms that hire them. The Center also administers scholarship programs that help cover the costs of education requirements for CFP® certification, as well as a mentorship program that can connect you with experienced CFP® professionals. Visit CFP.net/Center to learn more.

(NewsUSA) - Whether you're creating a beautiful avocado rose or whipping up a creamy avocado dip, California avocados are the must-have ingredient for your springtime charcuterie boards, sure to impress any guest! Whether you fancy savory or sweet, adding California avocados to your charcuterie board can help take your hosting skills to the next level. Plus, your guests will love that you included the California avocado trifecta -- taste, texture, nutrition. With fresh and delicious fruit available now through summer, the California Avocado Commission encourages consumers to get creative in the kitchen and experience the great taste and creamy goodness that in-season California avocados have to offer.

Featured on the Food Network, Hallmark Channel, E! and more for her impressive charcuterie boards and entertaining skills, food stylist Meg Quinn joins CAC in celebrating the season by developing a drool-worthy charcuterie board inspired by California avocados, a heart-healthy superfood. One-third of a medium avocado (50 g) has 80 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, making it a nutrient-dense choice.

"Entertaining is my passion, and there's nothing better than incorporating fresh, locally sourced produce on board creations," said Quinn.

"I love to add vibrant colors and versatile ingredients, which is why in-season California avocados pair beautifully with other flavors, elevating any dish and recipe. As the girl that adds avocado to every order, it only makes sense that I add them to my boards as well."

You can channel Quinn's creativity when you prepare her savory California Avocado, Cheese & Charcuterie Board, featuring a mouth-watering California Avocado Goat Cheese Dip with Crispy Prosciutto and served alongside a variety of meats, cheeses and fresh, colorful produce. To view Quinn's other board creations, such as her California Avocado and Fruit Board featuring Chocolate California Avocado Dip and Honey Citrus California Avocado Dip, or to learn about California avocados, visit CaliforniaAvocado.com.

California Avocado, Cheese & Charcuterie Board featuring California Avocado Goat Cheese Dip with Crispy Prosciutto

Recipe created by Meg Quinn for the California Avocado Commission. 

Serves: 4 

Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients 

• California Avocado Goat Cheese Dip with Crispy Prosciutto (see make-ahead recipe below)
• 2 ripe, Fresh California Avocados, halved, peeled and thinly sliced
• 7.5 oz. Brie wedge
• 11 slices Spanish Manchego
• 8 oz. white cheddar cheese, crumbled
• 2 oz. sliced dry salami
• 1.5 oz. sliced soppressata pepper-garlic salami
• 4 oz. salami secchi, sliced
• 1 (5.3-oz.) package dried oranges
• 2 bunches seedless red or purple grapes
• 1 pint raspberries
• 1 cup olives
• 1/2 cup whole peeled almonds
• 1/4 cup honey
• 15 crostini or pita crackers

Instructions: Make the dip following directions below. Place on serving board or tray, and artfully arrange the California avocado slices, cheeses, meats, fruits and remaining ingredients around the bowl, filling in any gaps.

California Avocado Goat Cheese Dip with Crispy Prosciutto

Ingredients

• 2 slices prosciutto
• 1 ripe, Fresh California Avocado, seeded, peeled and cubed
• 4 oz. plain goat cheese softened to room temperature
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp. pepper, or to taste

Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degreeF. On a parchment-lined baking tray, line up prosciutto without overlapping, and cover with another sheet of parchment paper and another baking tray. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until crispy; do not overcook or burn the prosciutto. Remove and cool.

Combine remaining ingredients in a food processor, and pulse until combined and smooth, scraping down sides as needed; do not overmix. Alternatively, mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl, with a fork until smooth. Transfer dip to a serving bowl and crumble crispy prosciutto on top.

(NewsUSA)

 "Hooker Avenue"
by Jode Millman

 Amid a violent Hudson Valley thunderstorm, Jessie Martin discovers a woman lying unconscious in a roadside ditch. The badly beaten victim, Lissie Sexton, a local prostitute, claims she's escaped the attack of a killer.

Jessie's more than a casual driver who passes by; she's a criminal-defense attorney. And Lissie is more than an ordinary hooker; she's the key witness in a cold case under investigation by Jessie's estranged longtime friend, Detective Ebony Jones. And now Ebony can't find her witness. Jessie's new boss has sent Lissie into hiding. If Jessie reveals Lissie's location she compromises her client, her firm and her professional ethics. If she doesn't, she risks alienating not just Ebony, but the entire police department backing her. Purchase at https://amzn.to/35HKsgk.

"To Kill a Ghost"
by J. Warren Weaver

When Erik's grandfather is murdered on the front steps of his home, Erik is forced to put medical school on hold and deal with his grieving family. When the case runs cold and things don't seem to add up, Erik finds himself leading his own investigation into the grisly murder.

As Erik becomes embroiled in escalating acts of violence, a message from beyond the grave activates his hidden skills -- a set of skills carefully planted in him by his grandfather, Victor. By the time Erik realizes what is happening, he is involved in drug-dealing, kidnapping and organized crime. Unexplained murders seem to follow him, but the deepest secret is still to come. Can Erik face the truth about Victor's past and how it affects his own future? Purchase at https://amzn.to/3uSUd3W.

"Awake Beloved and Arise"
by Linda Huntzinger Calhoun

From a variety of voices, "Awake Beloved And Arise: Transforming Suffering Into Strength" tells compelling true stories of the difficult challenges life can bring. It explains why life is sometimes so hard and provides powerful inspiration to help us deal with our own trials and be stronger because of them.

From CEO to high school dropout, each of us faces unique challenges on our personal journey. Drawing on her experiences as a leader in Personal and Professional Development, as a Christian spiritual instructor at the County Jail, and from her own life as a single mother while suffering a disabling illness, the author gives practical tools and motivation to help us develop into the person God wants each of us to become. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3ufgsCb.

"If Not You, Then Who? We're Going Green!"
by David and Emberli Pridham

The Inventor's Fair is finally here, and this year's theme is "Going Green!" Noah has been tinkering for weeks but he's worried: can one invention make a difference? Join Noah to learn about the different ways we can all go green and make the world a better place.

If you like fun, informative, and factual kid's books such as "The Magic School Bus," then you'll love the new STEM series "If Not You, Then Who?", a recent Amazon bestseller geared for four- to eight-year-olds. The books are fun to read for both adults and children and can be read on multiple levels. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3yJZU3M.

NOTE: BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - Scuba diving can be an exotic and enriching activity for anyone, but for individuals with a range of physical or cognitive disabilities, the unique weightlessness of the underwater environment allows them to exercise, relax, have fun and gain confidence like no other experience. Children and adults with challenges, including traumatic brain injuries, amputation, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and blindness can enjoy the physical and psychological benefits of scuba diving.

Diveheart, a Downers Grove, Ill.,-based nonprofit tax-exempt organization, has been helping youth, veterans and others with disabilities through adaptive scuba and scuba therapy since 2001.

Last year, Los Angeles filmmaker David Marsh accompanied a Diveheart team on a scuba trip to Cozumel, Mexico, to make a documentary about the organization and its mission. For Marsh, the experience was life-changing, as he completed the trip and his filming despite the tragic personal loss of his son to a drug overdose just one week earlier.

On the last day of the trip, Marsh shared his loss with the Diveheart team.

"David Marsh is amazing and awesome. Despite his loss and grief, he soldiered on and captured the spirit, love and hope that emerges from every Diveheart trip," says Diveheart's founder and president, Jim Elliott.

"He captured the essence of our mission and shared the real-life experience of what Diveheart does to help those with disabilities experience freedom underwater."

In the documentary, every day embraces a theme; day one is trust, day two is freedom and day three is adapting. Audiences will see how Marsh translated the feelings of the adaptive divers, who shared their losses, struggles, fears and hopes.

"We are so grateful to David for capturing Diveheart in action," Elliott emphasizes. "My hope for this documentary is to raise awareness to Diveheart's mission: to revolutionize rehabilitation by using zero gravity underwater to help those with everything from mobility issues to chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. We help our participants find that self-confidence, personal strength and independence, and we will continue to do so in the years to come."

The documentary, "Adapting To Dive," premieres at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave. in Downers Grove, Ill.

Visit diveheart.org for more information about Diveheart. To see a trailer of the documentary, click here. Tickets are $12 for general admission and accessible seating.

For more information about the documentary and tickets, click here.

(NewsUSA) - Toys for Tots is the Nation's flagship children's Christmastime charity, but the Program extends to helping children and families in need year-round. The Toys for Tots Youth Ambassador Program was established in 2020 to celebrate the energy, enthusiasm and pure generosity of exceptional young people around the country who volunteer their time serving underprivileged children and help teach the value of service to others of the next generation.

In 2020, Toys for Tots President & CEO Lieutenant General James Laster learned of two outstanding young individuals from Texas, Christopher and Taylor Bracey, who were going above and beyond to serve those less fortunate in their community. After traveling to Texas to meet the siblings, LtGen Laster appointed them as Toys for Tots' first-ever Youth Ambassadors, and in 2021 the Youth Ambassador Program was expanded to include eight additional members across the Nation who have also distinguished themselves with their volunteer efforts for Toys for Tots.

A Youth Ambassador is a member of a select group of our Nation's youth who serve as volunteer representatives of Toys for Tots by helping to inspire others with their positive interactions with community involvement with the Toys for Tots Program. The Youth Ambassadors are nominated by their local Coordinator and are then selected to represent their respective Regions for a one-year term.

"Kids helping kids," is a powerful message that resonates among all demographics whose active engagement becomes contagious in helping those less fortunate," says LtGen Laster.

Youth who apply and are invited to become Ambassadors work with their local Toys for Tots Coordinator, who will serve as a mentor for the children and their parents.

Youth Ambassadors are selected to represent their local campaigns because they have gone above and beyond in their communities to help those less fortunate and engage community members on behalf of Toys for Tots. Each of the current Youth Ambassadors support local toy drives and distributions during campaign season, as well as other endeavors throughout the year such as, sending baskets to military members, assisting with food drives and helping with church charities, and exhibiting tremendous leadership skills as Officers in the Young Marines Program.

The 2021 Youth Ambassadors are Taylor and Christopher Bracey, Mila Lang, Rorilynn McClay, Mary Wohlwend, Janah Moorer, Leah Hutchinson, Susan Suber, Kimber Doyle and Natalie Dahm.

These extraordinary young people continue to make a difference in their communities through peer awareness and working with their local Toys for Tots campaigns on a range of projects to help those less fortunate, while also maintaining high academic standards at school.

Visit toysfortots.org/youthambassador to read more about the outstanding Youth Ambassadors and their endeavors!