15+ hour, 42+ min ago (1525+ words) For many years, Tony Tran's daughters begged him to hang Christmas lights outside their San Jose home. He kept saying, "Next year." Tran finally relented in 2018 and strung a few light strings. But his decorative ambitions really shot up to a whole new level when he, his wife and his then-teenaged daughters needed a family project during the COVID-19 lockdown. "My daughters said, "We can't go out of the house, and we could put on a really nice display for the neighborhood," Tran said. Amazing holiday lights displays abound in the Bay Area, all the result of people like Tran. They love putting in all the time and creativity into hanging lights, building elaborate decorations and even producing high-tech sound and light shows " all to transform their yards or neighborhoods into holiday spectacles for anyone to enjoy. Twelve brightly lit…...

12+ hour, 12+ min ago (230+ words) The 49ers are hosting the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium on Monday night with improved position in the NFC playoff hunt on the line. Carolina (6-5) is one game behind the Niners (7-4) for the seventh and final seed in the NFC with six games remaining for both teams this season. The winner will hold a head-to-head tiebreaker in a crowded NFC field. The primetime game is also Christian McCaffrey's first game against the team that drafted him eighth overall out of Stanford in 2017, saw him honored on the All-Pro teams twice (first team in 2019), then traded him to San Francisco in 2022. McCaffrey's all-around game has been particularly useful for the 49ers this season as they have seen injuries hit their receiving corps hard. Jauan Jennings (ribs, ankle) and Ricky Pearsall (knee) are back, but this week provided a new twist as news broke…...

18+ hour, 12+ min ago (562+ words) Hammer Presents Merry-Achi Christmas 2025: The Mariachi Sol de Mexico returns to the Hammer Theatre Center for a musical tribute to Mexico's Christmas traditions. Be mesmerized by a multicultural celebration featuring holiday favorites from America and Mexico. Performances will also have Mexican Sign Language. 2:30 p.m., Hammer Theater Center, 101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose. bit.ly/4icAGUb" Seventh Annual Yuletide Oddities Fine Art Market Residency: If you love strange and unusual things, then head on over to this market hosted at the most bizarre and iconic haunted venue, the Winchester Mystery House. 10 a.m., Winchester Mystery House, 525 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose. bit.ly/44eTigq" San Jose Chess Club: If you're a chess enthusiast or know someone who is, then head on over to the SoFA Market for a game or two with fellow chess fanatics. Boards and clocks are provided; first-time players play for free. 6 p.m., SoFA…...

21+ hour, 18+ min ago (499+ words) (Bloomberg/Rheaa Rao and Andre Janse van Vuuren) " Technology stocks drove an advance in global equities, with Alphabet Inc. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. notching gains as traders kick off a data-packed week. Major US stock indexes extended their ascent, with the S&P 500 rising 1.4% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 jumping more than 2%. Bitcoin fell again after a weekend rebound and is on track for its worst month since 2022. Oil swung between small gains and losses as traders weighed the prospect of a Ukraine-Russia peace deal. The US 10-year Treasury yield declined to 4.05%. There's room for different interpretations on how the economy is doing because of ambiguity in the data given the lag, James Egelhof, chief US economist at BNP Paribas, said on Bloomberg Television Monday. "It's a more disorderly process than what we're accustomed to," he said. "At the same…...

22+ hour, 12+ min ago (176+ words) Real Madrid faces off against Barcelona in a La Liga showdown on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 8:15 a.m. PDT at Santiago Bernab'u in Madrid. The first El Cl'sico this season finds Los Blancos and Bar'a at the top of La Liga the table, in first and second place. That's exactly how fans of both mega teams like it. Also, both teams have come from decisive wins in the Champions League. Barcelona thrashed lowly Olympiakos, while Real Madrid won a tight match against another superpower, Juventus. Something to watch is if Kylian Mbapp' will continue his relentless scoring pace (10 goals and 2 assists in nine matches), only comparable to what Erling Haaland (11 goals and 1 assist in 8 matches) and Harry Kane (12 goals and 3 assists in 8 matches) are doing in the English Premier League and German Bundesliga, respectively. Here's how to watch The ESPN network is airing…...

21+ hour, 12+ min ago (394+ words) The charitable giving season is upon us and changes are afoot. While many people give because they want to do good, the tax rules around philanthropy have always been an added sweetener. Although nothing has changed for 2025,the recently passed tax billwill usher in three major alterations to charitable giving in 2026, two of which limit the tax benefit of charitable giving for taxpayers whoitemize their deductions. For those in the highest tax bracket (37 percent), there will be a new cap on charitable deductions, from 37 cents on the dollar to 35 cents on the dollar. Additionally, all itemizers will need to give more than 0.5% of their AGI to start claiming a deduction. For example, with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $200,000, total gifts must be more than $1,000 before being deductible. Here are some best practices: Be alert to fraudScammers use names that…...

1+ hour, 13+ min ago (668+ words) CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Katie Cassidy, 39; Jerry Ferrara, 46; Christina Applegate, 54; Bruno Tonioli, 70. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take initiative, and turn your complaints into a thing of the past. It's up to you to adjust whatever isn't meeting your expectations. Invest your time, money and effort into what motivates you to make your wishes a reality. Travel or educational pursuits will help you find answers and discover the best way to reach your goal. 4 stars GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Learn from your experiences, and make better choices. You are overdue for a change that offers the freedom to discover what's possible. Consider what you love to do most, and turn it into something tangible. Market your skills and attributes, and you'll find the happiness you desire. You have two choices: follow or lead the way. 5 stars LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take charge and…...

11+ hour, 58+ min ago (587+ words) SAN JOSE " A South Bay school district intends to develop hundreds of San Jose apartments and offer them at rental rates that district employees can afford. The San Jose Unified School District has proposed the development of a 288-unit apartment project at 760 Hillsdale Ave. in San Jose, according to a preliminary proposal on file with city planners. "Workplace housing is a pressing issue for us," said Seth Reddy, the district's chief business officer. "We cannot pay our staff sufficient wages to live in comfort and dignity in this area." The district plans to put the housing development on an undeveloped site alongside Hillsdale Avenue next to State Route 87 in San Jose. Other efforts are underway to attempt to address the "missing middle" of workers who make too much money to qualify for numerous affordable housing projects but don't make enough…...

21+ hour, 7+ min ago (42+ words) Monday Morning Lights: Two-way star makes highlight plays on offense, defense in CCS Open final victory over Serra. De La Salle's two-way star Jaden Jefferson carries heavy load in NCS Open final victory over Pittsburg. More in High School Sports...

17+ hour, 4+ min ago (218+ words) Carquinez Strait and Delta, Central Sacramento Valley, Southern Sacramento Valley and Northern San Joaquin Valley are included in an updated dense fog advisory issued by the National Weather Service on Monday at 2:01 p.m. The advisory is valid for Tuesday, Nov. 25 between midnight and 11 a.m. The NWS Sacramento CA says to anticipate, "Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog." "Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous," the NWS said. "If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you." To ensure you are staying in the correct lane, use the road's lane markings as a guide. If there is no parking lot or driveway to pull into, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road as far as possible. Once you come to a stop, turn off all lights except your hazard flashing lights,…...