Sting and Peter Gabriel are going on tour together, with one of their stops being in Stateline.

They are the second act to be booked for the Harveys Outdoor Concert Series. Country star Keith Urban was the first.

Sting and Gabriel will be in town July 15 at 7pm.

Tickets go on sale Jan. 25. They range in price from $89.50 to $255.

While with the Police, Sting was part of five albums. Since then he has had 14 solo albums.

Gabriel was a founding member of Genesis. He left in 1975 and has had 11 solo albums.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Kathryn Reed

A tropical country, surfers, a legendary wave, drug dealers and corporate greed – all the makings for fictional fantasy. Only this was reality.

Controversy and years of legal haggling started in 2004 when a company received approval from Costa Rican government officials to build the world’s first yellow fin tuna farm off the coast of this Central America country.

       South Lake Tahoe author Jeremy Evans captures the strife and intrigue in “The Battle for Paradise” (University of Nebraska Press, 2015).

The subject is intriguing – taking the reader to a remote impoverished coastal town that is home to a legendary wave. The problem is the book gets incredibly bogged down with the drug dealer. He is integral to the town’s evolution, but he takes over the book.

The last chapter where Evans professes his environmental stance is where the heart of the book should have come from. Instead it reads like an afterthought.

If this had been a book heavy on the relationship between the environment and surfing, and less on the drug dealer, it would have been more profound. The drug dealer could be a book unto itself; a biography, perhaps. Evans didn’t weave it all together in a manner that flowed well or gave balance to the real issues.

Evans also inserts himself into the story at times when it is not necessary, and is even distracting. This contradicts what he says in the introduction about needing to be an observer.

The subject matter is interesting. And for those who know nothing about the world of Dan Fowlie, the town of Pavones or the corruption of Costa Rica, this would be a good introduction.

Lake Tahoe Hard Rock introduced outdoor music on New Year’s Eve. Photo/LTN

By Kathryn Reed

A year ago this time the hype surrounding the opening of Lake Tahoe Hard Rock was palpable. The chaos inside was under wraps. It was quite a feat to actually have the doors open to the public on Jan. 28. Finishing touches were still taking place right up until the last minute.

It certainly has not been the year owners Jon and David Park envisioned. The brothers borrowed $60 million to turn the dilapidated, outdated Horizon hotel-casino into what they believed would be the premier property in Stateline. They hired Warner Hospitality to handle the day-to-day operations, which included Don Marrandino as the general manager.

Marrandino was gone by early March and Warner was fired in October.

Lawsuits are lingering. One is between the Parks and SMC Contracting, the firm that did much of the remodel. The other is between the Parks and Warner.

The pool at the Hard Rock is an issue still to be resolved. Photo/LTN file

It wasn’t long before the employees were jumping ship or being forced out. The property was in shambles last summer.

Fast-forward to today and things still aren’t perfect, but they are a lot better.

An employee who spoke with Lake Tahoe News last summer about how horrible the place was is still at Hard Rock. “Things are going much better,” he said, but he still wanted to remain anonymous. “We are transitioning. Warner leaving was a blessing. That is where I had most of my complaints and issues. Things didn’t get like this overnight. Warner dug quite a hole.”

Since October it has been up to casino veterans Jim Roets and Rick Stevens to provide stability, order and a sense of leadership. Their 90-day agreement is nearing the end.

What the future holds remains to be seen. Management companies have been on property assessing the Hard Rock. Paragon Gaming is believed to be at the top of the list of contenders. They, like Warner, are based in Las Vegas.

Hiring a general manager and human resources director were two of the things Roets and Stevens were tasked with. Originally the plan was to get a GM who understood the Tahoe market and not have an outside company like before. No one would speak to why there has been a change in philosophy.

The casino has been busier of late compared to August when this picture was taken at the height of the turmoil. Photo/LTN file

An HR director has been hired as well as others for that department.

“They are handling all of human relations in a much more effective manner than ever before. We’ve augmented some of our food and beverage staff,” Roets told Lake Tahoe News. “I find in general the employees here are feeling good about being here and have some optimism that we are doing things right.”

A key position – director of non-gaming operations – is now vacant. Corinna Osborne has taken a job with Park Heritage, the parent company of the Park brothers based in Minden. She is vice president of business development and special projects.

Until her job is filled in Tahoe she will remain an integral part of the hotel-casino.

“When we made the shift back in October it was a positive move for the property and community,” Osborne told Lake Tahoe News. “I’m definitely not touting the company line. It’s something I believe.”

She noted, though, that it takes time to make all the necessary changes.

Some of those changes may not be able to be made soon because it is 50-year-old building. It has an old heating and air conditioning system. Employees and guests have noticed this. The casino floor often runs hot, though there was a short span when it was cold and employees wanted to be wearing more clothing, but were denied.

When rooms are warm this time of year it’s not possible to kick in the A/C.

There were issues over the holidays with the hot water in some rooms. Hotel officials believe that has been resolved permanently.

A good sign is weekend nights are filling up. And when the gaming numbers came out for November it was the first time in months that the Stateline casinos posted year-over-year gains. It’s too soon to know if this is a trend or an anomaly.

The ski season, Roets said, has been good for the hotel-casino. Hard Rock partnered with Powderhouse ski shop, which opened a retail location on property for hotel guests to easily access equipment.

On New Year’s Eve the casino had music out front, with crowds dancing to stay warm.

“People want and expect a countdown. We added that. It was received better than we could have imagined,” Roets said.

To the community,

For the past five years, the Kiwanis Club of Tahoe Sierra has been sponsoring Bread & Broth Adopt A day of Nourishment on the second Monday in the month of January. True to form, on Jan. 11 Kiwanis Club of Tahoe Sierra members Jan Lynds, Pat Frega and Bob “Snow Bum” Fleischer were there pitching in at B&B’s evening dinner.

The Kiwanis Club’s annual sponsorship is always appreciated by B&B and the B&B volunteers always look forward to working with our repeat sponsor volunteers.

Frega has been a frequent sponsor volunteer and is now an experienced helper at the B&B dinners that he attends. For Lynds and Fleisher, this was their first time at a B&B dinner and they both were great novice volunteers. Packing giveaway bags, setting up the dessert and drink table, manning the serving line and helping with cleanup makes for a long three hours, but all of the Kiwanis volunteers stayed through the end of the evening.

“What a wonderful experience! This is one of the things volunteering is all about,” said Fleisher. “Great food was served, well appreciated by the many served with a delicious meal. Great helpers, cooks and cleanup crews.”

All of B&B’s helpers are volunteers and without them there would be no Monday dinners for the hungry of our community. However, there also would be no Monday dinners without the financial support of organizations like the Kiwanis Club of Tahoe Sierra.   Working together with our volunteers, donors and sponsors, B&B has been able to ease hunger in the South Tahoe community for the last 26 years.

To partner with B&B as a donor or sponsor, contact me at 530.542.2876 or carolsgerard@aol.com

Carol Gerard, Bread & Broth

By Art Way, AlterNet

More than three years have passed since Colorado residents voted to legalize marijuana, which immediately allowed adults to possess and cultivate limited amounts of marijuana. This past New Year’s Day marked the two year anniversary of adults being able to legally buy marijuana in Colorado.

The policy is still in its formative stage, but the first year after marijuana sales started in Colorado went very well and we continue to see the good shape of things to come.

The destruction imagined by opponents of legalization in 2012 never came true and is unlikely to materialize.  Public safety benchmarks are under scrutiny in a manner never seen under prohibition and there is no real cause for panic in the foreseeable future.

In short, the current state of legalization is more reflective of the world imagined by proponents – legalization works.

Read the whole story

By Stephy Chung, CNN

Sonic decanters, slip-on wine thermometers, devices to pour your wine without pulling the cork — the list of fancy wine accessories is growing apace, as global wine enthusiasts look for newer, better ways to appreciate their favorite tipple.
But James Molesworth, Senior Editor at Wine Spectatormagazine says expensive gadgets are largely unnecessary. “You don’t need much else besides a simple decanter, corkscrew and stemware.”

The inclusion of the latter — quality stemware, which can easily cost upwards US$100 per glass — is becoming a popular choice in many of the world’s leading high-end restaurants.

Read the whole story

By Hillel Italie, AP

NEW YORK — Glenn Frey, who co-founded the Eagles and with Don Henley became one of history’s most successful songwriting teams with such hits as “Hotel California” and “Life in the Fast Lane,” has died.

Frey, who was 67, died of complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia, the band said on its website. He died on Monday in New York. He had fought the ailments for the past several weeks, the band said.

“The Frey family would like to thank everyone who joined Glenn to fight this fight and hoped and prayed for his recovery,” a statement on the band’s website said.

Glenn Frey with the Eagles at Stateline in 2014. Photo/LTN file

Guitarist Frey and drummer Henley formed the Eagles in Los Angeles in the early 1970s, along with guitarist Bernie Leadon and bassist Randy Meisner. They would become a top act over the next decade, embodying the melodic California sound.

The Eagles last played in Lake Tahoe in summer 2014 as part of the Harveys Outdoor Concert Series. They played two sold-out shows.

An Eagles greatest hits collection from the mid-1970s and “Hotel California” are among the best-selling albums in history.

Frey was born in Detroit and was raised in its suburbs. His solo hits include “The Heat Is On” and “Smuggler’s Blues.”

Frey was lead vocalist on the Eagles’ breakthrough hit, “Take It Easy,” a song mostly written by Jackson Browne that came out in 1972. His other showcases included “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” ”Already Gone” and “New Kid in Town.”

The Eagles split up in 1980 but reunited in 1994 and were one of the world’s most popular concert acts. The band, which for years was made up of Frey, Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, was supposed to have been honored at the Kennedy Center last month. But the appearance was postponed because of Frey’s health problems.

Frey, known for his oversized jaw, big grin and blunt personality, loved music, girls and the rock ‘n’ roll life. He would meet up with Henley, Meisner and Leadon while all were trying to catch on in the Los Angeles music scene, and for a time the four backed Linda Ronstadt. They also befriended such other Los Angeles-based musicians as Browne and J.D. Souther, who would collaborate on “New Kid in Town” and other Eagles songs.

They harmonized memorably on stage and on record but fought often otherwise. Leadon and Meisner departed after run-ins with Frey, and guitarist Don Felder, who had joined the group in 1974, ended up in legal action with the Eagles.

Frey and Henley also became estranged for years, their breach a key reason the band stayed apart in the 1980s. Henley had vowed the Eagles would reunite only when “hell freezes over,” which became the name of the 1994 album they never imagined making.

Here’s a look at some of Frey’s most memorable Eagles songs:

• “Take It Easy”: With its glittering guitar opening and touch of country twang, “Take It Easy” was the Eagles’ first single in 1972 and became one of the band’s signature songs. It was mostly written by Jackson Browne, but Frey added a line and sings lead vocals.
• “Tequila Sunrise”: Co-written with Henley and sang by Frey, this heartbreaking song was the first single off the band’s 1973 album, “Desperado.”
• “One of These Nights”: Another hit written with Henley, Frey said in 2003 that “One of These Nights” was his favorite Eagles tune, calling it “a breakthrough song.” It was the title track of the band’s 1975 album and its second single.
• “New Kid in Town:” The first single off of 1976’s “Hotel California,” ”New Kid in Town” features Frey’s lead vocals and Henley’s harmonies. They co-wrote the song with frequent collaborator J.D. Souther.
• “Heartache Tonight”: A late ’70s-early ’80s anthem, “Heartache Tonight” appeared on the 1979 album “The Long Run” and won a Grammy Award for best rock vocal performance by a duo or group. Frey, Henley and Souther wrote the track with Bob Seger. Frey sang lead vocals.

By Krista Langlois, High Country News

If you’ve ever dreamed about fishing in the West, chances are you’ve pictured something like the South Fork of the Flathead, an achingly beautiful turquoise river tumbling over multicolored pebbles and wending through the deep forest of northwest Montana.

Wade Fredenberg is among the few lucky enough to have grown up fishing there, and his childhood recollections read like a passage from Norman Maclean’s legendary book “A River Runs Through It”. Fredenberg was a farm kid, and summer mornings, after rising at 4 a.m. to fix an irrigation pipe, he and his Uncle Art would sneak off in a robin’s-egg blue 1959 Chevy Apache to stalk bull trout in the deep pools of the Flathead. Later, stacking hay bales in the hot sun, Fredenberg would remember those moments, imagining that instead of stacking hay he was stacking bull trout as long as his arm, their flanks the color of the river.

Fredenberg is now a U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist, and the gleaming 20-pound bull trout of his youth are increasingly rare. The trout have been devastated by mining pollution, agricultural runoff and non-native fish, and surviving populations are threatened by rising stream temperatures. Yet while their trajectory from abundance to scarcity is a story we know all too well, Fredenberg and his colleagues believe that new research can turn the narrative around — not just for bull trout, but for other cold-water fish species across the West as well.

Read the whole story

·       Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe’s annual Crab feed is Jan. 29 at 6pm at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. For tickets, call 530. 541.5900.

·      Homegrown Cali Style Reggae Party featuring Mystic Roots from Chico, Thrive from Santa Cruz and Taking Root from South Lake Tahoe is Jan. 30 at 9pm Whiskey Dicks Saloon in South Lake Tahoe. Must be 21 or older. Tickets are $10 in advance at The Spot and Whiskey Dicks or online, or $15 day of show.

·       Here is the Caltrans roadwork schedule for the Sierra for this week.

·       Douglas County School District is asking people to take this survey regarding school calendars.

·       The last video store in South Lake Tahoe – Video Library – is closing; most likely by the end of the month. Libraries are a good option for finding a DVD.

By Sandra Chereb, Las Vegas Review-Journal 

CARSON CITY — Call it an ironic political twist of fate.

A constitutional amendment spearheaded more than a decade ago by a conservative Republican to take politics out of Nevada education funding is now at the heart of a legal battle that could upend a conservative GOP ideal — public funding for school choice.

The Education First Initiative was launched by then-Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., and Dawn Gibbons, his wife and state assemblywoman at the time, following the debacle of the 2003 Legislature and epic fight over school funding.

Passed overwhelmingly by voters in 2004 and 2006, the amendment requires the state Legislature to fund K-12 public education before any other part of the state budget.

Fast forward 10 years to this month: Carson City District Judge James Wilson cited a key provision of that amendment when he issued an injunction temporarily blocking Nevada’s new education savings accounts intended to allow parents to use state money to pay for tuition at private or religious schools.

Read the whole story