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.
Renee Crow Joins EPIC Insurance Brokers as VP Hospitality Practice Leader in the Western U.S.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants (EPIC), a unique and innovative national retail insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, announced today that Renee Crow has joined the firm as Vice President and West Region Hospitality Practice Leader.
Rick Genest Joins Premier Insurance Services, a Hispanic Market Insurance Services Provider, as President
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Protector Holdings, LLC, a joint venture of EPIC (Edgewood Partners Insurance Center) and Dowling Capital Partners, announced today that Rick Genest has joined Premier Insurance Services as the company's President. Premier Insurance Services, acquired by Protector Holdings in 2013, targets the growing Hispanic Community in California and the West.
Calif. Governor Brown Delivers 2016 State of The State Address
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Warning of the next inevitable recession and the "zigzag of spend-cut-spend" budgeting, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today...
Calif. Gov. Brown Announces Appointments for Jan. 19-20, 2016 including to Agricultural Associations
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- This week, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments: First, Charlene Taylor, 63, of Elk...
California Basketball Asssociation Selects Center Renardo Sidney as Men's First-Ever Player
COMPTON, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Former Mississippi State star Renardo Sidney was the first player taken in the inaugural California Basketball Association's draft Sunday January 10, 2016. In all, 48 players were selected by six different CBA men's teams over eight rounds to play in the new professional basketball league. Free Agent tryouts are Saturday January 23, 2016 at 5 p.m. at the USESS Center in Compton, Calif.
Integrated Comfort Expands Calif. Operations, Develops Enhanced Monitoring Internet Dashboard
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Integrated Comfort, Inc. (ICI) has expanded. In June 2015, ICI moved from Vacaville, Calif. to a larger office and production facility in West Sacramento, Calif. ICI also opened a facility in Phoenix, Arizona to provide manufacturing and logistical support in one of our higher concentration areas for DualCool installations.
Clarence Bates Joins EPIC Insurance as Principal, Employee Benefits in Irvine, Calif.
IRVINE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a unique and innovative national retail insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, announced today that Clarence Bates has joined the firm as a Principal in the Employee Benefits Practice.
Reduce Gun Violence! California Senator Isadore Hall Announces Legislative Package
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Senator Isadore Hall, III (D – South Bay) announced a legislative package for 2016 designed to reduce...
U.S. Senate Candidate Tom Del Beccaro's Flat Tax endorsed by Reagan Economist Dr. Arthur Laffer
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Tom Del Beccaro, former Chairman of the California Republican Party and U.S. Senate candidate, today announced Dr. Arthur Laffer's endorsement of Del Beccaro's nationwide and California flat tax.
EPIC Insurance adds Cameron Rappleye in Sacramento
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- EPIC (Edgewood Partners Insurance Center), a national retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, today announced that Sacramento native Cameron Rappleye has joined the firm as a property and casualty insurance broker/producer.
Calif. Congressman Cardenas Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Review Immigration Executive Actions
WASHINGTON, D.C. /California Newswire/ -- U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-San Fernando Valley, Calif.) released the following statement on the Supreme Court's decision to hear...
Calif. Parking Bill of Rights proposed by Assemblyman Mike Gatto
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) announced a package of reforms that will make parking policy more fair...
New hit single Aktive announced by KING OF THA HILLS – artist aktively collabs with Zaytoven and Young Dro
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- KING OF THA HILLS (K.O.T.H.) makes music business history with the release of their new hit single called 'Aktive' which is now available on music outlets and is produced by multi-platinum producer Zaytoven (Xavior Dotson).
Specialty food for a special cause: Food Philippines brings social enterprises to 2016 Winter Fancy Food Show
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Sixteen Philippine companies are participating in this year's Winter Fancy Food Show (WFFS) slated at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, January 17-19, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center Silicon Valley announced today. Each with an advocacy at the heart of its business, these companies bring with them narratives of the people, places, and practices incidental and instrumental to their production.
Calif. Assemblyman Gatto Practices What He Preaches, Signs Easy Estate-Planning Deeds at his Office
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) was joined today by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and members of the...
The DRONE Act of 2016: Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto Announces Consumer Aviation Measure
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ Today, Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto announced a comprehensive solution to the challenges that drones pose, The Drone Registration/Omnibus Negligence-prevention Enactment...
Calif. Assemblymember O’Donnell Introduces Legislation Tackling Port Pollution – AB 1657
LONG BEACH, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell (D – Long Beach) introduced AB 1657, which dedicates state Cap-and-Trade revenues to...
Calif. Senator Tony Mendoza Requests LAUSD 'Teacher Jail' Audit
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The use of “Teacher Jail” by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was the focus of an...
Aliso Canyon Gas Leak: Calif. Assemblyman Gatto to Hold Hearing in Porter Ranch Jan. 21
PORTER RANCH, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Members of the local media are invited to attend hearing by Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Glendale) Utilities and...
Too Broke For Therapy: Uproar Entertainment Releases First Stand-Up Comedy CD by Nick Cobb
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Uproar Entertainment is excited to announce the release of Nick Cobb's first comedy CD, 'Too Broke For Therapy' to be released January 15, 2016. Uproar Entertainment is committed to recording and promoting today's most talented comedians.
PhotoLA 2016: Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury to Dedicate Exhibit to World Peace
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- A&I, the fine art photographic printing and services company, will present the work of award-winning photojournalist Tish Lampert at its booth #816 at PhotoLA. The exhibit is part of Lampert's 15-year series on the landmark protests of our times. Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the UN, will dedicate the exhibition in a special event highlighting his world peace initiative.
EPIC Insurance Brokers acquires Ascende, Inc., a Leading Human Capital and Employee Benefits Firm
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Ascende, Inc., a premier human capital and employee benefits consulting firm, and EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a unique and innovative national retail insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, announced today that they have joined forces.
Bank of Southern California NA Announces Change of its Ticker Symbol to BCAL
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL), announced today that FINRA has approved a change in the Company's stock symbol. As of Monday, December 21, 2015 the new trading symbol for Bank of Southern California is BCAL. The former symbol, FBBN is no longer valid.
Calif. Gov. Brown Announces Appointments for Jan. 6, 2016 including to the Dental Hygiene Committee
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Meredith McKenzie, 44, of Los Gatos, has...
Calif. Gov. Brown Announces Appointments for Jan. 5, 2016 including Health Professions Education Foundation Board
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Tuesday, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced a wide variety of new appointments for the first...
Calif. Gov. Brown Issues Emergency Order On Aliso Canyon Gas Leak
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Given the prolonged and continuing duration of the Aliso Canyon gas leak and at the request of residents and...
Carolwood Equities Experiences Superb Growth for Young Entrepreneurs in Real Estate Investing
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Carolwood Equities, a privately-held, fully-integrated real estate investment company, just closed a deal for an impressive return and the firm's founders, Andrew Shanfeld and Adam Rubin, partners, say it's just the beginning.
Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto Introduces Legislation to Protect Children from Identity Theft – AB 1580
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Glendale) introduced legislation that would allow parents to protect their child and family from identity theft. AB 1580 allows a parent to freeze their child's credit with the three credit bureaus, preventing identity thieves from opening fraudulent credit accounts and ruining their credit at an early age.
San Diego's The Mortgage Collaborative Adds 16 New Lender Members Nationwide
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), an independent mortgage lending cooperative, today announced the addition of sixteen new lenders to their national network of originating members, announced the Collaborative's EVP of National Sales and Strategic Alliances, Rich Swerbinsky.
'Iterations in Stone' Exhibit Opens at The Desert Light Gallery with Art Photographer Ken Cook
KELSO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Desert Light Gallery, located in Mojave National Preserve's Kelso Visitors Center, Kelso California, announces the opening of a new fine art photography exhibit, 'Iterations in Stone,' (Jan. 4 - March 30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday). The exhibit is an Artists in Residence exhibition from art photographer Ken Cook.
Breakout Film by Urbanstylz and Director Antonio James Sets Precedent for Low Budget Returns
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Urbanstylz Entertainment, the independent production company, announced today that its first feature film, 'Trey the Movie,' which was produced for just $68, has grossed more than $150,000 in multiple channels of digital distribution while garnering attention at numerous film festivals. The film tells the story of a man whose life is so overwhelming that he snaps killing everyone in his path. It was Mr. James' directorial debut.
SecuGen to Showcase the UN20 Serial OEM Sensor for Security Installations at CES 2016 in Las Vegas
SANTA CLARA, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- SecuGen Corp., a world leading optical fingerprint device and technology vendor, is pleased to announce that it will be showcasing the UN20 Serial(TM), a stand-alone high performance, low cost, optical fingerprint sensor at CES 2016 from January 6-9. Developers are invited to come by SecuGen's booth, number 21733 in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center to see a demonstration of this revolutionary new OEM fingerprint sensor.
Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto Named Chair of Utilities & Commerce Committee
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Earlier today, Calif. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Glendale) was appointed chairman of the Assembly’s formidable Utilities and Commerce Committee, overseeing...
'Winter on Fire' Director Evgeny Afineevsky Awarded by Ukrainian President
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- American-Russian Business Council (ARBC) is pleased to announce that its member and director of the Netflix original documentary 'Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom,' Evgeny Afineevsky, has been awarded the Medal of the Cross of Ivan Mazepa by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
Three More California City Plastic Bag Bans Go Into Effect Jan. 1, 2016
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Three more California cities – Sacramento, American Canyon, and Milpitas – will implement bans on single-use plastic bags on...
Calif. Interfaith Experts Discuss Building Community of Peace from Recent Tragedies in San Bernardino and Worldwide
CLAREMONT, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- In light of the recent tragic events in San Bernardino, California and around the world, Claremont Lincoln University on...
Calif. Assemblyman Gatto Reminds on New Laws for Californians Jan. 1, 2016
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- While everyone is out celebrating New Year’s Day, Californians should take note of new laws that will take effect...
SecuGen Corp. Announces UN20 Serial OEM Sensor in New 'Unity' Product Family
SANTA CLARA, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- SecuGen, a world leading optical fingerprint device and technology vendor, is pleased to announce the UN20 Serial(TM), a stand-alone high performance, low cost, optical fingerprint sensor.
ReverseVision Offers Lenders and REALTORS a Reverse Mortgage Education Track at 2016 User Conference
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- ReverseVision, Inc. today announced that mortgage lenders, bankers and REALTORS(R) interested in learning why offering reverse mortgages in their lending portfolio allows them to better serve consumers are invited to attend a 'Reverse Mortgage Facts' track at its inaugural User Conference 2016 in San Diego January 20 - 22 at the Sheraton San Diego Hoteland Marina.
Calif. Gov. Brown Declares State of Emergency in San Bernardino County to Help with Recovery from Shooting
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Friday, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. issued an emergency proclamation for San Bernardino County to help the...
Calif. Gov. Brown Announces Appointments for Dec. 18, 2015 including to Department of Toxic Substances Control
SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Friday, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: Russell Atterberry, 39, of Folsom, has been...
FootMate System from Gordon Brush featured on CNN The Short List for Buying American
COMMERCE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The FootMate System by Gordon Brush was selected by CNN as one of the companies where one can buy American made products for the holidays. The American-made FootMate System helps make optimal foot health easy. It is a complete foot care system for cleaning, soothing, stimulating, and massaging feet in the shower.
New on iTunes: Augmented Reality Collaboration between Civic Resource Group and Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Civic Resource Group and the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism today announced the availability of the Augmented Reality 'VisitPalmSprings' App on iTunes. The joint collaboration achieves the goal of designing and delivering a mobile solution that provides instant, multi-aspect navigation data. Residents, visitors and tourists now have instant access to a broad range of information about the city on their mobile device.
Donald Trump the poster child for Excessivism, says L.A. artist Kaloust Guedel
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- We've all heard the phrase, 'Art imitates life.' And it could not ring truer than in how a new contemporary art movement, Excessivism, founded by American artist, Kaloust Guedel, that showcases the excessiveness present in people's lives, correlates to Donald Trump's bid for the GOP presidential nomination.
EPIC Golf Insurance Services named Insurance Provider of the Year by BoardRoom magazine
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that it has been named a 2015 'Excellence in Achievement' award winner by The BoardRoom magazine as the 'Insurance Provider of the Year.'
Calif. Senator Tony Mendoza and CHP Hosted a Holiday Traffic Safety Event Dec. 11, 2015
CERRITOS, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Senator Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Office of Traffic Safety, Los Angeles County...
West Coast Mayors Meet to Seek Federal Support to Address Homelessness, Housing Crises
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mayors from five West Coast cities on Thursday signed a joint statement to the federal government seeking full...
Porter Ranch Gas Leak Victims Ask Erin Brockovich, Weitz & Luxenberg for Help
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- A standing-room-only crowd of more than 2,200 affected residents gathered Wednesday night Dec. 9 in Porter Ranch, Calif. They were there to listen to environmental activist Erin Brockovich, scientists and attorneys from Weitz and Luxenberg discuss their legal options against Southern California Gas Co. due to a leak from the natural gas storage well in the hills above their homes, the law firm today announced.
The Miracle of You: new music fuses talents of Paul Luftenegger and NY Times best-selling author Anita Moorjani
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Multi award-winning singer, songwriter and composer Paul Luftenegger and New York Times best-selling author Anita Moorjani, whose hugely successful book 'Dying to be Me' chronicles her struggle with cancer and her near death experience with heaven , are jointly releasing an album to inspire self-love, 'The Miracle of You.'
Charles Wright's A Million $ Worth of Memories Presents Soul Music New Year's Eve in Beverly Hills
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Join us at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif., at 8 p.m. for the funky grooves of headliner Charles Wright and The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band! Special musical guests include The Original Lakeside, Bloodstone and Chante Moore will keep the stage hot until the ball drops. A champagne toast and party favors help you bring in 2016 with fireworks, fun and soul music from many decades.
