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PGA Championship becomes a `Block party’ celebrating California club pro finishing tied for 15th

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

By JOHN WAWROW | AP Sports WriterPITTSFORD, N.Y.  — Michael Block recalled how only a week ago he was having drinks at the Pittsford Pub — a few par-5s away from where the PGA Championship was being held at Oak Hill in suburban Rochester, New York — and no one knew who he was.On Sunday, the once little-known golf pro from California is heading back to the bar for a few — maybe more — celebratory drinks with his friends and family knowing his days of living in anonymity might be over for the near future.Finishing in the top 15 at a major and making an ace during the final round with the entire sport watching will do that.“We’re going to have a crazy good time tonight, and I look forward to it,” Block said with a beaming smile on Sunday after he lived out every hacker’s dream.Over a four-day stretch at the brutish East Course, Block held his own against the best in the world, became a gallery favorite, conducted national television interviews between shots, made a hole-in-one, and pos...

Fatal crash closes Highway 101 in both directions in Sunnyvale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

Multiple crashes with fatalities closed Highway 101 in Sunnyvale in both directions early Monday.The first collision was reported at 12:30 a.m. on northbound 101 between Lawrence Expressway and Fair Oaks Avenue, the California Highway Patrol said. Other collisions, including one in the southbound lanes, were then reported. The CHP told KGO-TV that three pedestrians were fatally struck. It was not yet known if they had been in one of the cars involved in the collisions.All lanes in both directions were closed by 12:50, and remained closed at 6 a.m. The CHP had no estimate for a reopening time. “Morning commute will be absolutely impacted,” CHP Sgt. Gil Ontiveros told NBC Bay Area.At least six vehicles were towed. Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | One dead, three injured in San Jose collision after vehicle overturns Crashes and Disasters | Man trying to help ducklings in Northern California intersection hit by vehicle, dies at the scene Crashes an...

Time magazine’s 50 greatest places in the world include a California wonder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

Time magazine recently released its 2023 list of the 50 greatest places in the world, a wanderlust-inspiring, globe-circling journey that includes a beachy Fresian island in Germany, the pyramids of Giza and a gorilla trek in Rwanda.There are places we’ve all dreamed about or visited — Mexico City, for example, Vancouver and Barcelona. And places we’ve never even heard of, including Pantelleria, an island that lies between Sicily and Tunisia and is home to Italy’s newest national park, Parco Nazionale dell’Isola di Pantelleria.The U.S. gets some love, too, with Washington, D.C. hailed as an arts and culture mecca. California’s Yosemite National Park makes the list for its stunning landscapes, and Oregon’s Willamette Valley gets a shout out as “the next Napa,” an American Viticultural Area with more than 700 wineries.Here’s just a sampling from the full list. Find details on all 50, including suggestions for what to see and do when you ...

What happened to friendly feral cat that disappeared from Redwood City yard?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

DEAR JOAN: Two years ago, I discovered an older female feral cat sleeping in the leaves of my small orchard backyard. She’d been badly injured but had recovered somewhat.Over time, she became less afraid and I encouraged her into my inner backyard. She got used to my delivery of food and water in the mornings and evenings, even giving me a little meow when she saw me coming.We had grown to be pretty good friends. She slept under a chaise lounge near my patio door, where I made a bed for her. She loved it there, putting her head out to greet me. Then, after a couple years, one morning she was gone without a trace.There’s no evidence of anything happening to her. Given her age and past condition, do cats go away to die?I must say, I miss her terribly.— Joe, Redwood CityDEAR JOE: I’m a determined optimist and would like to believe your buddy found a permanent and loving home with some other kind person, who has convinced her to be an indoor cat and wander no more, how...

How your attitude and a bit of gardening rebelliousness might aid your plants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

In “The 30-Minute Gardener” (Timber Press, 2023), Greg Loades has succeeded in rendering in words the rapturous joy of gardening. At the outset, he makes a comment that passionate gardeners everywhere will heartily endorse: “I still get excited when seeds start to sprout. That moment when the compost bulges and you catch a glimpse of a stem starting to unfurl is both a story with a happy ending and the thrill of a new beginning. You have sown a seed that germinated. New life has begun. … And that’s something to get excited about, whether for the first or the fiftieth time.” He then makes this confession: “I probably check pots of sown seeds at least three times a day, often knowing that it is far too early for anything to happen.” Yes, it is the gardener’s obsession to be a partner in creation and so watching seeds that you planted sprout has no parallel, with the exception of watching your child take shape in its mother’s womb and witnessing it emerge into the light of day. Loades ...

Wish You Were Here: South Dakota heartland adventures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

The last few months have seen our intrepid readers headed for destinations from Quebec City to Amsterdam and Bruges, sharing their adventures and experiences along the way. You’ll find more than two dozen of their tales at www.mercurynews.com/tag/wish-you-were-here.Today, a Cupertino couple shares tips on what to see in South Dakota — Mount Rushmore, certainly, but so much more.Wish You Were HereSOUTH DAKOTA: Cupertino residents Larry and Donene Harrison road tripped from South Dakota to Minnesota in September — great timing, Larry says, because the weather was beautiful and the crowds sparse — on a journey that included a stop at Mount Rushmore and the Borglum Story Museum in nearby Keystone, which chronicles the history of the sculptor.Related ArticlesTravel | Wish You Were Here: Portsmouth’s naval sights delight Travel | Wish You Were Here: Beachy Australia adventures Travel | Wish You Were Here: Easter Isla...

TasteFood: Greening the goddess (chicken, that is)

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

The essence of a green goddess sauce is (surprise!) an abundance of fresh green herbs. It’s a light, bright and refreshing dip, dressing or crema. Precisely which herbs you use in the sauce is dependent upon your taste, garden and refrigerator. Suffice to say that you should use what you like and do not skimp. I make the dressing with herbs I always have on hand, which often include parsley and cilantro. If I have chervil, tarragon, chives or dill, I’ll add them, too. Feel free to tinker and mix and match the herbs to your preference — just be sure to mind the quantity.The sauce in this recipe is used as a marinade for the chicken and an accompaniment for serving. I’ll often make a double batch and use the remainder for dipping crudites or drizzling over roasted potatoes or other vegetables. It’s less creamy and less sweet than many goddesses, which often include mayonnaise. This one does not. If you prefer a runnier sauce, add a little more yogurt.Gree...

3 killed in Highway 101 crash in Sunnyvale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (KRON) -- Three people were killed in a multi-vehicle collision on northbound Highway 101 in Sunnyvale early Monday morning, according to the San Jose California Highway Patrol office.A call came into the San Jose CHP just before 12:30 a.m. reporting a car hitting the center median between Lawrence Expressway and North Fair Oaks Boulevard. Shortly after, several more cars crashed, officials said.Breaking news Three people killed on 101 between Lawrence expressway and fair oaks Multi vehicle accident with debris scattered in both directions of 101 in Sunnyvale @kron4news pic.twitter.com/UmuPV2V2Jl— Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) May 22, 2023San Jose CHP officials said three people were killed, all of whom were either passengers or drivers of cars. A total of seven cars were involved, CHP officials said.Both northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 101 are shut down Monday morning. A detour is set up to divert traffic off at Fair Oaks Avenue, according to the Califo...

Nigeria opens Africa’s biggest oil refinery as it tries to boost struggling sector

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday opened Africa’s biggest oil refinery, with hopes it would help the energy-rich country achieve self-sufficiency and become a net exporter of refined petroleum products.The $19 billion facility built by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest man, in Nigeria’s economic hub of Lagos is one of the world’s biggest oil refineries and has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.Some analysts have called it a “game-changer” for Nigeria’s oil and natural gas sector, which has been struggling for many years, while others say its capacity could be limited by oil theft. Most of Nigeria’s state-run refineries are poorly maintained and operating far below capacity, making the West African nation import refined petroleum products for its use despite being Africa’s biggest oil producer.The new oil refinery “will enable us to meet not only our country’s demand but also to become a key player in Africa’s and global market,” Dangote said.It...

Hertha Berlin, burned by ambition, must rebuild after relegation from Bundesliga

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:14 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Though it had long seemed likely, Hertha Berlin’s relegation from the Bundesliga still felt like a blow out of nowhere when it came.The “Old Lady” was leading against Bochum deep into injury time on Saturday — in a game it had to win — and hopes of another dramatic escape were rising. Hertha’s fans were already celebrating the chance to fight again on the last day of the season.Then Keven Schlotterbeck — a former Union Berlin player — scored Bochum’s equalizer for 1-1. There was no time for a response.Hertha was relegated after a 10-year stint in the top division and all around Olympiastadion, the club’s fans stood in stunned silence with their hands on their heads.But Hertha’s downfall arguably started years earlier, when billionaire Lars Windhorst started backing the team in 2019 and declared it a “big city club” that could challenge the traditional giants.Windhorst invested 374 million euros ($405 million) in Hertha, fueling a spending spree and prompting a manageri...