By Kathryn Reed

A deal between two South Lake Tahoe water companies has been reached. All that is needed is approval by the state Public Utilities Commission. And that could come this week.

The CPUC must approve the expense of the connections that will provide fire suppression, if needed, to the building that houses TJ Maxx at the Y.

Lukins Brothers Water Company has agreed to buy a fire-only connection from South Tahoe Public Utility District for $147,566.52.

When TJ Maxx moved in last fall a temporary agreement was worked out between the water companies. The new agreement is the permanent solution.

The Garfinkles own the TJ Maxx building, which also includes an adjacent empty retail spot. They will be footing the bill.

“I don’t want to charge my customers something they are not benefiting from and the PUC won’t allow it,” Jennifer Lukins, operations manager for Lukins Brothers, told Lake Tahoe News. “The PUC looks at who is requesting service and who is it going to benefit. The Garfinkles are requesting service and the Garfinkles are getting the benefit.”

After the new 8-inch main is in place, the existing intertie between the two water systems at Eloise Avenue and Dunlap Street will be closed.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Department is also requiring a private fire hydrant be installed on site.

When TJ Maxx moved in they required that all utilities be separated from the adjoining building. However, the changes will benefit that side of the building as well. The Garfinkles are in negotiations with a potential tenant for that section, but nothing could move forward without the water situation being resolved.

Another factor in all of this is that the building next to the Garfinkles’, which is owned by someone else, could tap into the 8-inch line. If that were to occur, the two property owners would split the cost.

“Any sprinkler system required for a new building being discussed at the location of the old AAA building could also be connected to a short extension of the 8-inch main as well,” explained South Tahoe PUD General Manager Richard Solbrig.

There have been preliminary discussions of tearing down the existing building and replacing it with something else.

Personal fireworks are banned from the Lake Tahoe Basin.

CalFire is encouraging everyone in El Dorado County to celebrate Independence Day by attending one or all of the following local events.

June 29, Cameron Park Lake, Cameron Park from 2-10pm. Fun and games for the entire family. Fireworks in the evening.

July 3, El Dorado Hills Towne Center, El Dorado Hills from 6-11:30pm. A jubilee of entertainment for the whole family ending with a fireworks program.

July 4, El Dorado County Fairground, Placerville from 4-10pm. Fireworks show, music, food and fun.

July 4, South Lake Tahoe Lights on the Lake Fireworks Display. Show begins at 9:45pm.

Every year CalFire responds to wildland fires caused by safe and sane fireworks, putting people’s lives and property in jeopardy. There is “zero tolerance” when it comes to the use or possession of fireworks in El Dorado County by CalFire, local fire districts and the local law enforcement agencies.

By Deanna Hearn, Nevada Today

When contemplating works of art, the gambling industry is not typically top of mind. But at UNR’s Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center beginning July 1, more than 80 pieces of imaginative and entertaining artworks depicting the world of gambling and casinos will be on display throughout the library in a tribute to Reno’s longtime gaming industry.

An opening reception for the public will be July 7 from 3-5pm. There will be people on each floor to discuss the art and answer questions, some of the local artists will be available and those in attendance will receive a free, 56-page commemorative booklet. The exhibit continues through Sept. 15.

“Card Shark” by Joan Arrizabalaga is part of the exhibit.

The centerpiece of the exhibit includes many of the 26 whimsical sculptures from eight artists who were commissioned by Stremmel Gallery for Harrah’s Reno in 1995 when Harrah’s opened the Hampton Inn tower, which has since been rebranded by Harrah’s. The sculptures playfully evoke casino life including ceramic and fabric slot machines and blue and white cows sitting around a blackjack table.

According to Donnelyn Curtis, head of the library’s Special Collections and University Archives Department, Jim Rogers, president and CEO of Kampgrounds of America (KOA), was the senior vice president and general manager at Harrah’s at the time, and he was the driving force behind the creation of the sculpture exhibit.

“Because Jim still has a home in Reno and is excited about the revival of the sculptures, he paid for new Plexiglas cases for some of them,” Curtis said. Rogers was recently featured on CBS Television’s Undercover Boss.

“This show involves people from both the local art and casino worlds,” said Curtis. “There is a tradition among people involved with casinos to appreciate the art that relates to their world which includes many motifs such as luck and chance, drama, obsession and all those themes we see in casinos. There are also many motifs from art and cultural history than end up in casino design. The design of face cards – kings, queens, jacks and jokers – is derived from European royalty, and games like faro date back to the 1600s in European culture when the cards displayed pictures of Egyptian pharaohs, part of a fad that existed at the time to revive Egyptian art.

“There is also a great deal of symbolism in casino games and art. Certain artworks depict the devil because some believe there is a sinful association. Others don’t think gambling should be honored, but it’s part of our history and our culture, and people have had fun not only with the gambling but also creating the art derived from gambling themes. That’s really what we are celebrating. Just like any exhibit we do that involves historical materials, we’re trying to honor nostalgia and help people remember earlier times in Reno,” Curtis said.

The exhibit also features showgirl costumes, neon signs, old slot machines, advertising art, photographs of performers, postcards and many visual representations of casino culture as context and background to the art exhibit.

“This isn’t a typical special collections exhibit that features historical pieces owned by the University; it is really an art show with historical, borrowed art,” said Curtis. “There are some good, serious designers who did great work, but it often got swallowed up in the distractions inside a casino.”

Local artist Joan Arrizabalaga, a casino show wardrobe mistress for many years, is curator of the show.

“Joan is the curator because we are using so much of her art, and she was the entrée into this entire collection of work,” Curtis said. “She has many connections in the local art world, and she told us about the Harrah’s sculptures. We worked with Turkey Stremmel, gallery director at Stremmel Gallery, and found the sculptures in a warehouse.”

The artists and the collections include: Bob Adams, Kathleen Akers, Joan Arrizabalaga, Erni Cabat, Dwight Davidson, Paul DiPasqua, Mary Lee Fulkerson, Mistinguett, Mick Sheldon, Peter Shire, Therman Statom, Larry Williamson, the Will Durham neon collection, the Karen Burns MGM costume collection, IGT conceptual drawings, University special collections photographs, the Marshall Fey antique slot machine collection, Joe McKenna gambling ephemera, Steve Stremmel slot machines and the Donald Spaulding photo collection.

This year’s exhibit is, for the third year, in partnership with Reno Artown.

Three people were injured after two vehicles collided near Zephyr Cove early Wednesday morning.

Nevada Highway Patrol troopers are still investigating what led to the crash at 6:50am June 26 on Highway 50 just west of Zephyr Cover.

The driver of this vehicle was not hurt June 26. Photo/Provided

Names of the people involved in the accident have not been released.

Troopers say a green 1993 Cadillac four-door sedan was going east when the male adult driver crossed the double-yellow line. That vehicle struck the front portion of an approaching blue 2010 Subaru Forester that was driven by an adult female.

The male driver sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to Renown Medical Center in Reno by Care Flight. The two young children riding with him received minor injuries and were transported by ground ambulance to Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe. The female driver was not injured.

All lanes of the highway were closed for about 90 minutes.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

South Lake Tahoe Recreation Department is partnering with the Tahoe Tri Club to host a kids’ triathlon June 30 at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Complex. Registration for the event is $35.

The Tahoe Kids Triathlon is for ages 3-13.

The triathlon course includes the recreation complex swimming pool, parking lot, and greenway that surrounds the campground.

A post-race party, barbecue and awards will follow the triathlon.

Arrive at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Complex by 2pm to pick up race packets and have time to set up your transition area. Races will begin at 3pm.

The Recreation Complex is located at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd.

For more information, contact Jason Collin at (530) 307.3316.

By Laura Cole, CBS-13

El Dorado County Supervisor Ray Nutting has been indicted by a grand jury on four felony counts, CBS13 has learned.

After more than a dozen witnesses’ testimony, jurors at a May closed-door hearing determined there was enough evidence to indict the El Dorado County supervisor.

Nutting’s family received or applied for $206,000 in taxpayer money for clearing brush and trimming trees on his own land.

Ray Nutting

However, in a 2009 state invoice, Nutting said none of the money was for work that he performed himself.

Nutting eventually said it was a clerical error committed by Mark Stewart, an expert hired to oversee his project.

Under sworn testimony, Stewart admits it was his fault, saying “It should not have been a zero, and I think that was (sic) mistake where I had printed out.”

He goes on to say, “I didn’t catch that the zero was for my own labor on there.”

But Nutting still signed the invoice, and the grand jury found enough evidence to charge the supervisor with filing a false document.

Nutting’s also indicted for failing to report more than $120,000 on his state financial-disclosure forms, and voting to approve more than $600,000 in taxpayer money toward contracts to districts which had a role in awarding him state grants.

And under grand jury questioning, Nutting invoked his Fifth Amendment right and was excused.

But last week he issued a public statement saying, I fully intend to be acquitted in a court of law as quickly as possible, and then return to perform all the duties for which I was elected.”

Nutting still hasn’t been arraigned and doesn’t have a date for his arraignment, yet. This is because of the difficulty in finding a judge in the county who doesn’t have a potential conflict of interest with the supervisor. The trial will begin once the arraignment is complete.

It’s Olympic Day at the South Lake Tahoe BMX track on June 28.

The single point race is free. No USA BMX membership required to participate

All ages and abilities are welcome.

Registration is from 4:30-6pm, with races to start immediately after that.

The track is at 1180 Lyons Ave., South Lake Tahoe.

For more info, email jason@usasa.org.

The flag outside the Live Violence Free office in South Tahoe. Photo/LTN

The U.S. Supreme Court today on a 5-4 vote has ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional, and on another 5-4 vote said California’s Proposition 8 has no standing.

This means Proposition 8 is invalid and gays in California can marry. It is a California-only ruling.

The dissolution of DOMA means gay and lesbian couples who are legally married will be able to receive the same federal benefits as heterosexual married couples. This includes Social Security, disability, retirement benefits, worker’s comp, family leave and filing joint federal income tax returns. There are more than 1,000 benefits that will be affected.

In California 18,000 couples married in the brief time the state allowed gays to married. Those couples will be granted federal benefits with DOMA going away.

Here is a copy of the DOMA court ruling. Here is a copy of the Proposition 8 ruling.

President Obama tweeted his approval of the ruling, saying, “Love is love.”

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

On July 20, the Friends of the Library will be having a huge book sale with hundreds of previously read, and loved books (some new) being sold.

Members get access at 9am, while the public may start buying at 10am.

Then at noon, The “Alan Miller Trio”, will be playing Jazz standards and a few surprises on the lawn, during the book sale.

Buy your books, bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it at the library — 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

By Kathryn Reed

Leon Abravanel wonders where the two best players on his high school team might be today if they would have had the opportunity to play soccer after graduation.

“The repercussions of something like this are huge – not just for (kids) right out of high school, but for the whole community,” Abravanel told the Lake Tahoe Community College board of education Tuesday night.

The something was the unanimous approval of women and men’s intercollegiate soccer programs. The first games should be played in fall 2014.

While the LTCC college board on June 25 was voting to approve an intercollegiate soccer program, an adult league used what will be the home field for the college team. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Abravanel came up from Southern California to tell his story to the board on June 25. He’s a native of South Lake Tahoe, having graduated from South Tahoe High School in 2004. He was part of the soccer team in 2003 that won the first state championship for the Vikings. That was the year they were ranked 19th in the nation. He played Division I collegiate soccer and was a professional player for four years. Now he coaches fulltime.

“There’s not a lot of opportunity here, especially for the Hispanic community,” Abravanel said of soccer. “Many had no opportunity to go farther than high school.”

His two teammates he wonders about; they are in jail.

Tuesday’s staff report says, “A recent (California Community College Athletics Association) study on student-athlete academic performance, moreover, showed that athletes transferred at higher rates to four-year postsecondary institutions, achieved higher GPAs and were about twice as likely to earn a degree or certificate than there non-athletic counterparts. This same study indicated that athletes graduate at higher percentages than the general population — 77 percent to 61 percent – and earn higher salaries than their non-athlete peers once in adult life.”

One of the goals with the creation of what will be LTCC’s only intercollegiate sports programs is to attract more Hispanics to the college. It is also in line with the quest to be a destination college.

To play, the athletes must take a full load of classes.

Next up is for the college to make a formal request to the Big 8 Conference, which has eight women’s teams and five men’s. Colleges in the conference include American River, Consumnes River, Diablo Valley, Modesto, Santa Rosa, Sierra, Sacramento City and San Joaquin Delta.

When LTCC had a soccer program years ago it was part of the Golden Valley Conference, which has schools farther north.

By October, LTCC expects to hire Tim Johnson as athletic director and finalize who will be the coaches. Johnson, who is a physical education teacher at LTCC, has been the main force behind the soccer proposal.

It’s expected each team would have about 20 players and play 18 to 20 games in the fall. LTCC would use the field next to the college.

The start-up costs are estimated at just more than $10,000 for the program. The entire program is expected to cost about $100,000 each year. However, net revenue of about $40,000 is anticipated based on projected increase in enrollment.