The Lake Tahoe Historical Society will host an evening looking back at the formation of the city of South Lake Tahoe.
The speakers will be Laurel Ames, Betty Mitchell and John Cefalu.
The chat will be June 10 beginning at 7pm at Lake Tahoe Airport. Cost is $3. It is free for Historical Society members.
By Victoria Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle
At the same time “right to die” legislation is working its way through the California Legislature, another patient issue is gaining momentum: the “right to try.”
Two bills would give terminally ill Californians who have exhausted their treatment options the right to try unapproved medications. Both have received bipartisan support, with one already heading to the state Senate after making it out of the Assembly last week.
Seventeen states have approved similar laws, while California is among as many as 15 states that have proposed legislation. Governors in Florida, Nevada and Illinois have right-to-try bills on their desks, and Arizona voters have approved a ballot measure to give patients the option.
By Kathryn Reed
KINGS BEACH – By fall 2017, getting through Tahoe City at the Y is predicted to be a lot easier.
This is because the nearly $30 million Fanny Bridge project received unanimous approval Wednesday by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board.
Doing something with this congested intersection has been talked about for near a quarter century. A sense of urgency developed when it was revealed the 87-year-old bridge that crosses the Truckee River has structural issues. However, last summer a Caltrans assessment showed the bridge was not in as dire condition as people had been led to believe. But by this time the environmental documents were being worked on and plans were being drawn.
For those who have spoken out against the project, most agree with proponents that something needs to be done to the bridge. What they disagree about is the rerouting of Highway 89 through the 64 acres near the Tahoe City transit center. The bypass will start just south of the transit center. It will not affected any designated trails.
“When you take something that is in need of help and create something new, that is not revitalization. That is damaging to the entire area,” Tahoe City resident Christina Anderson told the board.
Of the 17 people who spoke at the May 27 meeting at the North Tahoe Events Center about half were for the preferred alternative and the other half in favor of just fixing the bridge. And most of those who wanted the reroute represented an agency of some sort, with only one resident voicing his support.
Another two-lane bridge similar in size to the current Fanny Bridge will be built. This then becomes a city street that Placer County will be tasked with maintaining. The theory is with less vehicle traffic it will make for a better biking and walking experience. Creating a complete street is the goal.
The reroute will add 4 acres of coverage to what is now a forest. There will be a roundabout at the Y and then one at both ends of the realignment.
Fire and other emergency personnel believe having two routes connecting the West and North shores will provide an increased level of safety for residents and businesses in an emergency. Several people commented on how public safety vehicles have been stuck in traffic as have the buses.
Opponents, though, fear realignment will take people away from Tahoe City at a time when the North Shore city is still on economically unsound footing.
Carl Hasty, executive director of the Tahoe Transportation District, said the public would be able to have more input this summer as final designs are drawn. The project is about 30 percent done in terms of design.
In October 2013, Tahoe Transportation District – the lead agency on the project – received $25.5 million from the Federal Lands Access Program for this project as well as Meeks Bay Bike Path and Dollar Creek Shared Use Path.
Dredging at the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association channel was completed earlier this month. Photo/Melanie Green
By Alan Miller
With low water conditions at Lake Tahoe due to the ongoing drought, there have been a number of maintenance dredging projects taking place to keep boating and commercial access open at existing marina and boat ramp facilities. Some of these dredging projects have been completed, while others are going on right now, and some have yet to begin.
The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board of California plays a role in ensuring water quality is protected for beneficial uses such as drinking water, recreation in or on the water, and the protection of plants and animals that live in or near the water. The Lahontan Water Board does this by issuing permit requirements to control pollutants from dredging activities.
For the established California marinas at Lake Tahoe, the Lahontan Water Board has issued a single Marina General Permit. This permit includes requirements to control wastes and pollutants from all marina operations, including wastes in stormwater runoff. Within the Marina General Permit the Water Board has granted an exemption to its waste discharge prohibitions that allows for dredging in previously dredged areas to provide for ongoing public recreation.
Approval of maintenance dredging projects is streamlined for those meeting the requirements of the Marina General Permit. The permit requires the project to complete an application specifically describing the activities and pollution control methods.
• Tahoe Keys Marina (above) has begun dredging.
• Tahoe Keys Property Association is done dredging.
• Ski Run completed dredging for inner harbor, no application for dredging farther out into the lake.
• Homewood is dredging.
• Lakeside Marina’s application is incomplete.
• Fleur de Lac‘s application is incomplete. The plan is to dredge in the fall.
• Star Harbor has its permit and plans to dredge in the fall.
Source: Lahontan Water Board
These methods, sometimes called best management practices, or BMPs, include plastic curtains, also known as turbidity curtains, to contain water clouded by soils disturbed by dredging. The turbidity curtains are anchored by weights at the lake bottom, with floats at the top. The idea is to keep the suspended sediments contained within a small area and keep the rest of Lake Tahoe clear and blue.
If suction dredging is used, large volumes of water and sediment must be managed, often requiring large areas to separate the solid material from the water. Water must either be placed on land to percolate into the ground or filtered prior to discharging back to the lake. Also, project staff must describe the disposal or reuse of the dredged material. A plan to monitor water quality, during and following the project, is also required, as is pre- and post-project lake bottom surveys to ensure that only maintenance dredging occurs.
The Lahontan Water Board staff reviews all applications for the adequacy of the BMPs that are proposed, and issues authorizations under the Marina General Permit that may include special conditions. Such conditions may include limiting equipment access; controlling the spread of aquatic invasive species; land restoration following wetland or other disturbance; or monitoring and reporting on the dredging activity.
During the application review staff considers proposed containment and dewatering methods, locations for dredging and disposal of spoils, types of mechanical equipment to be used, access routes (from water or land), and needed monitoring. When the Water Board is satisfied that adequate controls are proposed to protect against potential or actual effects that may be harmful to water quality, aquatic life, wildlife, recreation, and water aesthetics, then the dredging is allowed to proceed.
Maintenance dredging is needed because the lakebed and shoreline materials are subject to periodic movement under the action of stream inputs, in-lake currents, storms and waves. Over time, the low spots tend to fill and so they must be dredged — especially in low-water conditions — to maintain access for boaters.
The Water Board is here to ensure the best possible dredging projects, and to reduce impacts to water quality and uses of water from allowed activities. Besides the obvious recreational benefits, dredging can also be beneficial by removing or controlling the infestations of non-native or invasive aquatic organisms, and by removing fine sediments that may be contaminated by metals, oily wastes, or pollutants in sediment from urban runoff.
In most cases, however, the primary concern is keeping the soils from the disturbed lakebed from getting outside the containment areas during dredging. It’s a balancing act as the Water Board strives to meet the desires of the public to enjoy Lake Tahoe, while also protecting it.
Alan Miller is the senior water resource control engineer with the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board.
The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will host the sixth annual Native Species Festival on May 30 from 10am-4pm at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center.
This free family event is a way to spend the day outdoors and learn about native species of the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Activities include guided walks led by field professionals to learn about local trees and wildlife, a free training on how to identify and remove invasive plants sponsored by the League to Save Lake Tahoe and a guided nature walk for dog owners hosted by the Lake Tahoe Humane Society. Educational booths from various public and nonprofit agencies will feature information on the American black bear, native birds, the American beaver, Tahoe yellow cress and more. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will return this year with the inflatable fish tent and the large fish tank, which holds native Lahontan cutthroat trout.
Hot dogs, snacks, drinks and ice cream will be available for purchase. The local band, Fugitive Roots, will provide live music.
For more information, contact Jean Norman at 530.543.2694 or go online.
The Memorial Day Weekend Avoid the 6 – DUI Campaign resulted in four arrests.
Nine special DUI patrols and officers on routine patrol focused special attention on impaired drivers for four days.
In 2014, there were zero DUI arrests occurred during the Memorial Day weekend.
South Lake Tahoe police, El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies and CHP officers were part of the enforcement team.
By Monte Morin, Los Angeles Times
As the drought drags on, water managers and environmentalists advocate turning sewage into drinking water
It’s a technology with the potential to ease California’s colossal thirst and insulate millions from the parched whims of Mother Nature, experts say.
But there’s just one problem — the “yuck factor.”
As a fourth year of drought continues to drain aquifers and reservoirs, California water managers and environmentalists are urging adoption of a polarizing water recycling policy known as direct potable reuse.
Unlike nonpotable reuse — in which treated sewage is used to irrigate crops, parks or golf courses — direct potable reuse takes treated sewage effluent and purifies it so it can be used as drinking water.
South Lake Tahoe Friends of the Library is putting on two events in June.
The first is June 23. Wildflower photographer Roger Rosenberger will present The Many Faces of Beauty. He will explore the many ways Mother Nature pleases the senses with her beauty. Rosenberger will look at more than wildflowers, exploring several other mediums of natural beauty.
On June 30 author Cindy Sample will discuss her award-winning and national bestselling Laurel McKay humorous mystery series which is set in El Dorado County. “Sample’s series has been described as the perfect blend of intrigue, humor and romance. She will discuss her pothole-filled path to publication and also focus on her latest release, Dying for a Dude”. A Q & A and book sale will follow the talk.
Both events are free and start at 6pm. The library is at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.
South Lake Tahoe Moose Lodge No. 1632, with Sierra-at-Tahoe, Harrah’s and Harveys are sponsoring the 10th annual Longest Day of Golf on June 18.
Tahoe Paradise Golf Course is donating its course for the entire day. Golfers will start at sunup and play as many holes as they can before sundown.
Last year more than $12,000 was raised for the South Lake Tahoe Cancer League. The golfers will be taking pledges on a per hole basis or a flat dollar donation amount. This year’s goals are to play more than 130 holes and raise over $12,000.
To make a pledge, call the Moose Lodge at 530.541.1632; to make a donation via credit/debit card, call the Cancer League 530.573.1703.
· The photo above is a copy of a certificate that was sent out by Lake Tahoe Unified School District to students. Note that all the words are not spelled correctly.
· Lakeside Inn & Casino at Stateline turned 30 on May 24.
· Effective June 1, outdoor irrigation with potable water is down to two days per week and only on Tuesdays and Fridays for Truckee Donner Public Utility District customers.
· The Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe’s new shelter has been a huge success and dramatically increased the number of animals saved from overcrowded urban and rural shelters. With the increased rate in rescues, the Humane Society was in need of a specialized animal-transport vehicle to make saving thousands of more lives possible. Thanks to the support of multiple foundations, necessary funds were raised and the humane society has acquired a new rescue transport van.
· Truckee Donner Public Utility District is one of 191 of the nation’s more than 2,000 public power utilities to earn the Reliable Public Power Provider designation from the American Public Power Association for providing consumers with the highest degree of reliable and safe electric service.