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mtdemocrat.com
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2024
VOLUME 173 • ISSUE 35 | $1.00
Mt. Aukum brothers victims in mountain lion attack
Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
A mountain lion attack that occurred in the Georgetown area Saturday afternoon took the life of 21-year-old Taylen Robert Claude Brooks and seriously injured his brother, 18-yearold Wyatt Jay Charles Brooks, both from Mt. Aukum. The incident involving the two brothers occurred in a remote area of Darling Ridge and Skid roads on Eldorado National Forest land, according to Sgt. Kyle Parker with the El Dorado County Sheriff ’s Office. A press release from EDSO on behalf of the Brooks family details what occurred. Taylen and Wyatt were walking along Skid Road in search of deer antler sheds, a pastime for
the brothers during this time of year. While walking along the dirt roadway, they observed the mountain lion walk up to the road from the lower side. As the lion approached the brothers, they raised their hands in the air, threw items at the lion and yelled at it in an attempt to scare it off. The lion did not retreat and charged Wyatt, biting his face and taking down the 18-year-old. Both brothers struggled to wrestle the lion to the ground, but the lion began clawing at Wyatt’s midsection and Wyatt lost his grip. It was at this point the lion released Wyatt and charged Taylen, biting his throat and taking him to the ground. ■ See LION ATTACK, page A7
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Getting the lead (cable) out of Lake Tahoe Madison Schultz
Special to the Tahoe Daily Tribune The drive from South Lake Tahoe to the Lake Tahoe’s west shore is filled with breathtaking views of crisp blue water, rugged alpine shores and lakefront homes scattered throughout the treacherous landscape; but something lurks below the lake’s surface that is also present on this majestic tour of Lake Tahoe — lead cables. From Baldwin Beach to Rubicon Bay, lead cables are present in Lake Tahoe and have been for decades. These lead cables span nearly 10% of Tahoe’s total shoreline, with a total length of 32,940 feet, located directly below one of the most populated shoreline areas of Lake Tahoe. In an effort to aid in the removal of “When stuff isn’t these lead cables, a new organization, working, you Tahoe Lead, has have to keep formed in the Lake Tahoe community perspective. AT&T to promptly remove had established these potentially harmful lead cables that this project from the lake. is possible and “We don’t want lead in Lake Tahoe,” Tahoe that’s a huge win.” Lead’s website reads. — Evan Dreyer, “While Lake Tahoe’s Tahoe Lead organizer ecosystem is subject to a range of risks, these lead cables pose a unique threat to water quality. Lead is insoluble and could irreparably contaminate our waters, negatively impacting residents, recreation and wildlife. While it’s unfortunate these cables contain lead, they have not been used for decades, making their removal straightforward.” Tahoe Lead organizer Evan Dreyer has been passionate about the sustainability of Lake Tahoe’s environment since he was young. Born in Northern California, Dreyer spent his summers swimming on the shores of Rubicon Bay, not realizing lead cables lay below. In 2020 Dreyer encountered a boat with scientists on board who were analyzing the cables’ impact on Tahoe’s ecosystem. From that point on, Dreyer knew he wanted to get involved. “A lot of my path to bringing Tahoe Lead to fruition was because I love Lake Tahoe. This thing is not about me. It’s about Lake Tahoe and the community effort,” Dreyer said. Dreyer worked on Wall Street for half a decade then moved back to California. Relocating to the Bay Area, Dreyer got involved with the San Francisco Baykeeper nonprofit organization, a nonprofit that defends the health of the San Francisco Bay. With Dreyer as a lead organizer for Tahoe Lead, he brings experience and knowledge from working in the nonprofit space. Dreyer wrote directly to the business responsible for the lead cables: AT&T. “To AT&T’s credit, they’ve been very proactive in communicating with us. We wrote a letter to AT&T’s lawyers and within a month I was out with AT&T looking at the cable in the water
Courtesy photo
Taylen, left, and Wyatt Brooks were attacked by a mountain lion near Georgetown Saturday afternoon, an incident that resulted in Taylen’s death. Shine Arslanian speeds through the course in the Challenged Athletes Foundation Bionic Mile.
Courtesy photo
SHINE RUNS PAST CHALLENGES
Kat Mendenhall Staff writer
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here are times when inspirational events or people seem
to pop up in life out of nowhere. Such is the case with the entry into life of an amazing young boy named Shine. Six-year-old Shine Arslanian lives with his mother Jamie Duby and sister Willow in Garden Valley and continues to forge ahead in pursuit of his dreams despite challenges. Shine was born in 2017 at Marshall Hospital in Placerville and was rushed to UC Davis Children’s Hospital by ambulance about an hour after being born. He was born with a rare form of popliteal pterygium syndrome called Bartsocas-Papas and ectodermal dysplasia. His case is perhaps one
– E S T. 18 51
“A little rain won’t stop me.”
— Shine Arslanian, Garden Valley 6 year old in a million and caused genetic challenges for Shine from the beginning. He had a cleft pallet, knees that would not extend, only one finger on each hand, his jaw did not function and he breathed through a hole in the cleft pallet. In addition, he was born with webbed legs with no possible way to lengthen them because cutting through the webbing would cut through major arteries and the sciatic nerve. The decision was made for him to have a double amputation
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above the knee so that he could eventually walk with prosthetics. His condition at birth was a surprise to his mother but that is not the real story. What Shine became is the real inspiring story. Shine spent his first three weeks of life in the neonatal intensive care unit where he had three lifesaving surgeries. Duby did not know if he was suffering or if he would even live beyond a few days or weeks. Since those early days leading up to his sixth
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