By Sean Whaley, Las Vegas Review-Journal

CARSON CITY ­— Rarely have Nevada Republican voters had such clear choices about the future of their party as they do in Tuesday’s primary election.

On one side is Gov. Brian Sandoval and the GOP state lawmakers who stood with him on the 2015 budget, which included $1.5 billion in new and continuing taxes aimed primarily at funding public education.

Their support in the Assembly and Senate was crucial to getting the two-thirds vote needed to pass the omnibus tax measure, which included a new commerce tax now being implemented on businesses that earn $4 million or more in revenue.

On the other side are anti-tax Republicans who are outraged that the party, which controlled the governor’s office and both houses of the Legislature for the first time since 1929, failed to enact a stronger GOP agenda.

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By Associated Press
 
Authorities have identified a paddleboarder who went missing in Lake Tahoe as a UNR football player.

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office says the search was ongoing Saturday for Marc Ma, but at this time believe it will be recovery.

Marc Ma

According to a news release, Ma was on a paddleboard trip with several football players the afternoon of June 10. The group was on the West Shore when they encountered strong winds. There had been a lake wind advisory Friday.

Ma’s board was found adrift. He was not wearing a life jacket.

“The Placer County Sheriff’s Office is calling this search one of recovery, not rescue. As such, it is with an incredibly heavy heart that we acknowledge the loss of Marc Ma, a beloved member of our Wolf Pack family,” Nevada head football Coach Brian Polian said in a statement.

Ma, who is from Honolulu, is listed on the Nevada Wolf Pack website as a sophomore who plays defensive end.

North Tahoe Fire Protection District officials say crews were called shortly before 3:30pm Friday to Obexer’s Marina, about 700 yards off shore. North Tahoe Fire spokesman Ron Carson says other paddleboarders had turned back toward shore because of high winds and noticed one person was missing.

Sierra Nevada College is considering offering a bachelor’s degree in global business management at Lake Tahoe Community College.

The two institutions are having an open house June 16 at 5pm in LTCC’s Aspen Room to gauge the level of interest in the program.

The Incline Village-based private four-year college would offer a per-credit rate of $382 to LTCC students.

The lower-level courses needed to earn the global business management degree are already offered at LTCC. The required upper division courses would be offered on LTCC’s campus, allowing South Shore residents to earn a bachelor’s degree from SNC without having to commute.

LTCC is building a university center where undergraduate and specialized programs will be housed. The stand-alone building will rise where the theater arts parking lot is located starting next May, with a planned opening of fall 2018.

Until the Lisa and Robert Maloff University Center opens, SNC Tahoe would operate in existing offices and classrooms on LTCC’s campus.

The two colleges are also discussing offering joint psychology and education bachelor’s degree programs, possibly starting in spring 2017.

Placer County’s budget for 2016-17 is $34.3 million less than last year’s final budget.

Most of the savings ($31.7 million) come from a number of maintenance and construction projects winding down, most notably the Auburn Animal Services facility and the Kings Beach Commercial Core Improvement Project.

The fiscal year begins July 1.

The $782 million proposed budget includes:

• Funding for the Sunset Area Plan and the Tahoe Area Plan.
• $1.9 million for homeless needs and services, and additional public safety and public health resources.
• $925,000 to finish the Placer County Conservation Plan.
• $175,000 to replace outdated library materials.
• Implementation of the Criminal Justice Master Plan, completing the phased-in expansion of the South Placer Adult Correctional Facility campus by 180 beds, and building a new booking station. It also funds further exploration of a proposed crime lab and coroner’s facility.

A final budget will be presented to the board for approval in September.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Interest in the former Kingsbury Middle School site continues to be lukewarm at best.

“We’ve had a few phone calls, so we hope there might be some interest out there,” Douglas County School District Superintendent Teri White told Lake Tahoe News.

The sale of the Stateline property will be back before the school board on June 14.

The asking price remains $3.125 million. This is an average of two appraisals.

What the board will be asked to do on Tuesday is change the language in any potential contract to what it originally was. It had been altered last year to accommodate a potential buyer. That transaction never came to fruition.

The goal is to start advertising the property more.

The school closed several years ago because of declining enrollment. The three lake schools were consolidated into two.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

El Dorado County has three corridor design options on roadway and path improvements that officials say will provide attractive and safe transportation options for working, living, visiting, and playing in Meyers.

The county wants to what people think of those options. Input will be gathered next week at:

June 17, Meyers locations:

• Environmental Science Magnet School: 10:30–11:30am

• Century 21 Real Estate Office: 11:30am–1:30pm

• Lira’s Supermarket: 4–6pm.

June 18 Cycle Celebration, South Lake Tahoe:

• Bijou Bike Park: 12–4pm

For more info, contact Brendan Ferry at brendan.ferry@edcgov.us.

By Nicole Raz, Las Vegas Review-Journal

The nation’s first passenger-carrying drone manufacturing company is coming to test its system in Nevada.

EHang Inc., a company headquartered in Guangzhou, China, is developing a drone capable of carrying passengers. A passenger would enter a destination into the drone system’s accompanying smartphone app.

The Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems, a state nonprofit group sponsored by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, will work to help EHang test and develop its system, officials said this week.

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To the community,

I would like to sincerely thank the voters of El Dorado County for your support in last Tuesday’s election. I cannot adequately express my thanks for the honor of serving you on the El Dorado County Superior Court. I appreciate your trust in re-electing me and I will do my very best to serve all of the citizens of El Dorado County.

As a judge I see my role to be dedicated to upholding the law and applying it fairly, without prejudice or preference. I believe that our judicial system must provide a respectful, efficient, no-nonsense forum for the fair and equitable resolution of disputes.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of El Dorado County as your Superior Court judge and I will continue to exhibit the qualities of fairness and equality throughout my tenure on the court. Thank you again for your support.

Sincerely,

Judge Nelson K. Brooks, El Dorado County Superior Court

·       TRYP will host a professional development workshop — Improve Your Financial Cents (Sense) — on June 15 from 6-7:30pm at the Tahoe Beach Retreat located at 3411 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe. Attendance is free for members and $5 for non-members.

·       The Reno Chamber Orchestra is putting on a performance June 16 at 7pm that includes performances by Ruth Lenz, John Lenz, Peter Lenz, Carol Laube, Kati Dayner and Dustin Budish. They will be playing the music of Mozart and Brahms. Desserts and Champagne will be included. Cost is $100. For more info, email info@renochamberorchestra.org.

·      There will be complimentary yoga classes every Wednesday on First Street in the Village at Squaw Valley from July 6-Aug. 31, 5-6pm.

·      Opening night for the 2016 Valhalla Art Music and Theatre Festival is June 22 at 7:30pm with a concert featuring the Earles of Newtown, a Dixie swing band with an Americana punch. For more info, go online.

·      Kids Adventure Games at Squaw Valley is June 24-26. For more info, email info@kidsadventuregames.com.

By Kathryn Reed

Lake Valley Fire Protection District’s divisive fire chief is about to be without a job.

Gareth Harris has had a tempestuous tenure as chief. Twice he had unanimous votes of no confidence from firefighters. Key staff has been looking to leave because the morale is so lousy. Finally, the board had enough.

Gareth Harris

While the official letter sent by board Chairman Bob Bettencourt to staff said Harris is retiring, those close to the situation told Lake Tahoe News the chief was told to leave.

Harris’ last day on the payroll is Aug. 1, however he will be gone at the end of the month. Bettencourt described it as being “on leave beginning July 1.”

When Harris was hired in 2005 from the Half Moon Bay Fire District as battalion chief and fire marshal for Lake Valley he was the first hire at that level outside of the department. But he came with baggage. According to news reports from Half Moon Bay, Harris was accused of harassment by a subordinate that ended in a settlement agreement.

The 54-year-old became chief in summer 2011. Harris replaced popular and well-respected Fire Chief Jeff Michael. Michael had been with the Lake Valley department for 32 years. He is being brought back in to be interim chief starting July 1.

Bettencourt in a letter to Lake Valley staff that was obtained by LTN, said, Michael’s hire is “to assist the district with the issues we are facing at the current time.”

Harris has been described as lazy as well as a bully.

Harris was the subject of 2014 El Dorado County Grand Jury report regarding selling radio equipment to the department he worked for. California Government Code prohibits employees from having any financial interest in any contract made by them or in their official capacity.

Harris did not return a phone call.