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The Taylor Swift Transit Effect: VTA adds more service for ‘Eras Tour’ as other cities see public transit boom

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

As Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” moves across the country, the pop singer is leaving her mark not only on the music industry but on public transit, too  — with concertgoers dressed in sparkles, tassels and cowboy hats packing into trains and buses to get to the record-breaking shows.The phenomenon — dubbed the “Taylor Swift transit effect” by some transportation experts — is expected to arrive in the Bay Area when Swift comes to Santa Clara for her two-night engagement at Levi’s Stadium this week.While Santa Clara Valley Transportation officials don’t have an estimate of how many riders the concert could bring in on July 28 and 29, spokesperson Stacey Hendler Ross said other transit agencies have experienced up to triple the ridership for Swift’s concerts compared to other large-scale events. VTA’s light rail, which runs right past the stadium, typically transports about 8,000 passengers both to and from football games, Hendle...

For Bay Area’s transgender community, housing remains a great challenge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

Even in San Francisco, the “LGBTQ capital of the world,” Carolina Osoria was persistently turned down during her apartment search. Her identity as a transgender woman was nitpicked as a potential issue, she said.When she was coming out in 2020, there was a lot on Osoria’s mind. Will I be able to get a job? Will I be able to afford a house? Will I feel safe in my house? Will I feel safe on the streets?Finding affordable housing in the Bay Area can be tricky for anyone. But for transgender folks, the process can be more daunting, increasing the risk of homelessness. A study conducted by San Francisco-based Horizons Foundation in 2018 found 11% of transgender women, 6% of transgender men and 4% of non-binary respondents in the Bay Area stayed in a car or on the street at least once in the span of a year. In California, one in five transgender people reported having faced housing discrimination, such as being evicted or denied a home because of their gender identity, while nearly a thir...

Live updates | Rahm on a roll at British Open after four straight birdies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

RAHM ON A ROLLHOYLAKE, England (AP) — Jon Rahm has finally gotten on a roll at the British Open.The world No. 3 has made four straight birdies from No. 9 and moved into a tie for fourth place on 3-under par, still seven shots off leader Brian Harman. Rahm is 5 under for his third round.Harman arrived at Royal Liverpool 2 1/2 hours before the scheduled start time of his round at 3.30 p.m. local time.His overnight lead of five strokes is still intact.Rory McIlroy is about to set off on the first hole. He is 1-under par for the tournament.WHAT TO KNOW— Harman builds a 5-shot lead at British Open.— Tommy Fleetwood keeps alive English hopes of an Open champion.— Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Smith rally to make British Open cut; Morikawa not so lucky.— Justin Thomas goes from England to Minnesota to save his season.— R&A changes rake pattern in pot bunkers. ___UP-AND-DOWN 3RD ROUND FOR SCHEFFLERNo. 1-ranked Scottie Scheffler’s run of consecutive top-12 finishes is in jeopardy after a...

England edges Haiti 1-0 in a tough opener for Euro champions at Women’s World Cup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — England edged Haiti 1-0 on a retaken penalty from Georgia Stanway in a difficult Women’s World Cup opener Saturday for the European champions against a team on debut at the tournament. England dominated possession in the first half but had to wait until the 29th minute for Stanway to convert from the spot. She was awarded a second shot on a VAR review, for encroachment, after her first attempt was well saved by Kerly Theus diving full stretch to her right. The Group D game between the No. 4 and the 53rd-ranked teams was tense from start to finish with Haiti forward Melchie Dumornay regularly troubling the England defense.“I can say if we do that against England we can do anything against anyone,” Dumornay said.The athletic Theus made a succession of saves to thwart England’s chances of increasing its margin and then Haiti went within inches of a stunning late equalizer. England goalkeeper Mary Earps made a crucial reflex save in the 81st in a close-r...

Historic Danville house of worship morphing into Airbnb

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

DANIVILLE, Va. (AP) — When Jeremy DiMaio took a look at the late 19th-century Gothic Revival church along Jefferson Avenue about three years ago, he asked his then 12-year-old daughter if he should buy it.“She said, ‘no, but I know you will,’” DiMaio recalled during an interview inside the former First Presbyterian Church building. “So I did.”Since closing on the purchase of the nearly 150-year-old structure at 200 Jefferson Ave. in April 2021, he has been working diligently to restore it and turn it into an Airbnb christened “Church of the Perpetual Boogie.”Though months away from completion, the building inside delivers a funky, humorous theme with irreverent touches and rich history.In the spacious fellowship hall area converted into a living room, a life-size figure of Barack Obama sits cross-legged on a red leather sofa, sporting a smile and an “I voted” sticker.A 36-pound, 30-foot wide reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” on a thin, flimsy particle board adorn...

Así ganó el Powerball: compra de último minuto la convirtió en millonaria

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

¿Cuántas veces no has comprado la lotería a solo segundos de que cierren el supermercado o la gasolinera? Este fue el caso de una residente de Iowa, quien terminó convirtiéndose en millonaria de la noche a la mañana.Se trata de Megan Balmer, una enfermera de 36 años, quien compró con su novio un boleto del Powerball el lunes pasado sin imaginar que la vida le cambiaría en cuestión de minutos.Al llegar a casa y revisar los números ganadores, no podían creer que habían acertado los primeros cinco números del Powerball, lo que los convertía automáticamente en millonarios.Con ese resultado, ella y su novio ganaron $2 millones. ¿Hay una estrategia para ganar la lotería de Powerball? He aquí algunos consejos Ganó $3 millones del Mega Millions: esta es la estrategia que nunca le falla “No podíamos creer que nos pasara algo así. No es algo que nos suceda, nunca, a nosotros. Nunca tenemos una suerte como esa”.Balmer contó que revisa...

¿Quién es Ken en realidad? La historia del muñeco más incomprendido del mundo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

(CNN) — “Barbie”, que se prepara para ser la película imperdible del verano boreal, ya ha mejorado enormemente la percepción cultural de su estrella rubia homónima y la ha hecho relevante para una nueva generación más de 60 años después de su debut en la juguetería.Pero el eslogan de la película identifica inmediatamente a Ken, su compañero enamorado con abdominales de tabla de lavar, como una pieza de plástico menor: “(Barbie es) todo. Él es simplemente Ken”.Mientras que las marcas están produciendo colaboraciones de “Barbie” y los cinéfilos compiten por los asientos en las proyecciones, la influencia de Ken queda relegada a los memes. Incluso en el mundo real, Ken sigue siendo un segundo violín. (Warner Bros., que está detrás de “Barbie”, comparte la empresa matriz Warner Bros. Discovery con CNN).Pero, ¿quién es Ken, en realidad, además del novio y accesorio no esencial de Barbie?Adéntrate en la historia de la contraparte masculina de Barbie, desde sus oríg...

Drone hits Crimean ammunition depot as Russian strikes kill at least 8 in Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Ukrainian drone hit an ammunition depot in central Crimea on Saturday, sparking an explosion, less than a week after a predawn strike on a key bridge linking the peninsula to Russia prompted Moscow to exit a landmark grain export deal and pound Ukraine’s seaports with drones and missiles. Sergey Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed head of the territory that Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, said in a Telegram post that there were no immediate reports of casualties but that authorities were evacuating civilians within a five-kilometer (three-radius) of the blast site.The Ukrainian military appeared to confirm it had launched the drone strike, claiming through its press service that it had destroyed an oil depot and Russian arms warehouses in the Krasnohvardiiske area, although without specifying what weapons were used. Social media posts circulating on Saturday had earlier referenced unconfirmed reports of “several” drones targeting an oil depot ...

Denver weather: Hot sunny weekend ahead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver’s weather will see more sunshine and hotter temperatures through the weekend and the start of the upcoming workweek.Weather tomorrow: Sun and seasonally hotSunshine and mostly dry skies returns for the weekend. We will also start a warming trend as high temperatures climb to near 90 degrees.Looking ahead: High heat ahead of thunderstorm chancesSunshine will help to heat temperatures back into the mid-90s on Sunday with some gusty winds. Then a a touch more on Monday, the upper 90s and low 100s. High temperatures will stay hot in the 90s all week but Tuesday there will be more afternoon clouds and a slight chance for showers. The best chance for afternoon thunderstorms will be on Wednesday.

BSO searching for missing 38-year-old woman from Pompano Beach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:02 GMT

The Broward Sheriff’s Office Missing Persons Unit is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a 38-year-old woman missing from Pompano Beach.  According to investigators, Jasmine Mayfield was last seen around 10 a.m. on Wednesday near the 3200 block of Northwest 4th Street. Mayfield is approximately 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighs about 120 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. She also has a tattoo on her wrist.Anyone with information on Mayfield’s whereabouts is urged to contact BSO Detective Chris Blakenship at 954-321-4268 or the BSO non-emergency number at 954-764- HELP (4357).