GVU 09092013 by The Union

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of nevada county ~ sessions ~

FOOTBALL

49ers beat Packers in exciting win

Nevada County Fairgrounds, Main Building

Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door

SPORTS | B10 Monday, September 9, 2013

September 10 5-9 PM theunion.com/flavor

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Protesters: No US-Syria action Marchers say military strike won’t help Syrian people By Christopher Rosacker Staff Writer

Anti-war protesters who descended down a closedto-traffic Broad Street were intercepted Sunday by Nevada City police, who kept the unscheduled marchers from interrupting the ceremonial re-enactment of

the signing of the U.S. Constitution that traditionally marks the beginning of the Constitution Day Parade, according to law enforcement officials. After the annual signing ceremony was completed, the protesters finished their march down Broad Street to the Highway 20/49

overpass, where at least 60 demonstrators waved signs and draped banners off the bridge in opposition to a potential United States military strike in Syria. “I’m opposed to this proposed bombing of Syria because I don’t believe it is going to help the Syrian people and won’t stop

the proliferation or use of chemical weapons,” said Emanuel Sferios, founder of the Grass Valley-based Occucards, which creates post-card sized protest cards. The Nevada City protest came the ay before the

PROTEST, A8

JOHN HART/JHART@THEUNION.COM

Nevada City police officers keep Syrian protesters at bay during the re-enactment of the signing of the U.S. constitution on Broad Street Sunday afternoon.

Reliving pivotal events Windows clean in America’s history as a whistle MEET YOUR MERCHANT

Cory Fisher Staff Writer

JOHN HART/JHART@THEUNION.COM

Nevada City celebrates its 47th annual Constitution Day parade Sunday afternoon on Broad Street. The Parade of Presidents stops at the judges stand, and Abe Lincoln gives The Gettysburg Address. More photos on page A4.

Late start for fire district oversight group By Christopher Rosacker Staff Writer

A financial oversight committee has begun its review of Nevada County Consolidated Fire District’s expenditure of voter-approved tax revenues after the agency was criticized for failing to set up a separate account to track spending. The agency also did not prepare an annual report detailing how it used the money. The Citizens’ Oversight Committee — a group that met for the first time

WEATHER H: 94˚ L: 61˚ See full forecast, Page A9

Sunny

OBITUARIES Ernie Saunders Page A5 VOLUME 148 ISSUE 269

Thursday — requested budgets and financial documents to determine if the $850,000 in added annual tax revenues is being spent the way fire officials advocated to taxpayers before they approved it in March 2012. “That’s what we are charged with,” said Commissioner Mike Bratton. “We’re charged with determining where the money was spent ... and was it spent in the way voters were told.” Bratton, a local businessman experienced in

working with a school board’s financial oversight, is joined on the commission by environmental consultant Patricia Nelson, former Nevada County Republican Party chairman Richard Ulrey and Hewlett-Packard sales forecasting manager Andrew Wilkinson. Much of Thursday’s oversight meeting set the stage for future actions. Fred Buhler, a former member of the Consolidated Fire’s board who has questioned the restoration of merit increases to firefighters less than

Homes evacuated in SF Bay Area wildfire

for miles. About 50 to 75 homes in Clayton, a town of 11,000 people alongside the park, are under evacuation orders. About 200 firefighters from several surrounding agencies are struggling with tough terrain. They were getting help from four planes and three helicopters. The blaze is 10 percent contained. Temperatures in the area hovered near 100 degrees.

CLAYTON — A wildfire burning in a San Francisco Bay Area wilderness park has led to the evacuation of several dozen homes. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says the fire started Sunday on the edge of Mt. Diablo State Park in Contra Costa County, about 15 miles northeast of San Francisco. It grew to 400 acres and spewed smoke visible

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CONSOLIDATED, A8

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WINDOWS, A8

SUBMITTED BY ALISSA CIMINO

Jared Geisick of Blu Sky Window Cleaning cleans the windows of the Nevada County Courthouse.

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six months following the passage of the tax initiative, was appointed as the chair of the committee by his fellow members. Ulrey was elected as the vice chairman. Buhler began his facilitation of the group’s first meeting by discussing the Brown Act that regulates public governance, specifically by addressing how the oversight members may interact with one another outside of scheduled public meetings.

In 2006, when single mom Alissa Cimino went looking for a business to buy, a small ad in the newspaper caught her eye: “Window cleaning business for sale.” Cimino, a Nevada County native, was intrigued. She wanted a job that would allow her some flexibility and give her time with her kids. “I thought to myself, ‘I grew up on a ranch — I’m not afraid of hard work — how hard could it be?’” she said. “But after purchasing the business, I realized there was one thing I hadn’t taken into account — I’m afraid of heights.” As it turns out, the business of window cleaning routinely involves tall ladders and scaffolding — two things Cimino still does her best to avoid. Yet her fear of heights ending up serving as the motivator to hire a staff that was licensed, bonded, insured and highly trained, which meant she could streamline the job training process. She took the plunge and bought topnotch equipment and a $1 million insurance policy and required her team to

have criminal background checks and undergo drug testing — something rarely done in the business. She offered senior discounts, free estimates and included cleaning tracks, sills, screens and frames at no extra charge. It paid off. Cimino’s business, Blu Sky Window Cleaning, now has more than 220 commercial accounts all over Nevada County. They also service residential and industrial properties in addition to many government buildings, such as the Nevada County Courthouse, the Nevada Irrigation District’s offices and the Public Defender’s Office. There are now three trucks and five employees, who generally work in teams of two — one cleans inside while the other cleans outside simultaneously, which cuts the cleaning time in half, Cimino said. When needed — such as in homes — the staff uses drop cloths and wears booties so dirt is not left behind. Blu Sky cleans exterior glass with deionized water, which does not cause spotting or a mineral residue. Each truck is equipped with

Your Total Comfort Specialists Since 1960 Offer expires November 29, 2013 310626 *Rebate offer is valid only with the purchase of qualifying Lennox® products. System rebate offers range from $300 - $2,000. See dealer for details. **See dealer for details and visit www.energystar.gov for more information on the tax credit guidelines. © 2013 Lennox Industries, Inc.

A2 | Monday, September 9, 2013 | The Union

BULLETIN BOARD ’s

of nevada county ~ sessions ~

TUESDAY

SEPT 10 5-9 PM

Nevada County Fairgrounds, Main Building

Sessions Schedule 5:30

Making RICOTTA CHEESE at Home Steve Rosenthal, owner of Tess’ Kitchen Store