Many misconceptions persist about sun protection and skin cancer, especially among people of color.

"The misperception that people of color don't need sunscreen is one we need to change because we do burn and we are susceptible to skin cancer just like everyone else," says Lavdena Orr, MD, a chief medical officer with AmeriHealth Caritas, a health care organization dedicated to the care of those most in need.

"Ultraviolet rays don't discriminate against skin type, so avoiding sunburn is the primary way to reduce one's risk of developing melanoma or any other type of skin cancer."

Although overall rates of melanoma may be higher among whites, African-Americans are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage when the cancer is more severe and the prognosis is less favorable, according to a 2016 study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Ginette A. Okoye, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and chair of the department of dermatology at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C., adds that in people of color, skin cancer may be more likely to develop in less obvious areas, such as the feet or nails.

"In some cases, excessive sun exposure is not necessarily the trigger for this type of cancer in skin of color," according to Dr. Okoye. However, she notes that individuals with darker skin are at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency because "the pigment in our skin filters out sunlight which we need to produce vitamin D in the skin."

Therefore, she recommends vitamin D supplements if needed and a vitamin D-rich diet, including salmon, tuna, and mackerel.

In addition, Dr. Okoye reminds her patients of all ethnicities to pay attention to three areas:

- Face: Wear sunscreen daily, or use hats or visors to help protect facial skin from direct sun exposure.

- Left side: The left arm, as well as the left side of the face, get a lot of sun exposure while driving. Add some sunscreen or a light, long-sleeved shirt if you have a long summer drive ahead.

- Cuts and scrapes: Areas of any sort of skin trauma need extra protection to reduce the risk of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

For more information, visit amerihealthcaritas.com.

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends these basic tips for sun protection:

- Clothing: Look to long sleeves, wraps, and sarongs to shield your skin.

- Accessories: Hats and sunglasses can keep your face, neck, and ears safe and comfortable in the sun. Umbrellas work, too.

- Timing: Try to avoid excessive sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when ultraviolet rays are the strongest.

- Sunscreen: When you are outdoors, use sunscreen. And reapply every two hours if you are swimming or sweating heavily.

UP Faith and Family (UPFF), the streaming service developed by UPtv, offers commercial-free, family-friendly entertainment, including the popular series Heartland, which airs its 200th episode this season.

Heartland, a multi-generational family drama set on a horse ranch in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, is in its 12th season, and remains popular with viewers who value the family bonding time as much as the program itself.

"From day one, I've felt such a strong connection with all of the actors," says actress Amber Marshall, who plays lead character Amy Fleming.

"I think that makes our show special, because when people watch Heartland, they can see that we genuinely love one another, and I think that's important."

Heartland is filmed and produced in Alberta, Canada, and the stunning scenery adds to the show's appeal.

Viewers of all ages and demographics can relate to the family drama, love, and fun, not to mention the beautiful horses. Longtime fans have followed the characters and their stories for years. Storylines include the relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and brothers and sisters, as well as interactions between humans and horses that create moving and powerful plot twists.

Even after 12 seasons, Heartland remains consistent in its goal of providing programming that parents need not fear will be inappropriate for children.

"We need shows that have good wholesome values, and a show [where] people can sit down with their families and feel good about it," Ms. Marshall adds.

In honor of the 200th episode, UPFF will present Heartland: Through the Years, a special program featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the principal actors, producers, horse trainers, and other members of the crew.

UPFF is available anytime for uplifting entertainment suitable for all ages, including kids' programs, documentaries, and reality series. Families can download the app or visit Upfaithandfamily.com for more information about subscriptions and a 14-day free trial.

The SVOD service is available on all major mobile and streaming platforms, including iOS/iPadOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Roku, Fire TV and Xbox. It is also distributed by many partners, including Amazon Prime Channels, Xfinity, Dish, Sling, Cox and The Roku Channel.

This year, Cooper Tires is encouraging drivers to mark Labor Day weekend (and the first of every month) as a tire check safety moment, to make a habit of checking tires, especially as seasons change.

"Just as we regularly take a moment to check our smoke detector batteries when we change our clocks in the fall and spring, we need to designate a moment to check tire safety as well," says Jessica Egerton, Director of Brand Development at Cooper Tire & Rubber Company.

Checking the overall condition of your tires is easy and important for your safety on the road. Your tires are the only parts of your vehicle to come into contact with, and keep you connected to, the road.

The recommended tread depth is more than 2/32 of an inch deep. Do your tires meet this minimum, or are they too worn? Would you know if they are? An easy and quick way to tell is to stick a penny into the tread with Lincoln's head facing down. If the tread covers the top of his head, you're good to go. If not, time to replace the tire.

Ensuring your tires have the recommended tread depth can help in a variety of ways, including maintaining traction on the road, keeping control of the car, and preventing hydroplaning or sliding.

Don't be under-pressured, either.

Tires not inflated to the recommended level of pressure can lead to tire failure, uneven wear and cause your car to use more gas.

Try this 10-minute safety check from Cooper Tires:

* Check the tread. Use the U.S. penny/Lincoln's head method. Insert the penny into the tire tread, with Lincoln's head down and facing you. If the top of his head is visible at any point around the tire, there is too little tread, and it's time to replace the tire!

* Check the pressure. Look on the vehicle doorjamb, glove compartment, fuel door or owner's manual to find the recommended pressure for your tires. Press a tire gauge on the valve stem. Too low? Add air. Too high? Push down on the metal stem in the center of the valve to release some air. When you reach the recommended pressure, replace that valve cap. Also, don't check pressure right after driving. Wait at least three hours until the tires are cool.

* Check your look. Inspect your tires for cuts, bulges, cracks, splits or punctures. When in doubt, ask a tire professional for an inspection.

Visit coopertires.com for more information about tire safety and more details on how to take make your tire safety check moment a regular habit.

However, nothing quite replaces the in-person contact with family, and family reunions continue to remain a popular way to connect.

In fact, technology makes organizing a memorable event easier, as family members near and far can collaborate on a date, time, and most importantly, location.

When organizing a family reunion, the first rule of thumb is to start scouting locations that are easy to reach from many locales. Travel hubs such as Dallas, Denver, and St. Louis are always popular. Smart families book spots a year in advance.

Another tip from experienced family reunion planners: find a hotel that specializes in group experiences.

The Magnolia Hotel Collection, for instance, has locations in a range of family-friendly cities, including Dallas, Denver, Houston, Omaha, and St. Louis. And a New Orleans property adjacent to the French Quarter is scheduled to open later in 2019.

The recently renovated Denver and Houston properties are especially convenient for guests who want easy and walkable access to downtown shopping, dining, and nightlife.

Standard features of all Magnolia hotels that make them well-suited to family reunions are:

- Comfort and care. Magnolia guests enjoy amenities, including complimentary internet access, fitness facilities, and transportation to local attractions.

- Professional planning. Magnolia staff are experts in event organizing; their customized services include creating menus for any meal and coordinating onsite or off-site activities and entertainment for a range of ages and interests.

- A place for everyone. In addition to luxurious rooms designed to accommodate guests of all ages, Magnolia hotels feature a variety of common spaces, including lounges and meeting rooms that can be used for larger group gatherings and smaller meet-and-greet events.

"With an inviting spirit and dedication to making guests feel instinctively cared for, you'll discover a genuinely attentive environment with a modern essence," according to the company.

Visit magnoliahotels.com for more information about how the Magnolia family of hotels can make your next family event memorable, and check out the hotels on social media by searching for Magnolia Hotels on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

With a secluded beachfront location on the northwest (or Caribbean) side of the coast of the island of St. Lucia, Calabash Cove offers privacy and luxury for adults only.

The Calabash Cove guest list includes singles and couples, some honeymooners, some celebrating an anniversary or other special event, and others looking for a simple but elegant getaway with some personal space and well-prepared meals. Visitors come from the United States, Canada, Europe, and around the world.

The resort and spa is a full-service resort: the optional Unconditional All-Inclusive package covers all food and drinks including room service, daily specials, an in-room bar, lobster when in season, and more than 20 wines by the bottle from the resort's extensive wine list. Tips and Wi-Fi are included as well.

Part of the resort's appeal is its promise of intimacy - only 26 suites, all with a king bed, Jacuzzi, double vanity, rain shower, private balcony or patio, ocean view and cable TV. The resort is built along a sloping hill and was designed to complement and harmonize with the natural surroundings and offer guests full benefit of ocean breezes and sunset views.

The property includes a private beach with nearby coral reef, as well as tropical gardens and groves of trees to set the scene for reflection and relaxation.

Calabash caters to a quieter crowd, says owner Konrad Wagner

"If guests like a large, noisy, and ordinary resort, Calabash Cove Resort & Spa may not be best for them," he explains.

"A crowd for many of them is when three couples decide to charter a boat for the day to visit the Pitons for snorkeling."

Calabash guests "enjoy dinner music every night at a volume suitable for a conversation," he adds.

However, guests looking to sprinkle their serenity with activity can take advantage of a Cybex cardiovascular fitness center, or get out on the water with kayaks, paddle boards, and snorkeling gear, all available at no additional charge.

Calabash Cove is ideally situated five minutes north of Castries and five minutes south of Rodney Bay Village, with approximately 40 bars and restaurants to cater to a range of tastes when guests crave a change of scene.

Visit calabashcove.com for more information.

Yes, we're talking 529 plans. They've been around since 1996 - longer than most Generation Zers have been alive - but a new survey from Edward Jones found that a whopping 67 percent of Americans don't have a clue that they provide a tax-advantaged way to save money for tuition, books and other qualified education-related expenses at most accredited two- and four-year colleges, universities, and vocational-technical schools. Worse still, that 67 percent figure is 5 percent higher than the first time the survey was done in 2012.

"It's a concerning trend," says Tim Burke, a principal at the financial services firm Edward Jones.

"Concerning" because of the current average price tag of a four-year degree, including tuition, room and board: $21,370-a-year at public schools, according to the College Board, and $48,510-a-year at private schools.

And just how do those surveyed think they're going to handle that freight?

* Personal savings accounts (38 percent). Alas, the national average interest rate on such accounts is a measly 0.09 percent. Try covering even the more than $1,200 the average college student spends on books and materials over the course of a year with that.

* Scholarships (35 percent). Is your kid a bona fide child prodigy or football star? Because Sallie Mae's "How America Pays for College" 2018 report found that only 17 percent of college costs were paid this way.

* Federal or state financial aid (33 percent). Pell Grants are the largest source of federally funded grants, and they max out at $6,095 for the 2018-19 academic year. That would cover about 28 percent of one year's $21,370 average cost at a public college - except that, as the College Board explains, "most students receive smaller grants because they are enrolled part time or because their family income and assets reduce their aid eligibility."

* Private student loans (20 percent). According to the Brookings Institution, parents who take out loans - not the financially strapped Millennials we've heard so much about it - do so to the tune of $16,000 a year on average, and nearly 10 percent are on the hook for $100,000. "College debt is increasingly becoming a parent problem, too," ConsumerReports.com just warned.

Given all that, you can see why Kyle Andersen, another principal at Edward Jones, says that "by relying on scholarships or federal or state financial aid that a student may or may not receive, Americans leave themselves vulnerable."

Which brings us back to 529 plans.

Kudos to the 18 percent of those surveyed who said they'd implemented this strategy, which Edward Jones and others call "an attractive and practical way to save." How so? Remember when we said they're tax-advantaged? That means that (unlike personal savings accounts) the earnings in these plans - typically comprised of a portfolio of funds - accumulate tax-free, and that qualified withdrawals are exempt from both federal and state income taxes.

The federal gift tax exclusion allows a contributor to give up to $15,000 per year, per beneficiary, or $30,000 for married couples. Though almost every state has its own 529 plan - with total limits sometimes reaching more than $500,000 - there's no "home-town restriction," so you might want to work with a local Edward Jones financial advisor to compare plans and review your situation.

Oh, one other thing less than half of those surveyed knew: 529 plans can also be used to pay for qualified K-12 tuition.