(NewsUSA) - As the school year comes to a close, many parents enter one of the most stressful planning seasons of the year: summer break.

For working families, summer often means trying to coordinate a complicated mix of half-day camps, extended care options, babysitters, and vacation days all in an attempt to ensure their children have a safe place to be while parents work and spend their days involved in engaging activities that combine fun with learning.

Traditional summer camps frequently run only a few hours each day, and often only for a week or two at a time, leaving families to tackle the challenge of multiple camp registrations across the many weeks of summer, as well as arranging transportation to and from camps and coordinating additional care when their work schedules don’t align with camp schedules. That patchwork approach can quickly become expensive, time-consuming and difficult to manage.

“Parents have enough stress on them; summer shouldn’t add to their plates. The biggest challenge for many families is not finding activities for kids, it’s finding a summer solution that offers flexibility, full-day schedules and engaging activities, preferably in one place” said Michael Barre, Regional Manager for Champions programs in Illinois. “That’s why we expanded our before- and after-school programs to include full-day camp during summer break. We’re able to offer all-day enrichment activities children want to participate in with hours that better align with the workday of their parents.”

Full-day programs like Champions feature rotating weekly themes, hands-on STEM activities, creative arts, outdoor games, literacy experiences, and collaborative projects designed to help children stay active and socially connected while school is out.

Flexibility has become another major factor for families navigating summer schedules.

Programs offering week-by-week registration are especially appealing to parents trying to balance vacations, travel and changing work commitments without paying for unused weeks of camp.

Affordability remains top of mind as well. Child care and camp costs can add up quickly over the summer months, leading many families to seek programs like Champions that accept state or local tuition assistance, as well as employer-sponsored child care savings options and sibling discounts.

More information about Champions’ summer programming is available at DiscoverChampions.com.

(NewsUSA) - National Foster Care Day, observed on the first Tuesday of May, serves as a reminder of the hundreds of thousands of children across the United States in foster care who need stability, encouragement, and hope. The Marine Toys for Tots Foster Care Program’s Room for Joy initiative stands ready to support children navigating the foster care system based on the belief that even a single donation can create meaningful impact and make Room for Joy in the heart of a foster child.

Imagine being a young child or teen, suddenly removed from everything familiar and handed a single bag in which to hold your life’s belongings. This is the painful reality for more than 400,000 at-risk children, including those in foster care, in the United States today. That’s why, this National Foster Care Month, Toys for Tots’ Foster Care Program is highlighting the profound impact supporters can have on young people facing the uncertainty of the foster care system.

In 2025, the Program partnered with local organizations nationwide to deliver emotional‑relief packages that included toys, books, backpacks, and educational resources to nearly 375,000 at-risk children, including those in foster care. These items did more than bring temporary comfort; they reassured children that even in moments of upheaval, there is still Room for Joy.

“Our Foster Care Program is about far more than delivering toys or books—it’s about restoring hope, creating moments of stability, and reminding foster children that they truly matter,” said Lieutenant General Jim Laster, USMC (Retired), CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. “Because of our donors, we’re able to create real Room for Joy—one transformative gift at a time.”

The generosity of donors extends far beyond the walls of foster homes—it creates lasting, lifechanging impact, as illustrated by the powerful story of United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Taylor Bills.

LCpl Bills grew up surrounded by instability. He moved frequently between parents, watched his siblings move through child protective services, and navigated a childhood shaped by uncertainty. Yet even amid adversity, he discovered moments where there was Room for Joy—often through acts of giving. He volunteered with local foster care organizations and eventually with his local Toys for Tots Chapter, an experience that left a permanent imprint.

LCpl Bills recalls standing in a school gym filled with toys during a Toys for Tots distribution event. As he watched children—many of whom reminded him of himself—walk away smiling with something new to call their own; he felt a deep sense of connection and purpose. “I recognized some of the kids, and being able to watch them receive a gift and respond with a smile was really heartwarming,” LCpl Bills shared.

Determined to change the trajectory of his own life and serve as an example for children facing similar struggles, LCpl Bills enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.

This is the power of supporters’ generosity. From a childhood marked by instability to a career serving his country, LCpl Bills found purpose and hope because others stepped forward to help.

“Just because you can't see what's right in front of you today or tomorrow doesn't mean that something good isn't there,” said LCpl Bills. “So don't give up. You are in control of your future, and it's not too late to do something great.”

To learn more about the Marine Toys for Tots Foster Care Program or to donate, visit: https://www.toysfortots.org/programs/foster-children/.

(NewsUSA) - As self-driving vehicles continue to extend their reach onto the roads, the United States is at risk of losing its leadership in this key area, according to a new report from the Special Competitive Studies Project, a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative with a goal of making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in AI.

Specifically, scaling of AVs will affect the development of autonomous systems with other industrial applications including industrial robotics, smart infrastructure, and dual-use military systems, and components and cars are increasingly sourced from China, according to the report.

The SCSP’s Tech Scorecard Series, which evaluates national competitiveness across five categories, broke down the current status of the AV industry and where countries stand in the latest report, “The Autonomous Vehicle Crossroads,” with the following results:

Innovation Leadership. In terms of AV, the United States maintains dominance in this area, with cars that set the global gold standard for safety and reliability. The U.S. also maintains a lead in software development, especially in the areas of vision-language-action (VLA) models.

Industrial Capacity. Based on recent data, China dominates the physical layer of AV by maintaining complete control of both the supply chain components and vehicle manufacturing capacity. China also controls approximately 90% of the Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) remote sensing technology used in autonomous vehicles.

Market Ecosystem. The U.S. and China are essentially tied in terms of global funding for AV. Although the U.S. AV industry maintains the largest share, China’s aggressive approach to globalization has fueled growth with mass deployment.

Talent Pipeline. China currently produces significantly more engineering graduates with AV-relevant skills, and is integrating more intelligent vehicle curricula into its university system. The U.S. cannot currently match this focused pipeline and struggles to compete for a limited pool of skilled engineers.

National Leverage. China’s established state support for the AV industry and coordinated regulatory frameworks have promoted faster deployment of AV at scale compared to the U.S., where regulations remain a patchwork, with inconsistent testing and development among states.

To read the full report and take a deeper dive into the U.S.-China strategic competition in autonomous vehicles, visit scsp.ai.

(NewsUSA) - In many communities, the conversations surrounding storm preparedness have shifted from “if” the power will go out to “when,” “how often” and “for how long.” In the past decade alone, the United States has experienced twice as many weather-related outages as it did in the early 2000s because of severe storms and the country’s aging, failing electrical grid. As the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, it is increasingly important for homeowners to have the option of self-sufficiency with a backup power plan in the event of severe weather.

For 2026, forecasters are predicting a relatively active Atlantic hurricane season as Colorado State University anticipates 13 named storms with six expected to become hurricanes. Two hurricanes are expected to reach major hurricane strength of a Category 3 or higher storm, which can result in significant loss of life and damage to property.

During the 2024 season, Hurricanes Milton and Helene caused roughly 9.5 million power outages and over $113 billion in damages. In 2025, though no hurricanes made landfall in the U.S., tropical storms severely impacted homeowners, especially in the Carolinas and along the East Coast.

“Backup power is something people think about in the middle of an outage, but by then, it’s too late,” said Kyle Raabe, President of Home Power Generation at Generac. “You don’t build a plan in the dark. The homeowners who are prepared are the ones who stay safe, comfortable and in control when the grid goes down.”

Experiencing an outage isn’t just a minor inconvenience - it can lead to a host of effects that negatively impact you and your loved ones.  Refrigerators full of food and important medicines could go bad. A home without climate control can quickly reach warm temperatures – especially in the hottest summer months. A lack of an active sump pump could leave basements vulnerable to flooding. For those with health or mobility needs, a loss of power can disrupt critical medical devices, home accessibility equipment and even limit the ability to safely move in or out of the home.

Selecting the Right Source of Backup Power

Generac’s power outage experts want you to know which types of backup power will be a fit for any outage situation you may encounter.

1. Portable Power Stations provide clean, quiet, emission-free power with no fumes or fuel. Simply recharging the unit when power returns keeps the generator prepped and ready for the next outage. They are best used to power smaller, specific devices, such as a kitchen appliance, laptop or phone.

2. Portable Generators come in a variety of options. Smaller units can be paralleled for additional power, and larger units can pair with a manual transfer switch to provide whole home backup. These types of generators must be fueled every 6-12 hours with gasoline or liquid propane. They are also great for additional non-emergency uses such as camping, tailgating and power job sites.

3. Whole Home Generators can provide power to an entire home and automatically kick in when utility power is lost whether you’re home or away. Generac models are offered in 10kW up to 28kW options to fit your home’s specific needs. If you have a Generac, even when you’re not at home you can monitor the generator's performance with Mobile Link from anywhere. No refueling is necessary if you attach the generator to a natural gas line or propane tank.

4. Solar + Storage units charge when solar power is available, and kick in automatically when an outage occurs. This type of system can power your whole home for a shorter duration or select circuits for longer. In addition to outage mitigation, a Solar + Storage unit captures solar and times the grid to use stored power when prices spike to help you reduce your energy costs.

Generac provides a free yearly guide on how you can keep yourself, your home and your family safe during hurricane season. If you’d like to read more on how to be prepared, please visit the Hurricane Preparedness Guide.

(BookTrib) - “Riptide” by Chad Robichaux with Jack Stewart

Still haunted by his former teammate’s betrayal, former Force Recon Marine Foster Quinn is thrust back into the world he thought he left behind. As he hunts down the men pulling the strings of a global conspiracy, Foster must resist the temptation to be swept away by revenge in his search for justice ― especially when the war becomes personal, and he realizes it’s coming to his own turf.

Written by two Armed Forces veterans who bring real-world expertise to their writing, “Riptide” is an exhilarating, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that blurs the line between duty and revenge ― and leaves no one above suspicion.

“Riptide” is hailed as an “action-paced conspiracy thriller that brims with authenticity” (Mark Greaney) and praised for “its unmatched realism and tactical authenticity” (Nick Freitas).

Purchase at https://amzn.to/4rHt5QJ.

“Should Have Told You Sooner” by Jane Ward

While studying art history in London, Noel Enfield falls deeply for aspiring artist Bryn Jones. Their future seems set — until Bryn leaves for a five-month painting trip through Italy, Noel discovers she is pregnant, and a series of painful misunderstandings leads her to make a life-altering decision.

Thirty years later, Noel returns to London for a museum secondment, determined to prove she has moved on. Instead, she is drawn back into the city’s close-knit art world and the unresolved past she thought she had buried. When she finally learns why Bryn never came back, everything she believed about her choices, her family and her own resilience is shaken.

Praised by Kirkus Reviews as an “artful and affecting novel of loss and reconnection,” “Should Have Told You Sooner” is a moving story of romance, regret and second chances.

For more information and to purchase, visit https://www.janeaward.com/.

“The Heart of Gardening: How to Have a Successful Life Through Sustainable Gardening from a Storyteller’s Perspective” by Rebecca Band

So many people dream about having a garden but hesitate to take that first step. Knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming. That’s why organic gardener and horticultural professional Rebecca Band created “The Heart of Gardening,” a simple, gentle guide to help new gardeners find their footing and discover success without relying on chemicals.

Along the way, Band shares personal stories, the reasons behind her methods, and the observations she’s gathered from years of experience. “My hope is that this book will not only offer practical guidance,” writes the author, “but also uplift, entertain, inspire and spark thoughtful reflection for anyone ready to begin their gardening journey.”

Purchase at https://amzn.to/4v123pF.

“Lili y el árbol de los colores mágicos / Lili & the Tree of Magical Colors” by Rosalba Segovia

In this gentle bilingual picture book, Rosalba Segovia introduces readers to Lili, a kindhearted girl whose walk to school becomes an unexpected lesson in friendship, empathy and peace. Along the way, Lili meets a lost turtle, a frightened black cat and an injured iguana, each in need of comfort and help. Together, they follow a fragrant breeze toward a wondrous tree of magical colors — only to discover that the tree grows sad and gray when friends fight.

With soft illustrations and side-by-side Spanish and English storytelling, “Lili & the Tree of Magical Colors” invites young readers to see kindness as something active: listening, helping, forgiving and standing together. As Lili and her friends learn, differences do not have to divide us. When we reach for one another with love and respect, the world becomes brighter, more peaceful and more beautiful. Also available: an accompanying album of songs based on the book.

Purchase the book at https://amzn.to/4d5b2Qk and the accompanying music at https://amzn.to/4uzbwUO.

(NewsUSA) - Better brain health doesn't have to be complicated, and you can start now. Achievable, practical steps can make a real difference at any age. It’s never too late, or too soon, to shape your brain health. Research from the Alzheimer's Association shows that everyday habits, including how you move, what you eat, and how you engage your mind, can help you live better now, protect your memory over time, and potentially help reduce your risk of dementia.

For too long, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias have been viewed as conditions to address only after symptoms appear. New research is changing that understanding. Findings from the July 2025 U.S. POINTER study demonstrate that lifestyle factors can play a meaningful role in supporting brain health and may help reduce the risk of dementia.

Still, there is a significant gap between awareness and action. While nearly 9 out of 10 people say brain health is important, only 1 in 10 say they know what to do to maintain it, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2026 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report.

To help close that gap, the Alzheimer’s Association is launching the (re)think your brain initiative, featuring a new “6-Step Challenge” designed to help people begin building everyday habits that support brain health. The (re)think your brain approach provides science-backed guidance people can use right away, translating complex research into practical, everyday actions that fit into daily life. It is designed to engage people earlier when there is greater opportunity to influence long-term brain health and possibly reduce dementia risk over time.

A simple guide to get you started:

1. (re)think your habits: Check your current habits and build a personalized brain health action plan.

2. (re)think your day: Start with one habit and build from there by incorporating everyday changes into your routine.

3. (re)think your movement: Get moving. Regular physical activity supports brain health and overall well-being.

4. (re)think your diet: Eat right. Track what you eat and look for practical ways to improve your nutrition.

5. (re)think your mind: Challenge your brain by learning something new.

6. (re)think what’s next: Continue the journey, monitor your health, and invite a friend to take steps toward better brain health with you.

"People are looking for clear, credible guidance they can trust," said Joanne Pike, DrPH, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association. "As a global leader in Alzheimer's and brain health, we have a responsibility to translate the latest science into guidance people can act on, and (re)think your brain is how we're helping people take control of their brain health." 

Find out more and get started today at https://www.rethinkyourbrain.org.

(NewsUSA) - While spring break may be a welcome week off of school for children, for many families it’s a not-so-gentle reminder that summer is just around the corner and in most areas that means parents need to sort out activities and care for their children for multiple weeks, if not months. Before panicking about which camps still have spots open or worrying about how to balance short camp hours with long work days, families can explore all-inclusive summer day camps in their area, like the ones provided by Crème Schools.

All-inclusive, center-based summer camps offer children and families fun summer activities, such as field trips, water activities and sports without the challenge of coordinating multiple camps throughout the summer. Since these camps take place at a child care center, there’s no need for families to ferry children from here to there so they can attend specialty camps: Everything takes place at the same location.

What to look for when comparing summer camp options:

• What’s included in the tuition? At Crème Camp, meals and snacks are included in tuition, as are weekly field trips. This makes summer just that much easier and more enjoyable for children and parents alike.
• Program variety: Look for camps like Crème Camp that have a dedicated camp curriculum as well as weekly camp themes or specialty classes that change regularly throughout the summer, offering children a variety of opportunities for creative exploration and activities that build on the skills they learned during the school year. This will keep students engaged in learning throughout the summer, without feeling like they’re stuck in a classroom.
• Opportunities for outdoor play: Weather permitting, it’s important for children to have daily outdoor playtime. Be sure the summer camps you’re considering have dedicated time throughout the day for children to engage in outdoor activities like water play and group games on sports courts and fields to keep their bodies moving.
• A schedule and logistics that fit your family’s needs: Most center-based summer camps like Crème Camp will have programs for children as young as age four and as old as age 12. That’s in addition to year-round programs for infants-prekindergarten, which means families with multiple children could ditch the dreaded multiple drop-off situation and breeze through summer with a single drop-off and pick-up site for both little ones and older siblings.

Families interested in Crème School’s all-inclusive summer day camp programs can learn more and register their children online.

(NewsUSA) -  

Even when life doesn't allow for a perfect eight hours, your eyes don't have to tell the story. Whether you’re navigating a demanding career, the chaos of parenthood, or just staying up too late scrolling, the eyes are always the first to betray our exhaustion. Because the skin around the eye is up to 10x thinner than the rest of the face, it acts as a window into our fatigue. The unfortunate reality? While 80% of us struggle with dark circles, half are unaware of the underlying cause—leaving 50% of people stuck with treatments that simply don't work¹.

Enter RoC Skincare’s Derm Correxion Eye Repair Dark Circle Cream. This isn’t just another tube in your vanity; it’s a high-tech, non-invasive innovation designed to help erase the visible signs of exhaustion and deliver brighter eyes in just minutes. The experience begins the moment it touches your skin: forget messy finger-tapping, as the cooling metal applicator provides an instant ‘cryo-effect.’ It brightens on contact, awakening the delicate eye area before the potent ingredients even begin to sink in.

The Four Shades of Tired (and How to Fix Them)

The genius of this formula lies in its ability to recognize that not all dark circles are the same. It essentially performs a color analysis of your skin with the 4 shades of undereye discoloration, targeting specific tones to neutralize darkness and maximize brightness.

● Grey Tones: RoC’s Patented Clinical Retinol tackles pesky grey tones while simultaneously smoothing lines and wrinkles with a formula 7x more effective than traditional retinol².

● Brown Tones: Niacinamide helps minimize the look of discoloration before becoming visible on the skin's surface.

● Red Tones: Resveratrol calms and soothes the delicate eye area while defending against environmental stressors.

● Blue/Purple Tones: Proxygen revitalizes and energizes the skin for a healthy, vibrant radiance.

The Proof Is In The Mirror

We’ve all heard big promises before, but RoC brought the receipts. In clinical trials, users experienced visibly brighter eyes in just minutes, with 100% of dark circle tones visibly reduced in one week (blue, brown, grey, red).

"The skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the body, making it susceptible to various types of discoloration" says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Trisha Khanna."By combining RoC Patented Clinical Retinol with brightening agents like Niacinamide and Resveratrol, this formula addresses the root causes of dark circles rather than just temporarily covering them. It’s an impressive, non-invasive solution for persistent dark circles."

The Ultimate Prep Step

Think of this as the essential base layer of your skincare routine. Apply to clean skin before even thinking about reaching for concealer. Even better? The cooling metal applicator provides a "spa moment," awakening the eyes and perfectly faking the effect of that elusive eight hours of rest. Pro tip: Keep it in your bag for a midday 'cryo-refresh' whenever that 3 p.m. slump starts to show.

Shop the Secret: Stop hiding behind heavy concealers and start treating the source. If you’re ready to reclaim and fake the look of those eight hours of sleep, you can find RoC’s NEW Derm Correxion Eye Repair Dark Circle Cream on Amazon. Your brightest eyes are just a click away.

¹Mayo clinic, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 

²based on a clinical study comparing RoC retinol to an equal concentration of traditional retinol

(NewsUSA) - Nonprofit organizations have a new opportunity to leverage their data and optimize their profits, thanks to a new platform.

SimioAccelerate, introduced in the spring of 2026, was developed by Moore, a leading marketing, data, and fundraising management company, in collaboration with Microsoft. The platform uses signals on proprietary giving collected through SimioCloud, a Moore company.

SimioAccelerate is an AI-powered DaaS fundraising platform designed to accelerate nonprofit growth using proprietary giving signals from SimioCloud. The platform harnesses the power of AI, as AI agents orchestrate, automate and execute the entire process of effective fundraising. Nonprofit organizations provide first-party data to connect with SimioCloud. The platform uses proprietary predictive models to deliver targeted donor insights.

SimioAccelerate then picks up the ball, and translates the information into actionable intelligence that can be used to activate fundraising campaigns. AI-generated campaigns are created with the nonprofits' branding, content, and messaging. Execution is then initiated with email, call scripts, direct mail, and other addressable channels, delivering increased support tailored to a nonprofit’s specific mission.

“Fundraising is entering a new era where data and AI will fundamentally change how generosity is discovered and activated,” said Gretchen Littlefield, CEO of Moore. “SimioAccelerate brings all nonprofits a level of intelligence that has historically only been available to the largest enterprises,” she explained.

SimioCloud has been shown to increase response rates by up to 85%, as well as doubling the number of major donors and increasing average gift amounts by 50% for enterprise clients. The unique data foundation of SimioCloud enables insights beyond what can be achieved through large language models alone, according to experts at the company.

“Technology can help accelerate the incredible work that nonprofit organizations do every day by helping them reach more people, enhance their operations, and build on the impact they are already making in their communities,” said Harpreet Girn, vice president, global scale, Microsoft Elevate, at Microsoft Corp. “Through our collaboration with Moore, SimioAccelerate brings together the scale of Microsoft Azure, the unique data of SimioCloud, and the power of AI to the nonprofit sector, helping these organizations unlock new insights to accelerate their missions,” Girn said.

“SimioAccelerate gives nonprofit organizations the ability to see new opportunities by combining Microsoft’s global cloud and AI capabilities with SimioCloud’s proprietary giving data. This unlocks new giving to accelerate their missions,” Littlefield added.

SimioAccelerate’s free platform is available now. For more information on the product, go to wearemoore.com/simioaccelerate.

(NewsUSA) - When faced with a skin cancer diagnosis, Americans are no longer passive recipients of care. A recent survey of patients confronting treatment decisions shows a clear shift toward empowered, informed decision-making, with cure rates, avoidance of surgery, and cosmetic outcomes topping the list of concerns – often outweighing even a doctor's recommendation.

The numbers are striking. When asked to list their top three priorities, 87 percent of respondents said the cure rate was their foremost consideration. Close behind, 58 percent prioritized avoiding surgery if possible, while 47 percent emphasized cosmetic outcome. In contrast, fewer than one in five said their doctor's recommendation of surgery versus a nonsurgical treatment mattered most to them.

This marks a notable evolution in the doctor-patient dynamic. Patients are self-educating, often researching options online, and actively participating in, if not driving, their treatment choices.  

The findings underscore the attraction of newer, noninvasive, Medicare-covered options and help to explain why patients every day are rejecting traditional Mohs surgery in favor of GentleCure® Image-Guided SRT.  More and more dermatologists nationwide are offering this option, which involves the use of targeted low-dose radiation guided by real-time ultrasound imaging, and boasts a 99%+ cure rate for early-stage basal and squamous cell carcinomas.

Skeptics suggest that the need for three to four office visits a week for five to six weeks for Image-Guided SRT might deter patients, but the survey tells a different story: Only 18 percent cited convenience as a major factor, compared to the 58 percent who said they’re eager to avoid surgery.

The data poses a direct challenge to the dominance of Mohs surgery. When asked which they would prefer if two treatments offered similar cure rates, a resounding 70 percent chose a nonsurgical option. Only three percent favored surgery, while 26 percent said it would depend on the individual situation.

Patients overwhelmingly want choice. Ninety-six percent said having multiple treatment options available was very or extremely important, and they expressed concern that insurance changes could restrict access to doctor-recommended therapies. Even more emphatically, 97 percent believe patients and their doctors, not government agencies, insurers, professional organizations, or specialists, should decide which options are made available.

A nearly unanimous 99 percent agreed that “doctors and patients should have broad freedom to choose among appropriate treatment options supported by clinical evidence”. Similarly, 99 percent said that patients should have access to both surgical and nonsurgical options when medically appropriate.

These results signal a broader cultural shift in healthcare. Empowered patients value efficacy and quality of life, in this case, preserving appearance and avoiding the scalpel, while demanding autonomy in an era of abundant information. For dermatologists and the broader skin cancer care community, the message is clear: Offering genuine options, including proven noninvasive therapies like GentleCure Image-Guided SRT, isn't just patient-centered care; it's increasingly what informed patients expect and demand.

This month is national Skin Cancer Awareness Month, the perfect time to schedule your annual skin check-up and to remember to limit your sun exposure, use sunscreen daily, wear protective clothing, and avoid indoor tanning beds.

The survey was conducted by SkinCure Oncology. Information is available at GentleCure.com