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Barton's overseas investment, page 27.

Serving Lake Tahoe’s South Shore Since 1994

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Themis Lonis and Joe Sherry man the El Dorado County Sheriff's Tahoe marine unit.

Boat police

This month, reporter Kae Reed spends a day on the water with local law enforcement and reports on their nautical duties from educating to enforcing to rescuing.

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As the saying goes, the only constant is change. We have a new Target at Stateline in place of the old Raleys. Barton is moving to build a brand-new hospital on the Nevada side. In the place of the old K-Mart are three new businesses. The site of the old Motel 6 is being restored to its natural state. The defunct Sunray Motel is being demolished. A few months ago, we did a story on all the commercial real estate vacancies in town. Eventually, new businesses will take their place. The site of the old Runnels Automotive at the Y is change and change again. Kyle and Jessica Aster bought the property in 2021, intending to turn it into a café/coffee house. In mid-May, after years of planning, demolition of the structures began to make way for the new Aster Station. Shortly thereafter on their website, the couple announced they were not going forth with the project. They mentioned insanity-inducing lack of cooperation from the city in making their dream a reality. “It’s not how we wanted this to end,” they wrote. “It would have been a really cool place.” Still passionate about improving the town, the Asters offered to work with anyone who had the “mental fortitude” to bring a project to fruition at the location. In recent months, both Peggy and Tahoe Guy guest columnist Michael Habicht have lamented the demise

of Café Fiore in our pages. In a letter to the editor this month, readers will find a missive wondering whether the end of this beloved community restaurant can really be considered progress. While change can bring renewal and upgrades, the charming Italian bistro was a business worth saving, contends Nick Eders. Read all about it on page 11. After more than 80 years in business, Harveys Casino, one of the original South Shore gaming establishments, is becoming a Caesars Republic. I reached out to local Brandi Ledbetter Brown, descendant of founder Harvey Gross. Here is what she had to say: “As the great-granddaughter of Harvey Gross, it's bittersweet to witness the name change from Harveys to Caesars Republic. My great-grandfather poured his heart into building a place that became not just a landmark, but a gathering space full of memories for locals and visitors alike. Growing up, Harveys wasn’t just a hotel—it was family. I watched my family help shape the South Lake Tahoe community through hard work, hospitality, and an unwavering belief in this town’s potential. While it’s sad to see the name come down, I also recognize that change is a natural part of growth. South Lake Tahoe continues to evolve, and with that evolution comes opportunity. My family’s legacy will always be

part of the foundation here, and I’m proud to see the spirit of innovation continue in this next chapter.” I remotely attended the May 27 meeting of the Tahoe Paradise Recreation and Park District Board. It was even more of a disaster than their previous meeting I wrote about last month. After a period of board and audience sniping as the meeting haltingly moved forward, board member John Dayberry got up and left. Board member Patrick Maher suddenly decided to quit, announcing his resignation 60 days hence and board chair Zane Graham abruptly adjourned the meeting amid the discord and exited while those board members still in attendance continued the meeting. There was confusion about how to properly agendize items and about making sure written comments were properly distributed to all board members. Longtime board member Judy Brozo-Clot remarked she had never seen anything like the strife that prevailed. A representative from the California Special District’s Association, of which TPRPD is a member, attended the meeting remotely and told the board his organization has resources and training to help set up appropriate procedures and protocols and guidance on how to run orderly and legal meetings. Let’s hope TPRPD takes advantage of the assistance offered. They need it. -Heather

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4 Mountain News

Coyote country and more

PUBLISHER/PAPERGIRL Heather Gould

REPORTER

Kathryn Reed

COPY EDITOR Mike Filce

CONTRIBUTORS M.C.Behm Gary Bell Peggy Bourland David Hamilton Kelsey Stalker Trish Tomer

PRODUCTION

Joann Eisenbrandt The Tahoe Mountain News is a community newspaper serving Lake Tahoe’s South Shore. Distributed FREE everywhere in the community. One copy per person. No article may be reprinted without the permission of the publisher. Send all submissions to: P.O. Box 8974, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158.

MOUNTAIN NEWS STORIES ........................................... 9 LETTERS ........................................................................11 HEARD AROUND TOWN................................................12 MIKE’S MUTTERINGS...................................................14 COVER ...........................................................................16 COOKING WITH K .........................................................18 GUEST COLUMN............................................................21 MOUNTAIN NEWS REPORTS........................................22 TAHOE TRISH.................................................................24 How the cookie crumbles

TAHOE GUY....................................................................25 SPOKE JUNKIE..............................................................26 DAVE AT THE MOVIES...................................................28 PARTING SHOT..............................................................31

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It's always something For six years City Attorney Heather Stroud prevailed on behalf of the voters, the residents, and the city against a series of lawsuits and appeals brought by Bob McIntyre, Mark Salmon and others who claimed that banning VHRs in residential neighborhoods was unconstitutional, while the courts have consistently upheld the constitutional validity of Measure T. Thank you, Heather, for fighting the good fight for the voters and everyone who believes zoning is essential to the livability of a community. Because of a local’s preference included in Measure T, the entire measure was overturned by the courts in March. The city council then declined to appeal this decision (with no discussion of the merits of an appeal) abruptly sidelining the city attorney from a case she had been defending since 2018. This caused the Tahoe Neighborhoods Group (TNG) to ask the court to be recognized as the proponents and therefore eligible to “intervene” and become the defendants. On May 22, Superior Court Judge Gary Slossberg granted standing to the TNG allowing them to intervene. On behalf of the voting majority and because justice matters, there will now be an appeal of the decision against Measure T.

PUBLIC EASEMENT California maintains a Public Trust Easement over the land between the high and low water marks on navigable waterways, meaning the public has the right to use this area. You will find places along the shore of Lake Tahoe where property owners have illegally blocked the public’s access to this easement. Right now, there is a fence on the west end of the Tahoe Meadows neighborhood next to the Ski Run Marina that extends into the lake, blocking the public easement. The State Lands Commission has been contacted regarding this public access infringement. Many lakefront property owners would prefer this law didn’t exist and make attempts to block the public, who may not be aware of California’s law, from using this easement. Know your rights and don’t let signs like “private property” or “keep out” deter you from using the public easement. You cannot, however, cross private property to access the easement between the high and low water marks. In Nevada, there is no legal right for public

South Tahoe High School alum (2002) access between the high Sean Fannan and his bride Kele Song (their and low water mark. wedding was the day it snowed six inches HISTORY LESSON last May at Edgewood) got right to work on In 1968, a group of making a baby. On May 22, they took early local residents intent on delivery of son Cooper Woods Fannan who preserving the history weighed in at 7.5 pounds. Cooper’s middle of Lake Tahoe gathered name reveals Dad Sean’s love of all things what artifacts they could golf. Kele and Sean report everything is find and started a small going great with their new addition. A few museum in the city of SLT. In 1983, the more hours of sleep would be nice, but still museum collection found a home in the great. former El Dorado County Library building. A GIRL NAMED GEORGE The building is still standing on Highway Not every little girl wants to grow 50 next to the Senior Center. If you have never visited this overlooked treasure, put it up to be a fire fighter, but Kim George got serious about that plan when, at just 19, she on your to-do list. Admission is free. attended her first fire academy. In 2001 she NEXT GENERATION was hired as one of the first SLT women South Tahoe High School and Douglas firefighters. Kim made her way through the High School alums (2011) Wade Norberg ranks the old-fashioned way—she earned and Dani Trujillo have busy lives. Wade is it from the bottom up, from firefighter/ part of the rock star SLT fire department paramedic to engineer, captain, and now and Dani is director of programs at High battalion chief/fire marshal. She has saved Fives Foundation in Truckee. Somehow, lives and fought wildland fires like Angora they found time to make a baby. Jude and Caldor. Anyone who runs into a burning Thomas Norberg arrived at Barton (another building to save people is special and Barton Baby) on May 28, weighing in at 7.8 Kim George is just that…special. Happy pounds. Congratulations to Wade and Dani retirement, Ms. George. To be continued…. and their extended families.

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“Why does LTCC spend so much money on non-academic endeavors like events and swag?” – Skeptical insider

Photo Kathryn Reed

Graduation at Lake Tahoe Community College has grown through the years in terms of attendees, guests and expense.

Lake Tahoe Community College first hired an events coordinator in January 2022. The reasoning, according to President Jeff DeFranco, was “to provide leadership and oversight over three cornerstone events—Intensive Summer Spanish Institute (ISSI), TEDxSouthLakeTahoe, and Gift of Literacy, and to support smaller ongoing college events such as the LTCC Speaker Series, convocation activities, the annual LTCC team building day, and other ongoing or one-time events.” Previously these events were handled by various people, many of whom have retired—like the co-directors of ISSI in 2021—while some positions needed more oversight—like TEDx, according to the college. Money to pay the events director in large part came from reallocating salaries from positions no longer on the payroll. The board approved this classified position in October 2021, with the union consulted prior to that vote. This person reports to the director of Community Education & District Events. The pay range approved by the board was between $51,628 and $66,074 annually. LTCC hosts several events throughout the year—some open to the public, like graduation, while others like the annual holiday party are private. “Upon review of the budgets they will show a trend of increased costs in all the areas requested (by the Tahoe Mountain News)—convocation, graduation, events. These program areas are all the result of direct and purposeful investments

by the organization,” DeFranco said. “For context, the LTCC budget has grown significantly over the past 10 years. When comparing budgeted appropriations and reserves in 2023-24 to 2014-15, the district-wide budget has grown by 381 percent, an increase of more than $64 million. The unrestricted General Fund has grown 192 percent, from $15.7 million to $30 million, representing an increase of over $14 million.” Costs for some events at LTCC are below. For the current fiscal year those dollar amounts are in the budget, so it’s what the expense is projected to be, while the other two fiscal years are the actual dollars spent. • Convocation • 2022-23: $51,344 • 2023-24: $42,821 • 2024-25: $43,628 • Commencement • 2022-23: $66,405 • 2023-24: $72,887 • 2024-25: $59,487 • Events • 2022-23: $114,658 • 2023-24: $154,191 • 2024-25: $138,380 • Faculty Development: • 2022-23: $5,901 • 2023-24: $15,683 • 2024-25: $20,450 • Classified Staff Development: • 2022-23: $1,089 • 2023-24: $3,630 • 2024-25: $9,900 • Training Days • 2022-23: $55,214

• 2023-24: $47,619 • 2024-25: $49,012 • Staff Development • 2022-23: $15,145 • 2023-24: $25,279 • 2024-25: $38,850 • Collective Bargaining • 2022-23: $32,163 • 2023-24: $43,925 • 2024-25: $35,000 • Community Services Events • 2022-23: $211,815 • 2023-24: $222,253 • 2024-25: $258,652. The college points to the number of students participating in graduation more than doubling since 2014 as one reason that expense has gone up. Renting chairs, providing screens to see the festivities, and livestreaming are part of the overall bill. “Events such as the holiday party required staff to pay to participate in past years, leading to low participation, particularly among our lowest-paid employees,” DeFranco said. “By assuming this cost LTCC was able to foster a more equitable and welcoming event and has seen a 500 percent increase in participation and representation by employees.” LTCC also picked up the bill for two recent memorials on campus. One was for Lisa Maloff, who donated nearly $6 million to the campus, and the other for Clinton Culp, director of the Wilderness Education & Outdoor Leadership program. Besides events, the college spends money on tchotchkes—some more substantial than others. Most are for employees. These are non-academic, non-student expenditures. LTCC provided the following list of expenses and items: 2023-24 • • • •

$5,709.38 for 300 hats for staff team building day $3,557.25 for socks for year-end celebration $933.82 for embroidered jackets for retirees $5,045.55 for employee anniversary gifts

2022-23 • • • •

$5,339.63 for towels on staff team building day $3,262.50 for 200 thank you hats used by LTCC Foundation $2,359.95 for 234 $10 Starbucks gift cards for faculty appreciation $2,205 for 147 $15 Cork & More gift cards for staff appreciation

2021-22 • •

$3,532.80 for 120 blankets for outdoor holiday party during pandemic $1,540.17 for 204 branded masks

2020-21 • $5,779.50 for mugs during Zoom training and outdoor community clean up • $1,777.88 for 110 custom stem less glasses • $582.43 for $16 credit for faculty at Verde restaurant • $552 for $15 credit for classified at Classic Cue. The money spent on events, giveaways and salaries is taxpayer money approved by the elected board of education, and at times spent at the discretion of the college president who works for that same five-member board. “Lake Tahoe Community College has invested funds in supporting, honoring, and celebrating staff and faculty to continue to advance the institution’s goal of being the No. 1 employer in the Tahoe basin,” DeFranco said. “In many cases, these investments also serve as additional marketing opportunities for the college.”

GOT A QUESTION?

Email: mountainnews2@gmail.com Mail: P.O. Box 8974, South Lake Tahoe, CA 95618.

Mountain News 7

Coyote talk Not everyone on the South Shore is thrilled with living with coyotes and some would prefer they were not neighbors. Based on the number of complaints about these wild animals, El Dorado County Supervisor Brooke Laine in April conducted an online survey and then hosted a public meeting on the last Thursday of May at South Tahoe High School. Laine spoke a bit about the survey results at the May 29 meeting, with Toogee Sielsch, former director of Sierra Wildlife Coalition and local wildlife expert, the main speaker. Also part of the information session was Leona Allen, who is the local representative to the county’s Fish & Wildlife Commission. “Only we can make the behavioral changes,” Sielsch

human sources of food may lose their ability to forage naturally. Potential negative results in wildlife include increased aggression toward humans, unnatural increases in population and increased death rates from the spread of diseases.”

told the nearly 40 people at STHS. Sielsch in his presentation had a slide with the word SMART as an acronym for hazing coyotes. S—Stop. Stand your ground. M—Make yourself look big. A—Alert the coyote and others by yelling, “Go away coyote.” R—Repeat and reinforce. T—Teach others how and when to haze. Sielsch said when a coyote is sighted it's best to pick up small animals and children, be a cohesive group, not spread apart, don’t run, make yourself big, and yell. This works for bears, as well.

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Local wildlife expert Toogee Sielsch gestures at a May 29 talk about coyotes.

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“They

are opportunistic feeders,” Sielsch said of coyotes.

and raccoons to the list of wildlife people are not permitted to feed.

People have been seen feeding coyotes in South Lake Tahoe grocery store parking lots, while others have boasted online of feeding them.

Last September, the supervisors revisited the issue, passing an ordinance stating: “In the South Lake Tahoe watershed within the county, as delineated on the official maps of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, no person shall knowingly and willfully feed or in any manner provide access to food to any wild animal.”

Laine said one person in particular has been spoken to about his unlawful behavior. The county in 2001 passed an urgency ordinance that added coyotes, opossums, skunks, mountain lions, bears

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife website says: “The feeding of wildlife is highly discouraged by CDFW because handouts by wellmeaning people can result in wildlife losing their natural fear of humans. Animals that feed on

The Nevada Department of Wildlife on its Instagram page says: “Feeding coyotes may seem harmless, but it’s actually harmful helping. Coyotes are highly adaptable and can quickly become food-conditioned, leading to aggressive behavior and increased conflict. It’s not just dangerous—it’s illegal to feed them. The best way to protect both people and wildlife is to let coyotes find their food naturally. Observe from a distance and keep nature wild!” As for the survey Laine conducted: • 70 percent had positive thoughts about coyotes in the basin, while about 15 percent were negative; • Almost 11 percent said their pet or someone in their party had been bitten by a coyote; • Nearly nine percent said coyotes pose an unacceptable threat to children and pets; • More than 56 percent believe coyotes add to their enjoyment. While the survey asked about which area people most often walk in, no one marked Rabe Meadow or Van Sickle BiState Park. Most respondents were from North Upper Truckee and Meyers proper.

Publisher’s note: This is one in a series of stories written by immigrants living on the South Shore. Names are being withheld to protect the individual who wrote the story and their family. I was brought to the United States with my family at a very young age. The truth is it was not my decision, but it was for the best. As a kid I did not yet understand the economic hardships my parents were going through. Living with limitations was normal to my siblings and me, and although food was sometimes scarce, I did not realize that what we had was all my parents could give us. We would enjoy a simple plate of rice like it was the best meal. We lived in my grandparents’ house, and I was happy because we were together. But one day I began to notice just how serious our financial hardships were. I witnessed my parents hiding from debt collectors because they did not have the money to pay them. The health of my mother was already suffering from the stress that this situation was causing, and it got to a point where her face started showing signs of paralysis. That was when my father left for the United States in search of the “American Dream.” In Mexico he was no longer being offered work because of his age. His desperation to give us what we needed pushed him to migrate, and he spent over a year away from us. I was ten years old, and that time was filled with tension for me, so my mother had to take me to a psychologist. Our family had always been very close, and being without my father, while realizing the reality of what we were going through, caused me to experience anxiety and depression at a very young age. For over a year, my father worked multiple jobs to save up enough money to send back home and begin the visa process for my older siblings and me so

we could see our father again and be together. And finally, when we were able to apply for our visas and received them, we took a flight to the United States just a few days later. Initially, we did not plan to stay in the country, but with my parents still having unresolved debt, they decided to keep working. My parents always tried to do the right things, and even when we had to stay longer than planned, they remained committed to paying off every debt and covering our bills and taxes, without receiving anything in return. They never took government assistance, not even food stamps or housing aid. When I was 11, our parents decided to enroll both my older brother and me in school. School life brought many challenges. We faced exclusion, prejudice, and the overwhelming feeling of being lost in a language we did not understand. It was frustrating not to be able to show my true potential because of the language barrier. On top of that we live in a system designed to make it almost impossible for minorities to succeed. I experienced this firsthand at school, where it was common to hear that someone with a background like mine should not even consider going to college—that it was unaffordable, unattainable, and that we should “pursue other options.” That is how most of my school years went. I almost resigned myself to believing

Rising Scholars Program. I served as the vice president of the Student Senate, where I advocated for students who needed better representation, even at the statewide level, at the General Assembly of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges. I also dedicated myself to service by volunteering with local nonprofits that support and empower underserved individuals and families, helping them build resilience and find their place in the community. Today I am 20 years old and I will be attending the University of California, Berkeley, where I will be studying psychology. My dream is to become a psychotherapist and clinical social worker. Mental health has

played a huge role in my life, and I will dedicate my career to providing the help I once needed—to serving those who are underrepresented and left behind. To finish off, I want to speak to anyone who has ever felt like their environment constantly tells them they do not belong. I want you to know that even if society makes us feel this way, we can still be contributing members of our communities even when the system keeps trying to hold us back. We can still change the world. The way I want to change the world is by being that hand others can lean on, just like the people that were there to support me.

I did not deserve to pursue my dreams. The fact that I could not adapt to this new environment began to take a toll on my mental health. During my senior year of high school I even considered returning to Mexico after graduation just like my older brother had. But by then I had met someone who changed my perspective, a high school teacher who changed my outlook on life. I had never met someone whose ideals resonated so deeply with my own. Talking with him helped me realize two things. First, that people like me can go to college, and second, that I Installation • Repairs can contribute to Custom Sizes this society and help Doors of your Dreams change the world. I ended up Full LIne of Hardware going to Lake Tahoe Community College, and it was the best decision I could have made. With determination, I was Windows • Doors • Moulding • Door Hardware able to accomplish Glass Work of All Types - Showers, Skylights, Mirrors many things there. I We Have a Full Service Door Shop became a math tutor for the Library & Learning Services Visit Our Showroom at at the college. I also 1790 D Street • South Lake Tahoe had the opportunity (530) 541-2691 to tutor Spanish to www.southshoreglassanddoor.com incarcerated students who are part of the

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Mountain News 9

You call that progress?! To the editor,

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In May, I posted the El Dorado County sales tax update to the county’s website. The report, which is available online at https://www.eldoradocounty. ca.gov/County-Government/CountyDepartments/Auditor-Controller/SalesTax-Quarterly-Reports, was for the quarter ending December 2024. The report indicates that the county’s cash basis sales tax revenues decreased by 4.1 percent compared to the comparable time period in 2023. The county lost approximately nine percent of its sales tax revenue because of significant retroactive

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adjustments that have again hurt us. For the three last quarters our sales tax revenue has decreased because rural counties continue to be hammered by retroactive changes in the apportionment method for online shopping. Revenues from online sales continued to drop steadily because one of the world’s leading online retailers began changing the method it uses to apportion tax revenues to California local governments. Prior to Oct. 1, 2020, the retailer apportioned tax revenues to the county that goods were delivered to. Beginning on Oct. 1, 2020, this online seller changed its method for apportioning sales tax

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the other evening. It was wonderful, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Kae, great job, keep the recipes coming. Pat Frega, South Lake Tahoe

collections, shifting the tax revenue to the jurisdiction where the shipping warehouse is located. The long-term adverse trend in sales tax revenue is creating a major problem for the Board of Supervisors as it works toward adopting a balanced budget. The

or more. Mr. Ribaudo often disparages long time local residents for wanting to “keep things just like they are,” although I believe he is a long-time local resident himself. I admit there is a fair amount of truth to not being mindlessly tied to the past but by the same token some things are worth saving. Cafe Fiore was one of those things. Losing it is like tearing out part of the heart and soul as well as the cultural fabric of our community. Or what’s left of it. Cafe Fiore deserved better. Our community deserved better. But, hey, that’s progress! Right, Carl? Nick Eders, Zephyr Cove

supervisors will be forced to make several tough choices that will not be popular with the public or the county staff. Joe Harn, auditor El Dorado County

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VHR type lodging facility? Think a mini Motel 6. Cafe Fiore had a loyal following among locals particularly for those “special occasion” dinners. It was also popular among discerning visitors that were fortunate to have discovered Cafe Fiore and kept returning. But it was just not our standard visitors from the Bay Area. It was visitors from around the country lured by very favorable reviews by the likes of Gourmet magazine and The New York Times. As soon as the impending closure was announced six months ago, Cafe Fiore was totally slammed by calls for onelast-time reservations causing them to be fully booked by as much as six weeks out

Online sales tax declining

It was yummy!

Jenelle Sandy

2074 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Suite 9, SLT, CA 96150 530-600-0023

This is in regard to Carl Ribaudo’s regular “My View” column in the Tahoe Tribune of April 25 in which he managed to shoehorn in some cursory comments re: the closing of Cafe Fiore. Mr. Ribaudo writes that he is “sorry to see Cafe Fiore shut down and move on.” Move on? How? What? Where? He mentions that he has “heard lots of great compliments over the years, but forty years is a good run in this town.” Good run? It’s an astounding achievement especially with only two different owners over that time span. So congratulations on forty years. Thanks a lot. Now you’re out. See you later.

It appears that Mr. Ribaudo never personally experienced the magic of Cafe Fiore which is unfortunate and now he never will. The restaurant’s last day was April 30. So what caused this demise? Financial difficulties? Hardly. The tiny, six-table romantic rustic hideaway was routinely fully booked weeks in advance. Retirements perhaps? Neither Owner Nick Ashmore nor Chef Gileberto Ramos are long in the tooth and had no plans to retire. Last fall, the owner of the property (whoever that is) advised that he would be bulldozing the cluster of small “old Tahoe” buildings and build new. So how about another Taco Bell? Or maybe a

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M OUNTAIN N EWS B USINESS

The Tsurunokai Taiko Drummers will perform at the SLT Library as part of its summer program.

South Lake Tahoe this summer will be installing nine bicycle repair stations adjacent to multi-use trails. The annual celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe is July 9-13. Based on romantic appeal, affordability and experience, South Lake Tahoe came in second in a study for best honeymoon destinations in the United States. The city came in the top spot for nature and nuptials combined. Rock Tahoe Half Marathon is June 22 starting at the Stateline casinos. Pickleball, food trucks and live music will be part of Metavivor’s fundraising pickleball tournament July 5, 8am to 5pm at Tahoe Paradise Park. The annual Tahoe Tennis Classic at the courts in Zephyr Cove is July 24-27. The National Ski Areas Association rewarded Heavenly Mountain Resort for having the best employee safety program. TAMBA’s Tahoe Mountain Bike Festival is June 21-22 in Meyers. More info is online: https://shorturl.at/wlnj2. The event is part of the larger Tahoe Bike Month, which includes rides, workshops, competitions, clean-ups and more. Visit TahoeBikeMonth.org for more info. Starting in July, people will no longer be able to comment live online during Douglas County School District board meetings. Barton Health nurse Savannah Purvance, daughter of CEO Clint Purvance, received the DAISY award for extraordinary nurses. Recipients are chosen anonymously by a committee of staff members. South Lake Tahoe’s Gastromaniac is the only Tahoe area restaurant included in the Gambero Rosso guide’s 2025 top Italian restaurants. Lake Tahoe has been named one of the best fresh water fishing lakes in the U.S. by FishingBooker, the world’s largest

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platform for booking fishing trips. For the fifth consecutive year Barton Memorial Hospital has been named one of Newsweek’s best hospitals in the world. Starting July 1, most STPUD residential customers’ monthly water bills will increase $7, with sewer rates going up $6. The Edwin L. Z'berg Natural Preserve within Sugar Pine Point State Park has been inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network, which recognizes the park’s rich ecological value and commitment to longterm forest conservation. Improvements to the Rubicon Trail staging area in Tahoma are in the works. Details are on this website: https://shorturl. at/PVe3a. The Sugar Pine Foundation this spring with the help of 615 volunteers planted 8,350 seedlings. Many were in the Caldor and Tamarack burn areas. In addition to sugar pines, Jeffrey and western white pines were also planted. On June 24, Live Violence Free is hosting Walk a Mile in Their Shoes at Caesars Republic. Participants will wear shoes representing the community they are standing in solidarity with – high heels, boots, slippers or sneakers, symbolizing support for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse. Also included in the event are a reception, schwag, raffle, prizes and afterparty. Cost to participate is $30. Register at www.LiveViolenceFree. org/Walk. For sponsorships or donations, email Debbie at donations@liveviolencefree.org. The American College of Surgeons has recertified Barton Memorial Hospital as a Level III Trauma Center. The US Forest Service will be conducting mechanical forest thinning operations this summer in the Christmas Valley area, along Cold Creek Trail, near Pioneer Trail and Al Tahoe Blvd. and around Bijou Creek and Saddle Road.

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The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s lottery for new piers runs through June 30. Twelve new piers will be approved. For more information on how to participate, visit trpa.gov/programs/shoreline/pier-allocations. The next lottery will be held in 2027. Sarah Schmidt is the new executive director of the Tahoe Prosperity Center, replacing Heidi Hill Drum, who stepped down after 11 years at the helm. The South Lake Tahoe Library summer reading challenge is underway through August 31. Open to all ages, register at eldoradolibrary.beanstack.org to participate and win prizes. Kick-off party June 20 from 11am to 2pm at the library. Featured performances throughout the summer are also part of the fun. Visit the calendar at eldoradolibrary.org for more information. The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center is offering its annual summer sessions June 24, 26, 27 and 30. Each day focuses on a different aspect of the Tahoe environment and TERC’s programs and facilities. Tours, boat rides, lectures and more. Cost, $250 for all four days. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/uc-davis-summer-session-in-tahoe-2025-tickets-1307199521959?aff=oddtdtcreator to purchase. One of the top three accident sites in the city of South Lake Tahoe – the intersection of Pioneer Trail and Edna St./ Glenwood Way – will be improved over the summer with new signage, pavement markings, drainage improvements and road widening. The project is expected to take two months to complete. The summer Bread & Broth 4 Kids program commences June 25, continuing every Wednesday throughout the season, at St. Theresa’s Church from 10am to 1pm. Kids up to 18 years old can receive a bag with a variety of food items and a new, fun,

surprise snack every week. The city of South Lake Tahoe has launched a mobile friendly ArtVenture map. Find public art throughout the community or access the program for more information when coming upon public art installations in the community. Visit www. cityofslt.us/artventure to connect. Jim Marino has been named the new executive director of the Tahoe Transportation District. Previously he served as the capital program manager and deputy district manager of the TTD and came to the agency from the city of South Lake Tahoe Public Works Department. The city of South Lake Tahoe Arts, Culture and Tourism Commission application period for the current microgrants cycle runs through June 20. Up to $5,000 for various projects will be awarded. Visit cityofslt.us/callforartists for more information. Local businesses, teams, charities, families, individuals and others have until June 20 to sign up to be in the city of South Lake Tahoe’s Fourth of July parade. Visit https://www.cityofslt.us/2415/4th-of-JulyParade. Farmers’ market season is here! Tuesdays, 8am-1pm, American Legion Parking Lot. Wednesdays, 3pm to 7:30pm, Tahoe Paradise Park. Fridays, 3pm to 8pm, Ski Run Blvd. Saturdays, 9am to 1pm, Round Hill Shopping Center. The Local Author Showcase, featuring 12 local authors, takes place at the South Lake Tahoe Library on June 24 from 4pm to 6:30pm. Readings, signings, discussions and more.

BE AWARE. BE PREPARED. As we continue doing the work to make our system more resilient to extreme fire conditions, we also use three key strategies to safeguard our communities against the threat of wildfires. While these measures help to keep us all safe, they can lead to power outages. We want everyone to be aware and prepared.

FIRE SEASON SETTINGS Sensitive settings on power lines to reduce wildfire risk.

PUBLIC SAFETY OUTAGE MANAGEMENT Proactive de-energization ahead of extreme wildfire risk conditions.

EMERGENCY DEENERGIZATION Turning off the power when a wildfire gets too close to power lines to protect first responders and prevent secondary fires.

Visit nvenergy.com/PowerSafeNV to learn more about these strategies and how to be prepared for extended outages during this time of heightened fire risk.

Got a community item for Heard? Email mountainnews2@gmail.com, subject line “Heard.”

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Mountain News 5/30/2025 11:27:35 AM13

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Monsters of two different stripes That’s a wrap Whatever disappointment you might feel about the Knight Monsters’ getting swept in round two of the Kelly Cup playoffs, you have to appreciate their inaugural season. What you want in your team is that regardless of outcome, they play hard every game and care about their performance. The Tahoe Knight Monsters fulfilled this expectation throughout their inaugural season, playing a scrappy and up-tempo style, never shying from physical play and never quitting regardless of the score. They ended with a regular season record of 41 wins — 25 losses — 4 overtime losses, a 61 percent win record and 10th place in a league

of 29 teams. Not bad at all. I pay less attention to the arena experience than the hockey, but it seemed clear that fans had a good time at TKM games and team merchandise and in-arena food and beverage sales were brisk. And in terms of community partnering, the organization deserves some props as well. According to Anthony Benge, senior vice president of sales, the TKM raised funds for over 60 organizations throughout the season, including the Boys and Girls Club in partnership with Edgewood Resorts. Through this partnership, kids were able to attend a game, high-five the team, sit on the bench during warm ups, participate in the intermission contest and an on-ice group photo after the game.

Our “friend,” the raccoon If you’ve lived in Tahoe long enough, you’ve no doubt experienced one form of pest or another invading your living space or car—maybe deer mice constantly exploiting crevices to get into your house, maybe chipmunks nesting in your engine compartment, maybe coyotes harassing your dogs or woodpeckers finding your exterior walls especially peckable. Maybe a bear got into your home and ransacked your kitchen. But if you’re really unlucky, you’ve experienced the wrathful side of the raccoon. Let’s learn a little about these “cute” local denizens. They are indeed resourceful, clever, tenacious, tough and relentless—attributes both admirable and detestable. They are the unwelcome visitors we can’t help but respect. According to the University of Wisconsin, today’s scientific name for the raccoon, Procyon lotor, was established in 1758. Procyon means “before the dog” and lotor means “a washer” because of their behavior of dipping their food in water. The common name raccoon was derived from the Algonquin and means "he who scratches with his hands" And scratch the hell out of you or your property, they surely will if antagonized. Years ago, we were visited regularly by a raccoon family that probably wanted to get in for some cat food or whatnot. As advised by LT Wildlife Care back then, I made a water and cayenne concoction with which to spray them. Worst advice. Why? Because what doesn’t kill them makes them annoyed and vindictive. And they come back with wrathful intent. No, they are not merely a pest that you can scoot along; if you spray them or

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otherwise interfere with them, they will remember it and visit havoc upon your property in return. A night or two after the cayenne spray, they scratched up the hood of our Jeep and front door, and for good measure, tore out the insulation between the slider doors. If they had gotten into the house, I have no doubt they would have used our own kitchen knives on us. Don’t take my word for it. Attic Solutions (animal control specialists) write, “Though they may appear to be cuddly, smart creatures, raccoons are very mischievous, vengeful, and have no remorse. If a raccoon is frustrated or mad, they will seek revenge by destroying objects.” Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control cautions us not to engage: “Anytime you hear raccoon growls or see posturing, consider it a warning. The defensive display is its last chance to encourage you to walk away. Please make no mistake; while a raccoon does not want to fight or attack, it will when it feels threatened. You do not want to be on the receiving end in that rare situation.” Oh, yeah. Been there. So I learned a simple lesson—if I wasn’t prepared to kill an entire raccoon family (um . . . not allowed), I better not engage at all. It’s best to remove any attractants that bring them your way because waging some kind of non-lethal battle with them is a losing proposition. Given the choice, I’d rather shoo bears off the deck any day. As always, feel free to email mikesmutterings@gmail.com

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Mountain News 15

M OUNTAIN N EWS C OVER S TORY

Patrolling the waters With barely a turn of the head, they already know if life vests are being worn or are attached to the human-powered watercraft, if the vessel has its current registration, and if it’s going faster than allowed in certain areas. If all is good, they motor by. If not, a stop is made. This is life on Lake Tahoe for the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office’s boat patrol where the primary mission is safety, with education being a huge component. Joe Sherry, a retired sergeant with the local California Highway Patrol office, is in his tenth year with El Dorado County’s boat patrol, while Themis Lonis, a retired patrol officer from the Oakland Police Department, is in his third season. The boat unit has eight people, with the others working primarily at Folsom Lake and Ice House Reservoir. Even before the calendar officially says summer, it’s been an active season. Memorial Day weekend was the bus-

iest either of these two remember. It was also one of the warmest, which is what draws people to the water in large numbers. A fight at Pope Beach led to a DUI arrest when young people fleeing the area drove off and were stopped leaving the parking lot; there was also a boating under the influence arrest, and a guy faces charges for allegedly giving false identification to an officer. One case involving a woman gunning her personal watercraft well over 30 mph, going airborne and landing farther up the beach than either of the officers have seen such a vessel beached could land her in a courtroom. “She rode it like a rodeo queen,” Sherry said, adding that the woman wasn’t injured, but she was clearly going more than the 5-mph speed limit. While Sherry expects the case will be referred to the District Attorney’s Office, he said an obstacle is finding local witnesses, as most were from out of the country.

PATROLLING

Continued from page16

Photo Kathryn Reed

A 15 mph speed limit is enforced at Emerald Bay by El Dorado County, though TRPA would prefer 5 mph.

Nothing is ordinary That’s one of the things the boat guys encounter—a lot of foreigners on the lake. “They don’t have boating skills. A lot of people don’t respect we’re at 6,000 feet and that the water is 50 to 60 degrees,” Sherry said in early June while leaving the Tahoe Keys Marina, where the patrol boat is docked. These visitors are often in one of the hundreds of rental boats that could be on the water any given day. Most boat rentals originate on the South Shore. This area is also home to the largest number of private boats. Add to this that not everyone on a boat or even on a flotation device knows how to swim and the next thing the boat guys are responding to is a drowning or near-drowning. Then there are the propeller cuts and boating under the influence cases. “Nothing is easy on the water,” Sherry said of policing Lake Tahoe. The resources aren’t available like they are on land. Assistance may or may not be there. People have a hard time telling dispatch

16 Mountain News

Photo Kathryn Reed

Ensuring paddlers are wearing lifejackets or have them available is a key duty of patrolling.

where they are; everything looks the same to someone who doesn’t know the names of landmarks. Each of the last two years the boat guys have been involved with fatalities at Eagle Falls, where people have fallen. The force of the water propelled one victim all the way to the bottom, not far from Vikingsholm. Rocky situations are an issue. People get hurt jumping from Fanette Island onto submerged rocks. Rooster Rock near D.L. Bliss State Park has long been a popular spot for locals and tourists to jump into the water. It’s also a place the boat guys are called to because of injuries. On the lookout “People equate Lake Tahoe to any lake and they really should equate it to an ocean,” Sherry said. This is because it’s possible to have 6-foot waves, especially in the middle of

PATROLLING

Continued on page 17

the lake. Afternoon winds often catch outof-towners, and even locals, off guard. For paddlers and those on floaties near a beach, this is more troubling because often Mother Nature shows her might by pushing people away from shore. In the 2024 season, which ran roughly from Memorial Day weekend to mid-September, the El Dorado County crew recorded 108 water rescues. “One time we had eight kayaks tied to the back, and we were picking people up as we came in,” Lonis said. Those on human-powered devices must have a lifejacket that is easily accessible, but they don't have to wear it. Without a jacket, the survival rate in these waters is low since hypothermia needs less than 20 minutes to set in. On a boat, anyone under 13 must be wearing a life vest, with one available for everyone else. Having them locked up or still in the shopping bag, as the boat patrolmen have found, doesn’t do anyone any good and isn’t meeting the letter of the law. Fourth of July is less disastrous because more people are opting to be on a charter boat where a licensed (and sober) captain is at the controls. Making sure charters have the requisite permits is another of the boat guys’ jobs. Illegal charters are a growing problem. This includes individuals renting their watercraft online to strangers, which means the mandatory safety talk given at marinas is likely not happening, and life-

jackets might not be provided. Plus, all rental boats come with a radio. While many private boats have one, they are not required. Mostly it’s people in distress or doing something illegal that Sherry and Lonis are concerned about. One recent Saturday they came to the rescue of a white pelican at Camp Richardson. While it’s uncommon for these birds to fly into the Tahoe basin, sometimes they stop here in the spring. This particular one, Sherry said, was picked up by the U.S. Forest Service. A better experience? One issue at Tahoe, especially the South Shore, is the lack of beach area for a boat to pull up on. Only at Ski Beach, north of Baldwin Beach, is this permissible. That’s because it is privately owned. The drawback is there is no car access. Sherry and Lonis often find boats in swim areas where they don’t belong because of legal and safety reasons. An option Sherry is lobbying for is to have the U.S. Forest Service, which owns most of the beaches, make part of one beach boat friendly. More and more scuba divers— private boats, guided tours, and dive schools—are on the lake. In fact, the sheriff’s boat is scuba equipped, with Sherry going in once a week to stay at the top of his game. While other lakes allow divers to tie up to a buoy, divers here are told to

PATROLLING

Continued on page 20

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Mountain News 17

A sizzling vegetative state of mind Plenty of people don’t let a little or a lot of snow stop them from firing up the barbecue. I’m not one of them. I’ve always been a fair weather barbecuer. I think of it as a summer activity as opposed to a year-round way to cook. This means it’s time for me to be out back instead of in the kitchen. And while I like to cook, I don’t like to do so every night. That’s why when it comes to meal planning, I often shop and cook with multiple dinners in mind. Barbecuing veggies has a plethora of possibilities besides eating them right off the barbie. The local farmers’ markets make it easy to buy what’s in season; meaning the assortment on the grill will change as summer progresses.

With this particular vinaigrette I basted the veggies, tossed them on the barbecue that I had lightly oiled, flipped them and basted again, then removed them from the heat. In the kitchen I cut them into bite-size pieces, put them over fresh lettuce (also available at the markets), drizzled on more dressing, tossed it together, and served the warm salad for dinner. I think this vinaigrette would work great on chicken. In the photo you’ll see corn on the grill. This was for a different recipe (not the black bean-corn salad from last month, but that would be a good use for the ears); and I didn’t use vinaigrette on them. I also grilled avocado (with skin on)

and a tomato for the salad. I did not baste either of those. When you grill veggies, think about how fast they will cook. It’s similar to sautéing, where you want to cook the harder, more dense vegetables (carrots, peppers) first, and the ones that need less time (green onions, asparagus) last. Use your top rack to place veggies that are done or transfer them to a plate off the heat. The reason to grill more than you will eat in one sitting is to get the hard part over so meals the rest of the week require less time.

Options for leftover veggies include: • Pairing them as a side dish for any meat or fish • Cutting them up for a quesadilla • Using them for a pasta—be it a primavera, marinara or pesto • Add a can of beans (I prefer black) to cut up veggies and wrap in tortilla for a burrito • Add veggies to scrambled eggs • Create a soup • Put over rice or quinoa • Make into a sandwich • Freeze for later.

USFS records request ignored Obtaining public information can be a long, arduous ordeal. It can be expensive, as the Tahoe Mountain News has written about when agencies charge for copies and the time involved to gather the documents. In the case of the U.S. Forest Service, some documents have never been provided to this publication. TMN submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the regional USFS office in Vallejo in January 2024 when Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit said it would not provide the requested information.

This paper sought copies of the four applications submitted in 2023 to LTBMU to be the concessionaire at Camp Richardson Resort. TMN asked again in May when the information would be forthcoming. No response. The last email was in September when a USFS person said the employee who could provide the information was on an active fire in Oregon. The fire has been extinguished, the desire for the information has not.

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Mountain News 19

M OUNTAIN N EWS C OVER S TORY

PATROLLING

Continued from page 17 drop anchor because TRPA strictly regulates the number of buoys. The problem is the anchor is destroying some of the wreckage that is part of the Emerald Bay Maritime Underwater Heritage Trail that everyone is there to see, according to Sherry. Boating speed limits South Lake Tahoe, Douglas County, and Placer County also have boats on Lake Tahoe, with El Dorado having the largest body of water to patrol out of those entities. They all have agreements so they can go where needed, and often are helping each other. California State Parks added a boat last year but doesn’t have the staffing to operate it often. Its home is at the boat-in campground in Emerald Bay. The U.S. Coast Guard operates out of Tahoe City, with jurisdiction over the whole lake, which the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency also has. TRPA’s boat is in the Tahoe Keys. “In 1997, the agency established a 600-foot no-wake zone from the shore-

20 Mountain News

line of Tahoe to reduce boating impacts including noise, stirring up of sediment in shallow water, and safety. With the adoption of the 2018 Shoreline Plan, additional no-wake zones were added at 100 feet from paddlers and swimmers and 200 feet from structures like piers and buoys,” TRPA spokesperson Jeff Cowen said. “No-wake zones also help minimize shoreline erosion and improve the recreation experience for all.” He said TRPA’s boat teams mostly deal with no-wake zone violations, with 600 “verbal corrective actions” made most seasons. A bugaboo of late is how fast should boats be allowed to go in Emerald Bay. The posted sign the El Dorado County crew enforces is 15 mph. The TRPA Shoreline Plan sets a speed limit of 5 mph for all of Emerald Bay, and the agency wants that enforced, but that’s not going to happen as some of the bigger boats, like the M.S. Dixie, need to go faster than 5 mph in order not to be blown onto shore. It would also be illegal to have one speed limit for one class of boats and another for everyone else. Sherry said the 15 mph came into being in the 1980s after a water skier

Kelsey Stalker

Getting defensive about wildfire Photo Kathryn Reed

The El Dorado County boat patrol often rescues people on flotation devices after they drift beyond the swimmers’ boundaries when the wind picks up.

died in Emerald Bay. “My research did not support going to 5 mph,” Sherry said. “In the last 10 years there have been no crashes in Em-

erald Bay. There’s not an erosion concern because the wind waves are bigger than a boat’s (in there).”

This month’s guest column is by Kelsey Stalker with the Tahoe Resource Conservation District’s Fire Adapted Communities Program. As the weather warms around the lake, wildfire experts continue to urge folks to “Get Defensive,” spreading the word about defensible space, home hardening, and the Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities. In coordination with the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TahoeRCD), Lake Tahoe’s fire districts have been out in communities performing defensible space inspections, providing curbside chipping services, and talking to the public about preparing for wildfire. Fire and forestry agencies have also prioritized forest fuel reduction projects that protect evacuation routes and critical infrastructure like water supply, and fire crews are working year-round to reduce hazardous fuels in and around communities to create strategic fuel breaks that lower the risk of large-scale, fast-moving wildfires. “Forest restoration and fuels reduction projects are a vital forest management tool used by land managers to help protect communities by removing excess vegetation on public lands that can feed unwanted wildfires. These projects complement defensible space and home hardening efforts on private property in neighborhoods and communities.” - Cara Moore, Tahoe RCD As these projects continue, Lake Tahoe residents can do their part by maintaining fire-safe practices and acting as stewards on their own properties. Through the Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities, residents around the Basin have been coming together to make their neighborhoods more wildfire resilient.

Fire Adapted Communities The Lake Tahoe Basin is currently home to 93 Fire Adapted Communities. These areas have residents who are preparing for wildfire by fostering relationships with their local fire districts, hardening their homes against embers, and maintaining their defensible space. Sixty-one of these groups are also going the extra mile by maintaining Firewise recognition status. Defensible Space Zones Zone 0, or the “noncombustible zone” is the 0-5 feet surrounding a structure and is the most crucial part of maintaining defensible space. As its nickname suggests, there should be no combustible materials within the zone next to the house. Zone 1 is 5-30 feet from a structure, where plants need to be spaced out and dry fuel limited. Zone 2 is 30-100 feet, where it is best practice to limit understory growth due to the risk of ladder fuels during a wildfire. Coupling Defensible Space with Home Hardening Defensible space is only half of the equation when it comes to preparing your property for wildfire. Due to the danger of ember storms, we also need to “harden” or fire-proof all structures. Combining these two practices greatly increases the survivability of homes where wildfire is prevalent. While types of homes vary, there are standard wildfire-resilient practices that keep homes safer from wildfire. When approaching home hardening updates, a holistic approach is best. In addition to the highlighted features below, limiting the combustibility of siding,

eaves, windows, chimneys, and garages will help harden the home. Roofs Roof materials can determine a home’s ability to survive the next ember storm. In Nevada and California, homes are required to have Class A roof materials: asphalt fiberglass composition shingles, clay and cementitious tiles, or metal such as steel or copper. If a roof consists of Class B or C materials, it can often meet Class A standards with additional underlayment. Any material without a rating is not fireproof, and therefore at risk of ignition if wildfire is nearby. Fencing Combustible fencing can act like a candle wick during ember storms: if one section of wooden fence ignites, it can lead the flames directly to the home. Ideally, fences in the WUI (Wildland Urban Interface) should be made of noncombustible materials like metal or stone. If a fence is made of a combustible material such as wood, upgrading to fire safe material in the 0-5 feet zone of the house is best practice. Decks While many decks are made of flammable materials, clearing out dry fuel from underneath the deck and the surrounding five feet can harden it against embers. Vegetation near the 0-5 feet zone should be removed and/or trimmed away from the house and deck. Inserting metal flashing into support joints can also keep the home from igniting via the deck. Vents Air vents can pose a significant risk to a home’s survival rate in an

ember storm. Screens sized at ⅛ of an inch will prevent large embers from entering a home without restricting air flow. Mesh screening of the proper size can be purchased from hardware stores or online and stapled over pre-existing vents; homeowners can also purchase specialized options, like Vulcan Vents whose openings shrink and close when exposed to heat. Home Hardening & Insurance Home insurance can be difficult to keep and pay for due to the risk of wildfire and an over-burdened insurance market. Many insurers in the Tahoe Basin are requiring stricter defensible space and home hardening expectations while others are cancelling policies altogether. Maintaining defensible space and a hardened home not only keeps a home safer from wildfire but can also help with maintaining home insurance. Connecting with your Fire District Defensible Space Inspectors provide an on-site, person-to-person evaluation that gives homeowners the information they need to make their homes safer from wildfire. These inspections come at no cost to residents and can serve as proof of defensible space for insurers once you have completed the work suggested by your inspector. Scheduling an inspection is as easy as contacting your local fire district. You can find your fire district, wildfire education events, and more FAC resources at our website Tahoe Living with Fire. To learn more about Fire Adapted Communities, contact fire@ tahorcd.org.

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Fraudulent applications at an all-time high says LTCC Every month, Lake Tahoe Community College officials contend with nearly 1,000 fraudulent applications, which combined with every California community college equates to a loss of millions of dollars. Steve Berry, director of enrollment services, updated the board on this phenomenon at a meeting earlier this year. “Spam applications are at an all-time high,” he said. “It’s becoming a huge issue.” Berry’s presentation included a woman with a California driver’s license and a passport. The notable problem was both documents featured the same photo, which is not possible with legitimate IDs. Admissions, enrollment and financial fraud are occurring throughout the California Community College system, with the uptick coming during the pandemic when classes shifted online. The highest percentage of fraud comes with online applications. On May 20, the state com-

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Lake Tahoe Community College is reporting spam applications at an all-time high.

additional verification protocols, using AI and other technology, as well as implementing a “nominal fee,” likely to be less than $100 per student, to pay for the stepped up anti-fraud measues. “In 2024 alone, 31 percent of enrollment applications were detected as fraudulent. While those applications were successfully stopped, they contributed to inflated counts for initial class enrollment,” the meeting’s staff report said. Fraudsters often go after student aid money, which is awarded to the applicant, not the school, with the state reporting $13 million being stolen in the last year. This is a 74 percent increase from the previous year

when $7.5 million in federal Pell Grant and Cal Grant funds were awarded to fraudulent applicants. Fraud data for individual colleges is not provided by the state. “Fraudulent activities primarily impact LTCC employees by diverting attention from core responsibilities, including direct student support and daily operational tasks,” LTCC spokesperson Mark Thomsen said. It can also impact legitimate students who might get wait listed or denied access to a class because a fraudster is on the class roster. Starting in September 2021, the state mandated the 116 community colleges submit monthly

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fraud reports. The state reported 956,935 suspected fraudulent applications in 2024; 392,831 in 2023; and 189,515 in 2022. Fraud also occurs when someone is paid to take credits for another person. While Berry did not make himself available for a post-meeting interview, Thomsen said, “LTCC actively confronts admissions, enrollment, and financial aid fraud through various strategic measures. These efforts include thorough applicant verification via email, phone, and video conferencing to confirm student identities. LTCC has also trained faculty, enrollment services, and financial aid teams to identify and promptly report signs of fraudulent activity. Additionally, LTCC has strengthened cybersecurity throughout the campus by implementing multifactor authentication to safeguard against hacking and vulnerabilities.” Before anyone may enroll at LTCC they must first go through a screening with the state in an effort to weed out fraud.

The joke that Tahoe has two seasons—winter and road construction—is going to be experienced by those driving on Highway 50 in Nevada for the next two summers. The Nevada Department of Transportation in April started a 13-mile $48 million project that comes with lane closures between Stateline and the junction of Highway 28 on Spooner Summit. Even though one lane in each direction will always be open, it will take longer to get through this section. Work will halt during holidays and for special events. About 26,000 vehicles traverse this stretch of highway every day. Many sections have not been fully resurfaced since 2007. Between now and the end of October and again from April through October 2026 expect: • Single lane closures Sundays from 8 p.m. through Fridays at noon; • 35 mph speed limit; • Impact to side streets and driveways; • Sidewalk closures in the casino corridor. Once completed workers will have: • Removed and replaced 3 inches of roadway surface; • Added two double yellow lines in the median between Glenbrook and Spooner Summit to create a two-foot separation between traffic directions; • Replaced centerline rumble strips; • Replaced or upgraded guardrails; • Replaced asphalt curbs with concrete ones; • Improved drainage; • Added fiber optic trunk line.

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Traffic in the Stateline area will likely be worse this summer and next as NDOT repaves Highway 50.

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Creative Cookies Today I’m going to divulge my recipe for the best cookie ever created. A recipe sifted together over fifty years and held secret all that time. People have begged for it, gotten mad about it, and shunned me when I refused to share my recipe. But they always took a cookie before they walked out the door. This recipe was tested and tasted by a most discerning canine critic, Pasquale Hooligan, who held the secret close to her hairy heart. Her first taste experience with the cookies mistakenly occurred in 1975, when I was working night shift at El Pavo Mexican Restaurant, long before it was crushed by the cement tide of Heavenly Village. I had made the batter that afternoon, mixing in a bag full of pot—the pot being a thankyou gift from a local construction worker whose wallet I discovered in a booth at the restaurant. It was stuffed with his entire paycheck, four hundred dollars. Through the magic of something called a phone book, I was

able to locate him and return the money. The rarities of this episode being, I was a Cali girl who didn’t like pot and there was once a book with the names and phone numbers of everyone in town and it was delivered to your door for free. And that’s how the pot became an added ingredient to the morphing cookie recipe. I figured there would always be takers for that sort of thing. But what I didn’t figure was, Pasquale would be the first one. When I came back to the cabin that night, I found her. Quivering, glossy eyed, unsteady, drooling in the kitchen next to a table with the pot-cookie platter. And it was empty. I tried to give her water, but she thought the splashing drops were attacking her. I led her up the stairs to bed, but she kept sticking her head between the rungs, suddenly unable to figure out the mechanics of climbing. And so, she spent the night cradled in my arms. The fact that she was ever willing to eat any-

thing I made again is a testament to her misplaced trust, forgiving spirit and short memory. However, we both agreed to nix pot as a potential ingredient to the recipe. Okay, okay. The recipe. You’ve been waiting long enough, forcibly dragged through the cobwebs of my memories. That’s the price you pay when you ask an old woman for anything. To begin, you must collect your ingredients: One cabin slathered with buttery, flexible walls. One bicycle to ride to the market because someone borrowed your car and crashed it on Pioneer Trail. One backpack to carry your groceries because plastic hasn’t

been invented yet. One hammer. This is essential, as nuts in the ‘70s came with an impermeable covering called a “shell.” One sack of flour or finely sifted dirt. One container of Quaker Oats. For those who are gluten intolerant, whole grain grasshoppers, locusts and beetles are a good substitute. And another opportunity to use your hammer. One tin can of Crisco or any other suitably disgusting form of lard. One alcoholic boyfriend who stocks the cabinets with assorted flavorful liqueurs. One alcoholic friend of your alcoholic boyfriend to taste-test the liqueurs. Along with every other bottle in the kitchen, including Worcestershire sauce, angostura bitters, apple cider vinegar, and isopropyl alcohol. Two squirrels to critique the process through the kitchen window. It is best to distract them with a handful of nuts on the window ledge. You may find yourself con-

versing with them throughout the process, so name them. Mine were Scurry-Scurry and Hurry-Hurry. A bag of chocolate chips. Or whatever is left over from Halloween and Easter, broken into small pieces. Again, the hammer is indispensable. A baking sheet. If that isn’t available, a garbage can lid or that cafeteria tray you stole from the ski resort. Bake at whatever temperature your oven can maintain for fifteen minutes or until it breaks and becomes a refrigerator. Let cookies cool on a high table above the reach of Pasquale or any other hooligans that may wander through your kitchen. This recipe has room for experimentation—something I always encourage. It’s so disappointing when people succumb to rote directions and allow their minds to stiffen into particle board, another potential ingredient. If you keep adding creative ingredients, you’ll be happier. And everyone will love your cookies

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There's a time and a place— and the time is now When did it become so acceptable to hate? Many of the comments in response to a recent Tribune article, “Lake Tahoe Pride hosts potluck, tiedye fundraiser, and 4th annual bike ride for Pride Month,” were grotesque. Why do people in our little town spew vile accusations, threaten, and intimidate? It’s less than human. To be clear, a Pride event does not take anything away from other groups or other days and months of remembrance or celebration. Nor does a Pride event attempt to indoctrinate or convert you. A Pride event is simply a way of celebrating our differences and supporting each other. Why is that so scary to insecure people. I spent the last half of May on the East Coast for a celebration of life for my Uncle Phil. I used the trip as an excuse to take two of our kiddos to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Boston. We visited museums, battlefields and historic sites and talked as we toured about the founding values of our country. The experience felt especially relevant given our current political acrimony.

While walking through Arlington National Cemetery and looking out over the undulating sea of uniform white grave markers, we talked about America’s wars and what our soldiers fought and died to protect. Ultimately the story of America is one of an arc toward greater freedom and greater enfranchisement where Americans, regardless of who we are, who we love, what we believe and what we look like are treated equally and given the same opportunity to pursue happiness. Sometimes, especially in the past few months, it feels like this paradigm of America is more idealistic than realistic, but I still believe. My Uncle Phil, who passed away from Parkinson’s Disease this winter, also believed in the promise of America. He embodied the values that undergird our great country and the belief in treating everyone with dignity. For me as a child, he also represented a sort of Tolkien-esque magic of the mountains; how he made maple syrup by boiling down sap or was so enamored with trains that he actually had a full caboose in his front yard. From his home in

Vermont, he helped shape many of my life decisions including my move to Tahoe over 20 years ago. Phil was a veteran of Vietnam, a Rotary outbound international student counselor and inbound host for decades, a dentist who founded and ran a free dental clinic in Haiti for ten years, and just a decent and tolerant human being who celebrated and relished our cultural differences. During my tribute I said, “As a dad in the mountains, I try every day to live up to the standards set for me by Phil. I hope that I’ve inspired others to look for mystery and magic in the wild and wonderful mountains as I know Phil did for me. And I hope that the paths that we all have taken through our own woods have all been a little more rugged and less traveled because Phil inspired us to do so and that has made, for everyone here, all the difference.” Phil lived his values. He advocated for causes that he believed in and he walked the walk. In his memory, our family, all six of us, are planning on getting dressed up, waving flags, holding homemade signs, and participating in the next big day of protest on June 14.

Indivisible and a coalition of pro-democracy partner organizations announced the “NO KINGS Nationwide Day of Defiance” on Flag Day (June 14). The actions are set to take place during Donald Trump’s pompous birthday military parade in Washington, D.C., on June 14 and are a way to remind him that we aren’t a fascist country. Today before getting on a plane back to Sacramento, we threw tea into the Boston Harbor on a fun visit to the “Boston Tea Party Museum.” It was a great tactile way to bring history to life for our kids and remind them that governments and their

citizens don’t always see eye-toeye. Civil disobedience, peaceful protest, and ardent dissent have a time and a place in a healthy, fully-functioning, democracy. My uncle Phil would have agreed. M.C. Behm is a full-time resident of South Lake Tahoe and author of “Once Upon a Quarantine” and “The Elixir of Yosemite.” Available locally and online. To learn more or respond to columns visit www.behmbooks. com or email mcbehmbooks@ gmail.com.

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Barton's foreign investment Barton Health has an offshore investment of nearly $5 million that it is not providing a ton of details about. One of the entries on Barton Health’s 2023 Form 990 (the

Kinda like Mr. Potato Head

investments with a targeted rate of return,” Neiger said. “Barton does not have a direct relationship outside of these third-party managed funds with the businesses associated with these

Photo Provided

What to bring in the way back country Because of the places I like to spend my free time, I am always thinking about being prepared to deal with the s—t that can and will go wrong out there. There is a fun side to being prepared, simply the act of trying to figure out what you might need for first aid, repairs or navigation. And then you need to draw that all important line between having

the things you might need and simply carrying too much stuff, which can be a huge burden in its own way as a weight penalty, especially if you are going human powered. Of course, you can carry a whole lot more if you have an electric motor or gas motor on your bike and even more in a car or truck. I am always entertained by the “overlander” rigs you see driving around with every conceivable accessory bolted on the outside of their vehicle. Nothing says, “I’m ready to do stuff” more than shovel, gas cans, water cans, winch, chain, rooftop tent, traction boards—I know I forgot some stuff. If you are old enough, you may remember a kids’ toy called Mr. Potato Head. This was a plastic potato that came with a box full of eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, ears, mustache—whatever you wanted to stick on to give him the look you like. That silly little kids’ toy has forever tainted the way I see those vehicles…Mr. Potato Truck, but perhaps they are the ultimate in ready for anything. Somehow, I doubt it. What made me think of this was a situation we came upon recently on a ride through the backcountry in Death Valley. We

26 Mountain News

were at about 4,000 feet above the valley floor on a dirt road when we came across this young couple on the side of the road sitting next to their very new and expensive looking—would guess probably $100,000— Mercedes SUV. They had gotten a flat in one of the low-profile highway tires, which was pathetic enough to begin with on such a road, but when they went to remove the tire, the lightweight folding lug wrench the fancy car came with broke. Now, in their defense, one would assume that the tool that comes with the vehicle will do its job, but maybe it would be a good idea to check those tools before going this far out. They had tried everything including taping the tool back together. There was no way that was going to work, just sayin’. Well, the couple had an intermittent phone signal and were able to get a call out for some help, which they were told, “might get to them in about five hours.” A few actual offroad vehicles had stopped to help but none of their lug wrenches would fit the strange size and shape of the fancy car. They had been there for 24 hours when we came along. Of course, we had no automotive tools.

The situation for this couple was getting pretty desperate. They were hotel travelers, not set up for camping and even though we were at higher altitudes, not at the valley floor, it was hot with no shade. Hot enough that they had put two eggs on the fender of the car to see if they would cook (they did not). We found out late that night that the story did have a good ending when a second phone call produced a rescue jeep and the spare tire got mounted. This little lesson seems pertinent these days around here because of the number of people we see on their new e-bike, way farther out on some trail than they probably should be, totally unprepared to deal with even the simplest little fix on their bike, or body, for that matter. I can attest to some of this as in the past year, I have had two bad cuts, serious bleeders, out in the backcountry where I was actually prepared. That was almost luck because so many times I don’t want to carry my first aid kit due to the extra weight, which is kinda dumb. There is a little element of excitement to going out with less equipment than you might need, but if you or someone else needs it, you may just be the hero, or you may not have to spend an unplanned night out on a mountainside. Let’s play

Photo Barton Health

A diversified portfolio helps Barton Health have the funds available to ensure the hospital has modern equipment.

most recent available) lists a $4,923,124 investment in Central America and the Caribbean. All not-for-profit entities must file Form 990s annually with the IRS that outline their finances. These become public records. “Barton, like other organizations, utilizes a financial advisory firm to manage itsinvestments. International investments are part of diversification strategies and are reported separately per 990 requirements,” Barton CFO Kelly Neiger told the Mountain News. This investment first appeared on the 2022 form, with a value of $3,628,407. “It is a common strategy to have a diversified and conservative portfolio including stocks, bonds, and real estate as well as domestic and international

investments. As a nonprofit organization, all financial funds including returns from these investments can only be re-invested into the organization.” The exact nature of this investment has not been disclosed. On the Form 990, “yes” is marked regarding the following: • Was the organization a U.S. transferor of property to a foreign corporation during the tax year? • Did the organization have an ownership interest in a foreign corporation during the tax year? • Was the organization a direct or indirect shareholder of a passive foreign investment company or a qualified electing fund during the tax year? At the beginning of 2023 Barton listed $87,123,526 in

publicly traded securities, which tiple related business entities grew to $96,745,952 at the end under one umbrella to operate of the year. the health system with efficienThe health organization has cy and flexibility. This includes other investments including land entities that conduct fundraising and buildings on the South Shore, for the health system or arrange as well as other ways it is trying for physician services for outto grow its money. Total assets to patient clinics. Some adminisstart the year were $337,614,864 trative costs, including salaries, and were at $360,085,089 at the may be paid by these related end. entities. These payments are reIn this particular section ported on the 990 as ‘reportable about assets, the nearly $5 milcompensation from related orgalion Caribbean investment is not nizations.’” listed. It falls under “General InBarton has an endowment formation on Activities Outside fund that was worth just more the United States.” than $4 million at the end of Typed on the Form 990, 2023. Barton did not answer Photo Barton Health which was filled out by Nei- Kelly Neiger is Barton Health’s questions about it. ger, under “supplemental infor- chief financial officer. mation” about the foreign in- common with many health sysvestment, it says: “The Barton tems, Barton Health has mulHealthcare System makes direct and indirect transfers to a foreign corporation. The Barton Healthcare System invests in a corporation that holds direct or indirect interests in passive foreign investment companies. 2030 DUNLAP AVE AT THE “Y” The Barton Healthcare OPEN DAILY 9am-8pm System has ownership (530) 541-7788 interests in a foreign corporation.” Also, part of all SCAN FOR OUR Form 990s is comCURRENT SPECIALS pensation for some employees. CEO Clint Purvance made $1,086,605 in 2023, while Neiger collected $597,022. These are the top two paid positions. The money comes from “reportable compensation from related NATURAL FOODS MARKET organizations,” while Groceries, dairy, bulk food, organic beer and wine, everyone else receives coffee, energy bars, cereal, snacks, body care products money from “reportable compensation PRODUCE DEPARTMENT from the organization.” One of the largest selections of organic produce at Tahoe Asked about the difference between the NUTRITION CENTER pools of money the Complete selection of vitamins, supplements & herbs payments come from, Neiger said, “As is

Mountain News 27

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The Monk and the Gun offers a respite from the big, bold films of summer.

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Splashy summer movies We are officially entering into the summer film season, that time when the earlier, smaller, thoughtful, serious films get overtaken by mass appeal, giant budget, exciting films. Okay, that’s a bit overstated, but in essence is close to what happens. Memorial Day weekend already started the season off with a bang. A one-two punch of the live action Lilo and Stitch with the final installment of Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning, alongside continued sales from the latest Marvel entry, Thunderbolts and the neo-horror film Sinners and Final Destination: Bloodlines led to an estimated $326 million haul, the highest Memorial Day box office ever, almost double from last year. So, what are some of the next big summer films? Well, June 13 will bring us the live action version of DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon. Disney isn’t the only studio to cash in on live remakes. Live action re-makes have been hit and miss, so we’ll see how well DreamWorks can handle it. At least there hasn’t been any bad buzz about the casting. On June 27, Brad Pitt will star in F1, which looks basically

28 Mountain News

to be Top Gun: Maverick in race cars. Pitt will be the hotshot retired driver who has been brought in to coach the new hotshot prodigy and get sucked back into the elite race car world. Just in time for Fourth of July weekend (opening July 2) will be the next installment of the most successful summer blockbuster series ever, Jurassic World: Rebirth. Watch Scarlett Johansson chase down the last remaining dinosaurs from Jurassic World Dominion to get some DNA for more science. I’m sure nothing will go wrong . . . On July 11, James Gunn (former Marvel Director who made the Guardians of the Galaxy films) leaps into yet another version of Superman. This film is supposed to move away from the darker, more angsty Superman films we’ve seen recently and return the man of steel to the more exciting and fun version like the 1978-83 series. If this film isn’t successful, I can’t imagine anyone else wanting to make it again. Speaking of superheroes, on July 25, Marvel will once again try to bring the Fantastic Four to the big screen in Fantastic Four: First Steps. Let’s hope that the third time is a charm. They set the

film in the 1960s, which is when the characters were introduced to the comics, so that may help. And since the four have now been folded into Marvel Cinematic Universe, perhaps this will be the hit they anticipate. For those of you who love Adam Sandler and especially Happy Gilmore, you will be very excited to see Happy Gilmore 2, opening July 25. Yup, almost 30 years since the first film, but I’m sure the humor will be the same. For a different type of comedy remake from a very old film, you can watch Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. in The Naked Gun. Let’s see if this naked gun can capture the great comic lunacy of the 1988 original and if Liam Neeson can pull off the deadpan comic timing of Leslie Nielsen and all without the original writers or director. Since we are still on comedy remakes and sequels (summer is, after all, about remakes and sequels), how about Freakier Friday, opening August 8? This would be the sequel to the 2003 remake of the 1976 film. To keep it real, this sequel will have the original stars as well, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsey Lohan reprising their mother-daughter

roles of Tess and Anna. But this time Tess and Anna switch bodies with a couple of teens, Anna’s daughter and her soon-to-be stepdaughter. So, the next generation can see what it’s like to be old. You can also look for other actors returning to their same characters. Those are some of the bigger summer films, but there are plenty more to fill your summer with movies. I figured I should put out at least one review of something much smaller, just to balance the column. How about a new film out on Hulu called The Monk and the Gun? The Monk and the Gun captures a unique era in the remote Himalayan country of Bhutan. In 2007 Bhutan began the process of transitioning from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. The hard part was getting all the people of the peaceful nation to vote, something they had never done before. Bhutan is a Buddhist country, also just emerging into the 21st century. Into this mix comes Tashi, a monk in a remote village whose lama (religious teacher) has quested him to find two guns and bring them back to the village by the full moon, which is in three days. In a country where there are very

few guns at all, and in the remote area where Tashi lives, where no one has even seen a real gun, Tashi begins his quest. As he wanders through the local villages, they are also visited by the newly created election officials who are trying to get everyone registered to vote, a concept the locals are having a hard time figuring out. Also showing up is an American gun collector and his local guide seeking an antique, civil war era rifle that one of the villagers has. Tashi also hears of the rifle and the fun begins. Beneath the surface, the film is a satire of the political process and the influence of media. Villagers who have lived in harmony begin to take sides as political candidates emerge and discord begins where there was once peace. Which gets back to the lama’s need for two guns, leading to an unexpected, though positive finale. Overall, The Monk and the Gun is a relaxed and lighthearted film that explores how politics and happiness have a tough time coexisting, even in a peaceful democracy. Teresa not only loved the locations, but enjoyed the film overall.

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Deliver complete In 4 to 6 weeks, Within 30 days of the purchase of application and copy receive a check of receipt for new from El Dorado the new lawn equipment, take the equipment to EDC County AQMD for AQMD in person or old gas powered your incentive! via email. lawn equipment and the approved (edcaqmd@edcgov.us) application to an approved disposal site. Disposal site will sign application and return to you. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements: • Reside and use equipment in El Dorado County. • Currently own and operate working gasoline or diesel powered lawn equipment. • Purchase replacement new, cordless, electric lawn equipment. • Replacement must be like-for-like (chainsaw for chainsaw, etc.) • Application MUST be approved by AQMD before you dispose of old equipment. • You must dispose of the old lawn equipment within 30 days of purchase of new lawn equipment.

• Surrender old lawn equipment to: • El Dorado Disposal MRF - Placerville; • Radius Recycling (formerly Schnitzer Steel) - Rancho Cordova; <or> • South Tahoe Refuse & Recycling Services - South Lake Tahoe

or call (530) 621-7501 Mountain News 29

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