luxury webblog
Just another WordPress weblog
Hagerstown Woman Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison
Aug 31st
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland issued the following news release:,necklaces
U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Olusola Idowu, age 57, of Hagerstown, Maryland, today to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud, making false statements in a bankruptcy proceeding, filing a false tax return and failing to file a corporate tax return. Judge Garbis also entered an order requiring Idowu to pay restitution of $425,000.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Sparkman of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
"Today’s sentencing of Olusola Idowu emphasizes the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who use fraudulent methods in an attempt to corrupt our Nation’s tax system," stated Rebecca Sparkman, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge,Charm pendant, Washington DC Field Office. "Honest taxpayers have been reassured today that no one is above the law especially when the integrity of tax administration is at stake."
Idowu was the owner and president of SSS Nutrition & Dietetic Care Services (SSS Nutrition). SSS Nutrition was a health care services company specializing in the "Optifast" weight management program. According to testimony at her five day trial, between November 2003 and December 2008, Idowu made false representations to financial companies in order to obtain mortgages and loans and lied to, and concealed information from, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in relation to her Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition.
According to trial evidence, on November 7, 2003, Idowu filed a voluntary Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Petition in United States Bankruptcy Court in Maryland, then on May 17, 2004, Idowu requested the dismissal of her bankruptcy petition, which was granted by the bankruptcy court on May 18, 2004. Witnesses testified that on June 17, 2004, Idowu received a $400,000 loan from Option One Mortgage for the purchase of a residence at 11047 Sani Lane in Hagerstown, which falsely represented that her son was employed as a nutritionist at SSS Nutrition, had five years experience, earned $10,000 per month, and had $100,000 in a bank account. On that same date, evidence showed that Idowu obtained two bridge loans from Hyattsville Properties, LLC; in the amount of $85,000 and $50,000. On September 9, 2004, Idowu obtained another $14,000 loan from Hyattsville Properties, LLC and on August 26, 2005, Idowu obtained a loan for $50,000 with Hyattsville Properties, LLC.
Testimony showed that on June 29, 2004, Idowu sought and obtained an order vacating the May 18, 2004 order dismissing the bankruptcy petition. On September 30, 2004, Idowu falsely testified in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland that she filed tax returns on behalf of her business for tax years 2001through 2003 with the Internal Revenue Service,pendants, when in fact, she had not filed corporate tax returns for those years.
Evidence presented at trial showed that on January 19, 2005, Idowu obtained a $512,550 loan from Long Beach Mortgage for the refinancing of the property at 11047 Sani Lane, falsely representing on the refinancing loan documents that her son was employed as a nutritionist at SSS Nutrition,bracelets, had five years experience, earned $11,120 per month, and had $138,000 in a bank account.
According to evidence presented at trial, on June 14, 2006, Idowu filed her 2005 federal individual income tax return, falsely claiming her son as her dependent and reporting a total income of $19,000, when in fact, evidence showed that her income was substantially more than that.
United States Attorney Rosenstein thanked the Greenbelt Office of the United States Trustee Program, the Department of Justice agency that supervises bankruptcy cases and trustees, for its assistance in this investigation and prosecution.
The Maryland Mortgage Fraud Task Force was established to unify the agencies that regulate and investigate mortgage fraud and promote the early detection, identification, prevention and prosecution of mortgage fraud schemes. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Task Force, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protect consumers from fraud and promote the integrity of the credit markets. Information about mortgage fraud prosecutions is available http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/Mortgage-Fraud/index.html.
This law enforcement action is part of President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources. The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch,Charm bracelet, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys Peter M. Nothstein and Bonnie S. Greenberg, who prosecuted the case.
Fans welcome back Backstreet Boys
Aug 29th
For the first time in five years, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and AJ McLean brought Backstreet back to the ‘Burgh with the "This Is Us" tour.
The Wednesday evening concert at the Trib Amphitheatre at Station Square marked the first time the band performed here without eldest member Kevin Richardson, who left the group in 2006 to start a family.
The concert’s turnout and venue also were much different from those in the early 2000s. Gone are the hordes of screaming teenage girls filling 20,000-plus capacity arenas, such as when the band’s singles dominated airwaves and topped the countdown of MTV’s now-defunct "Total Request Live." Wednesday’s show brought out children, younger adults and senior citizens — male and female — to the modest-sized,bangles, more simplistic outdoor space, with its folding chairs, asphalt surface and carnival-like food vendors.
Pop singer and Pittsburgh-native Tino Coury opened the show at 7 p.m. with a six-song set. Highlights included the upbeat "Boys Lie" and "Diary," which brought audience members to their feet. He showed off his guitar skills during the slower "Memory."
A lengthy lull followed but fans forgot about the wait and the weather after Mr. Littrell’s 7-year-old son, Baylee, took the stage to introduce his father and his band mates,Charm bracelet, who kicked off the roughly two-hour performance with the classic "Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)."
More old-school Backstreet tunes followed including "We’ve Got It Goin’ On," "Quit Playing Games With My Heart" and "I’ll Never Break Your Heart" from the debut album; "I Want It That Way" from the "Millennium" album; and "The Call" and "Shape of My Heart" from 2000′s "Black and Blue." Fans danced and sang along to the older songs, but many sat in silence during the newer ones, from the group’s latest album, "This Is Us," which dropped last fall.
Time has treated BSB well. The vocals were strong,pendants, and the choreography just as energetic and precise as in past tours. Many songs were colored with hip-hop moves,watches, while ballads often featured more Temptations-style routines with the boys remaining stationary except for some hand gestures or tilts of microphone stands. Four women accompanied the group in some dance numbers.
A surprise of the evening came when the group did not perform the traditional choreography for "Everybody" and "All I Have to Give." These routines grew popular from each song’s music video and previous tours. For many longtime Backstreet fans, the dance steps to these songs are as familiar as the moves to the "YMCA" or the "Macarena," so not seeing them was a bit disappointing.
BSB made up for the omission with its rendition of "Larger Than Life" — arguably a pinnacle of the performance. The group brought the song’s futuristic music video to the stage when it performed its original choreography and wore black-and-silver sequined space-like jumpsuits and vests,tiffany, reminiscent of those in the video.
The group sported a variety of looks throughout the show ranging from upscale casual vests, dress shirts and fedoras to hipper sequined zip-up jackets, graphic tees and jeans. Short films featuring band members making cameos in movies such as "Fast and Furious" and "Enchanted" passed the time during costume changes.
The boys also did not address the audience as much as in previous tours. The only real talk came from Mr. Littrell early on in the show when he welcomed everybody. But the group was not short on thanks for its fans. "We couldn’t have been the Backstreet Boys for 171/2 years without beautiful people like you," Mr. Littrell told the crowd.
Sara Bauknecht: sbauknecht@post-gazette.com.
Friends, family remember girl who died in fire
Aug 28th
The photos flashed slowly on the screen.
Rachel, smiling, in a tiara.
Rachel, smiling,earrings, dressed in a polka-dot dress.
Rachel, smiling, clad in blue overalls and lounging on a chair.
Rachel, always smiling.
Those who remember 12-year-old Rachel Marie Cusick, who died Aug. 21 after a fire at her Dickson City home, immediately mention her smile.
"Oh, dear God, she’s such a precious little girl," said Marc Luciano of Clarks Summit. He knows the Cusick family from the Crown Flea Market in Eynon, where they had neighboring stores.
Mr. Luciano was just one of the many mourners who came to pay their respects at Rachel’s viewing Friday at Kearney Funeral Home Inc.,Bead bracelet, where the line stretched out the front door. He’s known Rachel about a year and was most struck by "her kindness and her beautiful, infectious smile."
"She was such a sweetheart," Mr. Luciano said. "I’m so heartbroken, I can barely even talk about it."
Surrounded by displays of flowers and three flickering tea lights was a framed photo of Rachel cradling her miniature Chihuahua,Beads necklace, Chloe.
Of course, Rachel was smiling.
Mr. Luciano flips open his cell phone to reveal a photo of his miniature Chihuahua, Clio, Chloe’s littermate. The two dogs would sometimes play together at the Eynon Flea Fair.
Friday’s viewing had subtle nods toward a young girl whose life ended much too soon. The daughter of Patrick and Laurie Schuler Cusick, Rachel would have celebrated her 13th birthday on Sept. 30.
Flower displays were decorated with pink blossoms and pink ribbons. A butterfly replica was perched among the petals of another display. The photo montage played on a continuous loop, to the song "Wind Beneath My Wings." At the end of the montage, the words "forever in our hearts" flashed on the screen.
"I was annihilated," Mr. Luciano said of hearing the news about Rachel. "I was so devastated. I mean,bracelets, it’s a tragedy."
As of Friday evening, Mrs. Cusick,pendants, 40, and daughter Amanda, 6, were still in critical condition at Lehigh Valley Hospital from the fire that broke out along the family’s 611 Dundaff St. home.
Mr. Cusick and son, C.J. Crespo, 16, suffered lesser injuries and were released from Scranton hospitals. A state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
Eleanore Huddy lives on Lackawanna Avenue in Olyphant, beside Rachel’s mother’s business, Lollipop Lane.
"I can’t tell you how close the family was," Ms. Huddy said. "If you saw Rachel smiling, that’s just the way she was."
Father Richard Burke of St. Ann’s Basilica came to pay his respects Friday. Rachel’s grandparents Bill and Peg Cusick are volunteers and ministers at St. Ann’s.
"That’s all that Bill and Peg talk about, the children and grandchildren," Father Burke said.
They undoubtedly told a few stories about Rachel, always smiling.
Contact the writer: mreiter@timesshamrock.com
Credit: The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
Treasury Announces End of Global Engagement Tour o
Aug 24th
News from America.com and the Washington File,tiffany
U.S. Department of the Treasury,pendants, Press Release, Washington, DC, August 20, 2010
Treasury Concludes Three Weeks of Global Engagement with Governments, Private Sector on Iran
Levey, Cohen, Glaser Wrap Up Eight Country Tour; Urge Robust Worldwide Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1929, Outline Financial Provisions of New U.S. Legislation on Iran
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced the conclusion of three weeks of face-to-face global engagement on Iran with governments and the private sectors in Bahrain, Brazil, Ecuador, Japan, Lebanon,money clips, South Korea, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) led by Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Stuart Levey; Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing, David Cohen; and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, Daniel Glaser. Treasury’s leading officials on U.S. sanctions crisscrossed the globe this month, meeting with senior government officials to urge U.S. partners and allies to take bold steps to ensure rigorous, comprehensive implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1929 to bolster the impact of the Resolution and additional measures imposed by the United States, European Union and others in recent weeks. Treasury also briefed government officials and banking sector leaders on the financial provisions of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act (CISADA) and the new Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations (IFSR) issued this month by Treasury.
Focusing on key financial and commercial centers across the globe, Levey,Charm pendant, Cohen and Glaser traveled to Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to strengthen sanctions efforts and underscore the importance of strong implementation of UNSCR 1929. They were joined by State Department and White House officials to implement the President’s direction to apply targeted financial pressure to deny Iran’s access to the international financial system and further sharpen the choice for Iran. In meetings with senior government officials, bank regulators and banking sector leaders, Treasury officials highlighted the impact that the latest round of sanctions have already begun to have on Iran’s economy – including the Government of Iran’s inability to attract foreign investment, develop its oil and gas fields, acquire financial services and maintain financial relationships with the international community — and making the case for concerted action to persuade the Government of Iran to change its behavior.
"As international pressure mounts and its economic isolation increases, Iran will attempt to seek out new channels to access the international financial system for illicit purposes," said Levey. "It is incumbent upon governments to put into place the appropriate mechanisms to protect against this threat. The U.S. will continue its outreach to governments and the private sector around the world to prevent Iran from exploiting new banks and unwitting partners in furthering its nuclear and missile programs."
During their travels, Treasury officials briefed regulators and members of the banking sector on the financial provisions of CISADA and outlined the potential for foreign financial institutions continuing to do business with individuals or entities designated by the United States to lose access the U.S. financial system. At roundtable discussions with banking associations, Treasury continued its dialogue with the private sector on the need for enhanced vigilance with respect to Iran’s continued efforts to engage in a range of deceptive measures to conduct illicit transactions and evade sanctions. U.S. officials also highlighted the need for intense scrutiny from both regulators and financial institutions of all transactions involving Iran to combat attempts by Iran to establish new and expand existing financial relationships as sanctions tighten.
Back-to-school clothing budgets mean saving on sup
Aug 21st
Parents and guardians equipping their children for the upcoming school year say they look for deals on supplies to save extra money for new clothes.
With schools around the region opening their doors within the next few weeks, parents and children are hitting the stores and combing the shelves for the needed gear.
Students from elementary school through high school say new articles of clothing that meet current style standards are just as crucial as new pencils and paper. For parents, that means hundreds of dollars in additional spending this time of year.
"The clothes — that’s what kills you," said Kirsten Edler, a mother of four from Maryland visiting family in Portsmouth. She said that when one of her children wants a certain brand,tiffany, anything else is inadequate.
On Sunday, she was at Walmart in Rochester with daughters Hannah, 17, and Isabella, 14, to pick up some school supplies. Edler also has two sons: Ian, a first-grader, and Nicholas, a 19-year-old college sophomore. Surprisingly, she said it is more expensive to supply an elementary school student with the needed gear than it is to buy what her other children need.
Once they are old enough to work, she expects them to buy most of their own new clothes. Her college-aged son is pretty much set with his Macbook, she said,pendants, but she has to buy for her younger son paper, pencils, markers, glue, a backpack, composition books and more.
To save money, she goes through newspaper advertisements to see what’s on sale each week. For a store like Walmart that she visits regularly, she said she can hold off on buying certain items until they go on sale. There was a $4 pack of colored pencils in the store Sunday, but she refused to buy them, knowing they will be on sale later on.
"I will wait for a week because it’s a store I frequent anyway," she said.
Sophomore Isabella said she is not picky about supplies and like other high school students likes to have a little fun with them. She purchased a folder with Toy Story characters on it, and said other girls in school like things with Disney princesses on them.
"I just like to play around a little," she said.
The girls said the "Indie" clothing style is fashionable — plaids, bright colors, retro graphic T-shirts and sun dresses.
At Journeys in Newington’s Fox Run Mall, store employee Chris Musk said Vans, Converse, Osiris and Sperry Top-Siders are the hot brands right now. The top-siders are boating shoes, while the others come in diverse colors and funky designs.
"Colors attract the younger crowd," Musk said, noting it is interesting the brands and styles from decades ago "are still relevant today."
Rachel Feniger, 16, from Hampton, was in the shoe store Sunday trying on gray Vans and pink Converse All-Stars. She could not decide between them and picked them both, saying she was not concerned with saving money.
"They’re shoes that match a lot of stuff," she said.
However, she passed on a pair of pink striped socks that glow in the dark.
At the Macy’s in Fox Run Mall, a mother and daughter from Portland, Maine, came down Sunday to find sales and escape Maine’s sales tax. Linda Olore and her 8-year-old daughter, Sophia, who is entering the third grade, found good deals on a gray dress, pink plaid skirt with matching knee-high socks and a neon green pair of shorts.
"My fashion sense is anything very bright, bold or unique that has its own personality," Sophia said.
Olore said she lets Sophia pick out what she wants to wear as long as it is appropriate. Concerning herself with her daughter’s style is not too important because "there’s bigger fish to fry," she said.
The Olores are fortunate in that Sophia’s school district does not send home a list of required supplies. Usually during the year, the district will ask for some donations, Olore said.
Like others interviewed, Olore said she will look in newspaper inserts for sales on school supplies at Walmart or Target.
At the Somersworth Walmart, Kaylie Sabo, 13, an incoming eighth-grader at Barrington Middle School, and her grandmother, Claire Sabo, looked to buy all the supplies Kaylie’s school district asked her to get.
Since Walmart carries notebooks, dividers, binders,tiffany, pencil sharpeners, white out, calculators and pens and pencils at low prices, it is the most convenient place to shop for back-to-school, Sabo said. Any savings are a help since Kaylie estimated it cost hundreds to buy her new wardrobe as she likes the styles offered at retailers like Hollister and American Eagle.
"And I’m not done yet,necklaces," she said.
Tax-free weekend for school supplies, other items
Aug 17th
The countdown is on for the 12th annual back-to-school sales tax holiday, a chance for parents to nail an automatic discount on select clothing and school supplies that starts at 12:01 Friday morning.
And keeping $8 in your pocket for every $100 you spend is nothing to sneeze at — even if the taxable items list includes handkerchiefs.
"It’s the busiest weekend of the year," said Beth Bridges,tiffany, senior marketing manager at South Plains Mall. "The stores are looking great, and there’s a lot of new merchandise."
The big style item for girls heading back to school this fall is "jeggings," which Bridges described as leggings styled to look like jeans.
But, she added, there are plenty of stores offering traditional jeans and other back-to-school clothes.
In addition, an increasing number of stores are offering uniform-style clothes for families with children in some of the Hub City’s private schools.
The mall will have extended hours for the weekend,Beads necklace, open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 22.
Among the mall’s anchor stores, JC Penney will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday,pendants, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Dillard’s will open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 22.
The 72-hour reprieve from sales taxes will expire at midnight Aug. 22 and applies not only to brick-and-mortar retailers but to Internet and catalog sellers doing business in Texas.
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs estimated that shoppers statewide will save more than $59 million on purchases over the weekend.
Clothing and footwear priced at less than $100 is eligible for the break.
And the state has several special purchasing rules to keep in mind.
– Tax-exempt items already on layaway qualify for the break if the buyer pays off the layaway balance during the weekend.
– Special order items to be delivered after the holiday ends also qualify if the customer pays the bill in full before midnight Aug. 22.
– Prepackaged combination sets or kits that are made up primarily of tax-exempt items are eligible for the break.
– Backpacks only qualify if they have straps allowing them to be carried on the user’s back. Messenger bags are also tax-exempt. Bags that could be defined as luggage, such as brief cases,Charm pendant, gym bags, purses or backpacks mounted on frames, are not eligible.
– Shoppers buying more than 10 backpacks must present a certificate stating the backpacks will be used by elementary or secondary students.
– Purchasers using a business account — business credit card or business check — to buy school supplies must also provide an exemption certificate stating the items will be used by an elementary or secondary school student.
To comment on this story:
walt.nett@lubbockonline.com –766-8744
james.ricketts@lubbockonline.com –766-8706
Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Structural renovations at OHS almost finished
Aug 16th
Most of the structural work on Ogden High School is finished, and now workers face the long task of making the interior look like a school again.
A new roof has been put on the theater, installed in one marathon session starting last Tuesday right before midnight and ending at 2 a.m. Thursday, said Tim Sobotka, Hughes Construction project superintendent.
It is one of the many upgrades being made from a $95.3 million bond for Ogden School District, passed in 2006. In addition to the bond, the Ogden School Foundation has raised $7.2 million of its $9 million goal for historic preservation and restoration.
Construction workers are pushing hard to get as much done as possible before school starts later this month.
"We just do it,pendants," Sobotka said. "We just go. Summer is the best time for us."
Sobotka said the structural upgrades are almost complete and now it is largely the interior that needs to be finished.
In addition to seismic upgrades and other improvements, he said, access for those with disabilities will be much better.
Some windows also have been replaced, which Sobotka said makes a big difference in the temperature of the classrooms. Finding windows that looked like the old ones, while still meeting the needs of the upgrade,tiffany, was a challenge for the foundation, said Janis Vause, executive director of the Ogden School Foundation.
"They look just like the old bank of windows," Vause said after seeing them in the school.
While it has been a challenge to work in a historic school, that’s also been part of the fun, Sobotka said.
"After this project, a lot of the projects that follow will seem a little mundane," he said. "How often do you find a high school with marble in the bathrooms?"
Vause said the amount of money they’ve raised during a recession shows how much the community cares about Ogden High and education.
Donna Corby,key rings, Ogden School District spokeswoman, agrees, saying, "It’s funny that it (the school) was built in the Depression. Now we’re doing it again in a recession. It just shows this commitment.
"I don’t know what it is about this community, but that’s a commitment to education."
Vause said the preservation is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy to the community.
She knows historic preservation is more expensive than demolishing would have been, so she is happy that private donors have stepped up to help fund it.
For Vause,bracelets, seeing the details begin to come together to create a hybrid of old and new is the most rewarding part of the project.
Consumers may be surprised to learn what is in the
Aug 16th
In ancient Egypt, minerals were used to enhance features and to provide a little color, while the Romans used oil-based perfumes to scent their bath water. But cosmetics since that time have evolved with a growing list of ingredients and an increasing potential for irritation.
But who is checking into the safety of cosmetics?
One issue that has gotten attention is lead in lipstick. As a result, the Food and Drug administration created a standard test that found 0.09 ppm to 3.06 ppm of lead in the lipsticks tested. The standard test is now used when there is a question about lead levels in lipstick.
You might be surprised at the chemicals found in cosmetics and their potential dangers. The Environmental Working Group provides a safety guide to cosmetics and ranks beauty products by the potential hazards. Visitors to the group’s website can search by product or brand and learn about the chemicals used and their possible side effects.
The group’s Campaign for Safe Cosmetics co-produced a seven-minute video about the dangers of cosmetics. The video, which was released July 21, points out the lack of oversight into what chemicals are used in makeup and other beauty products.
But the video is not without its detractors.
The Personal Care Products Council released a statement by spokeswoman Kathleen Dezio, who said the "’shockumentary-genre’ video bears no relationship to the ‘real’ story of cosmetics."
"This video is an unfortunate attempt to generate fear about an alleged public health risk from cosmetics that is unwarranted. It is repugnant to suggest that cosmetic companies would manufacture, and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration would allow them to market, products that are dangerous or contain toxins that cause cancer or any other disease.
It is absurd to suggest that the men and women in our industry would market products that could cause harm to themselves and their families," Dezio’s statement read.
The same day the video was released, a bill was introduced in Congress to increase oversight on ingredients for cosmetics. Three members of Congress introduced the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 (HR 5786), which seeks to close loopholes in federal law that allow companies to use virtually any ingredient in cosmetic and personal care products — even chemicals that are known to damage human health and the environment.
According to a press release by Illinois congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, one of the bill’s sponsors,money clips, the $50 billion cosmetic industry uses 12,500 unique chemical ingredients. Many have never been assessed.
So what’s a plain-faced girl to do? Looking at cosmetic labels may be a good start.
At Les Champs Elysees Day Spa and Salon on North College Avenue, customers can find Aveda products. Owner Margaretet Nowak said customers come to the salon for Aveda’s more natural products.
The company has become well-known for using natural ingredients and for reformulating some of its products to remove parabens, chemicals used as preservatives in some cosmetic products.
Although the FDA has not yet raised a red flag on paraben in cosmetics, it has acknowledged that "although parabens can act similarly to estrogen,pendants, they have been shown to have much less estrogenic activity than the body’s naturally occurring estrogen," according to the FDA’s website.
Disque said she’s aware that customers are now more concerned about what is in their makeup, hair care and body products. When people have their hair shampooed, she said the stylists can sometimes smell plastic residue from what clients are using to shampoo their hair. Once customers make a switch to something organic, the difference is clear, she said, including how much product they need to use.
"We get tons of people that come in and say "I can’t believe how little I need to use of the product,’" Disque said.
Esthetician Jacqueline Simpson said she often works with clients who have acne. She said she can always tell when someone is using a harsh,Beads necklace, heavily formulated skin care line. She said many acne care systems contain more than one harsh chemical that dry out the skin.
Simpson knows the customers often will look to commercials to find a product, but she recommends people research products before buying to make sure the ingredients are safe.
"People are too trusting,rings," she said.
Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation Announces PGA
Aug 15th
The "Michelle Obama effect" continued to grow interest and support for efforts to curb obesity as the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF ) announced today that The PGA of America has become the Foundation’s 100th member.
The HWCF reported that due to the First Lady’s personal leadership and her "Let’s Move!" campaign, public awareness concerning the problem of childhood obesity is at an all-time high. "Let’s Move!" has created a first-of-its-kind focus and synergy throughout the country as companies, non-profits and sports organizations join together to collaborate and expand the reach of the energy balance message.
"We are extraordinarily pleased to announce The PGA of America as the 100th partner of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation," said David Mackay, chair of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and CEO of Kellogg Company. "Our commitment and dedication to reduce childhood obesity aligns well with The PGA’s many programs, such as the recently announced ‘Let’s Move On Course.’ We are delighted to team with them as we work collaboratively in the fight against obesity."
The PGA’s "ad hoc" league of junior programs, conducted by the 41 nationwide Sections and grass roots PGA Professionals throughout the country, is the sport’s largest outreach to juniors. In 2009, PGA Professionals hosted more than 38,000 junior camps nationwide with more than 550,000 kids participating. The PGA announced earlier this year it would use this network to help support the "Let’s Move!" initiative.
"Golf is a great way for families to get outside,earrings, walk a beautiful golf course and make fitness fun,Beads necklace," said PGA of America President Jim Remy. "The PGA of America wants juniors and their families to recognize the health benefits associated with walking the course when they play. We’re delighted to be joining the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation as another way to support the First Lady’s mission to reduce childhood obesity."
The PGA has demonstrated its commitment to promote physical fitness nationwide through its "Play Golf America" campaign, aimed at increasing participation among new and existing golfers and growing the number of people who play the game. The PGA’s Family Golf Month, conducted in July,tiffany, features golf courses which offer a series of programs to learn and play golf as a family. These programs, such as Family Golf Clinics, Family Golf Days and Kids Play Free aim to make golf accessible and affordable for everyone.
The PGA of America’s decision to join the HWCF is a natural extension of its commitment to health and fitness. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh determined the total caloric expenditure for a round of golf (18-holes) is approximately 2,000 calories for walking and carrying clubs. Walking 18 holes can also meet the daily recommendation of 10,pendants,000 steps (five miles). Health and fitness experts advocate that taking 10,000 steps per day will improve overall fitness and help control weight gain.
About The PGA of America
Since 1916, The PGA of America’s mission has been twofold; to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, the Association enables PGA Professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry.
By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable golf promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, The PGA of America elevates the public’s interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.
The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation is a first-of-its kind coalition that brings together 100 retailers, food and beverage manufacturers, sporting goods and insurance companies, restaurants, trade associations and NGOs, and now its first professional sports association. The Foundation focuses on activities in the schools, the workplace and the marketplace to promote healthy weight among Americans by balancing the energy they consume with the energy they expend through physical activity.
Tickets on sale for Performing Arts Series with fi
Aug 12th
World-class performers at down-the-street prices — is it any wonder the Clover School District Auditorium Performing Arts Series is growing?
The annual performance series is now taking subscriptions and selling single-event tickets for its ninth season, which begins Sept. 9. Featured this year are everything from military jazz and ventriloquism to family magic, tribute artists and show tunes.
"It’s good," program director David Yandle said of the series, "and it’s been really good for the area."
In its first year, the series drew about 125 subscriptions, or season tickets to the shows. Last year that number grew to more than 700.
"We’re getting people from Gastonia, Lake Wylie, Tega Cay, Rock Hill," Yandle said. "We’re getting people from everywhere now."
The list of international, national and regional artists includes new and returning acts. The most expensive ticket is $15, ranging all the way down to the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors and child tickets for the Tarradiddle Players — both free.
For series technical director Rick Hamrick, choosing a favorite act from the lineup may be difficult.
"Kathy Mattea’s concerts are always great," he said of the Oct. 2 show. "We look forward to having her return this year. Alex Depue and Miguel De Hoyos will be outstanding."
Annual staples should be a big draw, Yandle said, like the tradition of bringing in a top flight military band. The Jazz Ambassadors play Oct. 16.
"We have all the military bands," Yandle said. "We’re batting a thousand on that. You can’t beat the military bands."
On March 29, a Patsy Cline tribute comes from Katie Deal. On Feb. 8, the "Iron Man of the Mask,Atlas charm bracelet," Franc D’Ambrosio, will perform from his extensive career, which included a decade as the lead in "Phantom of the Opera." For Yandle and Hamrick, the success of past series help bring in such stellar artists.
"We have continued to increase our subscriber base since our first season," Hamrick said. "The artists have commented on the size and enthusiastic response from our audiences."
The series also benefits from grants from the Southern Arts Federation and South Carolina Arts Commission, which help with artist fees, and provide Arts in Education opportunities involving artists and students. Those grants help keep the subscription cost in the 1,500-seat auditorium to $40 for nine shows.
"David and I feel that the arts series is an asset to the community, and we are fortunate to be able to present these shows with the support of the Clover School District and the community," Hamrick said.
For more information about the series or for tickets, call 803-222-8018 or visit clover2.k12.sc.us.
The shows
Lynn Trefzger, 7 p.m. Sept. 9, $15
Trefzger is a ventriloquist/comedienne with a trunk full of zany characters that have accompanied her to stages throughout the country. Her vocal illusions were first brought to national audiences on TV’s popular "Star Search." Since then she has shared the stage with artists including Jeff Foxworthy, Ray Romano, the Smothers Brothers and Drew Carey. She has appeared on ABC, TNN, A&E, VH1 and Lifetime television, along with the 2009 feature film "I’m No Dummy" with Jeff Dunham and Jay Johnson.
Kathy Mattea, 8 p.m. Oct. 2, $15
Mattea, the beloved Grammy-winning singer of such classics as "18 Wheels And A Dozen Roses" and "Where Have You Been" says her new album offered her a "re-education" in singing. That album, "COAL,pendants," is one of those rare records that is a re-education for the listener, too, a record that reshapes the way we think about music, reminding us of why we love it in the first place.
United States Army Jazz Ambassadors, 8 p.m. Oct. 16, free (ticket required)
The Jazz Ambassadors is the United States Army’s premier big band. This 19-member ensemble, formed in 1969, has received great acclaim both at home and abroad performing America’s original art form, jazz. Concerts by the Ambassadors are designed to entertain all types of audiences. Custom compositions and arrangements highlight the group’s creative talent and gifted soloists. Their diverse repertoire includes big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, vocals and patriotic selections.
DePue & De Hoyos, 8 p.m. Nov. 16, $15
Alex Depue began taking classical violin lessons at age 5. He won his first major competition at age 10, and at 16, he won a competition that allowed him to play at Carnegie Hall. Miguel De Hoyos performed his first solo concert when he was 16. He has performed with La Guitarra Por El Mundo traveling throughout Mexico and Europe on a cultural exchange program. This duo’s music is a jaw-dropping tour de force of Latin, classic rock and show tunes.
Their new CD, "Underground Whispers." is rock ‘n’ roll on fiddle and guitar featuring "Dust In The Wind" by Kansas, "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin, and "All I Ask Of You" from "The Phantom Of The Opera."
April Verch Band, 8 p.m. Jan. 11, $15
Ontario’s Ottawa Valley is steeped in cultural history, including a musical style and step dancing heritage influenced by the French, Irish, Scottish, Polish and German settlers of this region in Canada. Verch, a modern pioneer of this tradition, is emerging as one of the top female artists in the roots music genre. She has built a repertoire rich in original tunes influenced deeply by the treasure chest of musical jewels passed down through the generations.
Tarradiddle Players: "The Commedia Princess and the Pea," 7 p.m. Jan. 27,cuff Links, $5 (children 12 and younger free)
In this funny, fast-paced show, the Tarradiddle Players put a slapstick spin on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale. The lonely prince wants to find someone to marry, but potential princesses must first get past his mother, the Queen, and her long list of tests. Will any of them be royal enough to turn a cartwheel, sing "Happy Birthday" while hopping up and down on one leg, and feel a teeny, tiny pea under a big stack of mattresses?
Franc D’Ambrosio, 8 p.m. Feb. 8, $15
Affectionately known as "Phantom Of The Opera’s" Iron Man Of The Mask, D’Ambrosio was awarded the distinction as the "World’s Longest Running Phantom." This accomplishment was immortalized in a cemented hand ceremony and he retained this title for more than a decade. He was discovered by talent scouts from Paramount Pictures in the chorus of his first Broadway show. Francis Ford Coppola immediately cast him as Anthony Corleone, the singing son of Al Pacino in the film "Godfather III." Not only did D’Ambosio have the honor of starring in the film, he also sang the Academy Award-winning theme song,bracelets, "Speak Softly Love" (Brucia la Terra).
Family Night XII: "The Magic of John Tudor," 7 p.m. March 15, $3 ($8 for whole family)
"The Magic of John Tudor" has been enjoyed across North America by theater audiences, Fortune 500 companies, conference attendees and thousands of school students since 1987. Tudor’s shows are a "magical journey," an energetic mix of imaginative stories and state-of-the-art magic. His original magical pieces are theatrical; from fairy tale romance to struggles with cosmic forces, pulling the heart strings and touching the funny bone.
A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, 8 p.m. March 29, $15
America’s favorite Patsy Cline tribute star, Katie Deal, is backed by a band of singers and musicians. She interacts throughout the show with Little Big Man, a disc jockey from her hometown in Winchester, Va., as well as outrageous standup comics who do warm-up acts for her concerts and radio shows. This happy, loving tribute to country music’s most endearing superstar features 21 of Cline’s greatest hits including "Sweet Dreams," "Walkin’ After Midnight," "I Fall To Pieces," "Crazy," "She’s Got You," "Seven Lonely Days," and the title song, "A Closer Walk With Thee."