Consumer Corner
Summer Organization Made Easy: 5 creative ways to simplify a busy summer
Last Updated on August 9, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Summer Organization
(Family Features) Schedules filling up with events and celebrations, vacation planning in full effect and mile-high to-do lists can only mean one thing: summer is in full swing. While summer brings plenty of fun, it can also lead to feeling disorganized and overwhelmed without the structure of the school year.
Keep stress at bay and bring a sense of order to your summer adventures with these simple, creative hacks from EXPO.
Streamline the Kitchen
When family members are coming and going throughout the day, the kitchen and pantry quickly become high-traffic zones. Between breakfasts on the go, afternoon snack raids and (hopefully) a few sit-down dinners, organizing your refrigerator, cabinets and pantry can bring calm to the chaos. Label bins, jot notes on pantry or refrigerator doors and create a snack inventory so everyone knows what’s available and nothing goes to waste.
Keep Up with Every Activity
Summer gets hectic fast – with sports practices, parties, camps, dinners and weekend trips all piling on, it’s tough to keep track of everything. Hang a whiteboard calendar in a high-traffic spot like the kitchen or mudroom and use EXPO Wet Erase Markers for clean, color-coded scheduling everyone can follow. Their fine tips make it easy to write detailed notes while the no-smudge ink stays put – perfect for busy areas where schedules can be seen all day long. The writing won’t budge until you wipe it off with water, keeping summer plans visible, organized and stress-free.
Create a Packing List for Road Trips
If you’re planning a summer getaway, avoid the last-minute scramble by writing out a packing checklist on a whiteboard, window or mirror. Keep essentials sorted by category – clothes, toiletries, travel documents – and encourage family members to check off what they’ve packed.
Organize the Party to Add Personality
When it comes to summer birthdays, backyard barbecues or holiday gatherings, a little prep goes a long way in keeping things stress-free. Use EXPO Wet Erase Markers to create welcome signs or menus directly on windows, label wine glasses for easy drink tracking or jot down to-do lists on glass surfaces to stay on top of hosting tasks. With bold, water-removable ink that adheres to glass, windows and more, it’s easy to create festive, colorful details that are mess-free – a perfect way to stay organized while adding flair to any celebration.
Keep Your To-Do’s in Check
From yardwork to grocery runs, summer still comes with its fair share of tasks. Stay ahead of the hustle by creating organized, visual to-do lists on surfaces like whiteboards, windows, mirrors or glass cabinet doors. Jot down priorities and divide them by timeframe or person – think “today,” “this week” or by name. Keeping lists visible in the right spots can help everyone stay on track and free up more time for sun and fun.
Take control of your summer and find more solutions for staying organized at expomarkers.com.
SOURCE:
Lifestyle
7 Fire Prevention Tips to Protect Your Home and Community
7 Fire Prevention Tips: Fires can be devastating, but many of them are preventable with simple precautions and smart everyday choices. Consider these tips to reduce the risk of fires and keep your household, family and community safe.
7 Fire Prevention Tips to Protect Your Home and Community
(Feature Impact) In observance of National Fire Prevention Month, it’s a good time to review your fire safety habits at home and in your neighborhood. Fires can be devastating, but many of them are preventable with simple precautions and smart everyday choices.
Consider these tips to reduce the risk of fires and keep your household, family and community safe.
Test Your Smoke Alarms
Smoke detectors are one of the simplest yet most important tools for protecting your home, loudly alerting you to potential danger at any time of the day or night. Test them monthly, follow manufacturer’s instructions for replacement and change batteries as needed.
Heat Your Home Safely
Depending on how you heat your home, there can be different hazards to remain aware of. Never leave fireplaces unattended when in use and have them inspected and maintained as recommended by a trained professional. If you use portable heaters, keep them at least three feet away from curtains, bedding, furniture and other flammable materials.
Prevent Electrical Fires
Frayed cords, damaged outlets or overloaded appliances can pose real danger to your home when they overheat or spark. Particularly if you live in an older home or have outdated appliances, keep an eye out for warning signs like tripped circuit breakers, malfunctioning devices or the smell of burning. If you’re concerned, have your system inspected by a qualified electrician.
Store Flammable Objects Carefully
Keeping matches and lighters out of reach of children is always a smart first step for household fire safety. Also follow safe storage practices for items like lighter fluid, propane, aerosol cans and other household products that could potentially ignite when exposed to heat or a stray spark.
Practice Smart Kitchen and Grill Habits
From sparks flying off the grill to hot oil forgotten in the frying pan, cooking is the leading cause of household fires. Stay attentive in the kitchen, never leave cooking food unattended and avoid setting combustible materials like paper plates or fabric towels too close to a stove or grill. Also keep your appliances cleaned and well-maintained.
Plan Your Escape Route
Fires can spread quickly, which is why it’s important for everyone in your household to know the plan (and backup plan) for safely exiting different areas of the house during an emergency. Decide on a specific meeting place outside and practice quick fire drills together to build muscle memory.
Observe Local Fire Safety Rules
Where you live determines what kinds of fire risks affect your community, so make sure you stay informed about local regulations. For instance, areas prone to drought or wildfire may have rules about outdoor burning, and local fire prevention ordinances may outline specific requirements for smoke alarms in your home.
Find more home safety tips at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
eLivingtoday.com
home improvement
5 Simple Steps to Prepare Before Disaster Strikes
Disaster preparedness doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. It’s all about the small, simple steps you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community.
(Feature Impact) Disaster preparedness doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. It’s all about the small, simple steps you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community.
Yet, as severe weather becomes more frequent, many people aren’t prepared for the impact.
New research from United Way Worldwide and Verizon revealed that although 60% of U.S. adults are concerned a natural disaster could affect their household in the next year, only 15% would feel very prepared for one.
While many people understand the risks, they face real barriers to preparation. Cost remains the primary obstacle to disaster preparedness with 45% of those surveyed naming it as the top barrier. In addition to cost, lack of time (25%) and not knowing where to start (28%) prevented people from taking action.
That’s why preparedness should be practical and affordable.
For example, the United Way’s United We Prepare initiative, supported by Verizon, offers free disaster preparedness workshops, emergency kit distribution, information on local emergency services and practical guidance to help people plan and be ready to weather a storm.
When individuals and families are better prepared, communities are more resilient. Get started with these simple, zero-cost steps:
Identify Key Emergency Contacts
Choose a relative or friend outside of your immediate community who can act as a central check-in point or offer shelter during an emergency. Also, take a few moments to create updated digital and physical emergency contact lists with names, phone numbers and addresses of loved ones as well as service and healthcare providers.
Enable Local Alerts
Identify trusted local emergency services and news that can provide weather and emergency information. Turn on wireless emergency alerts in your phone settings, bookmark local news weather pages and save other important website links to ensure you’re in-the-know when disasters strike.
Build a Support System
Before severe weather, touch base with at least two neighbors or family members to identify what help they may need (or what assistance they can provide) and create a plan for checking in with each other in the event of an emergency.
Plan for Special Needs
It’s easiest to make clear-headed decisions before you’re stressed and rushing in the heat of the moment, so sit down and sketch out basic plans for special needs related to transportation, prescriptions, caregiving and pets before severe weather arrives. Decide where you would meet if separated, how to get there if transportation is disrupted, who would pick up children or take care of pets, what health needs or medications need to be considered and more.
Save Key Information and Documents Digitally
During a crisis, you likely won’t have time to search filing cabinets, desks and glove compartments for important documentation. Take photos or make digital copies of identification documents, insurance information, medical cards, prescription details, important household records and other key documents to access if you need to leave home quickly. For insurance purposes, it may also be helpful to take a video of your property and valuable belongings in your home in case they’re damaged or ruined.
The goal isn’t to do everything at once; it’s to start. An hour spent making connections, gathering information and talking through a plan today can make it easier to act when time matters most.
For more simple preparedness tips and resources, visit UnitedWePrepare.org.
Test Your Disaster Preparedness Knowledge
Take the quiz at UnitedWePrepare.org to test your knowledge on 10 disaster preparedness questions customized to your area, such as:
- What should you include in a winter emergency supply kit for your car?
- What is the difference between a Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning?
- When should you evacuate during a wildfire?
- Why is it important to prepare for disasters?
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (preparation supplies)
SOURCE:
Consumer Corner
Jeep Goes Back to 1945 With the 2027 Wrangler JL-2A
Jeep is looking back more than 80 years with the 2027 Wrangler JL-2A, a Rubicon-based special edition inspired by the Willys CJ-2A, the first Jeep designed specifically for civilian use.
Last Updated on October 5, 2026 by Daily News Staff
The special-edition Wrangler pays tribute to the Willys CJ-2A, the vehicle that helped transform the wartime Jeep into an American civilian icon.
More than 80 years after the first civilian Jeep rolled onto farms, ranches and roads across America, Jeep is reaching deep into its history for a new special-edition Wrangler.
The 2027 Jeep Wrangler JL-2A is a modern tribute to the Willys CJ-2A, introduced in 1945 as the first Jeep vehicle developed specifically for civilian use.
Rather than simply adding a heritage badge to a modern Wrangler, Jeep has incorporated colors, wheels, interior materials and design details inspired by the vehicle that helped establish the civilian Jeep nearly eight decades ago.
The JL-2A is also the 11th installment in Jeep’s Twelve 4 Twelve series of special-edition vehicles.
From the Battlefield to Civilian America
The story behind the JL-2A begins at the end of World War II.
The military Willys MB had earned a reputation for ruggedness during the war, but Willys-Overland saw an opportunity for the basic concept beyond military service.
In July 1945, the company introduced the Willys CJ-2A.
The letters “CJ” stood for Civilian Jeep, and the CJ-2A adapted the military Jeep formula for farmers, ranchers, industrial workers and everyday civilian users.
Changes included a tailgate, larger headlights and a rear power takeoff that allowed the Jeep to operate certain agricultural and industrial equipment. The CJ-2A also helped establish the familiar seven-slot grille that would eventually become one of Jeep’s most recognizable design elements.
It wasn’t just a utilitarian machine, either.
Willys offered memorable postwar color combinations such as Harvest Tan with Sunset Red wheels and Pasture Green with Autumn Yellow wheels.
Those colorful early Jeeps provided much of the inspiration for the new JL-2A.
A 1945 Look on a Modern Wrangler
The 2027 Wrangler JL-2A is based on the modern Wrangler Rubicon, meaning the retro styling is paired with serious off-road hardware.
One of its most noticeable features is a set of exclusive 17-inch retro-style wheels finished in Joose, accompanied by orange front and rear tow hooks. The combination recalls the bright Sunset Red wheels found on some original CJ-2As.
The wheels are paired with standard 33-inch BFGoodrich KO2 All-Terrain tires.
Jeep is also bringing back Gobi exterior paint for 2027. The tan-like color is particularly appropriate for this edition because it echoes the Harvest Tan finish offered on the original CJ-2A.
Other available colors include ’41, Bright White, Sting Gray, Ghost and Joose.
Body-color fender flares and a three-piece hardtop give the JL-2A a relatively clean exterior appearance, while Dark Metallic Grey accents update the Wrangler’s familiar seven-slot grille.
Jeep Takes the Retro Theme Inside
Jeep has carried the historical theme into the cabin with a color and material combination never previously offered on a Wrangler.
The seats are covered in Nappa Heritage Tan leather, complemented by Bison Brown on the door panels, lower instrument panel and center console.
Desert Orange stitching ties the interior to the brightly colored exterior wheels and tow hooks.
There are also several details specifically aimed at Jeep history enthusiasts.
A satin-chrome Willys-Overland shifter medallion pays tribute to the company’s roots, while heritage-inspired HVAC vent graphics incorporate the seven-slot grille and a Willys silhouette.
Perhaps the most interesting detail is found at the rear.
Jeep has created a swing-gate plaque based on the dashboard data-plate artwork of the original CJ-2A. It includes farm and factory imagery recalling the original civilian Jeep’s role as a working vehicle rather than simply a recreational off-roader.
Modern conveniences haven’t been forgotten. The JL-2A includes remote start, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, universal garage-door opener and a front TrailCam with an integrated washer.
How Much Will the Wrangler JL-2A Cost?
Jeep says the JL-2A package will carry an MSRP of $4,995.
According to the automaker, that puts the special edition just $115 above a comparably equipped Wrangler Rubicon, making the package largely about choosing its unique heritage-inspired appearance and equipment rather than paying a substantial premium solely for a limited-edition name.
Orders are scheduled to open in October 2026.
Jeep has not presented the JL-2A as a recreation of the CJ-2A. Underneath the nostalgic colors and Willys-inspired details is a thoroughly modern Wrangler Rubicon.
And that may be the point.
More Than 80 Years of Civilian Jeep History
The original CJ-2A represented a turning point for Jeep.
A vehicle concept born from wartime necessity found a second life in civilian America, where Jeeps became farm equipment, work vehicles, recreational 4x4s and eventually lifestyle vehicles.
The CJ line evolved through multiple generations before eventually giving way to the Wrangler nameplate in the 1980s.
The 2027 Wrangler JL-2A connects those two ends of Jeep’s history — from the simple postwar CJ-2A built to work the back forty to today’s technology-packed Wrangler designed to tackle the trail.
More than eight decades separate them, but park the two side by side and the family resemblance would be difficult to miss.
Source: Stellantis / Jeep, September 12, 2026
A Civilian Legend Reimagined: Jeep Brand Introduces 2027 Jeep Wrangler JL-2A PR Newswire
Jeep Official Website:
Jeep Official Website
