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Music Gift Guide 2023

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

Music Gift Guide 2023: The holidays are upon us once again, and that means we need to spend a fortune on gifts for family and friends, and maybe even a few people that we don’t even like. Don’t, we’ve got you covered. Everyone likes music, and below you’ll find a whole load of music-related ideas for presents. If nothing else, treat yourself!Avril Lavigne (Beatbox)BeatBoxLast year, we were sent deadmau5’s coconut rum to sample, and very nice it was, too. This year, our music-related boozy treat is BeatBox, a read-to-drink cocktail brand. The music connection comes in due to the fact that they’ve partnered with Avril Lavigne on a Pink Lemonade flavor. That is undeniably delicious, though not quite as good as its Green Apple. The Peach is damned fine, too. All of them pack a punch; the Pink Lemonade clocks in at 11.1%.“The partnership with BeatBox felt right from the start – I have never come across a brand that was as committed to providing their fans with a truly memorab...

Bay Area high school football 2023: CCS championship weekend preview

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

For the first time since 2010, just one team from the West Catholic Athletic League reached a Central Coast Section final — and that team won’t play this weekend.Serra captured its championship last week, routing Wilcox for the Open Division title.Under the section’s new format, Wilcox, as the Open runner-up, moved into the CCS’s Division I final on Friday night against league-rival Los Gatos at San Jose City College.Five championships will be decided this weekend in the CCS, four involving teams from the Bay Area News Group’s coverage area.We preview those games here:CCS Division I: No. 4 Los Gatos vs. No. 7 WilcoxRecords: Los Gatos 10-2; Wilcox 8-4Kickoff: Friday at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.Series history: The teams have met 22 times in the MaxPreps era (2004 to present), with Los Gatos leading 16-5-1. Los Gatos has won the past four meetings. Storylines: Los Gatos won the regular season matchup between the teams 24-21 after senior running back Bo...

7 incredible Bay Area things to do over Thanksgiving weekend

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers, and we hope a fun and wonderful holiday season is awaiting us all. But first we have to do deal with having fun this weekend, and we have some cool ideas along those lines, from a the quirky “Saltburn” to great plays and concerts and a sudsy day trip to Jack London Square.And, as always, be sure to double check event and venue websites for any last-minute changes in health guidelines. Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.1 WATCH: Wild ‘Saltburn’ is a winnerEmerald Fennell’s zany film about two Oxford University students on a summer break is wild, unique and a little naughty — and tops our roundup of new films and shows you should totally watch this weekend. And if you’re curious as to what films are headed to theaters through the holiday stretch, we...

Share the Spirit: Rising hunger spurs Martinez nonprofit to feed hundreds more people every day than before the pandemic

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

MARTINEZ — The COVID-19 pandemic nearly ruined Heather Gourley’s life.Aside from catching the virus, both Gourley and her husband lost their jobs as a Starbucks supervisor and iron worker, respectively, costing them their home and nearly their family vehicle as well.With nowhere else to turn, Gourley — a mother of three who was pregnant at the time — began taking her family to Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa, a nonprofit organization that provides meals and other services to families in need in central and eastern Contra Costa County.The organization helped Gourley more than she could have imagined. Gourley found not just hot meals and nutrition, but a new career. Flash forward three years, she now works at Kidz Planet preparing food for preschoolers, after passing a rigorous culinary arts course offered by Loaves and Fishes.“I don’t know what we would have done without them,” Gourley said, crediting her instructor, Cassandra Dell’Aq...

Could the San Jose Sharks get into the Patrick Kane mix? Not this one way, at least

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

SAN JOSE – Patrick Kane, nearly six months after he had hip resurfacing surgery, is reportedly close to returning to the NHL. The Hart Trophy winner and nine-time all-star, now a free agent, has been talking to various suitors of late, seeing where he would best fit as he chases a fourth Stanley Cup.The issue for Kane is that he might not be able to sign a contract worth much more than $1 million, or barely above the league minimum of $775,000 if it’s a one-year deal. That’s because many of the teams thought to be Cup contenders do not have much flexibility under the $83.5 million salary cap.Kane’s cap hit on his last contract was a whopping $10.5 million. He’s past his prime, so he likely won’t get anything close to this year, but he still had 21 goals and 36 assists in 73 games last season, and wouldn’t be out of line asking for a deal commensurate with that level of production.The rebuilding San Jose Sharks do have some flexibility under the salary c...

Motorcyclist dies after collision with car near Morgan Hill, passenger sustains major injuries

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

(KRON) -- A male motorcyclist died and a female passenger suffered major injuries on Wednesday afternoon after they were struck by a car and ejected from the bike, according to the California Highway Patrol-Hollister Gilroy. The fatal crash occurred on Watsonville Road, south of Morgan Hill.Police said a 68-year-old male motorcyclist with a 60-year-old female passenger, both residents of Los Gatos, were riding on a 2004 Harley Davidson and failed to stop at a stop sign on Uvas Road, according to a witness at the scene, before turning northbound onto Watsonville Road. A 41-year-old Prunedale man was driving a 2018 Toyota Camry southbound on Watsonville Road when the car collided with the turning motorcycle. Teenagers caught breaking into cars in Gilroy, police say The male motorcyclist succumbed to their injuries at the scene, CHP said. The female passenger was airlifted to Valley Medical Center with major injuries. Her current condition is unknown at this time.The Toyota driver wa...

How owls could be the next frontier for pest control in Napa Valley

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

(KRON) -- If the wine on your table this holiday season is from Napa Valley, you might have some feathery friends to thank for the good harvest. Matt Johnson, professor in Cal Poly Humboldt's Department of Wildlife, and his students have been studying the role owls play in pest control in Napa Valley, Sonoma and the Central Valley for the past nine years. Courtesy Cal Poly Humboldt"We do have evidence that it's not just a feel-good story; that they do actually help control rodents," Johnson said. Specifically, gophers, mice and voles, Johnson added, which are big issues for the region's award-winning vineyards.In Napa, there are over 300 barn owl nest boxes. The lab estimated that each property with two bird boxes home to an average of two adult owls and four babies kills 1,000 rodents over the course of the breeding season between March and June. Research also shows that properties with boxes home to insectivorous birds might be immune to pest outbreaks.Courtesy Cal Poly HumboldtJo...

Suspect in series of robberies nabbed by Moraga police

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

(BCN) -- Moraga Police Department officers arrested a suspect in a series of burglaries in the Contra Costa County town, police said this week.Trevor Hudson, 25, was nabbed on Nov. 18 after officers were able to get video evidence that he was allegedly involved in one of the reported burglaries in the Moraga Country Club, in which golf clubs and golf equipment were stolen.When Hudson was arrested, he was in possession of stolen property from some of the burglaries, police said. Amazon driver was not kidnapped, San Ramon police say Investigators allege Hudson was connected to at least 12 burglaries in Moraga and two others in Danville.Police said they have been able to find a large amount of the stolen property, and that they are working to return it to the victims.Those with relevant information are asked to contact Moraga police at (925)-888-7056.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Portraits of those held hostage after Hamas attack on Israel

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

A temporary cease-fire deal that would facilitate the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza offers a glimmer of hope to families and friends of those who have been held captive since their abduction from southern Israel by militants on Oct. 7.In all, roughly 240 people were taken to Gaza by militants in Hamas’ deadly rampage. Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day halt that would also see the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.Under the deal announced by Qatar on Wednesday, 50 hostages would be released in exchange for what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Those released by both sides would be women and minors. Israel said the truce would be extended by a day for every 10 additional hostages released.While several families will be thrilled to have their loved ones back, if the deal goes through, a significant number of hostages will likely remain in captivity. The plight of the families has gripped Israelis and they have w...

Qatar says Gaza cease-fire will begin at 7 a.m. Friday, with aid to follow ‘as soon as possible’

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:09 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Qatar said Thursday that a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war will begin at 7 a.m. Friday, with aid “going in as soon as possible.”Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, made the announcement in a news conference in Doha, Qatar.The cease-fire had been anticipated after a deal was reached, though details were still being sorted out over the last day.Al-Ansari said the first batch of captive civilians will be delivered around 4 p.m., including 13 women and children.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An agreement for a four-day cease-fire in Gaza and the release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel appeared to have hit a last-minute snag. A senior Israeli official said it would not take effect until Friday, a day later than originally announced.The diplomatic breakthrough promised some relief for the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaz...