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How to explore the world, one dish at a time

2026-10-12T07:01:00

(BPT) – Have you ever driven for an hour to find a food truck with an amazing local dish, or planned a vacation around one city’s famous market? If so, you could be a “culinary tourist”: one of the many travelers hungry not just for great eats, but who find that food is a fun, immersive way to explore local ingredients and learn about global traditions and cultures.

This is the spirit behind the Global Kitchen video series from the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), which just released its second season showcasing the best street food and culinary hidden gems in destinations worldwide.

Then if these glimpses of global flavors inspire dreams of travel, USTOA tour operators can help make them a reality. Whatever cuisine you want to try, tour companies vetted and backed by USTOA have the expertise to take the planning and logistics off your hands, so you can relax and enjoy the journey.

Discover the unique flavors of 3 featured cities

USTOA’s Global Kitchen season 2 offers fun, fast-paced videos from local chefs and food experts who sample flavors of diverse cities including Québec City, Canada; Cali, Colombia and Chongqing, China. The one thing these cities’ foods share is their distinct sense of place. From local ingredients to the cultural traditions that created them, these foods immerse you in each destination.

Here are highlights you’ll want to check out.

Unique sweet and savory treats in Québec City, Canada

Follow food columnist Allison Van Rassel as she tastes sweet and savory items that seem familiar, but with a uniquely Québécois twist. Ingredients and culinary influences rooted in the foodways of the region’s Indigenous Nations blend with Québec’s French heritage to create dishes worth savoring.

You’ll witness a celebration of winter as locally sourced maple taffy is pulled over fresh snow by La Petite Cabane à Sucre de Québec’s Rebecca McWhirter. You’ll also watch the creation of a famous Gerry Burger (named for Québécois rock singer Gerry Boulet) at La Baraque à Frites: fried chicken on a grilled brioche bun with crispy bacon, pickles and Buffalo mayo sauce. Then enjoy seeing a mouth-watering grilled cheese sandwich made on a crisp gaufrette (waffle) with Charlevoix cheese and sautéed apple at Chez Maude.

Bountiful fruits and thriving markets in Cali, Colombia

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Photo courtesy ProColombia

Journey to the Pacific region of Colombia, where the city of Cali, known worldwide as the salsa capital, draws from its indigenous roots, Spanish Colonial history and incredibly diverse local ingredients to create street food you need to explore on foot.

Chef Catalina Vélez brings you to La Alameda Market, where you’ll find an amazing variety of fruits not found anywhere else in the world, like the chontaduro fruit (from chonta palm trees), which must be cooked before it’s eaten with salt and honey. You also get to watch how tamales are made from cornmeal dough (masa), filled with pork and/or chicken, potatoes, carrots, peas, onion, garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and hogao (a traditional Colombian sauce), then wrapped in plantain leaves and cooked. Vélez then samples a local treat called cholados from a street cart: shaved ice topped with fruit syrup, fresh local fruits and coconut, drizzled with condensed milk.

Spicy meals in Chongqing, China

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Take a trip through the neighborhoods and night markets of Chongqing, China with Chef Charlie Yang and content creator Matt Soren. They watch cooks create glutinous rice balls and sample Chongqing’s signature xiaomian: a spicy noodle dish tossed in chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns.

Yang and Soren visit a night market featuring dishes where visitors choose their own culinary adventure. This includes Chongqing’s renowned “hot pots,” communal meals that diners cook themselves using meat and veggies in bubbling broth with chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns, plus barbecue stalls where diners choose skewers of local meats, seafood and veggies like lotus root and eggplant to be grilled on the spot.

Try your hand at global recipes

Before traveling, immerse yourself in international cuisines through the online Global Kitchen Cookbook, with recipes from the featured cities:

  • Buenos Aires: Beef Empanada Baked in A Wood-Fired Clay Oven
  • Germany: Swabian Maultaschen
  • Malta: Ricotta Pastizzi
  • Finland: Lohikeitto Salmon Soup
  • Calgary: Cedar Planked Prime Rib Roast of Alberta Beef
  • Hong Kong, China: Olive Oil Sour
  • Yucatan: Cochinita Pibil
  • Madrid: Madrid Contemporary Cocido
  • Türkiye: Kadinbudu Köfte
  • Chongqing, China: Mapo Tofu
  • Québec City: Crispy Waffle Grilled Cheese with Apples, Onions and Melted Cheese
  • Cali, Colombia: Torta de Pandebono

Plan your culinary adventure

While all the cities in the series are very different, they share one important quality: a food scene worth traveling the world for. To find the best food around the globe, you need a guide who knows where to find top local restaurants and markets. Plan your next trip with a USTOA tour operator member who can draw on their expertise and connections to help you taste dishes worldwide, while you explore the culture and history that inspired them. Learn more at USTOA.com.

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Turn your living room into the ultimate Halloween cinema

2026-10-09T18:31:00

(BPT) – Are you a fan of scary movies? Sitting in a cold, dark theater isn’t the only way to enjoy the chills and thrills of horror. You can bring the deliciously unsettling fun home by creating a Halloween home cinema experience. Check out these three scary-smart ways to turn an ordinary night on the couch into a spooktacular evening.

1. Let the lighting follow the fear

What is the last thing you do before you settle in to watch a Halloween classic? You turn off the lights. Lighting is an essential tool in creating a more immersive horror film experience, and there’s more that you can do beyond simply flipping a light switch.

Imagine if you could adjust the lighting to match the onscreen action. With the new Govee TV Backlight 3, you can supercharge the chills with adaptive lighting. The TV Backlight automatically syncs with each scene, while its AI content filters and SGS-certified color accuracy help enhance the lighting effects. So if you’re watching a thriller, the surrounding light will become moodier and more restrained, boosting the building tension.

2. Enjoy a terrifying Halloween marathon in comfort

When marathoning Halloween films old and new, you need to prioritize staying comfortable from one fright fest to the next. Make sure you have enough cozy seating, warm blankets and seasonal snacks and refreshments for everyone to enjoy.

You should also consider how you can make it easier for your eyes to take in every scary moment during a long viewing session. For example, with the Govee TV Backlight 3, you can create a balanced pool of ambient light for bias lighting without filling the room with harsh glare. Instead of projecting a single wash of color, the system divides the screen into multiple zones to pick up colors. The result? A layered, natural glow around your TV that creates a more comfortable viewing environment.

3. Set the mood with eerie decor

One of the most enjoyable parts of the Halloween season is decorating — and not just outdoors. Decorating your living room for a night of cinematic frights can turn simple goose bumps into a whole-body shudder. Drape spider webs above the doorways, add bloody handprints to windows and stick glow-in-the-dark ghouls on the wall.

Lighting can also become an integral part of your Halloween decorations. Using Govee’s TV Backlight solutions, you can turn your TV area into a sinister focal point for the season. Whether you choose the Backlight 3 Lite, Backlight 3 Pro or the AI Sync Box 2, these options offer easy, tool-free installation with adhesive backing and flexible light strips that adapt to different TV sizes. It’s one of the simplest ways to transform your ordinary living area into a scary sight for the season.

Dim the lights and cue the screams

Silence your phones, curl up on the couch, click play and get ready for a creepy cinema experience from the safety of your home. Whether you’re following a slow-burn thriller or a cult classic slasher, these three tips can turn your place into a spine-chilling Halloween theater. Happy haunting!

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How to build a routine that sticks when life speeds up

2026-10-09T11:01:00

(BPT) – Key takeaways

  • A shift in pace, whether it’s a new season, a busier week or a trip, offers a natural checkpoint to recommit to a routine.
  • Anchoring a new habit to something you already do makes it easier to stick with, even when life gets busier.
  • Wanting to shake up a routine doesn’t have to mean an overhaul. Look for products backed by third-party validation to shop your values with confidence.

As summer’s relaxed pace gives way to a busier season — after-school extracurriculars starting again, longer commutes as offices fill back up and one last trip before the weather turns — daily routines are often the first thing to slip.

The instinct when a schedule gets busier is often to overcorrect, whether it’s a whole new morning routine or a completely different approach to meals. However, it’s more effective to keep to a few things that work.

Anchor new habits to something you already do

The easiest way to make a new habit stick is to tie it to one that already happens on autopilot, such as taking vitamins right after your morning coffee or reviewing the next day’s schedule while getting ready for bed. Pairing a new habit with an existing one makes it feel automatic instead of like one more thing to remember.

Refresh your routine without reinventing it

Sometimes a shift in pace comes with the itch to try something new, and small swaps are a way to add some freshness to a routine without overhauling it. Swapping in a new product or everyday essential is one of the easiest ways to do that without adding an extra step.

Toothpaste is one of the simplest swaps to make, and it’s an easy way to shop your values while you’re at it. Keep an eye out for brands backed by third-party certifications like the B Corp Certification, awarded by the nonprofit BLab, which verifies a company’s social, environmental and governance impact every three years. In plain terms, it’s how you know a brand is committed to responsible business practices that benefit people and the planet, not just shareholders.

Tom’s of Maine is a certified B Corp. From sourcing naturally derived ingredients to dedicating 10% of its annual profits to protecting nature, the brand holds itself to the high standards B Lab sets because it believes business should be a genuine force for good.

“Being a Certified B Corp reflects the standards we’ve held ourselves to for more than 50 years — from the ingredients we source to how we treat our people and our communities,” said Michelle Waring, Steward for Sustainability and Everyday Good at Tom’s of Maine. “For anyone trying to make more thoughtful choices, it’s a reliable signal that a company’s impact has been independently verified.”

Plan ahead for busy days

Travel, early mornings and packed weeks are when habits are most likely to fall off, often because of convenience. The easiest way to keep a routine going while traveling is to stick with products that are simple to pack and go. Tom’s of Maine’s toothpaste and deodorant are designed to travel just as easily as they fit into an everyday routine, so there’s no need for another purchase before heading out the door.

A busier season does not have to mean starting over. With a few small, consistent choices, the routines that already work can keep working, no matter how packed the schedule gets.

To learn more about Tom’s of Maine’s natural personal care products, ingredient sourcing and safety standards, visit www.tomsofmaine.com and www.tomsofmaine.com/pages/our-mission.

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How to get your whole team fluent in generative AI

2026-10-09T17:01:00

(BPT) – Key takeaways

  • Training only the leadership team in generative AI creates a bottleneck, because the wasted hours live on the front line.
  • Free courses from the AI companies are worth taking, and each one teaches a single platform.
  • AI products change month to month, so the timing of training matters as much as what it covers.
  • Certification gives a client something visible to trust.

A recent survey by Certified AI 360 found 84% of respondents said their company is not ready for AI. In most of those companies the tools are already paid for. The skills are the line item nobody budgeted.

The AI skills gap describes a company’s paid tools and the employees who lack the skills to use them. It opens in a predictable way. An owner and a couple of managers try ChatGPT, CoPilot, Claude or another model, find it useful, and everyone else keeps working exactly as they did before.

Start with the people doing the work

Most AI rollouts begin at the top, because that is where the budget sits. The bottleneck shows up a quarter later, when the only fluent people in the building are the ones furthest from customer calls and proposals.

Sam Richter is co-founder and lead instructor of Certified AI 360, a Hall of Fame professional speaker who has trained more than 1 million business professionals worldwide.

“When two managers are the only ones trained, every AI idea in the building waits in line behind their calendars,” said Richter. “The people writing the quotes and answering the phones know where the wasted hours are. Give them the skills and they will go find them.”

Are free AI courses enough to train a team?

Free AI courses are a real starting point, and each one teaches a single platform. Anthropic opened Claude Academy with free courses on AI fluency and workplace rollout on Aug. 20, according to EdTech Innovation Hub. OpenAI Academy publishes free self-paced courses on applying AI at work, and every major AI company now offers instruction on its own product. Subscription libraries such as LinkedIn Learning add breadth, bill per person per month and run on pre-recorded video.

An employee who finishes one of those courses knows one tool well. On a normal Tuesday that same employee may open Copilot in Outlook, Gemini in a shared document and ChatGPT on a phone.

What to look for in team training

When considering team training options, prioritize these four factors:

  • Coverage of more than one platform, so people choose the right tool for the task at hand rather than the one the company happened to buy.
  • An update schedule you can see. A course recorded a year ago teaches habits the tools have already outgrown.
  • Lessons shaped like the job: a sales email that earns a reply, or a contract summarized before a Monday meeting.
  • Proof at the end that a customer can actually see.

Certified AI 360 is a whole-company AI training and certification program for small businesses, covering ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and every major AI platform. Training runs about 8 hours per employee. It’s self-paced, the curriculum is updated weekly, and every employee who finishes earns an individual credential while company plans also earn a company badge.

“Eight hours is less than one workday, and any business can find that,” said Richter. “What no business gets back is the customer who went with the competitor who answered faster and knew more.”

Take the free 10-question AI readiness assessment and see how whole-company certification works at www.certifiedai360.com.

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What people experiencing lung manifestations should know about Alpha-1

2026-10-07T08:01:01

(BPT) – Sponsored by Sanofi

Key takeaways:

  • Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (Alpha-1) is a genetic disease that causes the liver to produce insufficient or dysfunctional alpha-1 protein, which can leave the lungs less protected from infection and pollutants.1
  • Alpha-1 can affect lung health and lead to serious lung diseases like COPD or emphysema.2 Risk can be impacted by multiple factors such as levels of Alpha-1, lifestyle and environment.
  • The condition can be difficult to diagnose, because its symptoms can resemble those of other respiratory diseases.2
  • People with COPD, people with asthma and airflow obstruction that doesn’t fully reverse with treatment and family members of anyone with Alpha-1, should ask about getting tested.2

Daryl Kunz loves distance cycling. By age 54, he had clocked thousands of miles annually, winning a regional championship in a 24-hour bike race and several other medals. He was used to cycling long distances, and considered a “century” (100 miles) to be an enjoyable outing. But one day, while enjoying a brisk 60-mile ride, Daryl experienced shortness of breath and wheezing for the first time.

Daryl’s symptoms led to several years of frustration. Doctors prescribed medications for asthma and tested him for potential heart conditions, bringing Daryl no closer to understanding what was really going on.

“I went through four years of searching and changing my lifestyle, making me fear I could potentially lose something I absolutely love doing,” said Daryl.

His pulmonologist finally tested him for Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (Alpha-1), a rare genetic disease that can impact lung health and cause conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).2 Daryl learned that his lung capacity was reduced to 58%, but it was likely that his avid cycling helped him to stay as healthy as possible, despite his condition.

“Without knowing it, my passion for cycling actually helped slow the damage to my lungs,” said Daryl. “This made me realize how lucky I was to receive my diagnosis when I did, so I could get back on track.”

What is Alpha-1?

Alpha-1 occurs when the body cannot make or use enough alpha-1 antitrypsin,1 a protective protein made in the liver. This protein travels through the bloodstream to the lungs, where it helps protect lung tissue from damage. When alpha-1 protein levels fall below the normal range, individuals may be at an increased risk for lung disease. This risk may be impacted by several factors, including an individual’s genetics, lifestyle and environmental exposures.2

An estimated 70,000-100,000 people live with severe Alpha-1 in the U.S., but as many as 90% of these individuals haven’t been diagnosed.3 Alpha-1 is one of the most underdiagnosed genetic diseases in the world, and can take as long as eight years to be correctly diagnosed.4

I look back and think, what if I’d been tested for Alpha-1 when I first started struggling with my breathing? Knowing there’s changes I can make to my lifestyle gave me optimism that I could live with this condition.

Ways Alpha-1 can affect daily life

Common symptoms of Alpha-1 are mostly breathing related, including:5

  • Shortness of breath/wheezing
  • Chronic cough
  • Tiredness/fatigue
  • Frequent respiratory infections like cold or flu

Alpha-1 can also affect the liver,6 which may cause symptoms like jaundice (yellowing of the skin), weight loss, vomiting and more. The similarity of Alpha-1 symptoms with many common lung conditions, including COPD, emphysema, asthma and bronchiectasis can make it difficult to diagnose it accurately. And while Alpha-1 is often associated with lung and liver complications, and in some cases can impact other parts of the body.2

If the disease remains unaddressed, Alpha-1 leaves patients at continued risk for potential irreversible lung damage.2 Risk can be impacted by multiple factors such as levels of Alpha-1, lifestyle and environment.

Testing for Alpha-1

Diagnosing Alpha-1 requires testing.2 A genetic test can identify a specific gene mutation, and a blood test can measure both genotype and alpha-1 antitrypsin level.

Some risk factors2 that indicate you should consider getting tested for Alpha-1 are:

  • Lung manifestations such as obstructive lung disease (COPD), or asthma with airway obstruction that doesn’t respond to treatment.
  • Family history of lung or liver disease with no known cause.
  • A family member with Alpha-1.

Getting an early diagnosis allows patients to work with their doctors to better understand their symptoms and take steps to help protect their lungs, including quitting smoking, maintaining updated vaccinations to avoid respiratory infections and avoiding jobs or places with harmful fumes and pollutants.2

“I look back and think, what if I’d been tested for Alpha-1 back when I first started struggling with my breathing,” noted Daryl. “The diagnosis helped explain what my issues had been. And knowing there’s changes I can make to my lifestyle gave me optimism that I could live with this condition.”

The next endurance challenge

The more Daryl learned about his genetic condition, the better he understood how he could make an impact for his community. His new passion is educating others who might have Alpha-1 and spreading the word about the importance of screening.

“There comes a time when you take a negative and turn it into a positive,” added Daryl. “After my diagnosis, I had a gift of knowledge, and I could educate and pass this along to people I cared about.”

Learn more about Alpha-1 at RethinkAlpha1Protection.com.

MAT-US-2609788-v2.0-09/2026

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[1] Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. MedlinePlus Genetics website. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency/. Accessed April 2026.

[2] Meseeha M, Attia M, Sankari A. Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency. PubMed. Published 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK442030/. Accessed April 2026.

[3] Greulich T, Vogelmeier CF. Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency: increasing awareness and improving diagnosis. Ther Adv Respir Dis. 2016;10(1):72-84.

[4] James K. Stoller, MD, MS. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine March 2026, 93 (3) 153-157; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3949/ccjm.93a.25103. https://www.ccjm.org/content/93/3/153#T1. Accessed June 2026.

[5] Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Symptoms, Causes and Risk Factors. www.lung.org. https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency/symptoms-diagnosis. Accessed April 2026.

[6] Tanash HA, Piitulainen E. Liver disease in adults with severe alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. J Gastroenterol. 2019;54(6):541-548. doi:10.1007/s00535-019-01548-y.

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The miles behind the mission: How Team Reeve supports those affected by paralysis

2026-10-08T08:01:00

(BPT) – One November morning in 2005, media executive John McConnell woke up late for a bike ride and run with his friends. Sprinting out the door, running shoes in hand, he quickly got on his bike, knotted the shoelaces together and hung them over his bike’s crossbar. This seemingly innocuous choice would soon change the trajectory of his life.

During McConnell’s bike ride, one shoe slipped and got stuck in the bike’s front fork. The bike stopped, but McConnell didn’t. He pitched forward and landed on the right side of his head.

“In that moment, I couldn’t move,” McConnell said. “I was completely frozen. The only thing I could feel was my right pinky.”

In the emergency room, doctors found fractures to his C1 and C2 vertebrae and informed McConnell that he might never walk again, if he survived at all.

Luckily for McConnell, his situation wasn’t as dire as his original prognosis. Upon further examination, he was diagnosed with spinal shock, a temporary loss of reflexes, muscle movement and feeling below the spinal injury. By the time his wife arrived, McConnell was able to move his arms. Just one week after the accident, McConnell walked 2 miles into town.

Although McConnell’s paralysis was brief, the accident left him with a profound sense of gratitude.

Five months later, still in rehab and wearing a brace, McConnell spotted an article in the Sunday paper about the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation — an organization dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by advancing innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis. As he read on, McConnell discovered that the Foundation needed runners for the New York City Marathon, which would take place exactly one year to the day after his accident.

“This was a sign,” he said. “In that moment, I decided I was going to do it.” He immediately called four friends who had been helping him recover from the accident and they all jumped in to train and run the marathon together.

That fall, in 2006, McConnell joined Team Reeve, completed the marathon and raised $50,000 for the Foundation. More importantly, he got to know the Foundation’s work and the people behind it. The next year, he raised $100,000.

“The Reeve Foundation symbolizes faith and belief that change will continue to happen — that we can make it easier for people living with spinal cord injury and those who care for someone with paralysis to navigate their journeys, provide hope and direction, and help them live full lives,” he said. “There is no end to this endeavor; it is a continuum, moving forward every day: What’s next? What’s new?”

Since 2006, McConnell has run nine marathons for Team Reeve and recruited dozens of friends to join him along the way, helping him to raise several million dollars for spinal cord injury research. But his work didn’t stop with Team Reeve. McConnell joined the Foundation’s board and has served for 20 years, helping guide and support its mission.

He has championed Reeve’s drive to improve quality of life for people with injuries through the extraordinary work of the National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC); funded by the Administration for Community Living and administered by the Reeve Foundation, the NPRC is the only national program that directly serves the 5.4 million Americans living with paralysis. Mconnell personally introduces newly injured individuals and families to its vital services.

“People outside our community do not understand how devastating a spinal cord injury can be,” he said. “Everything changes in an instant. Everything for you, for your family, potentially for your professional future, your personal future, your financial well-being. Everything changes in a minute. We get to make a difference.”

More than a race

As McConnell’s story shows, a marathon is more than just a race, and Team Reeve is more than a running group. As the Foundation’s peer-to-peer fundraising program, Team Reeve supports spinal cord injury research and better quality of life for people and families affected by paralysis. Fundraisers enter major races — including the Boston, Chicago and New York City marathons — while supporters can create local events and personal challenges. Together, Team Reeve participants have raised more than $13 million to advance research and help people navigate daily life with paralysis.

Beyond fundraising and raising awareness, these endurance events connect the spinal cord injury community. Families, friends and advocates come together to support one another and Team Reeve’s vision: a world in which spinal cord injury does not result in paralysis and paralysis does not result in diminished quality of life.

Every runner has a why

Every person who runs with Team Reeve has their own reason for running. For Patrick Yalon, running became a way back from a surfing accident that caused a C3-C5 injury and left him unsure whether he would walk again. He still lives with nerve pain, but movement returned a measure of control.

“One step became another. Walking became running,” said Yalon, who is currently training for New York. “To go from not knowing if I would walk again to running through New York City for the spinal cord injury community is something I will never take for granted.”

Like Yalon, Ulrika Holmquist is also running to rebuild her life. A 2025 racing accident ended her career as a professional jockey and resulted in three spinal surgeries. Through running, she was able to restore her strength and more.

“Running became a turning point in my recovery,” said Holmquist, who is training for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. “It gave me back confidence, purpose and belief in myself.”

For some Team Reeve members, their “why” is a loved one. Erica Bazerkanian, for example, runs for her father. Through team #IAMSTONE, she has raised $215,000, while her company, Bold&Zeal, donates 10% of purchases to the Foundation.

“Charity running is not just something I do,” she said. “It is part of who I am. I run to raise awareness, fund progress and honor my father’s legacy. The New York City Marathon is my way of turning pain into action, one step at a time.”

For Marea Narsavage, her “why” begins with gratitude. As a Navy veteran, endurance athlete, altruistic living kidney donor and Angel Runner, she treats physical ability as a chance to serve others.

“Running the New York City Marathon is about far more than crossing a finish line,” she says. “For me, it is an opportunity to raise awareness, give back and use my physical ability to help those who have not been given the same opportunities. It is about living with gratitude and turning that gratitude into action.”

Team Reeve’s starting line also welcomes athletes who move differently. Stacey Mahdavian — who became paralyzed in a car accident 36 years ago — tackles race courses on a handcycle, while her daughter Stacia runs beside her as a guide. This mother-daughter partnership captures Team Reeve at its best, a combination of athletes living with paralysis, families and supporters moving toward one goal.

The next starting line

Every participant’s “why” differs. But whether they’re running to reclaim their identity, in memory of a loved one or in gratitude, each Team Reeve member’s story widens the circle of support, funds and community.

Team Reeve will gather next at the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Oct. 11 and the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 1, followed by Boston and London in April 2027.

Every mile starts with a reason, and every reason can become action. To learn more, support an athlete or start a fundraiser, visit TeamReeve.org.

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ICSC’s 2026 Holiday Intentions Survey finds consumers prioritize traditions over financial pressures

2026-10-08T07:01:00

(BPT) – Holiday spending expected to rise year-over-year as consumers increasingly seek value, compare options and borrow to cover spending

Retail sales are forecast to grow between 4.3%–4.9% this holiday season, with total expected spend topping $1.7T, according to ICSC’s 2026 holiday shopping forecast. Findings from ICSC’s annual Holiday Intentions Survey reinforce this forecast, as consumers prioritize holiday purchases and experiences above competing financial priorities.

The survey points to continued demand heading into the critical year-end shopping period. Eighty-eight percent of U.S. adults — approximately 237 million people — plan to purchase holiday gifts and other holiday-related items this season, with 78% planning to spend the same or more than last year. The top 10% of shoppers anticipate spending five times more than the average consumer, underscoring the outsized influence a small group of high-spending shoppers can have on holiday sales.

“Consumers have made it clear they are willing to make sacrifices for the things that matter to them this holiday season, but they are making careful decisions about when and where they spend to make that money go further,” said Tom McGee, President and CEO of ICSC. “Shoppers remain resilient, but they’re more discerning and value-conscious; competitive prices, convenient shopping options and experiences that bring people together are non-negotiable for retailers to attract shoppers and give them reasons to return throughout the season.”

In ICSC’s survey, 83% of consumers can keep up with their essential expenses but many acknowledge increased financial pressure. Nearly half (49%) are concerned about being able to afford holiday gifts this year and 50% say their personal or household debt will affect their holiday spending. Consumers that say concerns about the job market will affect how much they plan to spend this holiday season increased from 43% to 49% year-over-year.

As a result, many shoppers plan to make financial tradeoffs to cover their purchases. Nearly half (49%) expect to borrow money to cover purchases they cannot immediately pay for in full, while 47% anticipate holiday expenses will delay or reduce debt repayment, savings or retirement contributions. Nearly one in four (23%) expect to still be paying for their 2026 holiday purchases in 2027.

While preserving holiday traditions remains a compelling reason for consumers to continue spending, this does not guarantee loyalty to familiar retailers or brands. Fifty-eight percent expect to try a new brand, and 52% plan to shop with a retailer they have not used before. Twenty-seven percent plan more research or comparison shopping because of higher prices or budget concerns, while 25% expect to switch to lower-priced products or brands. Even among shoppers planning to spend more, more than four in 10 expect to buy fewer items, choose cheaper alternatives or buy secondhand.

Value can get shoppers through the door, while opportunities to spend time together give stores a role beyond completing a purchase. Sixty-eight percent say discounts, promotions and exclusive offers will encourage additional store trips, and 93% expect to visit a physical store to purchase an item or pick up an online order, including 97% of Gen Z.

For younger shoppers, a store visit also offers a way to enjoy the season with others. Thirty-four percent of store shoppers describe their trips as social outings or a combination of shopping, dining and entertainment. This increases to 48% among Gen Z. Half of Gen Z holiday shoppers also plan to spend more on experiences than last year, highlighting the opportunity for shopping centers to bring retail, dining and seasonal activities together.

The search for value is also shaping how shoppers plan to use AI. Sixty-one percent of holiday shoppers plan to use AI tools or assistants — up from 47% in 2025. Comparing prices is the most common planned use (29%), followed by researching products and features (19%), checking availability (18%) and finding deals (16%). Many shoppers plan to use AI as a starting point rather than a purchasing tool, with 86% intending to conduct additional research before making a purchase.

“Consumers are placing a premium on experiences this holiday season, viewing stores as more than places for transactions,” said McGee. “The human experience remains a core part of holiday shopping, and retailers that transform a simple errand into an outing or a memory are most likely to capture consumer dollars this season and beyond.”

Methodology

The 2026 ICSC Holiday Intentions Survey was conducted online from September 21-23, 2026. The survey represents a demographically representative sample of 1,003 respondents.

About ICSC

ICSC is the preeminent membership organization serving the commercial real estate and retail industries. The organization promotes and elevates the marketplaces and spaces where people shop, dine, work, play and gather as foundational and vital ingredients of communities and economies. ICSC produces experiences that create connections and catalyze deals; aggressively advocates to shape public policy; develops high-impact marketing and public relations that influence opinion; provides an enduring platform for professional success; and creates forward-thinking content with actionable insights — all of which drive industry innovation and growth. For more information, please visit www.ICSC.com.

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How competency-based education can open doors for adult learners

2026-10-07T09:01:00

(BPT) – For busy adults juggling careers, families and full lives, going back to school has often meant fitting into a system that was not designed with them in mind. The good news is that competency-based education — a more flexible, skills-centered approach that allows learners to progress by demonstrating what they know and can do, rather than simply moving through a traditional schedule — is gaining traction. In fact, as of last year, more than 1,500 U.S. institutions have adopted roughly 2,400 undergraduate and 750 graduate competency-based education programs.

The rise of competency-based education could not have come at a better time. Right now, employers are focused on hiring employees who can demonstrate the skills needed to succeed in their field. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Job Outlook 2026 survey, nearly 70% of employers now use skills-based hiring, while SHRM research has found that 78% of HR professionals say pre-employment assessments have improved the quality of hires.

This marriage of learners seeking more control and employers seeking clearer evidence of capability underpins DeVry University’s national study, “Beyond Flexibility: What Today’s Learners Expect From Competency-Based Education,” which has guided the institution’s design of DeVry-Keller Fast Track — the university’s competency-based learning format.

To explore how competency-based learning can address workforce demands and the needs of working adults, Jason Horne, DeVry University’s Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, discusses the trends shaping higher education and how they informed the design of DeVry-Keller Fast Track.

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How does competency-based education connect more directly to the skills employers need today?

Higher education as it is currently structured is not always fit for purpose. In a job market where employers seek talent with specific competencies and skills, prospective learners need to see that the education they receive will translate into job opportunities. Competency-based education helps bring those two needs closer together by focusing on what learners can actually demonstrate.

Our research found that 95% of prospective learners said they found competency-based education appealing. What’s even more telling is that 40% of graduate-level prospects and 31% of undergraduate prospects said they would only enroll if a competency-based option were available. These findings indicate that a large group of students is either not adequately served by traditional models or not served at all.

Why is now the right time to introduce a competency-based program like DeVry-Keller Fast Track?

The needs of learners — especially working adult learners — are changing, and higher education must change with them. What we hear again and again is that students are looking for education that is accessible, fits around work and family responsibilities, offers a strong career outcome and provides an attractive time-to-value. Fast Track is our answer to that.

What makes DeVry-Keller Fast Track different from more traditional approaches to higher education and other competency-based programs?

The fundamental difference with competency-based education is that students’ progress is based on demonstrating mastery of those competencies. With DeVry-Keller Fast Track, expert faculty have designed courses and curricula around the skills and competencies that employers seek. They’re baked right into the courses. For students to actually advance, they have to demonstrate through assessments and applied work that they have mastered those skills and can apply what they have learned. This modality is a win for individual learners and employers seeking people who can bring relevant, demonstrated capabilities to the workplace.

That said, DeVry-Keller Fast Track has taken competency-based learning to a new level. It seeks to balance flexibility with the structure many learners value. Our research underscores why that balance matters: Nearly half of the prospective learners we surveyed said structured deadlines help them stay on track, while 58% preferred structured, instructor-led weekly classes.

AI is another important component of the program. Our research found that almost a third of prospective learners expressed concerns about overreliance on AI. With that in mind, faculty remain central, with technology used to support a more responsive learning experience while preserving meaningful human interaction. The goal is to give learners greater control over their educational journey while maintaining clear expectations and strong human support.

How does DeVry-Keller Fast Track fit alongside DeVry’s existing programs and student support model?

By offering competency-based education alongside traditional programs, we recognize that no single learning model is right for everyone. We want students to have freedom and flexibility. That said, we don’t want them to feel like they’re navigating the experience alone.

Flexibility without support can start to feel ambiguous and isolated, and that’s not an environment where students can thrive. That’s also why we’ve put DeVry Care front and center in Fast Track. It’s been our secret weapon in achieving nearly 90% student persistence, and we believe that’s because it provides human-centered support essential to learning.

Why did the university choose the MBA as a starting point for DeVry-Keller Fast Track?

The MBA was a strong starting point because our research showed strong interest among graduate business learners in a competency-based approach. More importantly, MBA learners and prospective learners also tend to be comfortable with a more self-directed learning experience, making the program a natural starting point for this model.

Another reason we chose the MBA program is that the students are often working professionals, our core demographic for Fast Track. They already bring substantial experience and knowledge to the classroom, and that is exactly the type of background that will allow them to advance more quickly through a competency-based program if they can demonstrate, through rigorous assessment, the experience and knowledge they already possess.

How do you see DeVry-Keller Fast Track evolving as learners and workforce needs continue to change?

We see opportunities to expand DeVry-Keller Fast Track into additional programs and reach more students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

As we move forward, we hope that DeVry-Keller Fast Track can be more than a new learning modality. It can provide a platform for the university to continue rethinking and reimagining how to make education more personalized, more skills-focused and skills-oriented, and better connected to the workforce.

In short, our vision is to create the most career-relevant 21st-century graduates, and this modality as it’s currently envisioned — and as it continues to evolve — will allow us to deliver that vision.

To learn more about DeVry-Keller Fast Track and other offerings, visit DeVry.com.

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Not every home needs the same backup power. Here’s how to determine the best home battery backup for you.

2026-10-07T08:01:01

(BPT) – Are you thinking about adding a home backup system to your house in the form of a solar generator or portable power station? If not, it’s a good idea to consider sooner rather than later.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. electricity customers averaged 11 hours of power interruptions in 2024, nearly twice the annual average of the decade before, with major events like hurricanes accounting for 80% of those hours.

Planning ahead for a power outage with a backup battery can give you real peace of mind no matter the weather.

That said, there’s no one-size-fits-all option. The solar power generator that’s perfect for your neighbor may not be right for your household. That’s why it’s crucial to know how much power you’ll need to find the right fit.

Finding the right battery backup for your home may sound intimidating, but it’s actually as simple as 1, 2, 3.

1. Start by making a list of the appliances and devices you cannot go without and how long you want to keep them running.

2. Using that list, find out how much each item needs at one moment (known as watts (W)) and add them together to determine how much power you’ll need.

3. Match it to a battery that can store enough energy over time (watt-hours (WH)) to power your essentials.

With this basic information, you can start to narrow down backup power options. Check out this simple three-tier guide to find the essential home backup that fits your space, your routine and the devices you rely on most.

Tier 1: The apartment or condo

You’re working from home, typing away in your cozy fourth-floor apartment when suddenly the lights go out. You can’t see in the dark and you can’t work or communicate with your team that you’ve lost power. On top of all that, you’re not sure how long the blackout will last, which could mean hundreds of dollars in spoiled groceries.

The good news is that there are home backup options ideal for those who rent an apartment or own a condo.

A portable power station like Jackery’s HomePower 1000 Plus V2 is a small yet powerful plug-and-play option that doesn’t require permanent installation. With an 1800W output and 1024Wh base capacity, it can run roughly 80% of standard household appliances, keeping your router, desktop and refrigerator online during an outage. On its own, it can keep a refrigerator, freezer, Wi-Fi router, phone, computer and lights running together for about 5 hours. Adding battery packs expands the unit’s capacity to 11kWh, so you can start small and grow backup power as your household’s needs grow.

Another great option for apartment and condo residents is the HomePower 2000 Plus V2. This power station weighs 21 pounds less than its predecessor and delivers 2400W output and 2048Wh capacity. Right out of the box, that’s enough to run a refrigerator, freezer, Wi-Fi, phone, computer and lights for about 10 hours. Add one battery pack and that doubles to about 20 hours, with room to expand all the way to 12kWh. Plus, it features Jackery Priority Routing™, which sends remaining power to your essential devices (like your router, refrigerator and lights) first. This unit is a valuable steppingstone for families who want real preparedness without a major up-front investment.

Tier 2: The suburban family home

A father hands his daughter a vegetable from their refrigerator, which is running during a power outage with the aid of a Jackery generator.

It’s a quiet Wednesday evening at home. You’re working on storing leftovers in the fridge, while your 10th grader is working on a school presentation in your office and your 6th grader is looking for an outlet near the sofa to charge their phone. The next thing you know, a storm rolls in and knocks out the power.

You can easily keep the kitchen, home office and family room powered for a day or more with a higher-capacity home battery like the compact HomePower 3000. With 2072Wh capacity and 3600W output, it can keep the essentials running through extended outages for a day or two. This compact unit features Jackery’s ZeroDrain™ technology, which keeps the battery at nearly full charge for up to 12 months, so you can easily tuck it away until you need it.

If you want a powerful backup battery on wheels that can easily roll from garage to living room and back, check out the HomePower 3600 Plus. With 3584Wh base capacity and 3600W output, the unit on its own can run a refrigerator, freezer, Wi-Fi, phone, computer and lights for about 18 hours. Add a battery pack for about 36 hours, or expand up to 21kWh and connect to essential home circuits with a Manual Transfer Switch to carry your household through a multiday outage, whether from a wildfire shut-off, a downed line after a storm, or an overloaded grid on an unusually cold night.

Tier 3: The rural or larger home

Lightning flashes in the window as a couple marvels at their refrigerator working during a power outage with the aid of their Jackery generator.

A winter storm has hit your rural town, knocking out the electricity and your well pump and your HVAC along with it. Now you’re out of power, water and heat.

If you live in a rural or storm-prone area, it’s a good idea to have a heavy-hitter that can minimize grid disruptions, like the Explorer 5000 Plus. With 7200W rated output and 14400W surge power, it can run HVAC, refrigeration and well pumps all at once. A single unit, with no expansion, can keep a refrigerator, freezer, Wi-Fi, phone, computer and lights going for about 25 hours, and modular expansion adds capacity up to a potential 60kWh. With a Smart Transfer Switch, this solar generator can automatically take over essential circuits. It can recharge in 8 ways, including high-voltage solar input. It’s the ideal choice for households that plan ahead of hurricane or winter storm season and want to stay powered independent of the grid.

Find the right size for your home

The best home battery backup is not necessarily the biggest one you can buy. It’s the one that protects the essentials, fits the way you live and gives you enough room to grow if your needs change. To learn more, visit Jackery.com.

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How to get free, unbiased help with Medicare open enrollment

2026-10-06T08:01:00

(BPT) – Medicare open enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7. State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) provide free, unbiased support to Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers. Whether you are new to Medicare, reviewing plan options, or have other questions, SHIP can help. A local certified counselor will provide one-on-one guidance tailored to your situation and needs.

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