Southwest Connector

(BPT) - Every dog has a story, and each story offers a priceless life lesson. For Lee Asher, founder of The Asher House animal sanctuary, his pack of over 50 dogs (as well as a few cats, a horse, and a pig) teaches him something new every day. Now, he's sharing his wisdom with the world. In his book, Saved by the Pack: How 50 Dogs Helped Me Find My Purpose, Asher introduces readers to his furry family members and the lessons each of them has taught him.

(BPT) - La temporada de regreso a clases puede ser un momento emocionante, con una rutina renovada, pero también trae una larga lista de compras que puede poner a prueba el presupuesto familiar. Y todo indica que este año escolar será más costoso que nunca. Según la encuesta de consumidores de PwC de 2026 en EE. UU. sobre las compras para el regreso a clases, los padres esperan gastar un promedio de $922 este año y casi la mitad (47%) afirma que planea gastar más que en 2025.

A jewelry appraisal usually costs about $75-$100, though traditional appraisal fees can range from $50 to $200. This depends on the appraiser, the item’s complexity, and the location. Appraisers may charge a flat fee per piece or an hourly rate; complex rings, antique jewelry, designer pieces, estate items, or multi-stone designs are often more expensive to evaluate. So, how much does a jewelry appraisal cost? Average traditional appraisals are about $75-$100. More complex pieces can cost more.

(BPT) - Outages aren't a matter of if, but when. If you live in an area where summer storms and heat waves can take out local power, it's time to consider how to power your home no matter how long the grid goes dark. What's the easiest solution? According to Beau, a former licensed electrician and now an in-house product expert at Jackery, the answer is simple: buy a home backup system.

Posted Friday, August 21, 2026 1:40 pm It can be stressful when kids flat-out refuse to go to school. Your child might be complaining about stomachaches every day, begging to stay home. Or they may become increasingly emotional as the school day approaches. You may find yourself wondering: Why is this happening? What if they’re never willing to go back to school? And what’s the best way to handle this? School refusal (also called school avoidance) can be frustrating to deal with.

Imagine for a moment two first officers who just finished identical careers. Exact same aircraft. Exact same number of years. Exact same routes. One trained and flew under the Federal Aviation Administration and the other under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. When they both apply for their next job, one logbook shows 1,500 hours of pilot-in-command (PIC) time but the other shows 0. That’s not an error. Neither logbook is wrong and nothing about their flying experience is actually different.

Accounts payable (AP) automation challenges often become visible after go-live. The controller realizes exceptions are still piling up. The enterprise resource planning (ERP) sync broke after a vendor name change, and approvers have quietly reverted to emailing PDF invoices for sign-off. The finance leader is asking where the time savings went, and the honest answer is that the tool is running, but the results aren't matching the pitch.

Posted Friday, August 21, 2026 11:05 am In Texas, fifty rural hospitals are at risk of closure. That is more than any other state in the country. Behind Texas, in descending order: Kansas (44), Tennessee (27), Georgia (25), and Mississippi (24). Behind those numbers is a typical Friday afternoon at a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) that takes patients from those vulnerable hospitals. The discharge packet arrives on paper. The patient does not arrive by ambulance. They arrive in a personal vehicle.

Posted Friday, August 21, 2026 11:05 am A wallet full of credit cards isn't a problem by itself. But it's time to cancel one when you're paying annual fees for perks you never use, or an old card stays open only because a forgotten subscription is charging it. Nearly 1 in 5 cardholders pay an annual fee on their primary card, according to Motley Fool Money research examining 2025 Federal Reserve data. If yours isn't paying you back in cash back or rewards, start there.

(BPT) - If you're looking for a warm-weather fall escape this year, head to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where coastal traditions, local flavor and memory-making events keep the season glowing. Locals agree that The Beach is at its best during autumn, when the Grand Strand comes alive with surfing witches, music festivals and cook-offs the whole family can enjoy.