To the community,

The first day at Mt. Tallac School started with a big bang! The school day began with a community meet and greet.

The students at Mt. Tallac High School were greeted by community members and local business representatives, where information was provided about employment opportunities and necessary job related skills.

The businesses and community members in attendance were: Joy Barney, Oscar Ortega, Megan Dee-U.S. Forest Service; Alberto Caballero-Generation Green; Scott Leonard-Leonard, Garrick Terveer-Gas Construction; Pete Van Arnum-El Dorado Sheriff’s Office; Sally Williams-South Lake Tahoe Juvenile Treatment Center; Hannah Greenstreet-Live Violence Free; Melinda Steanns, John Rice, Scott Justice-Sierra-at-Tahoe; Eric Campbell-Bank of the West; Ivove Larson-Lake Tahoe Unified School District; Dede Aspero-Hard Rock Hotel and Casino; Rich Barna, Anna Nioten-Tahoe Turning Point; Maxene Harlow–Knit-Crocket-Spin; Rebbeca Del Pozo-Harrah’s and Harveys; Ed Cook-Ed Cook Tree Service; Alan Barichievich-Barton Hospital Rehab and Sports Medicine; and last but not least, Stan Larson, Barbara Bannar-community members.

Not only had our school been visited by the many businesses and community members listed above, but we were provided snacks from Ellie McCall from the business Chase International.

All of the Tallac staff and students feel very thankful for the time these businesses had taken out of their day, and the snacks that was provided for the meet and greet. With all of our hearts and soul, thank you.

Kalayna Miller, Mt. Tallac High School student

By Alexandra Svokos, Huffington Post

While some parents want certain books removed from schools, teachers are remembering the important reasons to keep them in the classroom.

This week is the 32nd annual Banned Books Week, described by organizers as a “celebration of the freedom to read.” Books have been banned from libraries and schools for reasons that range from religious viewpoints to sexual and drug references. In 2013, the American Library Association, or ALA, recorded 307 challenges — that is, formal complaints for a book to be removed from a school or library.

From January 2013 through August 2014, “sexually explicit,” “offensive language,” and “unsuited for age group” were the most commonly cited reasons for challenging a book, according to the ALA. Texas had the most book challenges at 114. “The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie was the most frequently challenged title nationwide.

Donna Decker, a professor who teaches a course on banned books at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H., said she thinks it is necessary for teachers to educate students using banned and challenged books.

Read the whole story

Updated 8:35pm:

One of the more than 7,000 firefighters working the King Fire had to be airlifted out of the area on Sept. 24.

KXTV is reporting the inmate firefighter was taken to Sutter Roseville Medical Center with unknown injuries after being hit by a tree limb while working the fire line. This is the fifth person injured in the massive fire burning east of Pollock Pines.

There has been no reported change to the acreage or containment numbers. They stand at 92,960 acres and 38 percent.

People in Swansboro have been allowed to return home.

A system is moving into the region on Thursday which could bring moisture. It will also bring cooler temps and higher humidity — good firefighting conditions.

Squaw Valley has canceled the Sept. 27 Oktoberfest because of the air quality.

Athletes participating in the Sept. 28 Tahoe Bike Classic have voted to stick with that date and gamble that the smoke will not be an issue. A final decision will be made that morning.

Thousands of structures are still at risk. To date, 12 houses have been lost in what is currently the largest wildfire burning in California. The fire was started Sept. 13 by an alleged arsonist. It has been burning east of Pollock Pines in the Eldorado and Tahoe national forests.

On Sept. 23 pilot Gary Dahlen was honored by the U.S. Forest Service for his quick actions to rescue a hand crew and dozer operator that were overrun by fire last week. Dahlen flew to a lower level to direct the hand crew and dozer operator down a road. He and another helicopter pilot landed in an open space and whisked the firefighters to safety.

Otter Creek Elementary School will remain closed until evacuations of the immediate areas are lifted; those students continue to attend classes at Georgetown School.

The Tahoe National Forest has established a call center (530.587.9096) from 7am-7pm at the Truckee Ranger District Office to provide residents of Truckee and Lake Tahoe Basin with information.

There is no fire threat to these areas. Smoke will continue to be a concern, with the impacted areas dependent on wind direction.

The King Fire area closure in effect for the Eldorado National Forest has been revised to remove the statement, “Owners of lessees of land in the area are exempt of this prohibition to the extent necessary to gain access to their land.”

Popular sites included in the closure include: the west side of Desolation Wilderness on the Eldorado National Forest, the Crystal Basin area, including areas accessed by Ice House Road, the Wrights Lake area, Hell Hole area, Stumpy Meadows and Dru Barner campground.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Mitch Underhill

The National EMS Memorial Bike Ride honors emergency medical services personnel by organizing and implementing long distance cycling events that memorialize and celebrate the lives of those who serve, who have become sick or injured while performing their duties, and those who have died in the line of duty.

On Sept. 24 while cycling from South Lake Tahoe to Placerville, members of this year’s ride stopped at Lake Valley Fire Protection District Station 7 in Meyers to honor fallen firefighter-paramedic Mitch Underhill.

Members of the bike ride honored 88 members of the EMS community who have been lost by the ringing of the “last alarm” bell after their names were spoken. After the ceremony, the cyclists were escorted by Lake Valley fire engines to the base of Old Meyers Grade to continue on with their ride.

By Veronica Rocha, Los Angeles Times

Northern and Central California typically receive 30 percent to 40 percent of their precipitation over the next three months, but this year, forecasters say the upper two-thirds of the state can expect to miss out on much of that badly needed moisture.

The lack of significant rain will mean little relief for thousands of firefighters battling a series of destructive wildfires in Northern California, although a weather system is expected to bring some showers to the region later this week.

And even if an El Niño weather pattern does develop later this year, it is only expected to deliver below-median rainfall for Northern California, according to U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center.

Read the whole story

By Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times

The operators of the Mammoth Mountain ski resort, one of the nation’s most popular snow destinations, have signed a $38-million deal to acquire the Bear Mountain and Snow Summit resorts near Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains.

The move, which comes in the midst of a historic drought, puts Mammoth Mountain in control of more than 4,000 acres of skiable land in California, visited by about 2 million skiers and snowboarders a year.

“My father used to say in business you want to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing,” said Rusty Gregory, chief executive of Mammoth Mountain. “This does look like a questionable time to buy a ski resort operation.”

Still, the slopes may not be the main focus of the deal. Mammoth Mountain’s biggest investors are resort developers who already have plans to build on the land around the newly acquired Southern California ski resorts. Bear Mountain and Snow Summit, about 100 miles east of Los Angeles, are operated by the Snow Summit Ski Corp.

Read the whole story

Fire crews are trying to extinguish a blaze on the shore of Snow Lake above Cascade Lake in Desolation Wilderness.

A call came in about 4:30pm Sept. 24 of a large plume of smoke in that area.

First report is that a half acre had burned. However, with the timber in the area it has the potential for a moderate rate of spread, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

A team of firefighters was airlifted in. They will fight the fire with hand tools, chain saws and pumps. Airdrops were also made.

The fire is visible from Highway 89 on the South Shore. It has nothing to do with the King Fire.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Leanne Wagoner

There may come a time in your life when you become injured unexpectedly or are too sick to make health care decisions for yourself. Who do you want to make medical decisions for you? What type of life-saving measures do you want to keep you alive?

Here are a few reasons you may want to complete your advance directive today:

• An advance directive is a legal document that can speak for you, when you’re not able to speak for yourself – for example if you are in a coma. It provides written instructions regarding your medical care and life-sustaining preferences.

Leanne Wagoner

• It relieves your loved ones from making medical decisions for you and can reduce confusion or disagreements about the care you should receive.

• Choosing someone to act as your health care agent who will carry out your requests may be the most important part of your planning. He or she should be mature, level-headed, and comfortable with difficult conversations. It doesn’t have to be a family member and you shouldn’t pick someone because of guilt or obligation.

Here are additional considerations:

• Living wills and other advance directives aren’t just for older adults. Because sudden illness or accidents can happen at any age, all adults need advance directives.

• Your advance directive should be in writing. You can find state-specific forms online by searching “advance directives” or at websites such as the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. You can also obtain an advance directive at your primary care physician’s office.

• Make sure you talk about your wishes, and give copies to your family members, health care providers and health care agent. Take a copy with you if you are admitted to the hospital. You can change your decisions at any time. Be sure to tell everyone involved – family members, health care agent, and primary care provider when you make changes.

To revise your information, follow the same steps you used to create you advanced directive.

Advance directives are available in your primary care physician’s office. You may also download an advance directive. There is no cost to complete this legal document provided by each state.

Leanne Wagoner works in the marketing department for Barton Health.

By Trevon Milliad, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Every kindergartner in Nevada public schools now has a college savings account with a $50 balance.

The Nevada state treasurer’s office opened these 35,000 accounts and made the $1.8 million in deposits using no taxpayer money, repeating what it did last year for that kindergarten class of about the same size.

State Treasurer Kate Marshall knows the $50 – estimated to be $220 by the time these students graduate high school – isn’t much considering the cost of a four-year college. It’s more about planting a seed, said Marshall, referencing research that shows children with college-savings accounts are seven times more likely to attend college.

“I’m encouraging you to open a college savings account alongside it for your child,” said Marshall, highlighting her office’s other program requiring only $15 for families to open college-savings accounts, where deposits can be made at will. The state will match their deposits dollar for dollar up to $300 annually under the Silver State Matching Grant program, available to families with annual incomes of less than $75,000.

The program is funded by fees the treasurer collects from financial institutions managing college-savings plans in Nevada, such as USAA, Vanguard, State Street and Putnam Investments. Donations are also accepted and can be directed to Kick Start accounts of specific schools, Marshall said.

Read the whole story

To the community,

When the Tahoe Chamber board decided to do what chambers of commerce all over the U.S. already do – endorse candidates – they did considerable research on the processes in place in other chambers, large and small. The board determined the need for a candidate endorsement committee (CEC) and reached out to the community for volunteers through media and chamber newsletters. [LTN note: Lake Tahoe News, which is not a member of any chamber, was not contacted.]

It was the board’s intent to have an apolitical entity with members from throughout our “One South Shore”. The composition of the candidate endorsement committee was diverse in that it included seven California residents and one Nevada resident ranging in age from 30 to 65, all from small businesses with the exception two who came from educational and religious institutions. Scott Valentine from Lake Tahoe Community College abstained from scoring college board of trustee candidates. The eight individuals who volunteered to serve their community by putting in countless hours of planning and research are greatly appreciated by the board and the membership for their dedication.

The CEC sent an invitation to all candidates inviting them to seek an endorsement. Not all candidates sought an endorsement for a wide variety of personal and professional reasons, which is to be expected. Some candidates were running unopposed, while others may have felt that an endorsement from Tahoe Chamber would not be in alignment with their platforms or interests.

However, all candidates were given an opportunity to complete the CEC’s questionnaire that was based predominately upon the Tahoe Future A South Shore Community Vision 2020 document. This document was adopted by the Tahoe Chamber board of directors in 2013 as a policy statement that guides the organization’s support of initiatives and candidates. Not all candidates chose to complete the questionnaire, although some provided other written materials they thought might be helpful to the CEC.

Whether seeking an endorsement or not all candidates were evaluated and scored as to their alignment with the Tahoe Future document. [LTN note: This is not true. This is from B Gorman to Kenny Curtzwiler: “The CEC apparently did not score you when they scored Sue.”] However, only those seeking an endorsement were eligible. Therefore, the committee considered Wendy David, Brooke Laine, Matt Palacio and Angela Swanson for possible City Council endorsement.

For more details on the process and a copy of the questionnaire, please visit the Endorsements page on Tahoe Chamber’s website.

B Gorman, CEO Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce