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Taste-Off: The best taco-inspired dips at Bay Area supermarkets

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

It’s hard to resist a mouthful of taco goodness, especially when it’s dressed up with cheese, sour cream, refried beans, pico de gallo and guacamole. It’s an explosion of flavor that’s satisfying — and semi-nutritious. Hence the popularity of taco dip, a party food that delivers all things taco in a single bite.Recipes for taco-inspired dips abound, of course, but for those seeking a shortcut, many markets carry a few pre-made versions. Some feature neat layers of ingredients; others blend them.Layered-style dips are harder to come by, presumably because their fresh veggies give the dip a short shelf life. Taco-flavored, blended dips — tasty vats that incorporate taco flavors, but sidestep the fresh ingredients — are slightly more stable. We decided to taste them all.Great taco dips are loaded with fresh flavors that are as good as a vegetarian street taco. They’re flavorful and rich, with a hit of spice. Bad taco dips are drowned in vinegar, or they deliver pasty bites ...

7 amazing Bay Area things to do this weekend, Oct. 13-15

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

From a world-class pumpkin festival to a renowned dance company to decadent chocolate chip cookies, this weekend is shaping up as a classic. So let’s get to it, shall we?But please 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 PLAY, EAT &  SIP: GoThe Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival has it all — great food and drink, live music and entertainment, arts and crafts, giant gourds that look like Jabba the Hutt (OK, we can’t quite promise that last one …). It’s one of the Bay Area’s best festivals and it’s back this weekend.2: BAKE & DEVOUR: Ultimate chocolate chip cookieYes, contrary to seemingly all aspects of human logic, it is possible to improve on the basic chocolate chip cookie recipe. He...

Prep roundup: Miramonte water polo, Homestead volleyball, Carlmont flag football among winners

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

GIRLS WATER POLOMiramonte 12, Campolindo 7A heavyweight matchup between the top two teams in California (according to MaxPreps’ rankings) saw No. 1 Miramonte pull away from Campolindo in a home Diablo Athletic League win. Miramonte senior Roasalie Hassett scored three goals and had three assists to lead the way. Audrina Kang had two goals, and Alison Sagara scored one goal and dished out three assists for the Orinda school. The aptly-named Tali Stryker scored three goals, with Ally Larsen and Paige Odmark rounding out the scoring for Miramonte. Goalkeeper Eliana Bottene had six saves for the Matadors. Ana Pieper scored three goals for Campolindo. “Campolindo is a very tough opponent,” Miramonte coach John Roemer said, with Campo coach Kim Everist adding, “Miramonte dominated the game tonight.”Sacred Heart Prep 12, St. Francis 10Sacred Heart Prep’s relatively-balanced attack overcame an incendiary performance by St. Francis’ Anna Fazioli in an exciting game. SHP’s Vivian Golub had si...

Reader still appreciates Prius advice from 12 years ago … and her Prius: Roadshow

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

Q: Way back in 2011, I commented on your Prius lovefest. My beloved Passat had just been totaled by an enormous SUV. As I drive-tested new cars (including Audi A4, BMW and Infiniti), I was surprised that I preferred the Prius. I bought it. You contacted me a year later and asked me how I felt then. Of course, I loved it… and still do.I’m glad that I listened to you.Sally ChappelA: I’m glad the advice, and Prius, worked out well for you.Q: I recall a requirement to signal for at least 100 feet before making the advertised move. Is that true?AnonymousA: The California Driver’s Handbook says to signal:At least 100 feet before you turnBefore every lane changeAt least five seconds before you change lanes on a freewayBefore pulling next to or away from a curbEven when you do not see other vehicles around youWhen you are almost through an intersection if you will turn shortly after the intersectionQ: I really love your newspaper articles on Bay Area road woes.I’ve commute...

Sit or stand? Theater chain sets guidelines for Taylor Swift The Eras Tour concert film opening today

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

On opening day of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour concert film, Swifties are hotly debating whether they should sing, stand and dance or sit in their seats during the theater experience.Swift announced late Wednesday that the film would be released a day early on Thursday. “Due to unprecedented demand we’re opening up early access showings of The Eras Tour Concert Film on THURSDAY in America and Canada!!,” she wrote on Instagram.The debate has raged in Reddit forums whether fans should carry on like they would at a concert, which some called “completely inappropriate,” to those who plan to cheer in front of the movie screen.After all, when the concert film was first announced, Swift did say “Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged.”The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I’m overjoyed to tell you that it’ll be coming to the big screen soon Starting Oct 13th you’ll be able to experience the concert film...

CHP releases info on I-580 shooting in Richmond

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

(BCN) -- The California Highway Patrol on Wednesday released information about a shooting earlier this week on Interstate Highway 580 in Richmond.Officers responded around 1:35 a.m. Monday to a call about a possible shooting on westbound Highway 580 near Regatta Boulevard but did not initially find a suspect, victim or any vehicles involved, according to the CHP.Officers eventually found evidence of a shooting on the Regatta Boulevard on-ramp to the highway and that the suspect vehicle was a brown Infiniti two-door sedan. No victims were ever found in the shooting.Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the CHP's Oakland-area office at (510) 457-2875 and ask for Officer E. Castillo.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Oakland shooting suspects lead police on high-speed chase, arrested

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

(KRON) -- Possible suspects in an Oakland shooting were arrested after leading police on a high-speed chase Wednesday afternoon, according to the Oakland Police Department.After a pursuit through various areas of Oakland, the suspects’ vehicle crashed into a guardrail on Highway 24 and became disabled. Three men ran from the car and one was arrested at the scene of the crash. The two others were located after a brief search, police said.The Oakland Police Department was investigating a shooting that occurred on Tuesday when officers located a vehicle wanted in connection to the incident was located on the 7200 block of Fresno Street, police said. Officers tried to conduct an enforcement stop, but it fled the area, sparking the chase. One dead in East Oakland shooting Oakland police said the investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the OPS Felony Assault Unit at (510)-238-3426.

An Italian couple is unaccounted for in Southern Israel. The husband needs regular medical care

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

They were last heard from at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday. They were sheltering in their safe room after militants began storming the southern Israel community of Be’eri, where at least 100 people were later found dead.Now they are gone. Eviatar Moshe Kipnis, 65, and Lilach Lea Havron, 60, are among the estimated 150 people believed held by Hamas in Gaza. The couple were with their health care aide. Their son, Nadav Kipnis, told The Associated Press that in addition to the couple and their aide, eight members of Havron’s family — including three children — are unaccounted for.The family believes all 11 were taken to Gaza because their bodies weren’t recovered and because some of their cell phones have been traced there. Fears are high especially for the father, who uses a wheelchair, takes medications and needs regular hospital care.The Kipnis family has Italian citizenship through a paternal grandmother who hailed from Leghorn and moved to Israel, via Tunisia, after the Holocaust...

Sony’s Access controller for the PlayStation aims to make gaming easier for people with disabilities

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

SAN MATEO, Calif. (AP) — Paul Lane uses his mouth, cheek and chin to push buttons and guide his virtual car around the “Gran Turismo” racetrack on the PlayStation 5. It’s how he’s been playing for the past 23 years, after a car accident left him unable to use his fingers.Playing video games has long been a challenge for people with disabilities, chiefly because the standard controllers for the PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo can be difficult, or even impossible, to maneuver for people with limited mobility. And losing the ability to play the games doesn’t just mean the loss of a favorite pastime, it can also exacerbate social isolation in a community already experiencing it at a far higher rate than the general population.As part of the gaming industry’s efforts to address the problem, Sony has developed the Access controller for the PlayStation, working with input from Lane and other accessibility consultants. Its the latest addition to the accessible-controll...

Bank of South Carolina: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:20:50 GMT

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Bank of South Carolina Corp. (BKSC) on Thursday reported third-quarter profit of $1.3 million.The bank, based in Charleston, South Carolina, said it had earnings of 23 cents per share.Bank of South Carolina shares have declined 37% since the beginning of the year. The stock has decreased 37% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BKSC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BKSCSource