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'I'm broken hearted by SF': Small business owners struggle with post-pandemic changes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

(KRON) -- As big-box retailers continue leaving Downtown San Francisco en masse, many cite the city's public safety issues and dwindling foot traffic as the reasons they are closing up shop. Small business owners agree.A survey conducted by San Francisco's Office of Small Business and San Francisco State University surveyed 802 small business owners across all ages, races and industries and found that what stressed most businesses were inflation on goods, dirty and smelly streets and lack of customers. While small business owners have expressed concern about shoplifting, it was not among the top challenges identified in the survey.Today's most reported challenges from small business owners by industry. (San Francisco Office of Small Business/SFSU survey)Just this month, a longtime local San Francisco bike shop High Road Bike Co. said it had plans to close by the end of May due to the financial hardship caused by several break-ins and lack of customers. One small business owner said...

Swedish Eurovision winner Loreen returns home, performs winning power ballad ‘Tattoo’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish singer Loreen, who won the Eurovision Song Contest with her power ballad “Tattoo,” returned home on Tuesday, saying she was proud to be only the second person in Eurovision history to have won the contest twice.“I’m so incredibly happy,” a smiling Loreen said after landing at Stockholm’s international airport from the English city of Liverpool, where the event was held. “On the plane home, I had my first burst of joy and looked out at the sky. I am so incredibly happy about this. I am so proud that Sweden sent me.” She held the trophy — a handmade glass sculpture in the shape of a microphone from the 1950s — saying it was “brutally heavy.” Later Tuesday, the 39-year-old artist performed the winning dance-pop anthem at a downtown Stockholm park — a popular hangout known for its outdoor cafes and open-air concerts — before a cheering crowd of hundreds of people. The concert was broadcast live on Sweden’s public television. “I am so grateful to have been ...

Folarin Balogun opts to play for US instead of England

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — Promising striker Folarin Balogun has opted to play for the United States at international level instead of England. FIFA said in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday that it approved a request by the U.S. Soccer Federation to change Balogun’s national eligibility from England, which he had represented at Under-21 level. The 21-year-old Balogun, who has scored 19 goals in the French league this season while on loan at Reims from Arsenal, was born in New York but grew up in London. He had also been eligible to play for Nigeria through family ties.Balogun confirmed the move in a video on his social media accounts using the slogans “I’m coming home” and “Let’s make history.” Balogun has been in demand after a breakout season in France.He was dueling with Kylian Mbappé to top the scoring charts for much of the season, although the Paris Saint-Germain star now leads with 26 goals.Balogun, who was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents who were living in ...

Draft Lottery day arrives, with the NBA about to learn where Wembanyama is going

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Draft Lottery day has arrived, and the NBA is about to learn which team will win the chance to select Victor Wembanyama next month.The lottery will be held Tuesday night in Chicago, where 14 teams will have a chance to win the No. 1 pick for the June 22 draft. Detroit, Houston and San Antonio all have the best chance of winning, at 14% apiece.The lottery involves 14 ping-pong balls going into a machine, and the first four balls that come out will be matched to predetermined combinations assigned to each team.Results will be aired on ESPN, though the lottery itself takes place about an hour before in a secure room. Each team will have a representative in the room, and league officials, lottery observers and some reporters will also be present — but none will be allowed to leave the room or communicate with anyone until the results are shown on television.The lottery goes back to 1985. In the first five years, the lottery teams — seven in 1985 through 1988, nine i...

Cort wins stage in miserable conditions, Thomas stays in Giro d’Italia lead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

VIAREGGIO, Italy (AP) — Magnus Cort won a wet and cold 10th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Tuesday and Geraint Thomas kept hold of the pink jersey.Thomas, who rides for Ineos Grenadiers, moved into the lead on Sunday after pre-race favorite Remco Evenepoel had to withdraw after testing positive for the coronavirus. Evenepoel had a 45-second advantage over Thomas.Other riders have also had to abandon after returning positive tests for COVID-19, including Domenico Pozzovivo and Rigoberto Urán.Thomas maintained his two-second lead over Primož Roglič after they both finished safely in the peloton, in terrible conditions, 51 seconds behind Cort.Tao Geoghegan Hart was third overall, five seconds behind his teammate Thomas.Cort edged Derek Gee and Alessandro De Marchi at the end of the rolling 196-kilometer route through the Tuscan Apennines from Scandiano to Viareggio on the Mediterranean coast. All three were part of a breakaway.The victory completed a Grand Tour set for Cort, who won six...

Apple App Store – Top Apps

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

Top Free iPhone Apps (US):1. Temu: Shop Like a Billionaire, Temu2. TikTok, TikTok Ltd.3. Instagram, Instagram, Inc.4. YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream, Google LLC5. Gmail – Email by Google, Google LLC6. Facebook, Meta Platforms, Inc.7. WhatsApp Messenger, WhatsApp Inc.8. CapCut – Video Editor, Bytedance Pte. Ltd9. Google, Google LLC10. Snapchat, Snap, Inc.Top Paid iPhone Apps (US):1. Minecraft, Mojang2. Shadowrocket, Shadow Launch Technology Limited3. Geometry Dash, RobTop Games AB4. Papa’s Freezeria To Go!, Flipline Studios5. Heads Up!, Warner Bros.6. HotSchedules, HotSchedules7. Bloons TD 6, Ninja Kiwi8. Incredibox, So Far So Good9. Monopoly – Classic Board Game, Marmalade Game Studio10. Plague Inc., Ndemic CreationsSource

76ers fire coach Doc Rivers after 3 seasons, AP source says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers fired coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday following a third straight exit in the second round of the playoffs, a person with direct knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the move.Rivers led the 76ers to their second straight 50-win season behind NBA MVP Joel Embiid but again failed to lead them to the Eastern Conference Finals.The 76ers held a 3-2 semifinals series lead against Boston before dropping Game 6 at home and were crushed in Game 7 on the road.Rivers fell to 6-10 in Game 7s. The 10 defeats are five more than any other NBA coach.Rivers and the 76ers also lost a decisive Game 7 at home in the second round to Atlanta in 2021 as a No. 1 seed. Embiid endorsed Rivers’ return following Sunday’s loss but James Harden was noncommittal about wanting Rivers back.Rivers had two years left on his contract and was 236-154 in three years wit...

Report: Space Command may stay in Colorado due to Alabama's abortion laws

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KDVR) — The U.S. Space Command's headquarters may no longer be moving to Alabama from Colorado Springs, according to a report obtained by NBC News. Two U.S. officials and one U.S. defense official familiar with the discussions told NBC News that they believe the White House is laying the groundwork to halt plans on the Space Command move in part because of the state's restrictive abortion law.“This is all about abortion politics," one U.S. official told NBC News. Best places to live in the US: 3 cities in Colorado FOX31 reached out to Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet about his thoughts on the possible halt.“For over two years, I've urged the Biden Administration to reverse Trump's politically motivated decision and keep Space Command in Colorado. This decision should be made in the interest of the national security of the United States. As I said on the Senate floor last week, reproductive freedom is important for our military readiness and national security...

Denver is the 5th-best city in US for beer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver may have changed in the last 10 years, but its podium place as a beer hub hasn't.Denver is still one of the top cities for beer among U.S. cities, according to a study by Real Estate Witch, a brokerage powered by Clever Real Estate. The study ranked 51 major U.S. cities by their average beer prices, breweries and bars per capita, beer affordability, average Yelp rankings of breweries and bars, and Google search trends for beer. Denver murder numbers going down, but not by much Denver ranked fifth overall, but the Midwest beat the Mile High City. Pittsburgh ranked first, followed by Cincinnati, Milwaukee and New Orleans. Los Angeles, meanwhile, ranked last along with Riverside, California; Tampa; Phoenix and Memphis.The sheer presence of beer in Colorado's capital helped rank it among the top five. There are 3.74 breweries per every 100,000 residents in the city, the second-highest in the U.S. Only Portland has more with 4.38 per 100,000. Colorado among th...

BSO searching for gun-wielding man after video shows him pointing firearm at civilian

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:27:47 GMT

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man after, they said, he was caught on camera pointing a gun at another person in Cooper City.On March 6, the incident unfolded at a drive-thru ATM near the 9400 block of Griffin Road after the victim, according to detectives, attempted to make a deposit when an unknown man, who drove a black Cadillac sedan, pulled up behind the victim and beeped his horn.The victim said he exited his van to retrieve a deposit slip from the back of his vehicle, but then the two men spoke to one another. After the interaction, the Cadillac driver got out of his sedan and pulled out a firearm. Surveillance video of the incident showed a bald man with tattoos wearing a white t-shirt, armed with what appeared to be a semi-automatic with an extended magazine. He is believed to be in his 40s or 50s and can be heard yelling at the victim before fleeing the scene.Investigators are asking the public for information on the gun-wielding man’s i...