Sherese C. Settelmeyer

Sherese Settelmeyer, wife of state Sen. James Settelmeyer, R-Minden, who represents Lake Tahoe, is going to rehab.

Settlemeyer, 52, was sentenced to alcohol treatment after pleading guilty to driving under the influence. She was arrested on Jan. 5 in Gardnerville with a blood alcohol level of 0.136. She faced the same charges in 1995, 2010 and 2013. She was convicted in 2010 and 2013.

If she completes the program in the next five years, the DUI charge will be reduced to a misdemeanor. If she doesn’t go in that time period, she could go to prison and be fined.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Mark Robison, Reno Gazette-Journal
 
How dangerous are the 550 black bears in Nevada?

Fears would be understandable after black bears recently mauled four people in Alaska, killing two in separate attacks. 

The Nevada Department of Wildlife reports that the biggest perceived wildlife threats are not black bears but rather mountain lions and rattlesnakes. Indeed, the state is home to about 3,000 mountain lions and five species of rattlesnakes. Could either of these be the deadliest wild animals in Nevada?

Or maybe you’ve read these types of stories before and think the deadliest must be mosquitoes.

If you picked any of the above animals, you’d be wrong.

Read the whole story

Support is available on the South Shore for people who have lost a loved one.

Barton Hospice office a grief support group the first and third Thursday of each month from noon-1:3pm at 2092 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 500, South Lake Tahoe.

Barton Hospice encourages people who have experienced the loss of a loved one or have endured a significant, life-altering event to attend the ongoing bereavement group called Reflections of Life and Loss. This group helps teach attendees how to cope with certain situations and encourages emotional connections with others.

For questions or more information, call Tina Bruess at 530.543.5592 or Barton Hospice at 530.543.5581.

The survivors of suicide loss support group meets the fourth Thursday of each month from 6-7pm at Barton Public Relations Office, 2092 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 400, South Lake Tahoe.

Anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide are welcome to attend this monthly support group. 

·      If you are going to the celebrity golf tournament this month, check out this list of what’s allowed in and what’s not.

·      The use or possession of fireworks on public lands is subject to confiscation and fines of up to $5,000 and/or six months in jail. In addition, anyone found responsible for starting a wildfire can be held civilly and criminally liable.

·      Casino mogul Steve Wynn’s former waterfront estate in Incline Village has sold for $31.1 million.

·      Nevada Department of Transportation’s Highway 50 Cave Rock tunnel extension project has been recognized with an America’s Transportation Award. The award from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recognizes the project as the best transportation project under $25 million in the Western states for enhancing community and quality of life.

·      Fireworks are illegal in El Dorado and Amador counties and only “safe and sane” fireworks are permitted within Amador City limits.

By Richard N. Velotta, Las Vegas Review-Journal

This week, when people are thinking about Fourth of July road trips and getting out of town, there’s good news and bad news about a recent study commissioned by WalletHub ranking the best states in the country to get on the open road.

The good news: Nevada ranked No. 7 in the country, ahead of Colorado and California. The bad news: The state might have gotten shortchanged in some of the data sets within the study.

To be sure, the study covered lots of ground and placed values on 22 metrics to determine where travelers can get the best bang for the buck.

Read the whole story

The Truckee Sanitary District, Truckee Donner Public Utility District, and town of Truckee are busy repairing streets and utility infrastructure damaged from this winter’s historic storms, along with doing routine maintenance.

This means that our crews will be in the streets and setting up traffic controls to separate cars from work sites. Please slow down and help keep everyone safe.

Here are some simple actions that drivers can take to save a workers life.

• Slow down and drive with caution
• Be alert and avoid distractions
• Assume there is a worker behind every cone.

Harveys is hosting a public rooftop party on July 4. 

The top floor of the Stateline parking garage will include family activities, food and beverages, along with an unimpeded view of the fireworks display over Lake Tahoe.

Tickets may be purchased between 6 and 9pm. at the elevator entrance to the Harveys garage, located across from Harveys valet parking and hotel entrance. Entrance to the rooftop party begins at 7:30pm.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children age 18 and younger.  Tickets for the buffet dinner on the rooftop are $30 each. A cash bar is also available. Space is limited and tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

Two people were arrested early July 1 in a burglary at Enjoyabowl Smoke Shop in Truckee.

Tad Crane, 22, of Truckee and Luke Smith, 22, of Soda Springs were found hiding in heavy brush, according to Truckee police officers.

The alarm at the West River Street store went off at 3:48am Saturday. This was the second time in a week that it had been burglarized. 

Officers found stolen property stashed in a culvert across the street, with the two suspects nearby. 

Crane and Smith face commercial burglary, conspiracy and resisting arrest charges.

Officers later served a search warrant on a nearby location and recovered additional stolen property, which was reportedly taken from the business on June 25. 

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Roxy

Roxy is a beautiful 2-year-old German Shorthair Pointer, probably mixed with Labrador. She has lots of energy and if she is not exercised enough, she will jump fences.

She cannot go home with cats and she can be choosy about her female dog friends.

Rosy is spayed, microchipped, tested for heart worm, and vaccinated. She is at the El Dorado County Animal Services shelter in Meyers, along with many other dogs and cats who are waiting for their new homes. Go to the Tahoe animal shelter’s Facebook page to see photos and descriptions of all pets at the shelter.

Call 530.573.7925 for directions, hours, and other information on adopting a pet. For spay-neuter assistance for South Tahoe residents, go online or call the animal shelter. Vouchers are available there also. Bring $25 and a copy of a photo ID and a local utility bill.

— Karen Kuentz

Much of Lake Tahoe can be seen at the end of the trail leading to Snow Valley Peak. Photo/Kathryn Reed

By Kathryn Reed

Snow Valley Peak is aptly named – especially right now with the various pockets of that white stuff leading up to the final approach.

With the heat wave the Lake Tahoe Basin has been experiencing, there will be even less snow now compared to two weeks ago. Still, it might be a good idea to take poles to steady yourself.

This East Shore peak at 9,214 feet is the tallest mountain in Carson City. (Carson is a city and a county all in one, with a small unpopulated swath of land that stretches into the basin.)

Traditionally, the east side of the lake is the place to hike in early season because the snow melts faster there than the West Shore. With the Sierra receiving record snowfall last winter, it’s possible snow will be an issue for a while.

Our entire route to Snow Valley Peak was along the Tahoe Rim Trail. This was the second time I had done this hike. The first time we dropped in by Spooner Lake before going up to the peak – away from Marlette Lake and the Flume Trail.

Rhoda and Liz maneuver through one of the snow fields. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Had we been really adventurous, we could have gone the 61 miles to Tahoe City.

A nice thing about our route in June is bikes are not supposed to be on it. That’s a good thing. It’s mostly single track, and was narrow at times with people coming from the opposite direction.

While there is plenty of beauty to be seen along the trail, it’s near the end that is the most spectacular. It’s as if the entire lake is before you. So often it’s just a section that is visible from most trails. Not this one. It’s like you are seeing 15-feet across and the whole 22-mile length of Tahoe.

The four of us, plus AJ the wonder dog, opted to not actually go to the peak itself. There isn’t any more beauty from there than along the ridge we were on. So we found some boulders and had lunch before turning back.

We met a woman along the way who had attempted to go to Marlette Lake, but said there was too much snow.

Several downed trees from winter storms cross the original path. For the most part they were easy to get around. There was one point where we lost the trail in the snow, but we quickly realized it and were able to get back on track.

There is no water, other than late snow melt, so be sure to take plenty with you and for your four legged companions.

Much of the trail is shaded, which was nice on a warm day. But it’s all exposed on the last push to the peak along the scenic ridge.

It’s about 12 miles round trip to the peak, with an elevation gain of 2,493 feet.

Marlette Lake from the trail above. Photo/Kathryn Reed

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Getting there:

From South Lake Tahoe take Highway 50 east. Go up Spooner Summit. Just beyond Highway 28 is parking on the left. There is lots of signage at the trailhead there.