National News Desk

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- EPIC (Edgewood Partners Insurance Center), a retail property, casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage, has been recognized again as a 'Best Place to Work in the Bay Area' by both the San Francisco Business Times and the San Jose / Silicon Valley Business Journal. EPIC has been similarly honored through a survey of their Bay Area team members each year since the company was founded in 2007.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Similar to any company who is about to market a new product, a personal marketing plan can cut job hunting time in half and save you money. According to the experts at The New Graduate Job Network, a personal marketing firm specializing in helping recent graduates find jobs, entering a job search with a good game plan can often mean the difference between landing your next great job and remaining unemployed after graduation.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Paul Madonna, the San Francisco-based artist and cartoonist known for his 'All Over Coffee' series, is exclusively releasing a detailed ink wash drawing through 20x200.com, the place to discover and buy art online. Titled 'Studio, All Over Coffee #392,' the limited-edition print is an up close and personal look inside the artist's studio, where he produces the beloved series of strips and other cartoons and sketches.

KIRKLAND, Wash. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Today LTC Financial Partners, LLC (LTCFP) announces the formation of a new division called Worksite Academy to help solve a critical problem for employers: maintaining productivity with an aging workforce.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Tammy Gagnon announced this week the release of her new book, 'No Longer Silent' (ISBN: 978-0-578-06895-4), an autobiography that depicts years of emotional and sexual abuse, culminating in forgiveness and rebuilding.

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Backbone Security is pleased to announce the release of Version 3.9 of the Steganography Application Fingerprint Database (SAFDB) which now contains more than 925 steganography applications.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- EPIC (Edgewood Partners Insurance Center), a retail property, casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, has added Edward J. Reidy as principal. Reidy brings 30 years of Fortune 50, Big Five professional services, early stage technology / organic food enterprise and risk management and insurance experience to the EPIC team.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- In San Bernardino County, site selection and hiring assistance programs are helping promising new businesses launch in spite of a tough economy. The County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors knows that a business-friendly environment is one of the keys to economic recovery and vitality and carefully invests funding from the Workforce Investment Act to bring more employers to the region.

AUSTIN, Texas (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Buffington Homes is the market leader for energy efficient new homes for sale in Austin TX. As of April 1, 2011, all new homes for sale in Austin built by Buffington Homes are Energy Star rated and certified by a third party inspector.

QUINCY, Mass. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Time is almost up for Massachusetts and New Hampshire residents who want a chance to win a new Nissan Altima from Quirk Automotive Group. The window to submit for contest entries in the Quirk Ultimate Altima Giveaway will end on May 1 at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time. No entries will be accepted after this deadline.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- ForeclosureWarehouse.com recently reported that in April, the top five states with more foreclosure opportunities were California, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, and Georgia. From March to April, only Florida saw a decrease at -12.07 percent in foreclosures. California foreclosures increased 4.95 percent, Colorado was up 13.98 percent, Arizona was up 11.96 percent, and Georgia was up 7.22 percent.

MIAMI, Fla. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Southeast Computer Solutions has written an add-on program, Payables Retention Management (PRM), for Sage ERP MAS 500 Spanish Edition to manage local tax requirements in Argentina.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- In response to the changes to loan originator compensation issued by the Federal Reserve Board, International Document Services (IDS), a mortgage document preparation vendor, has provided its wholesale customers with a Broker Anti-Steering Loan Option Disclosure within in the idsDoc system so that brokers can certify that they have provided the borrower with the necessary information to achieve safe harbor under the changes to Regulation Z 226.36(e).

PEABODY, Mass. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- At the beginning of the year, the BMW Group made the bold prediction that it would sell more than 1.5 million vehicles in 2011. With the first quarter now in the books, the company's prediction for a record-breaking year may be on the money. Globally, the BMW Group sold more vehicles in March than ever before, while sales at U.S. BMW dealers like BMW of Peabody rose 12.4 percent over March 2010, good for an increase of 13.6 percent for the first quarter on a year-over-year basis.

BRAINTREE, Mass. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Flashy Kia concept vehicles have become a staple at car shows around the world, sporting advanced technology and futuristic good looks that actually make it to production. From the popular Soul to the Rio, Kia's design revolution has been a sales hit for Kia dealers like Quirk Kia of Braintree, Massachusetts. Kia Soul sales in March nearly doubled and the sleek 2011 Sportage flew off the lots faster than ever before.

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Priceweaver, Inc., a secondary marketing-focused product and pricing provider, announced that it has moved its office to a larger facility. The relocation allows the company to grow and satisfy an increasing demand for its solution.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Sample Digital, the leading provider of production workflow applications, is introducing dax|Mobile with iDailies, a subscription service exclusively for Apple's iPad. The new iPad app available on the iTunes App Store is an innovative collaborative workflow tool for professional film/TV production, post-production and marketing creatives and executives who require working access 24/7 to in-progress content.

ISELIN, N.J. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- 'Renew @ The Holistic Green Expo' with over 100 'Green Earth Energy' vendors and lecturers plus 'Holistic Natural Energy' caregivers and psychics, will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 15, 2011, at the Woodbridge Hilton Hotel, presented by Meira Findel, the Holistic Accountant.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Columbus, Ohio based Compliance Packaging International Ltd. (CPI) announced today that it now offers reusable metal pallets in warehouses where wood and plastic pallets are no longer suitable. Increasingly, companies are using steel pallets to earn a strong return on investment (improve the cost per trip) and promote sustainable corporate initiatives.

OAKLAND, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Oakland Venue Management (OVM) and Inspire Productions proudly announce the grand opening of The Garden Room - Oakland's hidden gem and America's first rooftop garden constructed after WWII. Built in 1960, complete with 150,000 square feet of flowerbeds, trees, bridges, ponds, and event space, this historic garden is the ultimate green event venue.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- A&I Photographic and Digital has appointed Khodr Cherri as Director of its Fine Art Department. The move comes as the 30-year old company expands its services to cutting-edge forms of high end digital imaging while continuing its dedication to traditional photographic arts.

PEABODY, Mass. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Agents of Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) will be fighting crime in style in "Thor," thanks to Acura's partnership with Paramount Pictures and Marvel. In the movie, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents will be behind the wheel of the recently unveiled 2012 Acura TL and Acura SUVs, including some custom Acura S.H.I.E.L.D. TLs equipped with crime-busting gear you won't find at local Acura dealers like Acura of Peabody.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- After gaining years of experience in your current field, you are ready for your next challenge. ERI Personal Marketing, a firm specializing in assisting executives and professionals in their career search, knows that if you are like many executives in today's job market, your next position may very likely be one created specifically for you.

MIAMI, Fla. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- ForeclosureDataOnline reports that the state of Florida saw a decline in the number of foreclosures from 9,353 in March to 8,224 in April of this year; a 12 percent drop. Of the ten top Florida cities of foreclosures, only Jacksonville had an increase; 1.3841 percent from March to April.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- SimplyHome will announce the launch of its new product line at the Aging in America Conference in San Francisco, April 26-30 - the SimplyHome System. 'Our SimplyHome System is the first system designed and engineered with built-in cell communication to meet the needs of the aging and disabled population,' says CEO Allen Ray.

BRAINTREE, Mass. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- While most drivers study horsepower, fuel economy and sticker prices, truly savvy car buyers know that resale value is one of the biggest factors in choosing the right car. Buyers who leave Subaru dealers like Quirk Works Subaru in Braintree, Massachusetts with an Impreza WRX will be ahead of the game at trade-in time.

KIRKLAND, Wash. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Regardless of your faith, you might benefit from the following Easter-week advice: Take some of the nest eggs in your nest-egg basket and put them into another basket, one devoted to long-term care needs. Otherwise, your retirement dreams could be suddenly shattered. So says Jonas Roeser, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Operations for LTC Financial Partners LLC (LTCFP).

PASADENA, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Statewide Insurance Brokers, a leading provider of contractors insurance for general liability, workers compensation, commercial vehicle coverage and bonds, has added Oregon to the states the company is licensed to operate in.

CHICAGO, Ill. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- KnowledgeAdvisors, a provider of learning measurement software that improves the effectiveness and business impact of learning, today announced the release of its new white paper, 'Talent Development Reporting Principles: Proving Value with Consistent, Clear and Uniform Reports,' available for immediate complimentary download.

MIAMI, Fla. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- ForeclosureDeals, an online leader in the foreclosure listings and foreclosure news industry, revealed that while California foreclosures are up significantly since the beginning of the year, foreclosures in California are taking up to a year to reach the market.

YORK SPRINGS, Pa. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- A new website, Relation-ships.org, helps people to reboot their marriage. It provides useful lessons, tips, advice and most importantly - solutions. 'Marriage takes work and marriage counseling can be costly and not always effective,' says Jim Angell, owner.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- ForeclosureListings reports foreclosure home statistics and the average price of a foreclosure home in states and cities that had higher home prices entering foreclosures in the first quarter of 2011.

AUSTIN, Texas (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Dawn Westerberg, president of Dawn Westerberg Consulting LLC, will be presenting at the Information Technology Alliance (ITA) Spring Conference. She will give two presentations 'The Hub - Is Your Online House in Order,' 'How to Monetize Social Media: B2B Case Studies,' and facilitating a hands-on lab with attendees interested in learning more about Twitter.

CHICAGO, Ill. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- 'Lost In Between Dimensions - Saga II' (ISBN: 978-1-58909-731-5) by Jorge Scerba, just released by Bookstand Publishing, is an action-packed science fiction novel you don't want to miss.

WALL, N.J. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- David Walker, former Comptroller General of the United States, will team up with market commentator Peter Grandich and his Trinity Financial Sports & Entertainment Management Co. to promote The Comeback America Initiative (CAI) and No Labels - organizations, both of which Walker is a founder, aimed at helping bring America back to the common sense principles upon which our country was founded.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Sher Fertility Institute announced that it is donating free In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments at upcoming fertility education seminars on May 1 and 2, dates that fall between the conclusion of Infertility Awareness Week (April 24-30th) and Mother's Day on May 8.

SCHWENKSVILLE, Pa. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Millennium Administrators, Inc., a pharmacy benefits administrator, has signed a contract with the County of Middlesex, NJ to provide stand-alone pharmacy benefit services for County employees and their dependents. Millennium is providing administrative oversight for the stand-alone pharmacy benefit program, including cost containment initiatives, claim audits and administrative services to enhance cost saving initiatives at the County.

BUFFALO, N.Y., April 15 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Whether one is mountain climbing in Spain, paragliding in Switzerland or at a family gathering the Quik Pod Mobile, developed by Fromm Works, allows the photographer to be included and properly centered in photos and videos taken on an iPhone or other smartphones.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- In order for an interview to turn into a good offer, SET Personal Marketing, a firm specializing in helping professionals find work or change careers, advises that it should be far more than just a question-and-answer session. One strategy Robert J. Gerberg, Chairman of SET Personal Marketing, suggests is to develop a positive chemistry right at the start.

PEABODY, Mass. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Land Rover has been named the most-improved luxury brand in Automotive Leasing Group's (ALG) Spring 2011 Perceived Quality Study (PQS). While Land Rover vehicles have traditionally been praised for their off-road prowess, ALG found that the brand had gained traction in luxury circles from an increase in popularity of the 2011 Range Rover Sport, currently at Land Rover Peabody, and strong consumer interest in the upcoming, fuel-efficient Range Rover Evoque.

WHITTIER, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Marinello Schools of Beauty, the leading West Coast beauty school, is proud to present the American Red Cross with $25,000 to help rebuild Japan after the devastating earthquake and tsunami. The funds are a result of a company wide Cut-A-Thon fundraiser, which took place March 29 - April 2.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Despite the recent climb in oil prices, RV travel is expected to reach record levels this year, according to Florida RV rental dealer Allstar Coaches. 'It's common for us to see a spike in sales during the summer, however this year we're seeing dramatic increases in bookings all the way through December and into 2012,' said CEO Rob Tischler.

KIRKLAND, Wash. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- On April 3 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the '3 in 4 Need More' campaign - run by the 3in4 Association - made its second public appearance, following the first in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 8. This month's appearance took place during the 2011 LTCi Producers Summit, run by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI).

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Del Mar DataTrac (DMD), the leading provider of affordable mortgage lending automation solutions, and an industry pioneer in business intelligence, paperless lending, and loan process workflow tools, has named John Aslanian vice president of sales. Aslanian has been DMD's director of sales since 2007.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- California InterContinental University (CalUniversity), a leading distance-learning educational institution, was proud to be represented by Dr. Stacy Barnes at the 85th Annual Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) Conference last week in Williamsburg, Virginia.

AUSTIN, Texas (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Buffington Homes, leading Central Texas home builders and Austin custom builders for over forty years, is excited to announce the release of their Capital Series homes in Silver Leaf.

HOUSTON, Texas (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- In an online promotion running from April 15th through July 15th, 2011, Whiteflash is asking their avid followers and loyal customers to become friends and win BIG glittery prizes by 'friending' them through the brand's popular Facebook page.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Wholesale Trading Co-Op Insurance Services, LLC (WTCI) announced today that wholesale binding authority/program industry veteran, Julie Sylim-Uang, CPCU, has joined the firm as vice president/commercial accounts.

ATLANTA, Ga. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Helene Lollis, president of Pathbuilders, was a featured subject-matter expert at The Wall Street Journal's Women In The Economy Task Force April 4-6. The event brought together more than 150 CEOs, industry leaders, policy makers and subject-matter experts for an interactive working session to build strategies for growing the pipeline of female talent.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- 'The Beat Hotel,' the non-fiction book by Barry Miles (ISBN: 978-1903809587, Grove, 2000), about American Beat Era icons creating groundbreaking art, literature and lifestyles in a legendary hotel in Paris, 1957-1963, has been optioned by producer Pamela Dickerson for development as a narrative feature film. Pamela has teamed with Rex Weiner, a journalist and playwright, to co-produce and develop the property.

PEABODY, Mass. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The Lyon-Waugh family of New Hampshire and Massachusetts auto dealers is proud to announce that it will be a Gold Sponsor of The Katie Lynch Purple Shoes Challenge and Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon & 5k for the third consecutive year. A team of 25 Lyon-Waugh employees and their friends will also be running in the event, which begins at 7:30 a.m. on May 15, 2011, at Newton South High School.

DALLAS, Texas (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Foundation today announced plans for the ninth-annual NCLB Golf Classic, benefiting St. Anthony School and Community Center. Dallas-area golfers are encouraged to join the tournament to help make a difference for this South Dallas charter school, which provides top-notch education for underprivileged students.

PATTERSON, N.Y. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- JMT Consulting Group announced today a special Solution Spotlight track for nonprofit organizations attending JMT's annual conference INNOVATE 2011. One of the Solution Spotlight sessions will be 'Saving Money for Nonprofits Through Hosted Solutions.'

OWENSBORO, Ky. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Moonlite Bar-B-Q has done it again. For the second year in a row, Kentucky Living Magazine readers voted and made their voices heard - Moonlite has the best barbecue in Kentucky.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- RobotDough Software Corporation has been selected to unveil its new online stock market analytical toolset at FinovateSpring 2011, the high-profile banking technology conference, on, May 11, 2011 in San Francisco. FinovateSpring is designed to showcase the most innovative new financial technology products and ideas from established industry leaders, as well as cutting-edge innovators like RobotDough.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- It's one of the most creative forms of car advertising - Hijack Advertising. And, Take1ifyoudare.com, the brains behind the concept, is offering free gas to people who let them use their cars to show it off.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- EASEUS Software, the innovative and dedicated data recovery software provider, today releases its new version of data recovery software - EASEUS Data Recovery Wizard 5.5.1. This new version adds a few features like specifying file types before file recovery and saving searching results for continuous recovery to make data recovery more easily and quickly.

HOUSTON, Texas (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Sharewell Energy Services, a division of Sharewell L.P., announced today that it just completed the drilling of a well in the Rocky Mountain area with its proprietary Electro-Magnetic Measurement While Drilling System (EM MWD) (Electro-Trac™) to a depth in excess of thirteen thousand feet (13,000 feet). This is a record depth for Sharewell's state-of-the-art EM MWD technology.

NASHUA, N.H. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Porsche of Nashua is proud to announce that customers can now find the most dependable vehicle available in North America on its lot. J.D. Power and Associates has named the Porsche 911 sports coupe as the most dependable vehicle on the road in the 2011 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS).

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Counsellors Title Agency, Inc. announces that Carmine P. Giordano, a licensed title producer with 40 years of title experience, is joining its Toms River, New Jersey headquarters.

MIAMI, Fla. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Southeast Computer Solutions (SCS), a Sage Select Business Partner, has announced that Mauricio Ramirez and Loren Agrenot have joined the SCS team as a Sage ERP MAS 500 Implementer and Sage ERP MAS 500 Support Representative respectively and will serve SCS Sage ERP MAS 500 customers in Latin America.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday, April 16th, 2011, nearly 700 middle and high school students, teachers, volunteers, parents, and community leaders from around the Bay Area will convene at San Francisco State University to participate in The Ninth Annual World Affairs Challenge™, hosted by global education non-profit World Savvy in partnership with San Francisco State University's College of Education.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- 'Nine Days that Changed the World,' hosted by Newt and Callista Gingrich, and produced by Citizens United Productions in association with Gingrich Productions and Peace River Company, has been awarded a Gold Special Jury Remi Award for Best Documentary at the 2011 WorldFest-Houston Independent International Film Festival.