Kings Beach residents can expect to be in the dark for the better part of the night.
Liberty Utilities says the outage is because of an NV Energy equipment failure in Incline Village.
It could be at least 11pm Nov. 9 before power is restored. It’s been out since before 4pm.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
North Shore students on Nov. 8 learn the basics of snowboarding before hitting the slopes. Photo/Squaw Valley
Burton Learn to Ride, Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows spent part of Wednesday teaching youngsters how to snowboard — indoors.
Snowboarding instruction came via video from Olympic halfpipe snowboarding champion Kelly Clark, Burton’s Jeff Boliba and instructors from the resorts.
The program, called Burton Riglet PE Snowboarding, uses a special board from Burton to teach kids the basics of snowboarding in their own class gym.
Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe recently received a Burton PE Snowboarding Kit compliments of the Kelly Clark Foundation and National Winter Sports Education Foundation to continue the growth of kids in snowboarding in the region.
By Benjamin Spillman, Reno Gazette-Journal
Nevada officials have terminated a privately-funded agreement that’s kept hundreds of free-range horses from western Nevada’s Virginia Range without resorting to slaughter.
The agreement provided a framework for state officials to work with a nonprofit to control the horse population through capture, adoption and birth control drugs.
Controlling the horse population is critical because overpopulation results in increased instances of horses on roads, in communities and in distress.
South Lake Tahoe Police Department is warning potential vacation home renters of an ongoing scam on Craigslist.
These listings may include pictures and a lengthy description of a real house. Unsuspecting vacationers are paying in advance, usually by check or Western Union wire. The supposed landlord takes receipt of the money and when the victim shows up to the vacation rental, they find that the home is occupied by a permanent resident or that there are other renters in the home.
Other techniques being used are asking unsuspecting renters to deposit money directly into a bank account and then that bank account is closed. People are also being asked to buy gift cards and provide the card numbers to the scammers.
SLTPD offers the following tips:
If you are a victim of a vacation rental scam, contact the South Lake Tahoe Police Department at 530.542.6100.
Sierra-at-Tahoe’s Pray for Snow Party on Nov. 18 will be a dance fest of sorts.
Due to noise curfews the music will be pumped through distributed wireless headphones instead of the speakers.
Extra emphasis will be put on the snow dance this year.
The free silent disco and movie night will go from 5-10pm at Lake Tahoe AleWorX in South Lake Tahoe. All ages welcome.
University of Michigan students assemble the robot. Photo/UofM
By Mike Householder, AP
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A rare bird has landed at the University of Michigan: a two-legged robot named Cassie that researchers hope could be the forerunner of a machine that one day will aid search-and-rescue efforts.
Cassie — whose name is derived from the cassowary, a flightless bird similar to an ostrich — stands on legs with backward-facing knees. The biped that weighs about 66 pounds may not have feathers or a head, but she is attached to a short torso that holds motors, computers and batteries and is able to walk unassisted on rough and uneven terrain.
Cassie, which stands a bit over 3¼ feet at full leg extension, was built by Oregon’s Agility Robotics and purchased by Michigan researchers using grant money from the National Science Foundation and Toyota Research Institute. Although other institutions have acquired similar models, Michigan’s team is excited about using its version to put the school’s cutting-edge programming to the test, said Jessy Grizzle, director of Michigan Robotics.
With the changing seasons, it’s time to think about how you are going to attract customers to your business this winter.
Online news sites — Lake Tahoe News included — are continuing to attract more readers, while print readership declines. Your business needs to be advertising where your customers are.
Lake Tahoe News is being read in thousands of cities and about 100 countries. We are reaching locals, tourists, and second homeowners — the same people you want to walk through your doors.
Let Lake Tahoe News help bring you more customers with one of our ad campaigns.
Send us an email at info@LakeTahoeNews.net with “Want to Advertise” in the subject line to get started.
· Tahoe Writers Works, Tahoe’s longest-running writing group, meets every other Tuesday at Bona Fide HQ in Meyers. The next meeting is Nov. 21. For more info, go online.
· California’s average per gallon price of gasoline reached $3.21 on Nov. 6. This is 12 cents higher than in Hawaii, which previously had the priciest gasoline, according to the fuel tracking website GasBuddy.com.
· State Sen. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado, earned a perfect score on the California Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Legislative Vote Record. He was one of 10 state legislators out of the 120 Assembly and Senate members to receive the top score.
· Douglas County commissioners will be attending a budget priority session and budget kickoff on Nov. 17 at 1:30pm in Minden.
· Barton Health’s perinatal challenges support group is every Monday from 5:30-6:30pm at 1077B 4th St., South Lake Tahoe. This group is for expecting parents or a new parent looking for people who understand what you are going through. All parents with perinatal mood and anxiety challenges welcome. Sign up online under Support Groups. Email fit@bartonhealth.org or call 530.543.5549 for more information.
By Matt Weiser, Water Deeply
Most Americans may not realize it, but we really don’t know with a lot of accuracy how much snow there is sitting in the mountains during winter. We also don’t always have a precise picture of where the snow level is when a storm moves in, or how much will run off when the snow melts.
One reason for this is that, in most areas, the weather sensor network in the mountains simply isn’t very dense. Gauges that measure rain and snow are often placed for convenient access. The highest elevations and forested areas often have no sensors, leaving huge data gaps in many watersheds.
This creates a host of problems, from estimating flood risk accurately to figuring out how much water is available for summer farm irrigation.
By Marco Huerta
Signing up for a health insurance plan can be daunting and time consuming. As a certified enrollment counselor, my job is to make it easier for South Lake Tahoe families and individuals to navigate Covered California and enroll in a health care plan.
Marco Huerta
With all the talk the about health care, I have heard rumblings and rumors about what is happening with the Affordable Care Act and what is changing with insurance. Get informed. Make a free one-on-one appointment with me or one my fellow enrollment counselors, have your questions answered, and get enrolled for 2018.
Uncertain about the next steps? Below I have tried to separate the myths from the facts.
Myth: The open enrollment period is shorter this year.
Fact: It is true that all states that use HealthCare.gov (the federal exchange) and Nevada Health Link (Nevada’s state-run exchange) only have a six week enrollment period, between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15, to enroll in a health care plan. Covered California (California’s exchange) has not taken this federal recommendation. Californians must enroll by Dec. 15 to be insured on Jan. 1, but are eligible to enroll any time between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31.
Myth: I should not bother enrolling because President Trump/Congress/others will get rid of Obamacare in 2018.
Fact: With all the presidential and congressional talk about health care, you are still able to enroll for all of 2018. If you do not enroll and are not covered by a plan, you will have to pay a tax penalty. In 2016, the penalty was $695 or 2.5 percent of your household income.
Myth: I can’t afford health insurance.
Fact: Monthly premiums must be paid, regardless of how well you are. However, if you experience an unexpected injury and are uninsured, you will have to cover medical costs plus the tax penalty.
Myth: Anthem Blue Cross is no longer in South Lake Tahoe. Now I will be dropped from my health insurance and don’t have any options.
Fact: It is true that Anthem Blue Cross of California has decided to no longer serve this area after Dec. 31. If you enrolled in an Anthem Blue Cross of California plan in 2017, an alternative plan with Blue Shield that has a similar monthly premium will automatically be selected for you for all of 2018. If you wish, you also have the option during this open enrollment period to speak with an enrollment counselor and select a new plan.
Myth: This is the only time of year to enroll in a health care plan.
Fact: Yes, this is the only time frame a person can select health care plan unless he or she experiences a “life qualifying event.” After a major life event (e.g. getting married, becoming a parent, or losing a job), a person has 60 days to enroll in a health care plan. One exception: Medi-Cal enrollment is year-round through Covered CA website or by calling the South Lake Tahoe Medi-Cal Office at 530.573.3200.
Myth: Getting help with enrollment costs money.
Fact: Barton Health offers enrollment support and assistance for California residents at no cost. All potential enrollees must have a photo ID, Social Security number, and their 2016 income. Enrollment assistance is available in English, Spanish, and other languages.
Marco Huerta works at Barton Health. This is his fourth year as a certified enrollment counselor.