Rules for Fourth Annual KCA Photo Contest for 2009
A. The competition is open to amateur photographers 16 years of age and older.
B. Contestants must be a Kirkwood Valley homeowner/family member. Contestants must sign up at the KCA office by end of day September 7, 2009.
C. A $25.00 entry fee will be collected from each contestant.
D. A total of four cash prizes will be awarded.
E. The subject matter is open; any subject matter qualifies: people, action shots, close ups and landscapes are acceptable.
F. Pictures must be taken in or around the Kirkwood area (within 15 miles).
G. Each picture submitted (each contestant can only submit 2) must be labeled as to where they were taken, on what date and what occasion.
H. Each work should be the work of the contestant submitting the picture.
I. Submitted entries are preferred to be color photographs. All entries must be received no later than October 1, 2009 and should be accompanied by an entry form, a duplicate negative (35mm cameras) or a high quality digital JPEG file (digital cameras) and an 8x10 size photograph which will be used for judging purposes. All materials submitted should be marked with name and address. Send to KCA, POB 158 Kirkwood, CA 95646 or hand delivered to the KCA Office. Submitted materials will be returned to the contestants at the close of the competition.
J. The 1st prize winner will need to provide the KCA with the original slide or some other media for production purposes.
K. The KCA assumes no responsibility for submissions. Winning contestants agree that the KCA has the right to use, without further compensation, their photographs for promotion and production, as well as other related uses.
L. Entries will be evaluated based upon appeal, content and photographic skill. The decision of the judges is final.
M. Winners will be contacted after November 1, 2009.
N. Awards will be displayed during the Holiday Party.
Prizes:
1st Prize - The winning picture in a large format will be framed and displayed in an area of prominence within the resort and the contestant receives $150.00.
2nd Prize - $75.00
3rd and 4th Runners Up - $40.00 each.
SMART Energy for Kirkwood
Sign Up for Kirkwood homeowner's blog at http://kirkwoodmeadows.wordpress.com.
To receive continuous updates, subscribe to a feed–look upper right on the blog –click on posts, and subscribe. You will be notified by e-mail with all the latest updates.
This is a unique opportunity for you to help your community in its time of need and great opportunity.
Our Mission:
Reduce CO2 emissions
and
Create energy systems that are:
Affordable, Reliable and Clean.
You can also volunteer your time. The initial goal is to build 3 teams, headed up by a team leader.
Conservation Team
• Develop a conservation plan for the community, implementing energy audits, remediation and other programs for sustainability
Clean Energy Team
• Researching and encouraging clean energy solutions that work in our community (Wind, Solar, geothermal, hydro, diesel)
Funding
• Researching stimulus, government agencies, writing grants
Professional resources: legal, financial, legislative and marketing professionals.
Joining this effort involves a commitment of time and action. Likely hours per week not to exceed 2 hours. Slightly more may be required at the onset.
You need not be living at Kirkwood full-time to join.
Together, we can form a new energy future–a future that is affordable, clean and reliable for our pristine, wild and beautiful mountain community.
For further information, to join a team or to become a professional resource member, contact us today!*
For Clean Energy and Funding
e-mail: eric.richert@gmail.com
For Conservation
e-mail: raejeanfellows@gmail.com
*Please indicate in your e-mail why you are interested, in which area you would like to contribute, and what experience/skills you may have to offer.
It has been a busy summer for Mountain Utilities as they prepare for the 2009 season and beyond. During the summer of 2008 Mountain Utilities (MU) entered into an agreement to be purchased by the Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District (KMPUD), a transaction that is scheduled to close on May 1, 2009. The sale will allow the KMPUD to extend its offer of municipal services to include both MU’s electricity and propane business in addition to its current offering of snow removal, water, wastewater, park, mosquito abatement and solid waste services. According to David Likins of Mountainsprings – owner of Mountain Utilities, “This is a very natural extension of the District’s services and we are very excited that they want to add electricity and gas to their municipal portfolio. Our entire community will benefit from the District’s access to long-term capital as well as its operating capabilities and strong management. From our side, we are a resort developer and operator and this will allow us to focus on those core assets.”
While the District is acquiring the existing MU assets, including its generators, plant and underground distribution network, the more important medium term effort is focused on connecting MU’s customer base, including Kirkwood Mountain Resort, to the regional electricity grid at PG&E’s Salt Springs Hydro facility. District staff and consultants have been actively engaged with representatives of the United States Forest Service all summer evaluating potential routes for the roughly 22 mile connection. Options that have been discussed in various forums include a straight overhead connection and an underground route that roughly follows the Highway 88 corridor – or some mix of both. The District also evaluated the possibility of connecting to the Nevada side but has determined that the eastern alternative may not be feasible. Additional information on the proposed project and environmental documentation are expected to be available in early 2009.
The KMPUD’s ownership of MU is expected to provide enhanced long-term sustainability for the provision of electrical service. Details on the District’s plans for in-valley production and distribution have not been released but meetings over the summer identified the potential to relocate the current plant into a new state of the art facility located in the valley closer to the KMPUD facilities. Once the interconnection project is complete, the improved in valley plant would provide back-up to the grid system.
The deal, which will open escrow on February 1, 2009, is a cooperative effort between MU and the KMPUD. According to Likins, “This is really a win-win with the resort pledging its willingness to purchase its power from the District in exchange for the District securing long term permitting capacity, it will serve for future demand and a rate structure comparable to the current system. The significant benefit is a better capital structure for the utility business and the replacement of the onerous Public Utility Commission regulations with a municipality model.”
By virtue of the acquisition, the District would be in the driver’s seat on the implementation of the renewable energy projects that have been slated for Kirkwood. The District’s consultants are designing the new system and anticipate continuing discussions with renewable energy suppliers about how to integrate multiple sources of generation. KMR and MU have signed letters of intent for both wind and microturbine facilities and are in discussions with a major solar power supplier. Noted Likins, “We are working together with the partners to find the optimal solution. Everyone wants to see a balanced approach that will help reduce the dependence on diesel fuel power in Kirkwood.”
While the acquisition has dominated the MU headlines, very important improvements have also taken place over the summer that will significantly improve the power quality and reliability of the electrical system in Kirkwood for the winter season. According to Wayne Amer who became President of MU after last season, “MU has significantly improved its engine fleet this summer.” Noted Amer, “After a tough winter with Cashman Equipment we went to Holt and Caterpillar and retooled our production engines which ended up replacing our newer C32 tier II engine with something that we think will be much more reliable this year. We also overhauled our 399 set which was dated. The result is that we are starting the year with the most reliable configuration we have ever had in the plant.” Not content to rely exclusively on the plant, Amer has also brought in a fully redundant “cat in the box” engine that has been permanently plumbed to the power supply and is available in the event the plant should experience a failure. Chip Seamans of KMR commented, “Last year was frustrating for the resort and we are very pleased that MU has taken great strides to provide additional capacity and significant redundancy. Two years ago we experienced 99.9% availability of power and we expect to return to that level this year. KMR and MU have coordinated schedules and plans to ensure improved reliability.” The Kirkwood Valley will also benefit from the improvements made this summer in the distribution network. MU has now completely separated the lift, commercial and residential circuit feeds which will allow them to isolate the networks in the event of a failure. This feature will allow for a much quicker recovery in the event of a failure – a factor that plagued the ski resort several times last year. Noted Seamans, “The ability to recover our lifts more quickly is the most critical improvement we could ask for from MU.”
Mountain Utilities looks poised for 2009 and beyond.
The KCA is pleased to announce that new benefits have been added to the KCA Member Card. These benefits are effective immediately and many have been developed in conjunction with Kirkwood Mountain Resort. KCA Members looking to avail themselves of ski related benefits will need to purchase the KMR full season unrestricted ski pass known as the Black Pass.
Your new KCA Member Card benefits include:
* 20% off mid-week, non-holiday lodging rates
* 20% off food only at Off the Wall Bar, Kirkwood Inn and Bub’s Pub
* 10% off Kirkwood logo wear and merchandise
* Reduced price on Tubing Hill season pass (price TBD)
* Free KCA Card Member Access to Recreation Center/Pool
* Free KCA Card Member Access to the Red Cliffs Club. Food purchased in the club is already discounted so no further food discounts apply.
* Free Daily Newspapers in the KCA Club daily. New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Sacramento Bee.
Bruce Gianola, KCA President and long time Kirkwood
homeowner has published a book of short stories entitled First
Tracks. The stories, cleverly describe
a series of first time adventure experiences, the
challenges faced when attempting something new and
the sense of accomplishment that comes from overcoming
the challenges that invariably arise.
Several of the stories are loosely fashioned from
the author’s personal experiences in and around
Kirkwood. Other stories, purely fictional,
involve activities that young adults face as they
take on responsibility, explore new endeavors and
make decisions that lay the groundwork for their
adult lives.
It is an entertaining read and one that all ages
will enjoy.
First Tracks is available for sale for
$25 at the KCA office and the KCA Red Cliffs Club
and can be purchased online at www.authorhouse.com.
A Taste of Kirkwood, Kirkwood’s
Community Cookbook has been reprinted and there are
copies available for $25. Five dollars from
the sale of each book will be donated to The Breast
Cancer Fund (TBCF).
In addition to more than 200 delicious
recipes, all of which were fully tested, the cookbook
offers a glimpse into the rich history in and around
Kirkwood and includes photographs, stories and sketches.
Look for the cookbook in the KCA
office, the KCA Red Cliffs Club and the General Store.
It makes a great gift for someone
who has visited Kirkwood or for someone you have
been sharing your Kirkwood experiences with over
the years.
