By Brian Duggan, Reno Gazette-Journal

The Nevada Supreme Court ended a nine-year property tax dispute between 8,700 North Lake Tahoe residents and Washoe County on Thursday, saying homeowners in Incline Village and Crystal Bay are due a property tax refund.

While estimates of the refund came out to about $13 million in 2009, with interest county officials are now estimating they could owe the residents up to $40 million, impacting the Washoe County School District, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Incline Village General Improvement District and the state.

The high court on Thursday knocked down the county’s appeal of a 2009 district court decision that agreed with a series of previous tax panel decisions hat said the 8,700 residents paid too much in property taxes in 2006-07 and should have paid at 2002-03 levels.

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Lake Tahoe News has tickets to the July 12-17 annual American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament at Edgewood Tahoe in Stateline.

All Lake Tahoe News subscribers are eligible to win. If you aren’t a subscriber, it’s free. Just enter your email address at the bottom right of the home page.

The winner of the pair of tickets must answer the question below correctly and then the winner will be picked randomly from those who respond:

How much money has Aaron Rodgers won to date at the Lake Tahoe celeb golf tournament?

By Jonathan Dudley

When I was earning my master’s degree in divinity at Yale, I never thought that years later, I’d be cheering the legalization of gay marriage in the state of New York. Still, while I was at Yale, I began to see an interesting pattern in some of the biblical passages I was analyzing.

Many conservatives use the Bible as a definitive source for why gays shouldn’t be afforded the right to marry. The problem is that there is very little in the Bible about same-sex pairings, and what’s there can easily be interpreted in multiple ways.

My point is that the biblical prop that politicians use to condemn gays is an illusion as are other elements of their arguments. My arguments, backed by research, undermine the basis for the far right’s objection to gays in America.

If the goal is legislation that both preserves marriage and reflects the Bible’s teaching, it is far easier to argue that divorce should be illegal than it is to condemn gay marriage. Although the New Testament only contains one uncontested reference to same-sex pairings, divorce is condemned throughout the New Testament, both by Jesus and the Apostle Paul. What’s more, the growing prevalence of divorce poses a far more credible threat to the culture of marriage in America than does the prospect of gay people marrying each other. In today’s America, the divorce rate for new married couples is 50 percent.

As gay marriage is still outlawed by the Defense of Marriage Act, we can’t blame the divorce rate on gay marriage. That figure is due to the dissolution of heterosexual marriages.

A growing number of theologians and young evangelicals have realized the Bible doesn’t require Christians to condemn gay rights. In fact, there is a growing movement that supports the idea that some of the translations and interpretations of passages in contemporary Bibles are errant, and also that the Bible even provides fodder for supporting gay marriage.

The community of evangelical biblical scholars, almost exclusively white heterosexual men, has a history of producing interpretations of the Bible that reflects its own interests and disadvantages those without power. The same leaders that insist on the most rigorous, stringent reading possible on homosexuality have come up with all sorts of nuances and complicating considerations to justify leniency for themselves when it comes to more obvious biblical condemnations of divorce. So, why is it that same-sex relationships don’t get the same treatment?

The reason is because it doesn’t serve anyone involved with interpreting the Bible for the purposes of creating modern religious canon.

The same community that insists on “the traditional reading” of the Bible on homosexual relationships has embraced tendentious, historically recent interpretations claiming the Bible says life begins at conception. And the same intellectual habits and social structures that led yesterday’s white evangelical community to ignore the civil rights movement, oppose the feminist movement, and drag its feet for far too long in the face of environmental destruction are still in place today — and they shape how evangelical leaders are thinking about homosexuality. In reality, the older generation’s opposition to gay marriage tells us more about their allegiance to social conservatism than it does about their allegiance to the Bible.

Jonathan Dudley is a graduate of Calvin College, and Yale Divinity School, and is currently an medical student at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

• Northstar-at-Tahoe is enlisting its friends on Facebook to help name the lift being installed this summer.

• South Lake Tahoe Green Thumb Gardening presentations are Wednesdays throughout the summer at the Demonstration Garden at Lake Tahoe Community College from 5:30-6:45pm. Contact Jen Cressy, jcressy@tahoercd.org or (530) 543.1501, ext. 107 for additional details.

• North Tahoe (Incline Village) Green Thumb Gardening North Tahoe Green Thumb Gardening presentations are Thursdays throughout the summer at the North Tahoe Demonstration Garden at Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village from 5:30-6:30pm. Contact Gretchen Huie, (775) 586.1610, ext. 25, ghuie@ntcd.org.

• Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce is conducting a survey to find out what people have to say about signs in South Lake Tahoe. The survey will close July 20 so there is time to give the city the info before the July 26 meeting. A Lake Tahoe News “Question of the Week” also asked what the rules should be.

• “Monster Fish” TV host and Reno research scientist Zeb Hogan is one of 15 people in the world to be chosen as a National Geographic Fellow.

• Carson City Airport has been awarded a $1.3 million federal grant to continue work on a parallel taxiway so airplanes won’t need to backtrack on the runway.

By Pooch Pucilowski

The California State Fair Wine Competition has been judging California wines since 1854.

The 2011 competition should go down as a proud moment for all the wineries in the Sierra Foothills Appellation – more important, for the wineries in El Dorado wine country.

An interesting observation that should bring a sense of pride to every Sierra Foothill winery is Napa had 23 red wines (Golds and Double Golds) being tasted for Best of Region. Sonoma had 19 reds, South Central Coast had 12 reds, and California appellation had 25 reds. Sierra Foothills had 51 Gold and Double Gold red wines. A most incredible happenstance.

Peter Gamble, winemaker and consultant from Ontario, Canada, stated, “In over 25 years of my judging wines from around the world, the greatest single flight of wines I’ve ever had was at this year’s California State Fair; over 30 of 50 wines presented in the regional finals were at the ‘spectacular’ level. Amazing!”

Among those receiving top honors was Windwalker Vineyard with a Double Gold for their 2008 Primitivo “Shady Lady” 98. Windwalker was also awarded Best of Show – Red; Best of California; Best of Region Red Sierra Foothills Appellation and Best of Class Sierra Foothills Appellation. Ranked third Best Winery in California, they also took home three Gold, five Silver and two Bronze medals.

Auriga Wine Cellars took home three Gold for their 2008 Merlot, 2009 Sangiovese and 2009 Barbera. Boeger Winery received one Gold for their 2008 Migliore; Crystal Basin Cellars received Gold for their 2008 Gren, Syr. Mourv; 2 Golds for Gold Hill Vineyard for their 2009 Chardonnay – Best of Class and 2007 Petite Syrah; Lewis Grace Patriot Gold for their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and Perry Creek received a Gold for their 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon.

El Dorado Winery Association members receiving Silver and Bronze Medals:

Silver Medals

* Auriga Wine Cellars – 2008 Shiraz; 2007 Zinfandel

* Boeger Winery – 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 Barbera, 2008 Zinfandel

* Busby Cellars – 2008 Zinfandel

* Charles B. Mitchell Vineyard – 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 CabSauv, CFranc, Mer

* Crystal Basin Cellars – 2008 CFranc, Mer, CabSav, PVer, 2008 Cabernet Franc, 2008 Syrah

* David Girard Vineyards – 2009 Grenache, 2009 Roussanne, 2009 Sur, Gren, Counoise,

* Gold Hill Vineyard – 2007 Cabernet Franc,2007 Barbera, 2009 Viognier, 2007 CabSav, CFranc, Mer

* Holly’s Hill – 2009 Mourvedre, 2009 Roussanne, Viog, Grenach, 2009 Grenach Noir

* Latcham Vineyards – 2008 Barbera

* Lava Cap Winery – 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 Petite Sirah, 2008 Zinfandel

* Lewis Grace Patriot – 2006 Syrah, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Viognier, 2006 Tempranillo

* Madrona Vineyards – 2008 Cabernet Franc, 2010 Riesling, 2009 Viog, Mars, Roussanne, 2008 Ruby Port

* Mount Aukum Winery – 2007 Sang, CabSav, CFranc

* Oakstone – 2009 Barbera, 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 Meritage, NV Red Wine, 2008 Sangiovese, 2008 Zinfandel, 2010 Verdelho

* Perry Creek Winery – 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Chardonnay, 2008 Zinfandel

* Sierra Oaks Estates – 2008 Petite Sirah

* Sierra Vista Vineyard – 2008 Syrah, 2010 Viognier

* Windwalker Vineyard – 2008 Zinfandel, NV Blended Red Wine, 2007 Zinfandel.

Bronze Medals

* Boeger Winery – 2006 Meritage, NV Red Wine, 2007 Sangiovese, 2007 Zinfandel

* Busby Cellars – NV CabSav, CFranc, Mer, Ma

Charles B. Mitchell Vineyard – 2007 Merlot, 2008 Merlot

* Crystal Basin Cellars – 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

* Gold Hill Vineyard – 2007 Merlot

Holly’s Hill Vineyards – 2009 Mourv, Syr, Gren, Counois

* Jodar – 2006 CFranc, Mer, Cabsav, 2007 Zinfandel

* Latcham Vineyards – 2008 Zinfandel

* Lava Cap – 2008 Zinfandel, 2008 Bronze

* Madrona Vineyards – 2008 Zinfandel, 2007 Merlot, 2009 Zinfandel,

* Oakstone – 2008 Merlot, 2010 Pinot Grigio, 2010 Pinot Grigio, 2008 Primitivo

* Perry Creek Winery – 2009 Barbera, 2008 Syrah, 2008 Petite Sirah, 2008 Zinfandel

* Sierra Oaks – NV Zin, Barb, NV Red Wine

* Sierra Vista Vineyard & Winery – 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 Syr, Gren, Mourv, Cins

* Windwalker Vineyard – 2007 Petite Sirah, 2006 CabSav Mer, CFranc, Ma, 2009 Sauvignon Blanc.

Pooch Pucilowski is chief judge and consultant to the California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition.

Sierra-at-Tahoe gave back nearly $300,000 to the community during the last ski season.

Some of the entities benefiting from the ski resort include:

Barton Memorial Hospital Foundation

Sierra Resort donated $142,000 in lift tickets to Barton Memorial Hospital Foundation during the annual Snowsports Week in February. Barton Foundation then sold the tickets through local retail shops for a discounted price of $35, raising $70,000 for local organizations benefiting children and wildlife.

Buckle Up Big Air

To honor the memory of Greg Smith, one of Sierra’s freestyle team members, Sierra hosted a memorial slopestyle event, Buckle Up Big Air, raising $1,757. Part of the funds raised went to the Greg Smith scholarship fund for the Sierra Foundation. The remaining funds will go to create a memorial terrain feature at Sierra.

World Vision

In efforts to help relief efforts in Japan, Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort partnered with World Vision and raised $650.

Local students

More than 450 complimentary season passes were made available to local students with a straight A report card. Ninety percent of these students picked up their passes, a donation valued at more than $71,166.

Ryan Shreve Memorial Firefighters Race

In memory of Ryan Shreve, a South Tahoe local and firefighter, Sierra hosts an annual race. Proceeds from the annual race are used to produce flyers that educate people about second impact syndrome.

Mikuni Sushi

Sierra and Mikuni Sushi actively worked together in order to help the people of Japan immediately after the disaster. Donating more than $1,500 in tickets, Sierra partnered with the Mikuni Restaurant Group that raised over $50,000 in order to meet the needs of those affected by this tragedy.

Local sports

On the first day of the season and Customer Appreciation Day, Sierra raised $8,310 from lift ticket sales to donate toward youth recreation and education in South Lake Tahoe.

By Kathryn Reed

With the California budget approved last week, it means $84,305 is not coming to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

Statewide, Senate Bill 89 takes $130 million in vehicle license fees away from cities. The money could be filtered back to cities and counties in the form of grants. However, it throws a wrench into the budgeting process.

South Lake Tahoe department heads are working out their respective budgets before the City Council starts the process of approving the 2011-12 budget that takes effect Oct. 1.

“From our review of the budget, we see one huge flaw in regards to the COPS (Citizens Option for Public Safety)/booking fee remediation funding issues. While it appears that these funding sources dried up, the Legislature did provide funding, in part, by raiding non-expiring VLF funding that goes to the cities for general purpose use,” police Capt. Martin Hewlett told Lake Tahoe News. “The result looks like that our budgeted items appear OK in that the Legislature has provided for those funding sources, but the city, in general, may see a loss in VLF funds in other areas. My information has not shown what those losses will be to our city.”

Reports are a lawsuit is likely to be filed either by the League of California Cities or another coalition of municipalities. The grounds would be under Proposition 22 which was approved by voters to prevent the state from taking local money.

Hewlett said Cal-Chiefs lobbyists, “Have been intensely involved in conversations with legislative leaders since last (week) in order to restore the original funding and to lessen the impact on the cities loss of VLF.”

By Kathryn Reed

Aaron Rodgers has played the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament in relative obscurity for the past six years. That’s not likely to be the case this year for the quarterback who spearheaded the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl win.

Rodgers is not letting his fame influence who carries his clubs during the July 12-17 tournament. It will again be Todd Echan. The 2000 Whittell High School grad is back in Zephyr Cove after getting his MBA last month from the University of Hawaii.

Echan grew up playing the links at Edgewood Tahoe. He knows the lay of the land, the water features, the greens, the fairways, the hazards.

Todd Echan watches Aaron Rodgers make a putt at Edgewood Tahoe. Photos/Provided

“The number of people following us on the course will be a huge difference,” Echan predicted. Other than that, he doesn’t expect much to be different.

“It’s amazing how grounded and real of a person he is,” Echan said of Rodgers. “He doesn’t take anything for granted. He is real thankful for everything that comes his way.”

Chico, the town where Rodgers grew up, wanted to put on a parade for him after the Super Bowl. He didn’t want the city to go to that expense or have that kind of attention thrust upon him. Instead, Rodgers bought a full-page ad in the local paper to thank the community for its support.

Echan calls it a fluke that he was paired with Rodgers a handful of years ago. Since then the two have become friends. And Echan is now a Packers fan.

Most of the players travel with a caddy – who is likely to be a friend. Others take a recommendation from a pro at Edgewood and wind up with a local like Echan.

When it comes to offering advice, Echan said each celebrity is different. Some just want the caddy to carry the clubs, others want pointers, some need to be calmed down after a bad shot.

“I remember one time Aaron hit his golf ball into a hazard. The ball was in a Safeway shopping bag. He had to play it,” Echan told Lake Tahoe News. “He hit the ball out of the shopping bag and licorice went flying everywhere.”

What was amazing it the ball landed pretty close to the hole.

Caddies see it all on the course. Bad behavior by players gets back to tournament officials.

Echan witnessed a celebrity push over a little kid, others who blatantly ignored people wanting autographs, and some who have thrown clubs at caddies.

Todd Echan follows Jerry Rice and Aaron Rodgers at the 2010 tournament.

“The No. 1 thing is it’s always the caddy’s fault. We won’t say anything and it’s the caddy’s fault,” Echan said.

While there is serious money to be made by the top echelon at this tournament, it’s not the PGA. This isn’t the players’ career after all.

When the likes of Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan are puffing away on cigars on the course, it’s clearly not about setting a healthy lifestyle image. Barkley is still “threatening” to play left-handed this year. And sometimes the headlines are more about the girlfriends’ of the players – like the year Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson were an item.

For many fans it’s all about seeing their sports, political, TV, movie or comedic hero in person. Maybe it’s saying a few words, getting that person’s signature or even a photo together.

And when it comes to partying, the 17th hole at Edgewood Tahoe is always the place to be. Beach, boats, half naked bodies and that white ball on that pristine green lawn, um, fairway.

“The football players are throwing footballs and people on the boats are diving and trying to catch it,” Echan said.

Look for Rodgers to be hamming it up again with the throngs of spectators.

Aaron Rodgers looks for a receiver on the beach on the 17th hole of Edgewood.

“Aaron is on a personal level with everyone. He remembers names. A lot of celebrities, a week later, they will forget,” Echan said. “You can see with the Brett Favre situation he handled that like a dream. He makes good decisions and treats everyone well.”

As for Echan, he plans to do some networking while he’s on the course this year in hopes of putting that MBA to use. After all, this five-day caddying gig doesn’t pay a dime.

The Arbor Day Foundation will plant 10 trees in national forests that have been devastated by wildfires, insects and disease for every new member the organization signs up this month. The cost to join the Arbor Day Foundation is a $10 donation.

To join the Arbor Day Foundation, send a $10 membership contribution to Replanting Our National Forests, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 68410, or go online.

Angelina Marie McFarlane passed away peacefully at her home in Hanford, Calif., on her birthday, July 6, 2011.

Angie was born in Springfield, Ill., on July 6, 1925, to Giovanni and Virginia Bovaresco. She moved to Santa Barbara in 1938 with her parents and brothers Victor and Geno. They were met at the train station by her sister Gina, who had arrived there ahead of the rest of the family.

Angie graduated from Santa Barbara High School, and afterward went to work checking groceries for Safeway. Later she met her husband, Carl, when he was stationed in Santa Barbara during World War II. Carl had just returned from the South Pacific and his new assignment in Santa Barbara was guarding Italian prisoners of the war.

Angie McFarlane

Angie and Carl were married on March 4, 1945, and had 65 years of marriage together.

Angie and Carl and their seven children moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1961. In 1963, the eighth child was born there; completing their family. Together she and Carl served the community for 38 years as owners and operators of McFarlane Mortuary.

Ten years ago, after their retiring, Angie and Carl moved to Hanford to get out of the snow and be near their youngest son, Tom. Before and during retirement she enjoyed traveling in her motor home with her husband. Angie loved to fish, whether she caught anything or not. She was also a great cook — preparing large Italian meals for her eight children. Angie also loved hummingbirds and was known for hanging many bird feeders in her yard. Animals were also a big part of Angie’s life, and she especially loved Peanut, Keno, Rosa and Dixie. Angie was a founding life member of Soroptimist International South Lake Tahoe, and had also been active in the South Lake Tahoe Yacht Club.

Angie was gentle and loving person who loved people and never said an unkind word about anyone. She had a personality that put others at ease around her. Angie will be greatly missed by all her family and friends.

Angie is survived by her eight children, Michael McFarlane (Rhonda), South Lake Tahoe, Bernadette Vilicich (Ed), Marshall, Calif., Daniel McFarlane (Janice), Monterey, Katie Jackson (Jeff), Gardnerville, Carla McFarlane, Carson City, Mary Ann Sokoloski (Keith), Carson City, Patrick McFarlane, San Jose, and Thomas McFarlane (Janette), Reedley, Calif.; 10 grandchildren, Marla, Brian, Andrew, Andrea, J.P., Lindsay, Michael, Matthew, Sean Paul, and Noah Alan; three step-grandchildren, Shannon, Tamara, and Danielle; five great-grandchildren, A.J., Elise, Parker, Joyie and Anna Marie; four step-great-grandchildren, Tessa, Luke, Matthew and Tammy; and niece, Barbara Cadam.

Angie was predeceased by husband Carl in June 2010.

Angie’s family is having a visitation at McFarlane Mortuary on July 12 from 4-6pm, followed by a rosary at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church at 7pm. On July 13, a Mass will be celebrated at St. Theresa’s at 10am, followed by the burial at Happy Homestead Cemetery. Anyone interested in attending is welcome.