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Multimedia
Office of Public Affairs
1625 North Market Boulevard, Suite N 323
Sacramento, CA 95834
(916) 574-8170
Welcome to DCA's multimedia page. This page features video, audio and photos of DCA consumer protection activities.
Watch highlights of the webcast on Managing Credit Card Debt, hosted by the CA Dept of Consumer Affairs, June 24, 2009.
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Spike Keil, Program Assistant, Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Speaks with DCA Deputy Director
of Communications, Luis Farias about the Governor’s new “Bank on California” initiative.
Carolyn Ballou, DCA External Affairs Liaison
Speaks with DCA partner Michael Lee, Golden 1 Credit Union, during the phone bank inside the department’s Consumer Information Center.
DCA Acting Chief Deputy Director, Patricia Harris and DCA Outreach Program Manager Michael Lafferty kick off the Live web forum.
Live Web Chat and Live Video web stream operation during the Web cast inside the department’s Consumer Information Center during the Web cast inside the department’s Consumer Information Center.
DCA Deputy Director of Communications, Luis Farias interviews, DCA partner Alejandro Godinez, Golden 1 Credit Union, during the Web cast inside the department’s Consumer Information Center.
DCA Carolyn Ballou, DCA External Affairs Liaison displays the department’s special issue of the Consumer Connection magazine during the live web forum.
DCA Carolyn Ballou, DCA External Affairs Liaison and DCA Acting Deputy Director of Consumer and Community Empowerment Division Sonja Merold conclude the Web cast inside the department’s Consumer Information Center.
The Department of Consumer Affairs/Bureau of Automotive Repair shows consumers how simple maintenance can keep their cars on the road this summer.
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Program Manager Wayne Ramos displays good and bad air filters
Acting Chief Deputy Patty Harris (left) and BAR Chief Sherry Mehl (right)
Setup for Summer Driving Tips Press Conference
Poorly maintained engine
Well maintained engine
Watch the feature story about the CA Department of Consumer Affairs, Consumer Information Center's first “Open House Tour” conducted on May 13, 2009
BAR treats families with information and fun at Sunrise Mall at BAR's Inaugural Drive Healthy Days event. Citrus Heights Mayor, James Shelby, declares Drive Healthy Day in Citrus Heights - April 25, 2009
Family fun and vehicle information at Sunrise Mall.
Painting, vehicle information and family fun during the event.
The display by BAR promotes keeping your car tuned and running efficiently.
The tossing game was part of the family fun during the day.
BAR chief, Sherry Mehl strikes a Drive Healthy Day pose.
Catalytic converter comparison chart to inform consumers.
BAR displays a canister that represents 40 ponds of pollution emitted by the average vehicle each year.
BAR Chief, Sherry Mehl inviting consumers to stay informed.
Department of Consumer Affairs/Bureau of Automotive Repair workshop on diesel powered vehicle Smog Check inspections - March 5, 2009
Diesel undergoing visible smoke test
Diesel workshop in DCA parking lot
BAR Chief Sherry Mehl addressing media
Performing visual inspection of emission control components
ARD's gathered to watch visual inspection
DCA Kicks Off Its Take Charge, California! Campaign in Sacramento and Los Angeles - March 3-4, 200
Watch scenes from the Sacramento kick-off event for DCA's new Take Charge, California! Campaign
Watch scenes from the Los Angeles kick-off event for DCA's new Take Charge, California! Campaign
Well-wishers, supporters and DCA employees gather together during the launch of the "Take Charge" campaign during the news conference held inside the Consumer Information Center.
DCA Director Carrie Lopez unveils the new Take Charge, California! Web site at the Sacramento kick-off for the campaign.
Director Carrie Lopez unveils the new "Take Charge" web site to the media, employees and supporters.
Barry Goggins, President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Northeast California, speaks at the Sacramento Take Charge, California! kick-off event about the need for consumers to become empowered.
Over a dozen DCA Board & Bureau entities provide consumer education and outreach materials to thousands of attendees at the 18th Annual Evans Consumer Information Fair in Los Angeles.
DCA Deputy Director of Consumer Community Empowerment Division, Mary Rosas addresses the media and attendees about the "Take Charge" campaign at the 18th Annual Evans Consumer Information Fair in Los Angeles.
DCA's Deputy Director for the Consumer and Community Empowerment Division, Mary Rosas, speaks at the Los Angeles kick-off of the Take Charge, California! campaign.
Los Angeles Univision News Anchor & Program Moderator, Francisco Pinto, DCA Deputy Director of Consumer Community Empowerment Division, Mary Rosas, Evans Community Adult School Principal, Rosario Galvan and County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer Affairs Director, Pastor Herrera, Jr. strike a "Take Charge" pose.
The Bureau of Automotive Repair, (BAR) Program Representative II, Specialist, Jose Corona displays BAR's "DragNet" vehicle to thousands of students at the Evans Consumer Information Fair in an effort to educate teens and adults about the dangers of illegal street racing.
Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair Sting Operation - January 27-28, 2009
The Department of Consumer Affairs’ (DCA) Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair (BEAR) on Jan. 27-28, 2009, issued 13 citations as a result of a two-day sweep in Palo Alto of unregistered businesses. The operation was conducted over the two days at the home of a consumer volunteer. BEAR operatives set up appointments with service and repair dealers previously contacted by mail or phone and invited them to service either a computer, a refrigerator or a television that BEAR set up in the home for the purpose of the operation. When technicians arrived, the license status of the business was checked. Those businesses not licensed were informed they were in violation of the law and that they must take steps to immediately register. Those that applied and paid their registration fees during the operation were not cited. Those that did not were cited and face administrative fines of at least $250.
Department of Consumer Affairs Director Carrie Lopez holds a news conference in San Francisco to discuss the results of the sting operation.
Watch scenes from the actual sting operation.
An individual who was found to be unlicensed fills out an application
for licensure. Sometimes electronic and appliance repair persons are not
aware that they need to be licensed, so operations like this one have a
valuable outreach, as well as enforcement, component.
BEAR enforcement staff issues a citation to a Bay Area repair person
for operating without a license.
BEAR enforcement staff informs an unlicensed repair person that this is
an undercover operation.
Representatives from BEAR (foreground) check the license database to
see if an individual is licensed (foreground) while another BEAR
representative (background, holding pen) prepares a citation for
operating without a license.
December 17, 2008
DCA Director Carrie Lopez and Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) Chief Sherry Mehl hold a news conference to discuss "winterizing" your car and making steps to make it run as efficiently as possible.
Christmas Tree Fire Safety Media Event
Photos by Loren Reed, Office of Public Affairs
A decorated dry Christmas tree, several holiday gifts (including a stuffed animal) and home furniture prior to ignition in the Burn Room at the Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation (BHFTI) in North Highlands, Calif.
Bureau Chief Rick Fong welcomes the news media in the conference room at BHFTI.
Director Carrie Lopez, Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), provides the news media with tips on Christmas tree fire safety in the conference room at BHFTI.
Cameramen from Sacramento's KXTV Channel 10 (ABC) and Capitol Television News Service video tape DCA Director Carrie Lopez in the conference room at BHFTI.
Jamal Maazouddin, textile technician II, ignites a decorated dry Christmas tree in the Burn Room at BHFTI.
A decorated dry Christmas tree goes up in flames in the Burn Room at BHFTI.
A dry Christmas tree ignites in the Burn Room at BHFTI.
Cameramen from Sacramento's KXTV Channel 10 (ABC) and Capitol Television News Service video tape
glowing embers from a dry Christmas tree on fire in the Burn Room at BHFTI.
What's left of a charred Christmas tree, holiday gifts and furniture smolder in the Burn Room at
BHFTI.
An incinerated chair, Christmas tree and ottoman sit in eerie silence in the Burn Room at BHFTI.
Marianne Russ (right), Capital Public Radio reporter, Sacramento, interviews DCA Director Carrie Lopez outside the Burn Room at BHFTI.
DCA Director Carrie Lopez (left), Bureau Chief Rick Fong and a fresh Christmas tree outside the Burn Room at BHFTI.
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Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind - August 21, 2008
The Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind arranged for students at Natomas Park Elementary School in Sacramento to learn more about guide dogs, what they do, and how they're trained.
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Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair - July 2
On June 24-25, the Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair (BEAR) conducted a sting operation in Citrus Heights aimed at unlicensed activity. During the operation, 15 Notices of Violation were issued, warning individuals of their need to be licensed; 12 Citations were issued to individuals who had previously been served with Notices of Violation; 1 Infraction was issued, giving notice to appear before a judge; and 1 Misdemeanor criminal complaint was filed. Unlicensed activity is a major concern of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), constituting about one-third of the Department's enforcement workload.
Here is video from the July 2 news conference announcing the results of the sting. The video features DCA Director Carrie Lopez discussing the need to ensure electronic and appliance repairpersons are licensed, and Acting BEAR Chief Rick Fong.
"We are very sensitive to the fact that, in these tough economic times, that folks may not be spending on new purchases but repairing what they currently have so far as any of their appliances, computers and so forth. So it is very important that consumers do their homework before hiring a professional. That means steps as simple as checking their license - asking to see it or verifying it through our web site." -- DCA Director Carrie Lopez.
"One of the reasons we take it (unlicensed activity) very seriously in terms of the access, especially that computer repair folks have, is that these computers are housing all the private information of consumers. And that's one of our greatest concerns is what access they have, in that there's this blind trust that consumers will put in (repairpersons) because they're identifying themselves as professionals and yet they're not licensed and there's nothing to hold them to any ethics around being a California professional." -- DCA Director Carrie Lopez
Board of Barbering and Cosmetology - April 14
On April 12, 2008, Inspectors from the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology conducted a sweep of several San Francisco salons. Of the 19 shops visited during the daylong sweep, 13 were cited for violations of state regulations usually consisting of the business or employees or both not being properly licensed. Although unlicensed activity was the focus of the sweep, inspectors also cited operators for obvious health and safety violations. Nineteen individuals were also cited for working without a license. One shop was placed on immediate probation for unsanitary foot spas under AB 409.
The total fine amount for the sweep was $42,400. Here is video from the April 14 news conference featuring DCA Director Carrie Lopez discussing the importance of ensuring salons are properly licensed.
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Board of Barbering and Cosmetology - February 19, 2008
On February 19, the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology unveiled its latest weapon to protect consumers from dirty footspas – a new law which allows the Board to place a salon on immediate probation for one year when inspectors discover health and safety violations at pedicure stations. The salon owner is then required to take remedial sanitation training and submit monthly reports to the Board under penalty of perjury. The shop is also subject to reinspection up to four times at the owner's expense.
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Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair - February 13 & 14, 2008
The Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair (BEAR) conducted a sting operation at a home in San Diego February 13 and 14, aimed at unlicensed activity. Several businesses were contacted to provide computer and television repairs. During the two days, 11 businesses were issued notices of warning. The unlicensed businesses were found in the local telephone books and in ads in the local Pennysaver, underscoring the need for consumers to check the license of anyone they hire.
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