In a recent survey of 4,000 Americans with disabilities, 95% said that accessible parking was key to their independence, and 85% said they had trouble finding accessible parking in their communities. More than half (52%) reported having to turn back from an errand or appointment because they were unable to find an open handicapped accessible parking space. Some of the biggest problems were spots taken by people who don't really need them, but make an excuse, and the misuse or borrowing of handicapped placards.

PVA was founded by injured Veterans who returned home from World War II but found barriers to independent living that prevented them from finding jobs or using public transportation. Since then, the organization has worked to create a more accessible America. Sadly, for many with disabilities, daily struggles still exist, particularly when it comes to accessible parking.

"People with disabilities deserve better," says David Zurfluh, U.S. Air Force Veteran and PVA national president. PVA has just launched the Honor the Spot campaign to encourage all Americans to be part of the solution.

"It is about educating the public, who may not realize the impact that misusing these spaces, even for a minute, can have on people with disabilities. We want all Americans to join PVA in protecting the freedom and independence of people with disabilities, who may not be able to shop or go to an appointment if the accessible parking is blocked or misused," says Zurfluh.

Issues with handicapped parking are one of PVA members' biggest complaints, and millions of Americans with mobility disabilities are also affected.

To be part of the solution, the PVA suggests people take these steps:

• Don't park in a handicapped spot for any reason, no matter the excuse.
• Don't share or borrow handicap placards.
• Post using #HonorTheSpot to encourage others.

To learn more and pledge to be part of the solution, visit pva.org/HonorTheSpot.

Not that long ago, "sustainability" in the business world was defined as being able to stay afloat even in trying economic times. But these days, when Greta Thunberg may be the most famous Swede since Ingrid Bergman, it's taken on a whole different meaning - what the Harvard Business School describes as efforts to "positively impact the environment and/or society."

Of course, some businesses, like Whirlpool Corporation, have been ahead of the game, and are now setting even higher new targets to tackle climate change.

"We established our first office for sustainability over 50 years ago," said Marc Bitzer, the company's chairman and CEO.

1. Achieving Net-Zero Carbon Emissions in Plants and Operations By 2030

That's the updated commitment to environmental sustainability that the world's leading kitchen and laundry appliance company just announced this month.

To get there, the company has been installing even more wind turbines and solar panels to help power its sites and distribution centers with renewable energy. (It's already one of the Fortune 500's largest U.S. on-site users of wind energy.)

And it's improving efficiency across more than 30 of its manufacturing sites and distribution centers around the world though retrofits.

2. Greening Homes Through VPPAs

That's Virtual Power Purchase Agreements for the uninitiated. Or in other words, agreements signed with energy companies to help fund wind and solar farms to generate renewable energy for the grid.

Whirlpool Corporation's first VPPA project broke ground in Texas in early January. It promises to be the first of many such projects helping to cleanly power not just its own sites but also local homes.

That's right, ordinary people's homes.

3.Innovative Household Products

It shouldn't surprise anyone that U.S. News & World Report named four innovative Whirlpool brand products among the best refrigerators, dryers and washing machines of 2021. Yes, they look great. But they're also designed to be extremely energy and water efficient.

In fact, Whirlpool Corporation has already reduced the emissions linked to its products in use by 60 percent since 2005 and has committed to lowering them by an additional 20 percent by 2030 from a 2016 baseline.

One fun fact for you: Dishwashers save three to four times the water compared to hand washing your dishes. And, hey, they save you about 30 minutes each time too.

4.Helping Even You Reduce Waste Material

Not content that more than 70 percent of its manufacturing sites are already zero waste to landfill, the company aims to make that 100 percent by 2022.

Plus, to tackle other environmental challenges like plastic pollution, it's ramping up the use of recycled or reused materials in its appliances. And guess what? Those high-performance recycled plastics Whirlpool Corporation started to employ in its products means it's making use of you own waste.

"Hollywood Heartbreaker"
by Alexa Aston

Meet the men of Hollywood and the women they fall for in internationally bestselling romance author Alexa Aston's new contemporary romance series, Hollywood Name Game -- five romances sprinkled with humor and a few laced with a bit of suspense -- but all guaranteeing a satisfying, happily-ever-after for these couples. After all, anything can happen in Hollywood.

Can friends become lovers -- and can their love survive -- in a tabloid-happy town that thrives on rumors and backstabbing? In book one, "Hollywood Heartbreaker," being late to an interview lands her the biggest job opportunity of her life. He may be rich and successful -- but he's just this side of miserable. Can a wannabe be The One for the biggest star in Hollywood? Purchase at https://amzn.to/3qvLZuh.

"Cyberjutsu: Cybersecurity for the Modern Ninja"
by Ben McCarty

"Cyberjutsu" is an approachable and enlightening guide to modern cyber security and espionage, based on secret techniques shared in ancient Japanese ninja scrolls. Like Sun Tzu's "Art of War" for Modern Business, this book uses ancient ninja scrolls as the foundation for teaching readers about cyberwarfare, espionage and security.

"Cyberjutsu" brings the tactics, techniques and procedures ninjas used in feudal Japan into today's cyber-security battlefield, creating an essential handbook for cyber defenders. The book uses authentic Japanese scrolls to analyze how real ninjas thought about and practiced information assurance, security, infiltration and espionage that often required covert, unauthorized access to heavily fortified organizations -- many of the same concepts cyber-security professionals deal with every day. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3pmEuWK.

"Turning Points in the History of International Relations, 1908-2008 "
by Yoav J. Tenembaum

Turning points lend significance to historical events and enhance our understanding of historical processes. This book, written for academics and non-academics, defines what a turning point in the history of international relations is and then assesses, in a thought-provoking manner, some of the principal turning points from 1908 to 2008.

The turning points emerge in different forms, whether as international crises, diplomatic initiatives, speeches, telegrams or conferences. They can follow the appointment of a new leader or the staging of a revolution. The aim is to concentrate on the reasons for their being considered such crucial turning points. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3qwA0fW.

"The Cytherean Cycle"
by Josef Chytry

Set in the rich traditions of classical Greek literature, "The Cytherean Cycle" brings together three pathbreaking plays exploiting perennial themes of power, love, tragedy and comedy. "Rhea Silvia" -- "a Womanist Tragedy" -- depicts the fate of her progeny -- the twins Romulus and Rema. "Paris Alexandros" narrates the lasting impact of Paris, mythical judge of Beauty, lover of Helen of Troy and slayer of the great warrior Achilles. "Nausikaa," developing a suggestion that the Odyssey may have been composed by Nausikaa as a female acolyte of Homer, offers a rich and surprising comedy based on that premise.

"The Cytherean Cycle" cultivates an ongoing faculty of thought called Cytherics: the sighting of aesthetic-erotic, or aphrodisian, environments. Purchase at http://bit.ly/3bioWxf.

BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

These children, who are not attending preschool, will enter kindergarten next year without the benefits of a formal education experience and lacking the foundational skills that promote success in school. In Texas, for example, data show that pre-kindergarten enrollment is down by 8 to 12 percent, according to an October 5, 2020, article in the Dallas Morning News. It's a trend in many school districts around the country. An Education Week Research Center survey of nearly 500 district leaders and principals found more than half are seeing a decline in kindergarten enrollment.

The changing school environment has led to a re-assessment of how to provide essential early childhood education.

Learning Without Tears, an EdTech company that has provided pre-K writing and educational materials to parents and teachers for more than 30 years, has developed "Get Set for School" (GSS), an award-winning complete pre-kindergarten curriculum, to meet the needs of preschoolers in home-based, hybrid, and in-school learning environments.

The dual language English-Spanish program is designed to help preschool-aged children reach their important early learning milestones, while keeping them engaged and having fun. The program combines purposeful play, multimodal-multisensory activities, and digital apps and teaching tools.

"Pre-K should be fun and joyful while full of learning that results in children feeling confident about themselves and their abilities," says Dr. Elizabeth DeWitt, an early childhood expert at the center of GSS.

Get Set for School stands out from other preschool programs in part because it is truly age-appropriate, says Dr. DeWitt. "GSS is unique because we go beyond other Pre-K curricula with our research-based focus on the fine motor development of young children," she explains.

"The children build and form letters based on the development of writing strokes and use a different manipulative daily while learning each letter as they progress from building to writing before they are expected or asked to write on paper." Readiness & Writing, an element of GSS, addresses any weakness in writing letters and numbers, alphabet knowledge, as well as connecting printed numbers to quantities.

In addition, the program's interactive Sound Around Letters app allows children to identify, match, and say capital and lowercase letters and receive instant feedback to promote progress and boost confidence. Multi-modality resources allow children with different learning styles to use an engaging animated touch screen to learn number and letter formations.

"We are more committed than ever to ensuring that children are learning whether they are in the classroom or at home," Dr. DeWitt emphasizes. "To equip and support parents and teachers, we have added more videos and distance learning resources to assist with using our unique and exclusive materials in any setting.

Visit LWTears.com for more information about Get Set for School and Readiness & Writing.

In "Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia," which debuts on April 3, viewers are treated to the story of gospel singing legend and civil rights activist Mahalia Jackson.

Jackson began singing in church at an early age and went on to achieve worldwide fame. Her popularity and fame soared with the recording of "Move on Up a Little Higher." Jackson performed in diverse settings for integrated audiences, and supported the Civil Rights Movement with performances at rallies and at the 1963 March on Washington with Martin Luther King, Jr. The film is directed by Tony® Award-winner Kenny Leon and stars Tony Award nominee, SAG and Grammy® Award winning actress Danielle Brooks as the gospel legend and civil rights trailblazer.

Lifetime's April offerings then turn to the darker side with a pair of features, created in partnership with T.D. Jakes, and based on the popular "Seven Deadly Sins" book series by Victoria Christopher Murray. "Lust: A Seven Deadly Sins Story" premieres on April 10 and spins the tale of Tiffanie Cooper (Keri Hilson), a young woman planning her dream wedding to her soulmate, Damon (Tobias Truvillion). The plot thickens when Tiffanie develops intense feelings for Damon's old friend Trey (Durrell 'Tank' Babbs), who appears on the scene to serve as best man. However, Trey is fresh out of prison, with a checkered past and unsavory motives that threaten to sabotage the happy couple.

"Lust" is followed by "Envy: A Seven Deadly Sins Story" on April 17. Gabrielle Flores (Rose Rollins) has it all, with a devoted husband, and beautiful daughter, and one of the best PR firms in the country. However, when Gabrielle meets a half-sister she never knew she had, things get complicated. Gabrielle, who grew up an only child in privileged circumstances, is thrilled to welcome a sister, but Keisha (Serayah) grew up with nothing, and her envy of Gabrielle takes a sinister turn.

All three movies are part of the network's global Broader Focus initiative, dedicated to supporting and hiring female directors, writers, and producers, including women of color. Robin Roberts and Linda Berman are executive producers for "Mahalia", joined by first-time co-executive producer, Danielle Brooks. Shaun Robinson is an executive producer on "Lust" and "Envy" and Star Victoria makes her directorial debut in "Lust." Both "Envy" and "Lust" are based on books by author Victoria Christopher Murray.

Visit mylifetime.com for more information.

The programming kicks off on January 23 at 8 pm ET/PT with "Salt-N-Pepa," a three-hour Lifetime original movie about the groundbreaking hip-hop duo, starting with their days as students at Queensborough Community College and their first recording experiences.

The story details the duo's unprecedented success as the first female rap group to go platinum, and features several of the duo's hits, including "Let's Talk About Sex," "What a Man," "Shoop," and "Push It."

The movie also explores Salt-N-Pepa's impact on hip-hop culture, with their frank lyrics about men and sex that paved the way for future female rappers. The movie stars GG Townson as Cheryl "Salt" James and Laila Odom as Sandra "Pepa" Denton.

Following the movie, the Emmy® and NAACP award-winning Loni Love hosts a documentary, "Let's Talk About Salt-N-Pepa," featuring exclusive interviews with Salt and Pepa about what makes their partnership work, and their ongoing influence on the music world.

Next up, on January 30, "Wendy Williams: The Movie" airs as the first biopic about Wendy Williams, outspoken television host and self-proclaimed "Queen of all Media."

Executive produced by Wendy Williams, the movie tells the story of her career path from her early days as an urban radio host and how she overcame obstacles both personal and professional to achieve her goal of having her own syndicated talk show. Despite all the naysayers and obstacles Wendy encountered throughout her life, her strength and determination have allowed her to thrive. Ciera Payton plays Wendy Williams, joined by Morocco Omari as Wendy's ex-husband, Kevin Hunter.

The film is followed by the documentar "Wendy Williams: What a Mess!" in which Ms. Williams gives a raw and emotional interview.

Finally, "Whitney Houston & Bobbi Kristina: Didn't We Almost Have it All," a two-hour documentary scheduled for February 6, explores the emotional story of Whitney Houston and her daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and their parallel stories, including the pressures of life in the spotlight and struggles with drugs and alcohol.

The program includes conversations with friends and family for a candid look at the ups and downs of the lives of this famous mother and daughter.

Visit mylifetime.com for more about Lifetime's winter programming and other events.