By Michael Doyle, Sacramento Bee

WASHINGTON – There are about 866,000 Californians who are paying for college with federal Pell grants. This week, they should count themselves lucky.

The Pell grant program was granted a rare immunity card in the wide-ranging budget austerity measure negotiated by the White House and congressional leaders. The undergraduate loans are shielded from further cuts for at least two years. Most everything else is vulnerable.

Central Valley farm subsidies are sure to change. Southern California defense contractors will feel the pinch. California might as well forget about general federal help for the state’s overall budget woes.

California, overall, will take a special whack in the budget-cutting to come, if for no other reason than it currently soaks up so many federal dollars. The federal government spent $345 billion in California in 2009, and that will shrink.

And though the 74-page bill set for House and Senate approval leaves most cuts to be decided later, it’s a bleak foreshadowing for some specific projects such as California’s ambitious high-speed rail project whose initial route is supposed to run from Bakersfield to near Chowchilla.

“If you were to look at this Congress, you’d have to say it will be cutting high-speed rail,” noted Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River.

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The Bain Fire near Geiger Grade and Toll Road was declared fully contained at 6 this morning.

The human-caused blaze burned 577 acres. While at times it threatened structures, none was lost.

Drivers having to travel on the roadways near the fire are asked to use extra caution as crews and apparatus are still actively working.

The Bain Fire started at 3:42pm July 30. Reno Fire Department investigators say the fire was human caused. The investigation is ongoing as fire investigators continue questioning witnesses and suspects. More information will be released when the investigation is complete.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Lake Tahoe Community College is offering the Nursing Assistant Training Program again this fall quarter.

Interested students are required to attend the mandatory orientation meeting Aug. 3 at 6pm in the Student Center of the South Lake Tahoe campus.

Reservations are not required. Call Jamie at (530) 541.4660, ext. 583 for more information.

Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the Aug. 1, 2011, Fresno Bee.

The upcoming annual Lake Tahoe Summit, to be hosted this year by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on Aug. 16, promises to be a doozy. The challenges to the lake’s legendary clarity and to cooperation between California and Nevada are greater than ever.

— Water quality. Lake Tahoe remains one of the clearest large lakes in the world. But its famed clarity has been declining since the post-World War II building boom. Homes, casinos and golf courses brought sedimentation, pollution and algae growth. University of California at Davis scientists measured the lake’s clarity at 102 feet in 1968, reaching a low of 64 feet in 1997. In 2009, it was 68 feet. Aggressive measures to attack pollution and sedimentation remain necessary.

— Governance. In a major threat to two-state cooperation, Nevada has threatened to withdraw from the compact governing Lake Tahoe by 2015 — unless California and the U.S. Congress adopt amendments to change the voting system. The two states have equal representation, with seven members each on the governing board.

To approve changes to the regional plan, a majority of members (four) from each state must vote “aye,” a fair process. Nevada wants to change that — to nine of 14 votes without regard to state. It also wants to change the voting requirements for particular projects. Two-thirds of the lake is in California. Nevada funds one-third and California two-thirds of the cost for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Why would California agree to Nevada’s proposed changes?

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As part of the Chamber EDucation program, the North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Sierra Economic Development Corporation is hosting “QuickBooks” Aug. 9 and Aug. 16 from 9am-4pm.

Sign in starts at 8:30am each day at the Mark Twain Cultural Center, 760 Mays Blvd., Ste. 10 in Incline Village. Deadline to register is Aug. 5.

QuickBooks is one of the most widely used small business accounting software on the market. This seminar is geared for owners and/or financial managers of small businesses. Attendees will learn the fundamentals of the QuickBooks accounting software, how to set-up and understand the accounting system, the simplest way to track income and expenses and how to use financial reports to improve their profitability. Mac users are welcome and laptops are not required for the program.

The cost is $225/person (payable in advance by mail or credit card) and includes 12 hours of instruction and handbook. To register, call the Sierra Economic Development Corporation at (530) 823.4703 or email info@sedcorp.biz.

By Robert M. Weygandt

The public and media keep close tabs on how local governments spend taxpayer dollars these days.

Placer County welcomes the scrutiny, and is happy to provide answers.

I want to take this opportunity to update residents on the county budget for 2011-12. The Board of Supervisors believes strongly in a transparent budget process, and encourages all residents to stay informed about county government – whether they live in cities or unincorporated areas.

Many residents are unaware the county offers a broad range of services to all county residents. The county, for example, checks gasoline pumps, supermarket scales and price scanners to make sure they are accurate and inspects restaurants throughout the county to make sure food is safe.

The county helps veterans get the benefits they deserve, runs local elections, prosecutes suspected criminals, helps parents collect child support payments, issues marriage licenses, helps protect the public from communicable diseases and offers alcohol and drug abuse treatment programs.

It provides public health clinics, child welfare services, mental health assistance and many other safety-net services.

Placer County has worked hard the last few years to preserve core services and maintain its fiscal stability despite the economic slowdown and state budget crisis.

On June 7, the board adopted a balanced proposed 2011-12 budget so the county would have a spending plan in place when the new fiscal year began July 1. In September, the board will adopt a final budget with more precise estimates of available local and state funding.

The proposed budget is for $720 million, down 4.9 percent from 2010-11. It is 16.8 percent lower than the $865 million budget adopted in 2008-09, the last fiscal year before county revenue began dropping because of the economic slowdown and state budget crisis.

Revenue losses over the last few years have been accompanied by rising demand for many county services because of the economic slowdown and population growth.

Growth has slowed lately, but Placer County’s population jumped 40.3 percent from 2000 to 2010.

The rapid growth of south Placer’s cities has exacerbated Placer County’s budget challenges. Up to 90 percent of the county’s general-purpose revenue is spent on countywide services that benefit residents in both cities and unincorporated areas, but the county’s costs for providing services in cities exceed the general-purpose revenue it receives from city residents by about 30 percent.

That imbalance is becoming more and more critical because about 60 percent of the county’s general-purpose revenue comes from property taxes, and property-tax revenue is down considerably.

For 2011-12, property tax revenue is down 3 percent from the fiscal year that just ended. Since 2008, revenue from that source has dropped approximately 13 percent.

Placer County’s budget outlook still could change dramatically based on implementation of the recently approved state budget. Specifically, the state is shifting significant new responsibilities for public safety and health and human services to the county with insufficient resources to carry out such responsibilities. Similar challenges exist for the county’s redevelopment agency, which faces funding reductions of approximately $3.8 million due to the state budget.

I am proud of the county’s success responding to the slowdown and state budget crisis, and pledge we will continue working hard to keep Placer County on a sound fiscal footing and preserve core services to the public.

Robert M. Weygandt is chairman of the Placer County Board of Supervisors.

Maintaining their home game winning streak, the Tahoe Derby Dames will be bouting the Central Coast Rough Diamonds at Bijou Community Park on Aug. 20.

Gates open at 4pm and the bout will begin at 5pm. Bleacher seating is available, but limited so feel free to bring lawn chairs.

Tickets the day of the bout are $10, pre-sale tickets are $8 and may be purchased from a player or at Road Rash Café (2218 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe). A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Barton Memorial Juvenile Diabetes Center.

DURGA, featuring Liz Broscoe, will be presented at the Duke Theatre on the Lake Tahoe Community College Campus on Aug. 18 at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are $15. Doors open at 6:30pm.

Liz Broscoe

Tickets are available by phone or in person at GaiaLicious, 987 Tallac Ave., South Lake Tahoe, (530) 542.4244.

Tickets will be available at the door the night of performance.

“DURGA and the Story of the Drum” is a multi-media “drumaganza.” The show teaches the rich history of universal connection that no other instrument conveys more powerfully than the drum. Showcasing film, narration and performance, DURGA celebrates community, unity and life because life is rhythm.

Broscoe created this original production.

Capisce in Zephyr Cove is partnering with Dry Creek to host a winemaker’s dinner on Aug. 16 starting with cocktails at 5:30pm, then dinner at 6:30pm.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Barton Foundation’s Community Health Endowment.

For more information and reservations, contact Capisce at (775) 580.7500.

The economic impact from this year’s American Century Championship on the South Shore is estimated at between $10 million and $20 million, according to tournament officials.

The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority says the amount represents total spending throughout the region on lodging, dining, activities, entertainment and gaming, combined with the media exposure.

Michael Jordan continues to be a player people want to see. Photo/Kathryn Reed

In the coming months when hotel and sales taxes are tabulated in South Lake Tahoe and Douglas County, the direct impact will be better known.

The media exposure is something that is realized down the road when people decide they want to visit the area.

Media coverage online, in newspapers, magazines, radio and television continues to expand, providing exposure for the area, officials said.

The 22nd annual tournament at Edgewood Tahoe hit a record with more than 40,000 spectators. Plus, millions of people watched the July tournament on VERSUS and NBC Sports.

Since its inception in 1990, the tournament has raised more than $4 million for national and local charities and organizations. Through its affiliation with American Century, Livestrong has been the tournament’s official charity since 2007. This year’s event generated some $700,000 for Livestrong and other charities via fundraising and a hole-in-one scored by former NHL All-Star Joe Sakic, whose final round feat triggered an insurance payout of $500,000 to the charity.

Numerous local groups benefit through their participation with the event including Soroptomist International South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation and Whittell and South Tahoe high school sports programs. Funding support of at least $100,000 for area nonprofits will be realized once again this year.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report