High school water polo: Sacred Heart Prep boys, girls stay in top spots. Castro Valley girls enter rankings.
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Prep water polo rankings, Oct. 1, 2024: Bay Area News Group Top 10
Ford to cover cost of home charger, installation for EV buyers through end of year
Ford didn't provide an exact number for the total value of the "Ford Power Promise" fourth-quarter promotion. The charger included is the Ford Charge Station Pro, which retails for $1,310. Installation can cost several hundred dollars more.
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Two arrested in East Bay shooting that injured infant and man
The violence happened Sunday in the 3600 block of Desanie Circle in Bay Point, authorities said.
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‘Good Times’ star John Amos dead at 84
The "Good Times" actor died in August, according to his son, Kelly Christopher Amos.
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How to Help After Hurricane Helene
Vicksburg Daily News -
ATLANTA, GA – There are many ways to help those affected by Hurricane Helene across the Southeast. Here are some of the organizations providing support to people who experienced loss from the storm: Additionally, National VOAD members and partners are assisting communities in need after Hurricane Helene. National VOAD members and partners will serve these communities as long […]
The post How to Help After Hurricane Helene appeared first on Vicksburg Daily News.
Who is Simran Bhogal? Kirat Assi’s cousin who catfished her with Dr Jandu in Netflix Sweet Bobby doc
SIMRAN Bhogal tricked her cousin Kirat Assi into believing Dr Bobby Jandu was the perfect man for her.
They even got engaged before Kirat found out Bhogal had been cold-heartedly catfishing her for almost a decade — the case is the focus of the new Netflix true crime documentary Sweet Bobby.
Who is Simran Bhogal?
Simran Bhogal orchestrated an intricate and long-running catfishing scheme targeting her cousin Kirat Assi.
For almost 10 years, Bhogal created and maintained a complex web of deception, centering around a fictional character named Dr Bobby Jandu, whom she portrayed as a cardiologist living in places on the other side of the planet including New York and Australia.
The real Dr Bobby Jandu is a victim of identity theft in this cruel, calculated and complicated catfishing scheme — he played no active role in the deception of Kirat Assi.
Catfishing is a term used to describe luring someone into a relationship by creating fake social media profiles.
Elaborate ruse
Simran’s elaborate ruse involved not just the creation of Dr Bobby, but also dozens of other fictional characters to support the deception.
She manipulated Kirat emotionally, creating dramatic storylines involving Bobby’s supposed injuries, illnesses and personal crises.
Kirat told the story of her betrayal and quest for justice to Alexi Mostrous in the hit podcast Sweet Bobby, a multi-part series investigating “one of the world’s most sophisticated catfishers”.
In 2022, Alexi wrote in The Sun: “I first came across Kirat’s story last June. A good source handed me a witness statement over lunch, telling me it contained details of ‘the craziest case’ he’d ever seen.
“As I read the 140-page document that night, I realised that he was right. In more than 15 years of journalism, I’ve never seen anything like it.
“The statement detailed every step of the catfishing operation — from 2009 when Kirat, from London, was first contacted on Facebook by someone called ‘JJ’, to the moment in June 2018 when Bhogal came round to her house and confessed to everything.
“Some of the details were, frankly, surreal.
“At one point, Bobby died and then came back to life, claiming he was in a witness protection programme having been shot in Kenya.
“He developed life-threatening illnesses, which meant he was stuck for long periods in hospital in New York.”
All the while, Simran maintained a close friendship with Kirat in real life, becoming one of her most trusted confidants and a source of support during the “relationship” with Bobby.
Bhogal’s employment is mentioned in the podcast, with Alexi stating: “Simran was made a vice-president at a British bank. You’d know the name. And it was a pretty big deal.”
Master of manipulation
The scam was incredibly manipulative, with Bhogal’s characters interacting not just with Kirat, but with each other as well.
In a particularly scheming scenario, Bobby asked Kirat to help him pick out some clothes for his baby son and they bought some clothes for him together online.
A couple of weeks later, Kirat saw pictures of Bobby’s real son wearing the clothes they chose.
As Alexi explained: “Simran, it seems, somehow managed to get access to photos of Bobby’s real son, presumably by Googling.
“She then worked out where the clothes he was wearing came from. And then tricked Kirat into thinking she had chosen the clothes herself.
“Another big reason why Kirat believed the scam was real was because Simran told her she had met Bobby face to face in New York, when she was on a business trip.”
Kirat confronted her cousin when she found out about the dastardly deception.
‘Why did you do this?’
She told the Sweet Bobby podcast: “I couldn’t understand it. “I just kept screaming at her, ‘Why, why did you do this? Ten years of my life. You’ve stolen ten years of my life. Why didn’t you stop? How could you be so sick?”
Following the sickening story coming to light, Bhogal has stayed quiet, only releasing a statement through her lawyers saying it was a “family dispute over events that began over a decade ago”.
Her statement continued: “As far as I’m concerned, this is a private family matter that has been resolved.
“I strongly object to the numerous unfounded and seriously defamatory accusations that have been made about me, as well as details of private matters that have been shared with the media.”
Court proceedings
Kirat initiated a civil action against Bhogal in 2020.
She first reported the matter to the police after Bhogal confessed her deception in 2018.
But Kirat decided to take civil legal action when the police declined to pursue criminal charges.
The litigation process lasted amost 18 months and the case was ultimately settled out of court.
Bhogal agreed to pay Kirat substantial damages and cover her legal costs.
Sweet Bobby premieres on Netflix on October 16, 2024.
Three top tips to make the most of dark skies and check out the constellations
WITH the nights drawing in, things are looking up for stargazing.
The pastime makes for a cute date or a wholesome family activity that doesn’t need a big budget.
Here’s are stellar ways to check out the constellations.
DIARY DATES: Try to time your skygazing around greater activity to spot magical shooting stars or even the Northern Lights.
This month, watch out for two meteor showers — the Draconids peaks next Tuesday and Wednesday while the Orionids will be best seen around October 21 and 22. Major showers visible from the UK are listed by the Royal Museums Greenwich at rmg.co.uk.
The Northern Lights have also been seen across the UK this year thanks to geomagnetic storms.
Space physicists from Lancaster University issue alerts when it’s possible to see the aurora. Follow them on X @AuroraWatchUK or check out aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk.
PICK YOUR SPOT: The best place to stargaze is away from the light pollution of towns and cities.
Some Forestry England woods have been awarded “dark sky discovery site” status for their excellent night-time views.
Find the full list at forestryengland.uk where you can also download a free guide to stargazing.
Galloway Forest, to the west of Dumfries, is a gold-tier dark sky park. On a clear night more than 7,000 stars and planets are visible from it.
BE PREPARED: Of course, you’ll need a clear night to stargaze so check the weather in advance before you head out. It can take about 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark.
A red torch will help you to see what you are doing while maintaining your night vision. You can create one by simply taping red cellophane over a normal torch.
- All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
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Shoppers rush to supermarket to bag Roses, Quality Street, Celebrations and Heroes tubs as they cost just £3.95 each
Shoppers are racing to their nearest supermarket to stock up on Roses, Quality Street, Celebrations, and Heroes tubs, scanning at tills for just £3.95 each.
A savvy chocolate fan shared the bargain find on the popular Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group, where users frequently post the best deals they find in stores across the country.
Tesco shoppers are raving after their favourite chocolate treats were reduced from £6 to just £3.95.
However, this bargain is exclusively available to Tesco Clubcard members, who receive an impressive 34 per cent discount on the tubs.
Clubcard members can choose from Roses, Quality Street, Celebrations, or Heroes, all scanning for £3.95 at the major supermarket chain.
The shopper’s Facebook post to the UK bargain group received hundreds of likes and comments from fellow chocolate fans.
“I need to get some for Christmas,” said one user.
Another commented: “Might need to visit Tesco over the weekend.”
However, many shoppers took to the post to vent their frustration over the size of the boxes this year.
“Why do they make them smaller every year? Another 100g taken way,” cried one user.
This shopper added: “Tubs are smaller than last year! I’ve decided not to buy any from now on.”
“I won’t buy these now, not like they used to be and the tins get smaller every year,” commented a third.
Currently, Tesco Clubcard members enjoy the best deal on the popular chocolate tubs.
Sainsbury’s shoppers will need to pay £6 if they wish to enjoy any of the Celebrations, Heroes, Quality Street, or Roses tubs.
Similar prices can be found at Asda who also offer a Celebrations and Heroes tub bundle for £9.
It remains unclear whether Tesco’s discounted chocolate tubs are still available for Clubcard members, as several bargain hunters have reported that the deal ends today.
“I think they are back at full price now,” said one user.
While another wrote: “Last day today then they go back up in price.”
How to save money on chocolate
WE all love a bit of chocolate from now and then, but you don't have to break the bank buying your favourite bar.
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how to cut costs…
Go own brand – if you’re not too fussed on flavour and just want to supplant your chocolate cravings, you’ll save by going for supermarket’s own brand bars.
Shop around – if you’ve spotted your favourite variety at the supermarket, make sure you check if it’s cheaper elsewhere.
Websites like Trolley.co.uk let you compare prices on products across all the major chains to see if you’re getting the best deal.
Look out for yellow stickers – supermarket staff put yellow, and sometimes orange and red, stickers on to products to show they’ve been reduced.
They usually do this if the product is coming to the end of its best before date or the packaging is slightly damaged.
Buy bigger bars – most of the time, but not always, chocolate is cheaper per 100g the larger the bar.
So if you’ve got the appetite, and you were going to buy a hefty amount of chocolate anyway, you might as well go bigger.
Elsewhere, B&M shoppers are rushing to buy festive chocolate treats that are perfect for kids’ Christmas Eve boxes.
The bargain retailer’s festive selection box has social media users going wild as they plan ahead for Christmas.
The find was posted on the NewfoodsUK Facebook group and it quickly amassed over 3,000 likes and 1,000 comments.
One user wrote: “I love these and will definitely buy two for my sons’ Christmas Eve boxes. I love creating their boxes.”
Of course, do bear in mind it’s still pretty early in the year and further deals will no doubt be released in the coming weeks.
It always pays to compare prices so you know you’re getting the best deal.
Prices can also vary day to day and by what deals are on at the time, plus remember you might pay for delivery if you’re ordering online.
You can compare prices on platforms like Google Shopping and Trolley.co.uk.
What can I get with Tesco Clubcard?
TESCO'S Clubcard scheme allows shoppers to earn points as they shop.
These points can then be turned into vouchers for money off food at the supermarket, or discounts at other places like restaurants and days out.
Each time you spend £1 in-store and online, you get one point when you scan your Clubcard.
Drivers using the loyalty card get one point for every two litres spent on fuel.
One point equals 1p, so 150 points gets you a £1.50 money-off voucher, for example.
You can double their worth when you swap them for discounts with “reward partners”.
For example, £12 worth of vouchers can be swapped for a £24 three-month subscription to Disney+.
Or you can swap 50p worth of points for £1 to spend at Hungry Horse pubs.
Where you can spend them changes regularly, and you can check on the Tesco website what’s available now.
Tesco shoppers can also get Clubcard prices when they have the loyalty card.
The discounted items change regularly and without a Clubcard you’ll pay a higher price.
These Clubcard prices are usually labelled on shelves, along with the non-member price.
But it’s worth noting that just because it’s discounted doesn’t necessarily make it the cheapest around, and you should compare prices to find the best deal.
You can sign up to get a Tesco Clubcard in store or online via the Tesco website.
Sir Alex Ferguson, 82, looks in good spirits as Man Utd legend hugs Team GB gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson
LEGENDARY Man Utd boss was all smiles at Old Trafford on Sunday – despite a disaster out on the pitch.
The former Red Devils manager, 82, was snapped alongside Olympic gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson following United’s 3-0 loss to Spurs.
Ferguson remains a regular at United games despite his recent health concerns.
He posed for a snap alongside Team GB’s golden girl and United fan Hodgkinson.
She was given a hero’s welcome as the 800m champion showed off her gold medal prior to kick-off at Old Trafford.
The 22-year-old was presented with a framed Man Utd shirt before heading off on a lap of honour.
But she left disappointed as Erik ten Hag’s men fell to a calamitous defeat.
Despite the result, Hodgkinson and Sir Alex were all smiles as they linked up after the game in the VIP area.
The pair shared a hug as the Atherton native documented her day out to her 521,000 Instagram followers.
Hodgkinson wrote: “Thank you for a warm welcome yesterday @manchesterunited.
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“It was an honour to meet the man of the hour, in the theatre of dreams, supporting the best team in the world.”
One fan responded to the snap: “They were just happy to see a winner Keely!”
While a second joked: “At the game yesterday, you were the highlight…..”
And a third laughed: “Can you play up front for us?”
Hodgkinson jetted straight off on holiday following her heroics in Paris last month.
Man Utd ratings vs Tottenham
MANCHESTER UNITED suffered a 3-0 thrashing against Tottenham at Old Trafford.
Captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off in the first half for fouling James Maddison, forcing Erik Ten Hag’s side to play with 10 men against Ange Postecoglou’s team.
After back-to-back draws against Crystal Palace and FC Twente fans hoped United would redeem themselves against Spurs.
However, the match at Old Trafford quickly turned sour. Brennan Johnson scored early and things worsened when Fernandes was sent off allowing Spurs to extend their lead to 3-0.
And here is how SunSports Charlie Wyett rated the Manchester United stars.
Andre Onana – 5
Stood his ground to deliver a good save from Timo Werner who was clean through – no chance for either goal.
Noussair Mazraoui – 5
First in the refs’ book for chopping down Destiny Udogie. Could also have blocked Micky van de Ven for the goal. Just watched Solanke make it 3-0.
Matthijs de Ligt – 4
Shocking first half. Failed to cut out the cross from Micky van de Ven which led to the first goal.
Lisandro Martinez – 5
Switched off for the Spurs goal and was drawn to the ball and Johnson was left unmarked.
Diogo Dalot – 5
Gave the ball away in dangerous areas and struggled against Johnson.
Manuel Ugarte – 5
Suffered a stinker and was lucky to last until the 73rd minute.
Kobbie Mainoo – 5
Not one of his better performances and was taken off just before half-time following Fernandes’ sending-off.
Marcus Rashford – 5
Over-ran the ball for Tottenham’s first. Way off the pace.
Bruno Fernandes – 4
Arguably the worst captain in United’s history. Deserved red card for his challenge on James Maddison.
Alejandro Garnacho – 6
Had United’s only chance in the first half but hit the outside of the post. Improved in the second half.
Joshua Zirkzee – 5
Looked completely lost up front – threatening to be another poor Erik ten Hag signing. Replaced at half-time.
Subs:
Mount (for Mainoo 45) 5, Casemiro (for Zirkzee 46) 7, Hojlund (for Rashford 73) 5, Eriksen (for Ugarte 73) 5.
She was spotted enjoying a well-earned rest in Marbella, sunning herself on a luxury yacht.
The 22-year-old also revealed her mum was a diehard United fan.
Hodgkinson revealed: “My mum has had a Manchester United season ticket since she was 19.
“Her name is on the seats at Old Trafford. She is more of a diehard fan than me.”
Why did Frank Fritz leave American Pickers?
FRANK Fitz was one half of the beloved TV duo who presented American Pickers, alongside his longterm pal Mike Wolfe.
Sadly, Frank passed away on October 1, 2024, having been noticeably absent from several series on the hit TV show. But why did Frank stop appearing in the show and what did the star pass away from?
Why did Frank leave American Pickers?
Frank was missing from the 21st series of American Pickers, but fans weren’t initially told where he was.
He appeared in episodes 1-7, but then vanished from the show.
Unbeknownst to fans, Frank was recovering from back surgery which saw him have 185 stitches and two rods in his spine.
Afterwards, he exclusively revealed to The Sun that he was planning a return: “I would like to come back to the show.
“I was doing it for 11 years.
“I’m 100 percent recovered now and I’m ready to roll and go back on the show.”
However, Frank claimed that the network wouldn’t give him a straight answer about returning.
“They talk out of both sides of their mouth. It would be like me telling you I want to go back on the show and then tomorrow going, ‘I never said that, I never said anything about that,'” he continued.
Then, in 2021, it was announced that he would not be returning, sparking rumours of a feud between Frank and his long-time co-presenter.
Things took a turn for the worse in July 2022, when Frank had a stroke.
Frank was allegedly found “sprawled on the floor” around the time of the incident.
Frank’s father, Bill Fritz, at the beginning of August 2022, exclusively told The Sun that his son is in “stable” condition.
How did Frank Fritz die?
Frank’s health improved after his stroke, but the incident left the TV star wheelchair-bound except for small distances.
A friend of his told The US Sun: “You’re never 100 percent after a stroke, but he’s fine.
“He’s aware of what’s going on.
“If he were sitting here right now, you could sit and talk to him. He’s the same old Frank.”
However, he continued to have on going health problems including a bout of pneumonia.
Frank’s cause of death has not been confirmed, but news of his death broke when his pal Mike shared the news on Instagram.
Mike wrote: “It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night.
“I’ve know Frank for more then half my life and what you’ve seen on TV has always been what I have seen, a dreamer who was just as sensitive as he was funny.
“The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.
“Who would have ever dreamed we would share the cockpit of a white cargo van in front of millions of people interested in our adventures.”
Is Frank married?
Frank was not married, although he was engaged to Diann Bankson.
The pair dated on and off for many years before ending the relationship altogether.
In the breakup, both accused the other of infidelity, and Diann sued Frank for negligence on January 27, 2020.
Despite their ups and downs, Diann revealed she and Frank were engaged in 2017 and were living together in his Iowa farmhouse.
She said that in November 2018, she “walked in and caught him in bed with another woman.”
The two managed to reconcile, although this did not last long as Diann claimed she got third-degree burns from Frank and his friend’s negligence with a firework.
She claimed Frank “refused” to “take her to the hospital” and instead told her to “toughen up.”
In the following days, Diann went to the hospital and was “treated for third-degree burns.”
When the couple split again, she claimed he had the locks changed on a separate Iowa home they shared.
Diann demanded $50,000, claiming Frank was “negligent in the operation of fireworks.”
She claimed she had experienced pain and suffering, emotional distress and mental anguish, past and future loss of function of body and scarring, loss of earning capacity, loss of everyday life, and medical expenses.
On March 19, 2020, Diann dismissed the lawsuit.