Beach-cleaning robot back in action at Lake Tahoe

The League to Save Lake Tahoe and ECO-CLEAN solutions are kicking off the 2023 summer season by expanding their robot-powered, beach-cleaning initiative to cover entire beaches in Lake Tahoe.

The BEBOT — an all-electric, solar and battery-powered, sand-sifting robot — completed its first-ever full cleanup of a private beach in Lake Tahoe, combing through Tahoe Beach Club’s shoreline at Stateline, Nev.

More full beach cleanings at sites around the lake are on tap for the coming months and a second machine will be added to the robot fleet.

“Last year’s pilot project showed that

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• $2 million for the Child Welfare Disaster Response Account. This funding will provide support for foster youth during disasters.

• Providing millions of dollars in savings to local governmentsthrough the reinstatement of Streets and Highways Code Sections 114.5, which will cap indirect costs for highway work.

“These comprehensive initiatives cover a broad spectrum of areas, including the support for fire-ravaged communities like Grizzly Flat, the advancement of food production and the protection of foster youth during emergencies,” states AlvaradoGil. “The funding allocated to the El Dorado County Fire Protection District is of utmost importance, as it will undoubtedly bolster emergency response capabilities while supporting the courageous individuals who safeguard our community.”

El Dorado County District 2 the BEBOT can act as the last line of defense against beach litter, especially plastics, before they pollute Lake Tahoe,” said chief strategy officer for the League to Save Lake Tahoe Jesse Patterson. “Innovative technologies combined with people power can help protect the lake until we solve the litter problem all together.”

During the 2022 pilot project the BEBOT cleaned 72,000 square feet across 11 private and public beaches, collecting 4,500 pieces of litter, the vast majority of it plastic.

Cleanup efforts with stewardshipfocused partners like The Beach Club are a testament to the commitment n See BEBOT page A7

Supervisor George Turnboo joined Alvarado-Gil in visiting fire victims in the Grizzly Flat community.

“This funding for the Grizzly Flat CSD supports important infrastructure needed to rebuild the community,” notes Turnboo. “This is only the beginning and we are so fortunate to have Senator AlvaradoGil’s partnership and persistence in advocating for our county.”

El Dorado County Fire Protection District Chief Tim Cordero also shared his appreciation for the funding and Alvarado-Gil’s efforts at the Capitol.

“We are extremely grateful and humbled by Sen. Alvarado-Gil’s unwavering advocacy for our firefighters and police officers,” he said. “The senator and her team took the time to visit both our fire station and police station, witnessing firsthand the urgent requirement to replace these facilities for the brave men and women protecting our community.” been a vendor at

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Though the new location is 1,430.5 feet — about a quarter of a mile — up the road from its previous stomping grounds, merchants say the move has taken a toll on sales.

“It’s too early to tell how things will go longterm but we haven’t seen a lot of our old, regular customers and we have seen about a 20-ish percent drop in sales,” said Greg Rockney, owner of Rockney Farms. Rockney has been farming in Camino for eight years; other than his farm stand at 2338 Barkley Road, the Wednesday night market is the only place he sells the produce he grows.

Greg Henry, part of Placerville’s Full Moon Farm, has been selling at the market for a decade and agrees the move has impacted vendors’ bottom line.

“This spot has turned out to be really nice but moving a market, you’re going to see a drop,” Henry explained. “We’re down 20%, which is what I expected. The worst part about all of it was just how the City Council handled everything; there could have been a more pleasant way to roll out this move.”

The new location comes with its own challenges, from promotion to planning and beyond, according to Seana Hartsell, who has been manager of the market since its inception. In an effort to smooth over the transition, the city has agreed to put up signage at the Bell Tower on Wednesday afternoons and evenings informing visitors the market has moved, but it appears to have limited success; Hartsell’s estimate n SHOE by Jeff MacNelly shows foot traffic has declined by about 30% compared to last year. She also shared that some vendors pulled out of the market, telling her they felt the forced move indicated the city did not make them feel welcome.

Despite the challenges, Hartsell and vendors are trying their best to focus on the positives. Though the ample greenery that lines the Mooney Lot obscures a view of the market from the road, the trees and shrubs paired with the stone hillside create an ambiance a market-goer described as “like a secret garden.”

“It’s disappointing we weren’t back down at the Bell Tower but we can make the market grow here,” Dave Evans of Goldenwood Farms said.

“There’s less noise, it’s safer for the kids to walk around and it’s more intimate, which I really like,” added Lynette Evans, Dave’s wife.

The first week of the new season did see a large show of support from the community, vendors noted, with many making certain to come out. Since then, n TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter though, the crowd has changed from what they had seen in the past.

BEBOT Continued from A6 of nonprofits and local businesses to preserve the lake’s health and beauty. More than 200 pieces of small litter and organic debris were unearthed during the first full clean up at Tahoe Beach Club, the majority being small plastic pieces, styrofoam debris, bottle caps and cigarette butts.

“This is a much later crowd, you see people start to roll in a few hours later and it’s almost entirely a different group of people than in the past,” Rockney explained.

“That’s not bad or worse but it’s just a difference with this new version of the market as we try to adapt.”

Adapting to a change in circumstances is the name of the game and Hartsell said she is doing what she can to keep the market going. She’s pre-planned a layout that can accommodate more vendors as they sign on and has been devising ways to spread the word about the new location for the weekly event. When planning ahead, Hartsell’s primary concern is if the city considers a second relocation in the future.

“If they try to move us again, that’s it,” she said. “They mentioned maybe moving us to the parking lot on Mosquito Road that they’re building and if they did, that would kill the market for good.” n RUBES by Leigh Rubin

The data collected from the BEBOT’s cleanups will be used to estimate the amount of trash lurking beneath the sand across the basin and to support the League to Save Lake Tahoe's advocacy for litter prevention policies, such as the city of South Lake Tahoe’s on plastic water bottles. n SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly

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HOROSCOPE by Holiday Mathis n TODAy membership with National Children’s Alliance and denotes excellence in service provision, according to a news release from the DA’s Office.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). The warrior energy doesn’t always have to do with war. Sometimes, it’s about knowing what’s worth fighting for and appreciating when you don’t have to. You’ll be enriched by food, fresh air and friendship.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). It’s a gag for the television audience, but hypnotists don’t always use fob watches to put subjects in a trance. Similarly, you don’t need a prop to command attention today because you have the power of your voice and intention.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). A little plan might fall through, but the big picture is still intact. In some way, the pressure is off you now, so celebrate this. Do you see the opportunity to make a new deal? All is moving in the right direction.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You show up and do the work. Whatever temptation, distraction, discomfort, drama, inconvenience or interference you encounter along the way, you finish what you started. Rewards are coming to you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’re constantly learning and growing and sometimes you just want to stop and take stock of where you are. Love helps you do this. Someone to talk to and share special moments with will help you to realize your many blessings.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Certain endeavors seem pointless to you, but they matter to someone on your team, and so you prioritize them anyway. You’ll persist out of a sense of duty, loyalty and the correct belief that relationships have their own mysterious logic.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Conversations will be complex and layered, and it will take a sophisticated mind and emotional intelligence to know just how deep things go. Try not to spend too much time in the depths, though. Bounce back to the surface for air.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Avoid becoming overwhelmed and thus paralyzed. The correct move will also be easy. So just take it slow, step by step, breath by breath. It may also help to keep the brainstorming process separate from the planning process.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Even though wishing can’t make it so, much that is so began with a wish. It’s a day for wishing and dreaming without a worry or care as to the practicalities. Why limit the scope of a wide-open wish?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). What a wonderful feeling to be the smartest person in the room. If only it meant something good -- but it usually indicates you’re in the wrong room. Go where you can learn from the others and you’ll be better for the challenge.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You will have a physical reaction to reminders of what happened back there -evidence that you may still be processing an emotional charge from long ago. With conscious effort, and only when you’re ready, you can and will let this go.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Just remember, you’re a person who, like all people, will make mistakes. And though this can create a problem, you yourself are not the problem. You are working things out as you go, just like all the others.

The Fausel House Child Advocacy Center program, under the direction and organization of the DA’s Office, was founded in 2018 for the purpose of attaining NCA accreditation and providing an evidence-supported model of interventions and resources for victims of child abuse and neglect and their families. Since then the primary CAC location in Placerville and its satellite location in South Lake Tahoe have served more than 570 children and family members, notes the news release.

“I am proud that the hard work and dedication of our staff at the Fausel House Child Advocacy Center are being recognized with a national accreditation,” states El Dorado County DA Vern Pierson. “The work they do is challenging but rewarding, as they are helping some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

The National Children’s Alliance awards accredited membership based on a CAC’s compliance with 10 national standards of accreditation to ensure effective, efficient and consistent delivery of services to child abuse victims.

The National Children’s Alliance updated these standards in 2017 to reflect the most recent evidencebased practices in the field of child abuse intervention and prevention. According to these standards, accredited members must utilize a functioning and effective multidisciplinary team approach to work collaboratively in child abuse investigation, prosecution and treatment.

The National Children’s Alliance also considers standards regarding a center’s cultural competency and diversity, forensic interviews, victim support and advocacy, medical evaluation, therapeutic intervention and child-focused setting.

“The Fausel House CAC and team of professionals in El Dorado County who respond to child abuse allegations recognizes the importance of accreditation from National Children’s Alliance and supporting the multidisciplinary team approach,” states Rhiannon Grotke, CAC coordinator. “Accreditation not only validates our organization’s proven effective approach to responding to allegations of child abuse but also provides consistency across the child advocacy center movement as a whole.”

“The Fausel House Child Advocacy Center is to be commended for its excellent work serving victims of child abuse. As the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers across thecountry, our goal is to ensure that every victim of child abuse has access to high quality services that result from professional collaboration,” states Teresa Huizar, executive director of National Children’s Alliance.

The Fausel House Child Advocacy Center is committed to reducing trauma to children, increasing child safety, aiding in the successful prosecution of offenders and providing continued quality care for the children and families of El Dorado County.

For more information visit nationalchildrensalliance.org.