If the predicted big storms come this winter, they could have big impacts on Lake Tahoe’s clarity.

The League to Save Lake Tahoe is gathering an expert panel to discuss how runoff from big storms can convey pollution to Lake Tahoe.

Attendees will hear what Tahoe’s communities are doing to address stormwater pollution and find out how they can get involved in the League’s Pipe Keepers program.

There will be two events: Oct. 6, 6-8pm at North Tahoe Events Center, Kings Beach and Oct. 13, 6-8pm, Lake Tahoe Community College board room, South Lake Tahoe.

RSVP online.

Updated 8:23pm:

A man who reportedly assaulted a woman last week has contacted an attorney who in turn is working with South Lake Tahoe police to arrange a surrender of his client.

“As this case is still under investigation and no culpability has yet been established to the point of developing probable cause to make an arrest, we are not releasing the identity of this person,” the department said in a statement.

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A man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in South Lake Tahoe is being sought by police.

The victim reported having been sexually assaulted early in the morning of Aug. 28 at a residence in the city.

The photo is from a convenience store video system near the Y close to the time of the assault.

The suspect and victim had met only hours prior, so the victim could not positively identify the suspect. The suspect may go by Ben or Benjamin. He is a white male in his late 20s or early 30s, he is estimated to be about 6-feet-1-inch tall and 180 pounds. He has reddish hair and blue eyes. At the time of the assault he had shoulder length hair and a beard.

Officers said they delayed release of the information because they believed they had a suspect identified. That person has since been cleared.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police department at 530.542.6100.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Human interactions with bears at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center during the Kokanee salmon spawn have become a public safety concern.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Nevada Department of Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service are asking visitors to keep their distance when encountering bears.

Visitor center staff routinely encounter unsafe situations when guests ignore posted instructions and get close to bears to take photos and videos. Bears are unpredictable wild animals and may attack if they feel threatened. Wildlife authorities may kill bears if they attack people.

The federal and state agencies do not encourage visits to see bears and advise the public to stay away from bears, as they are dangerous wild animals. At Taylor Creek, visitors should stay on trails, respect wildlife and keep a safe distance if bears are present. Never approach bears for any reason, including a photo opportunity.

If visitors continue to disregard directions to stay away from bears at Taylor Creek, the Forest Service may close the area for public safety.

By Kathryn Reed

South Tahoe Refuse customers are divided when it comes to whether they would like to stick with the blue bag recycling program or have a garbage can dedicated to such goods.

The garbage company that services the South Shore of Lake Tahoe on both sides of the state line asked customer to answer a 14-question survey to get their take on a variety of issues.

“What I glean from this is the blue bags are being utilized,” Nancy McDermid said. She is Douglas County’s representative to the Waste Management JPA. (South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County are the other members of the JPA.)

Jeanne Lear with STR at this week’s JPA meeting at Lake Tahoe Airport went over the 116 survey responses. The average customer who responded has been a STR customer for 19 years, with the longest being 52 years. Forty-seven percent were from South Lake Tahoe, 31 percent from El Dorado County and 22 percent from Douglas County.

Seventy-percent use the blue bag.

When it came to wanting to keep that bag or go to a tote, the results were 40 percent for each. The other 20 percent is not sure. The majority – 65 percent – is not willing to pay another dollar for a dedicated recycling can.

Just more than one-quarter of the respondents are using some type of bear proof device.

Fifty percent believe there is no problem in their neighborhood with animals getting in garbage, while 43 percent say there is an issue. Lear said it’s possible people don’t know about problems because STR or Clean Tahoe employees have cleaned up the mess before they would have had an opportunity to see it.

The majority (79 percent) believes when there is a customer who lets an animal get into the trash a metal animal resistant container should be mandatory.

STR was surprised to learn about two-thirds of the survey takers don’t use the recycling buyback center. Lear said this in part has to do with Nevada residents not being able to use it in full because the bottle bill exists in California and not the Silver State.

The JPA will be able to use the information going forward if it wants to make changes to the recycling program or animal containers.

      In other action:

·      The JPA board is still deciding if a loan program will be created so customers could buy bear boxes without putting out the cash all at once. Details will be brought forward at the next meeting, which is anticipated to be in January.

A short pursuit early Thursday morning ended with the arrest of a Portola man on domestic violence charges.

Officers were called to the 12000 block of Greenwood Drive in Truckee about 3am Sept. 24 because of a dispute between a man and woman in the middle of the road.

A chase early Sept. 24 in Truckee ended when the truck hit a tree. Photo/Provided

Officers said David Johnson, 52, drove away from them with a woman hanging onto to the rear of the vehicle. Officers relocated the vehicle on Highway 89 headed north, with the female inside the vehicle. Johnson lost control of the truck on Alder Creek Road at Carpenter Valley Road, where he hit a tree, officers said.

The woman climbed out and ran a short distance before being apprehended.

The duo displayed the symptoms of being under the influence of an illegal stimulant drug, officers said, adding that drug paraphernalia was located in the vehicle.

Johnson was arrested on charges of felony evading, felony DUI causing injury, felony assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor domestic violence. The woman, who is not being identified because she has not been arrested, sustained injuries in the collision and was transported to Renown Medical Center in Reno with non-life threatening injuries.

Officers said she will likely be charged with felony domestic violence and being under the influence of a controlled substance when she is released. She is believed to be from Sacramento.

The exact circumstances of the domestic violence are still under investigation.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

The two people found dead in a Truckee hotel room have been identified as a couple from Hollister.

Police do not believe foul play was involved, but the cause of death has not been determined. Authorities are waiting for toxicology reports, which could take 10 weeks.

The bodies of Linda Marsh, 63, and Anthony Marsh, 46, were discovered Sept. 16 at Richard’s Motel on Donner Pass Road near Donner Lake.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

·       The final section of the Sawmill bike trail in El Dorado County officially opens Oct. 14 at 3pm.

·      There will be a free wildflower slideshow at Lake Tahoe Community College on Oct. 6 at 7pm in the Aspen Room (inside the library building). Photos are by LTCC English faculty member and wildflower enthusiast Lisa Berry.

·       Randy Llewellyn, owner of Integrity Locksmith in South Lake Tahoe, is celebrating 30 years in business.

·       Placer County Sheriff’s Office is offering a free identity theft prevention class on Oct. 13 from 6-8pm at the Auburn Justice Center. Reservations are required. Call CSO Kim Rivera at 530.889.6922 or krivera@placer.ca.gov to reserve a seat.

·       Fire Fest is Sept. 26 at Lake Tahoe Airport from 10am to 3pm.

By Amy Quinton, Capital Public Radio

The U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station won’t let forest ecologist Malcolm North talk about the study he authored in the journal Science.

The agency even unsuccesfully requested that Science editors hold the article or remove North’s name and affiliation from the peer-reviewed study.

The paper “Reform Forest Fire Management” says suppressing every fire in overgrown forests is not only expensive but dangerous and ill-advised.

Strong words perhaps, but UC Berkeley Fire Scientist Scott Stephens, who co-authored the paper, says they are not controversial.

“I read the paper many times,” says Stephens. “I just didn’t see something jump, like this would be something that would really cause great problems.”

Read the whole story

The South Lake Tahoe Police Canine Association will be hosting the 8th annual K9 Trials at Lakeview Commons on Oct. 3.

As a sanctioned Western States Police Canine Association event, it is expected to draw 45-50 canine teams throughout California.

The competition will begin at 9am on that Saturday with the Field Search phase, which tests the ability of the canine team to locate hidden suspects.

The Obedience and Agility phases are combined. They test dogs’ abilities to navigate several obstacles and respond to the handlers commands of right turn, left turn, about turn, turn into your dog, fast/slow and heel.

The final Protection phase will begin at approximately 1pm. It judges the canines on their courage, drive, control and how well they bite. Handlers are sequestered and do not know the scenario until they walk onto the field.

South Lake Tahoe firefighters were busy with two fires on Wednesday.

The first was a stove fire on Eloise Avenue on the night of Sept. 23. A neighbor alerted emergency personnel about the smoke. Firefighters said a resident had fallen asleep with food left cooking. Damage was minor and there were no injuries.

Close to 11pm crews were called out to a fire off Keller Drive near Pine Hill Road. It was about 400 feet off from the road.

Firefighters were able to keep it to an area of about 50 feet by 50 feet.

The cause is under investigation.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report