Yerington, NV, February 08, 2023 –(CarryOnHarry.com)– Patricia L. Blake of Yerington, Nevada has been honored as a Professional of the Year for 2023 by Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide Publication for her outstanding achievements in the field of law enforcement.
About Patricia L. Blake Patricia L. Blake is an author and retired police lieutenant for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). During her 33 years on the police force, Lt. Blake served as acting patrol commanding officer, acting/assistant detective commanding officer and patrol watch commander at three separate divisions. Lt. Blake was part of a team responsible for crime analysis, crime strategies, and cutting- edge predictive policing within Foothill Area. She is presently an LAPD active reserve police officer.
Recently, Lt. Blake released, “Touched by the Hand of God in the City of Angels – SEND ME!” a dramatic recount of her career with the L.A.P.D. The book details the human, emotional side of police work with personal accounts of intense life and death field incidents that gives readers insight into the highs and lows of law enforcement.
Patricia possesses a profound conviction in the Holy Bible Old Testament, Isaiah 6:8, where the Lord speaks to the Prophet Isaiah and asks “Whom shall I send” to deliver horrible news to Isaiah’s people. Isaiah’s immediate response was “Send me.” Patricia believes God sends angels to watch over all first responders, including law enforcement, military, fire, medical and paramedics to watch over, protect and shield them. The Lord also sends our first responders as angels to protect and shield others in their darkest moments of despair, sheer terror and pain. Her testimony recognizes God’s guidance from childhood which instilled and inspired a strong sense of justice and the powerful calling to protect the innocent and the vulnerable. Patricia asserts that good versus evil does exist and monsters in the darkness do exist.
Her candid autobiographical book gives a personal glimpse into the grief and emotional impact of tragic incidents Lt. Blake has witnessed throughout her career. The book allows the reader to ride “shotgun” as field officers respond to “shots fired” radio calls, “officer needs help” broadcasts, tense vehicle pursuits, and dangerous combative suspects. Lt. Blake also provides a powerful testimony of a traumatic event in her youth during which she experienced a miracle that impacted and changed the rest of her life, inspiring her to become a police officer. “Touched by the Hand of God in the City of Angels – SEND ME!” can be purchased at brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.
It took Lt. Blake three years to write the book as she wanted every word to have meaning. For her and the majority of police officers, law enforcement is a true calling to protect the innocent and the vulnerable and to make a difference. “I realized my story could make a difference with people who find themselves in times of terror, stress or desperation. It’s important for them to know that there is a higher power that cares and is there for you. I hope that it makes a difference in people’s lives,” says Lt. Blake. “And I hope that they gain new insight and perspective on police officers. I believe most of us are there for the right reason.”
During her long career, Lt. Blake was the officer in charge of and was heavily involved with the LAPD Valley Community Cavalry Rough Riders (VCCRR) volunteer horse and rider unit. This unique citywide program works hand-in-hand with local sworn cadre personnel. The VCCRR is an invaluable representative of “good will” and public outreach, particularly with local children who have embraced the program and look forward to interacting with both the riders and their horses. They conduct search and rescue, park, dam and trail patrol, evacuation and emergency preparedness, high visibility “observe and report” theft prevention in the bigger parking lots, Color Guard presentation and parades. In her retirement, Lt. Blake works with the department as a Reserve Officer in Charge of the mounted Valley Community Cavalry Rough Riders.
Lt. Blake was also the Officer in Charge (OIC) of several specialized units. She worked field patrol at Rampart area from 1984 through 1993. Upon promotion to sergeant, she was assigned as the OIC of a hand-chosen special problems unit in the Wilshire area in 1993. Patricia Blake was then assigned the OIC of a Gang CRASH Unit at Van Nuys Division from 1995 through 1999. She was later assigned as a staff researcher for the chief of police in 2000 and an internal affairs unit researcher prior to promotion of lieutenant in 2008, where she supervised a highly effective Parolee Unit team at West Valley Area on the detective’s floor.
In addition to being named a POY for 2023, Lt. Blake has received numerous other honors. She was showcased on the famous Reuters Billboard in Times Square in New York City and has also been chosen by Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide for various awards including the prestigious Biography of the Year, the Woman of the Year and Distinguished Retiree. She received P.O.W.E.R.’s (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized) Lifetime Achievement Award and Woman of Distinction Award and was recognized as one of the two first female Field Training Officers (FTO’s) at Rampart and became the first female Senior Lead Officer (SLO) at Rampart Area in 1989. Patricia was also recognized as Officer of the Year at Rampart Area in 1987. She received the Meritorious Unit Citation as the OIC of a Hand Chosen Special Problems Unit in the Wilshire Area. Lt. Blake is also affiliated with the Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates, where she was recognized for exceptional leadership, mentoring and excellence within the Los Angeles Police Department in 2015. She was a ten-time participant in the Annual International Law Enforcement “Baker-to-Vegas” 120 mile team relay run.
Born in Oregon, Patricia received her B.A. from California State University of Northridge and her M.A. in Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix. She completed the West Point Leadership Course through the Department in 2005.
In her retirement, Patricia enjoys being active in church activities, racquetball, horseback riding, and jogging.
About Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide highlights the professional lives of individuals from every significant field or industry including business, medicine, law, education, art, government and entertainment. Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide is both an online and hard cover publication where we provide our members’ current and pertinent business information. It is also a biographical information source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms throughout the world. Our goal is to ensure that our members receive all of the networking, exposure and recognition capabilities to potentially increase their business.
Portland, OR, November 27, 2025 –(CarryOnHarry.com)– The FAN EXPO Portland celebrity guest list has always featured great variety, and five new additions to the 2026 lineup for the pop culture extravaganza are further proof of that. Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, Saw), Gates McFadden (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Picard), Walter Koenig (Star Trek, Babylon 5), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place, Star Wars: The Acolyte) and “Peggy the Dog” (Deadpool & Wolverine) will now attend the event set for January 16-18 at the Oregon Convention Center.
Elwes gained wide acclaim for his portrayal of “Wesley” in the 1987 classic The Princess Bride and reached new audiences by headlining the Mel Brooks spoof Robin Hood: Men in Tights and later Saw. He also recently appeared in the Tom Cruise features Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One and Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning and portrays “Mayor Larry Kline” in Stranger Things 3.
McFadden had the key role of “Beverly Crusher” in TNG, reprising the role in Picard, Prodigy and other iterations of the franchise. She is also a stage actress, choreographer, director, teacher, and was the host of more than 300 episodes of the podcast “Gates McFadden InvestiGates: Who Do You Think You Are?”
Koenig is best known for his recurring television portrayals both of the hated, intensely driven “Alfred Bester” (Babylon 5) and the likable, perpetually cheerful “Pavel Chekov” (Star Trek). Koenig’s film work includes the first seven Star Trek feature films, for which he earned two Saturn Award Best Supporting Actor nominations. His many other films have been independent projects with challenging roles.
Jacinto played “Jason Mendoza” on the full four-season run of The Good Place (2016-20) and later appeared as “Lt. Fritz Avalone” in the blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick. Also among his more than 50 TV and film credits are runs on the Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers and the animated series Hailey’s on It!
Peggy, earning the title of “Britain’s Ugliest Dog” in a national competition there, has gone on to stardom as “Dogpool” in the Marvel Universe in Deadpool & Wolverine. A portion of proceeds from her appearance at FAN EXPO Portland will support a local charity in the Pacific Northwest.
The five bolster an already impressive FAN EXPO Portland celebrity roster that includes: • The Lord of the Rings headliners Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan • Mike Colter (Luke Cage, Men in Black³) • Josh Holloway (Lost, Yellowstone) • Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation) • Harry Potter duo of Matthew Lewis and Bonnie Wright • Judith Hoag (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Armageddon) • Robbie Rist (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Brady Bunch) • Ernie Reyes Jr. (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) • Brian Tochi (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Revenge of the Nerds) • Kenn Scott (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, director/Adventures of Johnny Tao) • François Chau (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Lost) • Thomas Lennon (Reno 911!, American Dad) • Cedric Yarbrough (Reno 911!, The Goldbergs) • My Hero Academia standouts Eric Vale, David Matranga, J. Michael Tatum, Brandon McInnis and Clifford Chapin • Hazbin Hotel regulars Christian Borle, Joel Perez and Krystina Alabado
More FAN EXPO Portland guest announcements will follow from the worlds of film, television, streaming, art, literature, gaming, cosplay, anime, animation and more in the coming weeks.
Adult, Youth and Child Single-Day Tickets, Three-Day Passes, Family passes, and Ultimate and VIP Packages for FAN EXPO Portland are available now at www.fanexpoportland.com. Advance pricing is available until January 1.
Portland is the second event on the 2026 FAN EXPO HQ calendar; the full schedule is available at fanexpohq.com/home/events.
About FAN EXPO HQ FAN EXPO HQ is the largest comic con producer in the world. Collectively it hosts over one million fans annually at FAN EXPO New Orleans, FAN EXPO Portland, FAN EXPO Vancouver, FAN EXPO Cleveland, MEGACON Orlando, Toronto Comicon, CALGARY EXPO, FAN EXPO Denver, FAN EXPO Philadelphia, FAN EXPO Boston, FAN EXPO Chicago, FAN EXPO Canada, FAN EXPO Dallas, VIDCON Anaheim, EDMONTON EXPO, Dallas FAN FESTIVAL and FAN EXPO San Francisco. The latest schedule of events is available on the website, along with up-to-date ticket information. Discover. Celebrate. Belong.
Nashville, TN, November 20, 2025 –(CarryOnHarry.com)– A fourth-generation U.S. Virgin Islander who has called Nashville home since 1993, de Lugo transitioned from an award-winning career in music publishing and feature film producing, with Platinum and Gold Albums, Arista Records A-Team Award, BMI #1 and more, to lavender farming in 2018. Focusing exclusively on Peace Tree Farm’s trademarked, heat- and humidity-tolerant hybrids—Lavender Phenomenal®, Sensational!®, and Exceptional!®—she has proven these cultivars are the definitive choice for Southern growers.
Lloyd Traven, President of Peace Tree Farm, the original breeder of these global-standard varieties, praises de Lugo’s early foresight and influence:
“Over a period of the last decade, Gigi has been highlighting our introductions that have become the Gold Standard for lavender worldwide, and she was an early proponent because she saw the extra value of these introductions… Once she knew the plants were different and far superior, she committed to making the right choice for her customers. She can now proudly say that she has started over 30 new farms on their journey across an area ranging from Virginia through to Iowa!”
From its original rented fields in Whites Creek—Gigi’s Lavender, was celebrated by “Garden & Gun” magazine as one of the South’s top lavender destinations—the licensed nursery has supplied thousands of Peace Tree-bred plants throughout Tennessee and beyond. In 2019, de Lugo founded “The Lavender Exchange (TLx),” an exclusive membership alliance offering ongoing technical support, resource sharing, cooperative marketing, and agritourism promotion to farms that source their plants exclusively from Gigi’s Nursery.
Traven also highlights the impact of this network: “Gigi also knows the great importance and value of marketing with expression of clear benefits and a clear message. She created the Lavender Exchange with this in mind—to provide an outlet for cooperative marketing and sharing of equipment and machinery and product ideas.”
This strengthened ownership ensures continuity for de Lugo’s research, educational outreach, and product innovation at the Joelton location, including her newest Patent Pending offering, “ZWave Mg”—a topical magnesium spray infused with pure Phenomenal lavender hydrosol steam-distilled exclusively from flowers grown by TLx member farms. Designed for relaxation, muscle relief, and better sleep, ZWave Mg showcases the wellness potential of Southern-grown lavender.
“This milestone gives us the stability and security to continue investing in our Southern lavender research, development, product distribution, and growing community of the farms we support through The Lavender Exchange (TLx),” said Gigi de Lugo. “From the beginning I set out to prove lavender could become a viable cash crop for Tennessee and Southern farms—not only a pretty agritourism field, but a real harvestable commodity built on Phenomenal®. It took courageous pioneers willing to bet on the unproven and stay the course with me. These years, alongside the extraordinary farmers of our TLx family, have been one of the greatest adventures of my life.”
Experience the pure essence of Southern lavender: Gigi’s premium products, including the breakthrough ZWave Mg, are available exclusively through her website, and retail partners across Tennessee. Gigi is in discussion with a Nashville based manufacturer to expand her ZWave Mg production capacity for 2026.
About Gigi’s Lavender Nursery & Farm Gigi’s Lavender Nursery & Farm is a Tennessee-licensed grower and an exclusive Southeast source for Peace Tree Farm’s Phenomenal®, Sensational!®, Exceptional!®, Inspirational!® lavender cultivars. It serves as headquarters for The Lavender Exchange (TLx), a premier network advancing lavender agriculture and agritourism across the South and Midwest.
