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What to Know About Ramadan

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

On March 22, Muslims around the world began observing perhaps one of the most important events in the Islamic religion — Ramadan; this religious event will last until April 20. As with most faiths, rules and teachings are observed and celebrated during Ramadan. If you’re curious and want to know about Ramadan, here are a few key facts:Facts to Know About RamadanRamadan begins in the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar once the crescent moon is seen — and it ends 4 weeks later when the new crescent moon is visible. This year’s Ramadan, however, will end on April 20 when there’s expected to be a total solar eclipse — which makes this celebration more remarkable to the 1.8 billion Muslims who observe Ramadan (based on Statista’s report).Why do Muslims observe Ramadan?Ramadan is an extremely holy event in the Islamic world. To them, it was during Ramadan that the angel Gabriel (Jibreel) presented the Quran to the prophet Muhammad in 610 AD. And the revelation of the holy book — or w...

WrestleMania Goes Hollywood– Again

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

SoFi Stadium will soon be filled with nearly 100,000 screaming fans, a couple of decades worth of nostalgia and larger-than-life personalities looking to put on the spectacle of a lifetime, as WrestleMania returns to Los Angeles for a two-day live extravaganza on April 1-2. While the calendar year might end in December, the year comes to a close in early April for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), as WrestleMania wraps up many months-worth – and in some cases years-worth – of storylines.This year will mark the 39th WrestleMania,  which has a rich history of legendary names behind it, such as Hulk Hogan, who famously fought in the very first event with Mr. T as his partner; The Rock and John Cena, who took their talents to Hollywood and never looked back; The Bella Twins, who leveraged their success into reality television; “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, who returned in 2022 for a retirement match at WrestleMania 38; and a plethora of names that have made an impact through the decades...

Mother dies, children hurt when stolen SUV being chased by Hercules police crashes into their car

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

HERCULES — A 31-year-old woman died and her 6-year-old twin sons were injured Thursday night when a stolen SUV being chased by Hercules police crashed into their vehicle, authorities said.The suspected driver of the stolen vehicle fled on foot after the crash but was later arrested.In a news release Friday, Hercules police Chief Joseph Vasquez said that about 7:27 p.m. Thursday, Hercules police were tipped by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office about a stolen 2021 Mazda SUV possibly heading toward Hercules on eastbound Interstate 80.A Hercules police officer saw the Mazda exit I-80 onto northbound Willow Avenue. As the officer caught up to the Mazda, the driver immediately began to accelerate, the release said.The officer initiated a short pursuit of the SUV before it collided into a 2017 Nissan passenger vehicle, which had been traveling southbound on Willow Ave and was making a left turn onto eastbound 4th Avenue, the release said.Inside the Nissan were a 31-year-...

Bay Area News Group girls basketball player of the year: McKenna Woliczko, Archbishop Mitty

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

McKenna Woliczko started her freshman season unsure if she would contribute on Archbishop Mitty’s varsity basketball team.She ended it with the same number of college scholarship offers as her jersey number — 20 — after putting up a series of incredible performances on the court. Eighteen points and 11 rebounds in the Open Division state final. A 29-point, 21-rebound masterpiece to win the NorCal Open championship. Twenty-two points and nine boards when Mitty captured the Central Coast Section Open Division title.MORE BASKETBALLGirls: All-Bay Area News Group teamBoys: All-Bay Area News Group teamBoys: Player of the yearIn the biggest games, Woliczko played with the poise of a battle-tested senior, averaging 20.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game on a team that finished 28-3. For this, the freshman phenom has been named the Bay Area News Group’s girls basketball player of the year.“It’s been crazy,” Woliczko said during the season. “Going to Mitty, I didn’t expect to be a...

All-Bay Area News Group girls basketball, 2023: Meet the team

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

All-Bay Area News Group girls basketball teamPlayer of the yearMcKenna Woliczko, Archbishop Mitty, 6-2, freshmanWest Catholic Athletic League player of the year averaged 20.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for the NorCal Open Division champions. First freshman in Mitty’s storied history to average double digits in points and rebounds. Full story here.First teamMakiah Asidanya, Salesian, 5-7, seniorThe Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division MVP averaged 14.2 points and 2.3 steals per game for the NorCal Open Division runner-up. The sharpshooter made 47 3-pointers in 32 games. Sierra Chambers, San Ramon Valley, 5-6, seniorFirst-team all-East Bay Athletic League selection ran the show for San Ramon Valley, averaging 8.2 assists and 12 points per game for a team that reached the NorCal Division I semifinal. Scored 23 points while playing with the flu and a fever in a NorCal playoff win over Carondelet. Morgan Cheli, Archbishop Mitty, 6-2, juniorOne of the top players in the nation....

Bay Area News Group boys basketball player of the year: Ryan Beasley, Dougherty Valley

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

With the ball in his hands and defenders doing all they could to slow him down, Dougherty Valley basketball star Ryan Beasley did what comes so naturally to him.He scored, a lot.There was no deficit or opponent that could corral the USF-bound guard this season as he helped lead Dougherty Valley to championships in the Bay Area’s strongest league and the North Coast Section’s top division.“We’ve got special dudes,” coach Mike Hansen said after one game in February.Beasley was the dude among dudes on a team that captured Dougherty Valley’s first East Bay Athletic League and NCS Open Division titles.MORE BASKETBALLGirls: All-Bay Area News Group teamGirls: Player of the yearBoys: All-Bay Area News Group teamThe 5-foot-11 guard averaged 23.2 points per game during the regular season. In the postseason, he was even better for the San Ramon school. Counting the EBAL tournament, Beasley averaged 30.6 points over his final five games.He finished the season at 24.8 points per game.For t...

All-Bay Area News Group boys basketball, 2023: Meet the team

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

All-Bay Area News Group boys basketball teamPlayer of the yearRyan Beasley, Dougherty Valley, 5-11, seniorUSF-bound guard helped propel Dougherty Valley to EBAL and North Coast Section Open Division titles, averaging 24.8 points per game. Scored 21 in NCS final against De La Salle and 42 when Dougherty Valley rallied from 27 down to beat San Ramon Valley in the league tournament. Full story here.First teamCourtney Anderson Jr., Dublin, 6-5, seniorColorado-bound small forward and first-team all-EBAL honoree averaged 16.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game for a team that reached the NCS Open Division playoffs and NorCal Division I regional. Scored 29 in a win over Canyon-Anaheim and 28 in a win over San Ramon Valley.Alec Blair, De La Salle, 6-5, sophomore First-team all-EBAL selection led De La Salle to the NCS Open Division final and semifinals of the NorCal Open Division regional. Averaged 16 points, five rebounds and nearly two steals per game. Shot 52% from the field and played eli...

San Jose hotel project site nears real estate auction and foreclosure

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

SAN JOSE — The development site of a San Jose boutique hotel is headed for an auction and foreclosure on its delinquent real estate loan, the second such proceeding involving a lodging site in the Bay Area’s largest city.The project site, 2850 Stevens Creek Boulevard in San Jose, is the location where city officials have approved the development of an 11-story hotel with 175 rooms.The lender for the property, First Credit Bank, intends to auction off the property or seize the site through a loan foreclosure in mid-April, documents filed on March 23 with the Santa Clara County Recorder’s Office show.The Cambria Hotel project default marks at least the second hotel site in San Jose that has been approved by the city for development that is headed to auction and foreclosure of a delinquent loan without ever starting construction.In recent days, the lenders for a hotel development site at 7 Topgolf Drive in San Jose’s Alviso district filed documents that stated t...

Oakland A’s: Rucinski’s long-awaited return to majors may be delayed a little longer

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

MESA, Ariz. — Drew Rucinski’s feel-good journey, on the verge of reaching its high point following his return to Major League Baseball with the Oakland A’s after four years in Korea, could be delayed to start the season.A’s manager Mark Kotsay said earlier this week the 34-year-old right-hander would miss his next start due to left hamstring tightness, making his status for Opening Day uncertain. Kotsay was somewhat optimistic about Rucinski’s injury on Thursday.“It’s hamstring tightness and we’re going to allow this thing to play itself out,” Kotsay said. “We’re hopeful that it is resolved prior to Opening Day.”This is a 2023 photo of relief pitcher Drew Rucinski (47) of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. This image reflects the Oakland Athletics active roster as of Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, when this image was taken in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York) Rucinski, who was signed to a one-year contract over the offseason, was viewed as one of the few locks to make Oakland’s rota...

Sharks’ Quinn declares after latest blowout loss, ‘It’s going to stop.’ But when?

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 10:30:20 GMT

San Jose Sharks coach David Quinn made a bit of a declaration after seeing his team lose its eighth straight game.“It’s going to stop, I’ll tell you that right now,” Quinn said after the Sharks were smoked 7-2 by the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. “It may not stop this year, but it will stop soon.”No one’s kidding themselves within the Sharks organization. The Sharks have 10 games left this season and will be an underdog in every one of them, starting with Saturday’s game in Calgary against the desperate Flames.But Quinn and the players still want to at least give themselves a chance at success, something that’s been happening with less and less frequency over the last five-plus weeks.Thursday in Vancouver, through a combination of turnovers, some lackluster defense, and questionable goaltending, the Sharks are now 2-12-4 since a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Super Bowl Sunday.Turnovers by Sharks center Tomas Hertl led to the Canucks’ first an...