May 2025 by tahoemountainnews

While Mother Nature is making up her mind about the seasons, Spoke Junkie takes advantage of it all and brings readers along for the ride.

Photo Gary Bell Goodbye, winter! Hello, spring!

Serving Lake Tahoe’s South Shore Since 1994

UPGRADE YOUR NEXT MEETING

During the last week of April, I felt a little like a Goldilocks journalist. I remotely attended three meetings of local public jurisdictions and found one too hot, one too cold and one almost just right.

For this edition, I wrote a story about the state of the bathroom project at Tahoe Paradise Park, which was discussed by the board of the Tahoe Paradise Recreation and Park District at its monthly meeting. While I tried to mostly stick to the facts in my story, to say the meeting was heated would be an understatement. Both audience members and board members interrupted, cut off and talked over others without waiting to be recognized by the chair or sticking to time limits. Agenda items were conflated and commingled, making it hard to figure out what item was being considered. The board, in my estimation, interacted with the audience in ways unpermitted by the Brown Act during public comment at the beginning of the meeting. Someone stormed out in a huff. Words, here, fail to capture what a car crash it all was and I’m not really sure what of importance was actually accomplished, except identifying the right fuel mixture for a district chainsaw.

Two days later, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting unfolded much differently. The chair ran the meeting smoothly and appropriately and

those in attendance comported themselves with decorum and respect. Discussions were civil, bordering on friendly and all present seemed to be trying to work together and not against each other. But it all seemed a bit too tame and as if all is not well beneath the surface.

Newly elected trustee, Bob Anderson, appeared to have some concerns, or perhaps complaints, about LTUSD. During board member reports, he quoted Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski saying, “we are all afraid” and concluded his remarks by stating, “silencing and scolding should be beneath us. Retaliation is real.” But he named no names, provided no examples, offered no specifics. Anderson was also the only trustee to vote against a contract extension and pay raise for Superintendent Todd Cutler. When asked if he wanted to elaborate on his vote by Chair Lauri Kemper, he declined. The net effect was to leave one a bit puzzled and mystified about what, exactly, Anderson was talking about.

A few days later, I came across this quote cited by city of South Lake Tahoe Councilmember David Jinkens (with regards to an unrelated city matter). Referencing a 1966 Supreme Court decision in Bond v. Floyd, I thought it captured the subject nicely. “(Elected officials) have an obligation to take positions on controversial political questions so that their constituents can be fully informed by them, and be better able to assess their qualifications for office; also so they may be represented in government debates by the person they have elected to represent them. As well, (elected officials) have a First Amendment right to share their viewpoints.” So please, Mr. Anderson, enlighten your constituents about your grievances and dissatisfactions, whatever they are, with our publicly funded school system that serves the children of our community. Finally, on to the April 22 South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting. While I did not watch the entire meeting, I watched what might be considered the most important part—a discussion on a new VHR ordinance. Public comment was voluminous, taking nearly two hours. The debate was spirited and thorough. But it was orderly, principled and polite. The matter was reconsidered at the council’s May 6 meeting and things came apart a bit, though still well within the bounds of civility. (In his after-action reports on Facebook, Councilmember Scott Robbins was more critical of his colleagues than during the meeting.) And, I’m out of room.

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The appeal of Measure T

On May 1, the Tahoe Neighborhoods Group (TNG) filed an application with the El Dorado County Superior Court to request standing to appeal the case of South Lake Tahoe Property Owners Group (SLTPOG) vs. the City of South Lake Tahoe. The TNG (that brought Measure T to the voters) anticipated the city council would continue to defend Measure T as directed by a previous council in 2018. Instead, on April 1, the current council threw the voters under the bus and ended the defense of Measure T denying the majority the benefit of an appeal to bring this matter to its legal conclusion.

The court has set May 22 for the hearing. Should the application, on behalf of the voters be granted, the Tahoe Neighborhoods Group can become the defendant (replacing the city) and appeal the ruling against Measure T.

For the last six years the SLTPOG has worked to undermine the will of the people through the court system. The TNG believes an appeal is needed to defend the will of the people and that there are clear grounds for an appeal. Just because the council decided to give up on the voters' rights to an appeal should not mean that the voters lose their legal voice in the outcome. After all, the voters passed the ban on neighborhood

VHRs, and the courts ruled the ban is constitutional.

WATCH YOUR BACKS NEVADA

Mark Twain may have said, “No man’s life, liberty or property is safe while the (Nevada) legislature is in session.”

Currently before the Nevada legislature are two contentious Tahoe bills. SB420 would tax (they are calling it a fee to avoid voter approval) potentially anything and everything on the Nevada side by creating a business improvement district (BID) to funnel the money through. Taxation is the purview of the voter, and the Nevada Legislature is playing fast and loose with the rules by calling this a fee to thwart the voters’ authority. Meanwhile, SB426 (amended multiple times and also lobbied for by the TRPA) proposes parking solutions along Highways 50, 28 and 431 along with authority given to NDOT and other districts to implement a laundry list of traffic calming modalities. Some fear this could mean a return to the ‘road diet’ plan to reduce Hwy 50 from Round Hill to Spooner to one driving lane in each direction.

FLOODED

Right now, the California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) is seeking public input on its restoration project at the site of the former Motel

6. From an environmental and conservation perspective, removing this motel development seems a noble cause.

But after what this agency did to the Al Tahoe Meadow (Upper Truckee Marsh), one might wonder if they can be trusted with such an important project.

It’s time for the CTC to take responsibility for and answer questions as to how in the hell they turned the once beautiful Al Tahoe Meadow into a completely flooded shitshow. Two homes have been lost to the flooding at a cost to the taxpayers of approximately $2,750,000.

A third home’s foundation was raised in order to avoid future flooding, while other homeowners along the meadow have standing water on their property. Residents report that their complaints have been met with denied responsibility from the CTC. Since 1984, the Conservancy has contributed to and developed many positive

projects in the basin. This fiasco is not one of them. The CTC should hold public hearings with plans to fix this mess. AND…

What happened to the Lone Eagle Grill in Incline? From Hugo’s Rotisserie in the 1970’s to the popular Lone Eagle Grill since 1994, tech billionaire and owner of the Hyatt Hotel, Larry Ellison has demolished the entire lakefront restaurant. Mary Gadomski, has returned to her former position at the Grocery Outlet. Welcome back. Café Fiore: Great food, special service and too many memories to recall. Thank you, Nick Ashmore, Gilberto and company. Anniversaries, birthdays, and all celebrations will never be the same. Ms. Mason: A resident of South Shore since the 50’s, she wasted no time or effort to make this mountain town a better place. Her community engagement rap-sheet is long and filled with many accomplishments. Now in her 90s, with nearly 70 years of community service to her credit and the LTCC library named in her honor, she remains an example of leadership, vision, and grace. Her superpower is being Roberta Mason.

To be continued….

“How do I become more educated about South Lake Tahoe’s financial situation?” – 24-year resident

Paying attention to South Lake Tahoe’s budget is the answer to that question.

While it can be an unwieldy document, a budget is the blueprint for all things financial for any government body.

Remember, though, a budget is what an entity thinks it will spend. Budget updates are when

it’s revealed if predicted revenues and expenses align with reality. This is what really matters and tells if a jurisdiction is on stable ground.

Scrutinizing the city’s quarterly budget reports can be telling although these are a bit dated by the time the public and electeds see them. Stats from the second quarter that ended March 31 are slated to be on the June 3 city council agenda. This means without a special meeting, the city is not able to react for nearly a quarter after the data is in hand.

There was a time when the council received monthly budget reports.

Often these reports are on the consent agenda, as was the case with the first quarter financial report delivered February 25. Consent agenda items are rarely pulled for discussion, meaning they are approved without input from staff or electeds.

The March 25 council meeting had the mid-year budget review under “new business”— so it received a more thorough airing.

A chart in that agenda packet shows the city with multi-million-dollar deficits for the foreseeable future. Deficit predictions by the city:

• 2024-25: $4,705,400

• 2025-26: $3,145,067

• 2026-27: $2,324,349

• 2027-28: $1,762,826

• 2028-29: $2,241,687

• 2029-30: $2,411,996.

South Lake Tahoe’s fiscal year runs Oct. 1-Sept. 30. This aligns with the federal government. El Dorado County and California’s FYs run July 1-June 30.

“The projected deficits are largely due to flattening or declining revenue growth, coupled with increases in key expenditure areas such as utilities, general liability insurance, and rising salary and benefit costs,” Finance Director Olga Tikhomirova told the Mountain News.

To close the gap the city is considering using alternative revenues like moving the parking garage surplus to the General Fund, forgoing regular maintenance on buildings and equipment, delaying or eliminating capital projects, and cutting services.

The city ended last fiscal year with $9.6 million in General Fund Undesignated Excess Reserves.

The March meeting showed the city using $4,705,400 from this undesignated reserves account. Of that, $2,719,224 was approved for “critical operating and capital needs.”

Tikhomirova said the latter was for payouts of unanticipated employee retirements, staff for new or expanded recreational programs, and a one-time $1.4 million infusion of cash for the new recreation center.

As is common, about 70 percent of the city’s budget is for personnel. However, in Tikhomirova’s first quarter report, she said overall expenditures had increased 12.1 percent or $1.2 million compared to the same period in fiscal year 2023-24. She said about $876,000 was attributed to higher personnel costs.

Nearly 70 employees are receiving “equity increases” based on a classification and compensation study the city did. “The goal is to support the recruitment and retention of a qualified and effective workforce,” Tikhomirova said.

This is the second of a threeyear implementation of this pay hike.

Employees this fiscal year also received a 3.8 percent cost of living increase based on the April 2024 Consumer Price Index. Tikhomirova explained a one percent increase in General Fund payroll equates to approximately $250,000.

The midyear budget adjustment included more than a half

million dollars for unanticipated overtime, particularly in public safety, as well as promotions and job reclassifications.

“While the fiscal outlook presents challenges, some new positions and reclassifications are necessary to meet operational demands, e.g. new recreation center, or maintain public safety and critical services,” Tikhomirova said. “We continuously evaluate staffing needs to align with available funding and long-term sustainability, including revisiting any recent expansions in service levels.” The budget and corresponding documents are on the city’s website. From the home page, search for “city budget”—where the budget and other financial documents are located. It’s also possible to go the page with the agendas and search “budget” in each agenda. Note “budget” is a common word relating to other financial issues on a more micro level.

Email: mountainnews2@ gmail.com

Mail: P.O. Box 8974, South Lake Tahoe, CA 95618.

The first call should have been 911

To the editor, We, the family of Keely Pereira, are writing to address the recent events in the criminal case connected to her death.

In late April, Timothy Austin Pannell was arrested on federal fentanyl distribution charges that killed four people, including Keely. The 22-page complaint against Pannell paints a very inconsistent picture of what happened that night between the hours of 9:30 p.m. and 9:10 a.m.

The El Dorado County

District Attorney publicly assumed that Pannell’s 17 calls and the drive around the neighborhood at 11 p.m. that night were his attempt to “save them,” so (the DA) couldn’t push for a murder charge. What the DA didn’t say was that the victims [allegedly] asked Pannell for one gram of cocaine and were given two grams of pure fentanyl. So, equally, we can assume that Pannell may have been simply seeking the return of this extra gram or additional payment rather than aiming to save any lives. When someone's life is in

immediate danger, the first call is to 911, something that Pannell never did. As we are bombarded with horrific comments and messages, we would like to remind everyone that even if you have never done cocaine in your life, someone you love has or will, and the chances of it containing fentanyl are increasingly high. Don’t take the risk, and please be kind.

The family of Keely Pereira

LETTERS

Continued on page 11

Being my best self

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..

My country, El Salvador, is a beautiful country. After over 30 years, I returned this April. It is very different now.

I was born in La Libertad, only two hours from San Salvador, the capital. There were beaches near my town. If I could have lived there longer, I could have enjoyed them, along with my aunt’s food. But El Salvador was in trouble. We needed to leave.

I’ll never forget how many bodies I saw. They pushed me to keep running.

I cried when I saw my uncle’s van. From there, we drove to Los Angeles.

By age 11, I had seen horrific things. I had seen men barely clinging to life. I had seen a priest assassinated. I had seen friends vanish. MS-13 ruled the country.

My dad saved money and told us, “Nos vamos lo más pronto que podamos”—we will leave as soon as possible. When

he left El Salvador, he took my older siblings to protect them from being drafted or kidnapped. I missed him.

Things got worse. Gang members demanded money for "protection" and tortured those who did not pay. My mom called my dad and said we were leaving, even if it meant walking.

The following two weeks were a blur. We bused through Guatemala and Mexico. I was

hot, tired, and often standing or sitting next to sweaty passengers.

In Mexico City, we took a plane to Tijuana, a break from walking. It was my first flight, and I still hate flying. Outside the airport, my mom warned us to prepare for lots of running through the desert. I was not ready to walk more. I don’t know how long we ran, but I was amazed at my mom’s ability to carry my two little sisters. She is my hero.

At 12, we moved from LA to Lake Tahoe. I started at South Tahoe Middle School. Back home I was respected, I helped with Mass, and I attended church. Here, I just wanted to fit in. I had to learn English, but I hated school and got into trouble. After my dad died before my 13th birthday—less than a year after we reunited—I spiraled.

I did under-the-table work washing dishes. School lost its meaning, and it only got worse in high school. I barely graduated and needed to take summer school. I rarely attended class. I mostly showed up to school dances to play around in the parking lot.

A South Tahoe High School teacher helped me turn my life around, and she showed me there

was more to me than what I saw. I still have the dictionary she gave me. After high school I worked hard. I stayed in food service and learned to cook from mentors. I transitioned from a corporate trainer to a kitchen manager, where I was responsible for managing the menu, labor, and food costs. Eventually, I became a sous chef at a completely different restaurant, which is where I still work. My proudest accomplishments are my children—one in college, one in high school, and one in middle school. They’re strong, independent, and full of character. Watching my daughter balance work and college makes me proud. I know she’ll make an impact. I can’t wait to see who they become.

To end, I leave you with this: “Always strive to be the best version of yourself, no matter what.”

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team is asking residents to visit https://readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/ and/or tahoelivingwithfire.com/get involved to find out more about wildfire preparation and prevention efforts and actions individual property owners can take.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is accepting comments on the scope of the proposed Barton Memorial Hospital relocation to the former site of Lakeside Inn. Input will be used to inform the Environmental Impact Statement which will assess the effects of the proposed project. Public submissions will be taken through June 6 at bartonproject@trpa.gov.

The city of South Lake Tahoe has commenced its skate park renovation project at Bijou Community Park, expected to be finished in mid-July. The current skate park will remain open, though the basketball court will be closed. A portion of the parking lot will be used for construction equipment and staging.

The annual League to Save Lake Tahoe bike path clean-up will be held June 3 from 5:30pm to 8pm. Volunteers can meet at one of four locations. Food, fun and drinks will follow the event. For more information or to RSVP, visit https://www.keeptahoeblue.org/events-activities-lessons/ bike-path-cleanup-june-3-2025/.

The Upper Truckee Marsh is closed to dogs through July 31 to protect birds and other wildlife through the mating season. Cove East remains open to leashed dogs.

Van Sickle Bi-State Park and its amenities are open for the season.

A community blood drive will be held on May 16 from 11:30am to 5pm at the Rec. Center, Rufus Allen Blvd. Drop in or make an appointment at donors.vitalant.org, code SMFM062.

Barton Health is offering free sports physicals June 2 at the Barton Center for Orthopedics and Wellness. Incoming seniors/4:30pm, incoming juniors/5pm, incoming sophomores/5:30pm, incoming

freshmen/6:15pm, incoming and/or firsttime middle school athletes/7pm. School paperwork is required. Parent/guardian must be present.

Baby and Me group for parents and infants up to 12 months meets Tuesday, 3pm to 4pm. Toddler and Me group for parents and children 12 to 24 months meets Fridays, 9:30am to 10:30am. Both at Barton Center for Orthopedics and Wellness. Connect with other parents and hear from professionals and guest speakers.

This will mark the third straight summer D.L. Bliss State Park will be closed for camping and partially closed for day use in order to complete a waterline infrastructure replacement project.

Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra’s annual online fundraiser (https://e. givesmart.com/events/ES0/) runs May 1630.

A Wildfire Safety Expo is May 24 in the South Tahoe Middle School parking lot from 10am-2pm.

South Lake Tahoe Public Works Department’s inaugural open house is May 21, 1-3 p.m. in the back parking lot at 1741 D St. Work to restore Vikingsholm will start soon. The first project focuses on the turret and brick chimneys, which require stabilization to safeguard the structure. The second project will address damage sustained to the Morning Room after the 4.2-magnitude earthquake in May 2021. Tours will still be available starting Memorial Day weekend.

Zephyr Cove Library’s Book Trailblazers—an outdoor, adventure, science, and nature themed book club—meets the fourth Friday of the month at 2pm for a walk/snowshoe, 2:30pm for book discussion.

Watch for cyclists riding around the lake on June 1 in the annual America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride

Returning to Markleeville on June 1215 is the Woollystar Music Festival Filming is expected to start this fall on

the Martin Scorsese-produced film Wall of White about the deadly 1982 avalanche at Alpine Meadows. Comments will be accepted through May 23 on the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Connections 2050, the draft update to the Regional Transportation Plan/ Sustainable Communities Strategy (trpa. gov/rtp2050).

Tahoe Rim Trail Association is participating in the annual National Trails Day on June 7 at Big Meadow. Email briegana@ tahoerimtrail.org for more info.

Jeff Roberson, who started in patrol with the South Lake Tahoe Police Department in 2003, will become police chief in June.

The Highway 50-Pioneer Trail roundabout in Meyers should be finished by Thanksgiving.

Joe Nation of South Lake Tahoe has been appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to the Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee.

In April, Timothy Austin Pannell 31, of South Lake Tahoe was arrested by FBI agents on felony charges of allegedly distributing fentanyl in February 2024, which resulted in the death of four people at a home in the city.

The South Tahoe Public Utility District is commencing several infrastructure projects for the summer season. “These projects reflect our long-term commitment to sustainability, system resilience, and excellent service,” said Paul Hughes, general manager. Visit stpud.us for more information on specific projects and to track their progress.

The Tahoe Valley Stormwater and Greenbelt Improvement Project is back underway for the season and will affect properties in and around the Y. For more information, visit https://www.cityofslt. us/827/Tahoe-Valley-Stormwater-andGreenbelt-Im.

Annabelle Monti has been named the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team program man-

ager. Monti spent 15 years with the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in various roles focused on fuels reduction, vegetation management, strategic planning, and community engagement. Monti also brings private sector experience in vegetation management that adds to her knowledge of forest management, silviculture, forest health, and post-fire restoration.

The Tahoe Fund and Barton Health have contributed $100,000 collectively to bring full funding to the Kahle Drive Complete Streets Project that will correct drainage and stormwater issues and add new sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks.

Enrollment for transitional kindergarten and kindergarten is now open in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District. Visit https://laketahoe.asp.aeries.net/air/ for more information and to register.

The termination of the AmeriCorps Program by the Trump administration has “drastically” affected the education and outreach programs of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center TERC is urgently soliciting donations to keep its four AmeriCorps members on board. Visit https://give.ucdavis.edu/TERC/TENVGED to donate.

The Tahoe Transportation District has purchased two new electric vans for its paratransit service. Each can carry up to ten passengers, three wheelchairs or a custom combination of both due to its upgraded modular floor system.

The office of El Dorado County Supervisor Brooke Laine is collecting information on coyote activity in the district. Take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KPMY6LM

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

Photo Provided

AmeriCorps members Mahren Hudson and Soffia Ramsay deliver a lesson to kindergartners at the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

The local impact of global tariffs

The merry-go-round of onagain, off-again tariffs is leaving South Shore businesses dizzy.

Some are already feeling the financial hit, while others are in wait-and-see mode.

“We have already seen an eight percent price increase in distributors’ tires. We were just sent an email not too long ago that there is going to be another eight percent hike on tires here soon in the next month or two,” Kenny Selby, manager at Ken’s Tire Center in South Lake Tahoe, said in late April. “We are getting hit pretty hard based on what’s going on with the tariffs.”

The problem is most tire manufacturers are outside of the U.S.

“We are trying to soften the blow as much as we can,” Selby said. “Inevitably we have to pass some of the prices along. We try to be as fair as possible.”

Ken’s Tires is also seeing auto parts increase. The shop has limited space so it’s unable to stock up on much inventory at cheaper prices.

Taking a hit

Gary Bell, owner of Sierra Ski and Cycle Works, also has a space problem. It’s impossible for him to purchase a bunch of bikes in anticipation of tariffs.

During an interview April 18 Bell opened an email from a distributor that said prices would immediately be going up by 15 percent, and three days later to expect a 25 percent increase on everything else.

That company deals with electronics—things like lights, heated gloves and vests.

“We have gotten messages from different suppliers that they are expecting some changes in prices. Some of them have admitted to probably 35 percent increases, but they don't know yet,” Bell said. (Bell is the Tahoe Mountain News’ outdoor columnist.)

He would like to buy U.S. made items, but few exist for his business and those that do are ultra expensive.

Bell isn’t convinced the tariffs will translate to more manufacturing here.

“You hear people saying it’s

going to bring manufacturing to us,” Bell said. “The truth is American workers don't want to do that small, tedious work that would make American manufacturing come back.”

Because most of Frank’s TV and Electronics’ jobs are custom, it’s hard for owner Frank Giardini to stock up on things.

The problem with electronics, he said, is that nothing is made in the United States. Distributors have warned Giardini that increases are likely this spring.

Accurate Audio Visual wouldn’t provide specifics, but admitted the business is affected because “everything comes from China.”

South Shore Glass and Door has received notification of a five percent increase on hardware. However, much of their product comes from the Midwest.

“I’m expecting it will trickle into other products like windows and things. Even though they produce some of the material domestically, the components that make up doors and things have tariffs,” said Alan Russell, former owner who now does quotes and bids for his brother and sister-in-law who own the South Tahoe store.

Russell believes tariffs are a good thing, even if there might be

financial pain at the get-go.

“I believe we need to do (the tariffs) because it has been unfair to America for years,” Russell said. “We can’t just be a consumer nation. We need to make our

own products here and be able to export on equal terms. It may be hard for people for a while, but I think it will ultimately pay off.”

When Elliott Graham, owner of Busby Cellars in Somerset, puts in his next order for glass bottles, he expects the invoice to be more than he’s used to. That product comes from China.

While corks for the winery come from Portugal, so far that is less of a worry based on what countries are affected by tariffs. Graham, though, has other concerns to factor in. If a recession hits, which some say we are already experiencing, luxury goods are one of the first things to go. Wine falls into that category.

The El Dorado County winery is also anxious about whether there will be employees, who are often immigrants, for harvest and summer work.

Sports Ltd. is bracing for increases to certain items. High-end specialized mountain bikes as of May 1 have a $300 to $500 tariff tacked on, which appears as a separate line item on a customer’s receipt. At this point, most customers are shopping the sales on

last year’s models, which do not have a tariff attached, said bike specialist Tristan Gainer. Black Diamond climbing gear’s prices increased as of the beginning of May due to tariffs. While most of the items in this category are relatively inexpensive, to properly outfit oneself takes a lot of different equipment. “It’s not just one thing, so it adds up,” said a staffer. Next season’s skis, which will be ordered in the fall, may be affected, depending on where national tariff policy stands at that time, said Kim Aitken, store manager. Herbs are bugaboo product at Grass Roots Natural Foods because so many are not grown in the United States.

“There are some people who base their whole health on that herb section. We will try to balance out prices with others that are less expensive,” Tori Bowler, general manager, said. She added the store stocked up on various affected items before the tariffs went into effect.

TARIFFS

Continued on page 23

International tourists taking a pass on Tahoe

Travelers from other countries are saying “no thanks” to the United States, and in turn to Lake Tahoe.

“Data already shows a decline in spend(ing) from the Canadian market, 15 percent year over year, which reflects a decrease in visitation from this market,” Juraj Sojka, director of tourism for Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, said for January and February.

The rhetoric out of Washington, D.C., the volatile stock market, tariffs, and an unsavory political climate are causing people to rethink vacationing in the U.S.

Economic uncertainty historically means people put the brakes on discretionary spending, like travel. That becomes a direct hit to revenues for lodging properties, restaurants, and other ancillary businesses.

Rich Bodine, president of the South Lake Tahoe Lodging Association, is cautiously optimistic about early summer.

“In the short term it shouldn’t be too big of an issue because international travelers book so far out,” Bodine said. “With the exchange rate coming down, it should spur international travel.”

Heavenly Mountain Resort would not release data about whether fewer international travelers graced its slopes this season. Sierra-at-Tahoe didn’t bother to respond to questions. As for the Tahoe Blue Event Center, international ticket holders aren’t a factor.

Carl Ribaudo, owner of SMG consulting group in South Lake Tahoe, has documented the politicization of travel in

the past several years.

back in D.C., but don’t let that ruin your beach plans. California is the ultimate playground—over 2,000 miles from Washington and a world away in mindset, from our iconic beaches and national parks to world-class wine, food, and outdoor adventure—there’s something here for everyone. Canada, come experience our California love.”

According to Newsom’s office, tourism from Canada dropped 12 percent in February compared to the previous year, the first decrease since the pandemic. In 2024, 1.8 million Canadians traveled to California, spending $3.72 billion.

Inntopia, which tracks travel trends, is also seeing a drop in Canadian visitors.

As of March 31, Canadian-sourced bookings for arrivals from January through next September are down 22.7 percent compared to a year ago. For compari-

His recommendation to tourism bureaus is to be welcoming to everyone, stay above the fray, adding that destinations whose values already reflect inclusivity should weather the chaos without difficulty.

Travel is big money

According to the U.S. Travel Association, in 2023 this country saw 66.5 million international visitors, an increase of 31 percent from 2022. These visitors collectively spent $155 billion in the United States, with an average of $4,000 per visit.

One reason tourism officials everywhere, including Tahoe, try to lure people from abroad is that they tend to stay longer and spend more money.

“The amount spent in the destination by international visitors, reported by Visa Online, in the calendar year 2023 was $10.2 million, and in 2024, it was $11.8 million, a 15.6 percent year-overyear increase,” Sojka with LTVA said.

“People are selecting destinations in part because of the politics of the destination,” Ribaudo said. “Years ago, you didn't hear anything about this. Now it is definitely factored into decision-making at some level. Even if it’s ten percent who hesitate or switch, that is a big deal.”

Based on only the Visa Online data, international travelers account for about three percent of visitors' total spending on the South Shore. All eyes on Canada

North Tahoe Community Alliance, the North Shore visitors’ bureau, does not market directly to other countries, but collaborates with Visit California and Travel Nevada.

“We are monitoring international travel trends, including what Visit California is doing to track and reach out to international markets,” Kirstin Guinn, marketing director for NTCA, said. “Similar to every destination in California, there is a decline from the Canadian market.”

“The top international markets are Mexico, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, France, Brazil, Switzerland, Ireland, and India. Again, this does not represent the total amount of international visitor spending, as we only have data from Visa Online.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom is featured in an ad put out by Visit California saying, “Sure, youknow-who is trying to stir things up

son, domestic reservations are down 0.2 percent. Canadian bookings dropped 5.7 percent for January arrivals, with a 62 percent decline for May arrivals.

Photos Jaime Borge Ken’s Tires is balancing absorbing price increases and passing them onto customers.

Photo Kathryn Reed

Beaches on the South Shore could be less crowded than a year ago if international travelers don’t come to Lake Tahoe.

Photo Heather Gould

Employees Simon Stanford and Tristan Gainer with some of Sports Ltd.'s suddenly more expensive mountain bikes.

Photo Provided Carl Ribaudo

Photo Provided Juraj Sojka

ABC Mini Storage

This month’s guest columnist is Ty Polastri, personal mastery coach, author and founder/Director of BikeTahoe.org.

How fit is your mental health? The question may be out of the ordinary but is worth con-

with each other.

Why is that? Because acStress in America 2020: A National Mencommissioned by the American Psychological Association, over one third of American are living with extreme stress. Three-fourths of Americans state that money and work-related issues are the lead-

This begs the question, what is mental health and how is it different from mental illness? Mental health is our overall well-being—how we cope with stress, communicate with others at home and work, and our sense of purpose and meaning; mental illness is a diagnosable condition that affects our thinking, emotions or behaviors. It’s important to keep in mind that mental health and illness are complex issues and unique to

Since the 2020 study, we have experienced a national pandemic, raising fears, concerns and divisiveness among family members, friends and colleagues about the validity of the threat and the efficacy of vaccines. In more recent times, we see and feel an economy provoking our own instability and uncertainty about the future. And there is a deepening divide between opposing views about the economy, culture and democracy, causing us to become more aggressive and divisive

Collectively, these societal dynamics are, for some people, disrupting or challenging their core values, beliefs, and outlooks about their future. These external forces can shake up their way of life and produce a lot of stress from fear of the unknown and uncertainties ahead. It can even lead to relationship breakups, job loss, and personal financial downturns, increasing stress.

It is during times like these when our mental health fitness is challenged. What does this mean? It means how we experience, make decisions and take actions during the complexities of daily tension shows our level of fitness to take care of ourselves and others. For some of us, this tension overwhelms our ability to focus on what’s important and can lead us into immobility and self-doubt. With the passing of time, these unresolved tensions can deepen with depression, anxiety, moodswings, isolation and anger, to mention a few experiences.

It is a challenging and uneasy time when we wrestle with ourselves and others, questioning our purpose, actions and relationships. Some of us may choose not to understand the source of our angst, but project our fear and unresolved issues onto others, or be critical and judgmental of them, as a false sense of relieving our suffering, even for a short period. While it may feel good initially, it not only doesn’t get to the core is-

sues and relieve our suffering, but it can also damage our relationships with those we most care about and create an unsatisfying life.

These responses highlight our shortcomings in achieving optimal health, making sound judgments, managing stress effectively, and displaying resilience in the face of life’s inevitable difficulties. Thus, not mentally fit.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a challenging and difficult time, don’t downplay it; take action by seeking support from a coach, colleague, friend or mental health professional to create a personalized fitness plan.

One such plan is a personal mastery journey, helping individuals awaken their self-knowledge, clarify their goals and values, learn to ground themselves in the face of adversity and develop the emotional intelligence to move effectively toward one’s healthiest and best self.

These powerful skills can help us see, understand and respond to opposing difficulties, people or situations with confidence. We can learn to see these opposing realities not as conflicts or obstacles blocking us, or something to be avoided, but as situational dynamics I call an “edge”—an edge of uncertainty where something ends and something else can begin.

When we get confronted with conflicting views, disruptive events, or unfulfilled prom-

ises, we can choose a response other than getting emotionally triggered, fearful, or angry. We can take a timeout and breathe from our center, feel the ground beneath our feet, and call out the situation, “Oh, it’s an edge.” By calling a conflict an “edge,” we give ourselves some distance and time from the situation’s tension, even slightly, to see it more objectively as an opportunity to make a decision that aligns with our goals and values. During this moment, we can accept the situation, let it go, counter offer, insist or decide an action to resolve the issue to take care of ourselves or others with dignity and kindness.

Naming conflicting situations or periods of indecision as an “edge,” we build a healthy competency, making it easier to acknowledge the conflict or challenge as a catalyst to sharpen our focus and prioritize our actions for understanding, connection, and choosing an appropriate response despite any obstacles. It is a handy skill to

shift our focus from being in situational tension to realizing we have a choice.

Try it during the day. When facing a conflict or uncertainty, personally or professionally, pay attention to how your energy and perspective can shift when you say, “Oh, it’s an edge.” You will be amazed at how this new frame of reference can help diminish emotional tension because you see it as an “edge” of what is and the possibility of what it can become.

Consider how your physical fitness is essential for sports like skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, running, or basketball, and understand the equal importance of mental fitness: the adaptability to changing conditions, the resilience to overcome setbacks, and the creativity to find healthy solutions in challenging situations. It’s like two sides of a coin: the mind and body, yin and yang, interconnected and inseparable. Be fit, stay healthy.

Ty Polastri

Examining local health care costs

Determining the most expensive hospitals in California has proven to be a difficult task based on the myriad criteria available.

Definitions adopted April 22 by the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) board eliminated Barton Memorial Hospital from the list. Prior to that meeting, Barton at times had been at the top of it.

“The motion approved by the Health Care Affordability board excludes hospitals from being identified as high-cost hospitals if they had annual discharge volumes below the 30th percentile. Barton ranks at the 26th percentile. Based on this criterion Barton was not identified as a high-cost hospital,”

Andrew DiLuccia, spokesman for Department of Health Care Access and Information, said.

OHCA, which falls under the larger Department of Health Care Access and Information, was established in 2022 with a goal of reining in the cost of health care.

Forty percent of health care spending in California occurs in hospitals.

Marshall Medical Center in Placerville at one time was on the same expensive list, but also was deleted based on the April guidelines.

The OHCA board in the coming months will solidify policy to limit how much health care spending can grow per person per year, which will come with enforcement steps and the possibility of penalties.

Since learning about the high ranking in February, Barton officials have been on a quest to get the state to find parity in a

situation where it’s hard to compare apples to apples.

Kelly Neiger, Barton Health’s chief financial officer, points to two primary factors that contributed to the hospital being scratched from the list.

“First, the OHCA board excluded hospitals with low inpatient discharges from the selection, including Barton. Low volume hospitals may experience greater variations in the data being utilized, thus making the measurements less reliable for OHCA’s purposes. Smaller health systems with low volume have less incremental revenue to cover fixed costs and subsidize outpatient services, making them incomparable to larger systems,” Neiger said.

The second factor, Neiger said, was the state was working with inaccurate data that Barton had supplied.

“Hospital data submitted to HCAI is extensive and complex. Smaller organizations like Barton often rely on third-party vendors to manage the submission process,” Neiger said. “The original data submitted to HCAI will not change. The data was not categorized specifically for this new purpose for OHCA to develop a Medicare to commercial payment ratio. Barton and its third-party vendor is reclassifying the data to properly illustrate payor classification for this purpose.”

While Neiger would not say if the state should be in the business of ranking hospitals based on expense, she said, “Any evaluation model must account for the significant differences between hospitals— small and large health care systems, rural and urban centers, academic vs nonacademic, for profit vs not-for-profit, government vs specialty hospital—to avoid draw-

cause several businesses were actually spending more in the first quarter to have inventory on hand before tariffs took hold, and consumers did the same—especially when it came to buying big ticket items like vehicles and appliances.

Cautiously optimistic

When it comes to product, Round Hill Jewelers owner Tim Rubsam is not feeling any pain from tariffs. The economic uncertainty is actually helping him because he is a gold broker.

“When the market goes up or down people are selling. I don’t care if they buy or sell, I make money if they are coming or going,” Rubsam said.

As for the tariffs, he said, “It appears it’s a lot of noise. Personally, it has not impacted me. I think if there is a road block, you take another road.”

While Nathan Minnis, store leader at Holiday Market in Meyers, doesn't actually set the prices—that’s done at corporate headquarters in Shasta County—he’s not too worried today.

“With me eyeballing things I haven’t seen anything jump up other than a few pennies,” he said.

It was cost prohibitive because of tariffs to reorder one item he wanted—a toy bird that makes noises.

TARIFFS

Continued from page 16

She said it’s too early to tell if people’s buying habits will change.

that could ultimately harm access to care in rural communities.”

California medical expense data

Health care spending reached $10,299 per capita and $405 billion overall in 2020, up 30 percent from 2015.

• Workers with job-based coverage paying a large deductible ($1,000 or more) increased from 6 percent in 2006 to 42 percent in 2022.

• For the fourth consecutive year, the 2024 California Health Care Foundation California Health Policy Survey reports more than half of residents (53 percent) and 74 percent of those with lower incomes (under 200 percent of the federal poverty level) reported

skipping or delaying at least one kind of health care due to cost in the past 12 months.

• Among those who skipped or delayed care due to cost, about half reported their conditions worsened.

• High costs for health care disproportionately affect Black (40 percent) and Latino/x (36 percent) who report they had problems paying or could not pay medical bills compared to whites (25 percent).

Source: Office of Health Care Affordability

“We got a notification (April 17) that as of midnight everything that is not from the U.S. is going up between 9 and 11 percent, and things sourced from China, which is most of our teas, will be doubling. Bulk herbs are up 145 percent,” Pete Fink, who does the bulk herb buying for Grass Roots, said. The price of coffee beans, which was rising before tariffs were imposed, has increased as well.

Clyde’s Coffee Roasting Company in Stateline said tariffs just add to a spreadsheet filled with price spikes that started in 2020 with shipping during the pandemic.

“I think the focus on tariffs has just made everyone realize that coffee prices as well as all food supplies have increased 60 to 100 percent in many cases for most businesses since 2021,” owner Marlo Quillin said. “As a business owner, we cannot pass down that kind of increase to our customers. The tariffs are a minor concern of 10 to 15 percent versus the 60 to 100 percent over the past four years. We’ve been making adjustments to our business model as any business must do to keep up with the changing times.”

Facts and uncertainty

One of President Donald Trump’s main rationales for imposing tariffs is to re-

duce trade deficits. In 2024, the deficit with China was $295.4 billion. China, though, has retaliated with its own tariffs. California imports more from China than any other state and is the second largest exporter to that country. The state has filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging Trump’s tariffs.

It's those imports that are impactful to Tahoe companies. Car parts, hardware, clothing, toys, food and so much more are all subject to new tariffs.

Sometimes a business will absorb the expenses, sometimes they are passed onto the consumer, sometimes they are shared.

What is unknown is how consumer spending will change. Will people drive longer on worn tires? Will they forego a certain herb? Will they wear that ski jacket another season? Will they skip the guacamole?

If people are spending less, that could mean businesses have to lay off people. This means the unemployment rate goes up.

If people are spending less, that means less sales tax revenue for jurisdictions—which in turn can affect services for the community.

The Commerce Department on April 30 released figures showing the U.S. gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, declined at an 0.3 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2025. This comes after there had been strong growth at the end of 2024. It could be worse going forward be-

“Toyota has no information at the moment about how it’s going to affect us,” Jung said. “We have a person working directly with the Trump administration regarding this tariff information.”

Crazy Good Bakery and Café in South Tahoe has been contending with price increases well before Trump took office, and doesn’t see tariffs being an issue any time soon.

Alpine Carpet One has seen shipping costs increase a bit, but so far tariffs are not a factor.

“We are definitely in the waiting period right now. Probably nothing will be certain for another six months to a year out,” Paul Friederici, owner of the South Lake Tahoe store, said.

He said some of the larger mills have the ability to shift more manufacturing to the U.S. Most carpet comes from the U.S., while other products are a mix of U.S. and foreign made.

Economists are predicting it won’t be until this summer or later in the year that the true impact of tariffs are in full effect.

Jin Jung, general manager of Jim Bagan Toyota in South Lake, said customers are asking about tariffs, but has no information to share with anyone.

Photo Vicki Paschal Gavin Smith works on a door at South Shore Glass and Door.

Photo Barton Health Kelly Neiger is

Photo Kathryn Reed Barton Memorial Hospital is no longer on the state’s list of

There are a lot of things I never saw coming. The shock of that first bee sting. The all-encompassing pain of my fingers slammed in the car door. My bewilderment at getting bucked off a horse. And the fury of being shunned by my first crush.

Because I’m barefoot and carefree and the bee is hiding in the tall grass. And my brother doesn’t give a hoot where my body parts are when he slams the door. And my crush finds my horse more attractive than me.

Unexpected things happen. And invisible strings form. Like when the woman named Flo became my mother with a point of her finger. Picking me out of the line up in the “Department of Returned Babies.”

I once asked her why she chose me out of the litter. Was it my sweet face? My bewitching smile?

“Of course not,” she said. “You were the first baby they showed me.”

If it had been me, I would’ve asked for another size and color. And I’d ask for a discount.

Because, the question arises, why was the baby returned? Was it defective? Of course I was. But I skated by on the 1950s assumption that babies are sweet and innocent. When we all know that children are the devil’s spawn put on this earth to make adults cry in public.

So not surprisingly, my birth mother asked for a return label.

When I inquired, the Social Services Agency said she loved to dance but ended up pregnant in an unwed mothers hospital. I hope she did the rumba all the way there.

Yet, invisible strings are like a good pair of Spanx. Stretched to the max, but still intact.

In steps Flo, my adoptive mother, thorny as the rose bushes she loved to tend.

you’ve never changed!” A source of pride for me to this day.

“Write me a note if you go anywhere,” she says.

I write, “Going for ice cream. Won’t be back until I find some.”

By my teens, the notes were a bit more terse.

“Gone.” Though I contemplated adding, “I’ll be home soon. But not necessarily our home.”

However, that could lead to a punishing increase in my list of chores. Which already threatened War and Peace in its word count and impending sense of doom.

was making. As they told me, they didn’t have any money. As I told them, they didn’t have any jobs.

We were the church on Sunday family (with me as the one dissenting member, banned from Sunday School for defending myself against a ruthless, ribbon-pulling boy). Flo slips on her church white gloves to confirm dust-free surfaces. She runs faucets to reveal if beaded water collects. Leaning on my rusty church skillset, I start praying for slippery clean waterfalls.

As a child grows, so does the list. Scrubbing toilets? Peeing outside is more convenient. Wielding bleach-soaked sponges to scour a bazillion shower tiles, snot and tears flowing in a salty stew. Being a major contributor of grime, I vow never to shower again.

those stupid patent leather shoes, good for nothing but reflecting my underpants. I have to have white Mod boots like the Beatles’ girlfriends wear; she suggests upping my income with babysitting. I need a hyper-expensive bike to commute to college; she sets up a loan program. Frustrating. But interest free.

My goals change again, and the invisible strings begin to tighten like a noose. A lobotomy-inducing job leads to a Karmann Ghia. Two failed driver’s tests lead to a license. The invisible strings threatening to snap. With arms crossed, I announce I’m moving to Tahoe.

“If you leave now, don’t ever come back. And don’t ever ask for money.”

No strings attached Make Cayman Great Again

As she said one exasperated summer day, “You were the way you were the day I got you and

All for the reward of a shiny dime placed in my eager, outstretched palm every Saturday. More than any other kid in the neighborhood

If you make the mistake of growing up, you’ll discover goals change. I plead for a fantastic new wardrobe for high school; she buys me a sewing machine. I don’t want

Two hundred miles and 24 hours later, I wake to sunlight dancing on my eyelids and the sound of my own laughter. And I do what any daughter of Flo would do. I find work. I get my freedom. No strings attached.

Wifey and I were lucky enough to visit the Cayman Islands for our 20th wedding anniversary. My parents stayed with the kiddos and we escaped for white sand beaches, snorkeling with sea turtles in a murky aquarium, left-side driving shenanigans, and even a little rock climbing on Cayman Brac.

The national elections for the Cayman Islands took place while we were there and all alcohol sales were actually prohibited on election day until 7pm, when the polls closed. “What do you mean, ‘No mojitos?’” Wifey asked one bartender.

It was surprising to pick up a local paper and read about local issues that were remarkably like South Lake Tahoe’s. It seems that Cayman candidates were running on tourism infrastructure, bicycle safety, speed limits, affordable housing, and availability of local services. So in between kissing stingrays, rapping off sea cliffs, bareback horse swimming, and sampling rum, I did some research on Caymanian politics using the Cayman Compass, a cool local newspaper.

The Cayman Islands have some of the highest import duty rates or tariffs, up to 42 percent in some cases. The high tariffs

allow them to have no federal income tax, which encourages international business and banking, but the tradeoff is that the cost of goods and services on the islands is prohibitively high for many locals.

The Cayman Islands have also undertaken a specific strategy of exclusion and protectionism, making citizenship extremely difficult to obtain, so much so that out of the roughly 80,000 people who live and work on the Cayman Islands, less than 40,000 are actual citizens and fewer than 25,000 are registered voters. There is no birthright citizenship, and it takes over ten years and lots of expensive application hurdles to naturalize as a Caymanian. When I told Wifey, she said “Daaaayaaaam.”

So, does this little experiment in “Make Cayman Great Again” (high tariffs and tough immigration) actually work? Are the Cayman Islands a bastion of profitability, advanced educational outcomes, and the pursuit of happiness? It’s kind of like kissing a stingray—seems like a good idea, but if you ask Wifey, watch out or some stingray diarrhea can strike. What Wifey and I first noticed looking around both Grand Cayman and Cayman

Brac was that there were a lot of For Sale signs on exclusive real estate, and even those that weren’t for sale seemed devoid of human presence, just a huge population of wild chickens. It’s expensive to build, and many homes sit vacant. Sound familiar? While the Caymans boast a higher standard of living than many of their Caribbean counterparts, the wealth gap is significant with the bottom 50 percent of residents accounting for a mere 14 percent of the national income and with 55.5 percent of nonCaymanians living in poverty.

Many residents lack basic utilities such as electricity and running water, and the academic pass rate for the year-11 public school competency exam in math and English is below 40 percent.

All of that said, other metrics of happiness, comfort and safety indicate a quality of life that scores above 80 percent, which points to a general contentment among residents. I guess it’s nice to have beaches and seafood and cheap rum everywhere. For us, the voting citizens of South Lake Tahoe, we are more like this far-flung Caribbean archipelago than we might like to admit. We are surrounded by vacant mega-mansions. We struggle with a higher cost of

living. We juggle multiple gigs to make things work, but we’re generally pretty happy living in our high-alpine version of paradise, although cheap rum would be nice.

But where I think we’re different is our engagement and activism. We are an onery bunch of locals and knuckle-draggers, willing to roll up our sleeves and get involved in our community. Sure, we recreate and enjoy the natural beauty around us, but we also vigorously debate local politics and donate our time and money to issues and organizations we care about. Grand Cayman had an unfortunate hit-andrun cycling death the week before we arrived and there was discussion in the paper about doing something about it, and hopefully the tragedy will be a catalyst for greater change.

Here in South Lake Tahoe and all around the lake, we’ve been taking steps for over a generation to improve bicycle safety: TAMBA and the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, segregated bike paths, an extensive network of trails, good signage, and even civil disobedience protests to encourage lower speed limits.

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.

Yes, just like the Cayman Islands, we have sold part of our souls to cruise-ship-sizepublicly-traded-mega corpsand-casinos and we’ve allowed absentee second homeownership to gut some of our neighborhoods. But I think we’ve done a much better job of supporting locally owned businesses and turning tax revenue into viable community-focused projects like the beautiful new recreation center near Lakeview Commons. We live in an uncertain time and I’m not always sure which direction we should be taking locally or nationally, but I do know that civic engagement and active grassroots democracy are the linchpin on which success or failure depends. So, stay engaged, keep protesting, keep volunteering, keep modifying your “Keep Tahoe Blue” stickers, keep reading, keep voting; lean in and kiss that stingray; it’s worth it—just ask Wifey.

Photo MC Behm

This month I thought I’d focus on a couple films that are a bit out of the mainstream, films that do not follow the Hollywood style or formula. As I have mentioned before, in these days of streaming, smaller films that may not merit a $50 million ad campaign and 3,000-screen theatrical release can still gain an audience at home on increasingly larger TV screens (you can now get a decent 85” TV screen for under $2,000). This is a market that didn’t exist all that long ago and has allowed many smaller productions to gain a wider audience than a limited theatrical release would get (if they even got one).

In the slightly older days, some of these films would be in the “straight to cable” category, which was reserved for films that people thought were not good enough to make money. In the days before that, it was the “straight to video” category, films you would only find at Blockbuster. But streaming has provided a platform for films that, even though they will not be blockbusters, are worthy of viewing.

The first film, a 2004 Canadian film just released on Prime, is Suze. The beginning of Suze starts

A few smaller films with a big impact

with an audio of a couple having sex in what is soon revealed to be a pool. Cut to a woman, Susan, watching the pool sex as she has just arrived home, to find one of the participants is her husband, Alan. Now cut to five years later and Susan, now divorced, is celebrating her daughter Brooke’s graduation from high school by bringing her breakfast in bed. She is surprised by her daughter’s boyfriend Gage, who has spent the night. Gage is a lovable guy who hasn’t quite found a purpose in the world. As the day goes on, we see that Susan has anxiety about losing Brooke while Brooke takes advantage of it all and basically treats her mom like dirt.

In a surprise to Susan, Brooke has decided to go away to college instead of living at home while attending the local university. Also, after confessing her undying love, she breaks up with Gage as she leaves. Gage, being somewhat despondent, tries to commit suicide by jumping off a water tower, but since he was only half way up, just succeeds in injuring himself. As Gage’s uncaring dad must leave for work for a few weeks, somehow Susan ends up looking after Gage as his guard-

ian, since he needs supervision after his suicide attempt.

What starts as an awkward situation eventually evolves into both Suze and Gage helping each other overcome Brooke’s leaving and eventually discovering how to move on.

Even though the themes in the film are serious and complex, the film has been made with a light touch and is layered with comedy, though the actors keep it authentic. Suze finds that she is also perimenopausal, which just adds to her state of anxiety, as even her own body doesn’t want to help out. She must confront the fact that she is not just being a parent, but that she has become co-dependent on her daughter because she is frightened of being alone in a life that isn’t going anywhere, while Gage must learn how to deal with his intense feelings and to understand that love has to come from both sides.

The film hits a great balance and overall is a well-made, feel-good film that resonates with emotional honesty and avoids the usual clichés of the genre.

Another film even further from mainstream is a about baseball, called Eephus Most baseball films tell a story within the

baseball motif, such as personal triumph or tragedy overcoming odds, or historical milestones. But Eephus brings you the love of the game by ordinary guys playing baseball because they love to play.

It’s the early 1990s in the small town of Douglas, Massachusetts. Two local teams, the Riverdogs and Adler’s Paint, are playing what will be their last game, as the small baseball field (duly named Soldier’s Field) they’ve played on for the last many years will be plowed over in a month to make way for a new middle school.

The ball players are all locals who know each other, many being past their prime and some not that great to start with. But they love the game, and as it stretches out and the sun goes down, they are determined to finish their last game at Soldier’s Field.

What makes this film different is that there are no stakes. There is nothing on the line, none of the players have a backstory that comes into play and none of them have anything to prove. This film is the baseball version of My Dinner with Andre It is no Hollywood baseball film and there are no Hollywood stars. What you

do get is the camaraderie and the shared love of the game. Parts of it are funny, even though there is not really any comedy added; parts are sentimental, even though there is no sentimental story. It’s just average guys in a small town who love to play baseball, and in many ways, it says more about the game than some big Hollywood epic. The characters are all someone you might have played with, or someone you might know. There are no real character arcs, just a slice of life.

Don’t expect any big revelations or some high-point finish, because that would ruin the very realistic vibe the film gives you. And even though there is no big story to tell, what’s weird is that somehow the film keeps you engaged. It’s fun, like watching your friends out playing the game they love, and then after, you’ll all go for a beer. Unfortunately, Teresa missed both films, as I streamed them while she was at work. I think she would like Suze but be a bit bored with Eephus

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