California NEWS INDEX

IRVINE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Orange County Great Park and Arts Orange County are pleased to present a new Arts Happening featuring the premier of a new one-woman play: The Dig. Written by and starring Los Angeles-based actress Stacie Chaiken, The Dig recounts the dramatic tale of a world-renowned American archeologist who uncovers the identity of a remarkable find in the Middle East that has the potential for explosive consequences.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The San Diego Children's Choir (SDCC) will perform its annual Holiday Concert and Community Sing-along on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 3 p.m., at The First United Methodist Church of San Diego in Mission Valley. The children will sing selections from Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols and include traditional favorites such as The First Noel, Joy to the World and Silent Night. The public is invited.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- SF Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced San Francisco has been selected as a finalist for the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge, a competition created to inspire United States cities to generate innovative ideas that solve major challenges, improve city life and can be shared with other cities across the nation.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board conducted a study to identify the top demand sectors for employment in San Bernardino County. The results showed that manufacturing, health care, transportation and logistics, energy and utilities, and construction are the top five industries that will be seeking a skilled workforce in San Bernardino County to fill available jobs.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Monday directed the California Emergency Management Agency and California National Guard to send specialized assistance to the east coast to help in responding to Hurricane Sandy.

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- A Swedish delegation of Sustainable Teachers toured Alegria Farm to learn about its new high efficiency farming process and find out about the disease fighting food being grown and delivered by Alegria Fresh. Alegria's innovative new farming method employs the Verti-Gro System.

FRESNO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Central Valley Tea Party will host a massive phone banking event for their monthly Action Night meeting on Nov. 1, 2012. Several candidates will be in attendance to rally participants.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- S.F. Mayor Edwin M. Lee on Thursday opened the new Visitacion Valley Family Resource Center annex at the Sunnydale HOPE SF public housing site as part of the Mayor’s IPO (Interrupt, Predict and Organize for a Safer San Francisco) violence prevention strategy.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Thursday announced the following appointments: First, Paul Helliker, 55, of Berkeley, has been appointed deputy director at the California Department of Water Resources. Helliker has been executive advisor at the Marin Municipal Water District since 2012 and general manager there from 2004 to 2012

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Wednesday announced the following appointments: First, Bobbie Jean Anderson, 73, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Anderson served as a field representative for Assemblymember Mike Davis from 2006 to 2009, supervising legal office assistant at the Los Angeles County Office of the Public Defender from 1978 to 2003 and a typist clerk for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services from 1957 to 1968.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board announced that Executive Director Sandy Harmsen was appointed to Chair of the California Workforce Association's Executive Committee. The committee facilitates the direction and management of the Association.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, The Nature Conservancy of California announced that their one-stop website on the sources and protection levels of drinking water across the state now provides such information for an estimated 26.5 million Californians residing in more than 500 cities and towns.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board announced it opened a new Employment Resource Center in Victorville. The Employment Resource Centers help county residents re-enter the workforce or transfer their skills from shrinking industries to expanding industries.

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- PCM of California, Inc. (PCM), an Associa company, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to manage the Traditions Homeowners' Association located in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. The 125-home community is the second to be recently added to PCM's management portfolio from this southeastern Orange County community of nearly 48,000 residents.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Joined by dozens of high tech student trainees and representatives of San Francisco’s major technology companies, Mayor Edwin M. Lee launched TechSF – a citywide workforce initiative that aims to train and place 2,500 San Francisco residents from diverse backgrounds in high technology jobs over the next five years.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Friday, S.F. Mayor Edwin M. Lee issued the following statement on San Francisco’s unemployment rate dropping below seven percent in September, based on preliminary unemployment numbers released by the State Employment Development Department (EDD):

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments: First, Shawn Bagley, 61, of Salinas, has been appointed to the 7th District Agricultural Association, Monterey County Fair Board. Bagley has been a founding partner and vice president at Complete Produce Inc. since 2002.

MILL VALLEY, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- ArteQuesta has developed a unique software program designed to manage investment quality art portfolios, it was announced today by Rayah Levy and Jessica Jacobson, co-founders. ArteQuesta Art Portfolio Management is the first program of its kind, and was developed and tested over two years.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mayor Villaraigosa today joined Councilmember Jose Huizar to announce that the architecture firm HNTB is the winner of the international design competition for the redesign of the 6th Street Bridge.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- As San Francisco Bay Area marks the 23rd anniversary of the devastating Loma Prieta earthquake, Mayor Edwin M. Lee on Wednesday announced the appointment of Patrick Otellini to lead San Francisco’s groundbreaking Earthquake Safety Implementation Program (ESIP).

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Tuesday, S.F. Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced that San Francisco, in partnership with the San Francisco 49ers and a San Francisco Bay Area regional bid committee, will submit a formal bid to the National Football League (NFL) to host Super Bowl L in 2016.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- This October Angara presents the 'Pink Collection' in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every time you purchase jewelry from this collection, Angara will make a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc (NBCF). The 'Pink Collection' includes pendants, earrings and rings in pink sapphires and gemstones.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Bynoskia Sams' Resort Collection was featured at Jon Gheri's Afternoon of Elegance fashion show which was held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif. on October 14. More than 260 guests enjoyed the late afternoon meal that was given as a part of a fundraiser for the 'A Love Beyond Me' Foundation.

CARMEL VALLEY, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Quail and Olive celebrated its grand opening with nearly 250 new friends last Saturday at 3 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley, CA 93924. The olive oil fustis had to be refilled as customers walked out with California-grown varieties of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegars, olives and other fine gourmet gifts.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Governor Brown issued a Proclamation Declaring October 17, 2012 as Mervyn M. Dymally Day. Text follows:

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Qvole Collective, an independent artist management and development company, announces today West Coast photographer, filmmaker, hip-hop scholar and Mochilla founder, Brian (B+) Cross shot and directed the new video 'Joven Navegante' for L.A.'s psych/tropical/soul act Chicano Batman. The video was premiered two separate times at 8:45 and 10:15 on Friday, October 12 at Highland Park's newly opened 'record gallery' Strictly Grooves.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- John Waguespack is the winner of the San Francisco portion of the 3rd Annual Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series for 'Deconstructing Dandridge,' a compelling portrait of the first African-American woman to be nominated for Best Actress in the Academy Awards.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- On Tuesday S.F. Mayor Lee and Board of Supervisors President David Chiu announced introduction of new Open Data legislation to strengthen San Francisco’s landmark Open Data initiatives, including the creation of a Chief Data Officer and encouraging the use of information for more efficient government services.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mayor Edwin M. Lee on Monday announced that the Moscone Center has received LEED Gold certification, the first convention center on the West Coast to attain the green building honor. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- United Global Media Group, Inc. (UGMedia) first conceptualized Beauty TV(R) in 2006 after founder, Rob Angelino, sold his brainchild, the Salon-TV Network. Today, Beauty TV ('BeautyTV') is making waves.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Jennifer French, a quadriplegic and competitive sailing athlete who recently medaled at the 2012 Paralympics Games in London, will release her new book, 'On My Feet Again: My Journey Out of the Wheelchair Using Neurotechnology' (ISBN: 9780988234208; Neurotech Press), Oct. 23, 2012 at the Neurotech Leaders Forum in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Mayor Edwin M. Lee on Wednesday joined by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi honored community leaders and organizations in celebration of Latino Heritage Month for their important social, cultural, and economic contributions to the Latino community and to the entire City of San Francisco.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments: First, Suzanne Chan, 51, of Sacramento, has been appointed operations and accountability officer in the Administrative Services Division at the California Department of Rehabilitation.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. issued a Proclamation Declaring Statewide Day of Awareness for Domestic Violence. Text follows:

SANTA MONICA, Calif., /California Newswire/ -- Media Center Entertainment announced today that two dozen of the U.S. Department of Energy supported Clean Cities Coalitions have pledged to hold public alternative fuels events and press conferences to support the GreenAcrossAmerica.com 2012 CNG Road Trip.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- SecuGen Corporation is pleased to announce that its Hamster(TM) IV fingerprint reader has been certified by the Standardization Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Directorate, an office of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) of India. This certification was obtained in cooperation with and through the determined efforts of Tutis Technology Ltd., SecuGen's longtime partner in India.

CARMEL VALLEY, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Quail & Olive will host a grand opening event from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 13 at 3 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley, CA 93924. The event will feature olive oil and balsamic vinegar tastings, skin health product demonstrations and local a capella act, The Valley Boys. Gourmet food catered by Paradise Catering and local wines as well as non-alcoholic beverages will be served. This is a no-cost celebration open to the community.

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- The Huntington Beach Sister City Association and its delegation of 25 adults from sister city Anjo, Japan, toured Alegria Farm on Sunday October 7, it was announced by Erik Cutter, Managing Director of Alegria Fresh. Learning about Alegria's innovative new farming method that employs the Verti-Gro(R) System provided the delegation with nutrition-rich knowledge to bring back to Japan.

IRVINE, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Connexum, LLC, an emerging leader in network, voice and data services for the telecommunication industry, announced it has hired industry veteran Ron McNab as president and CEO. Mr. McNab is responsible for defining Connexum's strategic direction, providing leadership and executing on the company's goal of expanding its business and growing its product line.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Envy Corner, a company selling women's lingerie and Halloween costumes, has just launched their new website and are giving away a Halloween Costume! Just like them on Facebook and be entered to win the sexy and adorable French Maid Costume.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments: first, Adam Day, 43, of Alpine, has been appointed to the 22nd District Agricultural Association, San Diego County Fair Board, where he has served since 2008. Day has been the assistant tribal manager for the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation since 2002. He was general manager at NCG Porter Novelli from 2000 to 2002 and vice president at the Flannery Group from 1999 to 2000.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- SF Mayor Edwin M. Lee today kicked off the celebration of the 31st Anniversary of San Francisco Fleet Week and highlighted the lineup for San Francisco Fleet Week 2012. “Fleet Week is a San Francisco tradition and we take this opportunity to salute the men and women in uniform serving and protecting our country,” said Mayor Lee.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments to the California Law Revision Commission.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- DKeeley Press announces publication of the first book in the new Paranormal Mystery series, 'Having a Whaley of a Time' (ISBN: 978-0578104836) by author and publisher Donna Keeley. By using the history and "documented ghosts" from the Whaley House in San Diego, Calif., the book weaves an enjoyable, fictional mystery with real facts.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Assembly Bill (AB) 1658, by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D–Los Angeles) was signed today by Governor Brown, establishing the California Legacy License Plate Program. The program will allow car enthusiasts to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for one of three iconic California license plate designs.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- S.F. Mayor Edwin M. Lee today officially cut the ribbon to open the San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH)’s new Bridge HIV research facility as part of the City’s new $9.5 million HIV/AIDS Research Center, located at 25 Van Ness Avenue.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills to encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles and energy in California.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G Brown, Jr. announced a Proclamation declaring September 28, 2012, as Native American Day.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he has signed the following bills, including: AB 276 by Assemblymember Luis Alejo (D-Salinas) – Central Coast Hospital Authority. AB 377 by Assemblymember Jose Solorio (D-Santa Ana) – Pharmacy. (Additional follow.)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments: First, LaRonda Bowen, 60, of Pasadena, has been appointed small business ombudsman for the California Air Resources Board, where she has served since 2009. Bowen was sole proprietor of Bowen and Associates from 2000 to 2009 and was public advisor for the South Coast Air Quality Management District from 1989 to 2000.