To the community,

Bread & Broth serves two meals weekly and welcomes everyone from our Lake Tahoe Shore community to enjoy the wonderful dinners prepared by our talented and creative volunteer cooks and warmly served by our dinner crew volunteers. Our meals are not only meant to ease hunger, but to prove the opportunity to spend a meal in fellowship with other community members. Being hungry is not a prerequisite to enjoy our meals.

Every Monday, B&B invites everyone to attend a full-course meal at St. Theresa’s Grace Hall from 4-5:30pm. These Monday dinners are funded through the Adopt A Day of Nourishment program where individuals, families, organizations and businesses host the dinner by donating $300 to cover the meal’s costs and send a sponsor volunteer crew to assist at the dinner. On July 16, the Tahoe Douglas Elks Lodge No. 2670 was the generous sponsor and Elk members Roger and Jeanne Barragan, Roger Koeck, Steve Kurek and Steve Lannen volunteered at their club’s sponsorship dinner.

According to Roger, the club’s chairman trustee, the “Elks are here to help.” For many years now, the Elks Lodge has been sponsoring Monday dinners several times a year and their members have volunteered many hours of their personal time to help at their B&B truly appreciates the Tahoe Douglas Elks Lodge No. 2670 for their continuing support of our programs.

In addition to the Monday meal, every Friday, a soup and simple entrée meal is served from 4-5pm at the Lake Tahoe Community Presbyterian Church; and once again all are welcome to these dinners.

Carol Gerard, Bread & Broth

A construction worker at the Gondola Vista condo project in South Lake Tahoe was critically injured Tuesday when he was run over by a colleague, according to officials.

The name of the man in his mid-40s has not been released.

He was in a manhole when another worker backed over him on July 24. Eric Guevin with Tahoe Douglas Fire said no charges will be filed because it was an accident.

“OSHA will investigate and a fine may be levied at that time,” Guevin told Lake Tahoe News.

The construction project is along Lake Parkway next to Van Sickle Bi-State Park. They are 20 high-end condos designed to be second home or vacation rentals.

The worker was airlifted to Renown Medical Center in Reno.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Yvonne Gonzalez, Las Vegas Sun

Millions of dollars and enhanced protections have helped Nevada shore up systems protecting voter data and ballot-casting since the 2016 election marked by suspicions of foreign interference.

One of the latest suspected Russian ties to election interference includes an indictment last week over emails and data stolen from Democratic groups in 2016, which Nevada officials say are separate from and can be much less secure than the systems safeguarding voter data and ballot-casting.

The indictment also pointed to an information breach of about 500,000 voter records in Illinois in 2016. But elections officials emphasized that much of the data was publicly available.

Read the whole story

By Kathryn Reed

Ten days. That’s how much longer the residents of South Lake Tahoe have to put up with an ineffective city clerk.

The city on July 24 sent out a notice saying Suzie Alessi has finally said Aug. 3 will be her last day. On June 29 she first announced her intent to leave her elected post early. Then on July 9 she told Lake Tahoe News she didn’t know when she would be quitting.

Alessi has been the elected city clerk since 2002; after having started in that department in 1986. Her term was to end at the end of the year. Instead she is choosing to be a quitter, to not fulfill her duty to the public who elected her.

It’s not like she’s around much, so it’s hard to know if she’ll really be missed.

She still hasn’t produced the public records Lake Tahoe News sought months ago. This goes against the advice of the city’s legal counsel. In fact, the interim city attorney has told LTN that if she had the power to release the records, they would have long ago been provided.

The documents have been assembled, just not released.

Alessi doesn’t want them to potentially be published because part of what has been requested is her text messages. In the texts she reportedly talks about her stint in rehab and trashes the former city manager. Also reportedly in the documents are incriminating emails from Tracy Sheldon, the city’s communication’s director, and Councilman Austin Sass. Those two allegedly had much to do with the smear campaign against the former city manager.

Alessi thinks that by not releasing the records they won’t see the light of day because I have said July 31 is LTN’s last day of publication under my ownership. But as of today, I’ll still own the news site in August. I can publish whatever I want whenever I want – or not. I can also write for another local publication; one of which has agreed to let me write the Public Records Act story when it’s ready, or I can provide them the info.

I have also been approached to file a lawsuit against the city to get the records. State law mandates that if I were to prevail, the city would have to pay my legal bills. So, I wouldn’t be out of pocket any cash and my attorney wouldn’t either. However, I believe this would be a huge waste of city (aka taxpayer money).

Still, sometimes it’s necessary to do the uncomfortable thing because it’s the right thing. Oh, wait, that should apply to the city clerk, not me. Come ’on Suzie, do the right thing – your job – and release the records. The city attorney keeps telling you to. Are you really going to make a judge be the one to tell you to?

And show up to work between now and your quitting day.

The mayor told Lake Tahoe News that Alessi “was an incredible source of information for the council.” Whatever. She doesn’t work for the council; she works for the public. At least she is supposed to.

That’s one of the odd things about having an elected city clerk, which is more of an anomaly than the norm in California.

Dealing with election filings – applications as well as financial documents – is part of the clerk’s responsibility. This is a big year locally with seats open on the City Council, Lake Tahoe Community College, Lake Tahoe Unified School District, South Tahoe Public Utility District and more.

Interim City Manager Dirk Brazil was asked if the city clerk’s office will be able to handle the election duties.

“That’s the big question – what is the clerk’s office staffing level required in an election year?” Brazil told LTN.

While the elected clerk is not a city employee and only accountable to the public, the deputy city clerk is a city employee. But the one the city has isn’t qualified to run the office based on job criteria if it were not an elected position. To be elected one only needs to be 18 and live in the city.

Per state law the city must have a city clerk. The council has 60 days from Alessi’s departure date to replace her. This could be with an interim person much like the city manager and city attorney.

Originally Brazil told LTN he planned to talk to the council today about the clerk’s position during the special meeting. LTN reminded him the clerk position was not on the agenda, only the city manager and city attorney positions were. If the clerk is discussed, this would be a violation of the Brown Act. The District Attorney’s Office is already looking into whether the council has violated the opening meeting law; is it really necessary to provide investigators with more ammunition?

South Lake Tahoe deserves better elected representation than it has. Run for office and vote.

By William Ramirez and Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado, Fresno Bee

Yosemite Valley will shut down Wednesday as fire crews try to stop the Ferguson Fire from spreading into the national park, according to fire crews.

A noon closure will be imposed on a portion of Highway 41 from Wawona to the tunnel entry into Yosemite Valley, according to Yosemite National Park Superintendent Michael Reynolds.

The closure is expected to last until Sunday.

Read the whole story

·      Here are the El Dorado-Tahoe and Sierra roadwork schedules from Caltrans for the week.

·      Todd D. Irby, 60, has been named to an interim appointment for a judgeship in the Placer County Superior Court.

·      Wa She Shu ‘It Deh, the Native American Arts Festival at Valhalla on the South Shore, is July 27-28, 10am-5pm.

·      Blackie Farrell and the Bob Woods Trio will be at Valhalla on July 25 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available online.

North Tahoe Public Utility District is mourning the passing of former General Manager/CEO Duane Whitelaw. 
 
Whitelaw retired in June after four years as general manager/CEO. Prior to that, he served the district from 1985-89 as the recreation and parks director.
 

Duane Whitelaw

During his time as recreation and parks director he secured grants for projects including, but not limited to, the North Tahoe Event Center renovation in 1989, Coon Street Boat Ramp dredging and improvements through a partnership with the Department of Boating and Waterways, North Tahoe Regional Park playground, Phase 1 of the Kings Beach State Recreation Area parking lot, restroom, and playground, and the purchase and renovation of the North Tahoe Beach Center which was the first project at Lake Tahoe to utilize California environmental license plate funds.
 
After leaving the district in 1989 to serve as the fire chief for North Tahoe Fire District, he also served on the Placer County Parks Commission for almost 20 years representing the interests of eastern Placer County. Park projects for which he advised the Board of Supervisors include the Squaw Valley Community Park, Hidden Falls Regional Park, Commons Beach Enhancements, the Martis Valley Trail, and segments of the Lake Tahoe Bikeway.
 
After a short retirement from the North Tahoe Fire District, Whitelaw returned once again to public service with the North Tahoe Public Utility District. He led a strategic planning process for the board, re-engaged the Recreation and Parks Commission, and encouraged public outreach surveys to guide the district’s priorities and has worked diligently to find strategies for success for the Event Center.

NTPUD Board President Tim Ferrell said, “Duane was one of the best general managers I have had the pleasure of working with. He taught me that leading through compassion and respect unites the workforce and keeps people motivated to give their best even in the hard times. He will be greatly missed but his legacy in North Tahoe will live on for many years to come.”
 
District flags will fly at half-staff July 24 in honor of his service and dedication to the community. Acting General Manager Will Stelter stated, “To live a life leaving the world a better place, due to one’s positive actions, care and devotion, is a life to be celebrated; although sad to have it come to the end.”
 
A celebration of his life will take place on Aug. 5 at the North Tahoe Event Center. More information will be forthcoming. 

— Provided to Lake Tahoe News

By Associated Press

Nevada voters could soon make history by electing the country’s first female-majority state legislature.

Women, after winning a record number of primary contests last month, could make up nearly two-thirds of the statehouse by Nov. 7, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported .

“In the past, we’ve had to ask women five, six, seven times to run for office,” said Danna Lovell, director of Emerge Nevada, a Democrat-linked candidate training nonprofit based in Las Vegas. “Whereas now, they’re worried. They’re scared about what’s going on in their communities. … I think there’s an extremely great possibility for a female majority.”

Read the whole story

Not enough superlatives for the 2018 Lexus LC500. Photos/Larry Weitzman

By Larry Weitzman

When I wrote my Road Beat review of the Lexus LC500h a few months ago, I was mistaken when I called it perhaps the best car I have ever driven. It’s only second best. That title of best car I have ever driven now goes to the “plain Jane” LC500 which coincidentally lists for about $5,000 less than the 500h version. The base sticker of the plain Jane 500 is just $92,000. When you consider the quality and performance, it becomes a virtual bargain among super cars. LC500 is the very best.

LC is a fabulous looking car, perhaps the best work ever for Lexus. It’s low, sleek and aggressive with a Coke bottle fuselage, floating roof line, strong hips and shoulders and rippling with muscle which it surely backs up under the hood. Co-efficient of drag is a not so low 0.33, mostly caused by spoilers so it has plenty of downforce. Size-wise, it is a small midsize car with an overall length of 187 inches riding on a very long 113 wheelbase. And if it looks wide, it’s not your eyes as its beam stretches across 76 inches. However, it looks deceivingly low, but its not at 53 inches.

Powering this not so plain Jane LC500 is the Lexus 5.0L, DOHC, 32 Valve V-8 with all the bells and whistles cranking out 471 of the sweetest horses (at a sky high 7,100 rpm) ever found at a race track, quarter horse, thoroughbred or Indianapolis. Peak torque of 398 pounds of twist occurs at 4,800 rpm. More on torque later.

Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a 10-speed direct shift tranny which shifts like a dual clutch only smoother. While it has ten speeds its still not a close ration box as the top three gears which are all indirects would never be used on the race track. Matter of fact, on the track you might never get to sixth.

Specifications
Price $92,995 about $103,000
Engine
5.0L DOHC, 32 valve V-8 471 hp @ 7,100 rpm
398 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,800 rpm
Transmission
Ten-speed automatic transmission
Configuration
Longitudinal Front engine/rear wheel drive
Dimensions
Wheelbase 113.0 inches
Length 187.4 inches
Width 75.6 inches
Height 53.0 inches
Track (f/r) 64.2/64.4 inches
Ground clearance 5.2 inches
Weight 4,280 pounds
GVWR 5,260 pounds
Weight distribution (f/r) 54/46
Fuel capacity 21.7 gallons
Trunk capacity 5.4 cubic feet
Steering lock to lock 2.6 turns
Turning circle 35.4 feet
Wheels 21-inch alloys
Tires (f//r) 245/40X21//275/35X21
Co-efficient of drag 0.33
Performance
0-60 mph 3.91 seconds
50-70 mph 1.88 seconds
50-70 mph uphill 2.20 seconds
Top speed electronically limited at 168 mph
Fuel economy EPA rated at 16/26/19 mpg city/highway/combined. Expected 32 mpg on the highway at legal speeds and 22 mpg in rural, suburban driving.

Performance is not just amazing, it’s the quickest car the Road Beat has ever tested. And this is a car for the driver who wants the most out of his motoring. It is performance motoring at its absolute finest. Zero to 60 mph arrives in less than 4 seconds at 3.91 seconds. Passing simulations from 50-70 mph takes just 1.88 seconds on level road and just 2.20 seconds up a 6-7 percent grade. LC500 truly defies the laws of gravity and certainly Newton’s first law which is a body at rest tends to remain at rest and a body in motion tends to remains in motion.

Just starting this car will boil your blood as it is the sweetest sounding V-8 ever. The burble and sound are mesmerizing. The throttle blips on downshifts and it spits and barks during upshifts. Under hard throttle there is at least a uniform 1,000 rpm drop between each upshift as the engine momentarily has its ignition cut and its as if rpms are matched perfectly. It’s so, so charismatic with real engine dynamics that you learn to use. And it sounds like it has exhaust cut-outs under hard throttle. It’s a most beautiful thing and it is the best sounding engine ever. It is the MOST fun you can have in a recumbent position. I hear an F-16 is close competition, however.

The midrange is brilliant around 4,000 rpm when you get a giant torque swell. Remember that monster torque at 4,800 rpm. I could wax on, but by now you get the message.

Fuel economy, considering its world class and super car performance is quite good, even better than its EPA rating of 16/26/19 mpg city/highway/combined. At 70 mph with the engine spinning just 1,450 rpm the LC500 averaged 33.1 mpg in a two-way run on a level highway. Overall in 450 miles, including dozens of full throttle sprints and some high-performance road trashing it averaged 22 mpg. On balance, those are Prius like numbers. And if you like to cover hundreds of miles in a single bound, this is your ride as it has a nearly 22-gallon gas tank.

Next in the LC500 arsenal of an ultimate car is its handling. Quick electric steering (2.6 turns lock to lock) is beautifully weighted and very direct although it could have more feel. Suspension is a state of the art multilink system in all four corners and its huge 21-inch wheels are shod with 245/40 and 275/35 series rubber (front and rear) acting like vice grips on a copper pipe. And its brakes are turkey platters at 16 and 14 inches plus six piston and four piston calipers. All of these components plus brilliant design make this LC extremely easy to change directions at speed. Almost anyone above room temperature can make this Lexus perform like a GT race car at Nürburgring. It becomes so easy to place the LC in the twisties and picking the right line, that anyone can shine in the LC, besides the fabulous finish.

Ride quality is another super suit. This car is smooth, no matter the surface and its body is bank vault tight and strong. It is also quiet when not into the throttle.

As to safety, I already mentioned the brakes, but it also has every other acronym. But most its important safety feature is this car’s capability. Headlights are fantastic.

As you would expect, interior quality is phenomenal. The best leathers and finishes. There is one negative and that is the mouse system to control the radio and other functions. Please go back to knobs and buttons. And it has a trunk, nearly 5 well shaped cubic feet. It looks bigger.

Believe it or not, the basic LC500 V-8 starts at $92,000. Among the competition, this is the bargain of a lifetime. Imagine a $92,000 car being a bargain. It flat out is. My tester had about 10 grand in options including a $1,220 Mark Levinson sound system. It would be worth it, if I could use the sound system. The Sport package includes a carbon fiber roof and the premium Infrared paint is another $595. All toll with the obligatory $995  for the boat suite for the cruise from Aichi, Japan, my ride totaled $102,890 which is about the same price as the LC500h tested a few months ago. It’s a tough call, but either choice will leave you breathless, but hopefully not penniless.

Larry Weitzman has been into cars since he was 5 years old. At 8 he could recite from memory the hp of every car made in the U.S. He has put in thousands of laps on racetracks all over the Western United States.

Biologist Rick Hopkins will talk about “A Tail of Two Cities: The tyranny of perception based management for Cougars” on Aug. 16 in South Lake Tahoe.

Hopkins will explore the biology and ecology of cougars, the history of predator management and conservation including myths that are often perpetuated, and suggest a framework for modernizing predator management that promotes conservation.

Hopkins will also discuss the recent cougar sightings in the South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County areas. He is co-owner and senior conservation biologist at Live Oak Associates Inc., an ecological consulting firm in California. He has a doctorate in wildlands resource ecology from UC Berkeley and an master’s in biology from San Jose State University. He conducted a 12-year study on the cougar in the Diablo Range. 

The free talk will be at 7pm  3260 Pioneer Trail; entrance to the parking lot is from Saddle Road.