By Kathryn Reed

South Tahoe Public Utility District has enough water for the next 31 years.

This is according to a stress test the agency did in the groundwater basin below the 20,500-acre service area.

“With the demand from 2013, 2014 and 2015 averaging 6,173 acre-feet per year, we have over 31 years of water supply in storage,” STPUD General Manager Richard Solbrig told Lake Tahoe News.

The results mean the state removed the defined conservation percentage South Tahoe PUD was supposed to meet.

The State Water Resources Control Board asked water districts to conduct the test in order to assess the state’s overall water supply in the wake of four years of drought. Agencies passing the test will not face a state-mandated conservation standard through January 2017. Even so, officials are hoping districts would continue to not be wasteful.

That’s happening locally.

“Even though we are not under a defined conservation order, our customers have still reduced demand over the March through July period this year by 16 percent compared to 2013, the base year used by the SWRCB for conservation calculations,” Solbrig said.

This comes even though it has been a record dry summer for the entire Lake Tahoe Basin. The South Shore has also experienced record heat at times.

Of the 379 suppliers that submitted stress tests, 36 said they would face a supply shortage in 2019. Those districts will be required to meet a conservation standard equal to the shortage amount. Thirty-two suppliers did not submit stress tests. This means they will retain their March 2016 conservation standards through January 2017.

“Last year, with the lowest snowpack in 500 years after three terrible drought years, and less than impressive response to our earlier calls for conservation, we needed to step in and mandate specific conservation targets to prepare in case we had yet another record bad year in a row,” State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus said in a statement.

The state is still refining water policies. Various entities are working on standards with the goal of improving water conservation and efficiency in the years ahead based on climate, population, and business types, rather than percentage reductions off a given baseline. The new standards would also likely include permanent prohibitions on wasteful water use, improved drought planning, and enhanced leak detection and repair requirements.

Still in place are the regulations that prohibit hosing down a sidewalk, overwatering a landscape to where water is running off the lawn, and requiring restaurants to not automatically serve water.

By Laura Walny

Older adults and suicide is a topic not often discussed, yet suicides do occur among older people.

Eighty-eight people aged 60 and older died as a result of suicide in El Dorado County between 2003 and 2013. That is far too many. As a community, we need to begin talking about this so we can integrate suicide prevention into older adult programs and services.

For many years, suicide prevention efforts have primarily focused on young people. We’d like to enhance these efforts, as data shows that nearly 30 percent of people who die from suicide in California are older adults.

Suicide is not an easy topic to discuss and can be more challenging for older adults. Older adults may be reluctant to talk about personal issues such as depression or thoughts of suicide. It is important that family members, friends, caregivers and health care providers of older adults are aware of this issue, know the risks and signs, and have tools to offer support.

In 2013, a total of 3,990 people died by suicide in California; 1,152 of those people were aged 60 or older. Studies show that white males make up the largest percentage of deaths by suicide for all age groups including older adults, with a 3:1 ratio of male to female deaths by suicide. A large number of these suicides are committed with firearms. For this reason, advocacy organizations support restricting access to lethal means as one of the most important preventive strategies with all age groups, especially older adults.

Risk factors, warning signs and symptoms of suicide and depression can look different for older people than for young adults. Some risk factors increase with age, such as social isolation; chronic health conditions; disabilities; limited mobility and access to services and activities; substance abuse; and fear of prolonged illness. Symptoms of depression in older adults (such as loss of appetite, changes in sleep and disinterest in activities once enjoyed) can often be mistaken for “normal” signs of aging.

Older adults face challenges such as coping with retirement, smaller budgets, health concerns, and loss of friends and family Research shows that as we age it is important to maintain a social circle of friends, engage in meaningful activities (such as volunteering or taking up a hobby), and stay as physically active as possible. These activities are good for our mental health and well-being, and are protective factors against suicide. If someone is severely depressed, it is important to reach out for help to a mental health professional or trained counselor.

The most critical warning signs of suicide are:

• Talking about wanting to die or about suicide
• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
• Looking for ways to kill oneself.

If you are concerned about a friend, relative or neighbor, don’t ignore those feelings. Talk to them and ask direct questions. Call the Friendship Line at 800.971.0016 or National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255 and talk with a trained counselor who can provide additional tips.

El Dorado County Mental Health and partner agencies offer trainings on suicide prevention. For questions about local suicide prevention trainings, contact Mental Health at 530.621.6130. Mental Health also operates a 24-hour mental health crisis line at 530.622.3345 in Placerville and at 530.544.2219 in South Lake Tahoe for residents experiencing a mental health crisis. In an emergency, call 911.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, an annual campaign designed to inform and engage the community and health professionals about suicide prevention. The campaign also aims to reduce stigma surrounding the topic, and encourage mental health assistance and support for people who have attempted or thought about suicide. This year in California, the campaign is focused on suicide among older people.

Laura Walny is program coordinator for El Dorado County Mental Health.

A hearing in Placerville on Monday is the next step in a lawsuit brought by South Lake Tahoe City Council candidate Jason Collin to get the loop road issue off November’s ballot.

Named in the suit that was filed last month are the city, Bill Crawford, Bruce Grego, Laurel Ames and John Cefalu. Those four are the leaders of a movement that got the initiative on the Nov. 8 ballot. The ballot question seeks to prevent the City Council from making decisions about the loop road until a defined alternative is selected, and once it is selected for the voters to be able to weigh in on it.

The city’s response to the suit that was filed in El Dorado County Superior Court says, “With respect to plaintiff and petitioner’s central argument that the measure is invalid on its face and thus unsuitable for presentation to voters, the city does not oppose or contest such claim. Specifically, the city concurs with plaintiff and petitioner that the measure is invalid because: 1. Highway placement and construction is a matter of statewide concern; 2. The measure is vague and ambiguous, without providing specific definitions of ‘approve’ or ‘support’; and 3. The measure fails to enact an actual ordinance as required.”

All sides will have an opportunity to present their case on Aug. 22 before the judge. The judge is expected to make a decision soon so the ballot can be finalized.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Bill Lindelof, Sacramento Bee

A Placer County sheriff’s deputy is doing better since his surgery to lessen brain swelling after suffering traumatic brain injury during a training exercise.

Deputy Austin Harper was on duty helping with police dog training July 27 when his head struck a steel support beam in a vacant commercial building.

Harper has been with the Sheriff’s Office since December. He previously was a police officer in Truckee.

Read the whole story

Sierra Nevada College’s Tahoe’s Writers in the Woods program starts with Luis Alberto Urrea on Sept. 9.

The series brings well known poets and writers from all over the country to the Incline Village campus for intimate readings and workshops, where audience members can meet and exchange ideas with the guest writers.

Urrea is the acclaimed author of 13 books across multiple genres. His newest novel, “Into the Beautiful North”, is the SNC 2016 Common Read selection and has been acquired by the TNT network for a television series.

The free talk will be at 7pm in TCES 139/141.

He will put on a workshop Sept. 10 from 10am-noon. To register, go online.

Brian Krolicki continues to support a Lake Tahoe bid for the Winter Games. Photo/LTN file

By Richard N. Velotta, Las Vegas Review-Journal

It’s easy to understand why Jon Killoran and Brian Krolicki are watching Sunday’s closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro a little differently than the average viewer.

Every beauty shot of the Ipanema and Copacabana beaches, every view of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue are tributes to the destination that make viewers say, “Yes, I’d like to be there someday.”

Killoran and Krolicki have that same attitude for Nevada.

Over the past two decades Krolicki, the former lieutenant governor who headed the Nevada Commission on Tourism for eight years, has beat the drum for hosting the Winter Olympic Games at Lake Tahoe.

Killoran, since 2009, has been the CEO of the Reno Tahoe Winter Games Coalition, an organization that has led the charge for Nevada and California to bring the Winter Olympics back to the region.

Read the whole story

Louise Feller of Stateline spends off time seeing Rio. Photos/Provided

Being a volunteer at the Olympics is a balance between working, and seeing the sights and experiencing new things.

Louise Feller of Stateline is at her sixth Olympics.

An Olympic contingency from Egypt.

Here are some of her thoughts:

“Well, today you will see some pictures of my area that I’m volunteering in.

“The practice area after one wins a medal the are so happy when they return from the arena.

“Before I went to volunteer I had time to walk on the beach, which was wonderful they were having a farmers market. They are so organized by placing vegetables in bins. They even set up little restaurants with tables and chairs. A really cool experience.

Lots of fresh produce at the farmers market.

“I got a pedicure because my feet were killing from all the walking and stairs. Quite interesting. They use no water, just a plastic bag that has lotion to soften the feet. The rest was pretty much the same. The whole thing cost $18. I spoke to a women who said they get a manicure every week and pedicure every other week. She was a lawyer and going to NYC next week to shop for her baby because it’s too expensive in Rio.”

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Tracy Rucinski, Reuters

A U.S. judge last week suggested the casino operating unit of Caesars Entertainment Corp. ask its parent’s private equity sponsors for money to fund a plan to exit its contentious $18 billion bankruptcy.

Apollo Global Management LLC and TPG Capital Management LP formed the Caesars casino holding company in a 2008 buyout and the three groups are facing claims of fraud and asset stripping by creditors of the bankrupt unit.

Caesars, Apollo and TPG have denied the claims.

Caesars is the parent company of Harrah’s Lake Tahoe and Harveys.

Read the whole story

The Alpine Watershed Group will be hosting the 17th annual Markleeville Creek Day on Sept. 10.

Volunteers are needed to help complete projects throughout the East and West Carson Watersheds including plantings, stream bank stabilization, invasive weed removal, protective tree wrapping, and storm drain stenciling. No experience is necessary.

Meet at the Markleeville Library Park (270 Laramie St.) at 9am for registration and introductions.  Groups then carpool to restoration project locations.

Bring work gloves, water, lunch, sun protection, and appropriate clothing.

There will be an ice cream social at 2pm when the workday is done.

The Alpine Watershed Group is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect and enhance the natural system functions of Alpine County watersheds. For more information contact Hannah Drummond at awg.hannahd@gmail.com or 530.694.2327.

By Sally Ho, AP

Rowing, shooting and judo — the U.S. may have won big gold medals in those Olympic events but some of the most prominent sports books didn’t even bother with them.

The bookmakers in Nevada said there’s been little money and few expectations for Olympic sports wagering this year, as the Games returned to the betting board after being off limits for more than a decade in the Silver State.

“I know that they’re watching. I just know they aren’t betting,” said Jay Kornegay, who runs the sports book at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. The largest single sports book in town offered more than 70 events for betting, but cut their losses with the so-called second- and third-tier sports that the U.S. took gold medals in.

Sporting events at the 2016 Summer Games from Rio de Janeiro have been the first since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney that bettors in Nevada could put their money on, though relatively few have.

State gambling regulators were previously against having wagers on what it considered amateur sports but Las Vegas bookmakers successfully lobbied them last year to change the policy. Rivals at the international sports books in Great Britain, Ireland and Australia and offshore Internet sites have already allowed such bets.

Officials at the local sports books said they didn’t expect a sweeping boon to business but that whatever action they’ve gotten, however little, has been better than nothing.

Basketball this summer has reigned supreme, as a steady number of bettors backed the familiar NBA stars dominating the men’s Olympic games. Soccer and golf were also among the more popular events that were wagered on.

The same can’t be said of the more obscure sports that some sports books said they didn’t get any bites on whatsoever. The overall amounts seen per bet — $10 to $20 — for the Olympics have been peanuts compared to the record $132.5 million wagered in Nevada on this year’s Super Bowl.

And though marquee events in the pool and on the gymnastics floor are always a highlight for viewers, the bookmakers said it appears that few people feel confident enough about a sport they only pay attention to once every four years to put their money on it.

“The ones that do well are the ones people are used to betting on a daily basis,” said Nick Bogdanovich, the head odds-maker for William Hill, which runs more than a hundred sports books in the state.

Meanwhile, the Wynn Las Vegas resort and casino took a relatively conservative approach by offering only a half dozen events on the betting board. Johnny Avello, the longtime odds-maker and sports book director, said he sensed that there would be mild interest just like in the 1990s.

“I put in a lot of time in it for very little action,” Avello said.

But the bookmakers also said it’s not for a lack of interest in the Games, as the competitions have brought people out who just want to watch. That’s created a festive, patriotic scene at the casinos during what is typically a slower sports betting month.

“We’ve had a lot of inquiries about the odds and people look them over and they just don’t run to the betting windows,” Kornegay said.