To the community,

T-Mobile is currently working with Lake Valley Fire Protection District to develop a communication facility. T-Mobile is proposing a 100-foot tree tower to blend with the existing trees in the area. Some of us are not happy about this.

T-Mobile sent out letters in an 300-foot radias to homeowners; at the most maybe 30 homeowners.

What do you think can be done to stop this? Then AT&T will come and Verizon, then more money for the fire district. What about us homeowners and exposure coming off microwaves or micro watts. And looking out and seeing this in our backyard.

Thank you,

Rick Robinson, Meyers

By Mary Williams Walsh, New York Times

When one of the tiniest pension funds imaginable — for Citrus Pest Control District No. 2, serving just six people in California — decided last year to convert itself to a 401(k) plan, it seemed like a no-brainer.

After all, the little fund held far more money than it needed, according to its official numbers from California’s renowned public pension system,CalPERS.

Except it really didn’t.

In fact, it was significantly underfunded. Suddenly CalPERS began demanding a payment of more than half a million dollars.

It turns out that CalPERS, which managed the little pension plan, keeps two sets of books: the officially stated numbers, and another set that reflects the “market value” of the pensions that people have earned. The second number is not publicly disclosed. And it typically paints a much more troubling picture, according to people who follow the money.

Read the whole story

The woman who died in the Sept. 23 accident on Kingsbury Grade has been identified as Carrie Hilderbrand.

The 47-year-old Wellington woman was driving toward the lake when her vehicle crossed the center line and struck a motorhome driven by Jason Collin, 43, of South Lake Tahoe. Collin, a South Lake Tahoe City Council candidate, is recovering at Renown Medical Center in Reno. He sustained substantial injuries to both legs.

In the motorhome were six passengers, many of whom sustained minor to moderate injury in the crash. Their names have not been released.

Hilderbrand was the sole occupant of the Nissan. At this time, impairment is unknown.

Both drivers were wearing their seat belts at the time of the 1:20pm crash.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Caltrans on Monday started a $2.6 million grinding and paving project on more than nine miles of Highway 50.

The pavement rehabilitation project is designed to extend the life of the roadway and improve ride quality, is from Strawberry over Echo Summit to just west of Johnson Pass Road. Grinding and paving will take place around the clock Monday through 7pm Thursday of this week and again Monday through Thursday of next week under one-way traffic control.

Other work to be performed after the grinding and paving includes adding rumble strips and striping.

By Ben Botkin, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Environmental groups have pumped more than $3 million into Nevada elections, investing money in ads and a ground game that will get canvassers and volunteers out knocking on doors statewide.

It’s a reflection in part of how climate change has become an increasingly visible issue, whether it’s drought-stricken farmland in California, increased wildfires, or rising sea levels, environmental advocates say.

The spending, from groups that include NextGen Climate and the League of Conservation Voters, is supporting Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Catherine Cortez Masto, the Democratic candidate for Nevada’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Read the whole story

By Danielle Priem

For years, the nation’s pediatric experts have advised parents to ban screens before age 2 and limit older kids to two hours daily. These rules from the American Academy of Pediatrics, however, date to 2011—just after the release of the first iPad.

Danielle Priem

Now, 30 percent of kids touch their first screen while still wearing diapers. Three-fourths of teens have smartphones. These policies require an update, the organization admits. At a recent meeting of researchers, educators, and doctors, experts recognized the realities of today’s digital world and offered these key points to guide parents through it.

For infants and toddlers: Children ages 2 and younger do not reap many benefits from technology. What’s more, plunking toddlers in front of a TV or tablet reduces chatter with parents that’s critical to brain development. Studies show even just having the TV on in the background reduces the number of words parents speak, meaning less learning for little ones.

That said, a total ban isn’t necessary, the panel noted. Instead use screens for interaction and to enhance communication. For instance, video chats with a traveling parent can boost language development in very young children.

For school-aged children: Once kids are a bit older, educational TV and apps can help kids learn, provided you choose wisely. Organizations like Common Sense Media review apps, games, and programs for educational quality.

Kids at this age should spend most of their time offline. Make a point to allow unplugged, unstructured playtime each day. This type of play helps kids develop creativity.

For teens: Allowing adolescents on social media can help them develop and form their identities. Teach your teens about appropriate online behavior. For instance, explain that sending suggestive messages or photos puts them at risk.

Create profiles yourself, or ask teens to show you what they do online. That way, you’ll know what’s happening in their virtual world. Take action if you see signs of cyberbullying.

At all ages: Setting smart limits on media usage can prevent harms, from obesity to troubled sleep to problems at school and home. One way to do it: create a family media use plan. Together, draft a document that lays down basic rules.

Consider:

•  No screens in bedrooms.

•Unplugged family mealtimes.

• A “media curfew” before bedtime. Pick a time to plug all devices into a central charging station—and leave them there for the night.

• Sticking to age-appropriate content, consulting movie, game, and TV ratings.

Model proper media use yourself. For instance, put your phone away during family dinners. And take advantage of digital tools to teach the same lessons and values you’ve always imparted on your kids. Skip violent TV programs in favor of those that foster empathy, kindness, and tolerance.

Danielle Priem recently joined the pediatric team at Barton Pediatrics.

The membership airline SurfAir is expanding the number of flights it has out of the Truckee Airport.

Passengers have the choice 12 destinations in California, plus Las Vegas, and this winter European locales will be added. The monthly fee is $1,950.

The company has been operating in Truckee since 2014. Initially there were seven round trip flights to San Carlos, now there are 20.

This in turn has meant the company has grown its fleet from three to 12.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Denny Walsh, Sacramento Bee

Lawrence “Jake” Spies Jr. had a long history of depression, hospitalizations for mental illness and failed suicide attempts.

Yet, he hanged himself while an inmate at the El Dorado County jail in Placerville and nobody noticed for several hours, according to a wrongful death complaint filed last week on behalf of his parents in Sacramento federal court.

The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages as compensation for alleged deliberate indifference to serious medical needs; wrongful death; professional negligence; medical malpractice; and failure on the part of the county and its medical provider to supervise, investigate and discipline those responsible for Spies’ death. The suit names several defendants including the county and California Forensic Medical Group.

Read the whole story

Keep the shorts out and have the fleece nearby; it’s going to be one of those wacky weather weeks in Tahoe.

While the National Weather Service in Reno does not expect the basin or Truckee areas to hit a record high this week, it is going to be unseasonably warm. South Lake Tahoe is expected to reach 79 degrees today and Tuesday, and 77 on Wednesday.

“Then we have a cold front coming late in week with increased winds and choppy waters, and much cooler temperatures on the weekend,” Wendell Hohmann, meteorologist in Reno, told Lake Tahoe News. “We are looking at 50s by some point in the weekend. It could even be cooler depending on how the front organizes.”

This means the overnight temps will also be dropping. Expect them to be in the 20s next weekend.

For now the fire danger is not elevated, but that could change as the weekend approaches.

Hohmann said the likelihood of any precipitation in the next week is not good. However, he is confident wind and cooler temps are headed for the area by the end of the week.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

·       The 10th annual Keep Sierra Clean Day is Oct. 9. Registration begins at 10am at the resort. Lunch and music are provided after the mountain is cleaned up.

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

·       Now through December staff from the Nevada Division of Water will be conducting pumpage and crop inventories in approximately 60 hydrographic basins statewide.

·       The Douglas County Public Library is showing “Hotel Transylvania 2” (rated PG) on Oct. 1 at 2pm in the Minden Library meeting room. The movie and popcorn are free.

·       In its inaugural year the Carson City Off-Road was named the best mountain bike race in the nation at the Interbike International Bicycle Exposition.