By Shelby Grad, Los Angeles Times

Drought-stricken California might have a hidden water bonanza.

A Stanford University study released Monday said the state has three times more groundwater located in deep aquifers than earlier estimated.

According to a Stanford news release, the water is 1,000 to 3,000 feet underground. Until recently it was considered difficult to retrieve water from that depth. The quality of the water is questionable, researchers said, noting that desalination might be required.

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More than 1,882 pounds of illegal fireworks were confiscated from the bug station in Truckee this month.

CalFire had a special investigation going on there and in San Bernardino to try to catch as many people as possible before the contraband could be used this holiday weekend.

At the sting in Truckee seven people were arrested on felony charges, while 20 others received misdemeanor citations.

In San Bernardino County, 25,406 pounds of illegal fireworks were found, which culminated in two felony arrests and 51 misdemeanor citations.

“Any person who starts a fire from fireworks — even accidentally — can be held liable for the fire-fighting costs as well as property damage costs,” CalFire Director Ken Pimott said in a press release.

Personal fireworks are illegal in the Lake Tahoe Basin year-round.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

The Trailhead Fire burning in El Dorado and Placer counties has charred 1,264 acres and is 12 percent contained.

As of 9am Thursday, there was a voluntary evacuation for the community of Volcanoville. There are 2,600 structures that are threatened.

On June 29, crews on the north side of the Middle Fork of the American River worked to construct containment line on the west and southwest sides of the fire, constructing line from Peachstone Gulch north up the Western States Trail to protect the communities of Todd Valley and Foresthill. That work is continuing today.

“Steep, inaccessible terrain in Otter Creek made firefighting in the drainage too dangerous, and crews will work today to build indirect from Fords Bar south to Bottle Hill and then east along the Hornblend Mountains, towards Jakeys’ Hill,” according to CalFire.

The cause of the fire that started the afternoon of June 28 remains under investigation.

There will be a public meeting June 30 at 7pm at the Golden Sierra High School where fire staff will give an informational update and answer questions.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

May was not a good month for Stateline casinos, which saw revenues drop 15.12 percent to $13.7 million compared to 2015.

The Gaming Control Board today said Nevada casinos won more than $958 million in May. This is 4.53 percent drop from a year ago.

Most of the state saw numbers decline.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

A Truckee man was arrested this week on felony domestic violence and felony false imprisonment charges.

Greg Rowland

Officers said they found a woman crying and bleeding from her mouth on June 27 at 7:30pm outside a residence on Trout Creek Road.

She told officers her live-in boyfriend, Greg Rowland, 51, had beaten her and held her against her will in the residence throughout the evening. The victim told officers she crawled out the bathroom window after Rowland boarded the door shut and took her phone away.

Officers located Rowland hiding near the residence. He was initially uncooperative and holding an ax as officers approached him.

During the investigation it was determined Rowland was also in violation of requirements to register as a sex offender and he had allegedly assaulted the victim a week ago near Boca Reservoir, causing numerous additional injuries to her.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette-Journal

In a move that a Renown Health executive described as a “game changer” for the community, the Reno-based healthcare network announced a partnership with several Stanford University health entities on Tuesday.

The deal with Stanford Health Care, Stanford Children’s Health and Stanford Medicine expands the specialty services available to Renown patients, who will now have access to the advanced care available in Stanford’s network.

Examples include services for children with conditions such as cancer or brain tumors that require treatment not available in the area, said Tony Slonim, Renown Health president and CEO.

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Six mosquito samples and one dead bird have tested positive for West Nile virus this week in Placer County.

The mosquito samples were collected from sites along the county’s western border, from as far south as the north Elverta area, and as far north as Lincoln. The dead bird was collected from Rocklin.

Mosquito numbers have also increased in the past week, most likely from sustained higher temperatures.

“We are concerned that the timing of this increase in West Nile virus activity comes right before a long holiday weekend, when people are more likely to be spending a lot of time outdoors, especially during the dusk and evening hours,” Joel Buettner, Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District, said in a press release.

The district is planning aerial treatments tonight and ground-based treatments Thursday morning for adult mosquitoes.

By Associated Press

It’s going to be a busy holiday weekend on the nation’s highways.

A record 43 million Americans are expected to travel this Independence Day weekend, with the overwhelming majority driving, according to AAA, a car lobbying group and one of the nation’s largest travel agencies. This tops the joint record set last year and in 2007.

Lower gas prices, strong consumer confidence and a generally healthy domestic economy have led more families to take trips this summer.

AAA estimates that U.S. drivers have saved $20 billion on gasoline so far this year compared to the same period last year. Gas prices as of June 20 were 46 cents per gallon below prices from a year ago.

“We are well on our way for 2016 to be a record-breaking year for summertime travel,” said AAA President and CEO Marshall Doney.

Ahead of last year’s holiday, AAA predicted that 41.9 million people would travel 50 miles or more from home during the weekend. AAA has since revised that number to say that 42.3 million people actually traveled. This year’s estimate — the highest since AAA started tracking in 2001 — is for 42.9 million travelers with 84 percent of them driving.

The holiday travel period is defined as June 30 to July 4.

The number of travelers is estimated to be 10.7 percent higher than the average number during the past 15 years.

Douglas County sheriff’s deputies are searching for this man.

US Bank on Kingsbury Grade in Stateline was robbed this afternoon at gunpoint.

The amount of money taken has not been disclosed. The suspect reportedly had a gun and passed a note to a teller at 3:19pm June 29.

The suspect is described as a white man in his mid-20s, 6-feet-tall, blond hair, wearing a black fleece type jacket and white shorts entered the business and passed a note to a teller.

There are conflicting reports of his vehicle. One witness reported a black four-door vehicle with a single occupant waiting nearby. A second person reported the suspect vehicle may be a silver or champagne colored hatchback.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Kathryn Reed

Voters on the California side of the South Shore have yet another decision to make in November – an initiative regarding the loop road.

The measure brought forward by a group of locals has the requisite number of signatures to place on the ballot. At the July 19 South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting the electeds can enact what the petitioners want or put it on the ballot. The latter is the likely course of action based on stances and comments they’ve made in the past.

“This particular initiative is saying the city of South Lake Tahoe shall not approve or support the realignment of Highway 50, commonly known as the loop road, unless it gets the support of voters for a specific proposal,” Bruce Grego told Lake Tahoe News. He is one of the main backers of the proposal and has long been an opponent of the loop road. “This particular initiative provides a choice … that the city cannot approve a realignment without voters’ approval.”

A simple 50 percent majority is needed for it to pass.

“If this passes, then the city will have to put on a future ballot a specific realignment,” Grego said.

The Tahoe Transportation District, which is the lead agency for the project, is in the process of developing environmental documents. From those a preferred alternative will come forth. It is that alternative that voters would weigh in on via a second ballot measure down the road – assuming the first ballot measure passes.

City Attorney Tom Watson told Lake Tahoe News, “Even if the vote is overwhelmingly against the project, the city can’t do anything to prevent it because it is not the city’s project. The City Council doesn’t have any decision-making that impacts that project.”

TTD does not have condemnation power, though. If eminent domain were needed to acquire property, the city or Caltrans would have to invoke it. The city today has a policy not to use eminent domain. That can be reversed if four out of the five electeds choose to do so.

If the measure passes, there is talk that a lawsuit would be filed challenging the legality of it. It’s not possible to challenge it prior to the vote.

El Dorado County Elections Department could not tell Lake Tahoe News what it will cost the city to place the measure on the ballot.

Also on the Nov. 8 ballot will be two tax measures the city wants voters to approve. One would raise the hotel tax and the other the sales tax. Raising the current TOT by 2 percent is projected to generate $2 million annually. Upping the sales tax by one-half percent to 8.25 percent would likely bring in $2.5 million each year.

The current transient occupancy tax is 10 percent throughout much of South Lake Tahoe, 12 percent in the redevelopment area. The former goes into the city’s General Fund, the latter mostly to pay off the bond debt. The Tourism Improvement District, which was formed in 2006, tacks on another $3.50 or $4 per night. TID uses that money for marketing.

South Shore residents will also be voting on:

·      City Council (two seats)

·      Lake Tahoe Community College (two seats)

·      Lake Tahoe Unified School District (three)

·      South Tahoe Public Utility District (two)

·      Lake Valley Fire Protection District (three).

The filing period is July 18-Aug. 12. If an incumbent does not file, the deadline is extended to Aug. 17.