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Oakhurst, CA. - A committee formed from the Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce is looking for talented artists who can create a logo for a new signature event.

The Yosemite International Jazz Festival, currently being planned for fall of 2011, will be a big event according to organizers. "The momentum the organizing committee is building is incredible," said committee chairperson Angelo Pizelo. "This is going to be an amazing festival with a lot of exciting events that will be a tremendous draw for our community."

As the festival is still in its planning stages, the group is in need of a logo to symbolize the event. "We want something that will reflect the mountains, Yosemite and jazz," said Pizelo. "Something attractive to use in our marketing materials that will catch the eye and help create interest."

The winner of the contest will receive a $500 prize. The money is being donated by the Eastern Madera County Foundation; a philanthropic organization formed by the Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce for the benefit of Eastern Madera. The Chamber is also the organizing force behind the event.

The festival, which is anticipated to make a substantial impact to the community's economy, is also being organized as a fundraiser benefitting the Oakhurst Civic Center project. "This is an important vision for Oakhurst, to give residents a place to gather, a center point for our community. This festival will go a long way to making that a reality," Pizelo said.

Logo submissions can be emailed to jarrod@YosemiteThisYear.com, or mailed to the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau, 41969 Highway 41, Oakhurst, CA, 93644 and marked "Jazz Festival Logo Contest." All submissions must be original works. No clip art will be accepted. All reproduction rights will remain with the Jazz Festival and its principals. No royalties outside the $500 cash prize for the winner will be paid. Only digital submissions; either emailed or mailed on a CD, will be accepted. All submissions must be received by March 1. The committee will announce a winner by April 15.

 

December 19th will mark a new addition to the Yosemite National Park winter recreation offerings. A ski shuttle will begin driving visitors and their winter recreation equipment to the Badger Pass Ski Area. The shuttle will service nearby locals in Oakhurst as well as Tenaya Lodge. Badger Pass Ski Area is scheduled to open for the season on December 18th and the shuttle will begin its Saturday and Sunday routes thru April 4th. Along with the weekend routes the shuttle will run every day during the holiday season beginning December 26th to January 3rd. The ski shuttle will cost $10 round trip, which will save Yosemite tourists the $20-per-car entry fee. This savings comes with less flexibility as the shuttle will only make one round trip per day.

The new shuttle will not only save park visitors money but will also spare them the tedious task of negotiating the 38-mile long, snow covered mountain road. The shuttle will leave Miller's Mountain Sports, 40343 California Highway 41, Oakhurst, CA at 7:00 am and make a stop at the Tenaya Lodge before dropping skiers off at Badger Pass. The shuttle will return to the Tenaya Lodge and Miller's Mountain Sports at 5:30 pm. For more information regarding shuttle service to Badger Pass Ski Area please call Yosemite National Park at (209) 372-1114.

This is the season when folks rush to make donations to charities and churches in time to get a tax deduction for 2009.  Over the years there's been a lot of cheating, so the Internal Revenue Service has tightened the requirements for substantiation. In 2001, estimates of overstated deductions reached $13.8 billion.

For cash contributions, taxpayers must have a statement from the charity showing the name of the charity, the date of the contribution, and the amount given; alternatively, the taxpayer can have a bank record of the contribution. This recordkeeping requirement applies regardless of the dollar amount. For donations of $250 or more, a cancelled check by itself is not sufficient.

For noncash contributions, no deduction can be taken for used clothing or household items that are not in "good used condition or better."  Once again, the recordkeeping requirements for cash contributions also apply to noncash.  For items valued over $5,000, an appraisal may be required.

For 2009, taxpayers over 70 ½ can transfer by direct donation up to $100,000 from a traditional or Roth IRA to a qualified charity.  No charitable deduction is allowed and there is no tax on the distribution. Better for the donor than cash gifts are gifts to a charity of appreciated securities.  The taxpayer gets the full deduction and escapes any tax on the capital gain.

A charitable contribution is one made only to a qualified organization, one that is not set aside for use by a specific person, and only to the extent it exceeds the value of benefit received by the donor.  Depending on income, the deduction for charitable contributions may be limited.

WASHINGTON - Highlighting the experiences of successful entrepreneurs, the U.S. Small Business Administration and Dell today launched an online video series offering tools and strategies to help small business owners rebound from the economic recession and put themselves in a position to expand and create jobs.

Strategies for Growth: Advice for Expanding Your Business includes real-world insight, solutions and advice from small business owners who've succeeded, in good and bad economic times.  Additionally, the series draws on the expertise of counselors, policy makers and others for accessing resources and tools available to small business owners.

"Some of the best advice a small business owner can get is from other small business owners who've been in their shoes," SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills said.  "They've dealt with the day-to-day challenges and found ways that worked for them to meet those challenges, pursue their life's dream and grow their business.  This video series brings those real-life experiences together, along with information on other valuable resources and opportunities, in a way that will help other small business owners chart their own path to success."

The Strategies for Growth partnership with Dell was announced today at a National Press Club luncheon where Administrator Mills discussed the outlook for small business and the economy in the coming year, including the Administration's efforts to boost the small business sector and to drive economic recovery through public-private partnerships.

Joining Administrator Mills for the announcement was Dell's Vice President of Government Affairs Becca Gould.

"For Dell, partnering with groups like the SBA to share solutions for success is a significant way we support small businesses," said Becca Gould, vice president, Dell Government Affairs. "By featuring entrepreneurs winning in today's marketplace, this video series goes beyond advice to provide solutions for businesses looking to grow. Like Warren Brown, founder of Cake Love, others can learn from how technology helped his company maximize potential with online sales and adapt to the changing business environment."

Strategies for Growth is available on the SBA's Web site at www.sba.gov/StrategiesForSuccess and at the SBA's YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/sba.  Each topic is indexed by subject and includes additional resources for entrepreneurs.