A South Lake Tahoe woman faces manslaughter charges in the death of her friend.

Olga Pena Arce

Olga Pena Arce, 21, was arrested April 8 on charges for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence. Bail is set at $250,000.

The accident occurred Nov. 24 at 4:30am on Pioneer Trail and Edna Street in South Lake Tahoe. Police officers say Arce was driving west on Pioneer Trail at nearly 80 mph in a 35 mph zone when she lost control of the vehicle, went into a slide, struck two signs, then crossed onto Edna Street where the vehicle bounced off a wood retaining wall. The impact caused an imprint of the right rear wheel and lug nuts on the retaining wall.

One of the passengers, 20-year-old Aimee Campos of South Lake Tahoe, died at the scene. The other passenger, 25-year-old Wayne Walker of South Lake Tahoe, was ejected from the car. He survived.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

The public is invited to join Rotarians on May 16 for a 3K Lake Tahoe Walk To End Polio starting in the back parking lot of Harveys.

The walk is a gentle stroll of 1.87 miles suitable for all ages and fitness levels. It is from 8:30-10:30am.

The cost is $15 per person and includes a T-shirt to commemorate 30 years of Rotary International’s efforts to eradicate polio in the world. Register online at or call Cheryl Zarachoff at 775.588.1142.

The Lake Tahoe Walk To End Polio is part of the Rotary District 5190 Conference at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe from May 14-17 that will bring more than 600 visitors to the South Shore. More than one million Rotarians have donated their time and money over the last 30 years to raise $1.3 billion to eradicate polio in the world.

By Lily Dayton, Los Angeles Times

Dean Fishman, a chiropractor in Florida, was examining an X-ray of a 17-year-old patient’s neck in 2009 when he noticed something unusual. The ghostly image of her vertebral column showed a reversal of the curvature that normally appears in the cervical spine — a degenerative state he’d most often seen in middle-aged people who had spent several decades of their life in poor posture.

“That’s when I looked over at the patient,” Fishman says. She was slumped in her chair, head tilted downward, madly typing away on her cellphone. When he mentioned to the patient’s mother that the girl’s posture could be causing her headaches, he got what he describes as an “emotional response.” It seemed the teen spent much of her life in that position. Right then, Fishman says, “I knew I was on to something.”

He theorized that prolonged periods of tilting her head downward to peer into her mobile device had created excessive strain on the cervical spine, causing a repetitive stress injury that ultimately led to spinal degeneration. He began looking through all the recent X-rays he had of young people — many of whom had come in for neck pain or headaches — and he saw the same thing: signs of premature degeneration.

Read the whole story

By Kathryn Reed

A five-year legal battle ended this month with a judge ruling the Washoe Meadows State Park environmental impact report is invalid.

Friends of Washoe Meadows filed the lawsuit against California State Parks saying the EIR was not consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act.

The state wants to restore the section of the Upper Truckee River that runs through its property on the South Shore, reconfigure holes at Lake Tahoe Golf Course in Meyers and reclassify some of the property so there would be less land as a state park and more as a recreation area.

All public landowners are reconfiguring the river so it flows more naturally – before it was straightened during the heyday of cattle grazing in the basin. Through the years the channel has gotten steeper, erosion became a problem and fine sediment was and is being carried to Lake Tahoe.

“We would really like to see them take a more rational approach to river restoration that does not sacrifice Washoe Meadows’ resources,” Lynne Paulson, who spearheaded the lawsuit, told Lake Tahoe News. “We are sorry it had to come to this. There should be river restoration and a better plan for the park and the golf course.”

Paulson’s group is concerned that downgrading the state park status will be precedent setting.

“The plan to move up to nine holes of a golf course into Washoe Meadows State Parks is inconsistent with the new vision for California State Parks issued by the Parks Forward Commission. The Commission’s priorities include long-term natural resource protection, the preservation of habitats that may serve as a climate refuge, and increasing the diversity of park users,” Paulson said. “In addition, it seems inconsistent for the state to encourage any golf course development on its land in light of the new demand for stringent reduction in water usage.”

The state has a few options. It can do nothing, it can appeal the decision of the Alameda County Superior Court judge, or it can fix the segments of the document the judge took issue with and hope for a different outcome. It will be up to the Attorney General’s Office to decide how to proceed.

“We are very disappointed in the decision and we were not expecting it,” Cyndie Walck, hydrologist with State Parks, told Lake Tahoe News. “Most of what the issue was was procedural.”

Crews will continue improving the trail network this summer, but nothing substantive can occur until the master plan for the park is developed. That got derailed because State Parks headquarters took away the funding as the lawsuit lingered. The golf course continues to be on a year-to-year lease.

Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the April 4, 2015, Sacramento Bee.

As the rest of California comes to grips with the state’s historic new water mandates, there’s an elephant in the room. And it’s wearing a farmer’s hat.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s order for a 25 percent cut in water consumption homed in hard on towns and cities. From now into an uncertain future, the nice voluntary things many of us have been doing – the drought-tolerant flowerbeds, the slightly shorter showers – are going to have to be just the beginning of a much more water-conscious lifestyle.

Heaven knows, it is long past time for homeowners here to wake up and smell the Dust Bowl. But with groundwater tables shrinking and the Sierra snowpack fading toward zero, with new rules that are going to cramp everyone from cemetery owners to car washers, even those of us who have already taken a hit are rethinking old habits.

So why isn’t more being asked of the constituency that uses 80 percent of the state’s developed water?

What about agriculture?

Read the whole story

To the community,

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, the fire departments on the North Shore, and so many wonderful residents of Lake Tahoe for their generous outpouring of support for our nephew, fire Capt. Pete Dern of Fresno.

Only 10 days ago, Pete led his firefighting team onto the roof of a burning garage. Suddenly, the unimaginable happened. Pete fell through the roof of the garage into the inferno below. Pete’s fellow firefighters removed the garage door and, guided by Pete’s own voice, they found their way through the heavy smoke to locate him. Their rescue was heroic and life-changing.

Currently, in critical condition with severe burns over 70 percent of his body, Pete’s new life has begun at the Leon S. Peters Burn Center at the Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. Numerous surgeries are scheduled for Pete over the next several months. His family, including his very large firefighting family, stand beside Pete every single day. In turn, the outstanding nurses and support team at the hospital and the tireless Fresno firefighters stand beside Pete’s wife and daughter every second of the day.

The outpouring of support for Pete and his family has extended throughout California, Nevada, the entire U.S., and even internationally by kind-hearted and caring firefighters and citizens everywhere. To all of them, we say thank you.

Most of all, we cannot thank our local Tahoe firefighters for the impressive support they have provided to Pete and our family. Their encouraging words, emails, and outreach have been tremendous and we are deeply thankful. We are so fortunate to be part of a community that has such admirable heroes among us.

Our deepest gratitude,

Joan and Joe Truxler, Marla Bay

North Lake Tahoe honored local leaders and businesses at the 61st annual Community Awards Dinner at the Resort at Squaw Creek last month.

The winners are:

Large Business of the Year: Tahoe Restaurant Collection of Garwoods, Caliente and Bar of America.

Nonprofit Organization of the Year: North Lake Tahoe-Truckee Leadership Program.

Best Place to Work: Tahoe Donner Association.

Hospitality Business Award: Sunnyside Restaurant & Lodge.

Hospitality Super Star Award: JJ Beaty, Fire Sign Café.

Small Business of the Year: Andrew Laughlin, Tahoe City Kayak.

Regional Marketing Award: North Tahoe Business Association & Chamber Collaborative.

Public Servant Award: David Boesch, CEO of Placer County.

Tourism Professional of the Year: Rachael Woods, marketing manager, Northstar.

2014 Citizen of the Year: Stacy Caldwell, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation.

Distinguished Community Service: Wally Auerbach, Auerbach Engineering.

Gov. Brian Sandoval talks April 8 about Nevada’s drought. He should be standing in 3 feet of water, but Washoe Lake is a half mile away. Photo/Anne Knowles

By Anne Knowles

WASHOE VALLEY — Standing on Washoe Lake’s dry lakebed, yards from the state park’s boat ramp but half a mile from any water, Gov. Brian Sandoval signed an executive order creating the Nevada Drought Forum.

The forum is tasked with finding ways to address the ongoing drought and provide sustainable water resources for the state’s citizens, farmers and businesses.

“I’m establishing the Nevada Drought Forum to ensure a path forward for all Nevadans,” Sandoval said Wednesday.

Anticipating comparison to California, where Gov. Jerry Brown last week signed an executive order mandating a statewide 25 percent reduction in water use, Sandoval was quick to say the two states are not alike.

“Some of the things they’re doing, we’ve been doing for years,” said Sandoval. “I commend Gov. Brown. But Nevada is different.”

When asked, Sandoval conceded he also lacks the same authority to call for cuts, a power that lies with the Southern Nevada Water Authority and the Truckee Meadows Water Authority.

“Nevada water law is very different than California’s,” he said.

It’s hard to see the water in Washoe Lake from the boat ramp. Photo/Anne Knowles

TMWA last week asked its customers to voluntarily reduce water use by 10 percent in order for the water purveyor to save and store 5,000 acre-feet of water for use next year. (An acre-foot will cover 1 acre with 1 foot of water.)

TMWA is also working with the state to secure a loan to build a $17 million pipeline to transport water between Fish Springs, 40 miles north of Reno, to the Truckee Meadows.

Mark Foree, TMWA general manager, said the water authority is working with its myriad partners to implement the Truckee River Operating Agreement signed in 2008, which will eventually double TMWA’s upstream drought storage.

TMWA also has access to some water in Stampede Reservoir, in addition to water in Independence and Donner lakes, something the water purveyor didn’t have during the state’s worst drought from 1987-1994.

During that time, Lake Tahoe was below the rim for 4½ years, Foree said. He said the lake fell below the rim six months ago and is 2½ inches below it now.

“This is not the worst drought on record. Could it become the worst drought? We’ll know more next year,” said Foree. “We are not expecting any flow into the Truckee (at Tahoe City) and by the end of May or early June all natural flows into it will probably end.”

Lake Tahoe normally provides water to the Reno area via the Truckee River. Photo/Kathryn Reed

The state engineer, Jason King, has ordered a 50 percent reduction in groundwater pumping in two of the state’s basins, orders that have been stayed by the court.

“We have seen significant groundwater declines and if left unchecked, the basins will not be sustained,” Leo Drozdoff, director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said at the forum announcement.

The Truckee Carson Irrigation District, which serves farmers in the Fallon and Fernley area, last month told farmers they would receive just 20 percent of their normal allocation.

SNWA, which relies on the Colorado River, has long worked to conserve water.

John Entsminger, general manager of SNWA, said the Las Vegas area has reduced water use by 40 percent in the last 15 years despite a 25 percent increase in population during the boom before the recession.

“Nevada is the poster child for the country,” said Entsminger. “We’ve shown how you can grow the economy and use less water.”

Despite all that, some didn’t think the governor’s response to the ongoing drought was enough.

“I thought it was a start, but not a very strong one,” Bob Fulkerson, state director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance, told Lake Tahoe News. “I wanted to see more action, more recognition of the dire problem we’re in, and more of a commitment to a new way of thinking instead of status quo like ‘we’ll make sure there’s always enough water for anyone who comes’.”

The forum, according to the executive order, will comprise the director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture; state engineer; chief of the Nevada Division of Emergency Management; Nevada climatologist; dean of the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension; and representatives from the Desert Research Institute and SNWA.

DRI announced that its representative would be Justin Huntington, associate research professor of Hydrology.

Sandoval ordered all state offices to conduct an audit of their water use. He also ordered all state agencies with drought responsibilities and all municipal water providers to deliver a summary of their actions to the forum by May 15, which the forum will consolidate and make available by June 15.

The Western Governors’ Association Drought Forum, created by Sandoval, is delivering its final report in late June, which the state’s agencies and water suppliers will then utilize to make recommendations to the Nevada forum by the end of August, according to the executive order.

The Nevada Drought Forum will have a multi-day summit in September and deliver a final report by Nov. 1.

Dealing with drought — stewardship practices at Sierra-at-Tahoe is this topic of the April 15 Tahoe Talks Brown Bag lunch series.

John Rice, general manager of the ski resort, will share his experience and knowledge from a ski-industry career spanning 37 years. Rice has been a leader in the industry and has knowledge on a local, regional and national level.

The free talk is from noon-1:30pm in the Aspen Room at Lake Tahoe Community College.

Women of all ages are invited to attend the fourth annual Moms’ Morning Out on May 2.

Moms’ Morning Out was started by Barton Health as a health and wellness program for new moms. The program has grown and last year more than 200 women, not just moms, participated in the event.

The morning starts at 8 with attendees choosing between a yoga class by Studio Lake Tahoe or Jazzercise with Jodi Stewart.

Other activities, including coffee and brunch from Blue Angel Café, are scheduled from 9am-noon. At their own pace, women may browse wellness booths from local businesses and sign up for a variety of pampering activities, including massage, mini-facials, and hypnotherapy. Barton Health medical providers will also share informative wellness lectures. This year’s topics include Kegels & More – Power Your Pelvis, at 9:15am, Intimacy After Kids and Beyond, at 10:15am, and Identifying Teen (and Tween) Stress at 11:15am.

No reservation is required and all activities are free at Lake Tahoe Community College in the commons area. All attendees must be 12 or older to attend.