People who want to comment on the proposed booster station on Grizzly Mountain Road now have until April 28 to do so.

South Tahoe Public Utility District has been working with neighbors in the area on a redesign of the building to better satisfy their desires while still providing the necessary configuration for the South Shore district to pump water.

Here is the latest design.

While neighbors are expressing gratitude toward STPUD’s willingness to make changes, as of April 25 they were still waiting for information on “some new possible sites where this booster station could go”.

The South Tahoe PUD is expected to vote on the project May 5, with it going before the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency hearing officer review on May 19.

— Kathryn Reed

As of this month, Social Security will no longer be sending a representative to the South Lake Tahoe Recreation & Swim Complex.

If you need their services, you can go in person to the district office at Placerville District Office, 4355B Golden Center Drive, Placerville or call 800.772.1213, (530) 626.8421, or go online.

Darnell Holloway, head of Business Outreach from Yelp, will be the guest speaker June 16 from noon-2pm at Harveys Convention Center.

Holloway will discuss the ins and the outs of the Yelp website to help business’ understand how to best capitalize on Yelp postings.

The lunch is $25 for members of the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce, $35 for non-members. Tickets may be bought by calling (775) 588.1728.

Barton Foundation is seeking nominations for the third annual Spirit of Philanthropy Award. This award recognizes an outstanding individual, family, couple or foundation who has demonstrated extraordinary dedication to the health of the South Lake Tahoe community and to Barton Health in particular, through their good works and/or financial generosity.

The honoree also must have:

1) Demonstrated exceptional civic and charitable responsibility.

2) Inspired others to act philanthropically.

3) Be alive. If a foundation is proposed, there should be at least one living founder.

4) Reside in, have a second home in or have previously lived in South Lake Tahoe and continue to have a connection to the community.

The Spirit of Philanthropy Award selection committee is comprised of an active and past Barton Memorial Hospital Auxiliary member, active and past Barton Health Foundation Board member and the Executive Director of Barton Foundation. The nominations are presented to the Barton Board of Directors and the Foundation Board of Trustees for final approval.

The nomination deadline is June 30. Go online or call (530) 543.5614 for a nomination form.

This year’s award will be presented at the 20th annual Barton Gala on  Dec. 3.

The 2nd annual Lake Tahoe Restaurant Week (Oct. 2-9) is a celebration of the scrumptious cuisine and culinary talent that has made the Lake Tahoe region the best mountain-dining destination in the country.

Local food aficionados and visitors may participate in three-course prix-fixe menus at exceptional values that incorporate organic, seasonal and local ingredients — all served up at Lake Tahoe’s eateries.

There are no passes, tickets or coupons needed to take part in Lake Tahoe Restaurant Week. Instead, guests simply visit their favorite Lake Tahoe restaurants (60-plus are participating), which are offering the prix-fixe menus for $20, $30 or $40 per person (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations are strongly recommended.

Last year’s restaurants included Manzanita a the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, Ciera Steak + Chophouse at MontBleu casino, Six Peaks Grille at the Resort at Squaw Creek, Edgewood Restaurant, Lone Eagle Grille at the Hyatt in Incline Village, Fresh Ketch, PlumpJack Cafe, 19 Kitchen & Bar at Harveys, Soule Domain, Friday’s Station at Harrah’s, River Ranch Lodge, Après Wine Company, The Lodge at Tahoe Donner and the Beacon.

To learn more about Lake Tahoe Restaurant Week, a list of participating dining establishments and their downloadable prix-fixe menus, lodging discounts and how to take part, visit the event’s official website or call Pettit Gilwee Public Relations at (530) 525-1164.

South Lake Tahoe BMX Association will show the 90-minute film “Joe Kid on a Stingray — the history of BMX” on May 6 at 7pm.

The showing will be at Stateline Brewery and Restaurant, located between Embassy Suites and Marriot Timber Lodge.

A $10 donation is requested. All ages are welcome.

For more information, call (530) 542.9337.

• South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center’s rape crisis counselors served 161 adult and child survivors of sexual assault in 2010.

• Choices for Children funding is projected to be cut again in July. California is expected to further reduce funding by 15 to 20 percent, affecting 100 families starting July1.

• Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. subsidiary Liberty Water Co. is acquiring three additional regulated water utility assets – Louisiana Land and Water Co., Noel Water Company, and KMB Utilities Company for $8.3 million. This will add approximately 7,400 customer connections. Algonquin is the parent company of Liberty Energy, which provides electricity to California customers at Lake Tahoe.

• Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School has been selected by California Business for Education Excellence as one of 1,221 public schools in California to receive the title of 2010 Honor Roll school. This is the second consecutive year that LTESMS has earned this honor.

• Gary Air has changed planes that it uses to bring people to and from Lake Tahoe. The Piper Matrix carries three people plus all their gear.

By Kathryn Reed

What may have been the most significant discussion at last week’s South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting was about a $1,000 bill.

The lengthy discussion on the consent agenda item about a snowblower at Lake Tahoe Airport and the consultant working on the specs signaled a shift in how these five do business. Rubber-stamping what staff brings to them didn’t happen. Making the person prove they worked the hours is new. Chastising staff in public for having the work done without a contract approved by the council is new.

“I’m very troubled by this,” Councilwoman Angela Swanson said. “I don’t want to see this happen again from any of our departments.”

What happened is Airport Director Sherry Miller brought forward a $20,000 bill from Reinard Brandley for engineering and consulting assistance in the purchase of an airport snowblower. This is twice the amount it was originally expected to be.

The city’s portion is $1,000, with the Federal Aviation Administration picking up 95 percent. But it is all taxpayer money.

In the discussions April 19 it was brought up that the Brandley, who has been associated with the airport before the city incorporated in 1965, had to re-do the specs for the bid. The city is being billed for his mistakes.

Councilman Tom Davis was adamant he isn’t going to agree to pay this bill until he sees an accounting of the work done and hours associated with it.

The blower is expected to arrive this summer, so delaying payment to the consultant is not delaying the item being built.

Miller explained a consultant was needed because the airport via FAA regulations has unique requirements. The $507,000 blower is being built just for the South Lake Tahoe airport.

It’s likely the contract with the consultant will be before the council again at the May 3 meeting.

The Reno River Festival returns to downtown’s Truckee River Whitewater Park for year No. 8 on May 6–8.

The festival’s three days of nonstop outdoor fun includes live music and entertainment along with the return of crowd favorites such as the Friday night Kick-Off Party and concert with English Beat, 4th annual Run Amuck run and stand-up paddle board, boatercross and freestyle competitions featuring some of the world’s top whitewater athletes.

The 2nd annual Humans in Motion short video contest also hits screens again, featuring a $1,000 grand prize, in addition to the return of the Holland Project’s annual Double Dutch battle.

To register or for more information, go online or call (775) 784.9400, ext. 119.

By Jackie Speier

Women in the U.S. military are more likely to be raped by fellow soldiers than killed by enemy fire. I know what you’re thinking – it sounds too unbelievable to be true. But it’s not.

The Department of Defense estimates that more than 19,000 service members were raped or sexually assaulted in 2010. Due to a military culture heavy on retaliation and light on prosecution, only 13.5 percent of the victims report the rape.

The system of justice designed to adjudicate cases of rape in the military is in complete shambles. Victims are blamed. Assailants are promoted. Unit commanders – whose promotions are dependent on the conduct and performance of the soldiers they supervise – have an incentive to see that allegations are few and convictions are fewer. As a result, the overwhelming majority of cases get swept under the rug.

This abomination is not new. The Pentagon has largely ignored the recommendations of 18 reports on sexual assault and rape in the military over the past 16 years. As a result, the problem is now worse than ever. So I have pledged to speak about this issue every week on the floor of the House of Representatives until this Congress and this administration do something more than offer lip service.

While the incidence of rapes and sexual assaults is shockingly high, the personal accounts of victims add even more horror to the picture of a military at war with itself.

Technical Sgt. Mary Gallagher, an Air National Guardsman, was allegedly sexually assaulted by a fellow sergeant in 2009. He pushed her up against a wall, took his right hand and pulled her pants and underwear down, and then used his hand to rub her private parts. He simultaneously ground his genitals against her, and talked about how much he was enjoying the assault. Command’s only response was to reassign the assailant and order him to refrain from any contact with her. She was then lectured by the base chaplain, who claimed that 96 percent of sexual assaults on women occur when drinking is involved. Technical Sgt. Gallagher had not been drinking.

Jackie Speier represents San Mateo County and part of San Francisco in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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