Up-dated: SST Badger Pass Daily Ski Report for January 30, 2012
Badger Pass is located in Yosemite National Park.
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Leroy Radanovich's Mariposa Life: Please Read - An Attempt To Help Those Who Really Care To Understand County Financing Related To The Tourism Business
The conversation going on at this time about the county finances based on our principal economic generator, needs a little fresh air.
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Mariposa County Board of Supervisors Meeting Agenda for January 31, 2012
5th Tuesday - No Board Meeting Scheduled

Legislative Activities Concerning the Foothills
On January 25, 2012, the House passed by a vote of 338-70 H.R. 1022 (Speier, D-CA-12), to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early years of the National Parks, and for other purposes. The Department supports the bill.

Today in Area News
Animal Abuse Registry A Good Idea
Read the Area News..

Growers Are Needed For The Mariposa Tomato Fest This September
Write it down on your calendars:  The Mariposa Tomato Fest will be held September 29 & 30, 2012... We Are Looking For Heirloom Tomato And Heirloom Pumpkin Growers! ...Master Gardeners Association will be hosting a free public workshop, “So, you think you want a spring vegetable garden in Mariposa...Where do you start?”, on Saturday, February 4...
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Soroptimist International Of Mariposa Makes Donation To Heritage House
...an addiction support service facility for the community of Mariposa. MHH opened its doors on 2001 as a program of the Mariposa County Human Services Department.  Since then, it has gained recognition as a unique drop-in recovery support center that serves over 300 adults and their families annually...
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NSAA Telephone Directory Delivery
Happy 2012! What a crazy past couple of month’s it has been. I wanted to share that the NSAA 2012-2013 Telephone Directory is at the printer and is scheduled for delivery later this month or early February. All residents of Greeley Hill, Coulterville and the Don Pedro area will receive a directory in their mailbox...
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MCFD Says "Help Us, Help You" - Winter Heating Safety Tips
According to the National Fire Protection Agency, heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths. Almost one half of home heating equipment fires are reported during the months of December, January, and February.  Mariposa County Fire shares the following tips to help you safely heat your home and prevent fires, burns and carbon monoxide poisoning...
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4-H Valentines’ Sweetheart Pancake Breakfast On February 12
Mariposa 4-H members and leaders have just what everyone needs to give their Valentine, a sweetheart pancake breakfast. On Sunday, February 12, 2012 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 4-H members from across the county will serve the Mariposa County 4-H Club Council’s annual pancake breakfast at the Mariposa Masonic Hall...
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The California Department of Housing and Community Development Announces $23.2 Million Award for Development and Preservation of Affordable Housing
...as seed capital to implement the Golden State Acquisition Fund to finance affordable housing. The loan was awarded to a consortium of four non-profit community development financial institutions. The Golden State Acquisition Fund (GSAF) will be a property acquisition financing vehicle, managed by the...
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Mariposa County Chamber of Commerce Congratulates 2011 Winners of Business of the Year and Businessman/Businesswoman of the Year
Pioneer Market - 2011 Business of the Year, Matthew Hamlett – 2011 Businessman of the Year and Su Carney – 2011 Businesswoman of the Year
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Letter to the Editor - Question For Republican Representative Denham
Mr. Denham, As my representative, I would like know what you plan to do to stop the senseless and preventable annual deaths of over 45,000 Americans due to lack of affordable healthcare? I submit the following link to substantiate this number...
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Around the Web:
Homeless in Mariposa
Debbie Croft- Helping the homeless in Mariposa
And
January 9, 2012 Kevin Cann District 4 meeting (With Audio)
At about the 54:00 minute mark Mr. Cann mentions that there are 30 homeless people in Mariposa and no General Fund money has been spent.

Super Bowl Party At The Canyon Bar & Grill
Join us on Sunday, February 5th at the Canyon Bar & Grill at Cedar Lodge for a Super Bowl Party! Watch the BIG GAME on 8 large flat screen TV's with your friends and family...
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Around the Web
Jacqueline Brunskill lived in Mariposa
On March 7, 1980, Jackie married Vernon "Vern" Moye. His children and grandchildren loved her very much and became an important part of her life. Together, Jackie and Vern purchased and ran a real estate office and a cattle ranch in Mariposa, an historic gold mining town in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Jacqueline Brunskill
Hat tip to Tom!
And
Women Arrested on Charges of Being Drunk in Public
29-year-old Andrea Greiner of Austin, Texas, was booked on suspicion of drunk and disorderly conduct as well as on a warrant issued out of Mariposa County for two counts of battery and disturbing the peace.
Read More at KSEE...

New Developments on Federal Unemployment Extensions (Up-dated January 24, 2012)
Number of individuals who have run out of benefits is now over 608,500.
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Drought Summary for the Western United States: Up-dated January 24, 2012
Snow-water equivalent in the Sierra improved, although many stations were still in the 20th percentile or lower. Nevertheless, the precipitation provided a 1-category improvement in drought designation in the Sierra, with D2 (Severe Drought) reduced to D1 (Moderate Drought).
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Olsen & Perea CEQA Reform Measure Passes Assembly (With Video)
AB 890 will streamline the process for cities and counties to make minor roadway safety improvements.
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California Governor Jerry Brown Twelve Point Pension Reform Plan
1. Equal Sharing of Pension Costs: All Employees and Employers
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League of California Cities: Conference Committee on Public Employee Pensions Discusses Hybrid Plans
...Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) advised the committee that a pension benefit is just one element of employee compensation and it is important to consider all of the elements of the total compensation package.
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Senator Berryhill Appointed To Committee On Invasive Species
The purpose of this committee is to investigate and discover the best ways of preserving California’s native plants and animals from non-native species.
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California December 2011 Pending Home Sales Index
California pending home sales lower in December; distressed sales rise as lenders push through more REOs, short sales, C.A.R. reports.
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Mariposa Butterfly Festival Seeking Volunteers
...for the upcoming three day event that takes place during the first weekend in May. ...Thursday evening, February 9^th at the Miners Inn in Mariposa there will be a Butterfly Festival “Call for Volunteers” Meeting. Starting at 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
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Merced Ranch Supply
NEW Ad with Special Pricing through Tuesday, February 14, on Valentine gifts like jewelry, clothing and much more!
See Sales Page...

Northern Mariposa County History Center Docents On The Go
A Docent Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon is being planned for January 31. The Northern Mariposa County History Center docents will get a chance to preview the new exhibits that will be unveiled to the public a few days later at the museum’s Gala Reopening...
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Yosemite HD - Stunning timelapse photography
Make sure you Full screen this video!
The Video...

2011 Yosemite National Park Rock Fall Year in Review
Although not as newsworthy as those of recent years, many significant rock falls occurred in Yosemite in 2011. Probably the most spectacular rock falls originated from the north face of Middle Cathedral rock in July. Three distinct rock falls occurred over a period of several weeks, with a total volume of about 120 cubic meters (about 325 tons).
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Mariposa County December 2011 Unemployment Rate drops 1.2% from December of 2010
December 2011 had the second highest number of employed workers for the month of December in the county going back to at least 1990. December 2006 had 8,310 workers in the county, just ten more workers than December 2011.
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Area News
Area News

Mariposa for today: Partly sunny, with a high near 65. Northeast wind at 8 mph becoming west southwest. Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Calm wind becoming east around 6 mph.
Mariposa topped out at 68 degrees yesterday at the Sierra Sun Times Weather Station.
Mariposa Tuesday Weather: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. East northeast wind at 9 mph becoming northwest.
Mariposa Weekend Weather: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65/67 degrees.
Read more about yesterday's weather and the extended outlook on the Weather Page.

Monday's Area Forecast
59 - 67 Today:Mostly sunny today with the high temps inline with Sunday's high temps over the area by a couple of degrees. Most Area Weather Stations are reporting overnight temps in the 30's with the lower elevations in the 40's.

Yosemite Valley: Partly sunny, with a high near 49. Calm wind becoming southwest between 7 and 10 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Complete Weather Coverage

One reported fire in the county yesterday and that fire occurred on Oak Grove Road during the afternoon hours where hay bales and a pickup truck caught on fire. The CHP reported that the rear wheels of the truck were melted.
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Recovery roadblock? Mortgage burdens keep job seekers from moving
In what could end up becoming a vicious cycle of economic hurt, struggling homeowners who aren’t relocating for new jobs may stymie employers’ long-range growth. So says a report from outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., which finds that about 7.5% of job hunters who found new positions ended up moving to a new home for work in the latter half of 2011.
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This section will no longer be updated daily due to Agritourism regulations in Mariposa County

Regional water planning faces uncertain future
With state bond funds nearly exhausted, regional water management groups face an uncertain future for planning and projects intended to address water needs in specific parts of the state. During the past decade, Integrated Regional Water Management Planning groups have used a multi-dimensional planning approach to water planning. The regional water planning groups cover more than 80 percent of the state and address the water supply needs of nearly 100 percent of California's population. Supporters say the effort aims to bring everyone who holds a piece of the water supply puzzle together to create better long-term solutions.
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Pension earnings dip amid gloomy forecasts
The nation’s two largest public pension funds last week reported slim annual investment earnings, CalPERS 1.1 percent and CalSTRS 2.3 percent, as experts continue to say hitting their long-term earnings target, 7.75 percent, will be difficult. While CalPERS reported weak earnings in 2011, a prominent private-sector investment manager, Robert Arnott of Research Affiliates, told the board last week he thinks the most they can expect from stocks and bonds next decade is 4 percent.
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Industrial property leases jumped nationally in 2011
...Of the 33 U.S. industrial markets tracked by the brokerage, 22 reported an increase in new leasing activity, with Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, northern and central New Jersey, Houston and California’s Inland Empire among the markets with the most significant increases.
Read More at the LA Times...

Greek Debt Talks Risk Derailing EU Summit Plan
...Efforts to hold the 17-nation euro area together with bolstered fiscal rules and a stronger firewall are colliding with stalled progress in Greece, where the crisis began in 2009. To prevent a financial collapse, Greek bondholders have been pushed to cede more ground after agreeing in October to take a 50 percent cut in the face value of more than 200 billion euros ($263 billion) of debt. “The fact we’re still at the beginning of 2012 talking about Greece is a sign this problem hasn’t been dealt with,”U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said at theWorld Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Read More at Bloomberg...