By Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times

Most physicians in the United States believe that overtreatment is harmful, wasteful and common.

Researchers surveyed 2,106 physicians in various specialties regarding their beliefs about unnecessary medical care. On average, the doctors believed that 20.6 percent of all medical care was unnecessary, including 22 percent of prescriptions, 24.9 percent of tests and 11.1 percent of procedures. The study is in PLOS One.

Nearly 85 percent said the reason for overtreatment was fear of malpractice suits, but that fear is probably exaggerated, the authors say. Only 2 to 3 percent of patients pursue litigation, and paid claims have declined sharply in recent decades.

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Meg Kiihne loads abandoned bikes into a U-haul on the Playa. Photo/Provided

By Ally Gravina, Moonshine Ink

Every year, thousands of bikes are left scattered throughout the post-Burning Man Playa. This year, however, the number of abandoned bikes was more than double the usual numbers, with an estimated 4,000 left behind. Typically, the process of distributing these bikes to various nonprofit organizations is streamlined and organized. However, with the massive amount of bikes left on the Playa this year, event organizers entered crisis mode and photos of piles of abandoned bikes ended up on social media.

Truckee resident Meg Kiihne saw the viral photos of an event that has “leave no trace” as one of its 10 principals. Thanks to a unique set of skills and an established community of friends in the Turks and Caicos, she knew that she could leverage her talents and the surpluses of abandoned bikes in Black Rock City for disaster rebuilding efforts on the small British territory. The Turks and Caicos were hit by Hurricane Irma, a Category 5, on Sept. 7 with gusts up to 150 miles per hour. Hurricane Maria then hit.

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By Bradley Anderson

Should men have their PSA checked?

Not too many years ago, the answer to that question would have been a simple one: “of course!” After all, the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test was an amazing breakthrough that for the first time allowed prostate cancer to be detected before it was too late. 

Bradley Anderson

In the days before the PSA test, by the time prostate cancer was diagnosed, it had almost always spread through the body – it was already metastatic.

The excitement over PSA testing to screen for prostate cancer was later found to have a cloud hanging over it: urologists were finding far more cases of prostate cancer than had been found in earlier times. While patients were unquestionably being cured of prostate cancer who before would have died from it, there were other patients being diagnosed and treated who in the days before PSA would simply have lived out their lives without even knowing that they had a mild form of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer, which before was underdiagnosed, was now being overtreated.

This was well-known to urologists, but the problem was this: who needed to be treated, and who was safe to watch? Fortunately, large studies were already under way at institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University. These research studies proved conclusively that a large percentage of men with low grade and low volume cancer could be watched closely, without needing to go through the risk and expense of major surgery or full courses of radiation therapy. 

In the early 2000s, urologists began to transition rapidly into doing surveillance on a sizeable number of patients who were diagnosed with prostate cancer. This has proven to be completely safe as long as patients are carefully selected by strict criteria. I estimate that at least 40 percent of the patients I have diagnosed in the last 15 years have been best served by observation – not active treatment – and this has been great for patients.

Many people have heard of PSA testing as being controversial. I’ve had patients say to me: “I’ve heard PSA is a bad test.” This is too simplistic. The official recommendation of most official medical organizations is that providers should discuss the pros and cons of PSA testing with their patients before ordering the test. Men between the ages of 55 and 69 should be having this conversation. In practice, however, a lot of men simply aren’t being tested at all until it is too late, and as a result, I have seen more men with metastatic prostate cancer in the last five years than I had seen in the previous 15.

My recommendation? Ask your provider to do the PSA test every year starting at age 55 (at age 40 if African-American or if you have a family history) – and if it is high, then see a urologist who takes a cautious approach. Treatment is still the safest thing for many patients, but in 2017, you want to think surveillance first – not treatment first.

Bradley Anderson is a board certified urologist at Barton Urology.

By Jenny Kane, Reno Gazette-Journal

While the sky will appear to have a new star next summer, it will actually be something far more rare. 

With the naked eye, onlookers will actually be squinting at the world’s first-ever piece of “space art.”

The Nevada Museum of Art is working on a $1.3 million project called the “Orbital Reflector,” a sleek slice of futuristic art dreamed up by Trevor Paglen, an internationally known contemporary artist currently based in Berlin. 

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Based on decades of exploring California’s backcountry, the “California Field Atlas” is Obi Kaufmann’s compilation of hundreds of hand-painted maps detailing the striking topography of the Golden State.

Obi Kaufmann

Kaufmann will be at Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City on Oct. 2 at 6:30pm to talk about the book. There will be a Q&A following the presentation. He will also be signing books.

The “Field Atlas” creates an elemental narrative of the shaping forces of earth, air, fire, and water. Kaufmann’s watercolor paintings bring soul and color to the overly computerized world of mapping.

Kaufmann will arrive at Alpenglow Sports at 3pm to create a Lake Tahoe-centric painting. This painting will then be raffled off at the show with the proceeds to benefit the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science.

Entry is $7 at the door.

Kick off this Halloween season with what it is said to be a spine-tingling tale of mystery, suspense, and maybe a ghost or two.

Opening night of “The Woman in Black” is Oct. 6 at Valhalla.

The South Shore performance of this play is Oct. 6-8 and Oct. 12-15, 7:30pm. Tickets range from $15 to $30 and are available online.

Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, travels to the countryside to attend the funeral of his client, Mrs. Alice Drablow, and to settle her estate. At the funeral, he catches an unsettling glimpse of a mysterious woman in black. Arthur soon finds that the locals are terrified at the mere mention of her, for it is said that anyone who sees the woman in black will suffer a terrible fate.

Secrets from the past slowly unravel as Kipps explores the Eel Marsh House estate, but he soon finds that the dead won’t be left behind.

In production since 1989, this thriller was adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the book by Susan Hill.

Edwin A. “Jack” Lake died Sept. 13, 2017, at home with his two daughters by his side. He was 86.

Named at birth Edwin Aaron Lake, at a very young age he let it be known he wanted to be called Jack.

He was born Dec. 6, 1930, in Chickasha, Okla., to Edwin Aaron Lake and Ruth Llene Lake. He was raised in Ninnekah, Okla., by his mother and step-father Jack Webster Tilton. He and younger brother, Billy Lee Tilton, grew up on the family dairy farm.

He graduated high school in 1948 in Ninnekah, completing his final requirements for graduation by reciting the lyrics of his favorite Hank Williams song.

On March 4, 1949, he and his beloved high school sweetheart Jeanneane Thornton were married. They then moved to Oklahoma City where he attended Hills Business University and worked for the state Office of Farmer’s Home Administration. Their three children were born in Oklahoma City.

Jack spent his early career in professional photography. He and Jeanneane owned and operated a camera store and studio in Duncan, Okla. He later served with U.S. Army Signal Corp as a civilian photographer based at White Sands Missile range in New Mexico. While based there, he spent three years in the Arctic at Fort Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, where both the U.S. and Canadian governments were supporting the International Geophysical Solar Research Program.

The family moved to Merced in 1964. There, they owned and operated a retail store for several years. In 1971, they moved to South Lake Tahoe, where he began his illustrious real estate career. They lived and worked at the original Lakeland Village. He established Lake Realty and became the “quintessential” agent for Lakeland Village property owners for the next 45 years.

In March 1976, he and Jeanneane moved to the Carson Valley, which became their much loved home until the time of their deaths.

His life’s passions were photography, flying, horses, camping, and fishing and ever-expanding collection of country music. But, most of all, was his love of family.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife of 63 years, Jeanneane and his son, Carl Dean.

He is survived by his brother, Bill (Edna) Tilton of Alabama; daughters Linda Sue (Tim) Noble of Gilroy and Carol Jean “CJ” Lake-Johnson of Gardnerville; granddaughters Jennifer (Peter) Beninger of Gilroy; Katy (Mark) Gardner of Dayton, and Kimberly (Landon) Smallwood of Gardnerville; grandsons Jason (Andrea) Lake of Minden and Ryan Noble of Gilroy; great-grandchildren Tyler Dean Lake, Lucas James Noble, Everett Ryan Noble, Isabella Hope Beninger, Kendra Jewell Gardner, Landon Kayne Smallwood, Avalon Grace Beninger, twins Travis Robert Gardner and Trevor Stevon Gardner, and Daymian Jack Smallwood; a cousin in Texas and numerous nieces and nephews in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia, and Alabama.

He was buried at the Genoa Cemetery. The family is planning a celebration of life at a later date.

Three are exhibits will launch at Lake Tahoe Community College on Sept. 28

Free artist receptions will occur simultaneously from 5-7pm. This will provide an opportunity for people to meet the artists whose work will be on display.

In the Haldan Art Gallery located in the library building will be Frances Melhop’s “Comstock Portrait Project, 2013-2017.” Melhop will deliver an artist’s talk about her photographs at 5:30pm. Since moving to Nevada, Melhop has worked with people from frontier mining towns like Silver City, Gold Hill and Virginia City, capturing these small time capsules of the old American Wild West.

In the main building on campus, award-winning artwork by LTCC’s students in the 2017 Student Winners Exhibition will be on display. The artwork featured in this exhibit took home awards at the annual Student Art Exhibition last spring.

In the LTCC Foyer Gallery located in the Fine Arts Building will be a collection of photographs in the exhibit, “Jessica Heath: Left Behind.” Heath is a photographer based in South Lake Tahoe whose work showcases a strong sense of composition, focusing on abstract shapes, close-ups, textures, lines, and shadows

All of these exhibits will remain open through Dec. 1. The Haldan Art Gallery hours are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11am-5:30pm and Fridays from 11am-2:30pm. The Foyer Gallery and Student Gallery can be accessed Monday through Friday, 8am-8pm and Saturdays, 8am-4pm.

Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority has $51,000 to give to local nonprofits from proceeds from the American Century Championship.

Applications are due Oct. 13.

LTVA in partnership with NBC Sports and American Century Investments, already gave $62,000 to volunteer organizations that worked at the event and to other initiatives during tournament week. Recipients included area high schools, Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe Booster Club, Tahoe Fund and Gene Upshaw Scholarship Fund.

The application is available online under Community News and must be received by noon Oct. 13. Recipients will be presented with checks at the LTVA board meeting on Nov. 9 at 3pm.

Susie Laney

Susan (Susie) Patricia Laney passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 12, 2017, surrounded by her family after a two-year battle with cancer. She was 49.

Susie was born Nov. 24, 1967, with her surviving twin sister, Lisa Watson, to Paul Watson and Beverly Pinkley.

Susie worked as an assistant to appraiser Randee Pelcher in Gardnerville. For the past eight years she worked as the office manager for physician Scott Southard.

She was a devoted wife, loving mother, giving sister and dedicated friend. She was an active member of LifePoint Church in Minden and Sierra Community Church in South Lake Tahoe. Susie gave of herself to the In Jesus Name Medical Ministry and Overcomers Outreach. She was a grateful recovering addict and shared the gospel with everyone she met.

Her favorite thing to do was be on the lake in the sun with family and watching her daughter play sports.

Susie is survived by her children, Austin Robinson and Harmony Laney; husband Shannon Laney and his two children, Brittany Laney and Brandon Laney; twin sister Lisa Watson, and sisters, Donna Allard and Diane Watson; brother Daniel Watson; father Paul Watson and stepmother, Vivian Watson; aunt Dorothy Watson; and many in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Susie was preceded in death by her mother, Beverly Pinkley; brother, Michael Watson; and  daughter, Cierra Lisa Watson Barcus.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, make donations to Overcomers Outreach c/o Sierra Community Church, 1165 Sierra Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. You may also donate online.

Susie’s celebration of life will be Sept. 23 at 10am at Sierra Community Church, 1165 Sierra Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.