Tips to make cleaning your home easier this fall

(Family Features) - Cooler fall temperatures are on the way and it mean you're likely to spend more time indoors.

Whether you are entertaining guests or want to spend less time cleaning while working from home, taking time to spruce up inside and out can make your home more comfortable and inviting. With the peace of mind that your home is tidy, clean and prepared for the fall and winter in the months ahead, you'll enjoy the comforts of being home even more.

Here are five hacks to make your time indoors more comfortable.

Tidy Outdoor Spaces
Before stashing your lawn care equipment, give your home and landscape some end-of-season attention. Use a power washer to clean lawn furniture and store it away from the elements or use covers to protect it. Clean out gutters and remove debris from flower beds to encourage proper drainage.

Check for Repair Projects
Give your home a thorough inspection to identify any problems that need attention before cold weather sets in. Look for concerns like loose shutters or siding, cracked or loose shingles, cracks and gaps around doors and windows that may allow moisture or cold air to creep in. Severe weather and cycles of freezing and thawing can exacerbate these problems, so it's best to make repairs before they result in major damage.

Eliminate Dirt and Dust
Moving indoors, take time to remove any dirt and grime that has accumulated. Wash textiles like curtains and rugs. Wipe down kitchen and bathroom surfaces with an antibacterial solution. Dust other parts of the house, including blinds, windowsills, baseboards and other hard-to-reach places.

When it comes to vacuuming, make sure to keep floors clean and free of outside dirt all season long with an all-around cleaner that can vacuum and mop simultaneously, like the DEEBOT OZMO T8 AIVI. It provides convenient, efficient, hands-free cleaning you can control via smart home devices. With a built-in HD camera, the AI-powered robot identifies common household obstacles and intelligently determines how to clean around them, while also providing on-demand home monitoring. Complete with laser mapping and navigation technology to scan and map your floors for faster cleaning and fewer missed spots, it is also compatible with an optional, automatic emptying station that allows for up to 30 days of fully maintenance-free cleaning.

Promote Air Quality
In addition to keeping floors clean and allergens under control, there are other steps you can take to promote better air quality while you're spending more time indoors. Scheduling service for your furnace can help ensure it's in good condition before cold weather hits. This is also a good time to replace your air filter and consider a duct cleaning. Take time to clean ceiling fans and reverse the blades so the air circulates but fans don't create a chilling effect.

Swap Seasonal Essentials
A new season brings change, whether it's simply swapping out your wardrobe or gearing up for a busy season of school activities and sports. Make time to put away out-of-season clothes and other necessities to make room for the things you'll need for the autumn months. Keep only the things you need and store the rest to help keep clutter under control.

Find more tips for efficient fall home maintenance and cleaning at ecovacs.com.

Queens Of The Road: Women motorcyclists inspire new updated riding wear design

(NAPSI) — The number of female motorcycle riders are on the rise. In growing numbers, millennial women riders all across the country are driving a demand for better riding gear. These motorcycling enthusiasts are leaving their days as passengers in the dust, ushering in a new era of biker style.

According to a recent national survey by the Motorcycle Industry Council in 2018, women represent almost 20 percent of motorcycle owners, a marked increase from the 8 percent reported just 10 years ago.

With this demographic change, protective riding gear and accessories—and especially helmets, jackets and riding boots—are getting a second look by major brands. More and more, as motorcycle-savvy brands pick up on the trend, they’re creating riding gear designed for the anatomy and unique fit needs of the female rider.

Wolverine Worldwide, the manufacturer of Harley-Davidson© footwear and performance riding boots and shoes, has seen an impressive sales surge in women-specific riding boots in recent years.

"From 2016 to 2018 we saw women’s riding boot sales jump by 40 percent," said Jenna Ludeman, Wolverine’s marketing manager for the Harley-Davidson© product line. "It’s clear to us that women are getting out to ride on their own and their adventures require riding footwear that provides performance, protection and a comfortable fit designed just for them."

Recent materials innovations and the advances in performance technologies have created this next generation of performance riding footwear. Today’s riding styles incorporate materials that help to keep feet cooler in direct sunlight, dryer in rain and snow and, in some cases, better protected from impact.

For those looking for a style that transitions well from the open road to the city streets, women riders now have options including riding sneakers like the new Harley-Davidson© women’s Mackey, a waterproof riding sneaker featuring XRD® Impact Protection, a lightweight and flexible open-cell foam material that provides extreme impact protection.

For women riders looking for a more traditional riding style, the Harley-Davidson Brinser engineer boot is also rich with modern performance features. Waterproof full-grain leather helps in the wet conditions and a cooling mesh lining and TFL COOL SYSTEM® technology act to reflect the sun’s rays and ultimately keep the inside of the boot up to 54° cooler than traditional leather.

"Today’s female riders are connecting with the sense of adventure and community that motorcycling naturally brings," said Ludeman. "And we’re interested in connecting the rider to a better riding product for a better riding experience."

Guest Commentary: Is God mad at you?

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

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We all may have some issues with the past. Past problems, past mistakes, past sins, past decisions and past ignorance.

We live and we learn if we are fortunate enough to live. Sadly, too many obituaries are of young adults who were barely starting life. Some young adults don't think that much about the past because so much of life is in front of them – they hope. Most of us believe life is in front of us. It’s difficult to imagine not existing, but as we all know, life ends.

If you live long enough you’ll make enough mistakes that will embarrass you, worry you, frighten you or simply make you wonder if God is mad enough to assign you to an everlasting hell. Usually, the pain or aggravation of life’s past problems, valleys, hurts and pain is enough hell for all of us. If hell is any worse than the weight of life’s regrets, sorrows and foul-ups then it surely is more than a terrible place.

People who live long lives typically remember fifty years ago like it’s today. Throughout all of life, sadly, what we often are weighted down by are our transgressions or mistakes. Often it may not be some egregious sin but simply something we wish we could do one more time because we know if we could try again we could do it better. Unfortunately we don’t get a second chance.

We have one opportunity to raise our children. We have one span of time to be good to our parents. We have one brief work career that we both work hard and do well or fiddle diddle away. Hind sight is always 20/20 but at the time we can’t stop long enough to see what we are doing.

Most of the time our lives are filled with good deeds, lots of good events and lots of good memorable occasions that we should dwell more upon. We forget most of these but the bad stuff always rises to the top. Bad stuff is like bad news. Bad news travels fast. Good news may or may not get around. The bad stuff is typically what climbs its way to the top of our minds and camps there to torment us.

The work of the Devil is surely to imprison us if possible. The work of Jesus is to set us free. I heard a parable about Jesus seeing the Devil with a cage. Inside the cage the Devil had a man.

Jesus said, “Old Devil, what are you going to do with that man?”

The Devil replied, “Hurt him, torture him and make his life hell.”

Jesus then asked, “Old Devil, what would you take to set that man free?”

With a hiss of hate the Devil looked at Jesus with a sinister stare and said, “Every ounce of your blood.”

Keep in mind this day that Jesus has paid the price for your freedom. Don’t worry about it anymore.

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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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Photo Gallery: Spartans hand STM first conference loss

Left: Will Childers heads the ball toward waiting Spartan teammates. Right: Spencer Wilson inserts himself between two St. Thomas More players to get control of the ball during first half play. Wilson later scored the only goal the game to give the Spartan program this first victory over the Sabers in more than five seasons.

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Photos from PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Left: Owen Baltzell boots the ball down the field during last half of the first half against the Sabers. Right: Brennan Haake, a senior who will be honored at SJO's home match on Saturday, plays defense in the first half.

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Left: SJO defensive specialist Jared Emmert follows an STM player across the field. Emmert, a senior and four-year veteran on the team, will be honored at Saturday's Senior Day. Right: Spartan Garrett Siems passes the ball during first half action against the Sabers.

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Left: Spartans' Collin Thomey heads the ball away from a pair of Sabers' players. Right: Will Childers cuts off St. Thomas More player's path down the field toward SJO's goal.

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Left: Goalkeeper Hunter Ketchum keeps a watchful eye on the action to his left. Ketchum made six saves to give the Spartans the shutout. Right: A STM player pushes the ball to the middle of box hoping to take a shot on the SJO goal in the second half.

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Oh, YEAH!

Junior Carter Mabry lets out an celebratory yell as he walks back to the bench after the game. Mabry and the Spartan program will honor two seniors on Saturday before the opening kick against Georgetown-Ridge Farm.

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Looking for photos of a specific player from either team? Email us at photos@oursentinel.com with the athlete's name and jersey number for details.

Wilson's 2nd half goal seals Spartan soccer victory

After the game clock showed 0:00 on the scoreboard, St. Joseph-Ogden head coach Bill DeJarnette told his players: "This was a big win!"

The scoreboard also showed the Spartans had beat visiting St. Thomas More, a feat that had not been accomplished in nearly half a decade, 1-0.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Logan Mills applauds Spencer Wilson who receives a well-deserved celebratory pat on the back from another teammate, Collin Thomey, after Wilson's second half goal against St. Thomas More. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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"It felt good," said Spencer, who scored the game's lone goal on a pass from senior Jared Emmert with less than eight and half minutes to play in the game. "It was my time to score."

The sophomore's strike also handed the Sabers their third loss of the season and their first loss to SJO as members together in the Illini Prairie Conference.

Goalkeeper Hunter Ketchum tallied six saves for the 9-6-1 Spartans.

SJO has three more matches for the remainder of the month of September starting at 9a tomorrow against Georgetown-Ridge Farm tomorrow morning. Tuesday the team will travel to Bloomington looking to also upset Central Catholic once again and two days later will host Rantoul Township on the SJO Soccer Field starting at 4:30p.

Prep Sports Notebook: Urbana falls in Thursday tennis, SJO wins

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Madigan, Poungingal pick up victories

Eisla Madigan and Matika Pounginjai were the only two Urbana players to post wins in the singles competition in the Tigers dual match against Danville. After five singles and a pair of doubles matches, UHS fell 5-2 to the Vikings at the Danville Tennis Center on Thursday.

Madigan defeated Vikings' Lexi Foley 8-2 at #4 singles and Pounginjai won by default on the #5 court.

The Tigers return to competition next Thursday, September 30, to host Mahomet-Seymour at Blair Park.

Match Results:

Singles:
No. 1 - Lexi Ellis, DANVILLE def. Myra Stevens, URBANA, 8-0
No. 2 - Ava Towne, DANVILLE def. Hannah Null, URBANA, 8-0
No. 3 - Hannah Schroeder, DANVILLE def. Alisa Tangmunarunkit, URBANA, 4-8
No. 4 - Eisla Madigan, URBANA def. Lexi Foley, DANVILLE, 8-2
No. 5 - Matika Pounginjai, URBANA def. N/A, 2-0

Doubles:
No. 1 - Lexi Ellis/Lexi Foley, DANVILLE def. Hannah Null/Eisla Madigan, URBANA, 6-3 , 6-4
No. 2 - Ava Towne/Hannah Schroeder, DANVILLE def. Matika Pounginjai/Alisa Tangmunarunkit, URBANA, 6-0 , 6-0

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Spartan win road match at GCMS

Abbey Dow and Claire Huffman won their matches on the singles courts to give St. Joseph-Ogden a 2-0 lead to start the team's final road match of the season. Double duos Abby Behrens & Hope Rajlich and Katie McDermott & Emma Rydell brought home wins to give the Spartans a 4-1 victory on Thursday.

SJO will play their final three regular-season contests at home starting next Wednesday when they host St. Teresa. The team will then close out the year with back to matches with Maroa-Forsyth on October 11 and Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley in the finale on Tuesday, October 12.

Match Results:

Singles:
No. 1 - Abbey Dow, SJO def. Katie Steidinger, Gibson-City Melvin Sibley High School (GCMS), 8-7
No. 2 - Claire Huffman, SJO def. Audrey Iverson, Gibson-City Melvin Sibley High School (GCMS), 8-0

Doubles:
No. 1 - London Hixson/Lexi Darbutt, GCMS def. Jacey Lewis/Kelsey Martlage, SJO, 8-7
No. 2 - Abby Behrens/Hope Rajlich, SJO def. Syda Schlickman/McKenna Crowley, GCMS, 8-0
No. 3 - Katie McDermott/Emma Rydell, SJO def. Emily Hood/Kadence Crowley, GCMS, 8-3