Aspen/Snowmass, Colo. February 6, 2013 – Once again Aspen/Snowmass will host Bud Light Big Air Fridays on Fanny Hill in Snowmass Friday, February 8, and 15 and March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 and April 5 from 2:00-2:45 p.m. The competition will be hosted at Buttermilk on February 22 in conjunction with the Aspen/Snowmass Freeskiing Open.

Spectators will witness a variety of high-flying antics displayed by the best new school fliers in the area, as skiers and snowboarders launch from the big air jump on Fanny Hill. Practice is from 1:00-1:45 p.m. followed by the official competition from 2:00-2:45 p.m. Don’t miss the Little Air competition, inviting kids of all ages to come out and compete for giveaways on a mini-jump just after Big Air Fridays. Bud Light Big Air Fridays runs every Friday from February 8 through April 5 at 2 p.m. Stick around Snowmass after the competition for plenty of food and drink specials in Base Village

“We are really excited to bring back Bud Light Big Air Fridays for its eleventh year," said Cat Leonitis, Event Marketing, Aspen Skiing Company. “It's great to see the progression of the event and the caliber of riding we see each week."

The competition is a forty-five minute jam session beginning at 2 p.m. Judges choose four skiers and four snowboarders from the jam session to continue on to the finals. Judges will choose the athletes based on over-all impression. The finalists will have one jump and then be placed according to best-trick.

Registration is open to the public from 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. on the day of the event and the entry fee is $20. Registration is at a tent on Fanny Hill at the base of the big air jump. All competitors are required to wear a helmet and complete a waiver (if you are under 18 years old you must have a parent or guardian complete the waiver). Must be at least 13 years old to compete.

Schedule of Events for the Bud Light Big Air Fridays
1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Competitor registration at the registration tent on Fanny Hill
1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Course is open for practice to registered competitors with bibs
2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Bud Light Big Air Jam Session Competition on Fanny Hill
2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Bud Light Big Air Finals
3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Little Air Competition

Thanks to our sponsors Bud Light, Helly Hansen, Audi, Coca-Cola, The Town of Snowmass Village, GoPro, Clif Bar, American Express, GNC, The Aspen Times, Smith, Frias, and D&E Ski and Snowboard Shop.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aspensnowmass/sets/72157632702171941/

Aspen Skiing Company operates the four mountains in the Aspen/Snowmass area - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk - as well as the award-winning Ski & Snowboard Schools of Aspen/Snowmass. The area offers unparalleled nightlife and off-slope activities as well. Aspen/Snowmass is accessible by two of the most convenient airports in the mountains – Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) (3 miles from Aspen) and Eagle County Airport (EGE) (70 miles from Aspen). For more information on Aspen Skiing Company, please call 800-525-6200 or 970-925-1220, or visit the company’s website at www.aspensnowmass.com.
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The J. J. Marin Stamp Mill has had a complex life! All 10 tons of it arrived in South Pass City in 1868, just as the first South Pass City gold rush was hitting its peak. Hauled in by horse & wagon the mill was first set along Willow Creek.
This huge machine crushed gold-bearing ore under steel stamps. A continuous flow of water pushed finely crushed ore, out from under the stamps & onto mercury-coated copper tables located below the machine. The free gold would stick to the mercury & be collected later.

As the first bust settled in, the mill was sold & moved to the other end of South Pass City. Then it was moved again, & again, & again. All in all, the mill has had five homes in the South Pass area. This summer it will return to its 1896 location. SPC received a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund to move & restore the mill as part of the Flood & Hindle Mining Trail. This 1.6 mile trail will interpret early mining features at South Pass City.

This January as the wind & snow blew at South Pass City the State Parks Central Construction Office in Shoshoni was busy milling the huge timbers that will support the J.J. Marin Stamp Mill, its ore bins, & copper tables. The structure will be built off site & moved into placed this summer.

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Chicago North Shore restaurant, Prairie Grass Cafe (601 Skokie Blvd.; Northbrook, IL.; 847-205-4433) has partnered with Ravinia School students by featuring their hydroponically grown lettuce on the menu. Each week the members of the Green Growers Club along with program head, third grade teacher Dennis Brosseau, deliver a shipment of freshly harvested green butter lettuce to Prairie Grass Cafe chefs Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris. The lettuce is featured as the special Ravinia School Salad that is served with blue cheese dressing, apple slices and warm croutons ($9.50).

"The lettuce is delicious and the children have been a joy to work with. It's rewarding to see their energy and enthusiasm. Supporting this in-school project is foundational in what we hope to achieve at Prairie Grass Cafe. Our country's future is dependent on the health and education of our children. Our partnership with Ravinia Elementary School hits to the heart of how business and community can work together to empower our children. Everyone benefits. I strongly believe that having a food curriculum in school is paramount. The kids get to see where food comes from beginning to end and each step of the way. It changes the way they think and ultimately educates them in making smarter food choices," said Sarah Stegner.

"The experience has been wonderful!" remarked Brosseau. "Sarah, George, and Dan [Sviland, general manager of Prairie Grass Cafe] have embraced the opportunity to feature our product. We deliver it by 4:15 p.m. each Friday, and it sells out by Sunday. My family and friends have eaten the salad at the Cafe and it is wonderful like all of their food."

The Green Growers Club operates in two sessions; from September to April they focus on the hydroponically grown lettuce. Thirty-five students are involved in the program, divided into five teams. The school's greenhouse contains seven growing tables where students plant the lettuce on a staggered basis, ensuring a crop harvest each week. Every Monday additional plants are germinated. By 4 p.m. Friday, 24 to 36 heads of lettuce are ready to be harvested and sold to Prairie Grass Café as well as teachers, the Highland Park Board of Education, and to other buyers.

In April for the spring session, the club switches its focus to soil plants. Students in grades kindergarten through second grade plant dwarf sunflower plants. By May the students have an opportunity to present those plants as Mother's Day gifts. The third grade students will plant and nurture upwards of 600 zinnia and cockscomb celosia plants to sell at the upcoming Third Grade Plant Sale in early June. Several hundred of these plants can be found throughout the school, beautifying the grounds. Students also grow medium sized tomato plants and basil pots to sell. The Green Growers Club follows the students throughout their time at Ravinia, and when the students are ready to move on to another school they are gifted with a potted basil plant.

The program was started by now retired teacher, Paul Grant, "My friend... now retired, started growing basil hydroponically in his classroom many years ago. I apprenticed with a table in my classroom, too. In 1999 he approached the Parent Teacher Organization about building a greenhouse for the students to use. After a conscientious fund raising effort by the parents and staff, the greenhouse was built in 2000. The Green Growers Club grew basil, Paul's baby, for many years. When he retired, I took over and lettuce became our main cash crop, along with the annual, June Third Grade Plant Sale," said Brosseau.

About Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a controlled system, used as an alternative to growing plants in soil. The process yields a consistent quality product with little or no trouble from the natural elements such as insects, pests and weather. The entire process produces a tasty and nutritious plant.

About Ravinia School
Ravinia School is located at 763 Dean Avenue, Highland Park, IL on Chicago's North Shore. The school currently serves more than 300 kindergarteners through fifth grade students. Ravinia now has 20 classrooms and 8 additional instructional areas including a greenhouse. More information can be found by calling (224) 765-3700 or by visiting www.edline.net/pages/Ravinia_ES.

About Prairie Grass Cafe
Prairie Grass Cafe (601 Skokie Blvd.; Northbrook, IL; 847-205-4433) supports Chicago's Green City Market and local sustainable farms, selecting the freshest ingredients to reflect the season. Prairie Grass Cafe currently serves lunch Monday - Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner Monday through Sunday. Dinner is served Tuesday - Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Monday and Sunday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Prairie Grass Cafe also serves breakfast Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays 9:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Light fare is available in the bar Monday through Friday 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information or to make a reservation, please call (847) 205-4433 or visit www.prairiegrasscafe.com.

Today, Zane Benefits, Inc. published new information on Stand-alone HRAs and Health Insurance Premiums. Zane Benefits, which provides comprehensive and flexible alternatives to traditional employer sponsored health benefits, is the leader in defined contribution and health reimbursement arrangements.

According to Zane Benefits’ website, over the last 2 weeks, we have received several inquiries regarding PHS Act Section 2711 annual limit requirements and how it affects the future of stand-alone Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs). This article outlines a special exemption from the 2711 rules for most stand-alone HRAs that reimburse health insurance premiums.

What Is an HRA?

According to Zane Benefits’ website, Health Reimbursement Arrangements are employer-funded medical expense reimbursement plans that reimburse employees up to a set dollar amount for medical expenses (defined in Code section 213(d)) per year. The IRS determines the rules and regulations for HRAs. Generally, HRAs must comply with Sections 105 and 106 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

What Expenses Are Eligible For Reimbursement From an HRA?

According to Zane Benefits’ website, HRAs can reimburse employees for medical care expenses as defined by IRS Section 213(d), which include amounts paid for:

(A) the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease,
(B) transportation costs to receive medical care described in (A),
(C) qualified long-term care services as defined in section 7702B (c), or
(D) insurance.

What Is Section 2711?

According to Zane Benefits’ website, Section 2711 of the PHS Act, as added by the Affordable Care Act, generally prohibits group health plans from imposing lifetime or annual limits on the dollar value of essential health benefits.

On June 28th, 2010, the federal government issued the following regulations for Section 2711:

"§ 2590.715-2711

No lifetime or annual limits.

(a) Prohibition—

(1) Lifetime limits. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a group health plan, or a health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage, may not establish any lifetime limit on the dollar amount of benefits for any individual.

(2) Annual limits— (i) General rule. Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(2)(ii), (b), and (d) of this section, a group health plan, or a health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage, may not establish any annual limit on the dollar amount of benefits for any individual.

(ii) Exception for health flexible spending arrangements. A health flexible spending arrangement (as defined in section 106(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code) is not subject to the requirement in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section.

Click here to read full article.

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About Zane Benefits

Zane Benefits was founded in 2006 to provide a revolutionized SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) administration platform ("ZaneHRA") for Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRAs) and defined contribution healthcare. The flagship software provides a 100% paperless administration experience to employers and insurance professionals that want to offer better health benefits without a traditional group health insurance plan at lower costs. For more information about ZaneHRA, visit http://www.zanebenefits.com.

The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced that Roger K. Ferland, head of the firm's Phoenix office Environmental and Natural Resources Law Group, will receive the 2012 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Lewis & Clark College.

Each year, the national Board of Alumni chooses an alumnus from a pool of nominations submitted by other alumni, faculty, and staff to receive the Lewis & Clark Distinguished Alumnus Award. The award is bestowed upon one individual that the board considers to have rendered superior performance and service in their chosen field or community, while continuing to reflect values of their alma mater in their career and service. Ferland is receiving the award for his renowned career in environmental policy and natural resource law, as well as his volunteer work with veterans in his community. He was nominated by Jean Ward, professor of Communication and Ferland's former debate coach. He will receive the award at the Alumni Honors Banquet on February 23, 2013 in Portland, Oregon.

“I am thrilled to have been chosen as the recipient of such an award, especially from a what I am sure was an incredible group of candidates,” said Ferland. “To be honored for doing work that I enjoy and feel so strongly about is a true blessing and journey that I plan on continuing to embark on for some time.”

Ferland has practiced in the areas of environmental and natural resources law in both the public and private sector since 1975. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Audubon Arizona and is Co-chair of the Audubon Science and Policy Committee. He has been an adjunct professor of environmental law at Arizona State University College of Law, and is listed in Chambers USA® (the only Arizona Environmental attorney with Chambers’ highest “Star” ranking). Ferland was the first recipient of the Michael J. Brophy Distinguished Service Award presented by the State Bar of Arizona's Environment and Natural Resources Section. He received his law degree, with distinction, from Duke University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Lewis & Clark College.

About Lewis & Clark Board of Alumni
The Board of Alumni is the governing body of the Alumni Association. Their basic charge is to strengthen ties between and among alumni and the College. Through strategic planning, the Board oversees and advises the College on programs to benefit alumni, and on ways that alumni can serve the College.

About Quarles & Brady LLP
Quarles & Brady LLP is a full-service law firm with more than 400 attorneys practicing from offices in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Naples and Tampa, Fla.; Chicago, Ill; Madison and Milwaukee, Wis.; Washington, D.C.; and Shanghai, China. The firm provides an array of legal services to corporate and individual clients, which range from small entrepreneurial businesses to Fortune 100 companies. Additional information about the firm may be found at www.quarles.com, and on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.