The Nature Conservancy is welcoming public ideas and feedback about the recreation and access management plan currently under way for Independence Lake located in Northern California in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The Nature Conservancy is offering several ways for the public to provide input. The first method will be two public meetings.

* April 18 at the Loyalton Social Hall – Open House 5:30, 6pm meeting, 105 Beckwith St., Loyalton.

* April 19 at the Truckee Town Hall – Open House 5:30, 6pm meeting, 10183 Truckee Airport Road, Truckee.

Additionally, the Nature Conservancy has set up an online survey to collect input on specific strategies related to management issues. To ensure each person may only fill out the survey once, sign-in is required.

An independent blog has also been set up to provide information about the issues and public outreach process.

The Nature Conservancy acquired property around Independence Lake in spring 2010 and is currently working with partners, including the Truckee Donner Land Trust to:

· Preserve critical habitat for native fish and wildlife

· Reduce the risk of introduction of aquatic invasive plants and animals

· Implement forest management strategies to decrease the risk of wildfire

· Allow visitors to access the lake and enjoy the property in ways that are compatible with the conservation of this precious resource.

The Sugar Pine Foundation will be planting fungus-resistant sugar pine seedlings in the Angora Fire burn scar on April 30 from 10am-noon.

Seedlings, tools, instruction and light refreshments will be provided.

Bring the family, a trowel or a shovel if you can. Carpooling is encouraged.

Meet at the intersection of Mt. Rainier and Cliff drives.

For more information, email admin@sugarpinefoundation.org.

By Susan Voyles, Reno Gazette-Journal

Updated: The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that a controller at Reno-Tahoe International Airport fell asleep while a medical flight carrying an ill patient was trying to land early Wednesday morning.

The air controller has been suspended while the FAA investigates.

*******

A medical flight landed safely early today at Reno Tahoe International Airport after the pilot failed to make contact with the air traffic control tower.

Krys Bart, CEO of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, said at a news conference today that the Piper Cheyenne plane twin engine turboprop carrying a sick person landed at about 2 a.m. The plane was out of communication with the tower for about 16 minutes, officials from the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Read the whole story

The Douglas County Bar Association took a major step to further its primary goal of elevating the standard of honor, integrity and courtesy in the legal profession by formalizing its organizational structure.

Patrick King, the newly elected president for 2011-12, filed with the secretary of state articles of incorporation establishing the Douglas County Bar Association as a nonprofit 501(c)6 corporation.

Membership is not limited to attorneys, but includes those affiliated with the law and the administration of justice who share a commitment to excellence and to advance the science of jurisprudence.

The annual membership fee is $30. Luncheon meetings are the third Thursday of each month. The April meeting is April 21 at the Minden Food Company, 1599 Esmeralda Ave., Minden from t 11:30am-1pm. Michael Millward will talk about bankruptcy. RSVP by April 15 to (775) 265.2200.

East West Partners and KSL Capital Partners are partnering to pursue resort real estate acquisition and development opportunities throughout the United States. East West and KSL have a 25-year history of working together and developing resort real estate, dating back to their founders’ common time in Vail and Beaver Creek Resorts.

East West developed Northstar Village and has other projects in the Truckee area. KSL recently bought Squaw Valley ski resort.

The partnership will be actively looking for existing and new development opportunities in first-class mountain, beach, and second-home resort real estate markets, seeking to capitalize on recent distress in these markets. Specifically, the partnership is targeting projects in need of completion, preferably ones with associated development opportunities.

“Although resort real estate has been negatively impacted by the recent economic downturn, we believe long-term demographics support continued second home ownership growth in unique and memorable destinations. East West has consistently been one of the premier developers of resort real estate for more than two decades. They have a deep and talented team with a proven ability to create and transform resort communities. We are looking forward to an exciting and productive partnership,” Eric Resnick, managing director and co-founder of KSL, said in a press release.

The Sugar Pine Foundation will be planting fungus-resistant sugar pine seedlings in the Angora Fire burn scar on April 30 from 10am-noon.

Seedlings, tools, instruction and light refreshments will be provided.

Bring the family, a trowel or a shovel if you can. Carpooling is encouraged.

Meet at the intersection of Mt. Rainier and Cliff drives.

For more information, email admin@sugarpinefoundation.org.

Combine an Easter egg hunt with an avalanche beacon search practice session, and the result is the 5th annual Beacon & Eggs beacon search contest at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort.

Beacon & Eggs is a fun, free beacon hunt out on the mountain on April 24.

Avalanche beacons will be buried in a 1-acre area at Alpine Meadows. The hidden beacons are wrapped in a protective pad and placed below the snow surface, which are then groomed over via snowcat to hide any “hints” as to their whereabouts.

Competitors will start en masse and will race on foot in search the buried backpacks using their beacons in “search” mode. Competitors work individually or in teams (up to four people), sharing the prizes for recovering the beacon. Competitors redeem a found beacon, which corresponds to an incredible prize pack, including outdoor and adventure gear from local sporting goods stores.

Free registration is at the Beacon & Eggs event tent near the top of Subway Chair Lift (next to the base lodge) from 9-11:45am. The start is at noon near the top of the Subway beginner lift, adjacent to the base lodge.

Competitors must provide their own beacons, probes, and shovels.

For additional information and details, call (530) 583.4232.

Sierra Nevada College’s free Cultural Festival is April 23 from 11am until 3pm in Patterson Hall, Incline Village.

This family-fun festival celebrates the diversity of cultures, languages, and histories in the local communities. Multicultural entertainment will feature five live music and dancing performances and two international film screenings.

Cultural activities and exhibits include origami, Buddhist prayer flags, piñata, and global storybook reading.

Sample international cuisine throughout the day at $1 ticket per taste.

Tahoe City Parks and Recreation Department’s annual Spring Eggstravaganza and Easter Egg Hunt is April 23.

It will be at Commons Beach in downtown Tahoe City on starting at 10am.

Activities include face paint, games, music and more. The event is free.

For more information on this event or if you are interested in volunteering, contact Shaun at (530) 583.3440, ext.14.

Wind may be blowing the chairlifts around so much that they won’t be operating everywhere on the mountain.

Here is the ski reportt from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.