• The 5th annual South Tahoe Wooden Boat Classic is July 27-28 at the Tahoe Keys Marina and Yacht Club in South Lake Tahoe.

• Truckee Pump Track and will be having a grand opening party on June 10 from noon to 4pm.

• Here are the Caltrans roadwork schedules for this week in the Sierra and El Dorado-Tahoe.

• The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla in Lake Tahoe is offering boating safety classes June 9, July 14 and Aug. 11. For registration and information call (530) 541.4654 or (775) 588.1385.

• Who is the Sacramento Bee endorsing in three judgeship elections? Found out here.

Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the April 27, 2012, Sacramento Bee.

Republican attorney Andrew Pugno is challenging Assemblywoman Beth Gaines in the June primary to represent one of the most heavily Republican districts in California – Assembly District 6, which includes parts of Sacramento, El Dorado and Placer counties.

Pugno also is the author of Proposition 8, the 2008 initiative that banned same-sex marriage. The Bee disagrees strongly with his position on Prop. 8.

Yet Gaines shares the same views on gay and lesbian rights, and Pugno has demonstrated he would be a far more effective representative than she would be for the 6th Assembly District.

Democrat Regy Bronner also is running and would be a credible choice in the top-two primary on June 5. Bronner is a thoughtful moderate who, unlike his Republican opponents, has not signed the no-tax pledge.

In some ways, Bronner reflects his district. As he notes, many people in the area are retired, as is he at age 69. But while he likely will emerge from the June 5 primary as one of the top-two vote getters, a Republican stands a far stronger chance of winning in November.

Read the whole story

By Daniel Gross, Newsweek

On Aug. 5, 2011, when Standard & Poor’s stripped the United States of its AAA credit rating, it was the latest in a string of economic humiliations for the U.S. After the failure of Lehman Brothers in the fall of 2008, the globe’s longtime economic leader suffered its deepest and longest economic contraction in 80 years. Its markets were scythed in half, and Washington’s political paralysis spooked investors. Most distressing were the numbers: annual deficits over $1 trillion, 8.75 million jobs lost, $4-per-gallon gasoline.

Given the magnitude of the economic fall, it’s no surprise that declinism quickly emerged as the time’s chic intellectual pose. Left and right, highbrow and lowbrow, ideological and pragmatic, historians and futurists—all came to an agreement: the U.S. had a very slim hope of recovering from its self-inflicted blows. The lion was now a lamb, shorn of aggression and vitality, unable to compete with rivals like China. Much like Japan, which has endured two decades of stagnation and misery since its real-estate bubble popped in the late 1980s, the U.S. had fallen and couldn’t get up.

As is frequently the case, however, the conventional wisdom is wrong. The U.S. economy suffered a wipeout in the Great Recession of 2008–09, much like 1970s icon Steve Austin. Austin, played by Lee Majors, was an astronaut who crashed to Earth and then was rebuilt with typical American optimism. “We can rebuild him,” the voice-over for the opening of The Six Million Dollar Man intoned. “Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.” Like the world’s first bionic man, the U.S. economy has come back—better, stronger, and faster than most analysts expected, and than most of its peers.

In fact, the lows of March 2009 marked the beginning of an unexpected recovery—not the beginning of an era of irreversible stagnation. The U.S. economy went from shrinking at a 6.7 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2009 to expanding at a 3.8 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of that year—a turnaround unprecedented in modern history. The stock market has doubled since March 2009, while corporate profits and exports have surged to records. The U.S. economy has regained its 2007 peak, and is now growing at a 3 percent annual clip—a more rapid pace than any other developed economy. The crucible of the recession forged an economic structure that is more resistant to shocks than the brittle vessel that shattered in 2008. Meanwhile, Europe continues to grapple with insoluble banking and sovereign debt crises, and developing-economy juggernauts like China and Brazil are showing signs of cracking.

It’s clear that the story of America’s recovery—unsatisfying and problematic as it has been—isn’t a Hollywood tale. Rather, it rests on an understanding of its core competencies and competitive advantages: attitudes and capabilities that, even in this age of globalization, remain unique. Contrary to the declinists’ view, global growth has not been a zero-sum game for America’s economy.

Read the whole story

By Kathryn Reed

MEYERS – Express delivery of mail was probably slowed down a bit this time of year as men on horseback crossed the Hawley Grade Falls.

Also called the Upper Truckee Falls, this trek in Meyers used to be part of the Pony Express route. It was used from April-November 1860 after which time the trail was altered to go along Johnson Pass Road.

While no falls in California are raging like they were a year ago, enough thundering water is descending at a rapid pace that Kim and I chose not to cross the falls.

The trail cuts right through the Hawley Grade Falls. Photos/Kathryn Reed

Evidence of the winter’s high winds is in abundance with large trees blocking the trail. We did not let it impede our progress as we scampered over them to keep walking to our destination.

In 2008, a 75-foot section was taken out in a landslide. The U.S. Forest Service stabilized the lower slope, though the upper looks like it could use some attention.

As we keep going, the roar of the falls bounces off the towering pines. Soon the cascading icy water comes into view. It’s like a series of mini waterfalls tumbling over granite boulders to form one long fall that eventually reaches the Upper Truckee River.

Manzanita is just beginning to bloom. Closer to the river the distinctive red willow branches are clustered together.

Much of the trail is dry, though spots are muddy.

An abundance of butterflies flit about near the base of the trail. We hear something scurry in the brush.

Kim’s dog Joe on a previous hike up Hawley Grade ended up at the vet’s office after tangling with a porcupine.

One of the best things about going this time of year is the absence of mountain bikers. They prefer when the water is a trickle or non-existent so they can keep going up to Echo Summit or descend from there into Meyers.

Hawley Grade gets its name from Asa Hawley, a pioneer on the South Shore. This was reportedly the first graded wagon road crossing the Sierra.

Besides being a National Recreation Trail, this route is said to be an area where Snowshoe Thompson saved someone’s life.

It’s a relatively short hike to the falls, with an elevation gain of about 900 feet. Sturdy shoes are recommended. It’s narrow in spots, but most people who live in Tahoe will be able to do this hike.

Getting there:

Go west on Highway 50 to Meyers. Pass through town. Turn left on South Upper Truckee Road. Go almost to the end. On the right, at least last week, the gate is closed. (This is before the bridge.) Park near the gate and start walking. If the gate is open, drive as far as you can go.

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Tahoe Transportation District is hosting a forum May 16 to discuss the Highway 28 corridor safety and congestion issues.

The forum will introduce the East Shore Express, a proposed shuttle from Incline Village to Sand Harbor Beach State Recreation Area this summer as well as updates on the North Demonstration Bikeway, a 3-mile off-road path between Incline Village and Sand Harbor.

The East Shore Express would loop from Incline Village Elementary School (new and old locations) to Sand Harbor daily from 9am-6pm starting June 15, every 20 minutes. Additional buses would run during peak times and busy weekends. The projected cost is $3/person and includes free admittance into the state park.

The meeting is from 5:30-7:30pm at the Incline Village Library, 845 Alder Ave.

By Richard Perez-Pena, Washington Post

American eighth graders have made modest gains in national science testing, with Hispanic and black students narrowing the gap between them and their white and Asian peers, the federal government reported Thursday.

Students tested last year scored an average of 152 out of a possible 300, up from 150 in 2009, a small but statistically significant improvement. The latest results are based on a representative sampling of 122,000 students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, part of the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Hispanic students made the largest gain, to 137 from 132, while the average score for black students increased to 129 from 126. For whites, the average went to 163 from 162.

Among Asians, the average dropped from 160 to 159, and for American Indians, it rose to 141 from 137, but in both cases the changes were not judged statistically significant because of smaller sample sizes.

Looking at results by state, for public schools only, lagging states made some of the biggest improvements. South Carolina had the biggest increase, 6 points, to 149; Mississippi, the lowest-scoring state, rose 5 points, to 137.

The top-scoring state was North Dakota, at 164, followed by Vermont and Montana at 163. After Mississippi, the lowest averages were in Alabama and California, at 140.

Read the whole story

The third annual Lake Tahoe Basin Wildfire Awareness Week is May 26-June 3.

The theme this year is “Wildfire Survival: Your Home, Your Responsibility” at Explore Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe will be presenting a series of films that week.

Here is the film schedule.

Smokey Bear will make an appearance May 29 at 1:30pm.

Truckee-based film production company Eureka Productions won 14 awards this month at the 45th annual Worldfest-Houston International Film festival.

Eureka Productions awards include “how-to” instructional videos, and documentaries about world peace, “breaking news”, sports, fitness and healing, the integration of spiritual teachings in Indian government policies and more.

Eureka has previously won awards for its documentaries on Afghanistan, Central America, the Himalayas, sustainable logging, sustainable farming and more.

Eureka Productions, based in Truckee and Mendocino, specializes in martial arts, healing, and social issues documentary videos.

The winning awards:

On the Road with Shri Vibhu Ji “Tame the Mind”

1. Television Cable & Web-based productions Religion & Spirituality Gold

Ken Anderson: Sharing Tales from the Iditarod Trail

1. Television, Cable & Web-based productions Education Gold

India Welcomes the World

1. Television Cable & Web-based productions Religion & Spirituality Silver

The Marriage of Knowledge & Action with Satpal Maharaj 1. Films & Video Productions Ethic / Cultural: Silver

Masters on the Mountain : “Playing Martial Arts for the Fun of It” winning in 4 categories listed below:

1. Live Action with little or no dialogue: Silver

2. Sports (Television Cable and Web based productions) Bronze

3. Independent short subjects “live action Bronze”

4. Fitness “Commercials and Public Services” Bronze

The Problem is no Problem (with Mahatma Faqiranand)

1. Film and Video Productions Religion /Ethic /Spirituality Bronze

2. Television, Cable and web-based production: Live Events Bronze

3. Religious Programs “Television cable and web-based productions” Bronze

A Testament to Tong Ren

1. Television Cable & Web based “Local Public Service” Bronze

Occupy Wall Street

1. Television, Cable & Web-based productions “Single breaking news story coverage” Bronze

The Deflection, Absorption & Emission of Energy with Sergey Makarenko

1. Television, Cable and Web-based Productions Live Events Bronze.

Volunteers are key to the success of Camp Sunrise, a free bereavement camp for children, and are needed for the camp June 17-19.

The Barton Foundation’s annual Camp Sunrise is at Galilee Camp & Conference Center in Glenbrook.

Camp Sunrise is founded on the understanding that every child deserves the opportunity to grieve in a safe, supportive and understanding environment. This free camp is funded by the Barton Foundation and is a program of Barton Hospice.

Designed for children ages 7 through 14, the camp was created for children who have experienced the death of a family member.

Children receive grief education and support from trained counselors and social workers, and they are able to work through any bereavement issues they may have. The weekend is designed to leave them with a more positive outlook for the future.

Volunteer opportunities are available for: lead counselor, camp operations staff, camp weaver, musician, storyteller, photographer, life guard and nurse.

Residents of South Lake Tahoe, Minden, Gardnerville and the Carson City areas may apply to attend. For more information to volunteer or to register, go online or call (530) 543.5614.

California naturalist is a new certification program developed by the UC Cooperative Extension to foster a committed corps of volunteer naturalists and citizen scientists trained and ready to take an active role in natural resource conservation, education, and restoration.

From June 8-Aug. 10, UC Berkeley’s Sagehen Creek Field Station near Truckee will be providing one of the first offerings of this  program. The course runs for 10 weeks of Friday evening classes, with three Saturday field trips on subjects like:

• Forest and Woodland Resources

• Wildlife

• Plants

• Geology, Soils and Climate

• Energy and Global Environmental Challenges.

More information and a registration form are online.