Industry distributor and manufacturer Swanson Christian Products has been awarded an Environment Impact Certificate for its use of recycled corrugated packaging materials.

John McKinney, vice president for Swanson, was pleased with the honor.

"Swanson is excited and proud to be participating with Pratt Industries in the utilization of recycled shipping/packing materials.”

A Family Christian bookstore in South Bend, Indiana, closed last week, according to the South Bend Tribune. A manager of the nearby Family Christian location in Mishawaka, Indiana told the Tribune that the closure was due to poor sales.

Two 2015 titles from WaterBrook Multnomah received special recognition from Outreach Magazine in its yearly roundup of the best outreach-oriented books.

Stephen Bauman’s Possible: A Blueprint for Changing How We Change the World was chosen as Resource of the Year in the Social Justice category. In the book, Bauman—president of World Relief—provides a biblical vision for changing the world and the practical tools believers need to sustainably impact their workplaces, neighborhoods and cities. The paperback edition of Possible will release July 19.

Zondervan has acquired the rights to a memoir by Dr. Bennet Omalu, whose part was played by Will Smith in the football film Concussion. Set to release in fall 2017, the book will be co-written by New York Times best-selling author Mark Tabb (Mistaken Identity, The Sacred Acre).

In the book, Omalu will share his life story, what led to his discovery of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and how he was uniquely positioned to address the concussion issue with the NFL. Omalu’s book will reportedly share never-before-told insight into CTE, along with personal stories and testimony about the important role his faith has played in his work.

Nominations close at midnight today, Feb. 29, for the Christian Retailing’s Best awards program. Christian Retailing sponsors the awards program annually, presenting the awards at the International Christian Retail Show.

Vendors and authors who wish to nominate their 2015 and/or backlist products may do today. The entry fee per product is $60.

Redbud Press has changed its name to Serenade Books to more clearly define its brand in the marketplace. Established in 2014, the Oklahoma-based Christian publishing company specializes in sweet romance.

Lacy Williams, managing director for Serenade Books, said the name change won’t alter how the company operates in the marketplace. She stressed that Serenade will continue to publish the highest-quality romance books from authors whom readers love and trust.

Motion picture audiences across the country have embraced the latest faith-based hit from Sony Pictures Entertainment’s AFFIRM label. Risen, the story of a Roman tribune’s investigation to prove Christ's resurrection a hoax, emerged as the weekend’s No. 1 new movie and the fourth-highest opening of all time for a faith-based film. The movie also scored an A- CinemaScore, measuring movie appeal among theater goers.

Risen’s three-day box office cume of $11.8 million on 2,915 screens signals another win for AFFIRM. Sony Pictures now claims four of the top six faith-based film opening weekends of all time, five of the top seven faith-based movies in the last five years and five of the top-10-grossing films in the genre in industry history.