Christopher Simmons
Christopher Simmons (aka Christopher Laird Simmons) has been a working journalist since his first magazine sale in 1984. He has since written for wide variety of print and online publications covering lifestyle, tech and entertainment. He is an award-winning author, designer, photographer, and musician. He is a member of ASCAP and PRSA. He is the founder and CEO of Neotrope®, based in Temecula, CA, USA.
Artist Bernard Hoyes Sculpts ‘Roots of Pegasus’ on display at Melissa Morgan Fine Art Gallery
PALM DESERT, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Visual artist Bernard Hoyes has accomplished yet another career defining feat. The master craftsman was recently commissioned by a private collector to recreate the divinely celebrated winged stallion Pegasus, one of the best-known creatures in Greek mythology. The five-foot "Roots of Pegasus" bronze sculpture is currently on display until the end of June.
Wholesale Trading Insurance Services welcomes William Reyes in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Wholesale Trading Insurance Services, LLC (WTIS) announced today that industry veteran William Reyes has joined the firm as Director/Casualty Broker in Laguna Niguel, Calif.; he will work in conjunction with the firm's principal office in San Francisco.
MAGLITE Flashlights Win 2017 National Hardware American Manufacturing Award for Best New Product
ONTARIO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mag Instrument Inc., the world leader in flashlight technology, has been awarded the National Hardware American Manufacturing Award for Best New Product. The honor was given to the MAGLITE(R) brand for its new compact to mid-sized Traffic Wands that fit most popular MAGLITE model flashlights (including the new MAGLITE ML25 & ML50 series of mid-sized flashlights).
Cabaret Time: ‘Final, Final Farewell Tour of Dick & Delores DelRubio’ Launches 17-State Tour
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Palmer Productions and The Most Innocently Inappropriate Couple That Never Was Presents the new world-renowned musical, "The Final, Final Farewell Tour of Dick & Delores DelRubio," starring Alan Palmer and Andrew Orbison.
California Candidate Accountability Measure Passes Committee – AB 894
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- New Legislation by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D – Discovery Bay) that will raise penalties for candidates for office who make willful misrepresentations on their candidate statements passed the Assembly Elections committee on an unanimous 7-to-0 vote.
Greenbar Distillery Re-brands Popular Distilled Drinks, Solidifies Placement in Craft Distillery Space
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Greenbar Distillery, one of California's original craft distilleries and home of the world's largest portfolio of handcrafted, organic spirits, today announced that it has unified its seven core spirits lines under a new heart brand that evokes the company's origins as a love story between the two founders, Litty Mathew and Melkon Khosrovian. In sharp contrast to how most distilleries design their packages to stand out within categories, such as vodka or whiskey, Greenbar Distillery's new look echoes the maker-focused branding of craft brewers.
MAGLITE Announces ML150LR LED Flashlight Rechargeable System with Farthest-Reaching Light Its Ever Introduced
ONTARIO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mag Instrument, Inc., the world leader in flashlight technology, will introduce its most powerful flashlight yet -- the rechargeable ML150 LR(TM). Despite its mid-size (C-cell format) dimensions, the ML150LR(TM) generates a stunning 1,000 lumens and achieves a beam distance of over a quarter-mile. And thanks to multiple power settings and critical efficiency innovations, it can run for up to 75 hours on a single charge of its state-of-the-art Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery.
Our Family Coalition Celebrates 21 Years Advocating for LGBTQ Families at 2017 ‘Night Out’ Gala
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Friday, May 12, 2017, Our Family Coalition (OFC), California's premier LGBTQ family organization, brings together 400 attendees for a Night Out to celebrate the organization's 21 years of advocacy, education, and community-building. The gala event includes elected officials, corporate sponsors, community partners and major donors, many of whom are LGBT people with children.
Sokal Media Group Named a Kia Motors America Digital Provider to Support Dealers Nationwide
RALEIGH, N.C. /California Newswire/ -- Sokal Media Group is proud to announce that they have been named a Preferred Digital Provider for Kia Motors America, Inc., headquartered in Irvine, Calif. Sokal Media Group's Kia Digital Suite consists of products and services including digital marketing services and training.
Calif. Congressman Cárdenas Helps Introduce Equality Act of 2017, prohibits discrimination against LGBT Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C., and SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, U.S. Representative Tony Cárdenas, a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus, joined U.S. Representative David N. Cicilline (D-RI) to introduce the Equality Act of 2017 along with more than 190 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives.
To Accelerate Stomach Cancer Research, Gastric Cancer Foundation Awards Second Funded Scholar
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Jose Saenz, MD, PhD, of Washington University School of Medicine was named the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Research Foundation-Gastric Cancer Foundation latest Research Scholar in Gastric Cancer. The AGA Research Award Program identifies and supports talented investigators who are pursuing careers in digestive disease research.
Calif. Gov. Brown Signs Landmark California Transportation Repair Funding Package
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Moving to fill potholes, smooth thousands of miles of pavement, repair bridges and strengthen public transportation, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed a package of legislation to improve transportation and create jobs in communities across California.
City of Paramount Endorses Greater Powers for South Coast Air Quality Management District
PARAMOUNT, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Tuesday, April 18, the Paramount City Council, by a unanimous vote, became the first city in California to support Assembly Bill 1132 authored by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). The proposed legislation enhances the ability of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to quickly shut down businesses that are emitting dangerous levels of air pollution in violation of federal or state air quality requirements.
Calif. Congressman Cárdenas and U.S. Rep Farenthold Reintroduce Legislation to Protect American Manufacturers
WASHINGTON, D.C. and SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Thursday, U.S. Representative Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) and U.S. Representative Blake Farenthold (R-TX) reintroduced the bipartisan Trade Protection Not Troll Protection Act to defend American manufacturing. This legislation would modernize the manner in which the International Trade Commission (ITC) reviews claims, ensuring that American businesses receive fair treatment.
California Assemblymembers to Make City of Trees Even Greener, Helping Establish a Community Orchard
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Springtime in Sacramento often means lunch outside. On Tuesday May 2nd, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount), Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes (R-Yucca Valley), Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), and a bipartisan group of Assembly members and staff will spend their lunchtime helping establish a community orchard in the Del Paso Heights neighborhood in Sacramento.
Pat Brown Institute Honors California Speaker Anthony Rendon and Dr. Altman of Kaiser Family Foundation
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs (PBI) at Cal State LA will honor Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon as its 2017 Public Servant of the Year, and will recognize Dr. Drew Altman, president and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation with its 2017 Public Service award.
Calif. Senator Mendoza Introduces Senate Constitutional Amendment 12 to Redefine County Governance in California
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- A measure to make Calif. county governments more representative, accessible, and accountable to the populations that they serve was introduced today by Senator Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia).
Calif. Congressman Cárdenas Slams Trump Order on Offshore Drilling
WASHINGTON, D.C. and SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, U.S. Representative Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) released the following statement in response to President Trump’s executive order aimed at renewing offshore drilling.
Working with 5 BARS, City of Sacramento Deploys its First Small Cell Site
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Working with 5 BARS(R), a leading innovator in Small Cell, distributed antenna systems (DAS) and Wi-Fi wireless services for intelligent infrastructure, the City of Sacramento has approved its first small cell test sites with two major wireless carriers.
Jim Paul Joins Bank of Southern California, NA as VP at Del Mar Office
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced that Jim Paul has joined the Bank as Vice President, Business Banking at the Del Mar Corporate office. He will primarily focus on building new client relationships for the bank.
Cara Krause Joins Mortgage Capital Trading’s Growing Sales Team
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), a leading mortgage hedge advisory and secondary marketing technology firm, announced that Cara Krause has joined the company as regional sales director. Ms. Krause will handle business development efforts and client management for new lender clients in the Northeast region of the country.
IoT DevCon 2017: RoweBots Announces Unison v5.3 for STM32F7 System Workbench IDE
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today at IoT DevCon, RoweBots, an embedded signal processing systems company, announces Unison v5.3 for STM32F7 System Workbench IDE. This software compatibility is aimed at supporting and streamlining the work of programmers or developers working within Unison v5.3 to support Machine to Machine Communications (M2M) or IoT-enabled devices. Comprised of a series of high performance MCUs with ARM Cortex-M7 core, Unison v5.3 for STM32F7 System Workbench IDE includes libraries, precompiled programs and demonstrations for each component.
Calif. Gov. Brown Announces Appointments for April 20, 2017 including State Board of Food and Agriculture
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- This week, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Michelle Banonis, 40, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant chief deputy director at the California Department of Water Resources. Banonis has been area manager for the Bay Delta Office at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation since 2016, where she has served in several positions since 2009.
California Caregivers Push for More Accountability in Public Monies Used for State Respite Care Program
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Caregivers of those with disabilities are calling on the California State Legislature to support Assembly Bill 1380 to improve respite care accountability. Right now many vendors who contract with regional centers to provide the publicly funded service spend an absurd amount of money on administration costs for respite care instead of on the program itself. Testimony on this issue will be given during the first committee hearing on AB 1380 on Tuesday April 25, 2017, says SEIU Local 2015.
The Mortgage Collaborative Partners with Blend for Digital, Automated Platform
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Mortgage Collaborative, the nation's only independent mortgage cooperative, today announced a partnership with Blend, a Silicon Valley technology company bringing mortgages into the modern age, to deliver a digital mortgage experience that is fast, simple and secure to its network of small, mid-sized, and community-based lenders.
ReverseVision Expands RV University (RVU) with 3-Day Live Training Course in San Diego
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of software and technology for the reverse mortgage industry, today announced the expansion of its RV University (RVU) education and training program with the addition of a three-day Accelerated Loan Originator Training course available live each month at ReverseVision's San Diego training facility.
2017 Earth Day Heroes Honored by California Safe Schools
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- In honor of Earth Day 2017, California Safe Schools celebrates all of the heroes who strive every day to protect our environment. This year, CSS is honoring the following 2017 Earth Day Heroes with awards and commendations for their exceptional efforts to protect human health and Mother Earth.
California Speaker Rendon Announces Assembly Committee Changes for April 17, 2017
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) today announced following changes to the membership of Assembly standing committees.
Calif. Legislation on Drug Pricing Transparency Wins Key Support from Consumer, Medical, Pharmacists Groups – AB315
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Legislation authored by Calif. Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg) calling for the first-time regulation of the middlemen of drug pricing -- Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) -- today received a boost with the endorsement of Consumers Union, the California Medical Association, the California Pharmacists Association, and the San-Francisco-based HIV/AIDS advocacy group Project Inform.
World Hemophilia Day 2017: San Francisco City Hall will be Lit Up Red in Recognition
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California (HFNC) will participate in World Federation of Hemophilia's (WFH) "Lighting It Up Red!" campaign in recognition of World Hemophilia Day, on April 17, at 7:30 p.m. on the steps of San Francisco City Hall.
City of Long Beach and Carnival Cruise Line Start Renovations at Long Beach Cruise Terminal
LONG BEACH, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Carnival Cruise Line marked the beginning of a multi-million-dollar renovation of its Long Beach Cruise Terminal facility to accommodate larger ships and enhance terminal operations on Wednesday. A “FUNstruction” groundbreaking ceremony today included remarks by City of Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, President and CEO of Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau Steve Goodling and Carnival Cruise Line Vice President Strategic and Commercial Port Development Carlos Torres de Navarra among others.
Calif. Assemblymember O’Donnell Welcomes Nominations for 3rd Annual Teacher Recognition Ceremony
LONG BEACH, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell (D-Long Beach) is requesting the public’s assistance in identifying outstanding local teachers to honor at his 3rd Annual Teacher Recognition Ceremony. To be eligible, nominations for educators who live or work within Long Beach, San Pedro, Signal Hill or Catalina Island must be received by April 20, 2017.
Northern Humboldt Union High School District California Selects Edupoint Synergy
MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Edupoint(R) Educational Systems has been selected by Northern Humboldt Union High School District (NHUHSD) to implement the company's Synergy(R) Student Information System, replacing Schoolmaster. The district's cloud-hosted Synergy solution will include the fully-integrated Synergy Online Registration, California State Reporting, TeacherVUE(R) Portal With Gradebook, and ParentVUE(R) and StudentVUE(R) portals.
Traffk LLC announces addition of Mr. David Brown to expanding team in health solutions market
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Traffk(TM) LLC is pleased to announce the addition of Mr. David Brown to the expanding Traffk team. Brown will fill the role of Market President, serving Traffk's payer and health solutions market. Traffk modernizes the insurance underwriting process with more accurate data insights and risk profiling, allowing risk-bearing companies or health plans to manage profitability.
Residents Medical’s 2017 Medical Candidates ‘Match’ into Healthcare Residency Positions
LOS ANGELES, Calif., /California Newswire/ -- Since November 2016, during what is called the "Pre-Match" cycle, Residents Medical's candidates have been offered coveted and competitive ACGME accredited medical residency training slots. In the graduate medical field, this is the time when they find out where they will be starting their medical residency training.
California Nonprofit Orgs Rethinking Their Future Under the Trump Administration
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- In a survey of over 800 nonprofits conducted in March by the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits), “Government in Transition; Nonprofits in Transition,” the majority of respondents report significant changes in their organizations since the November 2016 election.
Utelogy Corporation Selects Western Rep Associates As Manufacturers Rep on West Coast
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Utelogy, which makes software for control, management and analytics of audiovisual systems for business and education, has signed a representative agreement with Western Rep Associates. Utelogy provides Software-Defined audiovisual (SDAV) technology for control management, analytics and services for smart classrooms, conference rooms and video-conference rooms.
Calif. Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Rejects Gov. Brown’s Cuts to Child Care and Early Education Programs
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D - Sacramento), Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance led a bipartisan effort today to reject Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to reduce support for state child care and preschool programs and voted to restore $527 million in critical child care and preschool funding.
Calif. Congressman Cárdenas Joins Lawmakers on Introduction of ABLE 2.0: Bipartisan Legislation to Enhance ABLE Accounts
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — U.S. Representative Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) along with Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Jim Langevin (D-RI) today introduced a package of bills to enhance the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014. The package includes the ABLE to Work Act, the ABLE Financial Planning Act, and the ABLE Age Adjustment Act.
Atlantic Coast Mortgage Selects ReverseVision RVX Loan Origination Software for HECM Division
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of software and technology for the reverse mortgage industry, today announced that Atlantic Coast Mortgage (ACM) has selected RV Exchange (RVX) loan origination software (LOS) to support its new home-equity conversion mortgage (HECM) division.
Ferret Owners Hopeful as California Fish and Game Commission Finally Consider Issuing Pet Permits
LA MESA, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Legalize Ferrets, a California organization that continues to advocate for ferret legalization in the state, has a watchful eye on The California Fish and Game Commission this month. Why? The commission is set to consider issuing permits for ferrets during its April 26, 2017 meeting in Van Nuys, Calif.
Melyn Acasio Joins Bank of Southern California, N.A. at its Del Mar Corporate Office
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced that Melyn Acasio has joined the Bank as Vice President, Client Relationship Manager at the Del Mar Corporate office. She will primarily focus on building new client relationships for the bank.
Culver City, California Becomes Latest U.S. Sanctuary City
CULVER CITY, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- At its March 27, 2017 meeting, the City Council of the City of Culver City adopted a Resolution to declare itself a sanctuary city. According to the Resolution, "The City of Culver City is a sanctuary city for all of its residents, and the City stands in solidarity with other sanctuary jurisdictions."
California State Legislature Approves Audit of Concealed Carry Weapon License Programs
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The California Joint Legislative Audit Committee has approved an audit request by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D - Sacramento) to evaluate the negative fiscal impacts and public safety questions raised by Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) license programs in the state.
Calif. Congressman Cárdenas Introduces Legislation to Honor César Chávez
WASHINGTON, D.C. and SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today U.S. Representative Tony Cárdenas, introduced a congressional resolution honoring the life and work of César Chávez. Chávez was a prominent labor rights activist who organized migrant and farm laborers in the western United States.
Calif. Gov. Brown, Senate President Pro Tempore and Assembly Speaker Announce Landmark Road Repair Package
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon today joined labor, business and local leaders to announce a landmark transportation investment to fix our roads, freeways and bridges in communities across California and put more dollars toward transit and safety. The $5 billion-a-year program will cost most drivers less than $10 a month.
National Public Pension Coalition: Why Pensions Matter Report Reveals Need for Pensions in California
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- This week, the National Public Pension Coalition released a new report titled "Why Pensions Matter," a comprehensive examination of the origins and importance of public pensions. The report examines how public pensions have developed over time, as well as the ways in which pensions help to combat a growing retirement crisis in California and throughout the U.S.
Speaker Rendon Appoints Michael Flad to California Strategic Growth Council
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) has announced his appointment of Michael Flad of Burbank to the California Strategic Growth Council. The 10-member Strategic Growth Council brings together cabinet agencies and state departments and the Governor's Office of Planning and Research to coordinate support for sustainable communities, strong economies, social equity, and environmental stewardship.
Calif. Gov. Brown and NY Gov. Cuomo Reaffirm Commitment to Exceeding Targets of The Clean Power Plan
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- With the announcement that the United States will begin to dismantle the Clean Power Plan, California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today issued the following statement reaffirming their ongoing commitment to exceed the targets of the Clean Power Plan and curb carbon pollution.
Calif. Congressman Cardenas: Dismantling EPA is an Attack on Our Economy
WASHINGTON, D.C. and SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today U.S. Representative Tony Cárdenas, a member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, Environment Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding the President’s executive order rolling back the Clean Power Plan.
