By Sam Stanton, Sacramento Bee
The images conjured up by the allegations against Nancy Garrido’s attorney are almost laughable: a lawyer drinking in his country club bar and boasting about the huge case he’s been handed.
But are they enough to warrant his removal from the case?
That was the issue legal experts were considering this week as Gilbert Maines fought to stay on one of the biggest cases of any lawyer’s career.
By Kathryn Reed
Effective today, Stephen Wysong has resigned as treasurer of South Lake Tahoe, a position he has had since 1990.
Wysong is the second person to have this elected position — the other being John Upton. When the city was first incorporated in 1965 the treasurer position was not part of the mix.
Stephen Wysong
For a while, the treasurer attended City Council meetings. When Wysong realized no one was asking questions, he opted not to attend the lengthy sessions.
Wysong did not return calls or an email. He has been ill for a number of months.
“I was referred to Hospice care on November 24, 2009,” Wysong wrote in his resignation letter. “My oncologist indicates I likely have three months or less to live.”
The certified public accountant worked for the Internal Revenue Service before opening his own practice in South Lake Tahoe.
He and his first wife, Linda, raised their two children here. Andrew and Kelly were valedictorians of their classes at South Tahoe High School. Both went on to graduate from Cal.
“He never missed a Cal football game. He was very much a family man,” said Jean Burns, who is a neighbor of Wysong and his wife, Robyn.
Burns said she is used to seeing Wysong out walking the family dogs.
“He is very much an animal lover,” Burns said. “Their front door mat says ‘this household is run solely for the comfort of our pets’.”
Kiwanis has been a huge part of Wysong’s life. Dave Borges met Wysong in 1985 in the service club.
“He has helped this community socially and economically,” Borges said. “He is very unpretentious. If something needs to be done, he rolls up his sleeves and does it.”
Borges relayed the story of how when Wysong was young he didn’t do well in school until someone told him he needed glasses. His family was too poor to buy them. The Lions club came through with glasses and Wysong started producing A’s in school.
Ron Weibel has also been a member of Kiwanis of Lake Tahoe with Wysong.
“He has been the backbone of the Kiwanis club for quite some time,”Weibel said.
One trait Weibel said Wysong has is being a “tremendous listener”. He also praised how good a father Wysong is.
He liked to play sports with his kids and continued to do so after they left home. Wysong was an avid skier in the winter and liked to be out on the lake in the summer.
As city treasurer, his main duties were to invest the city’s funds.
The city has 30 days to appoint a replacement. If this doesn’t happen, a special election must be called. This would likely cost about $25,000.
Deputy City Treasurer MaryAnne Brand will fill the role until a permanent replacement is named. She is the person Wysong recommends serve out his term that expires at the end of 2010. She works in the city’s finance department as well.
The council next meets Dec. 8 and the issue is on the agenda. If a decision is not made Tuesday, it’s likely a special council meeting will need to be called.
By Sallie Ross-Filgo
Select a fresh tree with good color and firm, flexible needles that do not easily pull from the branches.
Place the tree in plain water immediately after re-cutting the trunk at least one-half inch above the old cut. The container you use for your tree should hold 2 to 4 quarts of water. The longer you wait to place your tree in water, the greater the chances are that it will lose the required moisture content to keep it fresh through the holiday season. Never place your tree on a wooden stand.
Locate the tree away from sources of heat. Avoid placing the tree near heaters, wood stoves, fireplaces, large appliances, such as TVs, and direct sunlight. Be careful not to block a door or other exitway with the tree or rearranged furniture.
Use mini-lights on your tree and never place candles on or near your tree. Remove your Christmas tree as soon as possible after the holiday.
Never burn your Christmas tree or wrapping paper in the fireplace. The rapid burning and excessive heat can damage the firebox and chimney creating a serious fire hazard.
The SLTFD wants to wish everyone a fun and safe holiday season.
Sallie Ross-Filgo works for the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department.
By Jeff Delong, Reno Gazette-Journal
Most ski resorts rated highly for efforts to protect sensitive watersheds and habitat but are doing too little to respond to climate change, a coalition of environmental groups reports.
Sixteen of 20 ski resorts in California and Nevada got a B grade or better for watershed protection, while 17 earned similar grades for protecting habitat in the ninth annual environmental report card released by the Ski Area Citizens Coalition.
Alpine Meadows will open Dec. 5 with beginner through advanced terrain via Roundhouse high speed quad chair and Meadow double chair from 9am to 4pm, weather and conditions permitting.
“The Alpine Meadows snowmaking team has taken advantage of the cold temperatures throughout the past month to prepare for opening day,†Kent Hoopingarner, Alpine Meadows general manager, said in a press release. “The cold weather has also helped the mountain retain the natural snowfall from storms leading up to opening day.”
Dining, rental equipment, and other resort services will include the Meadows Café & Coffee Bar; the Compactor Bar; Estelle Sports retail shop; season pass office; snow sports school and Kids’ Camp; and the ski/snowboard rental shop – all located in the base lodge.
Opening day full-day adult and teen lift ticket price is $44; and tickets for children ages 5-12 is $15.
The El Dorado County Health Services Department, Public Health Division ‘s H1N1 (swine) flu vaccination clinics scheduled for mid-December will be open to all El Dorado County residents.
El Dorado County Health Officer Olivia Kasirye is also advising local physicians in the community, who have been focused on vaccinating high risk individuals over the past several weeks, that they may now offer the vaccine more broadly to their patients who want it.
The vaccine will be administered subject to availability. The upcoming H1N1 vaccination clinic dates and locations include:
Dec. 14 from 1-4 p.m. at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive, Placerville, in the Organ Room.
Dec. 17 from 4-7pm at Lake Tahoe Community College, One College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, in the Board Room/Aspen Room. (The South Lake Tahoe clinic is co-hosted by the Health Services Department, Barton Health, Lake Tahoe Unified School District and Lake Tahoe Community College.)
Kirkwood Mountain Resort will open Dec. 4 with intermediate terrain along with a handful of terrain park features including boxes and rails.
Lift ticket pricing for opening weekend is scheduled to be $37 for adults (ages 19 to 64). A full list of pricing across all age groups is available online at www.kirkwood.com/tickets/.
“Forecasters are calling for a dramatic change in the weather pattern next week,” Tim Cohee, the resort’s senior vice president, said in an email. “The amount of snowfall predicted will likely allow us to open much more terrain by next weekend, Dec. 12 and 13.”
By Whitworth University staff
SPOKANE — Whitworth University is sending three swimmers to compete at the 2009 AT&T Short Course National Championships, December 3-5, at the Weyerhaueser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash.
Natalie Turner (Sr., South Lake Tahoe), Michael Woodward (Jr., Springfield, Ore.) and Rory Buck (So., Dubai, U.A.E.) will race against the top swimmers in the United States, including U.S. Olympians Rebecca Soni, Margaret Hoelzer, Eric Shanteau, Dana Vollmer, and Katie Hoff.
The Tahoe Choir presents the music of J.S. Bach with a string quartet Dec. 4 and Dec. 5 at 8pm at the LTCC Duke Theatre in South Lake Tahoe.
Tickets may be purchased at the door for $l0 for adults and $8 for seniors and students.
There will be a performance at St. Theresa’s at a 3pm matinee on Dec. 6th.
Also being performed is Camille St. Saens’ Carnival of the Animals featuring the double piano rendition talents of Salli Parker and Mo Leonard. The work will also be narrated. The full choir will open with audience favorites and a small ensemble will sing music from the Renaissance. The entire concert will be conducted by Linda Mitchell.
Parking is free at both locations. And refreshments may be purchased during intermission at all three concerts.
It’s another great day to be on the slopes at Lake Tahoe. Read the ski report brought to you by Curtis Fong, the Guy from Lake Tahoe. If you are on the South Shore tonight, Warren Miller’s latest movie is showing at MontBleu and again on Saturday.