Farmers & Merchants Bank (F&M) recently named Phillip Bond as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer, where he will oversee all credit administration practices for the Bank's 21 branches in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, including special assets and residential lending. "Phil will play an instrumental role in strengthening all areas of our credit department as we continue our organic growth," said Daniel K. Walker, F&M's Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. "His extensive expertise in banking and credit administration ...

The 14 citizens arrested on May 20 for protesting the ongoing operation and destruction caused by the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station will appear in Plymouth District Court tomorrow for a pre-trial hearing. The "Pilgrim 14" were arrested May 20 at a rally and demonstration outside the Pilgrim station, which is operated by Entergy Nuclear Generating Corporation of Louisiana. The group was demonstrating in opposition of Entergy-Louisiana's application for a 20-year operating license, which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved on May 25. The Pilgrim ...

This exclusive spa adorned with Swarovski crystals and photographs of the beauty icons from the 19th century, offers luxurious services ranging from 24-Karat Gold Eye Treatment, 24-Karat Gold Facial Collagen Mask made with real 24-karat gold flakes, and Wine and Chocolate Body Wraps to name a few. Botox, Fillers, Laser, Microdermabrasion and other anti-aging treatments are available as well as traditional services with special touches such as Manicures, Pedicures, Haircuts & Color, Blowouts, Makeup Application, Massages, Waxing, Eyelash Tinting & Extensions and ...

Handmade wooden lazy susans and other kitchen accessories from the woodworkers at Bearcat Woodworks in Bayfield, Wisconsin are the latest addition to the Wisconsinmade.com gift store. Gift giving experts carefully select only the finest Wisconsin gifts to be included on the website which gives customers the opportunity to ship Wisconsin-made items nationwide. "I have a lazy susan from Bearcat Woodworks and I proudly display it in the middle of my dining room table," says Amanda Maurer from Wisconsinmade.com, "When guests come over I'm proud to say it was ...

Nancy A. Shenker, Founder and CEO of theONswitch and nunu media, has teamed-up with a carefully-selected team of business and marketing professionals to launch a unique and innovative webinar series on a variety of social media and marketing topics, starting on July 18th at noon. Shenker, who also teaches "live" workshops on these topics, realized that business owners are having trouble keeping up with new social media and practical ways to market, and they cannot always afford the time or money to attend conferences on a regular basis. Based on a review of why ...

Tamarind of London, the popular Indian restaurant located in the chic Crystal Cove Promenade in Newport Beach, has announced its July "Wine and Dine Series." Each month, the acclaimed restaurant collaborates with a featured winery and Executive Chef Shachi Mehra prepares a special 3-course prix-fixe menu. Only available Mondays-Thursdays for $50 ($30 sans wine), each course will be expertly paired with a particular wine. The featured winery in July will be the Clos Pegase, founded in 1987 and located in Napa Valley. This month's prix-fixe dinner includes a ...

Rachel K. Lozosky, a school and employment law attorney with Washington, Pa. law firm Peacock Keller, recently served as a faculty member at the National Business Institute's "Pennsylvania Special Education Law" seminar for educators and attorneys. The special education law course addressed a wide range of topics to aid education law attorneys and other professionals in guiding clients through the maze of laws governing special education, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The program covered IDEA requirements, disciplinary actions, ...

Villa Serra of Vintage Senior Living, a family of vibrant retirement communities, today announced that employee Carmen Villegas has been named an ALFA Champion by the Assisted Living Federation of America, a national organization serving the senior living field. Villegas was recognized for outstanding service to residents and an unwavering commitment to supporting quality of life for seniors and their families. "Recognition as an ALFA Champion is a special honor and we are grateful that Carmen has been part of the Villa Serra family for more than nine years," ...

ShareVault, the leader in secure document sharing, announced today the launch of the ShareVault Connector for Microsoft SharePoint . This new feature allows users to seamlessly integrate their SharePoint documents and hierarchies into a ShareVault. "The ShareVault connector for SharePoint is an exciting addition to ShareVault," said ShareVault CEO Richard Andersen. "Although SharePoint is fantastic for internal sharing, there are numerous challenges associated with sharing files externally. That's where our connector comes in. This feature allows our ...

According to CPSC data, between November 2007 and December 2011, at least 170 children were injured and 60 killed as a result of becoming trapped in collapsed play yards, under mattress pads or being strangled by straps hanging in the play yard. The final rule defines a ''play yard'' as a ''framed enclosure that includes a floor and has mesh or fabric sided panels primarily intended to provide a play or sleeping environment for children. It may fold for storage or travel.'' The rule is based on the voluntary standard ASTM F406-11 "Standard Consumer Safety Specification ...

Fuel prices are always fluctuating. Crashes are always of concern. Companies are looking for ways of addressing both and the key appears to be in the driver's seat. NAFA Fleet Management Association gets to the root of the problem and the solution -- the role of the driver -- in "Improving Driver Behavior and The Role of Change Management" on Wednesday, July 25 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) as part of the Association's 2012 Webinar Series. Did you know that the fleets with the safest, most efficient drivers spend less on fuel and crash costs and ...

Growing online discount furniture retailer secures spot No. 878 on the Second 500 Guide DefySupply, a leading online furniture supplier, was recently named to the 2012 edition of the Second 500 Guide. A newcomer to the list, DefySupply secured slot No. 878 based on several qualifying factors, including sales figures, Web traffic and estimated conversion rates. In recognition of this achievement, DefySupply is giving back to its biggest assets—their customers—with an 8.78% storewide with coupon. Customers can use coupon code SECOND500 at checkout throughout July to ...

Serenity Caregiver Coaching, a caregiver support and coaching service based in Stowe, Vermont, is pleased to announce the addition of a six week coaching program. Slated to begin on Monday, August 13, 2012, the course aims to provide caregivers with an array of skills and techniques intended to help them better deal with the stresses associated with the job they perform as well as the stresses of their daily lives. The program will take place in the company's Stowe office and is being offered at a price of $120 per 6 week session. Serenity Caregiver Coaching offers a ...

Pacific West Capital Group announced today that the company will host informational seminars on July 17 and 18 at Spin A Yarn Steakhouse in Freemont, California. Pacific West Capital Group representatives will discuss investing in the Life Settlement market. The company has specialized in the sale of beneficiary interests in life settlements to individual investors for the past eight years. The life settlement market is the secondary market for life insurance. Life settlements are an alternative to traditional investments because returns are not tied to stock market ...

The Chef's Academy (http://www.thechefsacademy.com), the Culinary Division of Harrison College, a 110-year-old, nationally accredited institution that offers 40 degree programs in five schools of study, has announced the winners of the 2012 Top Teen Talent Scholarship Competition. The competition, hosted at The Chef's Academy's campus in Indianapolis, highlights the culinary and pastry talents of high school students throughout the United States and the District of Columbia. Marcus Stryker and Kevin Wamsley Jr., both rising seniors at Warren County Career Center in Lebanon, ...

Bag Inc, a Hong Kong based online shopping portal has recently hogged the limelight for providing high quality bags and purses at affordable prices. With warehouses in Hong Kong and operating remotely from Paris, the bGlamour Limited owned and operated company, Bag Inc. has been lately acknowledged among the biggies, including Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada. Popular for creating highly trendy bags, Bag Inc charges absolutely no shipping costs, no matter whichever part of the world you live in. The company provides a wide range of bags across the whole world through its ...

MONEXgroup is proud to announce that it will be participating in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada's annual Light the Night event to help raise funds for the treatment of blood cancer, a disease that will impact almost 17,000 people across Canada in 2012. MONEXgroup has committed to raise $8000 and these funds will go towards: • Lifesaving blood cancer research; • Free educational materials and events for patients and their families; and • Local support programs. "Light the Night is an inspirational and empowering event that benefits thousands ...

The Chef's Academy (http://www.thechefsacademy.com), the Culinary Division of Harrison College, a 110-year-old, nationally accredited institution that offers 40 degree programs in five schools of study, has announced that Tippecanoe, Ind. native Marcus Ryan has won a $5,000 scholarship in the 2012 Top Teen Talent Scholarship Competition. The competition, hosted at The Chef's Academy's campus in Indianapolis, highlights the culinary and pastry talents of high school students throughout the United States and the District of Columbia. The second-place winner, Ryan will study ...

New Jersey Rethinks Marijuana Law as Tides Shift in the War on Drugs After four decades, 46 million arrests and $1.5 trillion in spending, America's "war on drugs" appears to have made little progress, according to a recent news report by The Daily Journal. The rate of drug addiction in the U.S. is holding stead today at 1.3 percent of the population, according to a quote from former New Jersey police lieutenant Jack Cole, which is the same as it was in when the war on drugs began in 1970 -- as well as nearly a century ago in 1914. Lawmakers in New Jersey ...

New Jersey Supreme Court Deliberates on Trying Juveniles as Adults The New Jersey Supreme Court is currently deliberating on a challenge to the law governing when juveniles can be charged with adult crimes in New Jersey. The outcome could affect hundreds of New Jersey teens each year. According to New Jersey law, people under the age of 18 are generally considered juveniles, but suspects ages 16 and 17 can be tried in adult criminal court if they are charged with violent offenses such as homicide or aggravated assault. Currently, the decision whether to charge an ...

Who Is Most at Risk of an Asbestos-Related Illness? Louisiana residents know how dangerous it is to come into contact with asbestos. The reality is that most people, at some point, encounter asbestos even if they do not become ill. Those who do become ill may not experience symptoms until 10 to 40 years after exposure. Direct contact with asbestos on a frequent basis increases the chance for illness. Those who work with the material or in an environment with a substantial amount of the material in the air are most at risk. Millions of Americans have been exposed ...

The Insured Still Have Options for Denied Claims Recently Anthem Blue Cross, one of California's largest health insurers, announced it would seek rate increases for many of its customers in the state. On average, the policyholders will see an increase of 8.2 percent, but some premiums could increase as much as 20 percent. Anthem has said the increased premiums and deductibles are to cover projected increased medical costs. Despite what Anthem says, many policyholders feel that the increase is unjustified. Some will seek a ballot initiative to enact reform to allow the ...

Car Technology Automatically Breathalyzes, Lets Offenders Keep Licenses Car Technology Automatically Breathalyzes, Lets Offenders Keep Licenses California requires some drivers convicted of DUI offenses to install a new technology designed to prevent drunk driving. The devices are intended to reduce the incidence of repeat drunk driving offenses. One study finds that drivers who use the device and complete a monitoring and service program are as much as 40 percent less likely to become repeat offenders. Ignition Interlock Devices Ignition interlock devices prevent ...

The travel community tripwolf celebrates its fourth birthday with a new feature in their mobile travel app for iPhone and Android: the trip planner. The trip planner is the perfect tool for travelers who can't be bothered with heavy or outdated travel books, and who want to carry their itinerary with them right in their smartphones. Alongside Offline Maps, the Augmented Reality Viewer, and continuously updated travel tips, the tripwolf travel app now also offers the option to create and save your own itinerary within the app. Download iPhone app: http://bit.ly/w0Mk7F ...

Operation: Coming Home (http://operationcominghome.com), a joint volunteer project by the Triangle Veterans Association, Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County (HBA), and Royal Oaks Building Group, among others, has announced that U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Richie Chavez will be the recipient of the nonprofit organization's fourth Hero Home, to be built in Lexington Plantation in Cameron, N.C. Chavez and his family were surprised with the announcement on Tuesday, July 3 at the Home Builders Association of Wake County, where representatives from the United States ...