They are one of the oldest foods still eaten today. The first to make them were the Aztecs, Mayans, Incas, Olmecs and Toltecs beginning in Mesoamerica about 8,000 B.C. I’m talking, of course, about tamales, the iconic Christmas dish of Latin American cultures. When it comes to tamales, Margarita Ramos takes first place. I sat…
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Orange County’s culinary landscape saw a year of contrasts in 2024. While newcomers like Smoke Queen Barbecue, 61 Hundred Bread and the ambitious Darkroom made their brick-and-mortar mark, a surprising number of longtime favorites dimmed their lights, leaving a bittersweet taste. Myriad factors go into a restaurant deciding to close for good: a failure to…
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By JAMES POLLARD, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — MrBeast’s ambitious reality show, which the YouTube megastar hopes will expand his giant online reach and turn the corner on recent controversies, is already raising questions from consumer advocates over a partnership with a fintech company. Prime Video’s Thursday premiere of the record-setting “Beast Games” capped…
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By THALIA BEATY, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Billionaire author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott acknowledged another $2 billion in donations in a blog post on Wednesday, bringing the total she’s given away since 2019 to $19.2 billion. She also revealed new information about how she was managing her wealth, saying she had directed advisors…
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Which inflatable snow tube is best? What’s more fun than zipping downhill on an inflatable snow tube? For some, it’s the peak of winter fun — and we tend to agree. Inflatable snow tubes are designed to withstand bumpy rides on uneven snowy terrain. If you’re worried about flying off of your tube, many models…
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Earlier this year, Kyle Owens, an African-American and a Calabasas resident, started feeling fatigue after every basketball game he played as a forward with his University of California, Riverside teammates. Now, the beloved teammate, son and older brother, who graduated from Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, needs a blood stem cell transplant to cure…
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Q. I have a question if you can help. We are looking to move outside Nashville next year. Where can I go to get GOOD information about gardens in Mid-Tennessee? We have always had rose bushes and many succulents. Do you have helpful tips and /or where would a good place be to dig into…
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Orange County voters didn’t hand Donald Trump a victory in 2024, but they came closer than ever before. Mirroring a rightward shift seen across the country in the most recent election, Trump lost the county to Vice President Kamala Harris by just 3 percentage points — a remarkable improvement from his showings in the county…
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Those interested in running in the special election for the state Senate seat that spans Orange County’s coastline can now file to do so. Candidate filing for the 36th state Senate district is open through Thursday, Jan. 2, at 5 p.m. Related: Special election dates set for vacant state Senate seat in Orange and Los…
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Electeds in the smaller cities of Los Angeles County tout local control as politics at its best. If you’re one of five City Council members in a city of some 72,000 residents, say, right in the middle of the teeming 10 million-people county, you can claim to provide real constituent service right there on the…
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