February 2024

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Piper Arnold has Olympic aspirations.

We catch up with 16-year-old Piper Arnold as she chases mountain dreams on her skis around the world.

a look inside a look inside

Tahoe Forrest Portrait of an artist

Trish

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Dave

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Mountain News 5

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Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow on Groundhog Day, which means spring will be early this year. The Mountain News isn’t done with winter yet, however, and this month, we continue a bit on the ski theme from last month. Reporter Kae Reed came to Tahoe and skied at Sierra-at-Tahoe for the first time since the Caldor Fire dramatically changed the landscape of the mountain. Kae writes about what she found and what others on the mountain are saying about the strikingly reshaped resort. Kae also checks in with Piper Arnold, a 16-year-old who calls Sierra-at-Tahoe home and is on track to possibly compete in the 2026 Olympics.

In another mini-theme, guest columnist Susan Chandler writes about the importance of voting in the upcoming California primary and we re-run a Tahoe Dad column from four years ago when he talks to his kids about the same topic.

This month, I had planned to attend the quarterly meeting of the South Lake Tahoe Police Advisory Commission before it was cancelled due to a lack of commission members present in the jurisdiction. I was, however, able to review the Police Department’s annu-

al report for 2023, which will be presented to the City Council in the near future and found some interesting tidbits.

• Last year, the police department responded to over 21,000 calls for service, emergency and non-emergency. July, August and September were the busiest months for police.

• Traffic collisions were most common in July, followed by January (all those tourists trying to drive in the snow!) Saturday was the most common day for traffic collisions and 3pm, 4pm and 8am were the most common times for a traffic collision.

• Flashbang grenades were used seven times last year: three times during tactical operations, three times during training and one time at a community outreach event.

• The department received 197 calls concerning suspected illegal VHRs, up from 103 calls in 2022.

• Police Chief David Stevenson personally manned a snowblower in the department’s parking lot on several occasions last winter.

Most interesting was the largest number of calls for service was in the category of homeless issues (726)

followed by people experiencing a mental health crisis (408). The largest category of calls for actual crimes was assault (385).

The police department employs one dedicated STACS (South Tahoe Alternative Collaborative Services) officer whose job it is to handle the homeless and mental health cases, often with a non-criminal approach, such as connecting people with resources in the community, following up on reported cases instead of just waiting for another emergency situation to present itself and trying to identify potential problems and prevent these types of instances in the first place. This STACS officer was able to find permanent housing for 15 formerly homeless people last year and led a clean up of a dirty and dangerous homeless camp in the meadow by Motel 6. Complicating the STACS mission, the vast majority of homeless people refused to avail themselves of services offered under this program.

The STACS strategy is all well and good and I applaud such a progressive approach, but it seems having only one officer primarily responsible for a total of over a thousand such calls last year is woefully inadequate.

-Heather

3879 Pioneer Trail • laketahoedentists.com

PUBLISHER/PAPERGIRL Heather Gould

COPY EDITOR Mike Filce

PRODUCTION

Joann Eisenbrandt

CONTRIBUTORS M.C.Behm Gary Bell Peggy Bourland Susan Chandler David Hamilton Kathryn Reed Trish Tomer Robert Varik

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.

(530) 208-7671 • mountainnews2@gmail.com www.mountainnews.net Copyright © 2024 Tahoe Mountain News

6 Mountain News

FROM HEATHER.............................................................. 7 POLITICS WITH PEGGY.................................................... 8 SINCE YOU ASKED.......................................................... 9 LETTERS .......................................................................... 9 Speaking up and speaking out

HEARD AROUND TOWN................................................12 MIKE’S MUTTERINGS...................................................14 Creative financing

COVER............................................................................16 MOUNTAIN NEWS SPOTLIGHT......................................20 MOUNTAIN NEWS REPORTS........................................21 NEWS BRIEFS...............................................................23 TAHOE TRISH.................................................................24 TAHOE DAD....................................................................25 SPOKE JUNKIE..............................................................26 DAVE AT THE MOVIES...................................................28 GUEST COLUMN............................................................29 PARTING SHOT..............................................................31

Mountain News 7

Battle lines being drawn From Douglas County’s contentious VHR policy backlash, the protests in the city of SLT by business interests against new taxes in general and Councilman Scott Robbins in particular, and the growing number of environmentalist forces massing their members in opposition to the TRPA’s failed policies and the deteriorating condition of the lake, this election year is poised for disruptive public participation.

Not surprisingly, lawsuits are being filed along with calls for resignations and threats of political recalls.

DOUGLAS COUNTY Danny Tarkanian is at the center of the VHR controversy with a legal challenge coming out of Glenbrook and realtor Kevin Kjer calling for him to step down and “go back to Las Vegas,” followed by a citizens’ initiative to ban vacation rentals in residential areas county wide that awaits approval for the November ballot. A controversy is swirling around DC Clerk Amy Burgans, whose political back-room style of verifying the petition signatures has some believing the fix is in to disqualify the initiative. Amy is

no stranger to controversy and public complaints stemming from her days as a city of SLT code enforcement officer.

THE CITY OF SLT The fur is flying in SLT over what is being called a tax grab. A consultant has been hired ($$$) to poll the community about raising taxes on tourists staying in lodging properties. At the January 23 council meeting, Steve Teshara suggested that the city suspend their plans to go to the voters for higher taxes and instead let the LTUSD have a chance to pass their anticipated bond measure that would be the third school bond assessed to property owners in SLT. You may be asking: why is a guy from Douglas County promoting a tax on SLT property owners?

Councilman Scott Robbins is under attack for supporting a citizens’ initiative that, if passed, would assess a $6,000 annual tax on houses that are not occupied at least 182 days per year. He has been called a Communist for supporting this so called “Vacancy Tax” proposal. For the record, Scott’s party affiliation is Democrat, which to some readers might be

synonymous with Communist, so there is that. Vacancy taxes are found in many places. Hawaii, for example, charges “non-residents” significantly more property tax than residents. This initiative has not yet qualified for the November ballot, and if it does qualify, it will be the voters who decide the outcome.

The city council has approved on-site-consumption of cannabis at the four dispensaries. For some, this decision was controversial, while the disclosure that there are 180 locations in the city where alcoholic beverages can be purchased and consumed didn’t raise an eyebrow. Go figure.

TRPA Controversy is growing around this agency and their failure to

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protect the lake. Environmental and conservation groups from around the lake attended the Nevada Legislative TRPA Oversight Committee on January 23 seeking reform of this failed agency. Executive Director Julie Regan gave a cheery PowerPoint presentation with scenic pictures of the lake that failed to show roads clogged with vehicles, beaches overwhelmed by humanity and the thousands of pounds of trash left behind or the tons of trash pulled to the surface by the non-profit, Clean Up the Lake. The recent incident involving a styrofoam dock that broke apart in the lake is further evidence that this agency has abandoned their mission when the official response was that they lack the resources to address this issue. What a crock! The Tahoe Keys Association managed to ban styrofoam docks more than 30 years ago.

It was announced at their January 24 board meeting that TRPA is lawyering up. Their current counsel, John Marshall,

will be retiring in about a year (hold your applause) and three new part-time attorneys will be hired to replace him. It was also announced that conservation group Mountain Area Preservation has notified the agency of an impending lawsuit against their recent adoption of a housing ordinance that eliminates environmental safeguards previously established by TRPA. The TRPA needs to focus on protecting the lake and end their “mission creep” into areas like their recently announced Vision Zero Strategy that aims to reduce traffic fatalities in the basin.

Julie Regan should step down and be replaced by someone dedicated to environmental preservation and not playing footsie with developers or dreaming up public relations campaigns that seek to divert our attention from their failures. To borrow a line from the British: God save the Lake!

To be continued….

What happened to the Tahoe Douglas fire boat that was damaged a few years ago?

– Safety nut Marine 24, as the vessel was known, suffered so much damage in a storm in January 2022 that the insurance company considered it a total loss.

After hours of being pounded by waves up to 8 feet and wind gusts of 65 mph while being knocked against the Round Hill Pines dock and floor of the lake, both outboard engines of the boat were damaged, as was the onboard motor that runs the fire pump, electronics were ruined, and the hull had a hole in it.

“One of the mooring whips failed and snapped. It shouldn’t have because it was rated for higher winds,” explained Michelle Turner, spokeswoman for Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District.

“It pulled the stern under the dock. It got stuck under there.”

The fire department launched the boat in 2017. In large part, the more than $450,000 vessel was funded by donations from Lisa Maloff, and Bob and Nackey Scagliotti.

When it came time for the insurance company to settle up, the check was less than $400,000, according to Turner. A replacement for the swamped boat, though, came with a price tag of more than $600,000. It hit the waters of Lake Tahoe last July and is also named Marine 24.

The district made up the difference by using money from the Tahoe Douglas Fire Flow Initiative Fund, which is a pool of cash from lakefront residents and businesses.

They pay a fee for a pipe that firefighters can use to connect to the firefighting vessel and pump water. Water can also be pumped into water tenders.

Many of the roads leading to the lake on the Nevada side are narrow and it can be difficult to get the appropriate firefighting apparatuses to a structure even when there

Tahoe Douglas Fire's current boat was launched in summer 2023.

isn’t snow. This is why the boat is so necessary.

In the interim, Tahoe Douglas had to rely on its almost relic of a boat. It has an inflatable hull, doesn’t have fire flow beyond 300 gallons, and is cramped. More modern fire boats can deliver a minimum of 1,500 gallons of water per minute.

The subpar vessel was put into service 17 times in 2015 and 2016. In the past few years, the district’s boat patrols have responded to between 20 and 50 calls a year.

To ensure the new boat doesn’t suffer the same fate as its predecessor, multiple whips—a type of rope—are used to secure it. Its home pier is Zephyr Cove.

“Whenever we know a storm with high waves or wind is coming, we move the boat to an area where it is protected. We will pull it out of the water if necessary,” Turner said. “We learned our lesson. It’s basically checked on like a baby now.”

While the damaged vessel was considered a total loss by the insurance company, it’s been resurrected by locals. It was bought by a Santa Rosa man for $55,000, with Tahoe Douglas Rotary having since purchased it for $40,000.

While the service organization owns the boat, public money is still being invested in it. Douglas County wrote a check for $171,000 to help repair it. Those dollars came from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which was designed to help with pandemic related economic impacts.

Greg Felton, who is in Rotary and on the Tahoe Douglas Fire board, spearheaded the acquisition and renovation. By the end of the month, he hopes to have a 501(c)3 registered with Nevada that would take possession of the boat and be its operator.

The engines were installed in early February in Dixon, the nearest Mercury dealer. They will be tested in the Sacramento

River before the boat is launched again at Lake Tahoe.

Felton envisions the refurbished boat will be used by “any government or nonprofit agency that needs a boat” at Tahoe. He believes Clean up the Lake, South Lake Tahoe Windjammers, as well as law enforcement and fire agencies, will rent it. It still has the fire hose so it can be used in that capacity.

Who pays what and whether it’s annually or per use remains to be worked out. Enlisting certified boat captains is also in the works.

“The Clean Up the Lake team is expected be the biggest monthly user. This boat has capabilities their current boat doesn't. It has a dive platform, hoist and heated cabin,” Felton said.

On a related note, Tahoe Douglas Fire is still interested in some sort of public safety pier. The agency had wanted to build a new structure at the Dreyfus estate next to Zephyr Cove.

The current idea is to extend the Zephyr Cove pier with an L hook at that end where a lift could take the fire boat (and others) out of the water and out of danger. Turner said talks are under way with the U.S. Forest, which owns the pier, and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, which permits all piers at Lake Tahoe.

Felton hopes his boat can dock at Zephyr Cove as well.

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

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8 Mountain News

Let's not end up like Hawaii I am a retired heavy rescue firefighter with wildland experience.

The Hawaii fires were a warning to our South Lake Tahoe community. We have the same ingredients here as they did in Hawaii: high wind events, intense fire events and limited evacuation possibilities.

Yet, our city council refuses to face the reality of dense tree coverage intertwined with power lines and close to structures in the city, limited response capabili-

ty and high wind events as we experienced last year. I testified to the council that they should consider an ordinance to limb up flammable trees to 40+ feet if within 100 feet of a structure. This would keep the blowtorch effect we saw in Hawaii at bay.

Most people don't realize that fire heat is infrared and readily penetrates windows, igniting contents and burning down structures from the inside out.

I believe that trees within 100 feet of homes and other structures should be

limbed up to above the second story to prevent the blow torch style fires we saw in Hawaii from igniting homes from the inside out.

Their response to me was: our citizens love their trees. We all love them until they kill us.

A high wind event here could take down power, cable and phone lines, leaving citizens without a warning system to evacuate. Like in Hawaii, we only have limited evacuation possibilities, not every-

one could get to a boat on the lake, assuming it is not frozen over.

I am not a prophet, but the reality of the danger is obvious except to those who will not see. Let's not let our ashes be the city council's legacy.

Miracles happen not in opposition to nature but in opposition to what we know of Nature.

Semper Fi. Clancy McQuigg

Mountain News 9

Shout out to the Mountain News Hi -

I moved back to SLT 1 1/2 years ago after living/working up here in the 1980s.

I loved the trails, trees, rocks, weather, not a city etc then and still do. I really like reading your paper as there is much

written that I can identify with. (Hard for me to find now at the age of 71, being a single, Caucasian, retired woman!) I love Gary Bell's, Trish Tomer's and Peggy B's columns. The Tahoe Tribune is OK --but really just mainstream PR, tourist orient-

ed --and just doesn't "affect" me like your publication does. I am happy when I see the new copy available and grab it. And this dinosaur loves reading paper! I do not read any news that is solely online.

(I'd be willing to pay for the paper - guess

most people nowadays wouldn't.)

Much appreciation for your great service.

Nancy Harnett

TRPA says do not be deterred To the Editor: There have been a few references in recent issues of the Mountain News to Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) public records procedures that I’d like to shed additional light on. Public information and transparency are essential to our democracy and to TRPA’s service to the lake and our communities.

I am writing because it is crucial that no one is deterred from contacting us to get information, find out about their property or a project, and, ultimately, to learn how they can help protect Lake Tahoe.

The agency’s transparency and accountability go far beyond legal records re-

quests. TRPA manages laketahoeinfo.org, a free, user-friendly website of Lake Tahoe property and permit records, scientific data, environmental monitoring and reporting, and a dashboard of detailed information on more than 800 Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program projects. All meeting materials, public comments, plans, budgets, expenditures, guides, and fact sheets are on our website at trpa.gov as well.

Public records requests are often fulfilled for free by pointing people to documents and information already online. If additional information is needed, the Bi-State Compact signed 55 years ago

provides an avenue for anyone to submit a public records request and allows the agency to recover costs. The TRPA Governing Board further determined that requests should be subject to their true cost to conserve the agency’s taxpayer-funded operational budget. In 2023, the agency fulfilled 50 Freedom of Information Act requests and charged a fee for 12 of those where staff spent more time than usual researching and fulfilling the requests. This allowance also protects taxpayer funding from potential misuse, such as through data mining and phishing.

Providing excellent public service is fundamental to TRPA’s mission. Our

award-winning permit technicians recently launched a free online appointment system as a convenient way to get answers and advice in person or virtually.

Our staff members are proud to respond to thousands of emails and phone calls every year because we understand that people care about the lake as much as we do.

Sincerely, Julie W. Regan, executive director Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

Vail knows nothing about customers or communities With respect (and from the perspective of a 45+ year local and 45-year passholder who has worked in the industry and who skis a lot!) there is no possible way that the chart on page 20 of the (January) Mountain News is accurate in the context of South Lake Tahoe. And really, it's no surprise that Vail doesn't know the demographics of their own customer base. The folks in Broomfield (Vail Associates senior management) know even less about the towns that they are supposed to serve than they do about the product that they are selling. Cheap passes for the masses has triggered serious undesirable consequences. Yet none of the local agencies (TRPA, LTVA, City Council, Board of Supervisors, the League, etc.) are willing to stand up to Vail.

Trust me, Asian and Pacific Islander are at least 20 percent of the snow sporters at Heavenly. Which makes me wonder what else the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has wrong. Vail's decision to sell 2.3 million season passes without

10 Mountain News

regard to the impact on the communities that they serve is reprehensible. I would have expected pushback from NSAA to the Alterra/Ikon and Vail mass solicitation of season pass sales.

I absolutely appreciate the Heavenly teams and what they do. They are our heroes. Unfortunately, they are under the thumb of a company that runs its business like a casino and without regard to the long-time local populations and without regard to the communities in which they operate.

Separately, I'm incredibly grateful for living in my happiest place and for having been here for the best of times and grateful for being here today, when high-speed chairs, incredible snowmaking/grooming, high-tech equipment and clothing have made the sport better than ever (except for the crowds).

Sincerely, Mark Treiber

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TAHOE KEYS DELI 530.544.1335 2301 Lake Tahoe Blvd. • So Lake Tahoe The Tahoe Rim Trail Association received $25,000 from the Nevada Outdoor Education and Recreation grant program for youth backpacking programs.

The Eric Nageotte Memorial "Fresh Tracks" 5K Snowshoe Walk and Race takes place February 25 at 10am at Camp Rich. Preregister by February 22 at tahoemtnmilers. org for $35. Day of registration, $45. Includes schwag, snowshoe rental and post-event bbq. The beneficiary this year is Metastatic Breast Cancer in honor of club member, Rene Gorevin; local doctor, Kelly Shanahan; young local mom, Adrienne Shepard and other local Tahoe women.

The Sacramento chapter of Women’s Transportation Seminar International (WTS) bestowed its 2023 Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award on the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Transportation Equity Study. The Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award honors organizations seeking to promote diversity and cultural awareness in the transportation industry.

TRPA completed the first-ever Transportation Equity Study for the Lake Tahoe Region in 2023.

The study team conducted multilingual community engagement to improve TRPA’s connection with underserved communities and to understand how transportation planning and decision-making

12 Mountain News

can remove inequities. Senior Transportation Planner Kira Richardson and Community Engagement Manager Victoria Ortiz accepted the award on behalf of the agency.

On February 27 at 5:30 pm, the local Sierra Club will be hosting David Antonucci, Lake Tahoe resident and author of three books, including Environmental History of Lake Tahoe, to speak about the history of Lake Tahoe and its cast of characters. Also, hear from the Tahoe Area Group Executive Committee on events and important issues they will be focusing on in 2024. For more information and to register visit https://www.sierraclub.org/mother-lode/tahoe/outings-and-events.

The California Transportation Commission in late January allocated nearly $1.2 billion for investments in urban and rural projects throughout the state. The South Shore is receiving $1.7 million for the Apache Avenue Pedestrian Safety and Connectivity Project in Meyers, which will create improvements along Apache Avenue between the junction of Highway 50 and East San Bernardino Avenue at the entrance to Meyers Elementary School. Work is scheduled to start in mid-May. After nearly 20 years as founding director of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Geoff Schladow has retired and is now director emeritus.

Alexander Forrest is interim director.

Carson Valley Health has to annually replace the AED pads for all the G5 AEDs in the Douglas County School District.

The city of South Lake Tahoe is planning for the next leg of the South Shore’s Dennis T. Machida Memorial Greenway multi-use trail. The section of trail to be completed will connect with Bijou Park through the existing trail and the Al Tahoe Mobility Trail. The city is seeking public input. Learn about the various alternatives and respond to a survey at https://polco.us/n/res/vote/ south-lake-tahoe-ca/bijou-park-connector-multi-use-trail-survey.

Students in Lake Tahoe Community College's Promise Program, which provides free tuition for qualifying students, on average completed 82 percent of all units attempted in their first quarter compared to 74 percent of full-time non-Promise students, according to the UC Davis Wheelhouse Group.

The Tahoe Resource Conservation District is encouraging neighborhoods around the basin to become Fire Wise communities by banding together to make properties more fire resilient and to engage in prevention, planning and education. TRCD will be hosting several events throughout the year. Those interested in becoming Neighborhood Leaders or

learning more about the program can contact the TRCD Outreach Coordinator via email at fire@ tahoercd.org or by phone at (530) 543-1501 ext. 114.

For the first time in Barton Health history, an entire nursing team was selected as recipients of the 2023 Team DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses.

Barton Infusion nurses, Melissa Dahl, RN, Sierra Estrada, RN, Marla Handsaker, RN, Mindy Langevin, RN, Lisa Malone, RN, and Joelle Treanor, RN, were recognized for the clinical skills they provide. Said the patient who nominated the nurses, “I am thankful to all the staff that have helped me and have seen firsthand the ability to give comfort and care during this time . . . All who I have been in contact with have gone to great efforts to ensure my understanding and ability to go through this period.”

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offering free assistance with filing taxes through the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center. Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified each year. Come to the Senior Center between 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, Monday through Friday to pick up an information packet to help get organized before you come in for tax preparation.

Scott Morgan has been appointed Douglas County assistant county manager. For the last 30

years, Morgan served as the county’s community services director.

Ski with a Ranger has returned to Heavenly Mountain Resort for another year. Meet at Tamarack Lodge every Friday at 1pm for a guided tour of the mountain environment in winter designed to improve public understanding of natural resource processes and issues, promote environmental literacy and stewardship, and help educate the public about the mission and role of the Forest Service in ski area management. Group size is capped at 12 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Participants should have intermediate level skills.

High Sierra Softball for age 5 to age 16 is accepting registrations for young athletes through March 31. Visit highsierrasoftball. com. Coaches, volunteers, umpires and sponsors needed. Email highsierrasoftball@gmail.com.

The South Lake Tahoe Senior Center hosts various activities and games every week.

Shang-hi Rummy is Monday at 11am. Mex Train and Duplicate are on Tuesday at 11am and 1pm, respectively. Play Bingo on Wednesday at 1pm and Party Bridge on Friday at 1pm.

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

Mountain News 13

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Can't miss ideas Playing Taps for the Taps It’s a sad farewell to the Flight Deck, a local establishment you could always count on, away from the fray in town— and in the summer, an awesome spot to sit outside with friends and a cold one. Another restaurant closure, for which some blame the California minimum wage increase, the economy in general, or even Measure T’s restricting of VHRs. Hopefully, someone will give this location another go, but these days, it seems tough for restaurants.

Gondolas, MRAPs and other dubious revenue streams for SLT Heavenly’s had some gondola challenges of late: in early January, the gondola was shut down for about a week while awaiting a replacement bearing; at the end of the month, the gondola hosted an unwitting overnight camper—minus the s’mores and campfire. For some of us, that opportunity actually sounds pretty amazing. I mean, on a clear night, dangling up there overlooking the lake? And then the sunrise? Can you imagine it? Ok, maybe bring a little portable space heater, but otherwise, I’m in.

All of which brings to mind the untapped potential for revenue and fun experiences around us. Heavenly, like most resorts, added some summer attractions such as the Mountain Coaster and zip-lining, so it only seems natural to turn the gondola itself into a multi-use attraction.

What would folks pay to bungee jump from a gondola car? Or to “camp out” in a gondola car, but on purpose this time?

Ok, all night would be a bit much, but what about turning gondola cars into dining cars. There are already the two facing bench seats—just add table, cloth and wares. You could offer take-n-go box meals or serve each car as it comes up to the first platform, refill wine glasses and so on. Right? Larger groups pay more for the California tram.

This is the kind of brain-gold you get here for free, and I’m reluctant to go on giving away my can’t-miss ideas without a guarantee of at least a 10 percent cut.

On to another venture: but first, I need to ask, does SLTPD still have the MRAP vehicle it received back in 2014?

If you didn’t know, MRAP stands for mine-resistant, ambush-protected, and the military donated more than 13,000 of these surplus vehicles to police departments across the country around that time. This was amid the backdrop of “Occupy” and Black Lives Matter protests in most major cities, and the thinking was that such a vehicle could allow personnel to be protected while helping others or getting safely into or out of a danger zone. Although we have massive potholes in the basin, I haven’t heard of any actual mines—or ambushes, for that matter. In fact, I can’t think of any SLT police action that required the use of an MRAP since then, though I can imagine how fun it might be on New Year’s Eve at Stateline.

But to get back to the fun and money equation, how about letting people take rides in the MRAP, maybe roll over debris and other obstacles, shoot paint balls from the firing ports at mock protestors made of

wood cut-outs and such? Or load its exterior up with bike racks to shuttle mountain bikers up fire roads where most cars can’t go—for a fee, naturally. Gas ain’t free, after all. Or use it as “mobile marketing vehicle”—the kind that the sponsor adorns with graphics and props to get noticed around town . . . and an MRAP does get noticed. I’m just here to help.

You doubt these fine proposals, but we (and many towns) have an axe throwing business at Stateline—an attraction whose entire business model is based on people’s desire to hurl sharp things. I’m pretty sure we had one of those “smash stuff up in a room” businesses for a while, too.

OK, up ‘til now, it’s all been in jest—

mostly—but here’s one I actually believe in. And it’s one that seems almost too obvious to include here, but you asked (well, you didn’t, but . . . ), so let’s talk about the old K-Mart. How about indoor pickleball and tennis courts, just for starters.

Maybe a ninja warrior meets parkour-type space as well. Open early and stay open late. Add in a refreshment-coffee bar and you’ve got a winner there. It’s gotta be better than whatever Dollar Tree type stuff they’re planning for that space.

I’ll stop there. After all, I need to be ready for when the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority calls to get this brain on their team.

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Mountain News 15

M OUNTAIN N EWS C OVER S TORY

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Passionate doesn’t even begin to describe artist Scott Forrest.

The South Lake Tahoe resident who recently moved his studio from the city of South Lake Tahoe to Zephyr Cove is a bundle of energy. He could talk art all day with anyone who will listen.

He’s just as enthralled with Tahoe. After all, it’s the outdoors that inspires much of his work.

“I’m really earth connected,” Forrest explained. “I think what those paintings do for you is they ground you. They are very soulful.”

The 63-year-old abstract expressionist has lived on the South Shore for about nine years.

He was three years old when his dad first brought him to Emerald Bay from their home in the Bay Area, where he grew up.

“I saw the little sparkles in the water, the textures of the granite. My favorite tree of all time is the ponderosa,” Forrest said of his relationship with the basin.

While he has lived all over the world, making a name for himself in Los Angeles and New York, a decade ago he started pondering where he wanted to live next.

“I was either going to move to Palm Springs, Maui or Tahoe.

I know I made the right choice,” he said.

He quickly became involved in the Tahoe Art League, even serving as president.

Through TAL he worked with the city to display art outside the government offices at the Lake Tahoe Airport.

Forrest boasts of the robust group of locals who are expanding art in many ways throughout the community—like Rebecca Bryson, Dave Hamilton, Sue Stevenson and Cathryn Powell to name a few.

The process Before Forrest begins a piece he doesn't have the end in mind, which in part is why he calls himself an intuitive artist.

“I just go with the feeling

16 Mountain News

is free. In late January one wall in a classroom was blank because the piece had been purchased and Forrest had yet to replace it.

That’s one of the wonderful things about this exhibit; the works rotate either because of sales or because Forrest wants to change the energy.

Each painting also changes naturally as the sunlight filters through the multiple windows.

This is a much different way to view art versus traditional galleries with no windows.

The natural light at the Maloff Center makes it all seem more real – and as it might look like in one’s home or work space.

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Artist Scott Forrest points out how all the cracks in Tahoe Tsunami are meant to be there.

and energy of it,” Forrest said.

“Every time I take a walk or hike I’m inspired by textures here.”

Generally, it takes him about three weeks to finish a painting as he builds from dark to light.

“I can’t do multiple pieces at once either. And rarely will I leave a piece sit,” he said.

One of Forrest’s signature attributes is how he uses old paint to create the texture in his work.

“I may have some paints that are 30 years old. I have collections of paints,” Forrest said.

He leaves some outside, which then go through the cycle of weather events in Tahoe and become a consistency the manufacturer didn’t originally create.

“It’s why they have a textured 3D feel. I naturally paint this way. It’s like you can swim through it,” he said.

Also, he never uses an easel. Instead, Forrest is either on the ground or hovering over the work.

He creates a few dozen new pieces a year in a variety of sizes, though many canvases are 72 inches by 48 inches. Mostly he paints vertically, but Forrest admits some clients have hung his paintings horizontally and they look just as wonderful.

Visual sensation

Paintings are in the entry, the main area, offices and classrooms. Most, though, are in a long hallway.

Those passing through on their way to a meeting paused to admire the images—saying they

The Maloff Center opened in 2018 with the intent that four-year universities would bring select degree programs to LTCC. This would allow local students to earn a bachelor’s without leaving South Lake Tahoe.

Forrest has ideas to keep that vision alive by bringing in

Forrest’s work (while one should never do this) makes you want to run your fingers over it, to almost embrace it. His art is mesmerizing up close as you take in all the detail, and also when viewed from standing back to appreciate the grandeur.

Using three-dimensional glasses for some of his work is encouraged.

In fact, glasses are provided at the Lisa Maloff University Center on the campus of Lake Tahoe Community College.

This is where Forrest has a multi-year contract to show his work.

“We are honored to have his artwork in the building,” Nancy Harrison, executive director of the LTCC It's hard not to pause to admire the artwork inside the Maloff Center at LTCC. Foundation and College Advancement, said. “We feel were “incredible” and comment- folks from the art world. While he has proposed this to Harrison it enhances the space and adds a ing on the texture. vibrant touch. There are definiteIt really is like going to an and Jeff DeFranco, LTCC presily great colors in his artwork.” art gallery where the admission dent, they have not taken him up

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M OUNTAIN N EWS C OVER S TORY

on his offer to bring in renowned art instructors.

“As a small institution, our bandwidth is small. After Covid we have seen a significant change in how working adults continue

that online instead of coming to a physical space.”

Even so, she said the college keeps exploring program options for the building.

And by no means is Forrest

One of Scott Forrest's favorite paintings is Something Swam By Me.

to get degrees,” Harrison said.

“It’s much more convenient to do

limited to the Maloff Center.

He will present some of his

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pieces at the LA Art Show (Feb. 14-18), which is one of the biggest shows in the country.

He plans to have a booth at the Reno Tahoe International Art Show, which runs Sept. 12-15 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

One of his paintings is in the permanent collection at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.

While he has one creation made out of silk in the entry to the Maloff Center, he hopes more will be hanging there in the future.

“I am going to be moving into fabric, and glue and glosses, and really working with silks,” Forrest said. “There is something about fabric right now that is driving me crazy.”

Crazy in a good, creative way.

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More information about Forrest is available on his website: https://scottforrestart.com/.

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Mountain News 19

Piper Arnold is a blur as she flies through the air while competing at the Youth Olympics in South Korea this winter.

“I’ve definitely learned in my competitions that it is really a competition with myself and not anyone else.”

Those are the words of Piper Arnold, a 16-year-old who is making a name for herself in the world of freestyle halfpipe skiing.

She placed fourth Jan. 30 at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea. This was after a series of qualifying runs.

“I got a little better each time,” Arnold said. “I spin really well, but lack in amplitude because I’m so much smaller than everyone else.”

Focusing on her own abilities has propelled Arnold to be the fifth best in the United States in her discipline. She hopes to improve that ranking in order to qualify for U.S. Ski Team and the 2026 Olympics in Italy. The team takes the top four athletes.

Jeremy Witters, her head coach at Sierra-at-Tahoe, believes the Olympics are attainable.

“That has been a goal of hers and conversations of ours since she was 10 years old,” Witters said. “She is right where she needs to be. A couple more boxes need to be checked and I think she will be right there. I think she can go as far as she wants to go.”

What sets Arnold apart from other youth at the resort, according to Witters, is her competitive drive and motivation.

For John Rice, general manager of Sierra, he sees the same spirit in Arnold that Jamie

20 Mountain News

Anderson, Maddie Bowman and Hannah Teeter all possess. All three are gold medal Olympians in their respective disciplines who called Sierra their home resort.

“Growing up she was really one of my biggest inspirations,” Arnold said of Bowman. Bowman won the gold in 2014 at the Sochi Games in freestyle skiing, the same discipline Arnold competes in.

“Piper is a little bit more calculated and had taken her time through the steps. Maddie had more of an opportunity to be a leader in the sport. Maddie’s journey was more accelerated.

There are a lot more girls doing it now,” Witters said.

While snow conditions dictate which year Sierra will build a halfpipe for Arnold and others to practice on, the U.S. Forest Service has given the go-ahead for the resort to build an earthen halfpipe. This will make it easier to build a snow covered halfpipe in the future.

Rice also speaks to the poise this teenager possesses.

He and others were moved by the words she said at her grandmother’s funeral and the maturity she demonstrated. He also believes she could have a career in television based on her interview skills on Lake Tahoe TV. What the years to come hold remains to be seen. Besides future podiums for her prowess on skis, Arnold anticipates going to Lake Tahoe Community Col-

lege or another two-year school after graduating from South Tahoe High School. Future employment? Maybe working with girls in some way to inspire them in sports and other endeavors.

For now, her attention is on the slopes. She will be traveling the rest of the month, with Mam-

In summer it’s a lot of trampoline time to work on maneuvers.

Sometimes it’s going to training camps. Plenty of time is spent in the gym as well.

Both parents often travel with Arnold, though her dad always does. He is also her primary coach. As a professional big

Piper Arnold and Izzy Worthington from Park City at the Youth Olympics this year.

moth and Calgary, Canada, on her itinerary.

No matter where she is, Arnold trains about five days a week. During the winter, much of this is through competition.

mountain snowboarder in the 1990s, he understands what it takes to compete at an elite level.

Arnold also works with a mental coach, someone who has been part of her team since she

broke her arm at age 10 after being bounced off a trampoline.

Even though she is the youngest on the World Cup traveling circuit, Arnold says there is camaraderie among the athletes no matter their home country.

She finds innovation for her own runs from them as well Arnold keeps her coursework going online while she travels with the assistance of counselor Amy Jackson. She anticipates being back in the classroom in April after midterms.

While she is driven, Arnold is also well rounded. She is on the high school golf team, which made it to state last fall.

She is doing her senior project now because she plans to graduate a semester early next year. It involves helping middle school students learn to dance through the former Miss Marcia’s studio, where she was once a student.

Arnold’s love of skiing has essentially been lifelong. Her parents, Eric and Terri Arnold, put her and her twin brother, Parker, on skis at age 18 months. She has snowboarded, but it’s skiing that she loves the most.

She started on teams at Heavenly Mountain Resort, moving to Sierra at age 8.

While the Caldor Fire forever changed the resort (see story Page 21), Arnold isn’t fazed by it.

“There is so much more space and so many positive things that came out of it,” Arnold says of the fire.

The devastation of the Caldor Fire surrounds Sierra-at-Tahoe.

It’s not the same. It never will be. But that doesn’t mean it’s not good or even better in some ways.

And that vibe, it’s still there. An altered landscape hasn’t changed the soul of Sierra-at-Tahoe.

“I’ve learned to appreciate what’s here,” Adam Parris of Oakland said while taking a break from snowboarding at Sierra-at-Tahoe on a recent Tuesday afternoon.

“You get out there and remember what life is all about,” he said gesturing to the slopes.

To him, it’s all about being in the mountains riding. It doesn’t matter that it doesn’t look the same.

Eighty percent of the resort’s 2,000 acres were affected by the Caldor Fire. Every lift needed repairs—some damaged by heat, some by fallen trees. Lift towers, haul ropes and terrain features had to be replaced.

The brick shop building with millions of dollars of equipment was reduced to ashes, while the wood structures remained intact.

The Caldor Fire started Aug. 14, 2021, near Grizzly Flats, which is about 30 miles from the ski resort. It blew through the re-

sort on Aug. 29, forever changing the ski area.

“I’m amazed with what they have done,” Roger Hubbard

fire. It used to look like a forest and now, well, it doesn’t. At least not at West Bowl. Instead of tree skiing, it’s stump skiing.

be easy to find them even days afFor Lilia Prather, also of ter a storm. This was all because Roseville, Sierra still feels like thousands of trees hid those fluffy home. piles of white stuff.

“I think it’s a different beauty. You still have trees, but some are sticks sticking up,” she said.

“It’s still beautiful. It’s just different terrain.”

Two guys relaxing at the Solstice Plaza came up from San Francisco for the day to ride. They didn’t even know there had been a fire. A man from North Carolina visiting for the first time was unfazed by the terrain, saying he thought he saw signs of a fire but didn’t think much about it.

Ramon Belasqued of Santa Rosa knows what Sierra was like pre-Caldor. “It’s windier now that the trees are gone,” he said. But he’s not complaining. In the same breath he adds it’s easier to move around the slopes because of the lack of trees.

Darla Sadler finds some chopped up powder off the Grandview lift.

of Meyers said while riding the Grandview lift in January. “I think most everybody misses the trees.”

Those trees. Those trees that are no longer there. More than 34,000 were removed after the

Some say it’s more like real bowl skiing in Colorado or even Europe, which West Bowl never was. Clipper and Dogwood are now wide-open powder runs.

What’s gone are the stashes of powder at West Bowl. It used to

“The first time I saw West Bowl Still adapting it was like a moonscape. There wasn’t any tree skiing there,” Rebekah RichJohn Rice, who has been the ard of Roseville said. resort’s general manager since She says the resort still has the 1993, initially wasn’t sure Sierra same feel, and she’s more than happy would rise from the ashes. it reopened.

Mountain News 21

“We are still facing challenges,” Rice admits.

It’s figuring out the wind, where snowdrifts form, even how the lifts are affected by the wind.

Disasters take their own

Now Rice is a resource for others in terms of how to deal with an approaching inferno. Last year he advised resorts in New Mexico and Arizona to put their equipment in the parking lot—on

Not just skiers wanted to come back—so did employees.

Last fall six people reached the 30-year mark at Sierra.

While Rice recognizes he is at the tail end of his career, he also

Rice said while sitting inside the Solstice Eatery.

He refused to let those flames that reportedly reached 3,000 degrees when they ripped through West Bowl have the final say.

Sierra opened for two days in March 2022 to recognize the resort’s 75th anniversary. Not all the terrain was open last year, even on days when Mother Nature cooperated.

Resilient is one of many

eventually sprout from the soil.

The fire went from West Bowl south to the lower east side, where areas such as lower Jack’s Bowl and Preacher’s Passion were charred.

Still, there are plenty of places where it’s easy to forget there was a fire. Near the top of Grandview it’s like nothing happened; tall conifers dot the landscape, with snow filling the boughs. Other parts of the resort are like this as well.

Riding the West Bowl chirlift now provides views of wide open spaces.

path. This fire got the shop and left the ugly buildings,” Rice says, still amazed by this reality.

The thought at the time was to put all the valuable equipment—including several new snowcats—snowmobiles, employee tools and other items all in that brick structure with the belief it could survive. It was as packed as it could be.

While Rice would not reveal the actual dollar figure in losses from that one building, he said it was in the multi-millions.

A new structure with new equipment has taken its place.

The other buildings had been protected with Thermo-Gel, a fire retardant that the resort’s insurance company had applied.

Everything that was sprayed survived, including the tent-like covering at Solstice.

It took a team to bring the resort back to life.

El Dorado Resource Conservation District and the U.S. Forest Service are to be commended, according to Rice.

Rice went to Washington, D.C. to lobby for support, pointing out the recreation asset that Sierra is.

McP’s Taphouse and MacDuff’s Pub in South Lake Tahoe each had fundraisers for employees, some of whom lost thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment.

Mammoth, Palisades and Boreal ski resorts were singled out by Rice for coming through with people, equipment and other resources.

22 Mountain News

asphalt where fire is less apt to knows he was the right person to reach it. be at the helm for the recovery.

He also admits he and others have Figuring it out gone through all the stages of grief, adding they went from beEmployees, community ing victims to being victors. members (on the South Shore and Then everyone involved in West Slope), season pass holders, Sierra’s rebirth embraced every day trippers, most anyone with a “re” word—repurpose, reimagconnection to the resort wanted ine, re-create, reassemble, recalit to reopen. Rice was buoyed by culate. Eventually, they could their enthusiasm. rejoice.

The rally cry became “it just “You can change the landmight be better.” scape, but you still have the vibe,”

With a $25,000 donation, Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation has begun bringing speakers to campus at zero cost to attendees.

“The Lake Tahoe Community College Speaker Series aims to provide the local community with access to diverse and thought-provoking speakers who will share their knowledge and insights on a range of topics,” explained Nancy Harrison, executive director of LTCC Foundation and College Partnerships.

The goal is to bring two speakers each academic year to the South Lake Tahoe campus.

On January 23, Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist and chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy, delivered a stimulating talk to a full house at the campus’ Duke Theatre.

While she presented some facts and figures about climate change, much of the talk centered on how to engage others in how best to talk about the issue, and then form alliances to bring about change in our everyday lives as well as at a broader level.

“In Tahoe, you are already getting algae blooms and have warm water species,” Hayhoe said, pointing out some of the obvious local signs of climate change.

Many of the stories she told are also in her book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World (One Signal Publishers, 2021).

The college partnered with the South Lake Tahoe Friends of the Library to bring Hayhoe to town. She was here for the annual Katharine Hayhoe signs copies of her book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s meteorologists’ conference, Operation Sierra Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World at Lake Tahoe Storm.

Community College in January.

The first speaker, John Rosenberg, was here last July. He is the dean of the College of Humanities Breda,” Goya's “Third of May,” and Picasso's “Guernica.” at Brigham Young University in Utah and professor of At this time future speakers have not been booked.

Spanish there.

The donation for the series came from an anonymous He spoke about what images of violence have to donor via the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation in say about peace, specifically Velazquez's “Surrender of Incline Village.

Roger Hubbard of Meyers is impressed with Sierra's recovery.

words to describe Sierra and the people who brought it back to life.

Last fall a swarm of people descended on Sierra to plant 5,000 trees. This will become an annual event at least for a few years; after all, not every seedling survives.

While the 200-foot pines will never grace these slopes in any of our lifetimes, life will

Everyone knows the resort is different. No one is apologizing for it. Instead, they are actually promoting Sierra as a different resort.

“It’s not just a business, it’s a treasure,” Rice said of Sierra.

TRPA and partners are supporting locals by making housing more affordable. Sign up for our eNews to learn more: trpa.gov/housing

Affordable apartments at the 248-unit Sugar Pine Village project in South Lake Tahoe will be open for applications this year.

Rendering by Studio T-Square

Mountain News 23

What time is it?

I am not an intrepid traveler. I am neither adventurous nor fearless when it comes to leaving a place I’m comfortable spending time in, like my bed. Swathed in goose down and dog hair, I’m perfectly happy to sleep, read, write, recreate and devour a one-course meal of crackers on my little box spring island. But the scent of coffee lures my caffeine-addicted neurons, so I step off paradise island and immediately get herded by two large and determined canines, directly to their empty food bowls. As I try to slip back to my island retreat, the yoga mat beckons and won’t stop chanting until I scream “namaste!” which means “I give up” in Hindu.

Now, fully awake, I kiss my island goodbye and promise to return as soon as possible. And so the day begins.

I bravely venture forth into the woods and confront the probability of crossing paths with wildlife, or worse yet, a dazed and slightly confused Bay-Arean who convinced his wife to move to Tahoe on the promise that she

24 Mountain News

would never see a bear, a coyote or snow. Then I forge ahead to the pickleball court, where I suffer being beaten and humiliated by my pickle-peers, as they offer encouragement and promise to play the next game blindfolded.

A traveler must maintain forward motion, despite mishaps, verbal tripwires and complete lack of eye/hand coordination, all while resisting the siren call of a fur-and-cracker-covered bed. But calamities when traveling from one place to another should be expected, if you consider that the word “travel” is defined as, “the ability to withstand relocation successfully.”

For those who have doubts, I can assure you that I’ve traveled beyond my box spring island on numerous occasions. And, yes, it does take a modicum of courage to journey to distant and unfamiliar places, like church or a bowling alley or a podiatrist’s waiting room or a gas station bathroom.

And sometimes things don’t turn out the way you expect them

to. I’ve been mugged, robbed, strangled and arrested in a foreign country. Occasionally, all on the same day. But I’ve experienced the same level of misadventure close to home, in an incident involving a drunken, dwarfish woman with a penchant for biting my completely innocent left breast. So which is really scarier?

As I recently discovered by reading something other than instruction labels on prescription drugs, there are many forms of travel. I spent most of elementary school mentally traveling to the fruit and nut orchards waiting ripe and neglected behind neighborhood homes. And to the horses corralled by a local swimming pool complex. As the other kids splashed around trying to drown

each other, I snuck out to climb the corral fence and pet the horses. And sometimes, if they wandered close enough, I slipped my leg over their wide backs for a bridle-less bareback ride. More than once I got bucked off, ending the afternoon with an aching rump, spitting out a mouthful of dust and straw. A hard relocation to be sure, but I was able to withstand it successfully.

When the school bell rang, I plotted my way home through neglected fields, carelessly guarded by slumping, splintered fences—weed-infested fields, full of caterpillar-coated bushes and the bullet gray, segmented-shell, roly-poly bugs curled in the cool, damp dirt under the heavy stones I pushed over—pulling discarded wood planks to bridge the muddy puddles and daring myself to run back and forth across them, dodging the pointed, rusty nails.

Although my mom showed me the “proper” route along the sidewalks to school, I took to the fields every time. And, lost in the traveler’s wanderings, I found

myself approaching an empty schoolyard, the children already safely stuffed in their classrooms.

With both hands, I grabbed the handle of the classroom door and heaved it open, the teacher’s face switching from surprise to glaring disapproval.

“Where have you been? Do you realize how late you are?” she said, her arm extended, her finger stiffly pointing to the clock looming on the wall.

“No . . .” I said. “You haven’t taught us how to tell time.”

By foot or by daydream, don’t be afraid to wander from your island. Immerse yourself in the experience, as travel sparks wanderlust, curiosity and discovery.

And remember to travel light. Disregard the heavy suitcase or the controlling naysayer.

Leave that unnecessary baggage behind. Because, if you want to travel, all you need is a willing spirit to deal with the bumps and bites along the way, and a child’s ability to happily lose track of time.

Passing on the voting tradition “Okay kiddos, everyone buckled up? Alright, what happened last night?”

“It was the Tuesday…. The big one,” Michael says.

“Super Tuesday,” Jane (eds. note: Jane is now Jack) interrupts.

“That’s right,” I say. “And what makes the day so super?”

“Everyone votes,” our neighbor Mateo whom I drive to school on Wednesday answers.

“Very good, Buddy.”

“Why is it important to vote?” I follow up.

“To get rid of Trump,” Michael yells.

“Not according to NeeNee and Poppy,” Jack corrects him.

I laugh and add, “That’s true, (Jack). Voting is how we make decisions in a democracy. It is arguably the most important thing we do as citizens.” I pause and hope that some of the concept sinks into the three elementary school brains that I’m chauffeuring to school. “Now, do you all want to hear something interesting that happened last night?”

“What, that Bernie Sanders won?” Michael tries to be sarcastic.

“No, this has to do with one of the billionaires who wanted to be president,” I say. “What is the name of the guy who we keep seeing advertisements for?”

“Bloomberg!” Michael and Jack shout.

“Yeah, he thinks he can buy the president,” Jack adds.

“Not the president, the presidency,” I say. “He did win something last night on Super Tuesday. Can you guys guess what he won?”

“What? California?” Michael asks.

“No way,” Mateo says.

“No. Not California, guys,” I say. “He won an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.”

“Hawaii?” Jack asks.

“Close, but not Hawaii,” I reply. “Bloomberg got the most votes on an island called American Samoa.”

“You mean where the Girl Scout cookies come pharaoh in a pyramid. Crazy, isn’t it? Sometimes people, from?” Jack asks. “Samoas?” the citizens, want to have kings and authoritarians, but “I know where Mommy keeps her secret stash of George Washington was smarter than that, wasn’t he? Two Samoas!” Michael says. terms in office was all that he served and when he died, “Does he get all the Girl Scout cookies now?” Mateo what happened? Did he get buried like a pharaoh under asks. the Capital Dome?”

“I don’t think so,” I say. “But that would be a cool “No, I remember,” Michael gets excited. “He wanted consolation prize for all the money he’s spent. By the way, to be buried at Mount Vernon, his home where we visited. nobody is allowed to touch Mommy’s Girl Scout cookies.” And he didn’t even have the word ‘president’ written on This past fall we took the kiddos on a trip to his tomb, just 'General.'”

Washington DC. As a former history teacher, touring We both sit in silence for a while. my own offspring around our nation’s capital was a real “Hey Dad?” dream come true for me. We did Mount Vernon, the “Yeah, Buddy?”

African American History Museum and other Smithsonian “When do I get to vote?” destinations. We even managed a White House tour and “In another eight years, Michael.” a staffer tour of the Capital with an impromptu awkward “Cool.” question from Michael to Tom McClintock’s staff, “Is “Yeah, you’re right. It is pretty cool.”

Trump getting impeached by Tom McClintock?”

Ever since the trip, we’ve been talking about politics M.C. Behm is a full-time resident of South Lake Tahoe on our drives to and from school. Michael and Jack and author of “Once Upon a Quarantine” and “The Elixir can identify many of the candidates and even seem to of Yosemite.” Available locally and online. To learn more understand some of the issues. or respond to columns visit www.behmbooks.com or email “Hey Dad?” mcbehmbooks@gmail.com “Yeah, Michael?”

“Why do we need a new president?”

“Well, not everyone thinks that we do need a new president. That’s why we have elections and why we vote.”

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The Hospice at Great Saint Bernard Pass.

Mountain blessings Okay, okay, the only thing I’m going to say about the weather is, ten days out, ten days out, we know this story.

I’m not a particularly religious person. I believe there is a God (in all living things), I go to church (on mountain tops) and I’m married to (as we joke) a “recovering Catholic.” But I was recently drawn a step closer to religion when I found out there was a patron saint of mountaineers and skiers. Who knew?

Born in the year 1020 to a wealthy family living in a castle near Annecy in the Haute-Savoie region of France, Bernard of Menthon received a good educa-

arranged marriage his father had wanted. He did so the night before the wedding by jumping out a window 40 feet above the ground, and legend has it that angels caught him and lowered him safely to the ground. I personally believe it was this arranged marriage that sent him on his religious path and that he survived the jump out of the window because he was wearing skis.

Sometimes I think my skis are my angels, just sayin’.

During the 42-year period that Archdeacon Bernard spent in

Today both hospices sit rebuilt and much improved atop the passes where tourists and alpinists pass through or stay in the beautiful and historic buildings. tion and as an adult, turned to the clergy. After much hard work and devotion, he was ordained a priest and started working as a missionary in the mountain villages.

Continuing to climb the ladder of success in the church, he became archdeacon.

As the man right below the bishop, Bernard continued to spread the word and work miracles for 42 years. These clerical ranks are something I don’t really understand as a “not particularly religious person,” so I am just repeating what I learned here.

I would like to add that in his youth, Bernard escaped from an

26 Mountain News

the mountains in the region, people traveled through the area, sometimes making the arduous and dangerous journey over high passes around there. Seeing what these travelers were going through and the losses they had experienced, he decided to commission the building of two hospices high on two different passes, both which now bear names paying homage to his dedication to helping travelers there. Little Saint Bernard Pass is the lower of the two at 7,178 feet. People have been using this pass in the Alps on the French/Italian border far enough back that Hannibal the Carthaginian general

used it in 218 B.C.E. and it was probably the one he led his African elephants over into Italy to fight the Romans.

Great Saint Bernard pass connected what was Martigny in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland with the Aosta Valley of Italy.

It is the higher of the two at 8,100 feet, making it the third highest road pass in Switzerland today, extremely steep, switch-backed and beautiful. Bernard built his hospice here in 1049 when there was nothing but a path up there at the time. Again, an incredible history in this pass including the remnants of a Roman path, and it also saw Napoleon in 1800, leading 40,000 soldiers on an amazing winter sneak attack on the Austrian army in Italy. This is a story worth reading if you aren’t familiar, just for the wild human feats like teams of a hundred men dragging their disassembled cannons over the snow on hollowed-out pine trunks, up and over the pass.

The two hospices were run by clerics or canons, whose job it was to provide food and shelter to those traveling over

these two passes. They also went out on rescue missions to help those who had become stranded or injured in the tough conditions winter presented, often recovering the bodies of those who didn’t make it. When out on these rescue missions, they were always accompanied by the dogs they bred specifically for the task—yep, you guessed it, the St. Bernard dogs we know today.

Archdeacon Bernard died in June of 1081 of natural causes at the age of 61, a good, long life during that time, a testament to good mountain living. In 1681, Pope Innocent XI canonized Bernard as Saint Bernard, but in 1923 Pope Pius XI confirmed him as patron saint of the Alps and patron saint of skiers and mountaineers.

Today both hospices sit rebuilt and much improved atop the

passes where tourists and alpinists pass through or stay in the beautiful and historic buildings. Some of the direct descendant Saint Bernard dogs were still there until 2004, but have since been moved and are being handled by a foundation that specializes in that breed.

Now just in case that isn’t enough to help one feel safe while out there, we also have the Norse god, Ullr, whose job it is to protect those who travel on snow. Yeah, I’m feeling pretty good about heading out to ski as soon as I finish this. Now all we need is the god of big storms, or is that good old Mother Nature? She does her work without having to be ordained or canonized or approved by anybody; she just does her own thing!

Let’s play.

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Susan Chandler

Lily Gladstone could be the first Native American to win an Oscar.

This year's Oscar controversies Well, the 2024 Oscar nominations were announced and as usual sparked controversy.

This year’s biggest controversy surrounded the absence of both Margot Robbie for lead actress and Greta Gerwig as director of Barbie, even as the film was nominated for best picture and Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera were both nominated in supporting roles.

Though many are talking about continued sexism in Hollywood, I think it really goes to perception. Though Barbie was a global smash, (half of the Barbenheimer phenomena), it was still viewed by academy voters as a lightweight fluff film with good visuals and many only seeing the surface. Robbie’s character was so meta that they saw her performance as two-dimensional, just a stereotypical Barbie, completely missing the deeper elements that were put into the character. America Ferrera was nominated for best supporting actress most likely because her character was more realistic and had a great angry monologue (favorite academy fodder) about the unrealistic expectations placed on women. It also didn’t help that there was stiff competition for best actress this year. As for Gerwig, you could simply say that it was typical Hollywood sexism that kept her out of the nominations. But she was nominated in 2017 for Ladybird and this year Justine Triet was nominated

28 Mountain News

as best director for Anatomy of a Fall, so it’s not just a sexist snub.

I think it comes back to that same perception of Barbie as a film. Voters couldn’t see past the surface of the film and went with directors of smaller, more “serious” films.

Barbie suffered from the idea that making a large, flashy comedy is easy, and many missed how much more is going on underneath.

On the upside, the academy did nominate Lily Gladstone for best actress in Killers of the Flower Moon, who could become the first Native American to win an Oscar. Also it's the first time two openly LGBT actors have been nominated for playing LGBT characters: Colman Domingo in Rustin, and Jodie Foster in Nyad.

Teresa and I will try to catch up on some Oscar nominees before the show, but, as I’ve said, I don’t get as excited about what the academy does these days and there are lots of good films that won’t get anywhere near the Oscars. Which brings me to a couple films to mention here. Certainly not Oscar level, but might be fun to catch at home sometime.

The first is a new Netflix documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop. It started in January 1985 with Harry Belafonte who wanted to create a benefit single recording for African famine relief. He contacted Quincy Jones to produce it and enlisted Michael Jackson and Lional Richie to write it. Just days before it was to be recorded, the

duo had finally finished the song, "We Are the World." From there they assembled a supergroup that included over 40 of the biggest music stars of the day, coming from all different sides of pop and rock music. To get them all there at one time, they chose to record right after the 12th annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles, where Richie was host. At 10pm, after the awards, they all traveled to A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood to record the song. It was a marathon recording session that went until about 8am the next morning.

This film has all the footage of the session, including footage that has never been seen, as well as interview snippets from some of the stars, producers and even technicians who were there.

The film also covers all the hectic work that had to be done prior to recording the singers, who along with the engineers and a camera crew, are the only ones in the studio, and we see all the stars working together to make it the best song they can.

Overall, this is a great documentary covering a great event without any extra glitter or pizazz.

There is no narration and no filler, just a group of professionals practicing their art. If you don’t remember the song, it will bring it back and if you are too young to really know about it, this film will show you. Teresa hasn’t seen this yet, but I know she’ll really like it.

Another film to check out on Hulu is Self Reliance, created by and starring Jake Johnson as Tommy a middle-aged guy who is

Teresa and I will try to catch up on some Oscar nominees before the show, but, as I’ve said, I don’t get as excited about what the academy does these days and there are lots of good films that won’t get anywhere near the Oscars.

Some of the stars recording were Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Loggins, Dionne Warwick, Huey Lewis, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Steve Perry, Ray Charles and Diana Ross, among others.

living a life of monotony. He has the same routine every day from work to home and is still trying to get over a break-up with his longtime girlfriend. He basically fits the term, “lovable loser.” One day a mysterious limo stops, and he is invited by actor Andy Samberg to attend an odd meeting where he

is offered a chance to win a million dollars in a dark web reality TV show. All he has to do is survive 30 days. If he does, he gets the million. However, there will be assassins trying to kill him the whole time. The catch is he can't be killed if he's not entirely alone, leading him to recruit an unlikely team to help him survive.

Self-Reliance is basically a comedy-thriller, with a bigger emphasis on the comedy, that does a generally effective job of balancing silly and sincere. Part of the fun is that Tommy tries to explain all that is happening to his mother and sisters, but of course, it sounds crazy. And it gets crazier when some of the assassins out to get him are impersonating famous people, so it has Tommy telling his family that he was being attacked by Ellen DeGeneres, a Samurai warrior, or one of the Mario brothers. As the contest begins, he also meets a fellow contestant played by Anna Kendrick. They form a partnership that has the potential to become more, if they can survive.

The thrills are minor as the film progresses, but it’s just fun watching Tommy’s journey and Johnson is so likeable in the character. There are a lot of good laughs throughout as reality bumps against his unreal situation.

Overall Self Reliance is an offbeat but very fun film that explores human relationships in a unique way.

Carefully considering your vote This month’s guest column is by Susan Chandler, chair of the South Lake Tahoe Democratic Club.

During the Biden administration our country has been transformed. The pandemic has receded. Our economic recovery has been better than any other G7 country. GDP grew at an annual rate of 4.9 percent last quarter, and more than 3 percent for the Biden presidency. We have the best job market since the 1960s (353,000 new jobs were created last month alone) and the lowest uninsured rate in U.S. history. The Dow Jones broke 38,000 for the first time ever. Wage growth, new business formation and prime-age labor participation rates are at historically elevated levels. Prices fell last month. Rents are softening and gas prices and crime rates are falling. Domestic oil and renewable production are at record levels. Investments in infrastructure have occurred. The annual deficit, which exploded under Trump, is trillions less today. The Inflation Reduction Act included financial incentives for clean energy and limits on prescription drug costs.

There is still unfinished business from Biden’s first administration. His goals for childcare, community college and prescription drugs have been laid out in detail but have not been fully accomplished. He also has unfulfilled promises on civil rights, such as protecting access to the ballot box, preventing police misconduct and restoring the nationwide right to abortion. Banning

assault rifles remains a priority as well. Biden’s plans are expensive, and he doesn’t want to increase the deficit, so that means he’s looking to raise taxes on the wealthy. He already has succeeded in implementing a 15 percent minimum tax on companies with annual income exceeding $1 billion.

Congress is broken. It must be fixed. In a normal year Congress passes approximately 200 bills. This past year with a Republican controlled House of Representatives, Congress only passed 27 bills. The only year that passed fewer bills was during the Depression when Congress only met for a few months. The bills passed do not include any measures dealing with cost of living, mitigating climate change, fire prevention, immigration issues or border protection. What has Congress been doing? Infighting over Republican leadership within a highly fractured caucus.

Republicans say they are pro-life. They are not. If they were pro-life, they would not be cutting child hunger programs or trying to take away health care programs. They would advocate for common sense gun laws, guns being the greatest killer of children in our country. Democrats support gun safety laws, healthcare for all, expanding pre-natal care, mental healthcare, expanding childcare and universal preschool.

Republicans say they are fiscally responsible. They are not. During the Trump years the national debt rose by 33 percent.

This was largely due to his tax cuts for the wealthy. During the Biden years it rose by 8.8 percent.

Fixing Congress starts in California’s 3rd congressional district. We currently have a representative, Kevin Kiley, who votes along party lines. He has been endorsed by Trump. He supports a national ban on abortion, taking away a woman’s right to choose. While serving in the California Assembly, he consistently voted against environmental programs. He supports efforts to cut Social Security and opposes common sense gun reform. He opposes affordable housing alternatives and supports slashing Medicaid for millions of Californians.

Jessica Morse, his Democratic opponent, is a fifth generation Californian. In 2019 she was appointed Deputy Secretary for Forest and Wildland Resilience at the California Natural Resources Agency. She has been on the frontline mitigating wildfire threats. She is a strong defender of Social Security, Medicare, affordable housing, veteran’s health care, childcare, lowering the cost of living and protecting the right to choose.

And what would another Trump presidency look like?

Trump was responsible for overturning Roe vs. Wade by ap-

pointing three ultra-conservative judges to the Supreme Court. He has mishandled classified documents. He has done nothing to curb gun violence or mitigate global warming. He wants to do away with the Affordable Care Act but has no program to replace it. Trump would try to strip tens of thousands of career employees of their civil service protections, so that they could be fired as he seeks to “totally obliterate the deep state.” He refers to this as the “final battle.” Trump says he will institute a system of tariffs of perhaps 10 percent on most foreign goods (of course this would be passed on to the American consumer.) He says he would immediately direct U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to undertake the largest domestic deportation operation in American history. Law-abiding undocumented immigrants who have paid taxes and lived in this country for many years will be forced to return to their country of origin to apply to reenter the US legally instead of having a path for citizenship provided for them while they are in the US. Trump has pledged to terminate the Department of Education and he also wants to exert enormous influence over local school districts and colleges. To protect students, he says he will support school districts that allow trained teachers to carry concealed weapons. He would provide fed-

eral funding so schools can hire veterans, retired police officers, and other trained gun owners as armed school guards.

Trump wants to discontinue support to Ukraine. He has stated that he will not support Europe if it is under attack and that “NATO is dead and we will leave.”

Under his mantra, “drill, baby drill,” he wants to increase drilling on public land and give massive incentives to the oil companies and their CEOs. And what would his cabinet look like? A group of Trump loyalists who lack expertise in their field. And what would happen to the Supreme Court? Do we really want the court to be skewed to the right so that more of our rights can be taken away?

And he wants to be a dictator on Day 1. He still believes he won in 2020 (he did not). He feels a president should have total immunity while in office. Do we really want a delusional man who has been indicted on 91 felonies to be our next president? I don’t think so.

By now you should have received your ballot for the March 5 primary. Please vote. However, as you vote, think of the far-reaching consequences of your vote on the future of our country and the world.

Mountain News 29

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