JCPenney Is Closing Even More Locations, Starting Next Month Mark Roger Bailey / Shutterstock While JCPenney has, in many ways, withstood the test of time, it’s not immune from the challenges that have felled other department stores . The 121-year-old retailer has faced ongoing issues in recent years, even filing for bankruptcy and closing 200 stores after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. As with Bed Bath & Beyond and Macy’s, it now finds itself in “ the mushy middle ,” retail experts told NPR, meaning it doesn’t have a unique online presence, but also doesn’t have a “big-box” label, where shoppers know they’re scoring an awesome deal....

JCPenney Won’t Let Shoppers Do This in Stores Next Month LindaJoHeilman / iStock As some of the first destinations where one-stop-shopping was a possibility, department stores retain an important place in our retail culture—even if their brick-and-mortar locations are on the decline. You can get your appliances, perfume, shoes, and even evening wear at these (typically) giant stores, or you can opt to shop for what you need online. Much like Macy’s and Kohl’s, JCPenney has withstood the test of time, and that’s thanks in large part to its ongoing efforts to provide what shoppers want....

JetBlue Is Cutting Flights to 8 Major Cities, Starting Next Month iStock If you’re a loyal JetBlue customer who frequents Miami, Milwaukee, or Austin, then listen up. The airline has plans to slash flight paths to eight major cities starting as early as next month, according to CNBC . And come summer 2025, JetBlue will slim down its international travel offerings, including services to London and Paris. Despite a recent spike in revenue and bookings, JetBlue says its “JetForward strategic plan” is still very much in effect....

Joyce Van Patten Starred on “As the World Turns.” See Her Now at 88. Ray Fisher/Getty Images As a part of the original 1956 cast of As the World Turns , Joyce Van Patten played Janice Turner, the forbidden love interest of the eldest Hughes son, Donald, who caused him to turn away from matriarch Nancy. Already a veteran of the stage and part a famous show business family (notable relatives include her brothers, Eight is Enough actor Dick Van Patten , and director Tim Van Patten ; and niece, Grace Van Patten , also an actor), the role would mark only the beginning of Van Patten’s career on the screen, which would extend over the subsequent six decades....

Kohl’s Shoppers Can’t Get Enough of This “Perfect” Product Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock Perfection is difficult to attain, and finding something that falls into that category doesn’t happen every day. Kohl’s shoppers are always on the hunt for a new and exciting purchase when browsing in-store or online, whether that’s shoes, clothes, or even outdoor furniture. Now, customers have found one product that they say truly exceeds expectations. Read on to find out what Kohl’s shoppers are calling “perfect....

Lawmakers Are Fighting Against Self-Checkout Kiosks at Grocery Stores frantic00 / Shutterstock Depending on the kind of shopper you are, you either intentionally seek out self-checkout lanes, or you make sure to head to a cashier instead. With the latter option, you get the benefit of some conversation—and maybe some details about a sale—but some people just prefer to scan and bag their items themselves. There’s been plenty of conversation around the security concerns associated with self-checkout, and now, local and state officials are getting involved....

Looking for Instant Curb Appeal? These 10 Driveway Ideas Will Transform Your Home iStock Looking at driveway ideas might not be as exciting as choosing a paint color for your home or planting a garden , but it’s just as important from an aesthetic perspective. “Driveways play a big role in a home’s curb appeal,” says Joe Raboine , vice president of design at the hardscapes firm Belgard. “The materials and design that contribute to creating an attractive, functional driveway deserve more attention than they are often given....

Marriott Hotels Slammed for Overcharging Guests With Hidden Fees Shutterstock / sockagphoto Anyone who has made travel arrangements recently knows how hard it can be to stick to their budget amid soaring costs—especially when it comes to finding a place to stay. Data shows that in recent years, the cost of staying in a hotel has skyrocketed in many cities across the U.S. The scarcity of affordable booking options has led many to turn to the hospitality brands they trust for accommodations, ideally ensuring they’ll get the best possible deal and have a pleasant experience....

Master Meal Prep in Minutes with These Stress-Free Strategies Shutterstock Meal prepping is one of the most effective ways to ensure you stick to a healthy, nourishing diet during the week. “With anything in life, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. That applies to meal planning as well,” registered dietitian Silvia Veri tells Corewell Health . “Planning meals and snacks ahead of time increases the chance for success, it increases the likelihood a healthier food choice will be made....

Mechanic Warns These Are the 5 Most Expensive Cars to Repair, Based on Real Data Shutterstock There are tons of videos floating around on social media where auto experts share their opinions on the worst vehicles, whether it’s that they don’t last long or break down often. But a new TikTok video from Georgia-based Royalty Auto Service’s Sherwood Cooke JR. (@royaltyautoservice), uses his mechanic shop’s actual data to break down the five most expensive cars to fix, with average repair bills between $1,000 and $1,500....

Meteorologist Says Hurricanes Will “Grow Stronger and More Easily” This Season ccpixx photography/Shutterstock It’s safe to say that even dealing with a single devastating storm is enough to make for a bad hurricane season. But unfortunately, mounting evidence suggests that we could be in for an especially active year for Atlantic cyclones. On top of being greater in number, experts caution that data shows hurricanes will also “grow stronger and more easily” during the upcoming season thanks to developing conditions....

Michael Scott Quotes That Every “Office” Fan Should Have Memorized NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION/LUBIN, JUSTIN/Cortesía Album/Alamy When the U.S. version of The Office (which was previously a hit in the U.K. starring Ricky Gervais ) premiered in 2005, it introduced the world to Michael Scott, the inappropriate, emotionally needy, and yet still lovable paper company boss played by Steve Carell . Over the years, the sitcom and the character would represent the average American workplace so accurately that it was sometimes painful....

Mindful Eating for Weight Loss: 5 Strategies to Change Your Relationship with Food Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock When it comes to weight loss, most experts are unanimous that there is more to it than just reducing calories and upping exercise. According to Tara Collingwood , MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, mindful, intuitive eating can help change your relationship with food and lose weight. “The ability to feel hunger and fullness is a quality that we were each born with,” she explains to Best Life ....

New Meteor Shower Will Create “Halloween Fireballs” in the Sky—How to See It Shutterstock/AstroStar Even though the weather is getting cooler, fall evenings can make it easier to get in some good stargazing as the sun dips below the horizon earlier each day. And while there’s plenty to see on any given night, there are some annual spectacles that can be worth stepping outside to see that don’t even require a telescope or binoculars....

New Research Reveals Surprising Side Effects of Marijuana Use, Including Increased Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke, and Heart Failure Shutterstock Many pot smokers maintain that marijuana is beneficial for their health. However, according to new research this may not be the case. Two unpublished studies recently presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia found that people who smoked marijuana – but not cigarettes – were at a greater risk of three major health issues....

One Type of Exercise May Work Like Ozempic for Weight Loss, Researchers Find iStock When everyone from celebrities to your next-door neighbor is losing jaw-dropping amounts of weight thanks to drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, it can feel discouraging trying to drop pounds the old-fashioned way through diet and exercise. But at least as far as the latter is concerned, new research shows that a certain workout may very well induce Ozempic-like weight loss....

Plastic Surgeon Blasts the Effectiveness of 7 Viral Beauty Trends Canva / Best Life Every week, it seems there’s a new beauty trend blowing up TikTok and Instagram with promises that it will transform your body, face, or skin and make you age in a reverse. From red light therapy to infrared saunas and collagen supplements, these trends often come with steep price tags and not a ton of research cited....

Police Just Issued New Warnings About Avoiding Package Theft (and Other Holiday Scams) Chad Robertson Media / Shutterstock Now that we’re fully immersed in the holiday season, there’s a good chance you’ve already started ordering gifts online. In the coming days and weeks, packages will be dropped on your doorstep—and thankfully, most retailers now shoot you a text or an email to let you know when that happens. But if you’re not home or unable to grab your delivery right away, you run the risk of becoming a target of infamous “ porch pirates ....

Red or White? Study Says Wine Choice Doesn’t Impact Cancer Risk—With a Few Exceptions Shutterstock Before we begin, let us state that the U.S. Surgeon General considers no amount of alcohol safe, linking it to the development of at least seven types of cancer. However, many of us enjoy the occasional glass of wine, and some even point to the purported health benefits of moderate red wine consumption. According to Mayo Clinic , “Antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols may help protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart....

See “Roots” Star Leslie Uggams Now at 79 Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Leslie Uggams has been gracing our television screens for decades, and that’s after she got her start as a child in radio and on the stage. Some of her earlier TV work includes appearing on The Lawrence Welk Show and Name That Tune , the latter of which leading to the young performer being offered a record contract. By the time she starred in the groundbreaking TV miniseries Roots in 1977 (and received an Emmy nomination for her work), Uggams had already charted as a recording artist, won a Tony Award for her Broadway debut, and hosted her own TV variety showcase, The Leslie Uggams Show ....