Eager to ride the social media wave but just not sure where to start? Join the PCC for our Hands-On Social Media on Aug. 3, 10 and 17 from 6-7:30pm.
What: Hands-On Social Media Training Series; click flyer for more details.
Where: DWR Center, 948 Incline Way, Incline Village.
Who: Instructor is Jaime Olive, AmeriCorps Member, Parasol Community Collaboration.
By Kathryn Reed
Heavenly Mountain Resort will be able to begin construction on its mid-mountain lodge at the end of the month.
An appeal to the U.S. Forest Service’s “finding of no significant impact” has delayed the paperwork being signed off and therefore the project. Originally, Heavenly had hoped to start on June 15, with a Nov. 1 completion date. Now resort officials expect to open the lodge after the season begins.
East Peak Lodge at Heavenly will get some competition this winter when the lodge at the top of the gondola opens. Photo/Kathryn Reed
Robert Coronado wanted the Forest Service to prepare a complete environmental impact statement on the 14,965-square-foot lodge at the top of the gondola – elevation 9,100 feet.
No indoor facility exists at that location. It will seat nearly 500 people.
Coronado also contended the project would increase traffic, have impacts on wildlife and not meet Clean Air Act guidelines.
Forest Supervisor Terri Marceron spoke with Coronado on July 6 in an attempt to resolve the issue. She was unsuccessful.
“As per Forest Service administrative procedures, the appeal was then reviewed by an appeal reviewing officer. The appeal reviewing officer found that Terri adequately addressed all the issues, and the regional forester upheld his review and affirmed Terri’s decision,” Forest Service spokeswoman Cheva Heck told Lake Tahoe News.
That decision came July 8. Heavenly can begin work 15 business days from that date. The plan is to break ground on the year-round lodge as soon as the all-clear signal is given.
With water, gas and sewer lines already installed, it means construction does not have to go over two seasons. Construction crews will access the site via the dirt road from the Stagecoach Lodge in Nevada.
South Tahoe Public Utility District and South Lake Tahoe have all but buried their differences regarding Redevelopment Area No. 2.
City Council members accepted the agreement presented them by City Manager Dave Jinkens at Tuesday’s meeting.
The district’s board is expected to vote on the proposal at its Thursday afternoon meeting.
Other action at the July 13 council meeting included:
• Changing routes on BlueGo per the South Tahoe Area Transportation Authority’s recommendations;
• Agreeing to a special meeting the last week of July to award the bid for the Lakeview Commons project as well as to have a discussion about medical marijuana dispensaries in the city;
• Approving an ordinance designed to help local contractors get work on projects in the city.
— Compiled by Kathryn Reed
By Kathryn Reed
Tony O’Rourke is set to begin his job as city manager of South Lake Tahoe on Aug. 9. The City Council on a 4-1 vote July 13 approved his contract.
O’Rourke, who left the meeting after the vote, will have a base salary of $175,000 a year. He will receive $500/month in a car allowance, two weeks of vacation, and the standard health and retirement package other city employees receive.
Mayor Kathay Lovell speaks with new City Manager Tony O'Rourke, right, and City Attorney Patrick Enright on July 13. Photo/Kathryn Reed
The city is offering up to $12,000 to move him, his wife and teenage son to Tahoe from Beaver Creek, Colo.
The contract is for three years. His first review will be after he’s been on the job for six months.
Just like current City Manager Dave Jinkens’ contract, this one comes with a nine-month severance clause if the council decides to dismiss O’Rourke. This is a fairly standard item in city manager contracts in California.
O’Rourke is subject to the two furlough days that are in place, which brings his salary closer to $161,000. Those two days amount to a salary reduction of 9.23 percent for all city employees.
A third furlough day is likely to be part of the city’s cost containment plan when the council approves the 2010-11 budget that will be effective Oct. 1.
What could balance out the third furlough day is the 4.62 percent cost of living adjustment the various city unions have negotiated that is supposed to begin Oct. 1. However, the city is currently negotiating with the various labor groups – with the COLA being one of the sticking points.
Although the city manager and city attorney positions are not part of any bargaining group, they follow in lockstep with the Administrative and Confidential group. So if the COLA is passed, those positions would get a bump in pay.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the council voted 4-1 to extend City Attorney Patrick Enright’s contract a year to 2012.
Councilman Bill Crawford was the dissenting vote both times.
Enright went up a step on the salary scale, increasing his wages by 5 percent. His severance provision was doubled to 180 days.
To the community,
I am very saddened to learn of the passing of my colleague and friend, Dave Cox. Over nearly 12 years in the state Legislature and many years in local government, Dave leaves behind a tremendous legacy of public service to the people of the Sacramento region and all Californians.
On a personal level, I enjoyed working side by side with Dave during these past four years as we fought hard together for the interests of the constituents we were both privileged to represent. I learned a great deal from Dave and appreciate the counsel he gave me over the years. My thoughts and prayers go out to Maggie and the entire Cox family during this very difficult time.
Ted Gaines, state assemblyman representing Tahoe
Publisher’s note: Dave Cox represented Lake Tahoe in the California Senate.
By Jim Sanders, Sacramento Bee
State senator and former Assembly Republican leader Dave Cox died today, ending more than two decades of public service by a fiscal conservative and political tough guy who savored a good joke and loved to laugh – even at himself.
His family said Cox died at home, surrounded by friends and family, after a 13-year battle with prostate cancer.
Dave Cox
“A devoted family man, he always found time to serve his community and constituents,” said the statement from the family. “Dave took great pride in public service and making government work for the people it serves.”
To the community,
As you may know, South Lake Tahoe’s Martin Hollay’s autobiography (“I was so lucky: The Life of Martin Hollay” as told to Tom McGowan) is now undergoing final layout work with the printer. We expect the book to be in our hands by late August. The book will run something in excess of 75 pages and feature dozens of photographs.
The economics of printing a small number of books is interesting. All proceeds after printing costs go to Hollay. Even if we can sell 100 books at $20 a book, he will still make less than $1 per book. Consequently, we don’t want to print any more books than we know we can sell.
Martin Hollay
So that we will know how many to have printed, we hare asking that you mail us your check for $20 for each book you want to order. To assure that you will be able to get your book(s), please be sure your check is in our hands by July 20 as we go to press late that week.
Please mail your check payable to Tom McGowan at P.O. Box 1489, Zephyr Cove, NV 89448.
Sincerely,
Friends of Martin Hollay
The Sierra Nevada Guitar Society and the Carson Valley Arts Council will present internationally known artists Triada in Minden on July 15 at 7pm at the CVIC Hall, 1602 Esmeralda.
On July 17 at 7pm Argentine classical guitarist Maximo Diego Pujol and flutist Viviana Guzman will be at the Copeland Cultural Arts Center ArtBar, 1572 Highway 395, Minden.
Triada combines the unique talents of Nikola, Petar and Vasil Chekardzhikov, forming one of the most brilliant guitar ensembles now performing. The three brothers are individually virtuoso guitarists, and their intuitive sense of ensemble gives a synergy that makes their concerts very special and exciting events. Performances by Triada feature innovative repertoire, including traditional classics, modern favorites, and vibrant, colorful ethnic music to engage and delight any audience.
Maximo Diego Pujol
Pujol is an Argentine classical guitarist and composer born in Buenos Aires in 1957. He presents his debut U.S. performance at the Sierra Nevada Guitar Society’s festival and competition this week. His guitar compositions have won awards at competitions in Columbia, France and the World Festival in Martinique and in 1989 he was awarded the Argentine Composers’ Union prize as Best Composer of Classical Music.
Joining Pujol is Chilean-born flutis, Viviana Guzmán who has performed in more than 80 concerts a year throughout the world and in 86 countries. She began her musical training at the age of 5. By age 15, she had played as a soloist with orchestra, studied with Jean-Pierre Rampal and was featured on NBC’s nationally televised John Denver music special.
Subscriptions for Season Tickets for the 2010-11 Concert Series will be on sale at both concerts. All proceeds will benefit the Carson Valley Arts Council which supports the arts in the Carson Valley and Lake Tahoe regions.
For information, call (775) 782.8207.
By Robert Lewis, Sacramento Bee
If you own a home in California, chances are the assessed value of your property just dropped.
County assessors statewide are releasing this year’s property tax rolls – the total assessed value of all properties in a given county – and most are lower than last year.
Sacramento County’s tax roll dropped nearly 2.2 percent to $128.8 billion. Yolo County’s is down about 1.9 percent. And El Dorado County and Placer County both saw the value of their taxable property drop more than 6 percent.
Squaw Valley opened its kids zipline this past weekend. Built for high flying fun at the mountain’s base, the zipline lets kids soar over the mountain.
Kids slide into a harness, climb up to the top of the launch tower and fly across the field to a landing 200 feet away.
Located next to the Funitel, the zipline looks out onto the granite peaks of Red Dog and KT-22.
The zipline is open daily from 11am to 7pm. It can accommodate kids up to 120 pounds. Tickets cost $12, with an added cost of $6 for additional zips.
For more information about the zipline, call (530) 452.4000 or visit www.squaw.com.