By Kathy Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal
The Golden Sierra Workforce Investment Board has teamed up with the California Employers Association to use $220,000 in federal stimulus funds to provide free employment advice and support to area businesses and job seekers.
The partners have launched a human relations hotline and a series of business assistance workshops for employers in Placer, El Dorado and Alpine counties.
Funding from the latest round of Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act money has been allocated. For a spreadsheet with details, click funding.
Here are most of the highlights:
* City of South Lake is final with the amounts shown on spreadsheet
* El Dorado County may receive $50,000 more for the Meyers Planning project, all the rest of the amounts are final
* Placer County may receive $50-$100K more for Kings Beach project, all the rest of the amounts are final.
* STPUD is still being reviewed for the three restoration projects
* Douglas County is final with the amounts shown on the spreadsheet
* Washoe County is final with amount shown on spreadsheet
* LTIMP and RSWMP are final as shown.
By Susan Wood
The modern Olympic Games have come a long way over the last 100-plus years, with moments that standout vividly and lessons that remind us how fragile, yet courageous, humanity from across the planet to the streets of Tahoe can be.
The Games — which were dedicated to Olympian Gods — can be traced back to 776 BC, with the first Olympiad isolated to ancient Greece featuring a stadium race. They continued for nearly 12 centuries until Emperor Theodosius decreed in 393 A.D. that all such “pagan cults” be banned.
The modern international Olympics opened in 1896 in Athens, the origin of the Olympic torch. The symbolic gesture burned at the altar of Zeus, signaling the beginning and end of the event. Many myths aside, the Greeks were fiercely competitive and enjoyed a good contest.
Walkway leading to the track at the original Olympics in Olympia, Greece. Photo/Kathryn Reed/1990
The addition of various sports through the years demonstrates that quest for athletic entertainment. Even the Greek calendar was based on the concept of the four-year Olympiad.
One of the most dramatic feats of the modern Olympics includes the triumph of the U.S. track and field team in 1896. The 10-man squad barely reached Athens in time to participate. They won nine out of a dozen events.
In 1912, Jim Thorpe — a Native American — became the only man to win the decathlon and pentathlon in one year. His medals were ripped away when officials learned he had played professional baseball. This was not the era of “the dream team.” They were later restored in 1982.
In 1936 in Berlin, Jesse Owens made his mark in history by taking home four gold medals, including a team medal. Being black, especially competing in Germany, was a feat in itself.
Four decades later, Nadia Comaneci of Romania received three gold medals and seven perfect scores — a first for Olympic gymnastics.
In 1972, the Summer Games were rocked by tragedy in Munich, West Germany, when Palestinian terrorists murdered 11 Olympic team members from Israel. Protests and boycotts over political skirmishes ensued through 1984 when the Games were staged in Los Angeles. The U.S. and some allies boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games, and Russia and other Eastern Bloc countries returned the gesture four years later.
But in the spirit of the Games, 1972 also marked a major year for milestones. U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz won a record seven gold medals at a single Olympics — only to witness Michael Phelps beat the record in Beijing in 2008.
Being an Olympian means overcoming adversity with the world watching. After having set six world records in 1982, U.S. sprinter Mary Decker took a heartbreaking fall when she collided with Zola Budd two years later during the 3,000-meter final. The photo of the young sprinter became one of Time-Life’s most recognized shots of the century.
Speed skater Dan Jansen confronted heartache head-on when the favored athlete lost his chance of bringing home gold in 1988 — the same day his sister died of leukemia. A stumble four years later kept him from earning any hardware. When he finally won gold and set a world record in 1994 on the Lillehammer, Norway, track, a tearful Jansen looked up as though his sister was watching. (He has retold that story as a competitor in the annual celebrity golf tournament on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe.)
Tahoe’s slice of history
It was the Olympic Games of 1960 that placed Lake Tahoe on the map in both a gesture of bravery on the North Shore, and as some would put it, bravado on the South Shore.
South Lake Tahoe historian Betty Mitchell recalls how inspiring it was for the Tahoe region to host the games and for her to see them — sitting on a rooftop to watch ski jumping at Squaw and listening to the music of Walt Disney that still accompanies the Olympics of today.
“Having the Olympics in your country is always exciting, but (Alex) Cushing getting them here is a story in itself. It was a brave thing to do. I think he had a unique idea,” she said of the late founder of Squaw Valley. At the time it was a modest ski area with one rope tow and one chairlift.
Mitchell contends the South Shore should have embraced the Olympics around the lake instead of jacking up prices and “charging an arm and a leg” for lodging.
“The funny thing was, we were not very crowded during the Olympics,” she said. “It’s sad. We don’t have the best reputation around the world you know.”
Still, the longtime resident admits to being enthusiastic about the prospect of a bid in 2022, and more timely, Squaw’s 50-year anniversary falling on the Olympics’ return to the West Coast in Vancouver beginning Feb. 12.
“I hope our kids do well,” she said, adding praise to Sierra-at-Tahoe’s contribution of sponsored athletes to the Olympics. The Tahoe region features a slew of athletes vying for a spot on the ski and snowboard teams — with Squaw’s Jonny Moseley headed to the NBC broadcast booth to give color on his Tahoe buddy Daron Rahlves in skiercross, among other sports.
“We should take pride. This is what this community does in winter. We used to wrap ourselves around skiing,” Mitchell said.
Timing is everything
Tahoe City historian David Antonucci is keeping the spirit and motivation alive by recently releasing a chronicle of the VIII Olympic Winter Games. The book, “Snowball’s Chance,” highlights the quest for gold and green at Squaw Valley.
Antonucci remembers the 1960 Winter Games as the first “techno” Olympics with updated electronic timers to clock the events.
Skating rinks also came into the picture at Squaw.
“Before, we used to have these events on frozen lakes,” he said. “We would have had to have them on Echo or Caples (lakes).”
Fifty years ago, the Games also featured the first biathlon — a sport Northstar-at-Tahoe this season put its weight behind by opening the only official course on the West Coast.
“This is fantastic and will do so much for this sport,” Antonucci said.
South Lake Tahoe resident, Martin Hollay, 89, who volunteered his efforts to build the 1960 cross country ski course in Tahoe City said the addition is inspiring to him.
“You know, I’ve gone out there and found shells from that time,” Hollay said.
Some parts of history never go away.
Publisher’s note: Find out on Feb. 2 what a non-Olympian thinks about skiing the women’s and men’s downhill courses in Whistler.
The Nevada Division of State Parks has approximately $384,000 in federal funds available for local park and recreation capital improvement and acquisition projects through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund program.
Local and tribal governments are potentially eligible for the 50:50 matching grants offered through the program. The due date for applications is April 1.
Application packages, including application forms and the grants manual are available on State Parks’ website: http://parks.nv.gov/lwcf.htm.
Hard copies are available upon request.
Contact Jenny Scanland at (775) 684-2787 or Steve Weaver at (775) 684-2773 for additional information, or send an email to jscanland@parks.nv.gov or jsweaver@parks.nv.gov.
Harveys Outdoor Concert Series at Stateline expects to have 10 acts this summer.
No one is confirmed yet, but the country artists tend to sign first. Sources say it’s likely there will be some returnees to the stage and not all newcomers to Lake Tahoe.
A balance of genres is what the casino folks look for.
Expect some definitive news in February about who will playing at Harveys in summer 2010.
What is the Emergency Preparedness Guide and why is it important? Find out Saturday at 10am on KTHO 96.1-FM and 590-AM when Darcie Carpenter of the Emergency Management Community Council is on the radio. Or listen at www.kthoradio.com.
By Jaclyn O’Malley, Reno Gazette-Journal
A 72-year-old Incline Village woman who was arraigned Thursday is accused of stabbing her elderly husband up to 200 times in a rage that was possibly motivated by her mental anguish over her husband’s onset of dementia and worries about money, according to the warrant charging her with his murder.
Mary Arlayne Baymiller was brought back to Reno Wednesday following her extradition from Fresno, Calif, where she was arrested last week for the murder of her husband, Charles Alan Baymiller, 73.
By Lindsey Sine, USSA
ASPEN — In classic form, Olympic gold medalists Kelly Clark (Mt. Snow, VT) and Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA) topped the superpipe qualifications Thursday night during Winter X Games 14 in Aspen.
Both White and Clark went four for five in the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix tour to qualify first for the 2010 Olympic Team, and the X Games are their last competition stop before heading to Vancouver.
“This is all part of the plan and it’s all about the momentum and confidence that the riders are building as we head to Vancouver,” U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe Head Coach Mike Jankowski said. “It’s all working out and there’s more great things to come.”
Plans of greatness for the Games aside, the lights at Buttermilk Mountain shone bright for the U.S. women heading for Vancouver as the fabulous four of the Olympic Halfpipe Team swept the top four qualification spots.
Coming in just behind Clark was Aspen’s favorite girl-next-door Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO) who threw down for the home crowd. In third, Elena Hight (South Lake Tahoe, CA) delt her trademark nines, and was followed in fourth by Hannah Teter (South Lake Tahoe, CA).
Over in the man cave, no one was a match for White, with Switzerland’s Iouri Podladtchikov falling nearly 10 points behind White to make the second position. Olympic newcomer Greg Bretz (Mammoth Lakes, CA) put the field on notice with his runs, finishing in the third spot to round things out.
The action-sports fiesta continues Friday, starting with men’s and women’s snowboardcross eliminations at 9:30 a.m. MT and gets back into halfpipe for men’s night finals at 7:30 p.m. MT.
Winter X Games 14, Aspen, Jan. 28, Halfpipe Qualifications
Men
1. Shaun White, Carlsbad, CA, 97.66
2. Iouri Podladtchikov, Switzerland, 88.33
3. Greg Bretz, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 87.66
4. Kazuhiro Kokubo, Japan, 84.00
5. JJ Thomas, Breckenridge, CO, 80.00
6. Luke Mitrani , Mammoth Lakes, CA, 79.66
7. Louie Vito, Sandy, UT, 77.66
8. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, CO, 77.00
9. Antti Autti, Finland, 76.66
Women
1. Kelly Clark , Mt. Snow, VT, 96.00
2. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 95.66
3. Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 89.00
4. Hannah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 84.33
5. Ellery Hollingsworth, Stratton, VT, 80.66
6. Soko Yamaoka, Japan, 76.00
7. Queralt Castellet, Spain, 75.33
8. Kaitlyn Farrington, Sun Valley, ID, 74.66
9. Clair Bidez, Minturn, CO, 68.00
Good Evening,
According to Caltrans District Director Jody Jones in a communication to me today the State Highway 50 Road, Water Quality and Beautification Project within the City limits will be brought by Caltrans staff to the California Transportation Commission for allocation of funds (probably at the June or July CTC meeting). Caltrans will then go out to bid. Award is scheduled for Fall 2010 and start of construction will depend on contractor, weather, etc.
This is good news indeed. The first phase project is for that portion of Highway 50 from Ski Run to Trout Creek with water quality, sidewalk, landscaping and lighting improvements.
The news is good, and the construction work will be good for the local economy.
David Jinkens, South Lake Tahoe city manager
The Rotary Club of Truckee’s theme for the 32nd Annual Cadillac Ball on Nov. 13 at the Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe is “Shaken, Not Stirred†a catch phrase of Ian Fleming’s fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond, and his preference for how he wished his martini prepared.
The event features a three-course, gourmet, sit-down dinner, live entertainment and dancing. In addition, there will be an extensive silent and live auction, and grand prize raffle for a 2010 Cadillac SRX.
Event tickets are available for $150 each. Only 350 will be sold, so attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets quickly.
Raffle tickets are $100 each with discounts on multiple raffle tickets priced at three for $275; or 10 for $800.
All net proceeds from the Cadillac Ball go to charities in the community and international Rotary projects.
To purchase tickets, contact Paul Kucharski at (530) 550.3232 or email pakuch@sbcglobal.net. For information on sponsorships, contact Dawn Evans at (530) 582.8664 or email devans@sourcinginterests.org. Information about the Cadillac Ball can be found at www.cadillacball.com.