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East Bay rock act Skip the Needle celebrates new EP at Ivy Room in Albany

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

Skip the Needle rocks.And fans can hear the all-star East Bay outfit  — consisting of drummer-vocalist Kofy Brown, guitarist-vocalist Katie Cash, bassist-vocalist Vicki Randle and guitarist-vocalist Shelley Doty — in all of its glory on the new EP “Octavia of Earth, Volume Two.”The EP draws its title from the late Octavia Butler, a groundbreaking writer of science fiction who altered the genre by introducing her Black feminist self into the stories. The author, who won Hugo and Nebula awards, is known as the “Mother of Afro-Futurism.”The lyrics on the EP were co-written by Anand Kalra, who is the executive director of the Queer Cultural Center in San Francisco. (Kalra also collaborated with T. Carlis Roberts to create the songs on “Octavia of Earth, Vol. One.”)The group plays an EP release concert for “Octavia of Earth, Volume Two” on Sept. 16 at the Ivy Room in Albany. Showtime is 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $20, ivyroom.com.Relat...

Groundbreaking band Shakti returns to Bay Area with new lineup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

If the cheers for vocalist Shankar Mahadevan sound particularly enthusiastic when SFJAZZ presents the pioneering Indo-jazz ensemble Shakti Saturday at Davies Symphony Hall, it’s probably because his life’s path could have easily led him to a seat in the audience.While he was born and raised in Mumbai and has never lived in California, Mahadevan has an extensive network of friends and former colleagues who’ve been drawn to the Bay Area, Shatki fans intending to catch the show, he said.“All my classmates are going to be there,” said Mahadevan, 56,  who grew up immersed in Indian classical music but ended up working in Mumbai’s hi-tech industry after earning a degree in computer science and software engineering.Instead of hewing to the safe route, he decided to quit his job as a programmer take a shot at music, thriving at first as a jingle singer who could nail an ad in 10 different languages, from Hindi and Marathi to Gujarati, Tamil, and Bengali. His first album, 1998’s “Breathless,...

Russian missile strike kills at least 17 at market in Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

By Mstyslav Chernov | Associated PressKOSTIANTYNIVKA, Ukraine (AP) — The Russian missile that struck Wednesday in eastern Ukraine turned an outdoor market into a fiery, blackened ruin where weeping civilians looked for loved ones among the mangled, burned bodies scattered across the ground.The blast in the town of Kostiantynivka killed 17 people and wounded at least 32 in one of Russia’s deadliest strikes in months, Ukrainian officials said.“There was no military target here. This is a peaceful neighborhood in the city center,” Stefan Slovak, who lives in Kostiantynivka, said in a trembling voice.Behind him were the remnants of the market, where charred bodies could be seen in the street, their clothes still burning, near cars engulfed in flames. Behind a market stall holding fresh parsley, rescuers found a women in civilian clothes with her head covered in blood.Images taken by Associated Press reporters showed emergency workers extinguishing fires and tending to ...

Marilyn Monroe’s final home — where she died in 1962 — faces demolition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

Marilyn Monroe’s beloved Los Angeles home, where she tragically died more than 60 years ago, could become a tear-down, as its new owner reportedly seeks to demolish the iconic, one-story structure.The new owner has filed for permits with the city’s Department of Building and Safety to demolish the Hacienda-style home in the city’s upscale Brentwood neighborhood, the New York Post reported Wednesday. The resident didn’t say why they wanted to demolish the four-bedroom structure, which was built in 1929, but property owners usually take such steps in order to build a house that’s larger and that has more modern amenities.The building department gave the green light for a “plan check” on Tuesday, signaling the initial stages of the demolition process, the Post said. However, a final demolition permit has yet to be granted.An aerial view of the house where actress Marilyn Monroe died is seen on July 26, 2002 in Brentwood, California. This year m...

What to watch: Dictator becomes vampire in terrific ‘El Conde’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

What makes the horror genre unique from other cinematic genres is how strangely diverse the offerings can be. Want proof? Let’s take a look at a number of new releases pushing the genre into bold, different and sometimes satirical directions.And should all that scary business be too much for you, there’s also a sweet romantic drama that’s suitable for the YA crowd and romance fans.Here’s our roundup.“El Conde”: What sounds like a novel and quirky notion — turning Chilean tyrant Augusto Pinochet into a vampire who’s undergoing an existential crisis — avoids simple gimmickry to deliver a successful and gory horror movie as well as a damning indictment of the corrupt leader and his greedy, blood-lusting wife and adult children’s rule. The result is one of Pablo Larraín’s most cohesive, most engrossing and adventurous films yet. That’s saying a lot for the filmmaker who also retooled Princess Diana’s royal life and turned into a tortuous and claustrophobic nightm...

Sale closed in Oakland: $1.9 million for a five-bedroom home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

959 Longridge Road – Google Street ViewThe spacious historic property located in the 900 block of Longridge Road in Oakland was sold on July 7, 2023. The $1,875,000 purchase price works out to $821 per square foot. The house, built in 1926, has an interior space of 2,285 square feet. This two-story home provides a generous living space with its five bedrooms and three baths. In addition, the house is equipped with a garage.Additional houses have recently been purchased nearby:On Paramount Road, Oakland, in November 2022, a 2,962-square-foot home was sold for $2,250,000, a price per square foot of $760. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 2,383-square-foot home on the 900 block of Larkspur Road in Oakland sold in November 2022, for $2,525,000, a price per square foot of $1,060. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In November 2022, a 2,509-square-foot home on Longridge Road in Oakland sold for $1,700,000, a price per square foot of $678. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathroo...

Lawsuit contends Constitution bars Trump from running again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

By Nicholas Riccardi | Associated PressDENVER — A liberal group on Wednesday filed a lawsuit to bar former President Donald Trump from the primary ballot in Colorado, arguing he is ineligible to run for the White House again under a rarely used clause in the U.S. Constitution aimed at candidates who have supported an “insurrection.”The lawsuit, citing the 14th Amendment, is likely the initial step in a legal challenge that seems destined for the U.S. Supreme Court. The complaint was filed on behalf of six Republican and unaffiliated Colorado voters by the group Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington.It will jolt an already unsettled 2024 primary campaign that features the leading Republican candidate facing four separate criminal cases.Liberal groups have demanded that states’ top election officials bar Trump under the clause that prohibits those who “engaged in an insurrection or rebellion” against the Constitution from holding higher off...

The monster that feeds and eats away at Lake Tahoe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

By Kimberley Lovato | CNNOn a busy late July weekday at the beach in Incline Village, Nevada, on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, swimmers dip in and out of the frigid sapphire water while a kids’ summer camp wraps up for the day. The 20-something counselor belts out an order to his mini squadron.“First one to pick up all their trash and put it in the bins wins!”The children giggle and scurry across the coarse sand, scooping up sandwich bags and other lunchbox remnants. Within minutes, all that remains are indents from their tiny feet.The scene is a far cry from what happened on July 4 at Zephyr Shoals, another popular Lake Tahoe beach 16 miles south, where holiday revelers left more than 6,000 pounds of trash, plastic, clothing, toys, and other miscellaneous junk.RELATED: Fourth of July trash at Lake Tahoe beaches to be cleaned up by robotsVideos of the litter-fest went viral on social media and made international news, sparking outrage and calls for change by everyone from residents...

Dermatologists warn about how to spot the skin cancer that killed Jimmy Buffett

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

Florida dermatologists say the skin cancer that killed Jimmy Buffett is becoming more common in the Sunshine State and urge residents to look out for a few unique features.While rare, the aggressive skin cancer pops up most often in skin areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, scalp or neck. People who are fair-skinned, older than 50, and exposed regularly to the sun are at higher risk of developing Merkel cell carcinoma. The key to survival is finding out early, and acting quickly.People diagnosed and treated for this form of skin cancer while it is still localized have a five-year survival rate of 75%, but once it spreads to a distant organ, the survival rate plunges to only 24%.What to look forIn Delray Beach, dermatologist Steven Hacker says he has many patients he is treating or following that have Merkel cell carcinoma.“It looks like a very non-specific bump that is flesh-colored or reddish blue and can be the size of an eraser tip on a pencil,” he said. “It needs to be bi...

Weekend festivals: Seafood, art, wine, car shows lead the Sept. 9-10 offerings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:00 GMT

The Bay Area’s late summer festival season is in full swing, with art, wine and food festivals across the Bay Area and Santa Cruz and two car shows in San Jose (one Saturday, one Sunday). Here are some highlights for Sept. 9-10:Pittsburg Seafood and Music Festival: Eat gumbo, jambalaya, chowder, crawfish, calamari and more while listening to live music on three stages, including Pete Escovedo on Sunday. Also jetski races live cooking demos, a carnival, wine and beer pavilions. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Old Town Pittsburg. General admission, $20, free for kids under 12. Free shuttle. Details: www.pittsburgseafoodandmusicfestival.comMountain View Art & Wine Festival: This 51st festival will feature artisan booths, food and wine, entertainment, a collaborative paint temple, Gabby’s Dollhouse and other children’s activities and a Pigskin Lounge for football viewing. Free admission. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday along Castro Str...