By KCRA-TV
Police found about 1,000 pounds of marijuana that had been smuggled out of one of the evacuated communities in El Dorado County during the King Fire, officers said Monday.
“Although our officers were busy with road closures during the King Fire, enforcement did not stop,” the Placerville California Highway Patrol posted on Facebook, along with photos of the apparent drug bust.
By Devon Jackson, Outside
Ever chug a can of let’s say, Brand E, energy drink and not only feel that good-as-advertised jolt of extraness but experience a skip or two in your chest as well? Even though most of the evidence is anecdotal and the studies—which continue to pile up—don’t yet know exactly why, the link between energy drinks and a racing heart (or worse) seem pretty incontrovertible.
The latest report to make this connection concluded that energy drinks can cause “angina, cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and even sudden death.”
This finding confirms that of a similar report from a year ago — and confirms some people’s popular conceptions (or misconceptions) that energy drinks should be imbibed with caution — and most probably in moderation, and almost definitely not right before or during any sort of trying physical activity.
“Most ‘energy drinks’ have contents that can be good or bad, depending upon the dose — sugar, caffeine, and taurine,” says Kim Williams, chief of cardiology at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center. “At this time, though, there is no definitive way of determining which if any ingredient is the most harmful or under what circumstances.”
By Derek Taylor, GrindTV
Glen Plake, the famous South Lake Tahoe mohawked skier and sage of all things snow, once said that most skiing takes places at the end of a dirt road. He may have had Nevada’s Elko Snobowl in mind.
The sign for this taxpayer-supported ski area is a rock on the ground painted with white paint and surrounded by spent shotgun shells. It has one chairlift, with chairs sponsored by local residents and businesses, and just a few hundred vertical feet. It’s not easy to find, tucked several miles off the wrong side of the lonely stretch of highway connecting two of America’s great ski centers: Lake Tahoe and Salt Lake City.
For the past few decades there has been a stigma attached to small, community ski hills like Snobowl. They’re chastised by core skiers as “not very good,” and presented as places to be avoided if you value your time on snow. But to the communities they serve, they are indispensable.
“This area is mostly miners, and they want something for their families to do,” Roche Bush (pronounced Rocky, and yes, that’s his real name), manager of the Elko Snobowl, told me during my visit in 2013. “Skiing is good, clean, outdoor fun.”
For the ski and snowboard industry as a whole, community ski hills are even more important — if only the industry would just realize it.
“With the weekend average window ticket now over $93, and with baby boomers exiting faster than Gen X and Gen Y are entering skiing, the industry is cannibalizing itself,” says Jamie Schectman, chief executive of the Mountain Riders Alliance, an organization that aims to benefit small, independent ski areas. “Now more than ever, these smaller, feeder-breeder ski areas are important to the ecosystem.”
By Christopher Cadelago, Sacramento Bee
Rep. Tom McClintock and challenger Art Moore sparred in a debate Tuesday marked by fierce character attacks that generated audience groans but put some distance between the two Republicans.
It was still dark out at 7am when the candidates took to their lecterns for the hastily planned, 60-minute exchange before about 100 people at Auburn City Hall. The three-term incumbent from Elk Grove and political newcomer from Roseville, running to represent the Placer County-centered district, took questions from the crowd on issues ranging from the national debt to climate change to fire protection.
But it was issues of character and who has the better temperament to lead the rural district, which incorporates Yosemite and Lake Tahoe and runs to Fresno, that coursed through the forum.
Moore, a 36-year-old combat veteran and Army officer, opened by saying it was cowardly of McClintock to pull out of a previously planned event because he wanted campaign representatives to review questions in advance. The Auburn native then reprised a familiar critique, thanking McClintock for “driving from your district, the (neighboring) 7th District, to my district, the 4th District, and making yourself available to the voters to answer their questions.” The line drew applause, but also rebuke from McClintock supporters.
McClintock, who sided with majority House Republicans during the partial government shutdown, said he could rent a room in Roseville as Moore has done to satisfy the residency issue.
To the community,
Most of us moved to Meyers because it’s a rural community, away from the city and tourist congestion. I am pro-growth; most locals are as long as it’s appropriately-sized growth for our community.
The proposed Meyer’s Plan, however, opens the door to a mega resort, with incentives for large development and in my mind, lacks long-range planning.
I started going to planning meetings last summer, just to listen, but it wasn’t until December that I got really concerned. Here’s a timeline of events, from my perspective:
Fall 2013 — At Meyers Community Advisory Council (MCAC) meetings, talk of a large project called the Catalyst. When asked about it, the subject was changed or question ignored.
December 2013 — Catalyst leaked, scares the heck out of residents and businesses due to enormous size.
January 2014 — County’s letter to Feinstein leaked. Letter pushes huge project forward in Meyers.
Around this time — Found out our commercial/light industrial zone changed by the TRPA back in 2012 to town center zone, without notification to property owners or businesses. “Town Center” allows for large projects, up to 40 units per acre along both sides of Highway 50, where only 10 units per acre were allowed before (West Meyers, Catalyst vicinity).
January 2014 — Six acres of California Tahoe Conservancy lots considered for sale in town center, land previously referred to as unbuildable Conservancy lots, now referred to as asset properties in direct vicinity of Catalyst project area. Does the CTC smell money?
January 2014 — Meyers Plan draft is released, complete with the aforementioned incentives.
Found out that the TRPA’s Regional Plan update now allows for conversion/transfer of commodities, things like commercial floor area and tourist accommodation units, a very sneaky business since it’s not mentioned in the Meyer’s plan, you must read the TRPA’s plan to know that these can be bought and brought into Meyers. This is a big deal. Commercial floor area is to large development what sewer permits are to residential building, except that you have to buy thousands of them. Does the TRPA smell money too?
February 2014 — Locals circulate fliers, petitions and hold community meeting — more that 100 people attend and almost all were unaware of zone and plan changes to Meyers.
February 2014 — Town center zone change detrimental to existing business owners, threat of eminent domain and the county’s lack of transparency leaves private property owner’s in limbo.
February 2014 — TRPA and county hold public show and tell, however, community still in the dark about plan changes because the meeting was conducted in TRPA speak.
March 2014 — Catalyst project name changed to incentive project due to negative reaction from the Meyer’s community.
March 2014 — Million dollar grant application by agencies falsely claims the Meyers plan is ready to go. They did not get the grant.
March 2014 — CTC promised asset lands can be used as green belt/open space if the community wants it, however , makes no attempt to inform the community.
April 2014 — CTC sends survey crew onto private properties in Catalyst project vacinity without permission and when asked why, lied and got caught.
May 2014 — U.S. Forest Service land swap, visitors center dismantled, also in direct vicinity of Catalyst project area. Can they smell money too?
June 2014 — Another agency dog and pony show, people left, remaining were asked about height limit for new buildings in Meyers, show of hands agreed upon maximum height of 35 feet.
Somewhere around this time the county announces “no more Meyers meetings”. The Meyers Community Advisory Council sort of fizzles and the community finds itself without a voice.
May-August 2014 — South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce writes several letters to the county on Meyer’s behalf, reiterating ongoing concerns, also requesting an independent survey with which to direct planners when rewriting the plan.
July 2014 — No response from county.
July 2014 — California chamber helps organize meeting with agencies. TRPA states they would not allow height limit in plan regardless of community’s vote.
July 2014 — Locals again try to inform Meyers by booking a facility for workshop and sending out agenda. Interestingly, the booked and confirmed date for workshop gets bumped by the Nevada chamber for their previously unscheduled and unheard of event.
August 2014 — Still no response from county.
August 2014 — Documents surface regarding county takeover of 56-acre Tahoe Paradise Park ( Senate Bill 1023), also in direct vicinity of Catalyst project. County denies takeover but suggests the park board sign a memorandum of understanding to help fund bookkeeping and such.
Somewhere in here, agency meeting, not open to public, CTC unpromises green belt land and re-rezones some lands “recreation zone”, which, coincidentally allows for large development, as long as it is sports-related, which includes pretty much everything.
October 2014 — Nevada chamber writes a creatively worded letter to the county in response to second Meyers draft. Somehow they found 300 employees in Meyers, really? State Fund will be thrilled. This letter alludes to 15 Nevada chamber businesses here, but after a quick look, their roster reflects differently, more like three. Could the Nevada chamber have an agenda, maybe something that includes a large smelly project?
October 2014 — At candidate meet and greet, the concept of the city of South Lake Tahoe expanding its boundaries or creating a whole new county with Meyers and city combined. Why would the city want anything to do with us now, they never did before? What’s in it for them?
Enough, you get the point. Whether “pro-growth” or “big growth”, future growth needs to be a community decision. And, well, transparency would be nice. Does anyone really believe the TRPA, county, Conservancy, USFS, Nevada chamber, and now even the city, changed all these things willy-nilly, at the same time, for no reason?
If the new Meyers plan is written with this in mind, growth can be the communities decision, so let’s take the time, create a survey for resident’s ideas and vision for our community. Please come to the Oct. 16 meeting at the airport, City Council Chamber, 9am.
Angela Olson, Meyers
Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City presents a unique evening with Simone Moro, the celebrated Italian alpinist renowned for his daring winter ascents of some of the tallest mountains on Earth.
The recipient of numerous awards and honors for his climbing achievements, Moro is a popular speaker at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival. Born in 1967, Moro has been climbing since he was 13. He is the only alpinist to have reached the summit of three 8,000-meter peaks entirely in winter.
Moro also pilots helicopters as part of a high-altitude charter and rescue service in Nepal.
On Oct. 21 he will share his adventurous mountain tales with the Lake Tahoe community. While the 6pm show is free, attendees are encouraged to arrive early for good seating. After the show, Moro will sign copies of his book “The Call of the Ice,” his third book and the first to be translated into English by Mountaineers Books.
For additional information, contact Brendan Madigan at Alpenglow Sports 530.583.6917 or brendan@alpenglowsports.com.
A South Lake Tahoe woman was taken into custody Oct. 14 after allegedly hitting two vehicles was under the influence of alcohol.
Alejandra Lopez, 22, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence, hit and run, and assault with a deadly weapon, which was her vehicle.
The incident started near South Tahoe Middle School on Tuesday.
Police Lt. David Stevenson told Lake Tahoe News one of the victims followed the suspect until officers stopped her on Pioneer Trail just west of Golden Bear Trail.
No one was injured.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
A bear broke into Flight Deck restaurant Tuesday night. Photo/Tracy Franklin
Bears broke into the Christmas Cheer food pantry and Flight Deck restaurant this week in South Lake Tahoe.
Christmas Cheer, which provides food year-round to those in need, was raided by the bruin on Oct. 13. Organizers are asking for donations to restock the shelves of the nonprofit on Third Street. To help, call 530.542.4934.
The restaurant at Lake Tahoe Airport is closed today as owners cleanup the mess left by a hungry bear.
The bear broke in the night of Oct. 14 through a patio window. The amount of damage is unknown.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
This was the Truckee River flowing from Lake Tahoe in Tahoe City in October 2013. Photo/LTN file
By Kathryn Reed
Lake Tahoe is expected to drop below its natural rim this afternoon, which would be the first time in five years.
The rim is 6,223 feet.
There was still water coming out of the dam in Tahoe City on Wednesday morning.
“The forecast is for it to drop below and stay there this afternoon,” Mark Faucette, senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in Reno, told Lake Tahoe News.
The winds that have been gusting in the area for much of the last two days have not allowed for consistent water level readings. For example one hour on Oct. 15 gauges read the lake was two-hundredths of an inch below the rim and the next hour it was three-hundredths above the rim.
“We don’t really get that much difference in an hour,” Faucette explained.
When Tahoe drops below its rim it means no water is flowing into the Truckee River and therefore it is not reaching its end destination of Pyramid Lake.
The last time it dropped below the rim was late in the calendar year of 2009. Faucette said once it goes below the rim to not expect to it rise above it for a while. The only thing that would change that prediction is if the area gets a big rain event.
“Snow won’t bring it up. We need rain and runoff to bring it back up,” Faucette said. “The ground around the lake is pretty dry so it takes a lot to moisten it up to get runoff.”
There is a small system in the forecast for Friday night into Saturday, but it could fizzle out before it reaches the Sierra.
“There’s another trough for early next week that could give us some chance of moisture on Monday into Tuesday, and an increase of winds, but not like last night,” Tony Fuentes with the NWS said.
The official water year started Oct. 1. This makes year four of the drought that has been drying out California and Nevada.
Blue13 Dance Company is a contemporary Indian dance theater ensemble based in Los Angeles that is coming to Tahoe this month.
Tahoe Arts Project is bringing the group to the MontBleu showroom in Stateline on Oct. 24 at 7pm.
Since 1999, the company has performed all over the United States and abroad in its signature Neo-Kathak and Bollywood-Tech styles, modern dance work that is energetic, colorful, and theatrical, and inspired by the classical and cultural dance of India. The company’s mission is to advance non-traditional contemporary dance, while preserving and cultivating the cultural and classical forms of India. Translating dance into enduring societal contributions, Blue13 dispels cultural stereotypes and connects diverse communities through cross-genre and multicultural live performances, dance education, and outreach that inspire global unity and togetherness.
Tickets range from $8 to $23.