PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 20, 2026--
When did back-to-school shopping get so out of hand? Moms everywhere are blowing up the group chat, hoping someone has the insider scoop to a better way that doesn’t require multiple trips, digging through racks and hoping to find style and brands their kids want to wear at a reasonable price.
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“Back-to-school shopping shouldn't require families to choose between the fashion they love and the value they need,” said Michelle Wlazlo, JCPenney Brand CEO. “That's why at JCPenney, we're bringing both together in one place. From trusted brands and everyday essentials to meaningful savings and rewards that make back-to-school shopping easier."
Lucky for these moms, comedian and real mom, Zarna Garg, has entered the chat and is spilling the tea on how families can access real deals they need without the scavenger hunt. Let’s pop into the chat:
[Mom Talk Group Chat]
Consider back-to-school shopping handled with, Yes... JCPenney.
About JCPenney
JCPenney, part of Catalyst Brands, is the shopping destination for America’s diverse, working families. With inclusivity at its core, the Company’s product assortment meets customers’ everyday needs and helps them commemorate every special occasion with style, quality and value. JCPenney offers a broad portfolio of fashion, apparel, home, beauty and jewelry from national and private brands and provides personal services including salon, portrait and optical. The Company and its 50,000 associates worldwide serve customers where, when and how they want to shop – from jcp.com to more than 650 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
In 2022, JCPenney celebrated 120 years as an iconic American brand by continuing its legacy of connecting with customers through shopping and community engagement. Please visit JCPenney’s Newsroom to learn more and follow JCPenney on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Comedian and mom Zarna Garg is sharing all the details on how families can access real deals they need for back-to-school without the scavenger hunt, only at JCPenney.
BUTHA-BUTHE, Lesotho (AP) — One may not expect thousands to flock each winter to Lesotho but for many ski enthusiasts from across southern Africa, the small, landlocked mountain kingdom has become the go-to place in recent years.
Lesotho's high elevation and mountainous terrain combine to make it the coldest country on the continent, with temperatures in the highlands typically plunging to minus 8 degrees Celsius (about 18 degrees Fahrenheit) between June and August.
The Afriski Mountain Resort, some 3,200 meters (10,499 feet) above sea level, nestled in the northern Maluti Mountains, is Lesotho's single fully operational ski resort — and the only one in sub-Saharan Africa.
The majestic snow-covered landscape is ideal for skiing, and both seasoned and new visitors enjoy the slopes that are spread over 17 hectares (42 acres) surrounding the resort — about the size of 24 standard soccer pitches. The resort opened 25 years ago, a short bus or car ride from the nearest major town of Butha-Buthe, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) away.
Last year, tourism contributed about 7% to Lesotho's annual GDP of some $2.6 billion. For its part, Afriski provides a chunk of needed cash in a country cited by the World Bank as one of the poorest in the world — and its artificial snow machines ensure it stays open throughout the Southern Hemisphere’s winter.
U.S. President Donald Trump may have joked in 2025 about Lesotho being a country that “nobody has ever heard of” but just a year earlier, the kingdom, bordered on all sides by South Africa and with a population of 2.3 million, celebrated 200 years of the founding of the Basotho nation and 58 years of independence from British rule.
Located in its entirety at and over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level, Lesotho sees a lot of snow — and skiing is growing in popularity here from a rare sport previously mainly associated with North America and the European Alps.
Most people drive into Lesotho from neighboring South Africa but international visitors can also fly in to the airport in Maseru, the country's capital.
Afriski's CEO, Theo Ferreira, says almost 70% of the visitors come from South Africa; the rest are mostly from Lesotho or elsewhere in southern Africa. The resort now has 227 full-time and seasonal employees, nearly all Lesotho nationals, with about 30 South Africans, working mainly as skiing instructors, he said.
While the resort has rooms for 420 overnight guests, the nearby Butha-Buthe and Mohlokong towns can offer extra accommodations in peak season. The busiest day so far this year saw over 1,400 visitors while in 2025, the record was over 1,600 day visitors and those staying overnight or longer, Ferreira said.
Because unreliable weather patterns can make natural snow scarce, the resort relies on artificial snow to make skiing possible all winter long.
The resort has played role in helping ski tourism emerge as another attraction in southern Africa, known for its wildlife and scenic coastlines along the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.
For many visitors, Afriski is where they had their first ski lessons, braving falls and dusting themselves off before having another try, and another — until making that first, full glide down without falling.
Janko Smits, a student from Cape Town, South Africa, describes it as "an amazing slope to learn on.”
“At the start it was a little discouraging because you fall, and you fall hard,” he said. “But the people here, they gave me one lesson and after an hour, honestly, I felt confident.”
“When you think of the African continent, you don't think of snow. You think about ... the sun and the Sahara (Desert),” said Thato Ramaphoko, a first-timer at the resort from Pretoria, South Africa’s capital. "But that you can actually go to all that and also come here and it also snows at the same time, it is just mind-blowing, so I just had to see it for myself."
Visitors at Afriski can also sample a taste of Lesotho in the form of traditional sausage rolls and Maluti Lager, the country's proudly home-brewed beer.
As for a souvenir to take home, try the colorful Basotho blanket, which comes in vibrant colors and patterns that also pop up in local garments and are creatively integrated into various skiing jackets and gear.
For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse
A worker poses near the slopes at Afriski Mountain Resort in Maluti, Lesotho, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kayleen Morgan)
Afriski Mountain Resort is seen at Afriski Mountain Resort in Maluti, Lesotho, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kayleen Morgan)
A skier descends through the snow at Afriski Mountain Resort in Maluti, Lesotho, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kayleen Morgan)
A skier descends carving through the snow at Afriski Mountain Resort in Maluti, Lesotho, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kayleen Morgan)
A group of skiers gather on the slopes at Afriski Mountain Resort in Maluti, Lesotho, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kayleen Morgan)
