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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Nearly 1,000 California employers, including 32 of the state’s largest employers, are now offering ScholarShare 529 – currently at $8.5 billion in total assets across nearly 314,000 accounts, as of October 31, 2018 – to their employees.
“More Californians with higher education degrees positively impacts California employers, strengthens our workforce, and fortifies California’s fiscal health,” said California State Treasurer John Chiang. “As our workforce demands highly-skilled and educated workers to remain competitive, the need for higher education will continue to rise. We applaud California employers for embracing the importance of higher education and providing the ScholarShare 529 Workplace Savings Program to empower their employees to save for college.”
According to a recent survey of human resources professionals offering the ScholarShare 529 Workplace Savings Program, California employers are providing the program for its wide-ranging benefits, including ease of implementation and no cost to the employer.
Survey feedback includes:
“It didn't cost the company anything. Being in HR, you want to offer compelling benefits to your employees, and we thought it would be something our employees with college-bound kids would appreciate,” said Tamara McPherson, HR manager, System Pavers.
“It was really easy to understand. ScholarShare made it simple by giving us literature that clearly outlines what the commitment from HR entails,” said Felicia Williams, employee benefits administrator, L.A. Care.
“It sounded like a great benefit and when we looked more closely, the fact that it wasn't going to cost the employer anything and that there was zero reporting required was a huge plus,” said Jacqueline Lozano, senior human resources analyst, city of Chino.
Employers can offer ScholarShare 529 to employees with confidence, knowing the plan has a strong track record of investment returns and competitive fees. This helps employees potentially earn higher investment returns – and keep more of those returns – than they would investing in a lower-performing, higher-fee 529 college savings plan.
To view additional testimonials and to learn more about the ScholarShare 529 Workplace Savings Program, visit www.ScholarShare529.com/employer.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
WILLITS, Calif. – After an extensive regional and national search, the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians Tribal Council recently announced they selected Michael J. Broderick as general manager of Sherwood Valley Casino, a business wholly owned and operated by the tribe.
Broderick brings over 25 years of experience in gaming and resort management to his position. He will be responsible for the overall management and success of the current gaming enterprise for the Northern California property.
“I'm honored to have been selected by the tribal council and i am grateful for the opportunity to work for the tribe and its membership,” said Broderick. "It is a great opportunity for me, both personally and professionally, to be part of this organization. I look forward to helping this company and the tribe continue with its efforts of economic growth and self-sufficiency."
Prior to the Sherwood Valley Casino, Broderick served as the general manager for the Cahuilla Casino and Mountain Sky Travel Center in Anza, California, and director of marketing for the Sky Ute Casino Resort in Ignacio, Colorado.
He has also held numerous executive leadership positions in gaming and hospitality throughout his career including tenures in Washington, Rhode Island, Colorado, Oregon, New Mexico, Florida, Wisconsin and for the Trump Organization in Southern California.
“We are excited and looking forward to working with Mr. Broderick,” said Michael Knight, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians chairman. “We believe his experience, creativity, and successes in gaming and hospitality makes him an exceptional fit for our casino. He is a well-versed, dynamic and successful leader with an impressive track record and we believe Mr. Broderick, along with the casino team, can take this property to the next level."
Broderick is Harvard University Graduate School-certified and a former degree candidate at Harvard University Extension School. He received his bachelor's degree and M.B.A. in business management from California Coast University in Santa Ana and his associate in science degree in business administration from the Corporacion National de Education Professional in Santiago, Chile. He is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
For more information visit the casino online at www.svrcasino.com.
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- Written by: California State Fair
The competition opens earlier this season, beginning on Jan. 8, 2019, and closes earlier on Feb. 8, 2019. See rules and regulations here.
Judging at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds will move to Feb. 27, 2019, when a team of 15 certified sensory experts, led by the new head judge, Mr. Paul Vossen, will gather to determine the very best extra virgin and flavored olive oils produced in the state.
Each year more than 700 bottles of different varieties of extra virgin and flavored olive oils enter from all over the state.
Each oil producer is hoping all of their care, expertise and hard work will result in a coveted Best of Show Golden Bear Trophy. After five years of successful olive oil competitions, State Fair ribbons are proudly displayed in olive oil tasting rooms all over California.
The California State Fair is proud to announce the head judge for the 2019 competition, Mr. Paul Vossen. Vossen will employ his expertise and experience at the California State Fair olive oil judging to lead the team of 15 Judges and ensure a fair and ethical judging process.
With more than 30 years of experience in the field as a University of California Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor in Sonoma County, Paul Vossen offers practical advice to large commercial ventures and hobby farmers alike for clients around the world.
His expertise is in fruit tree (cider apples, olives), berry, hop, and specialty vegetable culture as well as pest control, irrigation, olive oil processing, olive oil sensory evaluation and marketing of farm products. Paul is a regular speaker at conferences around the world on these topics and an instructor in olive oil sensory evaluation.
He is one of the founders of the Sebastopol Apple Promotion Committee (1982), Sonoma County Ag Marketing Program (1986), and the California Olive Oil Council in 1990.
He has developed statewide and international expertise in olive oil production, processing, and sensory evaluation, including management of the first olive oil taste panel in the USA to become recognized by the International Olive Oil Council in 2001.
Visit www.CAStateFair.org for a list of last year’s winners and more information on how to enter online.
The deadline for online entry for the 2019 California State Fair Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition is Feb. 8, 2019.
For more information visit http://www.castatefair.org/california-commercial-extra-virgin-olive-oil/.
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- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The new opener date is Dec. 31.
Results of the Dec. 4 quality test continue to show that Dungeness Crab are not yet ready for harvesting.
Delays due to quality only affect the northern commercial fishery in California Fish and Game Districts 6, 7, 8 and 9 (Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties).
The season in these districts is now scheduled to open at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 31, 2018, to be preceded by a 64-hour gear setting period that would begin no earlier than 8:01 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2018.
Crab are evaluated to compare meat weight to total crab weight to determine whether they are ready for harvest under testing guidelines established by the Tri-State Dungeness Crab Committee.
If results indicate low or poor quality, the director may delay the fishery in Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties, under authority of Fish and Game Code, section 8276.2.
Additional testing will be scheduled to occur by Dec. 21. If quality results remain low, a final delay announcement issued by the Director would further delay the season until Jan. 15, 2019.
No vessel may take or land crab in an area closed for a meat quality delay (i.e., Fish and Game districts 6, 7, 8 and 9) or within an area closed for a domoic acid delay.
In addition, any vessel that takes, possesses onboard or lands crab from ocean waters outside of a delayed area is prohibited from participating in the crab fishery in any delayed area for 30 days following the opening of those areas. This applies to any delayed areas in Oregon and Washington as well as in California.
The updated Frequently Asked Questions for the current 2018-19 season addresses questions regarding the Fair Start provision.
For more information about Dungeness crab fisheries in California, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/crab.
For more information on health advisories related to fisheries, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/ocean/health-advisories.