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New festival presents offering of tradition, art, and wellness to South Bay

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

Under cloudless blue skies, young mariachi performers blanketed downtown Gilroy in harmonies, accompanying the thousands of visitors who danced, haggled, and dined at La Ofrenda festival this Saturday. While the festival is only in its inaugural year, attendees say it fills a much-needed space in the South Bay, and organizers hope it is just the first of many to come.“People have been yearning for this,” said festival attendee and Hayward resident Christina Fletes-Romo. “It’s great to have an event like this in Gilroy, (a place) that’s often overlooked.”Leroy Gonsalez, of Gilroy, honors the occasion during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in downtown Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attires enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) The ...

EVs abound: modern, handsome, fast

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

Automotive journalists often drive new vehicles for a week and then write reviews about their experiences. It’s rare one vehicle in a manufacturer’s lineup can be quickly compared to a more modest or a higher-end trim of the same car. Also unusual is promptly testing two diverse cars or trucks from the same carmaker.The novel approach was one idea presented at the recent Best of the Bay, a 2 1/2-day gathering of the Western Automotive Journalists (WAJ). It’s the 30-year-old Bay Area community of content creators and industry representatives.Nine manufacturers showcased 13 cars at Vintner’s Resort in Santa Rosa for testing, including two vehicles from Genesis, Hyundai, Kia and Toyota. Acura, Honda, Lexus, Mazda and Mercedes-Benz (AMG) each presented one car.Organizers mapped a 20-minute loop that included entering and exiting freeways, narrow country roads and urban traffic. While individually driving a car or rotating with another journalist as a driver and t...

The 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge AWD Ultimate SUV

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

What is a XC40? The XC40 is a subcompact luxury crossover SUV built in Ghent, Belgium and sold worldwide by Volvo. The XC40 combines the size of a small all electric SUV with twin electric motors that can be driven 223 miles on a full charge.The overall fuel economy rating for this Ultimate Edition all wheel drive (AWD) EV is 85 MPGe, and it can be recharged on a level II 240 volt charger in about 8 hours.The 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge is an electric SUV based on the gas powered XC40 small crossover. It’s part of a growing number of premium electric SUVs , such as the Audi E-tron, Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Jaguar I-Pace and the Tesla Model Y. The XC40 was introduced in the 2019 model year and for 2023 it’s been nicely updated, modernized and electrified. It comes with more safety, luxury and technology options.Both the gas and electric XC40 vehicles have received significant exterior and interior upgrades with the new 2023 redesign. They feature a new front bumper, ...

New EV Tax Credit Rules Help Low-Income Consumers

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

Starting on January 1st, eligible consumers who purchase a qualified electric vehicle will be able to collect their federal tax credit at the point of sale. The current rules require taxpayers to apply for the credit when they file their taxes and then wait to receive the benefit. The new “cash-on-the-hood” option is likely to increase the effectiveness of the incentive by offsetting the purchase price of an EV immediately. The streamlined procedure will be especially helpful to low-income consumers who have difficulty managing the high up front cost of an EV. The changes coming in 2024 will also grant full eligibility to low-income taxpayers who currently lose out on part or all of the incentive because of insufficient tax liability.The Inflation Reduction Act made many complex changes to the EV tax credit rules that restrict its availability, so the arrival of the straightforward cash-on-the-hood provision will be a welcome development. Many new EV models will only qualify for hal...

Skip the washing machine, shower with your jeans on, Levi’s CEO says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — You of course want to have clean clothes. While you likely have your own rhythm of washing them — separating lights and darks, turning your shirts inside out, hanging your clothes on the line to dry — there’s one article you’re probably caring for wrong. Your jeans. A quick search for an answer will give you numerous options. Wash denim inside out and by themselves on a delicate or gentle cycle, then let them air dry, Whirlpool encourages. Use cold water and detergent, Tide suggests. Pre-soak denim jeans in cold water with scented vinegar, Classic Maytag explains. Don’t wash them until they visibly need a clean, or have a certain smell, the vice president of design for Bonobos told the New York Times. Have you been tipping wrong at restaurants? What experts advise You may even find suggestions to never wash your jeans — that may have been caused by the CEO of Levi Strauss himself, Charles Bergh. While speaking at a conference in 2014, Bergh said jeans do...

Juvenile shot, killed during attempted DC carjacking

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

A juvenile male was shot and killed following an attempted carjacking in Penn Quarter.D.C. police say they were called to the 600 block of D Street, NW around 10 p.m. on Saturday night for reports of a shooting.They say a juvenile male was shot and killed after he attempted to carjack a man in the area.A map of the shooting can be seen below: This is a developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest. Source

Aston Villa cruises to 3-1 victory over Luton in Premier League

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa maintained its strong start to the season with a dominating 3-1 victory over Premier League newcomers Luton on Sunday.The win was Villa’s fifth in six league games and leaves the club four points behind leader Tottenham.The home side opened the scoring in the 17th minute through John McGinn, who slotted in after a set-piece delivery from Douglas Luiz for his fifth goal of the campaign.Although Villa dominated possession throughout the first half, Luton limited the damage and went into the break just the one goal down.It didn’t take Unai Emery’s side long to add to its lead with Moussa Diaby scoring his first goal at Villa Park after Lucas Digne’s cross was headed out to him near the penalty spot.Diaby was also involved in the third goal when he crossed into the area and had Luton captain Tom Lockyer turn it in for an own-goal.Luton managed a consolation in the 83rd but it was hardly of its own making when Villa defender Ezri Konsa tried t...

Cocktail Party in Atlanta, Orlando? Georgia, Florida eye neutral sites for 2026-27, AP sources say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Don’t expect Georgia and Florida to play their annual rivalry game on campus sites anytime soon, if ever again.The Southeastern Conference heavyweights are exploring options to hold “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” at other neutral-site venues during the two years that Jacksonville is expecting a $2 billion renovation to EverBank Stadium and the surrounding area.Although they haven’t completely ruled out playing a home-and-home series in 2026 and ’27, administrators are focused on letting cities with NFL-ready stadiums bid on the game, according to two people familiar with the planning. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the process hasn’t been formalized or finalized.The next move is contingent on Jacksonville’s city council approving plans for a stadium overhaul that also would force the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars to play home games in front of a reduced capacity (roughly 40,000) in 2026 and elsewhere in...

Internet, phone service gradually return after vanishing for most of Gaza amid heavy bombardment

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Two days after cellular and internet service abruptly vanished for most of Gaza amid a heavy Israeli bombardment, the crowded enclave came back online Sunday as communications systems were gradually restored.That’s a welcome development for Gaza following a communications blackout that began late Friday as Israel expanded ground operations and launched intense airstrikes that illuminated the night sky with furious orange flashes. A rare few Palestinians with international SIM cards or satellite phones took it upon themselves to get the news out.By Sunday morning, phone and internet communications had been restored to many people in Gaza, according to telecommunications providers in the area, Internet-access advocacy group NetBlocks.org and confirmation on the ground.After weeks of a total Israeli siege, Palestinians in Gaza felt the vise tightening. Social media had been a lifeline for Palestinians desperate to get news and to share their terrify...

West Virginia forward Akok Akok released from hospital after collapsing on court during exhibition

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia forward Akok Akok has been released from a hospital where he was taken after collapsing on the court during an exhibition game.“Akok is recovering at his home in Morgantown,” West Virginia interim coach Josh Eilert said in a statement Sunday. “He will continue to be monitored and evaluated by our medical team.”Akok suffered what the athletic department called a medical emergency early in the second half of Friday night’s game with George Mason. Medical personnel attended to Akok for several minutes before he was removed from the court on a stretcher and taken to a hospital for further observation. The exhibition game for charity eventually resumed. Eilert said at his postgame news conference that Akok was stable, responsive and “in a good place.”Akok transferred to West Virginia after playing last season at Georgetown. He also spent three seasons at UConn.___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 Basketball Polls throug...