To the community,

The ecological impact of the Upper Truckee Restoration Project is too critical to allow misleading statistics to sway public opinion. But distorted facts continue to headline State Parks’ campaign to promote Alternative 2 as the “only viable” choice.

As reported in the article “TRPA Gets Earful on River Project at Golf Course, State Park” (Oct. 30 Lake Tahoe News), much of the logic of Alternative 2 – which would expand the golf course into Washoe Meadows – stems from the assumption that Lake Tahoe Golf Course is “among the top five revenue makers of California State Parks.”

However, the Parks’ own “System Statistical Reports” (available on the Parks website) clearly disproves this claim by ranking the golf course (Lake Valley State Recreation Area) as 46th among the highest income-producing Park system properties. Moreover, the report shows that income from the golf course is only about half of 1 percent of the system’s $80 million annual field revenue.

A study of several reports reveals that the backers of Alternative 2 are using statistical sleight-of-hand to promote their view and that they do not want transparency and candor.

We all are united in the quest to restore the stretch of the Upper Truckee that was sacrificed years ago for the development of Lake Tahoe Golf Course.

Let’s not sacrifice another natural resource, Washoe Meadows State Park, by allowing a project which is being justified by data that won’t hold up to public scrutiny. Restore the River and save Washoe Meadows State Park by advocating alternative 3 or 5.

Lynne Paulson, Meyers

By Torey Van Oot, Sacramento Bee

The secretary of state’s office has gotten its cash back from the web vendor hosting the crash-plagued statewide election results site on Tuesday.

The site, which includes a county-by-county breakdown and results map, went down shortly before the polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

It was soon replaced with a less flashy backup page listing the results. Even that fail-safe site couldn’t withstand the high traffic at points in the night.

The vendor, Rackspace Hosting, issued a mea culpa on Wednesday and offered to refund the secretary of state for its services, a bill that amounted to roughly $1,000.

Read the whole story

Caregiving is a difficult and often challenging role that one can undertake, and taking the opportunity to share information and feel connected to others who are providing care is a vital step to perform this task to the best of your ability. Take the opportunity on Nov. 11 from 5:30-7:30pm, South Lake Tahoe Senior Center 3050 Highway 50, South Lake Tahoe to become connected and rejuvenated at your local support group.

Refreshments will be served. Free respite care is available to qualified caregivers. Pre-authorization is required for respite services. Questions? Contact the Family Caregiver Support Program at (530) 621.6151.

By Matt Weiser, Sacramento Bee

The black-backed woodpecker, a native of the Sierra Nevada, has just three toes, a yen for burned trees, and tremendous potential to shake up California logging rules.

Environmental groups recently filed a petition to protect the woodpecker under the state Endangered Species Act. The Center for Biological Diversity and the John Muir Project at Earth Island Institute say the species may go extinct because California doesn’t have enough burned forests, the bird’s preferred habitat.

If the petition succeeds, private forest owners who experience a fire could have a harder time harvesting burned trees to produce lumber, a practice known as salvage logging.

California currently allows salvage logging under streamlined regulations so property owners can harvest the wood before it rots.

The environmental groups argue this deprives the black-backed woodpecker of essential habitat. The bird prefers to nest in burned trees, and feeds on insects that attack trees after a fire.

Read the whole story

On Nov. 11 at 7:30am, Ryder Evans will speak at the Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra meeting about ShelterBox.

ShelterBox is an international relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide. This organization responds instantly to disasters delivering aid as quickly as possible to the people who need it most.

Evans is on the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue team, which has ties to this international organization.

ShelterBox is helping with the relief from the tsunami in Indonesia.

ShelterBox relies solely on public donations.

The Soroptimist meeting, which includes breakfast and coffee, is at the Lake Tahoe Senior Center at 3051 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

For more info, call (530) 409.2791 or go to www.SITahoeSierra.org.

• Britta Nauta of South Lake Tahoe won the Ski Run BID logo contest.

• Scott Butera, CEO of Tropicana Entertainment, the parent company of MontBleu in Stateline, has resigned. No replacement has been named.

• North Shore Hawaiian Grill recently opened in Tahoe City.

• The $400,000 renovation Incline’s Lone Eagle Grille at the Hyatt should be done by Nov. 23.

• Enrollment in Lake Tahoe Community College’s culinary department has shot up nearly 300 percent in the last two years.

• The South Lake Tahoe Building Board of Appeals will have a public meeting Nov. 15 at 9am at Lake Tahoe Airport on the proposed adoption of the 2010 California Building Standards Codes and implementation of the Building Codes to the Marijuana Ordinance. For more information, call Dave Walker at (530) 542.6072.

• Fischer Skis is opening Carbonlite Demo Centers at 33 retail locations nationwide so skiers everywhere can try and buy the most successful cross country skis and boots from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. They will be at Brian’s Bicycles & Cross Country Skis in Mammoth, Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City, and Paco’s Truckee Bike & Ski.

• Travel website Cheapflights.com puts California as a top 10 destination for golf vacations, specifically saying, “For the serenity of nature, take a swing near Lake Tahoe.”

The patchy clouds that have been hovering in the Lake Tahoe Basin for the past couple days are expected to bring moisture this weekend.

The likelihood of showers is 20 percent today in the Lake Tahoe Basin, increasing to 30 percent tonight. The National Weather Service in Reno says there is no avoiding getting wet on Sunday – 100 percent chance of rain during the day, with it turning to snow in the evening.

With clouds lingering in Tahoe, more sunsets like the one on Nov. 3 are possible. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Monday calls for a 30 percent chance of snow. It will be the coldest of the next few days — the high is expected to be 41 degrees, with the overnight low 18 degrees.

The sun will return Tuesday.

Before the storm rolls in the winds will pick up. Sierra ridges could see gusts up to 70mph on Sunday.

The snow levels will start at between 7,000 and 7,500 feet before falling Sunday.

The Weather Service predicts several inches of snow falling over Donner Pass and Echo Summit through early Monday morning.

— Kathryn Reed

Attention all you crafty folk who sew, knit and crotchet. The 23rd annual Caps for Kids collection is under way.

The South Lake Tahoe Parks and Recreation Department is the place to drop off all of your handmade goodies – booties, hats, scarves and mittens are wanted — for holiday distribution. All of the donated “caps” will be given to local children this holiday season through Christmas Cheer.

For timely distribution, “caps” should be dropped off at the Recreation Complex, 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd., by Dec. 3, 2010. Please include a note with your name and address.

Need an easy crotchet or knitting pattern? Drop by the Recreation Complex or call (530) 542.6056 to have one sent to you.

Sustainable Tahoe’s first basinwide green networking event in South Lake Tahoe is Nov. 18 from 5:30-8:30pm at Embassy Suites.

Regional leaders, owners, staff and advocates of green technology, conservation, alternative transportation, clean energy and sustainable innovation will unite to network and start the next wave of action toward sustainability.

The event will focus on bringing these community leaders together to meet, collaborate, and share resources under one vision of creating a sustainable destination of the Lake Tahoe basin.

The event will include a tour of recent sustainability initiatives by the Embassy Suites. The tour will also look at Explore Tahoe.

A 2011 Tahoe Expo is being planned for the summer to showcase possibilities for a new Tahoe economy.

For more information, go to www.SustainableTahoe.org or call (775) 883.0831.

Who: The Friends of the El Dorado County Veterans Monument will host the 5th annual Veterans’ Day Tribute in celebration of our nation’s veterans.

When: Nov. 11, 11am

Where: The El Dorado County Veterans Monument, 360 Fair Lane, Placerville.

Why: Veterans Day is a time to honor those who have served the cause of freedom. Each year the community packs the El Dorado County Veterans Monument grounds to honor those who have served.

Highlights of this year’s tribute include:

· A fly-by salute from a flight of T-6 aircraft (weather permitting) in honor of El Dorado County’s 17,000 Veterans

· A second T-6 fly-by salute in the missing man formation in honor of those who have given their lives to preserve our freedoms

· Special guest speaker, Christopher Moore, former U.S. Army Special Forces staff sergeant and local high school principal

· Participation from local Cub and Boy Scout troops

· The presentation of the El Dorado County Veterans Monument-Veteran of the Year Award.