California Press Release for January 2012
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Greenie Speed dating event hosted by oc green market saturday, february 11 at irvine valley college
OC Green Market & Holistic Fair, Orange County’s only eco-friendly open air market, has announced it will host a Greenie Speed Dating event in honor of Valentine’s Day on Saturday, February 11 from 12-2 pm at Irvine Valley College. Each participant will meet 7 men or women with each conversation lasting 5 minutes before they move to the next person. After the event participants will receive their matches through email.
"This is a great event to meet other people that care about the environment, work in the environmental field or live a green lifestyle like you do. And because it's held outdoors in the middle of the day, the atmosphere is more casual than an evening event and you don't have to get all dressed up! says organizer Rana Sabeh.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at http://ocgreenmarketdating-auto.eventbrite.com/
Green Saturdays @ OC Green Market is open once a month every Second Saturday from 9am - 2pm at Irvine Valley College. OC Green Market is the first of its kind in Orange County, CA to exclusively feature unique eco-friendly merchants. Having launched November 2011, it's still small and growing but offers a 'one-stop shop' of green products and services, holistic/alternative therapies and educational nonprofits. Examples of some recent vendors: African Inspirations, Arbonne Vegan Products, Bambu Dru, Dynactiv SR Pendants, Earthlog, Flaming Stone Soy Candles, function as one, Green Life Gallery, Healthy Bargains, Intrinsic, In Every Way Gourmet, It Works Body Detox Wraps, Hinix Tees, Jessica’s Jewelry Shop, Kimet Egyptian Gifts, Life Peak, Mumbi’s Designs, OC Medical & Disc Chiropractor, rubyblaise aromatherapy, Shaklee, Simply Straws, Surfin Your Soul, Total Healthy Lifestyle, Tribal Creations and Zoey & Bailey’s Vegan Cupcakes.
Classes began January 14 and will continue monthly (except February) at every market date. Topics will be diverse but focused within green and healthy living. Fitness classes such as Yoga and Zumba will be added as well.
“I want to pull in people who don’t know about living green and educate them to see how it can fit into their lifestyle,” said Rana Sabeh, creator of OC Green Market. “It’s an opportunity for people to understand that it’s a win-win for their health, families and for the environment, as well.”
Visit our website at http://www.ocgreenmarket.com/ or Facebook or Twitter.
Contact Details:
Rana Sabeh
Founder
OC Green Market
714.717.4424
rana@ocgreenmarket.com
http://www.ocgreenmarket.com/
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“EXTREME MAKEOVER: WEIGHT LOSS EDITION SEASON 3"
NOW CASTING
In a unique, non-competitive show about weight loss “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition” documents the amazing makeover of courageous, “super obese” people who, in an unprecedented 365 days, set out to safely lose half of their body weight, ultimately revealing an amazing metamorphosis. The term “super obese” is used to define those who exceed their estimated ideal weight by approximately 225 percent and who are roughly 200 pounds or more overweight.
Trainer and transformation specialist Chris Powell (“The 650-Pound Virgin”) guides each of the eight participants through their transformation process by moving into their homes with their families or loved ones. By assuring that they have the proper nourishment and exercise movement, Chris will provide a fresh perspective to individuals whose lives have become unmanageable because of their weight.
In each of the one-hour episodes, the participants undergo a transformation not only of their bodies, but of who they are as individuals. “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition” will chronicle each participant’s journey in a stand-alone episode as they go about reclaiming his or her life.
We're beginning a nationwide tour to 9 cities across the country in search of participants for season 3 of the show. Candidates are asked to either attend an open call in one of the following cities or send in a home tape. Information about how to apply can be found on the official casting website at www.extrememakeovercasting.com.
Our open call cities are:
February 4th, 2012
Boston, MA: Seaport World Trade Center 200 Seaport Blvd. Boston, MA 02210 10am-4pm
Detroit, MI: Gardner White Furniture 39453 Ford Rd. Canton, MI 48187 10am-4pm
Los Angeles, CA: Boys & Girls Club of Venice 2232 Lincoln Blvd. Venice, CA 90291 10am-4pm
February 11th, 2012
New York, NY: Dave and Busters Times Square 234 W. 42nd St. New York, NY 10036 8am-1pm
Chicago, IL: Dave and Busters 1030 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60610 10am-4pm
San Diego, CA: NTC Promenade - Command Center In Liberty Station, Point Loma
2630 Historic Decatur Rd. San Diego, CA 92106 10am-4pm
February 18th, 2012
Philadelphia, PA: Dave and Buster's 325 N. Columbus Philadelphia, PA 19106 10am-4pm
*Mention EMWLE at the Dave and Buster's parking garage for comped parking (1st 150 cars only)
Milwaukee, WI: Dave and Busters 2201 N. Mayfair Rd. Wauwatosa, WI 53226 10am-4pm
Phoenix, AZ: Location TBD
Contact: Vanessa Bond- 424.236.7500 x7610 / vanessa.bond@yahoo.com
Photography/video available at www.abcmedianet.com. Photography request line (818) 460-661
California Press Release for DECEMBER 2011
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SCHOOL DISTRICT VIOLATES PARENT’S RIGHTS – PAYS $300,000
A Northern California school district’s decision to hide records cost the district approximately $300,000, most of which was paid to two different law firms to unsuccessfully defend against a parent’s lawsuit to obtain access to his son’s pupil records.
Almost two years ago, Roseville resident Mike Harris, an information technology expert, asked the Roseville Joint Union High School District to show him his son’s student records. The district showed him some, but not all of his son’s records.
“They gave me what they said were my son's complete record but they didn't. One entire file was missing and pages had been removed from the files they showed me. They claimed I was only entitled to "official" records and said because electronic records aren't "official" I wasn't legally entitled to see them. They were wrong,” Harris said.
Harris hired Paul Nicholas Boylan, an attorney specializing in record access law, to file a Petition for Writ of Mandate to enforce Harris' rights under the California Constitution, Education Code and Public Records Act. The district hired Trujillo & Vinson, a bay area law firm, to defend against Harris’ lawsuit.
“The District’s defense was vigorous,” Boylan said. “But in the end the court agreed that the District violated Mike's rights."
On May 20, 2011, Placer County Superior Court Commissioner Margret Wells entered judgment ordering the district to provide Harris with access to a complete copy of his son’s records, including emails and other electronic records.
“It was a huge victory,” Harris said.
But the dispute wasn’t over. As the winning party, Harris asked the court to order the district to pay his attorney’s fees and court costs.
“That’s when things got really nasty,” Boylan said. “The district fought even harder to avoid reimbursing Mike for what it cost him to enforce his rights.”
When Harris filed his request for reimbursement, the district hired a second law firm, Meyers & Nave, a large law firm with offices in six cities, to work with Trujillo & Vinson to oppose the claim. However, right before the hearing on Harris’ motion, the case settled when the district agreed to pay Harris’ attorney’s fees and court costs.
To settle Harris' claim for fees and costs, the District recently agreed to pay $139, 250. In a press release, the District admits paying their own attorneys as much as $100,000 and records show they payed an additional $12,310 to data consultants and court reporters.
"What we don't know yet is how much time District employees and officers devoted to this, Harris said. "Time wasted is money wasted. When everything is added up, I suspect the District spent close to, if not more than, $300,000 to violate my rights," Harris concluded.
The District's press release states that the reason why the District hired outside data firms instead of relying on their own tech employees, was because Harris request was beyond the capacity of the District's] technology department.
"This just isn't true," Harris said. "The district has a capable technology department and they knew how to provide emails in their native format. Providing emails in their native format is easy to do and I even offered to help them if they needed it. It makes no sense, " Harris said. "It is like they have so much money they don't care how they spend it."
“This is not just a question of them trying to violate my rights,” Harris added. “This is a question of how much money was wasted in the attempt. $300,000 is a huge amount of money, especially now in hard economic times when so many teachers are losing their jobs and so many school programs are being cut. The $300,000 should have been used to pay for teachers, books, or other costs related to educating our students, not a misguided and irresponsible attempt to deny me my rights as a parent. It makes absolutely no sense to spend so much money that way. It would never happen if they had to spend their own money but apparently they operate using different standards when they spend the taxpayer's money.”
“Over the past two years I have often wondered who was in charge and if anyone would be held responsible for wasting our taxpayer dollars," Harris said. "I met with two board members to talk about this and I'm still not sure if they understand what happened here or if anyone will be held accountable. Something should be done so that this does not happen to anyone else. We can't afford it."
(RJUHSD's Press Release is attached to this press release)
For further information or comment, please contact:
Contact: Paul Nicholas Boylan
Tel: 530 297 7184
Fax: 530 297 7168
email: paulboylan@aol.com
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For Immediate Release
Date: December 19, 2011
Contact: Loyd G. Drain
Email: loyd.drain@wyo.gov
Phone: 307.635.3573
Three Wyoming Wind Projects Prioritized by BLM for Review
December 8, 2011 – The United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued its 2012 list of “Renewable Energy Priority Projects” that will be subjected to priority review by the agency. Three Wyoming wind energy projects are on BLM’s priority list.
The three Wyoming wind projects are among 17 various renewable energy projects chosen in Arizona, California, Nevada and Wyoming. It is the first year that Wyoming renewable energy projects have been chosen for the BLM’s priority review process, which named over two dozen projects in 2010 and 2011. Proposed infrastructure projects involving federal land require federal environmental analysis and review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), before any rights-of-way are granted to developers.
On this year’s priority status list from Wyoming:
• The Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project, proposed by Power Company of Wyoming LLC in central Carbon County south of Rawlins. It will have up to 3,000 MW of output.
• The Sand Hills Wind Farm Project, proposed by Shell Wind Energy in western Albany County. It will have up to 50 MW of output.
• The White Mountain Wind Energy Project, proposed by Teton Wind LLC northwest of Rock Spring in Sweetwater County. It will have up to 360 MW of output.
With a combined generation capacity of up to 3,410 megawatts, these Wyoming wind projects have nearly as much nameplate capacity as all of the other 14 wind, solar and geothermal priority projects, combined. Information on all 2012 priority projects is at http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/renewable_energy/2012_priority_projects.html
“Wyoming’s top-ranked wind resources and high capacity factors in the 40-percent-plus range mean these wind projects will generate very cost-effective, very reliable supplies of renewable energy to help meet demands in California and other Western states,” said Loyd Drain, Executive Director, Wyoming Infrastructure Authority. “With two Wyoming export transmission lines also recently selected for acceleration through accelerated federal permitting processes – TransWest Express and Gateway West – Wyoming is well poised to continue its leadership in generating and delivering energy resources to power America.”
The 725-mile TransWest Express Transmission Project is a 600 kV, 3,000 MW direct current (HVDC) transmission line to deliver high-capacity, cost-effective Wyoming wind energy to utility customers in the California-Nevada-Arizona market. It is being developed by TransWest Express LLC, an independent transmission developer, and Western Area Power Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Gateway West includes 1,100 miles of new 230 kV and 500 kV AC lines between the Windstar Substation near Glenrock, Wyoming, and the Hemingway Substation near Melba, Idaho. It is being developed by Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power to address long-term native-load needs and federal open transmission system access obligations. Any capacity on the Gateway system that is used by third parties will be paid for by those third parties and the revenue credited back to Rocky Mountain Power’s retail customers thereby reducing their costs.
“Wyoming appreciates BLM’s efforts to accelerate the responsible use of federal lands for new energy infrastructure investments that our electrical grid needs, which also will bolster economic development and job creation. These are high-quality jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors of the economy”, Drain added
In September, the Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC), which coordinates the bulk electric system across the Western U.S. and Canada, released a U.S. Department of Energy-funded study highlighting the value of Wyoming wind. The study made clear that using high-capacity Wyoming wind energy would significantly help in meeting a portion of California’s renewable energy demand and would cost California ratepayers far less than using some local solar energy.
Contact Information:
For more information, contact Loyd Drain, Executive Director, Wyoming Infrastructure Authority at 307.635.3573 or loyd.drain@wyo.gov. Visit the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority website at www.wyia.org to learn more about the transmission activity in Wyoming.
About the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority:
The WIA, an instrumentality of the State, was created by the State Legislature in 2004 to diversify and expand the Wyoming economy through improvements in the state’s electric transmission infrastructure and to facilitate the consumption of Wyoming energy. The authority is governed by a Board of Directors composed of five members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. It is responsible for promoting the planning, development and financing of transmission facilities in the State including associated generation. In addition, the WIA has $1 billion in bonding authority relative to the financing of transmission infrastructure in Wyoming.
