UNR is one of six universities working with the U.S. Geological Survey to transition their ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system into a production system that would give communities at least limited time to take protective actions before severe shaking waves from an earthquake arrive.

The USGS is providing $3.7 million to the universities to improve the ShakeAlert system’s sensor and telemetry infrastructure across the West Coast.

UNR’s seismic network covers Nevada and California along the Eastern Sierra and Death Valley

The Nevada Seismological Lab, a public service department at UNR, will initially focus on the California portion of its seismic monitoring system near Lake Tahoe and looks to expand the early warning system into Nevada, mostly surrounding the urban areas of Las Vegas, Reno and Carson City.

In addition to the university awards, the USGS has purchased about $1.5 million in new sensor equipment, some of it destined for the Tahoe-Truckee corridor, to expand and improve the ShakeAlert system and awarded about $250,000 in supplements to earlier agreements to three universities. These efforts, as well as internal work that the USGS is conducting, are possible because of $8.2 million in funding to the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program for ShakeAlert approved by Congress earlier this year.

The Carson Fire burning near Markleeville is 40 percent contained.

The blaze started in the afternoon of Aug. 20 at the Carson River Resort, where out buildings were destroyed. The fire then spread into the Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest.

The fire has been kept to 50 acres. Ground resources on Sunday morning are in mop up mode. Crews will begin to be released this morning.

“It was burning in a combination of grass, brush and timber,” Erica Hupp, spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service, told Lake Tahoe News.

Traffic is flowing in both directions of Highway 89 without controls. This fire was southeast of the 2015 Washington Fire.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

South Lake Tahoe is putting on a Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on Sept. 15 from 5-7:30pm at  Lakeview Commons.

There will be a live local band and light refreshments. Craft tables will be set up to make thank you cards and posters for all agencies.

This is a multiagency event with California Highway Patrol, Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, FBI, SLEDNET, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, and U.S. Forest Service.

Michael Franti thrives on interacting with his devoted fans. Photo/Kathryn Reed

By Susan Wood

STATELINE – Seeing Michael Franti perform is a workout for the body and the brain.

The singer-musician, who can cross genres as wide-ranging as reggae and soul to rap and alternative, provided a personable, press-the-flesh concert for hundreds at MontBleu’s showroom Aug. 19.

What the crowd received was a feast for the senses – hearing, sight and touch.

Franti with his five-piece band is known for getting up close and personal with his fans – especially through his signature messages of social consciousness.

This show was no different in delivering his messages of hope – all at the same time keeping the crowd on its feet, swaying, jumping and dancing for a few hours. A few people held up neon signs of “love” on cardboard.

His latest hit “Good to Be Alive Today,” which he performed, tells the story of an ideal world without violence, strife and racism. It went viral on social media before its formal release.

“Some people trying to get high. Some people losing their minds. Some people trying to get by. And when you look in my eyes, you see the sign of the times. We are looking for the same things. What if this song was No. 1? Would it mean that love had won? Would it mean that the world was saved, and no guns were drawn today?” – “Good to Be Alive Today”.

As he played a collection of songs for his Soul Rocker tour, Franti weaved his way through the audience on several occasions. Many reached out to touch him like he was a social justice prophet.

“It’s good to have him in the world,” John Eby of Nevada City said, summing up his love of the spiritual artist. He was surrounded by dancing women on the second level.

Michael Franti captivates an appreciative audience at MontBleu. Photo/Kathryn Reed

About a third of the time, Franti set up a mini stage near the back and brought several people on stage to dance and sing with him. In front, the guitarist even brought up his son, Cappy, to join the band and often turned the lights up to show off the audience.

“Hello, Tahoe. Anybody get any lake time, any beach time today?” he bellowed.

Franti, who was adopted by a Finnish-American couple, often engaged his fans with banter, chatting up his life and background. He was born in Oakland, grew up in Davis and lives in San Francisco – of which he invited all the fans to join him there.

The no-holds-barred show kept moving, albeit a bit repetitive at times, with Franti favorites such as his well-known opening number – “Hey, hey, hey,” off the “Sound of Sunshine” album, a tune he also performed along with his last song – the cult favorite “Say Hey.” (Franti even produced a San Francisco Giants version in 2010.)

Off his latest album, he graced the stage and beyond with “We Are Earthlings” and “My Favorite Wine is Tequila.” To that, many raised their glasses. He tipped his hat to musicians we’ve recently lost such as David Bowie, Glenn Frey and Prince – to which he launched a tribute performing “Purple Rain.”

Much of Franti’s music serves to overcome obstacles with positive reinforcements such as his tunes — “I Got Love For You,” which he performed along with the long version of “I’m Alive.” The latter had the crowd bouncing as if at the gym during aerobics.

He even got the audience square dancing with “Life is Better With You” — the culmination of a story in which he had to dance in front of the class in grade school and later redeemed himself in a bar later in life.

Franti began his music career in 1986 as part of the industrial punk band The Beatnigs. Eight years later, he formed his mainstay band “Spearhead.”

Alternative artist, Zella Day, in her rough Alanis Morissette style, opened for Franti.

To the community,

The face of Kings Beach is about to be changed … again. Laulima Partners has purchased the Ferrari Crown Motel property and has big plans for it. One of those plans involves one of our most valuable community assets, the North Tahoe Event Center. Located right in the center of town, it is home to myriad community events including weddings, funerals, public meetings, yoga, and Jazzercise. It is a benefit to the entire North Shore.

It’s also free of debt, and its fantastic location right on the beach puts it in the range of a $4 million valuation. But now the North Tahoe Public Utility District (NTPUD) wants to grant Laulima a long term lease (30 to 99 years has been thrown around) because the center has been running at a deficit.

North Shore taxpayers currently pay about $100 a year for the recreational amenities associated with the NTPUD: the regional park, the event center, and the boat ramp and parking in Tahoe Vista. Shouldn’t these taxpayers be given the option to cover the current shortfall rather than handing such a valuable asset over lock, stock, and barrel to a developer whose bottom line is …well, the bottom line?

NTPUD would in effect be allowing a community asset to become private property. Laulima intends to build condos on the lake side of Highway 28 and a hotel on the other side (56-feet high…yikes!) And you can’t blame them for wanting another lakefront venue for their project – talk about value-added.

Laulima claims locals will receive a discount on the new estimated rate of between $800 and $8,000 per wedding event (since we’re all using the event center at nominal rates –starting at $29/hour right now, how much of a discount would make it worth it?); Laulima also claims there will be an area dedicated to the community (we’re hopeful it won’t be the janitor’s closet).

Whatever the NTPUD ends up negotiating with Laulima, common sense tell us there is clearly more benefit to Laulima than North Tahoe.

Ann Nichols, North Tahoe Preservation Alliance

Seats at the Rio Games are not comfortable. Photos/Louise Feller

Volunteering at the Olympics comes with being able to enjoy some of the surroundings and seeing the competition.

Louise Feller of Stateline, who was featured this month on Lake Tahoe News before heading to Rio, is reporting back on her experiences.

Food options are the same at most venues.

From Feller:

“Had a day off before I started volunteering in Taekwondo venue. Beach volleyball was very exciting since both Brazil’s women and men were in the semifinals. The stadium was electric to say the least.

“The seats in all stadiums are uncomfortable and plastic with short backs.

“The pictures on the beach are interesting. The umbrellas are full of bathing suits, so if you forget one, you can buy there.

Swim suits are sold on the beaches in Brazil.

“You see signs for the special entrance; it’s for seniors and families with little children. What a nice idea. We should think about making seniors special.

“As far as food, just look at the menu. It’s the same in every stadium and no place to sit.

“Off to volunteer. My schedule is 3-10p. I have a driver pick me up one block from the stadium which as safe as you can get in Rio.”

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Firefighters work to keep flames from spreading to more buildings at the Carson River Resort. Photo/Jeff Cheetham

Three buildings and a mobile home were destroyed late Saturday afternoon at the Carson River Resort.

The fire started in an out building, spread to two others and then into wildland. Dubbed the Carson Fire, it has burned at least 50 acres.

“There is no containment at this time,” Erica Hupp with the U.S. Forest Service told Lake Tahoe News at 8pm. “It is not moving very fast.”

Monitor Pass was closed for a short while after the 3:25pm Aug. 20 fire started. Now Highway 89 is open to one-way controlled traffic right in front of the resort. The resort is less than 3 miles south of Markleeville. Last year the Washington Fire burned in this general area.

The fire is burning in the Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest.

Three helicopters and ground crews are working to stop the spread.

“Where we believe it started was like a workshop where they would run repairs out of,” CHP Officer Chuck Brothers told Lake Tahoe News.

He was the second person on the scene of the fire and was responsible for evacuating the nearly dozen cabins and 30 trailers. Brothers said the dry terrain erupted quickly, the fire rapidly growing for 20 to 50 acres. But he also said crews attacked it fast.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Jerrod Hasse is a leader among coaches. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

By Kathryn Reed

Skill is only part of what it takes to win.

Character is a large component of success, even more so when it comes to team sports.

Jerrod Haase was in town Friday to impart some of his wisdom to local coaches and athletes in separate talks.

Haase was a two-time Nevada most valuable player when he played for South Tahoe High School’s basketball team. Earlier this year he was hired to be the men’s basketball coach at Stanford University.

Jerrod Haase offers tips to South Shore youth coaches during a talk Aug. 19 at STHS. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

His return to STHS on Aug. 19 was the first time he had been back to the campus in close to two decades. It’s changed a bit since he was there, especially with an infusion of nearly $100 million in facilities upgrades in the last few years.

The gym where two of his pictures hang (along with two of his brother, Steven) is newly renovated. Still, this is where he started to make a name for himself.

“I learned the fundamentals for everything I am here in Tahoe,” Haase told the coaches.

Whenever he speaks, he talks about growing up here, his coaches, teachers and teammates. His roots run deep, having been the youngest of five kids – and all were exceptional athletes. His mom and sister still live here.

“He was a few years behind me, but he was a true student of the game. His court awareness was beyond his years,” Tom Fay told Lake Tahoe News. Fay brought his son, Sinjin who is a seventh-grader, to hear Haase speak.

Jerrod Haase, right, and Tom Fay, center, talk about their time at STHS, while Sinjin Fay listens. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

For STHS Athletic Director Tony Sunzeri it was like a homecoming to see Haase. He was a freshman when Haase was a senior.

“He was just larger than life at that time and he’s even larger now, and I didn’t think that was possible,” Sunzeri said of Haase. “He is a legend, a hero and an inspiration.”

Haase ran cross country in high school, which helped with his training to be able to run up and down the hardwood of the gym.

At 42, he is still fit and looks like he could be on the floor instead of courtside.

He recognizes that life’s lessons are on a continuum, with each stage providing an opportunity to build on the one before.

“I’ve never been the smartest guy in the room, but I have some level of common sense,” Haase said.

The goal of the gathering Friday was to help coaches be better at what they do. One asked about how to deal with social media.

Haase said to embrace it – which was not always his philosophy.

“It’s your opportunity to brand yourself,” Haase said.

Of course the flip side is when less than flattering things are posted it can turn into negative branding.

The coach believes in freedom of expression, but at the same time is adamant that when people are part of a team they need to be held accountable and that the organization can put in parameters regarding what is acceptable on social media.

“If the standards are broken, then there are consequences,” Haase said.

Jerrod Haase and STHS Athletic Director Tony Sunzeri went to STHS for one year together. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

When he was most recently head coach at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, Haase knew he needed to define who the team was. It has to be specific or else it will get diluted.

After several months, he whittled it to honesty, loyalty, accountability, unselfishness and appreciation. It took time for the team to embrace those components and understand what they meant. And when it clicked, the team started winning.

Haase also noted that what defines a team will depend on the institution. He is working on Stanford’s motto, but knows it will be different than UAB because the universities and students are different.

·       The South Lake Tahoe Moose Lodge’s 15th annual Kids’ Fishing Derby is Sept. 18 at Tahoe Paradise’s Lake Baron. It is free to those 16 and younger. Registration begins at 7am.

·       El Dorado County is looking for photos of the Rubicon Trail to be included in a 2017 calendar. For more info, email rubicontrail@edcgov.us.

·       Little Faith, a gospel group, will close the Valhalla season on Aug. 31 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available online.

·       El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel is hosting a meeting Aug. 22 from 6-7pm to discuss the results of a survey regarding the county owned park on Forebay Road. The meeting will be in the “Lodge” at the park, 5581 Gail Drive, Pollock Pines.

A portion of the ramp is being replaced at Lake Tahoe Airport.

This is to accommodate the changing types of aircraft using the South Lake Tahoe airport. More business jets and other large business aircraft are using the airport. The apron was originally designed for lighter aircraft.

During the busy season the entire apron at Lake Tahoe Airport is full of aircraft and the larger aircraft are parked on all sections of the apron. The last time the apron was upgraded was in 1984.

Funding for this project is from a $1.4 million Federal Aviation Administration grant. Another $50,000 was received from Caltrans.

The current phase will be done by the end of September, with the whole project wrapping up in two years.