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Travel Troubleshooter: This Vacasa rental is disgusting. Can I get my money back?

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I planned a trip for a group from a small rural town in Kansas. I booked a vacation rental in Galveston, Texas, through Vacasa. From the start, the stay was truly horrible. The house had not been cleaned. As the days went by, things only deteriorated. We found rats, cockroaches and bedbugs. The air conditioner went out, and the owners didn’t repair it.Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter I have kept a record of all calls, texts and emails to Vacasa, but have received very little back in terms of responses. Vacasa staff members promise to get back to us, but don’t.Vacasa has offered to refund one night of our stay. We want a full refund. Can you help us get our $6,292 back?— Carol Wilson, Wichita, KansasANSWER: Your vacation rental was a dump. According to your notes, the house hadn’t been cleaned when you arrived. There was trash in the house, and the outside garbage bins were overflowing. The toilets hadn’t be...

Recipe: Chocolate Pumpkin Pie from chef Michael Symon

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

Michael Symon, the grinning, shiny-pated genie of so many reality-food shows, hardly needs an introduction. This September, he returned to bookshelves with his eighth cookbook to date — “Simply Symon Suppers,” coauthored by Douglas Trattner, which is a compendium of 165 recipes celebrating the time-honored formula of one simple main plus a couple killer sides.The book is structured around the seasons, so in spring you’ll find Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Spring Onion Gravy and a Shaved Spring Onion Salad, and in the summer a Grilled Lobster with Lime-Jalapeno Butter and Spicy Old Bay Corn on the Cob. For autumn, home cooks seeking a twist on Thanksgiving pumpkin pie might try out his decadent Chocolate Pumpkin Pie.“If a flourless chocolate cake and a classic pumpkin pie had a love child, it would be this silky, sinful dessert,” writes Symon. “I made a version of it for Thanksgiving during the second season of (ABC’s) ‘The Chew,’ a...

Recipe: Pumpkin-Cannoli Cheesecake Cake by Molly Baz

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

Molly Baz is a chef, former food editor at Bon Appétit and online-video host whose first cookbook, 2021’s “Cook This Book,” rocketed up The New York Times’ bestseller list. She’s following that debut with another cookbook, “More Is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen” (publishing Oct. 10 from Clarkson Potter) that emphasizes her love of bold, bracing flavors — more garlic and herbs, more vinegar, more mortadella, more… well, basically everything.Among 100 recipes for flavor bombs with names like The One & Only Hoagie and Crispy, Crunchy Brocc & Grains with So. Much. Mint., the cookbook provides this formula for a Pumpkin-Cannoli Cheesecake Cake.“I like to think this version of the pervasive pumpkin bread is a major upgrade — it’s topped with a creamy ricotta cheesecake layer that tastes like the filling of a great Italian cannoli,” Baz writes. “My pumpkin cake (it’s a cake, let’s just admit it) doubles down on ging...

Recipe: Kneaders’ Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

These autumnal pumpkin chocolate chip cookies come courtesy of a new cookbook — “Kneaders Bakery & Café: A Celebration of Our Best Recipes and Memories” (Shadow Mountain, $34) — by Colleen Worthington.Worthington is the cofounder of the Kneaders chain, which has locations from Nevada to Colorado. Their baked goods, especially their cinnamon bread French toast and this cookie recipe, are indulgent and delicious. Feel free to use nuts or raisins instead of chocolate chips, or combine walnuts and chocolate chips — or just go all chocolate.Pumpkin Chocolate Chip CookiesMakes 6 dozen cookiesINGREDIENTS3 sticks butter, softened1½ cups brown sugar2 eggs, slightly whisked1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin puree2¾ cups all-purpose flour1 tablespoon baking powder1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon nutmeg1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon dried ginger1 cup chocolate chips1 cup nuts (optional)1 cup raisins (optional)“Kneaders Bakery & Café: A Celebration of Our Best Rec...

Man in very critical condition after Oakland shooting

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

OAKLAND — A 23-year-old man was in very critical condition Monday after he was shot multiple times Sunday night as he sat in a parked vehicle in East Oakland, police said.Another man who was also inside the vehicle was not hurt. Police said the men knew each other.The shooting happened about 8:26 p.m. Sunday in the 2300 block of 21st Avenue.Police said the victim lived in the area. He and another man were sitting in a parked car when someone approached on foot from outside and began shooting into the vehicle.The 23-year-old man was wounded at least twice. He was transported from the scene by an ambulance to a hospital.A motive for the shooting is not yet known, police said. It is also not yet known if the man shot or both men were the intended targets. No arrests were announced.Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $7,500 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the shooter. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3426 or Crime Stop...

At least one dead after crash on eastbound I-80 at Napa-Solano boundary

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

(BCN) -- At least one person is dead after a traffic collision along eastbound Interstate Highway 80 right at the boundary of Napa and Solano counties early Monday morning, the California Highway Patrol said. Armed robbery leads to fatal crash near Bayview after SFPD chase The accident, which involved a lone vehicle, happened around 4:19 a.m. Monday along eastbound I-80 at the American Canyon Road onramp, just east of American Canyon, according to the CHP.Two inner lanes of eastbound I-80 were shut down at the scene of the crash at 4:46 a.m., but were reopened by 6:14 a.m., the CHP said.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Coldplay brings empathy — and Selena Gomez — to the band’s 2023 North American tour finale

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — In 2023, a Coldplay concert opens like a triumphant finale — LED wristbands flashing, confetti canons on overdrive, a singalong of 68,000 voices repeating “You’ve got a higher power,” to match frontman Chris Martin’s energy. Flags representing attendees from Argentina, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, South Korea and Brazil were raised; children and the elderly sang along to familiar radio hits. Live music isn’t church, but for two hours on Sunday night, the British band got close.A short film on the conservation efforts of Coldplay’s global stadium tour for their 2021 album “Music of the Spheres” previewed the band’s North American tour closer at the Rose Bowl, just outside of Los Angeles. Then: an explosion of rainbow lighting effects, tie-dye orbs, and wholesome bits — for “Paradise,” Martin asked the audience to engage in the “quietest singalong ever,” chanting the title in a whisper.In one moment, he partic...

Rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers look for a fresh start, scoring boost with new faces

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

PHILADELPHIA FLYERSCOACH: John Tortorella (704-579-37 over 22 seasons, 1 Stanley Cup title)SEASON OPENER: Oct. 13 at Columbus.DEPARTURES: D Ivan Provorov, C Kevin Hayes, F James van Riemsdyk, D Tony DeAngelo.ADDITIONS: President Keith Jones, GM Danny Briere, G Cal Petersen, F Garnet Hathaway, D Marc Staal.GOALIES: Carter Hart (22-23-10, 2.94 GAA, .907 save percentage), Samuel Ersson (6-3, 3.07, .899), Cal Petersen (5-3-2, 3.75, 0.868).FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK STANLEY CUP ODDS: 150-1.LAST SEASON: The Flyers finished with the third-fewest points (75) in the Eastern Conference in Tortorella’s first season at the helm. The club also had issues off the ice, including controversy surrounding D Ivan Provorov’s refusal to take part in Pride Night in January. Tortorella seemingly butted heads with veterans Kevin Hayes and Tony DeAngelo, neither of whom are with the club anymore. Philadelphia also chose not to re-sign veteran James van Riemsdyk. Philadelphia did get a strong season from F Travis Ko...

Islanders look to build on success as they enter second season under coach Lane Lambert

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

NEW YORK ISLANDERSCOACH: Lane Lambert, (42-31-9).SEASON OPENER: Oct. 14 vs. Buffalo.DEPARTURES: F Josh Bailey, F Zach Parise.ADDITIONS: RW Julien Gauthier.GOALIES: Ilya Sorokin (31-22-7, 2.34 GAA, 0.924 save percentage) and Semyon Varlamov (11-9-2, 2.70 GAA, 0.913).FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK STANLEY CUP ODDS: 45-1.LAST SEASON: A 1-7-3 stretch in January knocked the Islanders five points out of a wild-card spot. They made a big trade to bolster the offense by getting Bo Horvat ahead of the trade deadline, but had to deal with several injuries, especially star center Mathew Barzal missing the final 23 games. However, they won eight of their last 13 games, and got some help to earn a playoff spot with a win in their last game. Against the Hurricanes, they suffered three one-goal losses, including the series-ending Game 6, and found themselves with an anemic power play that went 1 for 18.STRENGTHS: Sorokin followed up a 26-win campaign two seasons ago with 31 wins last year. The 35-year-old Var...

A grizzly bear attack leaves 2 people dead in western Canada. Park rangers kill the bear

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:12:28 GMT

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — An attack by a grizzly bear has left two people dead in a national park in western Canada, and the bear was later killed by park rangers, officials said. The attack took place Friday in Banff National Park in Alberta Province. The Parks Canada agency received an alert from a GPS device in the park’s Red Deer River valley Friday evening that indicated a bear attack was happening, agency spokeswoman Natalie Fay said in a statement.A response team was mobilized but was hampered by bad weather and was able to reach the site only early Saturday by about 1 a.m., when team members found the bodies of a couple. Identities of the victims were not immediately released. “Weather conditions at the time did not allow for helicopter use, and the response team travelled through the night to the location by the ground,” Fay said.The team found an aggressive grizzly bear in the area and killed the animal at the scene for the sake of public safety, Fay said. Authorities ...