Publisher’s note: This letter was sent to South Lake Tahoe officials on March 23 and to Lake Tahoe News on March 27.

Dear Ms. (Hilary) Roverud,

It has come to our attention that the Mosher family has applied to the TRPA for a permit allowing them to either move the buildings that comprise what is the remainder of the Barton Ranch, or demolish them. As we have not received a formal response from the city of South Lake Tahoe to our letter of Jan. 5, 2015, in which we asked that the city of South Lake Tahoe to take the lead in preserving the Barton Ranch, the Lake Tahoe Historical Society would like to formally state it is ceasing all activities related to the Barton Ranch.

The Lake Tahoe Historical Society has exhausted all of its resources to preserve this important and historic site. Long gone are many reminders of Tahoe’s proud past, which if they had been saved might have contributed to the economic vibrancy of the area, simply by their historical significance.

The board of directors of the Lake Tahoe Historical Society wishes to go on record to express its deep regret that the many governmental organizations having jurisdiction over the future of the city of South Lake Tahoe’s historic sites do not see the value in preserving them.

Sincerely,

Catherine Whelan, president Lake Tahoe Historical Society

By Chris Megerian and Melanie Mason, Los Angeles Times

Not only will the $1-billion spending plan approved by lawmakers Thursday provide little immediate relief to drought-stricken Californians, state leaders are missing an opportunity to take more decisive action to restrict water use, conservation advocates said.

“Until we have statewide mandatory restrictions … we’re not going to see the kind of cutbacks the governor has called for,” said Conner Everts of the Environmental Water Caucus, which promotes sustainable water management.

Brown set a goal of a 20 percent reduction in water use, but Californians reduced consumption by just 8.8 percent in January.

Lester Snow, executive director of the California Water Foundation, said mandatory, statewide restrictions could be difficult to implement because water conditions are different around the state. However, he expects the conversation could change if rain doesn’t arrive soon.

Read the whole story

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency will host several workshops for the real estate community regarding best management practices and an enhanced BMP disclosure form for real estate transactions.

TRPA requires people selling property to disclose the property’s BMP status to the purchaser prior to sale. The purchaser must submit a BMP disclosure form to TRPA within 30 days of sale. The new BMP disclosure form can be submitted to TRPA electronically.

These upcoming workshops offer an opportunity for real estate professionals to learn more about this new BMP disclosure form as well as other point of sale disclosure requirements and TRPA systems available for people to research property information online.

They are scheduled for:

· March 31, 10am, Tahoe/Sierra Board of Realtors, 12315 Deerfield Drive, Truckee.

· April 28, 8am, Nevada Board of Realtors, Parasol Building, 948 Incline Way, Incline Village.

· May 6, noon, TRPA Offices, 128 Market St., Stateline

By Patrick McGreevey, Los Angeles Times

Every eligible Californian with a driver’s license would be automatically registered to vote under a proposal Thursday by Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who estimated it would add millions of people to the voter rolls.

Padilla and Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, are modeling their legislation on a “motor voter” law signed last week by the governor of Oregon in an attempt to boost voter turnout.

The California proposal is partly in response to the 42 percent record low turnout in California’s November election, as well as this month’s Los Angeles election, which saw about 10 percent of eligible voters go to the polls.

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• Truckee firefighters have a new engine with wildland and ARFF capabilities. It is equipped with a 750-gallon tank, 1,250 gpm pump, 50 gallons of foam, a front bumper mounted pump-and-roll turret, a roof mounted remote operated monitor for stationary fire attack, Hurst extrication equipment, high pressure Nepiro ‪ ‬nozzles, aircraft specific extrication equipment, Scott Safety SCBAs, and more.

• For the second consecutive year Tahoe Donner’s Lodge Restaurant & Pub was recognized by OpenTable as a Diners’ Choice winner for best service, ambience and food.

• Some things never change. Check out this 1981 story about water in California.

• Park City (Utah) Planning Commission approved Vail Resorts’ $50 million capital improvement plan, which will create the largest ski resort in the United States by linking Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons. Work is expected to be completed by the start of next ski season.

• Sierra-at-Tahoe’s Equinox Spring Festival has moved to the Lake Tahoe Golf Course in Meyers. The concerts are free from 3-6:30pm. Rainbow Girls play March 28 and the Family Crest on April 4.

By Ann McCreary, Methow Valley News

Along with many of Washington’s black bears, Cinder has emerged from hibernation at an Idaho rehabilitation center where she spent the winter, preparing for her return to the Methow Valley.

She is reported to be making continued progress in her recovery from severely burned paws she sustained as a result of the Carlton Complex Fire last summer.

“She’s doing great. Her coat is looking really good. She’s moving all around her enclosure and she’s been climbing all round,” said Sally Maughan, founder and president of Idaho Black Bear Rehabilitation near Boise.

Cinder was brought to IBBR last fall after spending the summer being treated for burns to her feet, chest and face at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. She was transported by private plane to Lake Tahoe after she was found, barely able to walk, in French Creek about two weeks after wildfires roared through the area.

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By Tom Hals, Reuters

RadioShack Corp’s rescue deal to keep 1,740 stores open was attacked on Thursday by the bankrupt retailer’s top creditor, a failed bidder who called the auction a sham and sought a new sale.

RadioShack, which filed for bankruptcy last month, told a U.S. Bankruptcy judge it had selected the Standard General hedge fund as the winning bidder in the private four-day auction, which ended just before Thursday’s hearing.

The South Lake Tahoe store is staying open and the Incline Village one is closing.

The hedge fund plans to operate the stores in conjunction with wireless phone company Sprint Corp.

While RadioShack’s attorney told the court the deal saved 7,500 jobs and was $23 million more than a bid by liquidators, the deal provided little cash. The hearing to approve the agreement quickly deteriorated into disputes among lenders over the complex agreements that governed the repayment among creditors.

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By Peter Hecht, Sacramento Bee

Three hours earlier, an El Dorado County deputy peeled back covers in her master bedroom and recoiled at what he saw.

Colleen Harris’ third husband, retired Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Forest Service Supervisor Robert Edward “Bob” Harris, 72, had been killed with a 12-gauge shotgun the first weekend of 2013. He was shot at close range from just beneath his left ear, leaving a gruesome exit wound on his face.

Yet Colleen Harris, in her interview with detectives, was relaxed and chatty. The Placerville land surveyor and outdoor enthusiast rested her right leg on a chair in front of her. She talked animatedly, in the present tense, about the man she loved. She spoke of him as if he were still alive, still in need of her affection, understanding and forgiveness.

Three decades earlier, Colleen, now 72, sat through a similar police interview. In 1985, her second husband, James Batten, 46, was killed in bed with another shotgun. She said he had been carrying on with a neighbor’s wife. She was acquitted after her defense lawyer argued she was a victim of sexual violence at the hands of a husband who had also abused her daughter.

This week, as the prosecution presented its case against her in another murder trial, the highlight was the videotape of Colleen Harris’ upbeat narrative provided to detectives after the killing of Bob Harris, a sheriff’s seniors volunteer, renowned baseball umpire and globetrotting conservationist.

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The weather is allowing the U.S. Forest Service to open recreation facilities sooner than normal in the greater Lake Tahoe area. Some sites in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and Eldorado National Forest will open April 1.

Until sites officially open, there is no parking, trash removal or restroom facilities available.

Eagle Falls parking area, Inspiration Point, Kiva Picnic area, Tallac Point day-use area, Big Meadows Trailhead, Logan Shoals and Secret Harbor open April 1.

Baldwin and Nevada beaches open May 1.

The McKinney Rubicon Off-Highway Vehicle area, Sawmill Pond, the Sandpit OHV area, Nevada Beach Campground and Chimney Beach open May 8.

William Kent, Kaspian, Meeks Bay, Bayview and Fallen Leaf beaches and campgrounds open May 15. The Taylor Creek Visitor Center parking area, grounds and restrooms open the same day.

The visitor center and Baldwin Museum at the Tallac Historic Site will be staffed beginning May 23 for Memorial Day weekend.

Luther Pass Campground and Pope Beach open May 22.

Blackwood Canyon and Watson Lake campgrounds open June 1.

Roads in Eldorado open April 1. The roads in the King Fire Closure area will remain closed. These roads are under review for possible reopening in the near future.

The Mormon Emigrant Trail, a route that connects Highway 50 with Highway 88, also remains closed to through traffic due to snow on the eastern end.

By Associated Press

FALLON — Union Pacific officials hope to a reopen a stretch of one of the busiest east-west railroad routes in the nation today after a freight train derailed in Nevada’s high desert about 60 miles east of Reno.

About 30 freight trains and another three Amtrak passenger trains had to be rerouted after 34 rail cars on a 51-car train derailed Wednesday afternoon 22 miles north of Fallon.

No one was injured but the derailment forced the closure for several hours of a stretch of U.S. Highway 95 while hazmat crews checked for toxic leaks.

Union Pacific spokesman Francisco Castillo says the only leakage came from a car filled with wine. He said Thursday they were working to repair part of the damaged rail. Cleanup efforts will continue for the next few days.