Pumpkin Chuckin’ At Halloween Event At The Fairgrounds

October 19, 2011 jd

By Wendy Oaks

Event part of Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds on October 29 from 2-5 pm

As part of the Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 29, Nevada Union and Bear River High School FFA students will compete in a Pumpkin Chuckin’ competition, as well as host several interactive booths throughout the afternoon event.

The Pumpkin Chuckin’ competition will involve catapulting pumpkins across the Fairgrounds grass area. Each hour from 2 – 5 pm, students will launch pumpkins and compete in accuracy contests, a funniest pumpkin contest, and a watermelon toss. Additionally, the final “chuck” at 5 pm will be a distance competition.

The public is invited to come out and watch the fun contest between the two schools. The crowd will be able to vote on their favorite chucker, with the winner being determined by the crowd vote, the different tosses, and the distance contest. Agriculture students from both schools will also have a booth set up to educate the public about the industry.

Also at the event, Nevada Union students will also host several interactive booths, including face painting and a fun tractor booth. Additionally, chickens, cattle, lambs, goats, pigs, and horses will be on display in the mock farm setting; and the farm scarecrow will welcome children to a California agriculture experience. Interactive activities and prizes will be awarded to participants.

FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. There are more than 500 students involved in FFA in the Nevada Joint Union High School district, with successful programs at Bear River and Nevada Union High Schools.

Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds is a family-friendly event hosted by the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation. The event takes place from 2 – 5 pm on Saturday, October 29 at the Fairgrounds. The cost is $5 and includes a hamburger or hot dog, treats, lots of games, live entertainment and a cupcake walk. Plus, you don’t want to miss the costume contests and a chance to win some great prizes!

Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event at the Fairgrounds. Visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com for information or call (530) 273-6217.

Contact:

Sandy Woods, CEO, Nevada County Fairgrounds (530) 273-6217;
sandy@NevadaCountyFair.com

Luke Browning, Nevada Union High School, Agriculture Mechanics
(530) 273-4431, ext. 2110; lbrowning@njuhsd.com

Tim Reid, Bear River High School, Agriculture Mechanics
(530) 520-1820, ext. 4852 treid@njuhsd.com

Thinking of buying or selling?
For all your real estate needs
Email or call:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

Real Estate

Muhammad Ali Isn’t Happy With Home, Sues Former Owners

October 18, 2011 jd

Former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali isn’t happy with his retirement home in Louisville, Ky., and he’s blaming the former owners.

Ali and his wife, Lonnie Ali, have filed a lawsuit against the former owners of the property, claiming the owners failed to disclose severe problems with the property when they had purchased it. The Alis say the home has had a range of problems since they moved in, everything from roof and chimney leaks to water intrusion and poor insulation, improper ventilation, and mold.

In the lawsuit, the Alis allege the former home owners committed fraud by signing disclosure statements that they knew were false. The former home owners said in a statement that the legal filing is a “complete surprise” and that “there are no serious defects or conditions in the home that cannot be resolved.”

The Alis purchased the home in 2006 for $1.9 million. Ken Jones, the real estate agent who represented the former home owners on the sale, told WHAS-11 News that the home was not listed for sale when the Alis inquired about buying it.

“We insisted on an inspector. They had an inspection done,” Jones said. “There were several items noted.” But Jones says all of the items on the list were corrected before the sale went through.

Source: “Realtor Is Shocked by Ali Lawsuit,” WHAS11.com (Oct. 13, 2011)
Thinking of buying or selling?
For all your real estate needs
Email or call:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

Uncategorized

Scotts Flat Lake Levels 2011

October 14, 2011 jd

Click on image to enlarge

I’ve watch Scott’s Flat Lake go to being full to the brim to where it’s at now for the winter. The above chart from Nevada Irrigation District shows the water levels during the summer season

scotts-flat-lake-dam

Image 1 of 4

Looking at the dam at Scotts Flat Lake

Click on pictures to enlarge, escape to close.

Thinking of buying or selling?
For all your real estate needs
Email or call:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

animals, Bits & Pieces

Canadian Geese Having Breakfast In Loomis, CA

October 13, 2011 jd

httpv://youtu.be/AI9Ql_6Dl8Y

Here’s my latest video that I just made in Loomis, CA. I just bought a new Sony DSC Hx100v camera and this is the first video with it. It’s a great camera that not only takes pictures but also takes video in high definition.

The geese comes to my girlfriend’s backyard every morning this time of the year. She has two and one-half acres, most of it in grass, which geese love to eat. Plus there are fruit trees and when the fruit falls off the trees they are right there to clean up.

More on the camera, it has 30x optical zoom, gps, Carl Zeiss lens and much more. If you are interested in the camera and it’s powerful abilities , you can read the review and specs at: Sony Cyber-shot HX100V

Thinking of buying or selling?
For all your real estate needs
Email or call:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

Politics

How To find Out What Your Home Is Worth & Refinancing

October 11, 2011 jd

Declining property values are preventing some homeowners from taking advantage of today’s historically low interest rates and refinancing.

Many homeowners nationwide have either no equity or are in a negative equity position in their homes. This leaves them with two options for refinancing, paying extra at the closing or what’s known as a cash-in mortgage.
Those considering refinancing will need to determine the current valuation, comparing it with the mortgage balance. If the balance is at least 15 to 20 percent higher than what is owed, a refinance without a second down payment is possible.
To obtain a good valuation, some homeowners hire an appraiser, at a cost of $300 to $600, or more on a large or expensive property. While this may be informative, most lenders require an official appraisal anyway, and that will have to be conducted by someone on the lender’s approved list.
Another, less costly, option a homeowner can use prior to approaching a lender, is to check the comparable sales in the neighborhood and see which homes and for what amounts homes have sold in the last three to six months.
Homeowners also can go to the county assessor’s office and look up specific homes that have sold recently in the neighborhood.
When looking at comps, homeowners should consider homes with similar amenities and square footage as the property in question.
Just before the home is scheduled for its official appraisal, homeowners should spend a few hours touching up and making sure it looks well maintained. Hiring a cleaning crew, repairing any broken windows, and providing documentation on upgrades also can help the appraiser.

Read the full story

Thinking of buying or selling?
For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O’Dell Realtor®
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
9530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

nevada county fair

Two Halloween Events Planned On October 29 At The Nevada County Fairgrounds

October 8, 2011 jd 1 Comment

Click on poster to enlarge

By Wendy Oaks

Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds: 2 – 5 pm Graveyard Ghoul-a: 8 pm – midnight

Join in the fall festivities and Halloween fun at the Nevada County Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 29. This year, there are two events to choose from – “Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds” during the day for children and families, and a “Graveyard Ghoul-a” at night for adults. Rain or shine, in costume or in street clothes, don’t miss out on the fun!

Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds: A Treat for the Kids

Bring your family and friends for some Halloween Fun at the Fairgrounds, from 2- 5 pm on Saturday, October 29. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be served, and there will be live musical entertainment. There will be treats for the kids, a silent auction, a cupcake walk, and lots of games. Plus, you don’t want to miss the costume contests and a chance to win some great prizes!

As part of the fun this year, Nevada Union and Bear River high schools will compete in a Pumpkin Chuckin’ contest that takes place during each hour of the event. Watch as students from these two schools catapult pumpkins for the furthest distance.

The cost for the Halloween event at the Fairgrounds is only $5 per person and includes food, treats, games, and entertainment! Tickets will be available at the door on the day of the event. This family-friendly Halloween event is hosted by the Nevada County Fairgrounds Foundation

Graveyard Ghoul-a: A Treat for Adults

In the evening, for those over 21 years of age, we’ve got some ghoulish goings-on at the Graveyard Ghoul-a, which takes place on Saturday, October 29, from 8 pm to midnight. Join us for a ghoulishly good time, including dancing, a rockin’ DJ, beer and booooze, food, and a costume contest. And you don’t want to miss out on some great door prizes. Tickets to the Graveyard Ghoul-a are $15 and can be purchased at the door. Parking is free, and, for your convenience, camping will be available.

For more details or questions, call the Fair Office at (530) 273-6217, or visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com.

Wendy Oaks
Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds
(530) 273-6217
wsoaks@gmail.com

Website: www.NevadaCountyFair.com
Facebook: Nevada County Fairgrounds

Nevada County Fair                  August 8 – 12, 2012
Draft Horse Classic                 September 22 – 25, 2011
Halloween at the Fairgrounds       October 29, 2011
Country Christmas Faire             November 25 – 27, 2011

Thinking of buying or selling?
For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O’Dell Realtor®
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
9530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

Bits & Pieces

In Memory of Steve Jobs Words of Wisdom – Commencement Speech – Stanford University

October 6, 2011 jd

(First blogged August 26, 2011)

httpv://youtu.be/D1R-jKKp3NA

It’s so sad to see such a great man pass away at such a youthful age. He changed the way we think about computers, telephones, the way we carry music and information with us in ways that only he could create and seemly in a way no one else thought of.

Here’s Steve Jobs delivering his commencement speech to the graduates of Stanford University in 2005. In it he talks about getting fired from Apple in 1985, life & death.

‘You’ve got to find what you love,’ Jobs says

This is a prepared text of the Commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, on June 12, 2005.

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: “We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?” They said: “Of course.” My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

Continue reading In Memory of Steve Jobs Words of Wisdom – Commencement Speech – Stanford University →

nevada county fair

25th Annual Draft Horse Classic Awards Announced

October 5, 2011 jd

Arlin Wareing and his Shires perform at the 25th annual Draft Horse Classic. Wareing, of Blackfoot, Idaho, was the winner of the Six-Up Ultimate Hitch Championship.

By Wendy Oaks

Awards for the 25^th annual Draft Horse Classic, held September 22 – 25 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, have been announced. Jim Poole of St. Louis, Missouri judged the Draft Horse competitions and halter show. Dwight Gilbert from Nevada was the judge of the pulling contest; and Jake Engler, visiting from Magnolia, Texas, was the horseshoe competition judge.

Draft horse exhibitors from California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, and Iowa competed for more than $35,000 in premium awards. The competitions took place during six performances over the four-day event.

The winner of the Six-Up Ultimate Hitch Championship was Arlin Wareing of The Wareings, from Blackfoot, Idaho.

For the fifth consecutive year, Danielle Simpson of Simpson Percherons from Rio Vista, California, was recognized as the outstanding lady driver, accumulating high points to win the Susan Parnell High Point Perpetual Award.

The Teamster of the Year Award was presented to Arlin Wareing, an honor bestowed upon him by the voting of his fellow teamsters. The Draft Horse & Mule Association presented their special Teamster Award to Larry Barnes of Reno, Nevada. Ciera Barry of Shady Oaks Ranch in Millville, California, won the Youth of the Show award.

The Overall Supreme Champion horse and the Grand Champion Stallion was Jack of Hearts, owned by Jeanne Williams of Lodi, California, and shown by Vernon Helmuth. The Grand Champion Mare was Mercedes, owned by The Howells and shown by Timothy Howell, both of Blackfoot, Idaho.

The winner in the 2011 Edward Martin Perpetual Horseshoeing Competition was Nick Rossi of Danville, California.

At the first annual Classic Rib Cook-Off, the first place winner was Andy Ferrendelli cooking for A&L BBQ, based out of Princeton, California. Second place went to Chuck Collendez, cooking for Bowling Over Pigs BBQ from Brentwood, California; and third place went to Plane Ole BBQ, with cook Ray Campbell from Lincoln, California. The People’s Choice Champion was also Plane Ole BBQ.

At the Harvest Fair, the People’s Choice award for the scarecrows included Sherry Andreini for first place, Stuart Woodhall for second place, and The Hays Family for third place. The Best of Division in Scarecrows went to Roy Hays of The Hays Family.

A complete list of 2010 Draft Horse Classic awards, as well as all the Harvest Fair winners, is on the Nevada County Fairgrounds’ website at www.NevadaCountyFair.com.

The 2012 Draft Horse Classic is scheduled for September 20 – 23. Tickets will go on sale on May 1, 2012. Visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com for more information

Click on the following. They are pdf files showing the results of the judging for the Draft Horse Classics:

Draft Horse Classics Results

Draft Horse Classics Halter Classes

Special Awards

If you do not have a pdf reader, you may down load it for free at Adobe free pdf reader

Wendy Oaks
Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds
(530) 273-6217
wsoaks@gmail.com

Website: www.NevadaCountyFair.com
Facebook: Nevada County Fairgrounds

Nevada County Fair                          August 8 – 12, 2012
Draft Horse Classic                           September 22 – 25, 2011
Halloween at the Fairgrounds       October 29, 2011
Country Christmas Faire                  November 25 – 27, 2011

Thinking of buying or selling?
For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
9530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

Pictures of Nevada County