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Bridge: Dec. 7, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

In a team-of-four match, one West passed as dealer. South opened two clubs in fourth seat and showed his spades next. North liked his hand, and they got to six spades.West led the queen of clubs. Declarer won, unblocked his ace of diamonds, led a trump to dummy’s nine and pitched clubs on the K-Q of diamonds. He intended to finesse twice in hearts — and was annoyed to go down.OFFSIDEIn the replay, West opened two hearts, weak. North-South reached slam again on the auction shown, and West led the queen of clubs. Here, South knew the K-J of hearts were offside. After discarding clubs on the K-Q of diamonds, he ruffed a club, led a trump to dummy, ruffed a club and drew trumps.Then, at the 11th trick, South led the queen of hearts. West took the king and had to return a heart to South’s A-10. Making six!Many players would have opened two hearts as West, but preempts are a two-edged sword. West’s bid told South how to make his slam.DAILY QUESTIONYou hold: S K 9 H 7 5 3...

Single-family home sells for $2.1 million in San Ramon

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

330 Adelaide Hills Court – Google Street ViewThe spacious property located in the 300 block of Adelaide Hills Court in San Ramon was sold on Nov. 16, 2023 for $2,122,000, or $751 per square foot. The house, built in 2003, has an interior space of 2,826 square feet. This two-story home presents a roomy floor plan, featuring four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The property is equipped with central A/C. In addition, the house features an attached two-car garage.Additional houses that have recently been purchased close by include:On Allanmere Drive, San Ramon, in October 2023, a 3,295-square-foot home was sold for $2,065,000, a price per square foot of $627. The home has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms.A 3,984-square-foot home on the 500 block of Casella Court in San Ramon sold in June 2022, for $2,500,000, a price per square foot of $628. The home has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms.In September 2022, a 4,237-square-foot home on Casella Court in San Ramon sold for $2,450,000, a price per square fo...

Ask Amy: My wife objects to my strategy for mellow shopping with our 3-year-olds

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

Dear Amy: I hope this doesn’t seem like a silly question.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: After this man’s behavior at my wedding, I want my best friend to dump him Advice | Ask Amy: Now I realize what stay-at-home spouses are complaining about Advice | Ask Amy: Now we’re feeling weird about our daughter’s favorite toy Advice | Ask Amy: I’ll never forgive my sister-in-law for her question to my little girl Advice | Ask Amy: How can I avoid the vortex of the other grandmother? I have twin boys (almost 3 years old!). I regularly take them to our big grocery store, in part to give my wife (a really great full-time, stay-at-home mom) a break. And also, of course, to pick up groceries. Lots of groceries.So when we’re at the market, I like to cruise the “free samples,” and I offer the boys a snack as we go. These are small things and they’re usually healthy snacks. Just nibbly things t...

‘Country Boy’ store in Montgomery Co. hangs up its boots after 68 years

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

Country Boy Market, a staple in Montgomery County for nearly seven decades, will hang up its boots in two weeks. (WTOP/Mike Murillo) Country Boy Market, a staple in Montgomery County for nearly seven decades, will hang up its boots in two weeks. (WTOP/Mike Murillo) A Montgomery County, Maryland, institution that has been the quick-stop shop for local produce, beer and even landscaping supplies will soon shut its doors. The shuttering of the Country Boy Market will bring an end to a 68-year run for the family-owned business.“It was very difficult to decide to close because I grew up in the business,” said Jim Barnsley III, 65, who began working at the store when he was 10 years old. He recalled running ...

Things to do in the DC area: 15 holiday-themed bars and restaurants … and more!

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

There’s so much to do in the D.C. area in the coming days, and WTOP has you covered with our weekly roundup of area events worth anticipating.Check back every Thursday for a roundup of Things to do in the D.C. area.For those in search of festive D.C.-area spaces to enjoy holiday drinks in, WTOP has put together this guide for the jolliest imbibing with friends and family.The Miracle pop-up is back and paired with cheery cocktails and an hourly interactive light show. Located at Live! Casino and Hotel in Hanover, Maryland, Miracle offers cocktails like a Snowball Old-Fashioned with gingerbread syrup and a Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r! cocktail with ube and coconut orgeat.The Miracle pop-up is also accompanied by events like an ugly sweater party on Dec. 10, a cocktail class on Dec. 16 and an ornament decorating class on Dec. 21.“All of these syrups and infusions are made here on site, which really elevates the quality of the cocktail program. And they’re all served in real...

Stock market today: World shares fall, tracking Wall Street retreat, on worries over slowing growth

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares have fallen in Europe and Asia, tracking a retreat on Wall Street as investors grow wary over signs growth is slowing in Germany and other major economies. U.S. futures edged lower and oil prices rose.Germany has seen its exports fall as new orders have dropped. On Thursday, the government reported that industrial output fell 0.4% in October from the month before, from a minus 1.3% decline in September. Such indicators have unnerved investors worried that high interest rates meant to quash inflation might go too far, pushing economies into recession. Germany’s DAX edged 0.2% lower to 16,624.91 and the CAC 40 in Paris also fell 0.2%, to 7,424.76. Britain’s FTSE 100 was down 0.3% at 7,495.46.The future for the S&P 500 lost 0.1%, while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 fell 0.4% in its third straight loss though the index remains near its best level in 20 months. The Dow shed 0.2% and the Nasdaq l...

Reserve goalie Tenas grabs the spotlight at PSG with Donnarumma under pressure

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Criticized for recent glaring errors at Paris Saint-Germain, Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma did not help his case with his awful tackle last weekend. The reckless move gave younger rival Arnau Tenas the chance to show off his class. And the Spanish goalie seized the moment.When Donnarumma was sent off after only nine minutes, Tenas came off the bench and made his debut in the French league. Seemingly immune to pressure, Tenas made seven decisive saves to deliver a clean sheet, and 10-man PSG won at Le Havre 2-0.Tenas, who joined as a free agent over the summer from Barcelona, will have another chance to prove himself this weekend, this time in front of his home crowd when PSG hosts Nantes on Saturday. Following the red card he received at Le Havre, Donnarumma is suspended. Another backup, Keylor Navas, is out injured.Ligue 1 front-runner PSG has a four-point lead over Nice, which plays Reims on Sunday. Third-placed Monaco travels to Rennes on Saturday. Donnarumma...

Tiroteo en la Universidad de Nevada deja al menos 3 muertos; el sospechoso, que era un profesor, también murió

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

(CNN) — Los investigadores todavía están buscando el motivo del tiroteo que mató a tres personas este miércoles en la Universidad de Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), y una fuente policial le dijo a CNN que el sospechoso era un profesor universitario de 67 años con conexiones con escuelas en otros estados.El atacante murió en el lugar este miércoles después de un enfrentamiento con la policía afuera de un edificio universitario, pero las autoridades no identificarán públicamente a esa persona hasta que sus familiares hayan sido notificados, según el sheriff del metro de Las Vegas, Kevin McMahill.El sospechoso había trabajado para escuelas en Georgia y Carolina del Norte, pero se desconoce si tenía alguna conexión con la UNLV, dijo la fuente policial a CNN.El tiroteo comenzó poco antes del mediodía en el cuarto piso del edificio de la escuela de negocios Beam Hall de la universidad, donde estudiantes y profesores se preparaban para los exámenes finales de la próxima semana, dijo el she...

Sweater Weather Continues this Thursday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

The peak of the chill has arrived this Thursday morning to South Florida, with widespread low temperatures in the 50s across South Florida and upper 50s to mid 60s across the Florida Keys.It’s been almost a year since lows were this cold across South Florida!Like most cool spells, they don’t last very long and a change will be in the air as winds flip back off the water starting tonight. Until then, expect gradually increasing clouds this Thursday paired with low humidity, a light breeze and below average highs in the mid 70s.Temperatures tonight will then be 10-15F warmer at most locations courtesy of an easterly wind opposed to a northwesterly wind. That means actual lows will range from the mid 60s to the low 70s.The warming trend will last through Sunday as winds veer out of the southeast then south, driving highs into the mid 80s for the weekend ahead of our next front.Ahead of this front, it will be mostly dry on Friday and Saturday. Expect partly sunny skies Frida...

NTSB chair warns ‘culture of silence’ around mental health is affecting safety

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:15:17 GMT

(CNN) — The head of the National Transportation Safety Board warned that aviation workers who need to “think twice” before reporting their mental health issues to the federal government have created “a culture of silence that is affecting safety.”“No one, no one, should have to think twice about their job before seeking help and yet here we are today because that’s not currently the case in aviation,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at the opening of a daylong summit exploring the issue, explaining that current Federal Aviation Administration rules cause people to either lie or not seek help.“In aviation, you are in effect punished for following the rules around disclosure,” she said.On Tuesday, the FAA announced a new rulemaking committee that could change the disclosure rules. Homendy said she was encouraged by recent conversations she had with FAA administrator Michael Whitaker.Homendy said she and the board are fighting for people who struggle with ment...