All posts by jd

Real estate broker, civil engineer and general contractor.
Center for the Arts, Community Events

Billy Bragg Folk-Rock Singer Song Writer Coming to the Center for the Arts

Billy Bragg is coming to the  Center for the Arts in Grass Valley on October 30 at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $30.00

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jphA05ka6E

Billy Bragg has been described by The Times in London as a “national treasure.” Finding inspiration in the socially conscious folk tradition of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, Bragg has spent over two decades making an indelible mark on the conscience of British music that has carried over to the US and Canada. He has released consistently celebrated solo records as well as two Grammy nominated albums with Wilco – Mermaid Avenue and Mermaid Avenue, Volume II. Bragg’s most recent CD Mr. Love and Justice blends social justice with the power of personal relationships.

He was born Steven William Bragg in Essex, England. He has worked alongside British parliamentarians, unskilled unemployed workers, members of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, young music hopefuls, unsung buskers in the street, incarcerated convicts, newly liberated refugees, punk rockers and striking dockers.

Billy Bragg has recorded hit singles, composed Top Ten albums, penned political anthems sung at rallies, kept alive traditional English folk songs, put his own spin on America’s greatest folk catalog and sung his heart out doing so. He has appeared on both MTV and late night talk shows. He’s written essays for many daily newspapers and several notable weekly journals.

In 2006 he authored his first book, The Progressive Patriot, an eloquent protest against the extremist British National Party electing twelve councilors in his east London hometown.

Bragg was awarded the Classic Songwriter award by Q magazine. One of the first in the audience to shake his hand in congratulations during that warm moment was Sir Paul McCartney. Typically Bragg used the attention of the record industry audience to make a plea for contributions to his program to supply guitars to prison inmates. The name of this program is Jail Guitar Doors, a name Billy chose in honor of his early heroes, The Clash, who had a song by that name.

Tickets at:

The Center Box Office – 314 W. Main St, Grass Valley, 530-274-8384 ext 14
Box Office hours: noon to 5:00PM, Wednesday through Saturday

BriarPatch Co-op – 530-272-5333

After the Gold Rush Records – 530-265-3090

Cherry Records – 530-823-2147

Community Events, nevada county fair

Halloween Fun at the Nevada County Fairgrounds


Halloween Event Planned for Saturday, October 30, from 2 – 5 pm

Bring your family and friends to the Nevada County Fairgrounds for some Halloween fun on Saturday, October 30, from 2 – 5 pm. Rain or shine, in costume or in street clothes, we have fall festivities and activities for all to enjoy.

Hamburgers and hot dogs will be served, and “Running for Cover” will provide live musical entertainment. There will be treats for the kids, a live and silent auction, a cupcake walk, and lots of games. Plus, you don’t want to miss the costume and scarecrow contests and a chance to win some great prizes!

This family-friendly Halloween event is hosted by the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation, in partnership with the Nevada County Ag Youth Boosters and Grass Valley Rotary Club. All three organizations have come together to support improvement projects for our community Fairgrounds, as well as to support youth programs in Nevada County.

Nevada County Ag Youth Boosters, which supports youth in agriculture, will provide games at the event, as well as host a silent auction.  Grass Valley Rotary Club will be hosting its annual community “Ball Drop,” which raises funds for local youth and senior organizations. For only $5/ticket, you get the chance to win $1,000! For tickets for the “ball drop,” contact any Grass Valley Rotary Club member or call/e-mail Larry at (530) 271-5544 or fallerl@aol.com.

The cost for the Halloween event at the Fairgrounds is only $5 per person and includes food, treats, games, and entertainment! Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, at the Grass Valley and Combie Road Citizen’s Bank branches, or at The Book Seller in Grass Valley. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the event at the Fairgrounds.  Visit Nevada County Fair for information or call (530) 273-6217.

Real Estate

Another Craiglist Real Estate Scam

A crook with a computer has stolen an online listing from an Ames real estate company and is posting it on Craigslist as a rental, asking people to wire hundreds of dollars overseas, according to local and state sources.

Hunziker & Associates agent Tabitha Zesch said the property — a single family home priced at $129,900 — has been posted as a rental on Craigslist.

The scam artist put a story on the web page, “saying that the owners had been transferred overseas, that the property rents for $700 a month and that if anyone wanted, they could wire a deposit to hold the property,” Zesch said.

Zesch said her company became aware of the fraud only because a potential renter got suspicious, tracked down Hunziker as the listing agency and e-mailed her office.

She said her company notified state and federal authorities and alerted Craigslist, but that the listing was still there late Tuesday afternoon.

Bill Brauch, director of the consumer protection division for the Iowa Attorney General’s office, said scams like this one “are fairly common.”

“If you’re selling a home or some real estate online, (the crooks will) duplicate the ad and set up a scam of their own,” he said.

Source Ames Tribune

Need real estate help?
Call John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
530-263-1091
DRE #00669941

Entertainment, Nevada County Information

Touring Nevada County Local Music Scene

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvTsc6J7DLE

Following in the footsteps of harpist Joanna Newsom, local bands in and around Nevada City and Grass Valley are creating a vibrant indie music scene. Now the scene’s success is being furthered by a new record label featuring local bands, Grass Roots Record Co. Take a mini-tour of the Nevada County music scene with Dan Elkan of the band “Them Hills.”

Real Estate

Improve Your Credit Score Before Searching for a Home

By Paige Tepping

RISMEDIA, October 16, 2010–Many prospective homeowners find out the hard way the importance of a good credit score when they apply for a home mortgage, especially after the subprime loan crisis. If you are considering buying a home in the near future, it is a good idea to give your credit score a check-up and then take positive steps to improve your credit score if you find problems. Ideally, it is best to begin working on improving your credit score at least six months before you plan to start shopping for a home.

According to the experts at Buy-and-Sell-House-Fast.com, the following tips will help you improve your credit and should be taken before you begin your home search.

The first critical step in taking care of your credit is to check your credit report. Unfortunately, many people fail to take this all important first step. Instead, they wait until they have applied for a mortgage loan to find out from the lender that there are problems with their credit scores.

By checking your credit score before you apply for a mortgage loan, you gain the opportunity to find out if there are problems which you can correct and discrepancies that need to be removed. When you check your credit report, make sure you check all three of the national credit reporting agencies: Experian, Trans-Union and EquiFax.

Review your credit report carefully for items that may be erroneous. If you believe that an item on your credit report is reported in error, you have the right to contest it. To do so, you will need to contact the credit reporting agency and explain why you believe the item is inaccurate. Supporting documentation such as receipts and cancelled checks can help your claim. Alternatively, you can engage a credit report repair services firm to fix your credit report.

To read the full story Click Here

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John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
Call 530-263-1091

Center for the Arts

Grass Valley Taiko Celebrates 10 Years Drumming at Center for the Arts

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I85V-1Mz9Ow

Grass Valley Taiko will celebrate 10 years of Japanese drumming in our community Saturday October 23, 2010 at the Center for the Arts at 8:00 pm in Grass Valley.

Under the leadership of Mitzi Garnett of Grass Valley Taiko.  Featuring  the “Father of North American Taiko,” Grand Master Seiichi Tanaka, and members of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, the largest and oldest group in the western world.

Both Grand Master and Mitzi Garnett have much in common rooted in taiko drumming.  Both had a vision, fueled by their passion.

In the late-1960’s, while enjoying a Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco’s Japantown, a youthful Seiichi Tanaka observed that it was odd that there were no taiko drummers in the celebration.  Taiko drummers always graced Cherry Blossom Festivals in Japan.  When he returned to Japan, he took up taiko drumming, studying under Grand Master Daihachi Oguchi of Osawa, Japan.  He ultimately returned to the States after a couple of years and became the lone drummer at the Cherry Blossom Festival!

Needless to say, steadily over the years, taiko drumming had become an integral part of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco.  Grand Master subsequently founded the San Francisco Taiko Dojo where he continues to this day teaching this centuries old art form to adults and children.

In addition, Grand Master and his group are often seen at many Asian-influenced events, parades, schools, concerts, and even movies!  Many teachers of taiko throughout the United States are direct descendants of, or have been influenced by, Grand Master’s teachings over the years.

For tickets, please visit the Center Box Office (530-274-8384) at 314 W. Main Street, Grass Valley, or at Briar Patch (530-272-5333).

Business, Local Writers & Contributors

Workshop to Get Your Life Back on Track

Lisa J. Lehr

by Lisa J. Lehr

On Saturday, October 23, my friend and fellow Toastmaster Jolen Punches and I will be presenting the workshop “Discover and Conquer Your Obstacles and Get Your Life Back on Track” at Sierra Commons in Nevada City.

In this workshop you will learn how to:
·         Shift your thinking in order to create the life you desire;
·         Discover clarity on what you want in any area of your life…career, relationship, financial, or health;
·         Uncover hidden challenges that may be sabotaging your ability to make changes with ease;
·         Release the hurts and pains that keep you trapped in repeating patterns;
·         Transform those stuck patterns of limiting beliefs, fear, and self-sabotage into confidence, clarity, and happiness.

Jolen is a Certified Life Coach and founder of The Lighter Signature System. She holds a Behavioral Therapist degree from California Institute of the Healing Arts and Sciences, is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, and has been studying the mind-body-spirit connection since 1980. A highly sought-after consultant, award-winning speaker, and soon-to-be published author, Jolen believes we all have the answers within ourselves and guides us toward finding them.

I earned my degree in biology a couple decades before the surge in research on the human brain. Now that the human brain is a “hot topic,” I find that my educational background provides a solid foundation for my interest in the subject. I’ll be teaching workshop attendees about how our brains are wired to make us repeat past errors, and how we can re-train them for successful behavior.

The workshop will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door; lunch is included. Sierra Commons is upstairs at the Stonehouse in Nevada City, 107 Sacramento Street, suite #300.

For more information, see http://sierracommons.org; to reserve your spot, contact Jolen at (530) 263-7549 or Jolen@lighterwithin.com.

Transform your life and start living the life you are meant to live!

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for the message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

—
Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

nevada county fair

Nevada County Fairgrounds Begins Search for 2011 Fair Theme

2010 Nevada County Fair Theme
2010 Nevada County Fair Theme

Submit the winning theme and win $100 and a prize package to the 2011 Nevada County Fair

Gold will be the featured item of the 2011 Nevada County Fair and the Fairgrounds is hosting a contest to find the winning “Golden” theme for the 2011 Fair. Do you have a catchy or fun theme that you think would be perfect for the 2011 Nevada County Fair?

Visit the Fair’s website at www.NevadaCountyFair.com and submit a theme that includes reference to gold and the Fair. If the theme you submit is selected, you win. The winner will receive $100, as well as a 2011 Nevada County Fair package that includes two free admission tickets for each day of the Fair, a 5-day parking pass for the Fair, and ride coupons.

The contest is open to Nevada County residents only. Submissions must be five words or less and no trade-marked themes will be considered. The contest runs now through November 5, 2010. For those without access to the Internet, entry forms are available at the Nevada County Fairgrounds office, or information can be mailed to the Fairgrounds at P.O. Box 2687, Grass Valley, CA  95945. No phone entries will be accepted.

Once the winning theme is selected, there will be a contest to design artwork to illustrate the theme. Each year, the theme and artwork appear on advertisements, t-shirts, buttons, posters, banners and the Fair’s website to promote the Fair.

The 2011 Nevada County Fair is scheduled for August 10 – 14, 2011. For a complete list of contest rules or information, visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com or call (530) 273-6217.

By:
Wendy Oaks
Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds
(530) 273-6217

animals, Bits & Pieces

Hoof Trimming for Barefoot Performance Horses

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMZqB5qiyfU

Note: if you cannot view this video, you need to Click here to download Adobe Flash

Michelle Smith of Nevada City, California, trims three horses in Penn Valley… they are being trimmed for barefoot riding. If you’d like more information about this subject, feel free to contact them at horsedesigns@gmail.com.

Real Estate

California Realtors® Forecast Slight Rise in 2011 Home Sales


Sales of existing, single-family homes are expected to decline slightly in 2010 compared with 2009, but are forecast to rise slightly in 2011, according to the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ (C.A.R.) “2011 California Housing Market Forecast.”  Meanwhile, the median price of homes in California is expected to increase both in 2010 and 2011 compared with the year prior.

  • Following near record-high levels of year-over-year sales increases, home sales are expected to decline 10 percent in 2010 compared with 2009, according to the C.A.R. forecast.  C.A.R.’s economists predict home sales will increase 2 percent in 2011 compared with 2010.
  • Home sales are expected to end the year at 492,000 units, compared with 546,500 in 2009.  C.A.R. forecasts sales will come in at 502,000 units in 2011.
  • The median sales price is forecast to increase 11.5 percent to $306,500 for 2010, and an additional 2 percent in 2011 to $312,500, C.A.R. announced.
  • According to C.A.R. Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young, the Association expects a net jobs increase of approximately 1.4 million jobs in California for 2011 and an improvement in unemployment figures, which many believe are key to the economic recovery.
  • Ms. Appleton-Young also noted that a lean supply of available homes for sale will drive up prices at the low end ($500,000 and less), but larger inventories and limited, less-attractive financing will cause continued softness at the high end of the market ($1 million and more).

Read the full story.

John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
General Contractor
Call 530-263-1091