By Jessie Marchesseau

MEYERS – At a special meeting last week, the Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District board of directors unanimously approved a resolution to convert the resort improvement district to a recreation and park district.

One of only seven RIDs remaining in the state. The TPRID board has been discussing this move for years. With a January 2018 deadline looming, the board finally made its decision on June 15.

After confirming any and all permits, possessions, funds, etc. would transfer with the park including the water rights to continue filling Lake Baron, it was established that the change will have very little effect on the park or the district. Changes will mainly be seen in two areas: the board and the name.

Tahoe Paradise Park visitors should not notice any difference with not being a resort improvement district. Photo/Jessie Marchesseau

Jose Henriquez, executive officer for El Dorado Local Agency Formation Commission, who will be assisting the district with the conversion, advised the board upon Judy Clot’s inquiry, the park’s name can remain the same and the name of the entity will change from Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District to Tahoe Paradise Recreation and Park District. As for the board, under the RID legislation of 1961, the district 5 supervisor, currently Sue Novasel, was to be one of the board members. The newer legislation which governs RPDs considers that an incompatible office. As a result, Novasel must step down from the board once the conversion is complete, and the fifth seat will be filled by another member of the community.

Other than that, it is expected to be business as usual for Tahoe Paradise Park once the conversion is made.

“The day to day operations of the park and district will not change,” Hernandez said.

So why bother switching?

Henriquez explained that the legislation allowing RIDs was created in 1961 and done away with in 1965. Therefore, they are operating under an antiquated set of rules and regulations which never get updated; they are basically stuck in the ’60s. By changing, they can take advantage of newer laws.

“You’re operating under a new, more modern statute which has ties to major pieces of legislation passed by voters and by the legislature,” he said.

Hernandez used a car analogy to describe the benefits of the change:

“It’s like driving an old Soviet-style car: it might still get you to where you need to go, from place to place, but no one’s making any parts for it; it’s badly in need of repairs and it’s completely unreliable,” he said. “So you’re basically switching from a 1980s Yugo to a Toyota Camry. It’s a good reliable car with modern features.”

Now that LAFCo has been given the go-ahead to start the conversion to this newer, more modern type of public district, the conversion process will still take several months. Once the final analysis is complete and approved by the commission, there will be a public hearing on the issue. Henriquez estimates this will happen sometime around October.

January 2018 is the deadline set forth by Senate Bill 1023 for RIDs to take advantage of an expedited and reduced cost conversion. The bill, passed in 2010, was designed to encourage the remaining RIDs to convert to more modern community services districts. In TPRID’s case, because it is so small in size and purpose (its sole purpose is to operate Tahoe Paradise Park), it was approved to convert to a recreation and park district.

The topic has been discussed at several recent TPRID meetings, as well as numerous meetings over the last seven years. Only five people in addition to the board were in attendance at Thursday’s meeting for the final vote, including Henriquez and this reporter.

Before the meeting adjourned, board members also mentioned they are starting to look for a part time park aide, the new fees for tennis and pickle ball will go into effect soon, and they are still waiting on a report from TRPA regarding the beach.

The next board meeting for TPRID will be June 22 at 6pm.

By Dante Disparte, Harvard Business Review

With the Trump Administration’s surprising U-turn on the COP21 Paris Agreement, the U.S. finds itself with some strange bedfellows, joining Nicaragua and Syria in abstaining from this important treaty. The White House’s argument for leaving the treaty is based on economic nationalism: President Trump, in his speech announcing the decision, cited primarily the “lost jobs, lower wages, shuttered factories, and vastly diminished economic production” that he thought meeting the agreement’s voluntary targets would cause.

This echoes a common political talking point: that fighting climate change is bad for the economy.

I’d like to point out the flip side: that climate change itself is bad for the economy and investing in climate resilience is not only a national security priority, but an enormous economic opportunity.

Read the whole story

By Howie Nave

When you’re watching a movie has that feel to it that it wants to be the next franchise and comes across as trying too hard, you kind of get the feeling already that it’s not going to be a great flick (or even a good one).

In fact, watching the trailers before the main event I noticed almost every trailer showed a movie that was either part of a franchise based on a comic book hero, a sequel, prequel or a re-boot. C’mon Hollywood, can you get any lazier?

So it makes perfect sense that Tom Cruise’s production company (that already has two franchises in the way of the “Mission: Impossible” and “Jack Reacher” series) would try to launch another with the very tried and franchise proven, “The Mummy.” The concept is interesting enough having a female mummy (Boris Karloff is probably rolling in his grave) played by Algerian actress Sofia Boutella (“Kingsman: The Secret Service” “Start Trek Beyond”).

Howie Nave: ‘The Mummy’ is worthy of 2 out of 5 bagels.

If you don’t follow the beginning voiceover on her background, you’ll become easily confused. And rest assured, it’s pretty lengthy. Boutella plays a scorned Egyptian princess named Ahmanet who kills her father because she had plans being ruler of all mortals until she had a brother thwarting her dreams.

Never piss off an Egyptian princess who was going to be the first female Pharaoh in the family and then in typical male dominance fashion turns her into a second-class citizen. Things get worse for Ahmanet who is punished for killing off family members and gets buried alive wrapped in full blown mummy attire for several centuries in a far-away land called Mesopotamia (now known as Iraq). The movie should’ve ended there.

Cruise makes a grand entrance in the role of Nick Morton, an Indiana Jones light who hustles in antiquities which seems confusing because you wonder is he working for himself or is someone paying him to unearth rare artifacts? I kind of felt sorry for director Alex Kurtzman who had to direct a script that was written by several writers who each had their own storyline at times and Kurtzman had to somehow make it all sound like one cohesive story.   

Even the supporting cast lacks in the chemistry department. I guess Nick’s female archaeologist love interest Jenny Halsey has some history with him (I thought it was just a one-night stand) so again not fully defined. And Nick’s best friend and “No, we’re not going to go in there are we?” ride-along sidekick Chris Vail (Jake Johnson) reminded me of Griffin Dunne’s character in director Jon Landis’ 1981 classic “An American Werewolf in London” who, as a dead guy gives advice to his living buddy on what course he should take.

I perked up some when Russell Crowe popped up playing Dr. Henry Jekyll who heads a secret organization that tries to corral and contain evil. Bu like his name suggests has an alter ego as a Mr. Hyde who himself is evil. It’s kind of hacky and you can almost guess what the next scenes are going to be. Crowe’s character has some connection with Nick’s archaeologist love squeeze, Jenny, but by then I lost interest.  

But wait, what about the special effects? Yes, there are plenty of CGI effects designed more as segues between the written scenes to keep the moviegoer in their seats but by then it was too late. Some of the effects are impressive sure and one of the reasons I even gave this movie any bagels at all.

Like its title, “The Mummy” should’ve remained entombed forever from public viewing. 

Howie Nave is host/emcee/manager of The Improv at Harveys. You can hear him Monday-Friday 6 to 10am on KRLT FM-93.9. He has been reviewing movies for years. They may be heard on four other stations each week where he does “A Jew Doing a Movie Review,” and he occasionally writes reviews for Lake Tahoe News.

Val Smith

There will be a memorial service on June 24, 2017, for Valerie Ann Naples Smith. She died March 21, 2017, at the age of 51.

She had battled cancer for 18 years.

Val was born Nov. 26, 1965, in Burlingame. She grew up in the Bay Area in the hills of Belmont. Val graduated with honors from Carlmont High School, and UC Davis; earning a degree in international relations.

Val met her husband, Doug, in college. They moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1989 and married in 1990. Val worked as an accountant for more than 27 years, 25 for David, Johnson & Larsen Ltd. in Zephyr Cove and most recently at McCabe & Totah LLP in San Jose.

Val loved spending time with her family, running on the trails, growing vegetables, scrapbooking, and enjoying good wine, conversation, and food with friends. Val inspired everyone in how she smiled and laughed while fighting ovarian cancer, even carrying the torch for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Val is survived by her husband Doug, daughters Kelsey and Kira, all of Lake Tahoe; father Paul Naples of Fresno; mother Patricia Cook Schaible of Sacramento; brother Tom Naples of Fresno; and numerous cousins.

Services will be June 24 at 11am, Sierra Community Church, 1165 Sierra Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

Val wanted a scholarship to support local high school students who pursue distance running to enrich lives. The family has created a fund for this purpose. In lieu of flowers or gifts, please make a tax-deductible contribution payable to the Douglas County Community Foundation, or DCCF, a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization, and note “Valerie N. Smith Scholarship” in the memo. Contributions will be accepted at the memorial service or can be sent to: Douglas County Community Foundation c/o David, Johnson & Larsen Ltd. P.O. Box 1968, Zephyr Cove, NV 89448.

By Angela Hart, Sacramento Bee
 
If you’re a renter in California concerned about the high cost of living here, or looking to purchase your first home, your prospects aren’t looking up.

Projections show rents will continue to surge, especially for low- and middle-income people in places like San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento, and home prices will become increasingly expensive, according to an economic analysis in the Anderson Forecast from UCLA released this month.

“It was already bad before, but it’s getting worse,” said David Shulman, a senior economist for the Anderson Forecast. “California is still attracting high-income people, who are creating an enormous amount of wealth, but low and middle-income people like teachers are leaving because housing has extraordinarily expensive.”

Read the whole story

By Daria Sokolova, Pahrump Valley Times

Sens. Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to expand access to broadband by streamlining the application process required to construct broadband infrastructure on federal lands, the news release said.

The legislation seeks to address the delays by expediting the Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service approval process for applications. The legislation implements a 270-day clock for Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to respond to applications, the release said.

Read the whole story

By Bill Lindelof, Sacramento Bee

A dirt bike motorcyclist who spent the night injured in an El Dorado County mountain ravine after he crashed was rescued Sunday by CHP officers and sheriff’s deputies.

The motorcyclist, who had been camping with his family, left for a ride by himself Saturday afternoon. When he didn’t return, the family searched and found him in the ravine Sunday morning.

Read the whole story

To the community,

It takes team work to crew a sailboat and the Lake Tahoe Windjammer Yacht Club members brought their team skills to help the Bread & Broth volunteers serve the June 5 Monday meal dinner at St. Theresa Grace Hall. Representing the LT Windjammers at their Adopt A Day of Nourishment dinner were Kurt and Laura Rasmussen, Michelle Langlois, Mary Parker and Steve Katzman.

“The sailing community of South Lake Tahoe believes in sharing with the less fortunate of our city,” commented Kurt Rasmussen, LT Windjammers Yacht Club commodore. “It is a social responsibility I wish everyone held.”   

For the past five years, the LT Windjammers have been hosting a sponsorship dinner and sending a great sponsor crew to assist at the nourishing dinner that their $250 AAD donation provides to the evening’s dinner guests. B&B appreciates the Windjammer’s dedication to helping others. 

Thanks not only to the tremendous generosity of our AAD sponsors but of our many generous donors, B&B provides two hot meals weekly, Monday Meal at Grace Hall and Friday’s soup and simple entrée meals at LT Community Presbyterian Church, and provides weekend food to the local children in the community throughout the school year. In addition, B&B provides kid-friendly food to children up to the age of 18 every Wednesday during the school summer break thanks to the very generous donation of Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz and his wife, Elana Amsterdam.

Carol Gerard, Bread & Broth

·      John Hopper, vice chairman of the California Tahoe Conservancy board, resigned effective after last week’s meeting. He had been appointed to the board by the speaker of the California Assembly in 1985.

·      Boaters are reminded there is a 600-foot no wake zone around the entire shoreline of Lake Tahoe.

·      Nevada Department of Wildlife public information officer Chris Healy retired last week. He was hired by the state agency in 1989 as a boating education coordinator.

·      Tioga Pass is expected to be open June 19 at 2pm.

·      Hotel Azure Tahoe (formerly Inn by the Lake) in South Lake Tahoe recently completed $3.5 million in renovations.

Lake Tahoe Windjammers Yacht Club’s annual sailing skills clinic will be June 24.

It is for any experience level.

Registration starts at 8:30am, with instruction beginning at 9am. It will be at the group’s clubhouse in the Tahoe Keys Marina in South Lake Tahoe. Lunch will be provided. On the water instruction will be in the afternoon on a member’s vessel. Social hour is at 5pm.

Cost is $35 for members, $45 for others. Preregistration is required.