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.
Calif. Governor Brown Appointments for Nov. 21-29, 2016 including California Student Aid Commission
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ --This week, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Michael Martel, 62, of Rancho Murieta, has been appointed warden at the California Health Care Facility, Stockton, where he has been acting warden since August 2016 and served as chief deputy warden in 2016 and as a correctional lieutenant from 1990 to 1996.
Calif. Gov. Brown Names U.S. Congressman Xavier Becerra California’s Next Attorney General
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today named U.S. Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) to replace Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, who was elected to the U.S. Senate last month. The nomination, which is subject to confirmation by the California State Assembly and Senate, will be officially submitted after Attorney General Harris resigns.
ReverseVision President and CEO John Button named a 2016 Vanguard Award Winner
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of software and technology for the reverse mortgage industry, today announced that its President and CEO John Button has been selected as a 2016 Vanguard Award(TM) winner by HousingWire magazine. Button was recognized for his excellence as a business leader as well as his overall contributions to the reverse mortgage industry and U.S. housing economy.
EPIC Brokers’ Rob Massa and Craig Schmidt Named 2016 ‘Top Benefit Advising Innovators’
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Employee Benefit Adviser (EBA) named Director of Retirement Rob Massa and Senior Wellness Consultant Craig Schmidt as "Top Benefit Advising Innovators."
Latino Victory Project Condemns President Elect Trump’s ‘Voter Fraud’ False Allegations
OPINION: Yesterday, Donald Trump reacted to the election recount in Wisconsin and to the news that Hillary Clinton has over 2 million more popular votes than him, by lashing out on Twitter and arguing election fraud. President-elect Donald J. Trump claimed through social media that he “won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.”
EPIC Insurance Brokers’ Chuck Simpson to Speak at OSHA Oil & Gas Safety and Health Conference
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Senior Risk Control Consultant Chuck Simpson will speak at the OSHA Oil & Gas Safety and Health Conference on Wednesday, November 30 at 2 p.m. at the Hilton Americas in Houston, Texas.
Bank of Southern California, N.A. adds Luz Gonzalez as Branch Sales Manager in Rancho Mirage
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced today that Luz Gonzalez has joined the Company as Branch Sales Manager of its Rancho Mirage branch. Most recently, Ms. Gonzalez served the Coachella Valley community as a Deputy Sheriff for the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, following a successful eleven-year career at El Paseo Bank.
Covered California adds LIBERTY Dental Plan as option for 2017 Business and Family Plans
IRVINE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- LIBERTY Dental Plan is proud to announce its selection as a participating dental plan for the 2017 benefit year. LIBERTY will offer individual or family dental plans through Covered California this open enrollment period as well as coverage options for small businesses.
California Assembly Democrats Unanimously Retain Anthony Rendon as Speaker
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- At their organizational caucus today, Calif. Assembly Democrats chose Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) to continue as their party’s leader...
Proponents of California Plastic Bag Ban Declare Landmark Victory for Proposition 67
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Californians have voted to enact a state law to ban plastic shopping bags, the first state in the nation to do so. Proposition 67, the referendum on the state law (Senate Bill 270) passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September 2014, is leading by 52-48 percent.
Statement from the California Federation of Teachers: Calif. Voters Have Spoken, Time to Roll up Our Sleeves
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- With the passage of Proposition 55, California’s voters resoundingly (62-38) agreed that public education remains a top priority. The...
Amongst the Historic Terror, Major California Election Day Victories for The Los Angeles River
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) is celebrating a Major victory for the Los Angeles River with...
Calif. Assemblyman Gatto Holds Rally, Awareness for Victims of Homicide
WHITTIER, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto has announced a rally, "Awareness for Victims of Homicide," to remind policymakers, law enforcement (and...
Andy Warhol Original Painting ‘The Gold Thinker’ to Be Auctioned for Charity
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- "The Gold Thinker," an Andy Warhol original painting, a Gold Marilyn comparable masterpiece, to be auctioned online with eBay for Charity November 7 - 17, 2016, Michael P. Wilson, the painting's owner, announced today. eBay For Charity will host the auction.
California Safe Schools Celebrates its 18th Anniversary, Honors Humanitarians and Environmental Health Trailblazers
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Monday, October 17, in historic downtown Los Angeles, at the California Endowment, California Safe Schools, the internationally...
Representative Democracy for a Growing California: Should Counties Have Elected Executives and Larger Boards?
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- This past Thursday, Calif. Senator Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), and Senator Robert Hertzberg (D-Van...
California Homecare Workers Seek Fix to Current State Payroll Processing System
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Tuesday, November 1, 2016, In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) providers from throughout the state will testify at...
Melissa Krasnow joins VLP Law Group LLP as Partner in Privacy and Technology Transactions Practice Groups
PALO ALTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- VLP Law Group LLP is pleased to announce that Melissa Krasnow has joined the firm as a Partner in the Privacy & Data Security, Technology Transactions and Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Groups. As the first Minnesota attorney to join VLP, she will be based in Minneapolis and will continue her practice in these areas.
MostFit to Hold 5th Annual ‘Pushups for Puppies’ Fitness Fundraiser on November 13
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- MostFit Founder and Owner, Andrew Gavigan, along with Personal Trainer and MostFit Cofounder, Erin Fukuda will be holding their fun and heartfelt Pushup for Puppies Workout Event for the fifth consecutive year on Sunday, November 13, 2016. 100-percent of the proceeds go to S.T.A.R.T. Shelter Transport Animal Rescue Team.
Calif. Gov. Brown Appointments for Oct. 6-7, 2016 include California Cybersecurity Integration Center
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- During the first week of Oct. 2016, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Keith...
Calif. Senator Mark Leno to Lead Celebration on 50th Anniversary of Medi-Cal In San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. State Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) will lead the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Medi-Cal by...
Calif. Speaker Rendon Names Assemblymember Ken Cooley as Next Rules Committee Chair
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) today announced that Assemblymember Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova) will become the chair of...
nCino Bank OS selected by Bank of Southern California, N.A. to Improve Workflow Process
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced today that it has selected nCino's Bank Operating System to automate the Bank's lending and treasury management processes, enabling the bank to ultimately better serve its customers.
5 Bars Wins Cooperative Purchasing Contract to Provide Connected, Wireless Infrastructure to Calif. Government Entities
IRVINE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- 5 Bars announced today it has been awarded a national cooperative contract to provide an intelligent technology platform that is used for master planning of wireless infrastructure to cities, municipalities and government entities. The competitively solicited and publicly awarded agreement by the City of Sacramento, Calif. is made available through National IPA.
MOBY to Play at Friends of The Los Angeles River 30-Year Anniversary Fundraiser Oct. 8, FoLAR Fandango
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Artistic visionary and electronic music pioneer Moby will perform at Friends of the Los Angeles River’s thirty-year anniversary...
Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto receives James Hansen Courage Award for Work on CPUC Reform
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) was presented with the James Hansen Courage Award on Thursday from Environmental...
Voice Talent Industry Roadshow, LevelUp, Coming to San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The largest voice-over marketplace in the world, Voices.com, has announced the launch of an industry roadshow, set to take place across the United States this upcoming Spring 2017. The event is LevelUp - a fast, 1-day information sharing event that will bring voice actors, coaches, and clients together like never before for a fast-paced day of workshops and networking.
EPS Inc. rolls-out the No Lift Pallet Mover for Warehouse Operations
NEWARK, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Engineered Process Solutions, Inc. (EPS) is pleased to announce the launch of a unique risk mitigation tool - the No Lift Pallet Mover. Designed and patented by the CEO of EPS, Mr. Eugene Swinehart, the No Lift Pallet Mover allows any manufacturing or distribution center worker to safely move an empty pallet.
Gov. Brown, Calif. Legislative Leaders, Business, Environmental Groups Mark 2-Year Anniversary of Plastic Bag Ban Law
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and legislative leaders today joined more than 400 business, environmental, and local citizen groups in celebrating the two-year anniversary of the signing of Senate Bill 270, announced CA vs. Big Plastic. SB270, the state’s plastic bag ban, urging voters to support Proposition 67, the referendum on the law that will appear on the November ballot.
Calif. Assemblymember O’Donnell Bill to Boost School Attendance Signed by Governor – AB 2815
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Legislation by Calif. Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell (D-Long Beach) to ensure students attend and stay in school was signed by Governor Brown on Thursday. AB 2815 expands the role of district and county attendance supervisors so they can effectively address the root causes of chronic absenteeism.
Calif. Gov. Brown Signs Legislation to Bolster Transparency, Oversight, Reform at California PUC
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Moving to bolster governance, accountability, transparency and oversight at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Governor Edmund G. Brown...
Calif. Gov. Brown Signs Legislation to Help California Workers Save for Retirement – SB 1234
SACRAMENTO, Cailf. /California Newswire/ -- Taking action to boost financial security for all Californians, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed SB 1234 by Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), that will create new retirement savings accounts for the nearly seven million workers who do not have one.
Calif. Gov. Brown Signs Earthquake Early Warning Legislation – SB 438
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed legislation - SB 438 by Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) - to help advance the development of a statewide earthquake early warning system in California.
Calif. Gov. Brown Continues Busy Week: Vetoes Bills and Signs New Laws Sept. 29, 2016
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.announced that he has signed various assembly bills and senate bills, including AB 1639 by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein.
Calif. Gov. Signs Bill Banning California State-Funded Travel to States with New Anti-LGBT Laws – AB1887
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- California Governor Jerry Brown this week signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1887, authored by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley) and...
Friends of The Los Angeles River Celebrate 30 Year Anniversary with Fandango ‘Take Me To The River’
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Friends of the Los Angeles River (FOLAR) will celebrate 30 years of advocacy on the L.A. River with a gala at L.A. River Studios in Cypress Park on Oct. 8, 2016 from 7:30 -11:30 p.m. Music industry tastemaker and veteran radio personality Nic Harcourt from KCSN 88.5 FM will host the evening’s festivities.
Bank of Southern California, N.A. Announces $7M Capital Offering with Castle Creek Capital
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Bank of Southern California N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL) announced today that it has signed a stock purchase agreement for a private placement of $7 million of the Bank's common stock with Castle Creek Capital, based in Rancho Santa Fe, California. The transaction is anticipated to close in the fourth quarter, subject to regulatory approvals and other standard closing conditions.
Calif. Gov. Brown Issues Legislative Updates for Sept. 22-23, 2016: Bills Signed and Vetoed
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- This week, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced that he has signed a wide range of bills, including...
Calif. Governor Brown Signs Consumer Protection Legislation including AB 1580
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced that he has signed the following bills to strengthen consumer health...
Calif. Gov. Brown Signs Nation’s Toughest Super Pollutant Restrictions Into Law
LONG BEACH, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed SB 1383 by Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), which establishes the nation's toughest restrictions on destructive super pollutants including black carbon, fluorinated gases and methane. If followed worldwide, these acts would help cut the projected rate of global warming in half by 2050.
Wine Tourism on the Go: Kazzit Announces Redesigned Web Portal and New Mobile App
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Kazzit, the wine industry's most all-inclusive online community, today announced the launch of a new, redesigned version of its website, www.kazzit.com. Still 100 percent free to consumers, key features of the site include a sleeker, more attractive design, a more engaging user experience with enhanced search and navigation, and a new mobile app.
A Night at the LA River Sept. 10 at the Frog Spot, FoLAR’s riverside visitor center
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Friends of the Los Angeles River and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation are hosting A Night at the LA River at the Frog Spot, FoLAR’s riverside visitor center on Saturday September 10th 5 – 8 PM. The evening will feature the release of the Luskin Center’s LA River Greenway Guide, a panel discussion - The LA River Greenway Through Public-Private Partnership.
Pick-up Artists: From Arcadia to Zuma, volunteers sought for huge Sept. 17, 2016 Coastal Cleanup Day
SANTA MONICA, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Local environmental group Heal the Bay has issued a call for Southland residents to join the world’s biggest single-day volunteer event – the 32nd annual Coastal Cleanup Day, to be held Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016.
Calif. Gov. Brown Announces Appointments for Sept. 8, 2016 including California State Rehabilitation Council
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Thursday, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Victoria Benson, 62, of Fresno, has been reappointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council, where she has served since 2014. Benson has been adult transition project coordinator at the Exceptional Parents Unlimited Region 3 Parent Training and Information Center since 2005.
New stand-up comedy CD ‘Brown Sheep’ by Tamer Kattan released by Uproar Entertainment
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Uproar Entertainment is excited to announce the release of "Brown Sheep" by Tamer Kattan. Recorded in front of a live audience at The Comedy Underground in Seattle Washington this CD showcases the exceptional talent of Tamer Kattan who uses his cultural diversity to inform his unique comic views on life, society and the world today.
Calif. Governor Brown Signs Ambitious and Historic Climate Change Legislation
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Ten years after California adopted the toughest greenhouse gas emission reduction goals in the nation, Calif. Governor Edmund...
Calif. Governor Brown Announces Appointments for Sept. 6, 2016
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- This week, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Joyce E. Dudley, 63, of Carpinteria,...
Mortgage Capital Trading and Fannie Mae Form Strategic Collaboration for Tech Deployment
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mortgage Capital Trading, Inc. (MCT), an industry leading hedge advisor and developer of MCTlive!(TM), the award-winning secondary marketing software suite, has entered into a strategic collaboration with Fannie Mae(R) to facilitate new technology deployment, collaborative planning, and better service to mutual clients.
ReverseVision Welcomes Retirement Income Expert Jamie Hopkins to Board of Directors
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- ReverseVision, the leading provider of software and technology for the reverse mortgage industry, today announced that Jamie Hopkins, Esq., MBA, LLM, CLU(R), RICP(R), has joined its board of directors. A noted expert and frequent speaker on matters of financial planning and retirement income, Hopkins is also a distinguished professor who has educated thousands of financial services professionals over the course of his career.
Calif. Public Health Dept.’s prepare for increase in TB testing, treatment with new screening guidelines from USPSTF
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The California Tuberculosis (TB) Controllers Association welcomes the United States Prevention Services Task Force (USPSTF) rating published yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, recommending the testing of adults at risk for TB exposure. This recommendation is focused on people born in countries with high rates of TB and those who have lived in congregate settings, such as homeless shelters.
