By Chris Mooney, Washington Post

In the past several weeks alone, the Obama administration has made multiple moves to fight climate change. The administration announced new steps to help fill U.S. roadways with electric vehicles. It ruled that greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft endanger human health and welfare. And on the international stage, it moved the world closer to a deal to phase out super-polluting HFCs, chemicals in refrigerants and other industrial substances that warm the climate.

But as Obama’s term dwindles, the act isn’t over — the White House released yet another policy to fight climate change, one with potentially far-reaching consequences. The White House’s chief environmental office, the Council on Environmental Quality, finalized a six-year process of shaping how the government’s agencies, across the board, will factor climate change into their decisions.

The council’s new guidance involves what activists and environmental lawyers know as “NEPA” — one of those exceedingly wonky policies that is nevertheless critical to how the modern federal government functions. NEPA is short for a foundational 1969 environmental law, the National Environmental Policy Act, that required federal agencies to consider environmental consequences of their actions — all kinds of actions, ranging from granting a permit to drill on public lands to building a new road or bridge.

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By Associated Press

Reno officials are mulling options to makeover the downtown arch at a cost of about $175,000.

Improvements under discussion include programmable letters and lights and new electrical wiring.

Spokesman Matt Brown said Reno officials are reviewing project options. There is no project timeline and officials have yet to hold a meeting to get public comment.

Assistant Reno City Manager Bill Thomas says residents will be able to provide input.

The current Reno arch was installed in 1987, with previous versions going back to 1927.

By Kathryn Reed

Voters in South Lake Tahoe will have an opportunity to weigh in Nov. 8 on the controversial loop road.

Jason Collin, a candidate for City Council, lost his challenge Aug. 22 to have the initiative removed from the ballot. However, the case is not over.

El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Jim Wagoner ruled that Collin and his attorney did not provide enough reason to remove the question, and essentially said the voters have a right to cast a vote. If voters approve the measure, there will be a hearing before Wagoner on Dec. 5 to determine how to go forward. It could go to trial to determine the legal validity of the question.

(Wagoner heard the case because Judge Steve Bailey recused himself.)

Local residents brought forward the initiative that, if approved by voters, says the City Council cannot approve the loop road without a preferred alternative being OK’d by the voters. The loop road would reconfigure Highway 50 near the state line.

Named in Collin’s suit were the city, Bruce Grego, Bill Crawford and Laurel Ames. Originally John Cefalu was a defendant, but his name has since been removed because he is not actually on the ballot measure filing because there could only be three names.

Joseph Bochner represented the three individuals in court on Monday. While Crawford told Lake Tahoe News he is not a defendant in the case, Grego described himself as a defendant. They are listed as “parties in interest”, which gives them legal standing.

Neither City Attorney Tom Watson nor Collin returned a call.

By Don Thompson, AP

A 2014 California voter-approved initiative that reduced penalties for certain drug and property crimes has led to the lowest arrest rate in state history as police frequently ignore those illegal activities, experts say.

Proposition 47 lowered criminal sentences by reducing them from felonies that can bring long prison sentences to misdemeanors that instead bring up to a year in jail.

Recent state Department of Justice statistics show the number of felony arrests plummeted 28.5 percent last year, while misdemeanor arrests rose about 9 percent over 2014. That resulted in 52,000 fewer arrests overall and the lowest arrest rate since record-keeping began in 1960.

“It’s really driven by changes in drug and property arrests,” said Public Policy Institute of California researcher Magnus Lofstrom, who studies the issue. “I think it’s quite clear that Prop. 47 is the major contributor to the changes we’ve seen.”

Last year’s decline in arrests, with the fewest felony arrests since 1969, is part of a long-term decline dating to the 1980s that has been spurred by the law as well as crowded jails and fewer police, Lofstrom said.

It’s too soon to say whether the changes are helping spur rising crime rates, though Lofstrom and other researchers are watching the relationship closely.

Law enforcement officials said drug offenders may now commonly be cited and released, or ignored because there may be little penalty if they are arrested. There were about 22,000 fewer drug arrests last year.

“The de facto decriminalization of drugs may have an impact,” said Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood, president of the California State Sheriffs’ Association. “We do know that there’s a lot less arrests being made, which means there are a lot more people on the streets using drugs.”

Multiple courts reported an increase in failures to appear for misdemeanor arraignments since Proposition 47 passed, the Judicial Council of California found in a survey of 40 of the state’s 58 county superior courts.

“If people aren’t showing up in court, if they’re not going to go to drug court, we’re going to see what we’re seeing, which is increased crime rates in our communities,” said Ventura Police Chief Ken Corney, president of the California Police Chiefs Association.

State Department of Justice figures show violent crime jumped 10 percent last year over 2014. Property crimes also increased, including a nearly 12 percent increase in shoplifting and nearly 11 percent increase in thefts, two crimes affected by Proposition 47.

But participation in drug courts has rebounded as counties adapted to Proposition 47 by including it in sentences for those charged with misdemeanors or drug-related crimes such as stealing to support their addictions, said Santa Clara County Judge Stephen Manley.

“I think it’s been a fairly dramatic response to getting treatment to the people that need it the most,” said Manley, president of the California Association of Drug Court Professionals.

Mel Sargent, 66, and Caroline Sargent, 54, even married on the day they graduated from an 11-month drug court program in March. Sacramento County probation officers bought them wedding rings.

“Before it was always the ‘war against drugs’,” Sargent said. “We got to see the other side, the more human side of the probation department and the judiciary.”

The initiative has also led to fewer plea bargains, probably because suspects have less incentive to accept plea deals without the threat of a felony conviction or prison time, the Judicial Council found.

It reported that prosecutors also seem to be filing more charges for felony drug sales, identity theft and robbery now that drug possession, writing bad checks and check forgery were reduced to misdemeanors.

“Some DA’s offices have tried to charge their way around Prop. 47, no question about it,” said John Abrahams, co-chairman of the California Public Defenders Association’s legislative committee.

But California District Attorneys Association chief executive Mark Zahner said law enforcement officials may now simply be targeting more serious criminals.

Lenore Anderson, who led the drive to pass Proposition 47, was pleased by reports that there may be an overall improvement in the justice system, even if the initiative is requiring some adjustment.

Law enforcement should accept that drug and property crimes still can bring appropriate punishment, while the changes leave more resources for serious felonies, said Anderson, president and executive director of the reform group Californians for Safety and Justice.

“My highest hope is that we start to really see some innovation that we haven’t seen in the past,” Anderson said.

For instance, this year’s state budget includes $15 million for police to experiment with using case managers and diversion programs to help prostitutes and low-level drug dealers instead of putting them in jail.

Without help, “they’re released in a short period of time and go right back to the same situation,” said Sen. Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, who pushed for the funding.

By Jeff Miner

On Aug. 28 representatives from the South Lake Tahoe chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby met with staff of state Sen. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado, to ask the senator to support a measure urging Congress to enact a fee on carbon-based fossil fuels. Passage of the measure (Assembly Joint Resolution 43) would be a strong show of support by California legislators that the United States needs powerful new policies to meet the greenhouse gas emission reductions goals established in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

The group brought to their attention recent studies that predict a radically altered future for the Sierra Nevada due to climate changes. The California Department of Water Resources projects that we will lose between 50 to 65 percent of our snowpack by the end of the century; and the Tahoe Environmental Research Center recently released a study showing that Lake Tahoe is warming 15 times faster than the long-term average.

“We can no longer ignore the enormous, hidden costs of burning fossil fuels – costs including disaster relief, health problems and reduced water supplies. Prices must reflect these costs,” said Bonnie Turnbull, one of three CCL representatives that met with Gaines’ office. “Passage of this legislation shows that California demands Congressional action to avert the worst costs and consequences of climate change.”

Gaines’ representative made no promises in regards to the senator’s support of the bill, acknowledging while there are clear negative impacts associated with the use of fossil fuels, that the senator had questions about the costs associated with moving to an alternative energy economy.

CCL representatives pointed to a recent report released by Regional Economic Models Inc. that predicted after 10 years, a revenue-neutral carbon tax would not only decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 33 percent, but would increase national employment by 2.1 million jobs.

“There is absolutely no question that the cost of not taxing carbon is much higher than the costs associated with transitioning to an alternative energy economy,” said Patricia Sussman, who attended the meeting.

The concept of a carbon fee is not new, but has been gaining traction as the effects of climate change are becoming more widely reported and published. Advocates of such a fee point out that it could be implemented quickly and efficiently and would push the markets to advance clean energy technologies; and incentivize other countries to enact similar legislation, thereby reducing carbon emissions globally.

The International Panel on Climate Change states that while we cannot reverse the effects of climate change, we do have the opportunity to stabilize atmospheric warming and thus reduce the threats associated with worse case climate scenarios.

“I feel that there is a moral imperative for future generations. I am saddened by the lack of involvement by politicians,” said Karen Duron, who also made the trek to Gaines’ Sacramento office.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a nonprofit, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy organization focused on national policies to address climate change.

Jeff Miner is a member of the South Lake Tahoe chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby.

·       The 9th annual K9 Trials are Sept. 10 at 9am at Lakeview Commons in South Lake Tahoe.

·       Douglas County Search and Rescue is looking for individuals to participate in its fall academy and join its team. Applications are online and are due Aug. 26.

·       The Truckee Town Council at its Aug. 25 meeting is expected to appoint David Tirman and Jessica Abrams to the council. This is instead of having an election in November since they were they only two candidates.

·       Fire Fest is Sept. 24 at Lake Tahoe Airport from 10am-3pm.

·       TAMBA is putting on a trail workday at Stanford Rock on the West Shore on Aug. 25 at 9am. For more info and to RSVP, email johnc@mountainbiketahoe.com.

The Village at Squaw Valley kicks off Labor Day Weekend with the return of the 27th annual Foam Fest and the 28th annual Alpen Wine Fest.

The Foam Fest is where beer enthusiasts may sample more than 40 craft breweries. Last year’s festival raised more $30,000 for Achieve Tahoe, a nonprofit that brings people with disabilities to the slopes.

The Alpen Wine Fest allows wine enthusiasts to sip on a variety of wines from Northern California. Last year’s festival raised more than $40,000 for Can Do Multiple Sclerosis, a nonprofit providing supportive and empowering programs for people and families living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Foam Fest is from 2-6pm on the KT Sun Deck. Tickets are $30 with advanced online purchasing, $35 at the door, and $10 as a donation fee for entry without beer. Kids 12 and under are free. For more information or to purchase tickets, go online.

The Wine Fest is from 2-5pm at the village. Tickets are $40 now, $50 day of the event.

By Buck Wargo, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Call it the northern invasion.

Northern Nevada Realtors in the Lake Tahoe and Reno area are aggressively reaching out to their counterparts in Las Vegas with marketing in Southern Nevada to find buyers for luxury vacation properties.

One of the newest properties on the market on the Nevada portion of Lake Tahoe is a $35 million home of Mark Mastrov, the founder of 24 Hour Fitness and co-owner of the Sacramento Kings in the NBA.

The 13-acre property known as the Pines has 13,000 square feet with five bedrooms, a guest house, a caretaker house, lake frontage, a boathouse, and three-hole golf course, said Cheryl Luther, a Realtor with Chase International, which is listing the property. The land was developed in the mid-1930s as a summer retreat for the Scripps Howard newspaper family and is one of the largest privately held estates in Lake Tahoe, she said.

With an elevation of more than 6,000 feet, Lake Tahoe cooler and easier to get to than other destinations such as Big Bear and Mammoth.

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Sue Bartholomew

Sue Bartholomew died Aug. 15, 2016, traveling home from a weekend reunion with her college roommates. She was 76.

Sue was born on Sept. 10, 1939, in Santa Monica. She grew up in Bellflower and then went on to Whittier College. She graduated in 1961.

There she met her seven roommates who remain some of her closest friends to this day. After graduation Sue moved to the Bay Area to begin her teaching career in Hayward.

In 1964 Sue moved to South Lake Tahoe to begin her career at South Tahoe High School where she taught home economics. In 1966 she married Dave Bartholomew, another South Tahoe High School teacher. They went on to have two children; Sue became a stay-at-home mom in 1971.

In 1983 Sue returned to full-time teaching when she joined the staff at South Tahoe Middle School. She taught there until her retirement from the district in 2003.

In 1988 Sue began working at Edgewood Tahoe during the summers.

After her retirement Sue moved to Arizona for the winters to be closer to her three grandsons. She was a daily presence in their lives and was always up for whatever they had in store. Sue loved to travel with her family and many close friends, and work in her garden. Grandma Sue was always planning the family’s next great adventure and took pride in showing her grandsons new and exciting places around the country.

Even though Sue lived in Arizona, she always called Tahoe home and cherished the wonderful friends she had here.

Sue leaves behind her son, Chris Bartholomew; daughter and son-in-law Carey and Tim Dahlstrom; and grandsons Nathan, Austin and Justin.

There will be a memorial service on Sept. 24 at 1pm at 3560 Ralph Drive, South Lake Tahoe.

Scooby

Scooby is a huge Great Dane mix who is just a year old and very willing to please. He is house trained and has good manners, and walks nicely on the leash.

He was found tied up and abandoned and is a little shy of new people and things, but he is very affectionate once he knows you.

Scooby is neutered, microchipped, tested for heart worm, and vaccinated. He 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.

— Karen Kuentz