By Kathryn Reed

So often politicians give the trite answer of “I want to spend more time with my family” when in fact something much less altruistic is the true reason. In the case of Kathay Lovell, the statement is fact.

Lovell has served on the South Lake Tahoe City Council for eight years, with three stints, including now, as mayor. She is not seeking re-election in November.

Kathay Lovell

Grandchildren are an overriding reason to call political life quits – at least for now. The boys are 11 and 14, the twins turn a year next month, and baby No. 5 arrives in January.

When this reporter congratulated her at the July 13 council meeting about her daughter-in-law’s pregnancy, Lovell was taken aback because she hadn’t even told all of her family. Plus, she had just finished her council member comments. On her list was to announce her decision to not run again. Instead, she stayed silent that day.

“I was trying to convince myself to run again. I said I would cutback and I would not be involved in so many things. But I said that every year. It just doesn’t happen that way,” Lovell, 57, said.

Speculation has swirled around Lovell for some time that she would seek higher office. With state Sen. Dave Cox’s recent death, talk became louder. But she said now is not the time to pursue higher office. However, she would not rule out running for some office in the future.

It’s not just the twice a month council meetings that she goes to – and like all councilmembers – gets paid $450/month to attend. As a councilmember she is on the boards of the California Tahoe Conservancy, South Tahoe Area Transportation Authority, CalTahoe JPA, alternate for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency board, and on the Finance Committee.

Outside of her elected duties, Lovell has been a member of the Secret Witness board for 12 years and is a member of Soroptimist International South Lake Tahoe.

Besides those commitments, so often she is the only councilmember at so many of the community events in town. She was the lone councilmember at the last Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Patriots Day ceremonies in the city.

This last year has been a trying one for the entire council. The grand jury report that came out in June says it all.

Even though Lovell says there is plenty more work that she would like to do for the city, her priorities have changed, with the focus on her growing family.

“I still want to be involved in some fashion with the community. That will never go away,” she said. “But I’ve been doing this at warp speed and it has taken a toll.”

Before she leaves, one of the projects she helped spearhead will break ground – Lakeview Commons. She is going to work on bringing in the El Dorado Community Foundation to provide money because there is a shortfall when it comes to building the whole project that was once known as the 56-acre project.

Lovell isn’t taking the short-timer’s approach to governing.

“If we are fortunate enough to get the Tahoe Valley Community Plan done before December, that would be awesome,” she said. “I haven’t given up on getting a home for Tom and Cheryl (Millham for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care). Maybe I can spend more time on that (being off the council).”

There are plenty of things she won’t miss about life as an elected official in a small town. However, it’s the little things she will miss most.

“I will miss getting things accomplished that people don’t even know we do. People will call with a concern or complaint and we just get it fixed,” Lovell said. “You don’t do it alone. You are the conduit. Staff does it. But (the public) calls us. I like to be that conduit and ask staff to be part of the solution.”

Making a difference in the community – that’s what Lovell will miss most when her term expires at the end of the year.

Lake Tahoe News is looking for freelance writers. Applicants must be able to take photos, meet deadlines, have a vehicle and be able to cover a variety of topics. College students interested in an internship may also apply.

Send resumes, three clips and a letter expressing why you want to write for LTN to info@laketahoenews.net. Put “freelance” as the slug.

Lake Tahoe News is the only place to get news about Lake Tahoe seven days a week.

By Chuck Alvey, Reno Gazette-Journal

The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada reports annually on the companies it assists in relocation to and expansion in the Reno-Tahoe region. The economic diversification process involves close collaboration with many regional partners.

In fiscal year 2009-2010, the report included 11 companies assisted and represented 513 new jobs. That is down from the 17 companies and 743 jobs a year ago.

While this might not be surprising given the national economic crisis and shortage of previously plentiful capital and financial resources, it is little consolation for a region trying to rebound.

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By Sam McManis, Sacramento Bee

A man named Potato needs a sense of humor. A thick skin, too.

He needs to do his name proud by being unconventional. Needs to abide the mockery, scorn, even jealousy spawned by his outsized behavior. Needs to thrive on the attention, live for the good times, good booze, good women, the unceasing quest for kicks.

And Potato must look the part: the leathery Old West sage, no buttoned-down Bob afraid to get his boots dirty. He must be part scoundrel, a lover of women and mares (not necessarily in that order), and know life in the saddle and in the hoosegow.

Robert Fordney “Potato” Richardson, 67 going on 13, is a throwback – “I could see him living in the 1800s,” said friend Rho Bailey – yet too quirky to be a traditional Marlboro Man.

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By Susan Voyles, Reno Gazette-Journal

In Sonoma County, people are visiting local parks and riding bikes more than ever, adding to the attraction of local wineries to boost tourism, says County Supervisor Valerie Brown.

County parks are part of a stepped-up promotion to draw locals and people across California to visit the famous wine-producing region, she said.

Robert Reich, a former labor secretary who spoke to the National Association of County officials in Reno, would certainly say Brown, NACo president this year, is on the right track.

“There are two kinds of tourism,” Reich said today after his speech. “One is a major trip, a big-spending vacation where you take the whole family and splurge. That is not coming back for years.

“The other is long weekend getaways,” he said, of trips between 100 to 200 miles. “There are absolute signs that’s coming back.”

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By David Hegle, Reno Gazette-Journal

The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is going through some changes. Growing pains, even, though the audience shouldn’t feel a thing.

But they will notice that this year’s slate is different. Instead of two offerings (like last year’s bill of “Measure for Measure” and “Much Ado About Nothing”), there is only one, and it’s not technically Shakespeare.

But while “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” is recently penned, it is two hours of riotous comedy and as worth seeing as any past production.

The festival, enjoying its 38th season, is now in the hands of Producing Artistic Director Charles Fee, who also directs independent theater festivals in Boise and Cleveland.

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By Stephen Ward

Scores of water sport enthusiasts speed across the West Shore of Lake Tahoe, soaring through the air and performing strategic tricks such as pyramids and operating delta wing kites while water skiing. The public gathers around the edge of the shore to witness the mesmerizing performance unfolding before them, quietly marveling at each graceful act.

The scene illustrated above is a glimpse of the Water Ski Carnival the Tahoe Yacht Club used to conduct at Chamber’s Landing and Homewood each summer from 1953 well into the 1990s, before the loss of key sponsors that had kept the festivity afloat. The water ski exhibitions at the time were initially two-day events that preceded the Tahoe Yacht Club’s boat races. Later the exhibition was granted its own separate time slot during the summer.

Water skiing has been popular on Lake Tahoe for more than half a century. Photo/Tahoe Maritime Museum

This weekend, however, the Tahoe Maritime Museum, with the assistance of Obexer’s Marina, hopes to restore what used to be a tradition on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe.

Starting tonight at 5, the Tahoe Maritime Museum will host a water ski roundtable discussion, featuring eminent historical and contemporary figures of Lake Tahoe’s water sports history. Scheduled speakers include acclaimed water skier Mary Jo Shepherd, High Sierra Water Ski School owner Lee Schmidt, and 1950s water school outfitters Ron Rupp and Les Bartlett.

On Friday, the topics discussed tonight will be brought to life. The Water Ski Exhibition at the south end of Obexer’s Marina Pier will feature local talent operating everything from water skis and wakeboards to aquaplanes and slalom skis. The event will commence at 8am and will last for about two hours. Spectators can view the exhibition from the shoreline or sign up at the roundtable discussion tonight to survey the function on a boat.

Saturday from 10am-5pm is the annual Living History Day at the Tahoe Maritime Museum, and is the one day each year where admission to the museum is free. The Living History Day will highlight the topics discussed at the roundtable discussion, as well as having displays of boats and trophies issued at the Water Ski Carnivals of the past.

The Tahoe Maritime Museum is open Thursday-Tuesday from now until Sept. 30, and is located in Homewood, next to Homewood Mountain Resort. Admission for the lecture series is $8 for adults and free for children younger than 12. For more information, click here or call (530) 525.9253.

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder (Click on photos to enlarge.)

(Old photos: Provided by Tahoe Maritime Museum; New photos: Provided by Warren Fallat)

The third annual golf tournament for the Emily Clothier Memorial Scholarship fund is Aug. 26. Shotgun start is at 8am.

The $100/per person entry fee include range balls, T-shirt, green fees, logo balls and lunch.

Signup at Steamers in South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Golf Course or online.

Tahoe Writers Works performs the fifth Captain Thunder installment of the popular children’s radio-style play on July 22 at 7:30pm.

Set in the 1940s, “Captain Thunder and the Terrifying Ray of Doom” will be performed in the Boathouse Theatre at the historic Tahoe Tallac Site on the South Shore.

Adults $10, children $5.

For more information, call (530) 541.4975.

By David Siders, Sacramento Bee

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will nominate Tani Cantil-Sakauye, a Republican appellate court justice with a reputation as a moderate, to be chief justice of the California Supreme Court, the Bee learned Tuesday.

Cantil-Sakauye, 50, of Sacramento is a former prosecutor and Sacramento Superior Court judge. She would replace Chief Justice Ronald George, who has announced he will retire Jan. 2.

Cantil-Sakauye has been on the 3rd District Court of Appeal since 2005. If approved by a three-member commission and by voters in November, she would start a 12-year term in January.

She would be the state’s first Filipina American chief justice.

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