By Chabeli Herrera, Miami Herald

Is Airbnb a significant threat to the hotel industry? For the past few years, that question has been a hot topic for hospitality associations, city councils, hoteliers and tourism promoters across the globe.

Now industry-watchers are getting a window into Airbnb’s place in the business.

This month data and analytics firm STR, the leading tracker of hotel performance, released the first independent comparison of Airbnb data and hotel industry performance.

In an analysis that compared daily data directly from Airbnb against STR’s own hospitality data over a two-and-a-half-year period, STR confirmed what most suspected: that Airbnb is hitting the industry in its bottom line. But, the study concludes, it is still too early to determine how large that impact may be.

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Publisher’s note: The following letter was read to the South Lake Tahoe City Council on Feb. 7, 2017, by city resident Tami Wallace and is republished with permission.

Honorable mayor and City Council. I must admit that I’m glad that I get to talk and you can only listen. I wish marriages and children came with that feature.

Tami Wallace

Last summer a varied group of citizens circulated an initiative petition that was meant to allow all the voters a chance to vote regarding the proposed loop road; 1,400 signatures were found to be valid.

Then, Measure T passed by a very large 20 percent margin. Almost 4,000 of your constituents voted for Measure T giving you, the City Council, what we believed was clear direction.

But a council candidate had sued the citizens, the city and El Dorado County to keep the voters from having input.

Many were suspicious when the county and the citizens were excluded from the lawsuit by the plaintiff and his expensive Sacramento law firm. Only the city remained as a defendant. Why was that?

Also, to this day we don’t know who paid the legal expenses on a lawsuit against the citizens of our city.

In reality most people aren’t against some version of a loop road, but many have had individual reasons for wanting to have a say based on the current proposal.

Some were concerned that over a dozen businesses would be moved or worse removed.

Some were concerned that traffic would be backed up for four years of construction.

Some were concerned that a planned shopping complex in Nevada would be waiting at the end to take away California sales tax dollars.

Many worried that new taxes would be needed for the $90 million 1-mile project when we have hundreds of miles of city streets that are broken and filled with pot holes.

Some were concerned that no new parking would be included.

Many were worried that up to 87 families would be displaced with no funds yet identified for their replacement. How does a Chicago style high rise apartment complex built next to the highway or moving those families into the old middle school in Nevada effectively solve the issue?

An almost unspoken reason has been the racial overtones of dividing a mostly Hispanic community, while no other part of town would ever allow this to happen.

Another concern is that TTD (Tahoe Transportation District), the loop road proponent, is responsible for the poorly run, underfunded bus system that does not have enough sheltered bus stops to protect the riders from the weather with such late arriving buses.

Why were the county and the citizens removed from the lawsuit? 

Was it so that the city could pretend to defend but intend to lose the lawsuit against Mr. [Jason] Collin, a fellow councilmember?

I have in my hand the transcript of the court proceeding where your attorney says and I quote:

“With respect to the petitioner, Jason Collin, the City does not oppose a preliminary injunction and/or a permanent injunction under the theories of statewide concern.”

Needless to say your legal counsel either did this on his own or the City Council directed him to sell your constituents down the river. Which was it?

The language of the measure could have easily been amended by agreement with the citizens.

I’m here to tell you how disappointed we are and that this is not the end of this matter.

The “Vagina Monologues” returns to South Lake Tahoe for the 15th anniversary on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 at 8pm.

The award-winning play is based on V-Day founder/playwright Eve Ensler’s interviews with more than 200 women. V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls, by raising funds and awareness. Productions like this and other V-Day benefit events organized by volunteer activists take place around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls.

The cast is made up of community members, students, mothers, daughters, sisters, new-to-the-stage and seasoned performers. 

Proceeds will benefit Partners Against the Trafficking of Humans, Tahoe Youth & Family Services, and Live Violence Free.

Go online for tickets.

Tahoe’s Natural Diversity: Lakes Edge to Summit is the title of a talk to be given by Sarah Hockensmith of the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science.

She will talk about the diverse landscapes of the Tahoe region from lake level to the tops of the mountains.The presentation will cover how different flower, tree, bird, and mammal species adapt as they go up in elevation and what unique creatures you can find around specific elevations in the area. 

The free talk sponsored by the South Lake Tahoe Friends of the Library will be March 4 at noon at the library, 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd.

Tahoe Mountain Milers Running Club is hosting the Fresh Tracks 5K Snowshoe Walk and Race on Feb. 26 at 10am at Camp Richardson Resort.   

The beneficiaries are Girls on the Run-Sierra and Metastatic Breast Cancer in honor of club member Renee Gorevin. 

Preregister by Feb. 11 for $30. This includes a winter beanie hat, snowshoe rental, post-race refreshments, and continued day use of groomed Camp Richardson trails.

Day of race registration is $40. Register online. 

For more info, email tahoecarol@charter.net.

Lake Tahoe News subscribers Rich Fisher and Sandy Myron and their respective guests are going to be enjoying some El Dorado County wine in April thanks to LTN.

The annual Passport wine event is two weekends of fun where the wineries offer deals and food pairing with what they are pouring.

As subscribers, Fisher and Myron had the opportunity to vie for the two pairs of tickets. 

Isn’t it time you became a Lake Tahoe News subscriber? For $10/month or $100 year you get to comment on stories, receive breaking news alerts, know that you are supporting the only news source providing seven-day a week coverage about Lake Tahoe, and you get to be part of contests involving give-aways like the wine tickets.

Subscribe today by going online or send a check to Lake Tahoe News, PO Box 13406, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96151.

“I’m a Lake Tahoe News subscriber, and read the LTN every morning. Thanks for your good work,” Fisher said. “My wife, Sheri, and I are wine club members in two El Dorado wineries, David Girard and Boeger. We’re long time El Dorado County residents and have really enjoyed watching the development of vineyards and wineries around the county. Sheri, with her degree in landscape architecture, did the original design for the David Girard Vineyard and it makes us very proud to see how it has developed into such a wonderful property.”

Myron said, “LTN: Great coverage, seven days a week, updates and reliable. El Dorado County wines: Great wine, small wineries with and a mom and pop feel, close to Tahoe, proprietors are knowledgeable and friendly and their wines are affordable. We love the area so much we purchased a place right off of Fair Play Road.”

Water is across all lanes of Pomo Street in the Meyers area on Feb. 7. Photo/CHP

Updated 4:18pm:

By Lake Tahoe News

Continued rain on snow is bringing the threat of flooding to areas in the Tahoe-Truckee region.

For Tuesday there are flood, high wind and avalanche warnings in effect. A flood watch is in effect until 4am Feb. 8 for South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Stateline, Incline Village, Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes.

“A moderate to strong atmospheric river will bring heavy rain with high snow levels today. This heavy rain and snow melt will contribute to increasing flows on rivers and streams with an enhanced flooding potential through late tonight,” the National Weather Service in Reno warns.

The wind warning is in effect through 10pm Feb. 7 for the Tahoe basin, with south to southwest winds at 20-35 mph, gusts up to 50 mph, and ridge gusts hitting 130 mph.

Storms are expected to continue through the week before a break in storms this weekend, according to meteorologists. 

A backyard in the state street are of South Lake Tahoe is flooded Feb. 7 after a sump pump distributed water from under a house to this area. Photo/LTN

As of 9am Feb. 7 here are the 24-hour rain and snow totals provided from the National Weather Service in Reno:

·      South Lake Tahoe – 2.03 inches

·      Truckee airport – 1.81

·      Ward Creek (Tahoe City) – 4.9

·      Heavenly – 12

·      Mount Rose – 20

·      Homewood – 19.

Roads in the state streets area, Julie Lane, Tahoe Sierra and other parts of South Lake Tahoe have standing water of several inches as do other roads around the basin.

“We are cutting and moving berms to allow runoff as we can. The ground is so saturated though,” Jim Marino, South Lake Tahoe public works director, told Lake Tahoe News.

Pomo Street in the Meyers area is flooded.

Two large vehicle-sized boulders fell onto Highway 50 on Tuesday in the Logan Creek area. These are in addition to the event on Monday. No injuries were reported and no vehicles damaged.

Both directions of traffic are open, but lanes are reduced to a single lane in each direction.

“The heavy precipitation that the region continues to see brings with it an increased chance of rockslides, mudslides and avalanches. We remind motorists to drive safely and always watch the road ahead,” Meg Ragonese with the Nevada Department of Transportation told Lake Tahoe News.

El Dorado County has closed both directions of Mt. Aukum Road indefinitely due to multiple sinkholes. The road is closed at the north end at the North Fork of the Cosumnes River Bridge and at the south end at Happy Valley Road, just north of Grizzly Flat Road. 

Highway 50 on Tuesday morning had one-way traffic control from two miles east of Ice House Road to approximately five miles east of Ice House Road because of a mudslide.

Snow is falling at higher elevations, requiring chain controls in some locations. Mount Rose Highway has been closed for hours because of multiple spinouts.

For updated state highway conditions, click on the state icons on the home page of Lake Tahoe News.

Nevada Highway Patrol reported Tuesday morning that flooding closed the Carson Street southbound ramp on Highway 50.

Douglas County on Feb. 6 issued a flood warning.

Sand bags are available at Zephyr Cove Park. They are also available at all North Tahoe Fire Protection District stations, Lake Valley fire station in Meyers, and on Rufus Allen Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe.

Equipment failure has 273 NV Energy customers in the Incline Village area without power.

Lake Valley Fire Protection District is offering avalanche beacon training at its station in Meyers.

Beacon Basin is open Thursday through Sunday throughout the winter.

The Meyers Community Foundation and Sierra Avalanche Center donated the majority of funds for the equipment. The fire department will maintain it and coordinate free transceiver trainings once or twice per month.

Anyone interested in donating toward the Beacon Basin may do so online. 

Additionally, the LVFPD is offering free air canister refills for backcountry airbags. The airbags keep people on the surface in case of an avalanche and are now required for ski patrol at almost every ski resort in the country. As the service is free, it will allow people to practice pulling the air bag prior to heading out on the mountain.

For updates on trainings, call 530.577.3737.

Spooner Lake State park offers a system of meandering cross country ski trails that wind through dense forest, across an open meadow and along the banks of Spooner Lake. The trail system is free to the public and made possible by a partnership between Nevada State Parks and Nevada Nordic, a non-profit group based in the Tahoe basin.

The  trail includes several teardrop loops, offers both skate and classic skiing, and is intermediate with flat rolling terrain, which makes it great for both families and experienced skiers.

When using the trails, please be mindful of trail etiquette:

·         Do not walk on the trail in shoes or boots.

·         Dogs should be on a leash of not more than 6 feet in length and off to the side of the groomed trails.

·         Snowshoers are welcome, but should stay to the far edge of the trail and be careful not to mar the center of the trail for skate skiing, or the tracks set for classic skiing. 

There is an entrance fee into the park of $7 per vehicle. Nevada residents receive a $2 discount.

By Todd Dewey, Las Vegas Review-Journal

A game that featured the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history also produced a record wagering handle in Nevada.

The state’s 196 sports books had $138.5 million wagered on Sunday’s game, according to figures released Monday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The books won $10.9 million for a hold percentage of 7.9.

The handle eclipsed the $132.5 million that was wagered last year for Super Bowl 50, a 24-10 win by the Broncos over the Panthers. This is the fourth consecutive year that the state’s handle has surpassed $100 million.

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