Tabitha Berg

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The Natural Sapphire Company has placed on sale the largest natural blue sapphire in the United States. The 129ct rough sapphire crystal was discovered in the world famous gem mines of Sri Lanka (formerly "Ceylon") in 1952. The first cutting yielded an 80ct sapphire. It was then sold to a British family and in private ownership until the late 1990's.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Fed up with the current state of the NHL? You're not alone. Thousands of traditional hockey fans are stock piling their picket signs and they have set a date to be heard. On January 20th, fans across North America are being called on to bring personalized signs, to each of the 13 NHL home games, that display their displeasure with "the new NHL." A website, Hockeyfansunite.com, has been established to promote what is being called the "Save the NHL Night Out."

MODESTO, Calif. -- Now, it's easier than ever get your hands on your very own Oxygenics showerhead! In one of the most exciting developments of the year, ETL(R) is proud to announce that Oxygenics is now available in all Target stores nationwide and online.

CHICAGO, Ill. -- iExplore (iExplore.com) announced today the list of Top Ten World Travel Destinations as determined by the vacation purchases of its adventure and experiential travelers. Egypt held on to its top position, despite the increased turmoil in the Middle East in 2006. Antarctica and Argentina made their first appearance in iExplore's top ten.

ST. CHARLES, Ill. -- David LeVan, President of Advantax(R) Group, LLC, announced today the results of its 2006 year end customer performance survey. The anonymous, third party survey examines performance areas such as honesty and ethics, responsiveness, accuracy and reliability, and industry knowledge, all areas identified as important to property tax customers.

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- New York City audiences will have the rare opportunity on Sunday night, January 28, to hear "Jazz Hits from the Broadway Stage," a swinging, intimate program of well-known Broadway show tunes performed by some of the city's most-accomplished and well-known jazz musicians. It is sure to be a treat for general audiences and jazz lovers alike.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- On January 1, 2007, Artistic Pursuit, LLC of Brunswick, Md. launched a new and innovative Web site - www.artisticpursuit.com - an online community which pays artists for their original work such as unpublished videos, music, images, literature and games, and also allows fans to discover new artistic talents.

NEWBURGH, N.Y. -- In honor of Glaucoma Awareness Month, Highland Ophthalmology Associates, in Newburgh, NY, will be offering free Glaucoma Screenings on Saturday, January 13, 2007. Highland Ophthalmology Associates encourages anyone at risk to please participate in their Glaucoma Awareness Program.

SAN RAMON, Calif. -- Streams of Life International (SOLI), founded by Ashley Noah, a 23-year old recent UCLA graduate, led a team of volunteers to Ethiopia to provide medical care, donate $30,000 USD in medical supplies, and refurbish a pediatrics room. Their efforts were concentrated at the Assosa Hospital, located in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. This gift generated excitement in the community and received Ethiopian television and newspaper coverage.

CAZENOVIA, N.Y. -- Alan Rothschild is passionate about patent models, the miniature scale pieces that were once a requirement for any inventor seeking a patent. His love for these historically significant relics is so strong that he transformed the lakefront home that he shares with his wife, Ann, and their dog, Moxie, in this upstate New York village into a museum.