Tourism, technology, international trade and Hollywood forecast as leading economic recovery industries

 LAEDC Mid-year Forecast Shows Improving Economic 

Picture and Job Growth in 2011

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Los Angeles County’s entertainment, tourism and international trade sectors
will lead a “measured recovery,” but housing remains an issue

Dr. Nancy Sidhu, LAEDC

            Los Angeles —In a new report released today, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) projects the U.S. economy will grow by 3.1 percent in 2010 and by 2.9 percent in 2011 after contracting by 2.4 percent in 2009. The report also shows that employment will grow through year end 2010, and the nation’s unemployment rate will decline slowly, reaching the nine percent range by the end of 2011.

            According to the “2010-2011 Economic Forecast and Industry Outlook: Mid-Year Update” report produced by the LAEDC’s Kyser Center for Economic Research, California’s recovery will be led by tourism, international trade, technology, and television and film production.

            “We are seeing a measured recovery under way,” said the Kyser Center’s Chief Economist and report co-author, Dr. Nancy Sidhu. “Automotive and housing-related purchases and business investment in equipment will contribute to the recovery as well, but consumer spending holds one of the keys to the overall economic outlook.”

            Tourism will see an increase in 2010 and 2011, as more people visit the region and stay in hotels in the area. The outlook for the Los Angeles region’s large tourist industry is improving, albeit slowly. Most local theme parks, such as Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventures, have new attractions opening this year or plans for major park improvements. With the opening of the new hotels at L.A. Live, the City of Los Angeles has booked several major business shows. In Los Angeles County, the hotel occupancy rate is about 69.7 percent compared with 65.5 percent in 2009.

The region’s famed motion picture/television production industry got off to a good start this year as well. Domestic box office receipts were up strongly over the year, the state film production incentive plan was well received, and television networks, both broadcast and cable, produced a number of pilots and series. Jobs in the entertainment industry started to rebound at the end of 2009, and for 2010, an increase of 16,900 jobs is estimated in the motion picture and sound recording sector in Los Angeles County..
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A Star-Studded Night For The First Annual Noble Awards Honoring Charity Work

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The First Annual Noble Awards Event A Huge Success

The event honored  Morgan Freeman  - Lifetime Achievement Award

“It was a successful night, everyone who contributed and participated in the event came away with a warm feeling in their heart,” said Founder/Producer Janeen Mansour of The Noble Awards, held (Sunday, October 18^th) at The Beverly Hilton.

Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush hosted the first awards show, and he himself was also honored for his dedication as a board member and hustling fundraiser for the Lollipop Theater Network. They bring magic and movies currently in theaters to children confiened to hospitals nationwide due to chronic or life-threatening illnesses.Morgan Freeman was honored for his work with more than dozen charities. He thanked everyone for supporting him and for the Lifetime Achievement

Award. A dozen other celebs received recognition and a Noble Award for charity work.Despite being a little under the weather for running a Trianthalon in the name of charity Terri Hatcher accepted her award from Actor James Denton, America’s favorite plummer also on Desperate Housewives. Other celebs included  Norman Lear, Lionel Richie, Laila Ali to name a few.

Nancy O'Dell, Joel Madden, Brett Ratner, Kenny Babyface Edmonds, and Annalynne McCord. There were some surprises, too like America’s Got Talent Nick Cannon as one of the presenters.

The awards were sculptured by Antonio Banderas the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.   Joel Madden said, “The artists at The Art of Elysium” should get an award, too.

Noble Awards Presenter  Dennis Haysbert (Jonas Blane)
The first awards show came off without a hitch and the live music performances enhanced an inspiration evening. It was an evening of entertainment and celebration that honors charities, celebrities and the tremendous work that they do. ‘This event and movement should inspire the next generation to be noble throughout their lives,” said Mansour. One of the highlights of the musical performance that brought the house down was Monica, introduced by Bill Bush. Born and raised in Atlanta, Monica Denise Arnold is a talented R&B / pop singer, songwriter and actress.  She became the youngest female artist ever to have two back-to-back No. 1 hits on Billboard's R&B singles chart.

Both songs from her three-times-platinum debut, “Miss Thang,” topped the Hot 100 chart and sold one million copies each. In 1998, “The Boy Is Mine” was released and had three consecutive No. 1 Billboard pop singles.

The title track with Brandy spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the pop charts and eight weeks at No. 1 on the R&B listing. Additionally, the duet earned Monica a Grammy to add to her American Music, Soul Train and Billboard Awards.

The inaugural NOBLE AWARDS event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a 501c3, has a mission to unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, philanthropists, media and every day citizens to create
an effective forum for change and service.

Brian McKnight has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history. He has released 11 albums to date, 7 of them have gone platinum, with several going 2 and 3x platinum, and has sold over 20 Million albums worldwide. He just released a new album last month and perform one of his songs live. Brian McKnight (Video)Another of the highlights of the evening was eight-year old Emily Bear, who performaned live at the Noble Awards show. (Youtube)

8-year old Emily Bear – Pianist Emily Bear has only been playing piano for three years, 


but at just eight years old, her accomplishments are inspiring and her talent is breathtaking. Classical, jazz and boogie come naturally to her. Emily’s songs were are all written and composed at age seven.

She performs a large list of classics and standards, and also composes her own magical songs. Giving and charity are very important to Emily and a portion of the proceeds from all CD sales are donated to charity foundations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Children's Hospital, among others. Her latest CD "Always True" is now available in the Store. Her first three CDs, "Five Years Wise", "The Love In Us" and "Once Upon A Wish" are also available.Julio Iglesias Jr.also provided some soul soothing live singing at the event.

Julio Iglesias Jr. was born in Madrid, Spain to well-known singer, Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler. He moved to Miami, Florida at a very young age, a place he now considers home. The Lion’s King’s Timothy Mitchell also sang and played a powerful song on piano sounding much like Steve Wonder with a great stage band backing him up.

(Miss California pictured (L) Each year the Noble Awards will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. This year’s honorees, who attended to accept their award included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner for DoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds for Stand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden. Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children.  It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital. 
A big emotional time of the evening occurred when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication.  Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) witness her affectionate father while he introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much. The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.” Creator Janeen Mansour was thrilled to see her dream come true.
“The goal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them," she said. "Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”
Humanity needs leaders like you (Be Noble and Take the Challenge (more)

(In photo on the left) Janeen Mansour with her husband Producer Ziad Batal (2nd from right) took all year to plan an idea that became a reality and a vision in Hollywood.




Photos by George S. Mc Quade III @MAYO Communications.com