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Amid higher prices, what will Bay Area holiday shoppers spend this holiday season?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

Shoppers may be feeling squeezed by higher prices, but locally owned stores in the Bay Area are expecting to register big sales this holiday season, providing a welcome boost to the region’s smaller downtowns after a year of economic challenges.Holiday shopping kicked off in earnest on Friday, with retailers large and small offering deals to lure price-conscious customers, while Christmas tree lots welcomed families eager to ring in the season.For some tree shoppers, prices appeared to have actually come down from what they remembered spending last year. Andrew Aguero and his young family drove from Fremont to Speer Family Farms’ Wonderland Trees lot in Alameda on Friday to find one in particular: a 7-foot Silver Tip Fir that cost about $180 last year. This year’s price tag? $120 for a similar tree.“It seemed a lot less this year, which was nice to see,” Aguero said. “I’m not too worried about what it is today. Luckily, a lot of people in th...

Mbappé scores a penalty as PSG beats Monaco 5-2 to move four points clear at the top

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Star striker Kylian Mbappé scored his 14th league goal of the season as French leader Paris Saint-Germain beat third-place Monaco 5-2 to move four points clear at the top on Friday.Second-place Nice can keep the gap at one point if it beats Toulouse at home on Sunday.After striker Gonçalo Ramos put PSG ahead in the 18th minute, Monaco equalized four minutes later following a mistake from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. He was under pressure from Monaco forward Folarin Balogun, hesitated, and shot the ball straight at Japan forward Takumi Minamino, who finished confidently for his fourth league goal of the season.PSG regained the lead through Mbappé in the 39th when defender Soungoutou Magassa tried to clear the ball and clipped the leg of winger Ousmane Dembélé for a penalty. Mbappé, who joined PSG from Monaco for 180 million euros ($197 million) in 2017, sent his spot kick into the top left corner.Dembélé made it 3-1 in the 70th, expertly controlling a long pass from ...

Joburg Open Par Scores

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

FridayAt Houghton GCJohannesburgPurse: $19.1 millionYardage: 7,227; Par: 70Second RoundNikhil Rama, South Africa65-62—127-13Thriston Lawrence, South Africa62-66—128-12Dean Burmester, South Africa68-62—130-10Jacques Kruyswijk, South Africa66-64—130-10Zander Lombard, South Africa66-65—131-9Jaco Prinsloo, South Africa66-66—132-8Darren Fichardt, South Africa66-67—133-7Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Africa69-66—135-5Dan Bradbury, England66-69—135-5Manuel Elvira, Spain71-64—135-5Ross Fisher, England70-65—135-5Dylan Frittelli, South Africa68-67—135-5Deon Germishuys, South Africa68-67—135-5Chase Hanna, United States69-66—135-5Dylan Mostert, South Africa68-67—135-5Tapio Pulkkanen, Finland69-66—135-5Jeppe Kristian Andersen, Denmark70-66—136-4Sam Bairstow, England72-64—136-4Bryce Easton, South Africa69-67—136-4Casey Jarvis, South Africa68-68—136-4Jayden Trey Schaper, South Africa66-70—136-4Andy Sullivan, England66-70—136-4Adri Arnaus, Spain68-69—137-3Oliver Bekker, South Africa70-67—137-3Danie...

Merzlikins makes 40 saves as Blue Jackets edge Devils 2-1

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Boone Jenner and Eric Robinson scored first-period goals and Elvis Merzlikins made 40 saves — including 22 in the third period — as the Columbus Blue Jackets downed the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Friday.Columbus won for the second-straight time after a nine-game losing streak while New Jersey lost its third in a row and for the sixth time in seven games.Jenner opened the scoring at 10:04 with his 11th of the season. Johnny Gaudreau had the assist. Jenner has 14 points overall.Devils forward Alexander Holtz tied it at 13:15 of the first, snapping a wrist shot past Merzlikins for his fifth goal of the campaign. Ondrej Palat drew the lone assist.Columbus had a four-minute power play late in the first period when Holtz was called for high-sticking but New Jersey snuffed it out.Robinson followed that with his first goal and point of the season at 19:23, beating Devils netminder Akira Schmid on a breakaway. The 28-year-old forward, who played for Princeton and is a New J...

Moritz Wagner scores 27 to lead Magic over Celtics 113-96 for 6th straight win

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Moritz Wagner scored 27 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Boston Celtics 113-96 for their sixth straight win Friday, throwing the Eastern Conference’s Group C up for grabs in the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.Paolo Banchero had 23 points and seven rebounds for Orlando. Franz Wagner finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Cole Anthony came off the bench with 16 points.Jayson Tatum led Boston with 26 points. Jaylen Brown added 18, but made just 2 of 16 shots after scoring 12 points in the first 10 minutes.Jalen Suggs hit two of the Magic’s four 3-pointers on a 17-0 run after Boston had taken a 62-50 lead early in the third quarter. The Celtics missed all eight shots during the game-changing run and went scoreless for 4:42.The Magic finished 3-1 in group play. The loss dropped Boston to 2-1 with a game at home against Chicago coming up on Tuesday night. The Brooklyn Nets, who beat the Magic, are also 2-1 pending a game ag...

Pittsburgh beats Oregon State 76-51 for third place at the NIT Season Tip-Off

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Zack Austin had 19 points and eight rebounds, Blake Hinson added 17 points and Pittsburgh beat Oregon State 76-51 on Friday for third place at the NIT Season Tip-Off.Hinson, who entered tied for second in the ACC with 19.6 points per game, has scored 17 or more points and made three or more 3-pointers in each of the past five contests. Hinson was 3 of 11 from distance to extend his streak to 19 consecutive games with a made 3-pointer.Ishmael Leggett scored 15 points and Federiko Federiko added 10 for Pittsburgh (5-1). Carlton Carrington, who has been named ACC rookie of the week in each of the first two weeks of the season, had five points, six rebounds and five assists.Leggett put Pittsburg ahead by double figures, 26-16, for good on a 3-pointer with 8:33 left in the first half. The Panthers had runs of 8-0 and 7-0 in the second half.Pittsburgh led 39-27 at halftime after holding Oregon State to 8-of-29 shooting, including 2 of 15 from 3-point range. The teams combi...

Data Doctors: Pros and cons of hardware security keys

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

Q: What are the pros and cons of using hardware security keys?A: One of the best ways to secure your online accounts is using some form of two-factor authentication to prevent anyone that acquires your password from getting in.The two factors are something you know — your password and something you have: your smartphone.Whenever one of your accounts sees your legitimate password being used from a device, browser or location they don’t recognize, they’ll send a special code or message to your smartphone to make sure it’s you.With all the clever ways for hackers to steal passwords, not having this feature activated on all your accounts is very risky.As with all security measures, it’s a balance between protection and usability that each of us must choose between.Hardware security key prosAs good as smartphone-based two-factor authentication is, it’s not infallible so those seeking a higher level of security often consider using hardware security keys instead.A couple of advantages of ...

Pruitt scores 19, Lipscomb downs UNC Asheville 86-75

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

MONTREAL (AP) — Will Pruitt had 19 points in Lipscomb’s 86-75 win against UNC Asheville on Friday in the Northern Classic.Pruitt had six rebounds for the Bisons (4-2). Owen McCormack scored 18 points and added 10 rebounds. Derrin Boyd was 4 of 11 shooting and 9 of 10 from the free throw line to finish with 18 points, while adding six rebounds.Drew Pember led the Bulldogs (2-3) in scoring, finishing with 28 points and two blocks. Josh Banks added 20 points and eight rebounds for UNC Asheville. Jamon Battle also recorded 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Josh Hubbard stars as No. 25 Mississippi State beats Nicholls 74-61

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Freshman Josh Hubbard scored 15 points, and No. 25 Mississippi State beat Nicholls 74-61 on Friday.Cameron Matthews had 12 points and seven rebounds for the Bulldogs (6-0). Jimmy Bell Jr., a West Virginia transfer, had 11 points and 10 rebounds in his second double-double of the season.“You never know how it will unfold but I enjoy having balanced scoring,” Mississippi State coach Chris Jans said. “Obviously, I am not trying to hold anyone down but at the same time, it makes it so difficult to prepare against from a defensive scouting perspective. There’s multiple guys that can have big nights and you are not relying on one thing over and over to carry you, offensively.”Nicholls (3-4) was led by Jamal West Jr., who finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Byron Ireland had 10 points.Mississippi State led 36-24 at halftime. Matthews and D.J. Jeffries each converted a layup and Bell connected on two foul shots to make it 44-26 early in the ...

Miami crushes Boston College 45-20, snaps 3-game losing streak

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:47:10 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Miami faced a fourth down in Boston College territory late in the third quarter against a BC team that had begun to show signs of a rally.That’s when the Hurricanes turned to Xavier Restrepo.Tyler Van Dyke lofted a pass down the middle of the field, Restrepo dove to haul it in, and Miami punched it into the end zone three plays later to put the game away and beat the Eagles 45-20 on Friday.“You can always trust X,” said Van Dyke, who was 23 for 36 for 290 yards and two touchdowns. “I mean, he’s always going to find his way open. You’ve just got to get him the ball and he’ll make the play for you.”Restrepo caught six passes for 117 yards – giving him 993 receiving yards for the season – and Miami snapped a three-game losing streak. Henry Parrish Jr. ran for 111 yards and a pair of scores for the Hurricanes (7-5, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference).Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos ran for 130 yards and a touchdown but only completed 15 of 25 passes for 151 ...