Kimberly Kirchmeyer has been appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to serve as director of the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). Since 2013, Ms. Kirchmeyer has served as executive director of the Medical Board of California (MBC), where she was deputy director from 2011 to 2013. During her time at MBC, Ms. Kirchmeyer oversaw the…
When Martha and Enrrique Gallard packed up their belongings in Georgia and sent them off in a moving truck headed to their new home in California, they had no idea what problems were awaiting them. But the Gallards were lucky: they found an ally in the Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS). The Gallards…
Do you have old, unused medications just sitting around your home waiting to fall into the wrong hands? Anyone who enters your home could gain access to those medications and you wouldn’t even miss them. Most abusers say that’s where they got the first prescription medications that started them on the road to abuse and…
On April 7, 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown declared the state’s historic drought over. But that doesn’t mean it’s time to return to the freewheeling days of wide-open faucets. If you’re looking for a way to stay green while keeping your lawn from turning brown, the answer may be home rainwater collecting. In rural areas,…
Dishwasher sprung a leak? Diamond ring losing that special sparkle? TV on the fritz? Lawnmower stopped lawn-mowing? When a big-ticket item like a major appliance, jewelry, or garden equipment breaks, you may have a service contract or extended warranty contract to bail you out of trouble. These contracts cover your purchased items and can provide…
If you’ve ever needed a crown for your teeth, you know it can be a long, uncomfortable process, usually spread out over multiple visits to the dentist. First, the dentist must take impressions of the existing tooth, remove the damaged portion, and place a temporary crown. Then the waiting game begins. The permanent crown is…
Much more goes into a mixed martial arts fight than simply determining the winner and loser. For the men and women of the California State Athletic Commission, the health and safety of combatants is paramount. Earlier this year, the Department of Consumer Affairs sent a camera crew behind the scenes at Bellator 214: Fedor vs…
Although recreational cannabis consumption in California was legalized in January 2018, the illegal market has continued to persist. Purchasing cannabis from an unlicensed source may seem like a case of “no harm no foul,” but the harm may be something foul in your weed. The Department of Consumer Affairs’ Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), which…
Nothing can prepare you for the experience of caring for a family member or friend in declining health. You may live far away, lack the appropriate skills, or be unprepared for the emotional burden of caring for another person. A professional fiduciary can help you to ease that burden. Professional fiduciaries are neutral, objective third…
May 5-11 is the 35th annual Public Service Recognition Week, honoring the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county, and local government employees. You might not think of these folks on a day to day basis, but they’re tasked with keeping the government running smoothly and efficiently. “California could not be…
