Supervisers to look at $180M budget

How Nevada County will spend the $180 million set out in the next fiscal year's budget will be discussed at a public hearing Tuesday, starting at 9:15 a.m., at the Eric W. Rood Administrative Center, 950 Maidu Ave., Nevada City.

County Chief Executive Officer Rick Haffey expects the general fund balance and reserves to rise to $15.1 million for 2007-08, up from a projected balance of $13.7 million for the current fiscal year, according to his budget report.

"Total revenues for the county have increased 7 percent ... while total expenditures, excluding capital costs, have increased 6.3 percent," Haffey reported.

The county's single biggest expense is salaries and benefits for employees, projected at more than $78 million for next year.

- Trina Kleist



$65M project to begin near Soda Springs

The California Department of Transportation is starting a $65 million major improvement project on Interstate 80 near Soda Springs.

Work will include replacing aging pavement and upgrading roadway facilities to present-day standards. All work is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2009.

Blasting work may begin this week. Advance notification will be posted using portable message boards when blasting is scheduled. When blasting occurs, motorists can expect 20- to 25-minute delays between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., Tuesday through Thursday.



Market animals must be registered at fair

All FFA, 4-H, grange and independent exhibitors raising market goats and sheep for the 2007 Nevada County Fair must attend a mandatory tagging and registration event between 8 and 11:30 a.m. on June 10. Goats and sheep will be ear tagged.

June 10 is also the deadline by which all market hogs must be registered for the fair. Junior swine exhibitors may register their market animals at the fair's administration building office during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office will be open between 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 10, for last-minute registrants. Each exhibitor must provide fair officials with a photograph of their hog, a diagram of their animal's ear notching, a bill of sale and a completed entry form.

For more information, call the fair at 273-6217.

- The Union staff