News

STUART LEADS HANFORD SUNSET ROTARY TO SUCCESS

The Hanford Sunset Rotary was recently recognized as the Most Outstanding Club in its District, comprised of 51 clubs in the counties of Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Monterey. Rissa Stuart is the 2006/07 President and was awarded Most Outstanding President. Other awards presented to the club include:

Second in District for Foundation Giving per capita
First in Club Service for small clubs
First in Vocation Service for small clubs
First in International Service for small clubs
First in Youth Services for small clubs

Stuart is a partner with Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP.

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STUART ELECTED 2006-07 PRESIDENT OF LOCAL ROTARY

Rissa Stuart was recently elected President of the Hanford Sunset Rotary. Rotary is a service club, with the motto of "Service Above Self." The Hanford Sunset Rotary club's mission is to provide service to our community, local youth, and sponsor international projects. Our community projects include: providing 10 $600 scholarships each year to top 8th Graders, a Fifth Grade ethics program for at risk students, supplying dictionaries to all 3rd graders in the local school districts, sponsorship of Dare Days at the Plunge, a new weekly reading program for k-2nd grade, and the Carnegie Museum garden project. International projects include providing needed clothing and books to a Kenyan orphanage, a water project in Malawi, sponsorship of the Polio Plus project (Rotary International started the Polio eradication efforts internationally in the 1980s and continuing), and money for anti-malaria netting in Africa.

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Soares Named Chair of CSU Agriculture Advisory Committee

Charles Reed, Chancellor of the 440,000 student California State University (CSU) system has established the CSU Agriculture Advisory Committee and named George H. Soares to serve as its first Chair. The Board, which consists of prominent agriculturists from throughout California, will advise the Chancellor on issues affecting CSU's agriculture programs; interact with state and federal officials on behalf of the CSU; and offer recommendations relating to curriculum.

The first meeting of the Committee was hosted by Kahn, Soares & Conway in September, 2005, where Chancellor Reed outlined focus areas of the CSU and received comments from Board members. Also in attendance were Warren Baker, President, California Polytechnic State University, John Welty, President, Fresno State, and Joe Jen, Deputy Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture.

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BROWN ELECTED CHAIR OF CAL POLY ADVISORY COUNCIL

Louie Brown was recently elected to serve a two-year term as Chairman of the Cal Poly Agribusiness Department Advisory Council. The Council is composed of 10 to 20 members who have a special interest in Cal Poly and the agribusiness industry. The purpose of the Council is to advise the Department on improving relationships with industry and on the development and improvement of instructional materials and programs offered.

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JONES TO HEADLINE LA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION PROGRAM

Ronald P. Jones will be a guest speaker, March 23, 2006, at the LA County Bar Association's Real Property Section continuing education course on ACTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys. Jones, a partner in the firm, specializes in real estate law. The program will review the essential elements of a survey, the types of surveys available and survey issues of consequences to real estate practitioners.

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KSC Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

On June 29, 2005, the Hanford Chamber of Commerce honored Kahn, Soares & Conway with its Lifetime Achievement Award for commitment and service to the City and community of Hanford. The award is presented annually to a local business that has been in operation for more than 25 years. The firm began the practice of law in 1979.

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BROWN NAMED TO SACRAMENTO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM BOARD

Louie Brown has joined the Board of Sacramento Children's Museum. Projected to open in 2007, the Museum will be a place where children, ages 0-8 years old, can create, explore, and play in a hands-on learning environment. In addition to numerous exhibits, plans for the museum include a child size amphitheater, a parent's resource room/classroom, and edible/children's garden, classes and special programs, a party room, retail store, and a cafe. For more information, please visit the website at www.sacramentochildrensmuseum.org.

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Parry Joins Educational Foundation

Bill Parry has joined the Lemoore Union High School District Educational Foundation as a Board member. The Foundation oversees all scholarships offered by Lemoore High and conducts a variety of educational and fundraising activities throughout the year to benefit Lemoore High.

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KSC to Lead Kings County Bar Association

Bill Parry and John Ohnstad have been elected to serve as officers of the Kings County Bar Association. Parry will serve as President and Ohnstad will serve as the Secretary/Treasurer.

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SOARES RECEIVES PIONEER AWARD

George Soares, longtime legal counsel and governmental affairs adviser for the California Cotton Ginners and Growers of California, is the 2003 recipient of the Grower Owned Gin Association's "Pioneer Award". The award presentation was made during the organization's recent meeting in South Lake Tahoe. In presenting the award, Guy Schwarz, president of the Grower Owned Gins group, recognized and praised Soares for more than 25 years of outstanding service to the California cotton ginning industry.

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PRESS RELEASE

May 28, 2003

GOVERNOR DAVIS NAMES WILLIAM "BILL" PARRY TO THE KINGS FAIR

SACRAMENTO - Governor Gray Davis today announced the appointment of William Parry as a member of the Board of Directors, 24a District Agricultural Association (Kings Fair).

Mr. Parry, 30, of Hanford, has served as an attorney with the law firm of Kahn, Soares & Conway since 2001. He previously served with the firm of Kapetan & Kapetan from 1999 to 2001. Mr. Parry is a member of the Kings County Bar Association, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). He earned a bachelor of arts degree from California State University, Fresno, and a juris doctorate degree from the San Joaquin College of Law.

The District Agricultural Association holds fairs, expositions and exhibitions for the purpose of exhibiting all of the industries and industrial enterprises, resources and products of every kind or nature. The resultant goal of this local marketing and advertising is to enhance and stimulate county revenues. Members do not receive a salary. This position does not require Senate confirmation.

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California Future Farmers of America honor George Soares and Louie Brown

The State Executive Committee for the California Association has voted to elect George H. Soares to the Honorary State FFA Degree. This is the highest honor the state association can bestow.

The State Officers for the California Association of Future Farmers of America has selected Louie Brown to receive the California FFA Blue and Gold Award. This award is rarely given and is only presented to those few individuals who have received the Distinguished Service Citation and the Honorary State FFA Degree and have continued to provide exemplary support for the FFA and Agricultural Education.

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Ag Students and Teachers Dismiss Lawsuit Against State

Superindendent. Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP is dismissing a lawsuit filed this past October on behalf of several thousand Future Farmers of America students and the California Agricultural Teachers Association (CATA) against former State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Delaine Eastin. The decision not to pursue the lawsuit was made after Jack O'Connell, the new State Superintendent, announced FFA Regional Supervisors may continue working from their field offices, including an office in Fresno.

George Soares, attorney for the FFA students and CATA, stated, "We are very pleased the students, ag teachers, and Superintendent O'Connell have been able to resolve this matter without prolonged litigation." Soares called O'Connell's decision reflective of O'Connell's long standing commitment to vocational education and ultimately a "winner" for the FFA students.

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Rick Conway Leads Educational Foundation.

Rick Conway has been named president of the newly formed Hanford Education Foundation ("HEF"). The non-profit organization will serve as a resource through which residents, businesses, and alumni can support Hanford's high schools and students.

"Contributions made to HEF will have a local impact on student projects and activities," said Conway. Conway stated possible HEF projects include school site improvements, scholarship programs, and special or district-wide projects. "Our goal is to improve the quality of education for our students and the quality of life for our entire community."

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Jack Parnell Named Livestock Man of the Year. Jack Parnell was named Livestock Man of the Year for 2002 by the California State Chamber of Commerce. Parnell accepted this prestigious award at the Grand National Rodeo, Horse & Stock Show at the Cow Palace. The Livestock Man of the Year is awarded to individuals actively engaged in promoting the livestock industry and who have shown exceptional leadership in the area.

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George Soares, Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP, Receives Honor
On June 5, 2002, George Soares, Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP, was the recipient of the California Agricultural Leadership Program's Profile in Leadership in the category of Public Policy. Profiles in Leadership were established in 1995 to honor alumni who are engaged in significant leadership roles that represent the ideals of the Agricultural Leadership Program.

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Western Farm Press Lauds George Soares, Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP for Leadership
George Soares, Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP was dubbed by Harry Kline, Western Farm Press, as a mixture of Elmer Gantry and John Wayne for a speech Soares gave recently to 450 attendees at the annual Fresno Agribusiness Management Conference. Kline captured the essence of Soares'call for agricultural leadership and a need to place agricultural policy over politics.
Full Story from Western Farm Press...

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Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP Instrumental in Development of Affordable Housing
Ronald P. Jones, represents developers who utilize Tax Credits, Tax Exempt Bonds, HOME funds, Redevelopment Agency funds and other such sources to finance very low-, low-, moderate-income, senior living and assisted housing projects. According to Jones, this work in recent years has resulted in the development of more than 1,500 living units, including both new constuction and rehabilitation projects, in urban and rural areas throughout the State of California.

© Kahn Soares & Conway, LLP 2004