| Retailers stock up on what consumers want this holiday
Interactive games, penguins, dolls, candles and figurines are all hot gift items for the holidays this year, according to the predictions of store managers and owners.Electronic toys and games that encourage physical involvement, such as the Fisher Price Smart Cycle and Nintendo Wii, also will be popular gifts this year, area merchants said.The Smart Cycle is a colorful, stationary bike that plugs into the television set. Children pedal as they play games featuring well-known characters, such as Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants.The Smart Cycle is expected to be one of the most popular Christmas items at the Rock Falls Wal-Mart, said Linda Carlson, store manager.The Nintendo Wii is a video game system in which participants play games by doing something physical, such as swinging a golf club or throwing a touchdown pass, rather than just sitting and pressing buttons."The control is innovative; you actually move the control.
GIRLS BASKETBALL PREVIEW: O-K Gold
Things are looking good for this year's Bulldogs. Coming off of a 16-7 season, Byron Center returns four starters, including a couple of four-year and three-year starters. "We have a lot of experience on the varsity this year, and we're returning a lot of talent," said Bulldogs coach Glenn Davis. Headlining the returning players is fourth-year starter Logan Marsh. Marsh, a point guard, sets the tone for the offense with her quickness and ability see the floor in the transition game. Four other seniors also figure to play a big role in things this year for the Bulldogs. Lindsey Karsten and Ashley Wightman, a pair of starting senior forwards, can play down low and run the floor on the break. Lindsi Russo, another senior who comes off the bench, is a lock-down defender.
Lights, music, parades set in south E.V.
�Tis the season to celebrate, and cities and towns in the south East Valley will be doing just that. Here is a list of holiday festivities in Gilbert, Queen Creek and Florence: � Gilbert is celebrating the holidays with Winter Wonderland at the Freestone Park Amphitheater, 1015 E. Juniper Ave. The free event, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 13, will feature a holiday tree lighting, an appearance by Santa and performances by the Dickens� Carolers. For information, call Gilbert Community Services at (480) 503-6200. � Queen Creek is kicking off the holiday season by lighting up Town Hall and the 40-foot holiday tree out front with more than 20,000 lights. The event will feature local group performances, a snow play area and visits with Santa. Several new activities will be added this year, including a fine art market.
PRESS RELEASE: Nintendo Kicks Off The Holidays With Two New Nintendo DS Bundles
REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 20, 2007 – Starting Nov. 23, Nintendo gives the holiday season a fresh blast of color with the launch of two special-edition Nintendo DS™ bundles. Each pairs a custom-color Nintendo DS system with one of the platform's hottest titles. The new Gold edition comes with The Legend of Zelda®: Phantom Hourglass, while the Metallic Rose Nintendo DS comes with the "Best Friends" version of Nintendogs™. "Nintendo DS remains the portable system of choice for gamers," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Our new bundles will be collector's items for current gamers while offering an attractive way for people new to video games to play with style." With its dual screens, touch-screen, amazing franchises and innovative games, Nintendo DS has been a cornerstone of Nintendo's efforts to expand the world of video games to new audiences and to get as many people playing as possible.
South Africa's derby hits world stage
The rivalry between South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates might be less than four decades old and born of a rather unusual set of circumstances, but the passion and intensity involved nonetheless make it one of the biggest games in world football. On Saturday, however, the Soweto derby will be taken from its traditional arena in the outlying areas of Johannesburg to the coastal city of Durban on the eve of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Preliminary Draw. In an historic event, Durban's King's Park stadium will play host to the two arch-rivals in desperate need of a fillip after a languid start to the new South African Premier League season. Both, in fact, go into the game languishing in the bottom half of the 16-club standings, desperate to use a positive result in the derby to revitalise their respective campaigns.
Providence proves right at the line
Forward Frank Murray scored a game-high 14 points, and reserve center Tom Barry sank four free throws in the final minute as host Providence Catholic rallied for a 56-52 victory Tuesday night over Lincoln-Way Central. With 19.5 seconds remaining in the game, Barry broke a 51-all deadlock with a pair of free throws. After each team split a pair of charity tosses, Knights guard Alex Adams missed on a drive to the basket before Barry added two more free throws. BOYS BASKETBALL Reserve forward A.J. Woynerowski contributed 11 points off the bench for Providence (3-1). "We'll need to know who can step up in late-game situations, and it's good to learn that now," said Celtics head coach Greg Smith, whose team was without foul-plagued point guard Will Burchett for much of the way.
Dear Santa: Here's what Humboldt kids want for Christmas
Every year, it seems, there's that one toy -- the one all the Saturday-morning commercials are pushing, all the kids are clamoring for and all the parents are elbowing each other to score. But, according to Sydney Knight, an employee at The Toy Box in Henderson Center, there's no runaway favorite this holiday season, no frenzy-inducing, mob-attracting hot item. Or, as she put it, "There's no Tickle Me Elmo." Instead, say local toy store workers, kids are falling back on time-honored favorites -- the kind of classic toys that their parents, or even grandparents, may well have enjoyed. "Pirates are big," said Dawn Craghead, manager of Moon's Play & Learn. "They've always been big, but since the movies, they're even bigger. And science kits. Those are always popular." Toy Box owner Michelle Knight pointed to animal figurines called Safari Adventure Outpost, colorful trucks and tractors made by Wow and a line of fantasy-themed toys, including unicorns, dragons and princesses, from the German company Schleich as their most sought-after items.
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