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Holiday shopping season kicks off with DC-area Small Business Saturday events

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

Small Business Saturday arrived with D.C.-area businesses and artisans excited to show off their goods.Shoppers came out to support the businesses, and in Fairfax, Virginia, they even got to see a special guest — Santa Claus.One shopper, who identified herself only as Kathy, said she was pleased to support her neighborhood businesses in Old Town Fairfax.“We enjoy buying things within the city since we live in the city here. You can pretty much take care of a lot of your needs, which is great,” she added.In Fairfax City, you could find 50 participating shops. Some are a little offbeat, which pleased one shopper named Chris.“A variety of funky shops for funky things, it’s good,” he said, observing that local businesses are “bouncing back nicely from COVID, I think.”Chris Bruno, director of economic development for Fairfax City, said shopping small in Northern Virginia is important because “we have so many small businesses here in the city.R...

Sinner enjoys double success over Djokovic to lead Italy into Davis Cup final

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Jannik Sinner secured back-to-back wins over top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the singles and doubles to lead Italy into the Davis Cup final after rallying past Serbia 2-1 on Saturday.Miomir Kecmanovic beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-1 to give Serbia a 1-0 lead in their semifinal showdown, and Djokovic had Serbia on the cusp of the final when he faced Sinner in the second singles match.But the fourth-ranked Sinner saved three match points before ending Djokovic’s streak of 21 straight wins in Davis Cup singles matches, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5, to pull Italy level at 1-1 with Serbia. It was the third meeting between the top-ranked Djokovic and Sinner in 12 days. Sinner beat Djokovic in the ATP Finals group stage last week before Djokovic beat Sinner in the final to earn a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title.Sinner then teamed up with Lorenzo Sonego in the doubles. They beat Djokovic and Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-4.Italy will face Australia in Sunday’s final on the same indoo...

Cochran, Jefferson lead No. 20 Louisville women past Liberty 72-63

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

KATY, Texas (AP) — Olivia Cochran scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Kiki Jefferson added 19 points and No. 20 Louisville dominated the fourth quarter to defeat Liberty 72-63 on Saturday in the Betty Chancellor Classic.Down six entering the fourth quarter, the Cardinals (5-1) opened with a 16-1 run with Cochran and Jefferson contributing four points each in a 12-0 burst that made it 62-53 with 3:14 to play.The Flames (2-4), who were on fire through three quarters (7 of 10 3s, 57% overall), went 1 of 7 behind the arc and were 3 of 13 overall with six turnovers in the fourth.Nina Rickards added 12 points and seven rebounds for Louisville, which lost to Alabama 78-73 in its tournament opener. The Cardinals made 12 of 13 free throws in the fourth quarter and 7 of 10 field goals.Bella Smuda led Liberty with 17 points and nine rebounds, Emma Hess had 14 and Jordan Hodges 13 with six assists. The Flames dropped their opener to Gonzaga 102-59.Liberty closed the first quarter with a 1...

Thriston Lawrence leads Joburg Open by 3 shots before final round

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence will take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the Joburg Open as he tries to reclaim the title he won two years ago.Lawrence, who led after the first round, returned to the top of the leaderboard Saturday with a 3-under 67 to go 15 under overall at Houghton Golf Club. He made four birdies to go with one bogey in the third round.South Africans locked out the top six spots. Dean Burmester (68) is Lawrence’s nearest chaser at three shots back. Jacques Kruyswijk (69) and Nikhil Rama (72), the overnight leader, are four shots back.The Joburg Open is the season-opening event on the European tour. The 2024 season began on Thursday only four days after the 2023 one finished in Dubai.The event marks the start of three straight tournaments taking place in South Africa and co-sanctioned with the country’s Sunshine Tour.___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfSource

After a dominant Black Friday performance, the Dolphins have their eyes on winning AFC East

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa keeps reiterating that the Miami Dolphins aren’t satisfied yet.Miami improved to 8-3 with a dominant 34-13 win over the struggling New York Jets on Black Friday. The Dolphins are looking to win the AFC East for the first time since 2008, and then make a deep playoff push.“The sky’s the limit for us,” Tagovailoa said. “Whatever we want to accomplish, everything’s right there in front of us and we basically turn it on fate here in this league. So, we just have to continue stacking those wins.”The Dolphins have the benefit of a favorable schedule to close out the season: Four of their final five games are at home, where they are undefeated. Miami’s next three opponents have losing records, and the Dolphins have not lost to a team under .500 this season.Against the Jets, Miami put up 395 yards of total offense despite turning the ball over three times for the second straight game. Tagovailoa was 21 of 30 for 243 yards with a touchdown and two in...

10-man Brighton ends Premier League winless run with 3-2 victory at Nottingham Forest

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Substitute Joao Pedro scored two goals as 10-man Brighton held on to win 3-2 at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday. It was Brighton’s first victory in the league since beating Bournemouth on Sept. 24 and came after defender Lewis Dunk was sent off for two yellow cards in the space of a minute for dissent.Roberto De Zerbi’s team, which had gone six league games without a win, went behind to Anthony Elanga’s goal after three minutes at The City Ground. By the time Dunk was dismissed in the 73rd for protesting a penalty awarded to Forest, Brighton had come from behind to lead 3-1. Evan Ferguson evened the score in the 26th and Pedro – who had replaced the injured Ansu Fati in the 21st – gave the visitors the lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time. Pedro scored from the penalty spot in the 58th to put Brighton in control. But Dunk’s dismissal was followed by Morgan Gibbs-White converting Fores...

Hamas to release 13 Israelis, 7 foreigners in exchange for 39 Palestinians after hours-long snag, mediators say

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas to release 13 Israelis, 7 foreigners in exchange for 39 Palestinians after hours-long snag, mediators say.Source

Westminster turns to the public to name new snowplows

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The City of Westminster has turned to the public to help name two new snowplows for its fleet.The two will join the ranks of "Scoop Dogg" and "Snow-B-Gon Kenobi," who were winners in 2022. How do ski areas make snow? Westminster specifically asked for people to submit their punniest potential plow names online before Dec. 2.After that, the best names will go up for a vote on the city's social media pages.The new snowplows will be added to the fleet for the 2023-24 winter season.

13 Israeli hostages, 4 foreigners released from captivity in the Gaza Strip, Israeli military says

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas released 13 Israelis and four foreigners late Saturday in the second round of swaps under a cease-fire deal, the Israeli military said, after the militant group initially delayed the exchange for several hours and claimed that Israel had violated the terms of a truce deal.The army said Red Cross representatives transferred the freed hostages, including four Thais, to Egypt late Saturday. They were to be transferred to Israel later in the evening.Israel was to free 39 Palestinians later Saturday as part of the deal that ultimately went through after international mediation efforts.The last-minute delay had created a tense standoff on the second day of what’s meant to be a four-day cease-fire. By nightfall, as the hostages should have emerged from Gaza, Hamas alleged that the aid deliveries permitted by Israel fell short of what was promised and that not enough of it was reaching northern Gaza — the focus of Israel’s ground of...

Northeast Regionals: Westford’s Paul Bergeron, Jack Graffeo qualify for nationals

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:14:40 GMT

Paul Bergeron went to the starting line of Saturday’s Foot Locker Northeast Regionals feeling about as bad as he has all fall. The Westford Academy standout’s lingering back pain was still there and his ankle throbbed after turning it on Friday.The Stanford-bound senior showed his unwavering toughness as he ran with the leaders throughout the 3.1-mile course at Franklin Park and ultimately finished a strong third for the second consecutive year in 15 minutes, 2 seconds in the record-breaking Marty Liquori Championship Race.The race was a quick one in chilly, sunsplashed conditions as Ryan Pajak of Pennsylvania broke former Oliver Ames great Andy Powell’s course record by a second in 14:51. Defending champion Drew Griffith of Pennsylvania was just seconds back in 14:54.Bergeron, along with teammate Jack Graffeo, qualified for the national championships that will be held at Balboa Park in San Diego on Dec. 9. Graffeo was a solid eighth in 15:11 in his debut at Frankl...