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Ask Amy: Mom worries about European exclusion

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

Dear Amy: My son graduated from high school recently and a few weeks later discovered, via social media, that his six best high school friends went on a graduation trip to Europe without him.They made sure he wouldn’t know about this trip ahead of time and obviously didn’t invite him.It’s not clear to either of us why they did this.He reached out to a couple of them via text, and didn’t really get any explanation.Now that they’re back, he still hasn’t asked them about it.I can’t help but wonder, where were the parents in all of this? Why didn’t any of them tell their kids that this is no way to treat a friend?Should I say something to the other moms (I’m not close with any of them), or do I let my son work it out with these “friends”?He was devastated, and I feel like this is eating him up inside.I’m afraid it’s the sort of rejection or betrayal that you don’t get over that easily.He’s leaving ...

International Youth Day: EU announces composition of Youth Advisory Council for International Partnerships 2023-2025

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

On the eve of International Youth Day on 12 August, the European Commission announced the names of the 25 young people selected to be members of the EU Youth Advisory Council for International Partnerships 2023-2025. They will advise the Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, and the Directorate-General for International Partnerships on youth participation and empowerment in EU external action. This Youth Advisory Council for International Partnerships is constituted for the second time, after the end of the mandate of the first team in July. International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen, said: “In many partner countries, more than half of the population are young people. Young people must have a say in the decisions that shape their future. Youth is my priority and today, in line with the EU Youth Action Plan, I am delighted to announce the names of the remarkable people who will make up the second Youth Advisory Council. This diverse group of 25 ...

Four-bedroom home sells in Palo Alto for $4.5 million

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

839 Lincoln Avenue – Google Street ViewA spacious house located in the 800 block of Lincoln Avenue in Palo Alto has new owners. The 2,334-square-foot property, built in 1933, was sold on July 25, 2023, for $4,500,000, or $1,928 per square foot. This two-story house offers a capacious living environment with its four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Inside, there is a fireplace. Additionally, the home is equipped with a one-car garage, offering a dedicated parking spot and storage area. The lot of the property covers a substancial area of 10,000 square feet.Additional houses have recently been sold nearby:In March 2023, a 2,561-square-foot home on Melville Avenue in Palo Alto sold for $5,100,000, a price per square foot of $1,991. The home has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.On Guinda Street, Palo Alto, in July 2023, a 1,504-square-foot home was sold for $3,060,000, a price per square foot of $2,035. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 2,901-square-foot home on the 1100 block of Guinda S...

DA: Northern California teen admits fault in shooting death of 13-year-old friend

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

OROVILLE — The teenager who accidentally shot and killed a fellow teen in a car in Oroville earlier this year allegedly admitted guilt and will be sentenced in September.A press release provided on Friday by Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said the 16-year-old, whose name has been withheld as he is a minor, was in a vehicle with an unnamed 14-year-old and 13-year-old Amadeus Miller-Ramos, all of whom were handling a semi-automatic handgun. The 16-year-old, sitting in the back seat, fired the gun and struck Miller-Ramos in the back, ultimately killing him.Miller-Ramos’s body was placed in a Thermalito field near 18th Street and Thermalito Avenue. The release said the other two boys provided inconsistent stories to law enforcement during the investigation after the body was found.Ramsey said the handgun had been stolen from a different vehicle a day before the shooting occurred. The 16-year-old told investigators that he didn’t know the gun was loaded at the time of the sho...

Celebrating Lamborghini: Concours d’Elegance will feature Italian sports car manufacturer on its 60th anniversary

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

PEBBLE BEACH — Picture it. As the story goes, Ferruccio Lamborghini, who had been manufacturing excellent tractors since 1948, had bought a Ferrari about which he made complaints. His response from Enzo Ferrari came across as an insult when he said, “Why don’t you stick to tractors, and I’ll stick to cars.” Apparently Lamborghini replied, “I can do this as well,” and set about designing his own car.Whether it’s just a good story Lamborghini liked to tell, four months later, in 1963, he released his first car, the 350GTV, just in time for an unveiling at the 1963 Turin motor show, to successful reviews. He later reworked the production model and released the 350GT.This year’s Concours d’Elegance will celebrate innovative designs with, among others, the Marquis of Lamborghini, which celebrates its 60th anniversary.(Graphic by Arianna Nalbach) “Ferruccio Lamborghini’s idea was to create the greatest Italian sports car. At the time Ferrari was king, and we also had Alfa Romeo and M...

How birdlife in the East differs from the West

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

I’ve been spending the last week or so out East. While I’ve been visiting my wife’s family in Pennsylvania, I’ve naturally taken a little time out to look at the local birds. How does the birdlife in the East compare to the birds back at home in California?The East has chickadees, but not our Pacific coast specialty, the chestnut-backed chickadee. Photo by Mick ThompsonI’ll start with some concessions to the locals: cardinals are nice, those shockingly red and crested birds that don’t come any closer than Arizona. I’ve also been amused by the abundant presence of catbirds, dark gray mockingbird relatives with a distinctive whining call. Finally, the East is admittedly richer in warblers than California. Although I’ve been visiting outside of the real warbler migration seasons, perhaps my favorite of the songbirds I’ve seen on my trip is the lovely black-and-white warbler.When it comes to many of the common neighborhood songbirds, Californians might find the East similar but dif...

30-year-old Michigan woman charged with having sex with a dog

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

A 30-year-old woman has been charged with having sex with a dog after the act was captured on a home security camera.Brittany Ann McClure was arraigned Wednesday afternoon before 23rd District Judge Joseph Slaven and charged with one count of sodomy with a dog and one count of cruelty to an animal.Brittany Ann McClure (Photo courtesy of Taylor Police Department) McClure’s former boyfriend filed a criminal complaint on Aug. 7 at the police station’s front desk. According to Taylor police, the man produced surveillance video of McClure committing a sex act with his dog in the man’s living room.“The complainant alleges he was randomly reviewing his home’s security video when he came across the footage,” police Lt. Frank Canning said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | DA: Northern California teen admits fault in shooting death of 13-year-old friend Crime and Public Safety | Marine charged with sexual assault of missing 14-year-old girl found in Cam...

Horoscopes Aug. 14, 2023: Halle Berry, protect your position

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Mila Kunis, 40; Halle Berry, 57; Jackee Harry, 67; Steve Martin, 78.Happy Birthday: Do your due diligence before you embrace change. Trial and error will take its toll if you aren’t precise in assessing situations. Look for an alternative; having a backup plan in place will put your mind at ease and give you wiggle room to adjust as you move forward. Protect your position, reputation and finances by keeping up with the times and being open to what’s possible. Your numbers are 9, 14, 21, 29, 31, 36, 48.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don’t deny yourself happiness for the sake of someone pressuring you to do something that doesn’t appeal to you. Embrace life your way and pursue what you feel passionate about, and you will master skills that allow you to follow your dream. 5 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Follow the dots and see where they lead before you participate. Recognize the difference between opportunity and being used. Make deci...

Bridge: Aug. 14, 2023

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

Cy the Cynic continues to struggle with his weight, and the holidays are no help. Cy says that at two a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, he will set his bathroom scale back 15 pounds.When you’re declarer, you get one chance; you don’t get a re-set. When Cy was declarer at today’s four spades, West led the jack of clubs. The Cynic played the three from dummy — and was happy he had when the king appeared from East.Cy took the ace and led a trump, but West won and led the ten of clubs. East ruffed dummy’s queen, and West got his nine and eight at the end: down one.FIRST CLUBCy blew his one (and only) chance. He did well to play low from dummy on the first club but must let East’s king win.Suppose East shifts to a heart, and Cy wins and leads a trump. If West wins and leads a second club, dummy will play low, and even East ruffs, he will only be ruffing one of Cy’s club losers. Cy can play low from his hand and lose no more tricks — three in al...

Word Game: Aug. 14, 2023

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:59:31 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — EMANATE (EMANATE: EM-uh-nate: To come out from a source.)Average mark 17 wordsTime limit 25 minutesCan you find 21 or more words in EMANATE? The list will be published tomorrow.SATURDAY’S WORD — CELADON candle cane canoe clad clan clean clod clone coal coda code coed cola cold cole cone elan eland lace lade laden lance land lane lead lean lend load loan lode loden lone aced acne aeon aloe alone anode dale dance deacon deal dean decal dole done ocean olden once noel nodeTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexu...