How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Business News
- Details
- Written by: Editor
WASHINGTON, DC – After a multi-day viral outbreak that infected close to 700 people with a painful stomach illness, the cruise ship “Explorer of the Seas” reached port in New Jersey.
Issues with cruise ships and conditions on them led Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), to propose the Cruise Ship Passenger Bill of Rights, H.R. 3475.
“At times, the cruise industry seems like the Wild West on the high seas,” said Garamendi, who serves as the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee.
“Most trips are fine, but when things go wrong, passengers are often left confused, bewildered and at the mercy of cruise lines for any compensation or reimbursement for the untimely and premature termination of their voyage. And that’s just not right. Cruise ship passengers have a right to know in advance whether they are booking passage on the ‘Love Boat’ or on a voyage to despair,” he said.
“As a former insurance commissioner, I know that this industry requires consumer protections that are tough and fair. As ranking member, I will advocate for this latest incident to be examined by the subcommittee,” he said.
Garamendi's proposed Cruise Ship Passenger Bill of Rights includes a provision that requires disclosure of any incidences of outbreaks of illness.
“Everyone buying a ticket for a cruise has the right to know what has happened on that ship and what the obligations of the operator are should things go wrong,” he said.
The full text of the bill can be seen here: http://1.usa.gov/MjaeIZ .
- Details
- Written by: Editor
SACRAMENTO – State Controller John Chiang has announced his appointments to the board created to oversee Proposition 39, the California Clean Energy Jobs Act.
Appointed by the controller were: Dana Cuff, Gary Kremen and Erik Emblem.
"With their extensive experiences, these three individuals will serve the State well by ensuring the funds raised through Proposition 39 will be well spent on projects that result in a cleaner future with a smaller carbon footprint, jobs that pay good wages for those installing and maintaining energy efficiency upgrades, and a more robust economy for future generations," Chiang said.
Approved by voters in November 2012, Proposition 39 requires multistate businesses to calculate their California income tax liability based on the percentage of their sales in California. Half of the revenue generated will be dedicated to energy efficiency and alternative energy projects, with the remainder earmarked for public schools and community colleges.
The initiative also created a nine-member Citizens Oversight Board. Members are appointed by the treasurer, the controller and the attorney general, with each office required to appoint one individual who is an engineer, architect or other professional with knowledge and expertise in building construction or design; one who is an accountant, economist, or other professional with knowledge and expertise in evaluating financial transactions and program cost-effectiveness; and one who is a technical expert in energy efficiency, clean energy or energy systems and programs.
The appointees
Dana Cuff, professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of California, Los Angeles. Cuff has dedicated her teaching, research and writing to the creation of a more livable, sustainable environment and has experience in architecture, sustainable design, community design, and urban planning. She publishes and lectures widely on these topics.
She has been at UCLA since 1994, where she founded and serves as director of cityLAB, a research and design center dedicated to innovative urban solutions. Prior to that, she was an associate professor of architecture at UC San Diego, the University of Southern California, and Rice University in Houston. She also was a principal at Community Design Association in Santa Monica and a founding partner at CLEW Associates, both community planning and architecture firms.
Cuff received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Design at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1976, and her Ph.D in Architecture from UC Berkeley in 1982.
Gary Kremen, clean technology engineer, entrepreneur and inventor. He is currently founder and Chairman of Sociogramics (using social media to bring credit to the underbanked) in Palo Alto. Kremen brings a broad range of expertise to the board with his background in understanding and evaluating financial transactions, delivering cost-effective serves and providing technical expertise in the State’s clean energy sector.
Kremen has founded, invested in or advised more than 50 California-based firms, including the following clean technology companies: Clean Power Finance (financing for residential solar, employing more than 200 Californians, which he founded), Enmetric (energy efficiency hardware for residences), Greenbox (smart grid software, acquired by Silver Springs Networks), Recurv/Sustainable Spaces (home energy efficiency retrofits), Brightbox (energy efficiency software for HVAC controllers), HydroNovation (water purification for small business), Watersmart Software (water conservation technologies), Sunlink (mounting systems for commercial solar), Solar Universe (franchising to turn underemployed contractor into solar installers), Carbon Flow (carbon trading), Marrone Bio Innovations (NASD: MBII natural pesticides), People Power Co (smart phone-based energy efficiency) and Ready Solar (acquired by Sun Edison).
Kremen is the President of the Purissima Hills Water District. He also sits on other boards including Crowdflower and Watersmart Software. He has several issued patents to his name.
The founder and first CEO of Match.Com, Kremen received both a BSEE and BSCS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Northwestern University in 1985, and his MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 1989.
Erik Emblem, executive administrator and chief operating officer of the Western States Council-Sheet Metal Workers in Sacramento. Emblem has been involved in the energy efficiency industry since 1981, when the National Energy Management Institute (NEMI) was founded in California to train technicians to perform energy analysis and conduct technical audits of school facilities in California, and later, the rest of the country.
Emblem served on NEMI’s technical committee until his appointment as NEMI executive director in 1999. In his position, Emblem spearheaded several visionary programs such as the Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (TABB), which was the first certification program to synchronize all components of the complex HVAC industry. He led a group from business, academia and labor to acquire a U.S. Department of Energy grant to fund a study on research gaps in energy management and indoor air quality. That effort resulted congressional funding for the creation of the National Center for Energy Management and Building Technologies that bring emerging technologies to the market place.
Emblem founded 3E International Incorporated, a professional consulting firm that provides services in energy management and green, sustainable building codes and standards. While at 3E, he assisted in setting up California’s Joint Committee on Energy and Environmental Policy (JCEEP), which works with state boards and commissions to provide input on code and standard development.
As executive administrator for the Western States Council of Sheet Metal Workers since 2010, Emblem maintains his responsibilities with JCEEP and other local unions on issues that affect energy efficiency and HVAC markets.
Members of the oversight board are charged with annually reviewing all expenditures from the Job Creation Fund, and commissioning and reviewing an annual audit of the fund and a selection of the projects completed to assess the effectiveness of the expenditures. The board also is required to publish and post on a public website a complete accounting of all expenditures each year, and provide a program evaluation to the Legislature that identifies any improvements it believes are needed.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
Since 1854, the California State Fair has showcased the progress and advancements of the state’s agricultural industry.
Public interest and knowledge has grown because of the extraordinary contributions of certain individuals and businesses committed to advancing this mission and benefiting the State Fair as a whole.
In celebration of these accomplishments, the California State Fair annually presents a series of prestigious awards.
Agriculturalist of the Year
The Agriculturalist of the Year award is presented to an individual who has contributed extensively, in a professional capacity, to California’s agricultural industry.
Award criteria stipulates this individual must have demonstrated leadership and clearly represented the industry over a number of years in one or more of the following areas: finance, government, production agriculture, education, labor, research, communications, trade and public service.
The California State Fair first began presenting this award in 1980. Most recent awardees include Edward H. Nishio (2013), A.G. Kawamura (2012), Robert “Bob” Gilbert (2011), Bill Lyons, Jr. (2010), Ron Schuler (2009), Bill Pauli (2008), Len Richardson (2007), John Harris (2006), George Gomes (2005) and Al Montna (2004).
Agricultural Progress Award
The Agricultural Progress Award was established in 1994 to recognize individuals or an organization that has contributed extensively over a number of years to the promotion, advancement and growth of the State Fair Agricultural Programs.
Most recent recipients include the following: Tomme Jo Dale (2013), Michael Bradley (2013), Blue Diamond Growers (2010), Sacramento County U.C. Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program (2010), Solano County State Fair Exhibit Team (2009), University of California, Davis (2008), Leonard Bianchi (posthumous recognition) (2007), Robert Dowell, PhD (2007), Richard Breitmeyer (2006), and Wendy Hall (2005).
Nomination Forms and supporting documents for Agriculturalist of the Year Award and Agricultural Progress Award must be emailed, faxed, postmarked or hand delivered by Friday, Jan. 31, to:
Jay Carlson, Agricultural Program Manager
California Exposition & State Fair
P.O. Box 15649, Sacramento, CA 95852
Phone: 916-263-3149 phone; Fax: 916-263-7903
Email:
Golden Bear Award
The Golden Bear Award acknowledges individuals and businesses that have furthered the State Fair’s mission of showcasing California’s economic and cultural diversity, and have rendered meritorious service and support to the California State Fair. This prestigious award was first presented in 1977. The recipient may be a private citizen or representative of any industry in the public or private sector.
Most recent winners include: Save Mart Supermarkets (2013), Earl “Butch” Butler (2012), Harry Moos – Friends of the California State Fair (2011), California Cattlemen’s Association (2010), Ralph Petty (2010), Willie Pelote (2009), Sacramento Magazine (2008), the California FFA Organization & the California 4-H organization (2007) and The California Milk Advisory Board (2006).
Nomination Forms and supporting documents for the Golden Bear Award must be mailed, faxed or emailed to the following contact by Friday, Feb. 28, to:
Rick Pickering, General Manager/CEO
California Exposition & State Fair
Golden Bear Award Nomination
P.O. Box 15649, Sacramento, CA 95852
Fax: 916-263-3304
Email:
The California State Fair will run July 11-27.
For more information and Agricultural Award Nomination Forms, please visit the State Fair Web site at www.bigfun.org or call 916-263-3149.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Coldwell Banker Towne & Country Realty of Lake County announced that Elizabeth Davis of Lakeport is the company's “Top Sales Achiever” in dollar volume and quantity of closed sales for 2013.
Of the 327 local active Multiple Listing Service members, Davis ranked in the top 1 percent, which qualified her for the Coldwell Banker International Award status.
Her listings and sales included properties ranging in price from $8,000 to $875,000, in areas throughout Lake County.
She represented both sellers and buyers for a total dollar sale of $7.2 million.
She lives in Lakeport with her husband, retired CHP Lt. Steve Davis, local book author of “E-22 …Officer Down.”
Visit her website at www.clearlakerealestate.ws .