From the Bay Area to Australia, abandoned golf courses are being reclaimed by nature

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

From the Bay Area to Australia, abandoned golf courses are being reclaimed by nature By Nell Lewis | CNNGolf courses, despite occupying large green spaces, are not necessarily good for the environment. Land is often cleared to make way for a fairway and maintaining the pristine turf often requires a lot of water, regular mowing and the spraying of fertilizers and pesticides – none of which is good for biodiversity.In the US, with the number of course closures outweighing new openings every year since 2006, some are questioning how we should use these huge spaces – and asking whether, instead of golf, nature should be left to run its course.Conservation nonprofits and local authorities are looking to acquire golf courses that have been abandoned due to high maintenance costs, low player numbers or other reasons, and repurpose them into landscapes that boost biodiversity and build natural defenses against climate change.These spaces provide “huge opportunities from a conservation perspective,” says Guillermo Rodriguez, California state director of The Trust for Public...

Special Athlete of the Week citation: Kamarri Robinson, Livermore football

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

Special Athlete of the Week citation: Kamarri Robinson, Livermore football The Bay Area News Group is giving a special Athlete of the Week citation to Livermore running back Kamarri Robinson, who didn’t win this week’s boys poll but had one of California’s all-time great rushing games last week against Dublin.Robinson, a junior, ran for 534 yards and five touchdowns on 29 carries to lead Livermore to a 45-34 victory.The yardage ranks fifth all-time in state history, according to Cal-Hi Sports.“Thank you for recognizing this,” Livermore coach John Wade said in a text on Thursday. “Wildest thing I have seen in 31 years of coaching.”The state record is held by Ronney Jenkins of Hueneme-Oxnard, who rushed for 619 in 1995.Related ArticlesHigh School Sports | Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week: Yesenia Moffett, Pittsburg water polo High School Sports | Polls closed: Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week High School Sports | Polls closed: Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week High School Sp...

Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week: Maxime Morelle, Los Altos football

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week: Maxime Morelle, Los Altos football Los Altos football player Maxime Morelle is the Bay Area News Group’s boys athlete for Oct. 16-21 after he received 37.98% of the vote.Acalanes football player Trevor Rogers took second.Congratulations to all the candidates for this week’s recognition.Morelle rushed for five TDs while leading Los Altos to a victory over El Camino that kept the Eagles in a three-way tie for first place in their league.Related ArticlesHigh School Sports | Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week: Yesenia Moffett, Pittsburg water polo High School Sports | Polls closed: Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week High School Sports | Polls closed: Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week High School Sports | Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week: Ryan McKendry, Liberty football High School Sports | Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week: Grace Hui, Archbishop Mitty golf The sophomore finished with 19...

Dumbarton Bridge eastbound closed overnight next week: Roadshow

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

Dumbarton Bridge eastbound closed overnight next week: Roadshow Q: Do you know why there are no signs indicating the Dumbarton Bridge exit on Highway 101 north near Palo Alto? The only visible sign is on the Willow Street exit, after you have committed to this exit.Jeanne ConboyA: I’ll pass your concern to Caltrans.Speaking of the Dumbarton Bridge, Caltrans will close it in the eastbound direction for five nights, from Oct. 30 through Nov. 3, for repaving from the east end of the bridge to the toll plaza. Eastbound lanes will be closed each night between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. Westbound lanes will remain open.Drivers headed to the East Bay from San Francisco and San Mateo can use the San Mateo Bridge from San Mateo to Hayward. Drivers going to Milpitas or Fremont from the South Bay can take Highway 237.Q: I, too, have recently experienced glitches with Apple Maps providing erroneous directions. As I passed the summit on Highway 17 early this week, Siri told me to make a right turn and head north on Interstate 280. An easy error to ignore, but s...

San Jose Sharks open up about their biggest problems (it’s not just the offense)

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

San Jose Sharks open up about their biggest problems (it’s not just the offense) The San Jose Sharks – through the first two weeks of the regular season – owned the worst offense in the NHL. Still do, in fact.But if the Sharks have any hope of beating the Carolina Hurricanes today and ending their season-opening seven-game losing streak, they’ll need to cut down on the high-danger chances against, which, in turn, should help prevent so many pucks from going into their own net.Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood covered up a lot of Sharks mistakes through his first four starts this month, but that dam broke wide open on Thursday, and the Sharks’ defensive shortcomings were exposed for all to see in what became a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena.Five of the six goals the Sharks allowed came at even strength, and in those situations, per Natural Stat Trick, San Jose gave up 17 high-danger chances and created just five.The Sharks have now allowed 18 goals during 5-on-5 play in seven games this season, tied for the third-worst per-game ave...

Santa Rosa police arrest suspected donut store robber

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

Santa Rosa police arrest suspected donut store robber (BCN) -- Santa Rosa police on Thursday arrested a man suspected of robbing a donut store earlier this week.Officers arrested 31-year-old Santa Rosa resident Dawit Ekube a little before 1 p.m. Thursday during a traffic enforcement stop. Police allege that Ekube is the suspect behind a robbery at Andy's Donuts & Bagels on Piner Road on Tuesday. Pregnant woman, baby killed in San Jose hit-and-run crash Shortly after Ekube's arrest, detectives served a search warrant at a residence in the 2300 block of Mikayla Drive. The search revealed different evidence items from the donut store robbery, police said.Ekube was transported to Sonoma County Jail, where he was booked for suspected robbery.At around 2:40 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a robbery that had just occurred at Andy's Donuts. A male suspect entered the store and demanded that the clerk give him money from the register, reached over the counter and tried to grab the clerk. The clerk was able to run to safety as the susp...

ACNB: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

ACNB: Q3 Earnings Snapshot GETTYSBURG, Pa. (AP) — GETTYSBURG, Pa. (AP) — ACNB Corp. (ACNB) on Friday reported third-quarter earnings of $9 million.The Gettysburg, Pennsylvania-based bank said it had earnings of $1.06 per share.The bank posted revenue of $30.5 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $28 million, which did not meet Street forecasts.ACNB shares have declined 17% since the beginning of the year. The stock has decreased 7% 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 ACNB at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ACNBSource

Xavi coy on whether Lewandowski and other Barcelona players are fit enough to face Real Madrid

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

Xavi coy on whether Lewandowski and other Barcelona players are fit enough to face Real Madrid BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández is keeping his cards close to his chest before the first “clasico” of the season.The defending champions have been playing without leading scorer Robert Lewandowksi and regular starters Frenkie de Jong, Pedri González and Jules Koundé for the past month because of injuries. They all returned to training Friday, a day before Madrid arrives with a one-point lead in the Spanish league standings.Xavi, however, would not say if any of them will be ready to play, much less start, for one of the most watched matches in the world.“I will play my best players, those that are 100% ready,” the Barcelona coach said. “We cannot make a mistake and play someone who is not 100%. They all want to play, but my staff won’t take any risks.”The difference is between playing with a world-class scorer in Lewandowski, who despite missing the last three games for his club leads the team with six goals, and asking forwards Ferran Torres or João Félix to ...

Civista Bancshares: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

Civista Bancshares: Q3 Earnings Snapshot SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) — SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) — Civista Bancshares Inc. (CIVB) on Friday reported net income of $10.4 million in its third quarter.The bank, based in Sandusky, Ohio, said it had earnings of 66 cents per share.The bank holding company posted revenue of $53.9 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $39.6 million, which missed Street forecasts._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CIVB at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CIVBSource

Exxon profit falls compared with record-setting numbers last year, but consolidation in full swing

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:35:13 GMT

Exxon profit falls compared with record-setting numbers last year, but consolidation in full swing Exxon Mobil’s third-quarter profit declined compared with last year when the oil giant put up record numbers as oil prices soared, but net income jumped 15% compared with the previous quarter. It also raised its quarterly dividend.Those lofty crude prices have fueled a shopping spree this year as Exxon acquired pipeline operator Denbury, the beneficiary of changes in U.S. climate policy, for $4.9 billion in July, and then a few weeks ago the company said that it would buy Pioneer for $60 billion. Exxon isn’t alone. Earlier this week, Chevron said it would spend more than $50 billion to acquire Hess. Exxon Mobil Corp. earned $9.07 billion, or $2.25 per share in the period. That compares with $19.66 billion, or $4.68 per share, a year earlier.Removing certain items, earnings were $2.27 per share.Analysts polled by Zacks Investment Research predicted higher earnings of $2.36 per share, but Exxon does not adjust its reported results based on one-time events such as asset sales as ...