I was going through my Mountain News email today when I noticed a press release calling for volunteers to clean the beaches on July 5. (Those reading this will note July 5 has passed. We have to prep the Mountain News several days early and I am actually writing this July 3.) I thought shouldn’t the tourists be picking up and carrying out their own trash? I know change takes time and shifting the norms for acceptable behavior doesn’t happen overnight. Isn’t that what we are aiming for, though, especially with the advent of Destination Stewardship?
Destination Stewardship has put out a flurry of publicity lately. In a newspaper column, Carol Chaplin and Daniel Cressy, two leaders of Destination Stewardship, talked about the “show” and “tell” model of action. We need to show and tell visitors what we expect. They talked about increased signage, information at trailheads and the deployment of ambassadors at popular spots to engage tourists about acting appropriately. A public education campaign can be a key piece, but more is needed, as Chaplin and Cressy acknowledge. Many people will be immune to encouragement and will need something
a little more forceful—like a hefty ticket for littering to start.
I also had an email from the US Forest Service about Zephyr Cove and Zephyr Shoals, which gained national notoriety last July 4 for the record-setting amount of garbage, environmental degradation and general disrespect that went on. The Forest Service has added 39 restrooms, eight handwashing stations and 46 trash receptacles. Alcohol will be prohibited, trash bags will be issued and recyclables and compostables diverted by Aramark. There will be an increased law enforcement presence. To combat traffic congestion and emissions, people will be urged to carpool, ride a bike or take public transportation. This seems like a rather serious endeavor to address some serious problems, which is to be applauded. All that effort makes me wonder, though, whether the larger problem is just too damn many people. We’ll see what happens.
As I was delivering the paper last month, I stopped in at a longtime distribution location to drop off the Mountain News. A new employee took the papers from me and asked the manager, whom I didn’t really know,
where to put them. He told her to throw them away. I just politely asked for them back and took them to give out elsewhere and quietly boycotted the business. A different me might have tried to engage him, sold him on the value of the paper and ended with a handshake, but I was hot, dirty, tired and not in the mood.
Recently, though, I had to unavoidably go back to that business and the manager was working the cash register. I put my items on the counter and he rang me up. He apparently recognized me and as I went to leave he said “by the way, we still do want the Mountain News here.” He said he had been stressed with business issues that day and wasn’t really thinking straight. He told me local customers appreciate the Mountain News, see his business as a place to pick it up, it goes quickly and I’d have a spot there.
This month marks 30 years since our debut. The community, the publishing industry and we ourselves have all changed, but we are still an integral part of Tahoe.
-Heather
Freedom of the press alive in SLT
Publishing opinion columns should not divide us, but rather inspire conversations about meaningful ideas.
This month marks 30 years that the Tahoe Mountain News has been delivering“independent news” to the South Shore. I can hardly remember a time when there wasn’t a TMN It has become part of our DNA. Mountain News founder Taylor Flynn was fearless in his commentary and the community embraced the paper’s honest reporting. Today, Publisher Heather Gould carries on the traditions of this publication.
1994: Margo Osti and Tom Davis were on the SLT City Council at a time when the city was in the early construction stages of its $200M gamble on something called redevelopment; a 6.1 earthquake rattled Lake Tahoe; average lake clarity was 78 feet; and the TRPA was actually an environmental protection agency and not the sold-out prodevelopment farce it has become today.
Beyond Tahoe: Bill Clinton was the president calling for health care reform and a ban on assault weapons; Jeff Bezos launched Amazon; Nicole Brown Simpson
and Ron Goldman were murdered followed by a sensational murder trial that found prime suspect OJ Simpson (“if the glove doesn’t fit…”) innocent; and Georgia representative Newt Gingrich spearheaded what was called the Republican Revolution and their manifesto Contract with America to take the House and Senate from the Democrats for the first time in 40 years.
A lot has changed and happened in the last three decades and the Mountain News was always there to cover the story. You may believe that things were better in the good old days, but social struggles, economic hard times and political upheaval litter the path behind us.
The co$t of education
for $65M that voters approved.
In 2022 the district requested a $107M (not a typo) bond that voters narrowly defeated.
"Are there still plans to put part of Lake Tahoe Golf Course into Washoe Meadows State Park?"
No, is the short answer.
The vacancy tax initiative continues to be the headline on media outlets as the most debated topic since Measure T (banned VHRs in residential neighborhoods) was on the ballot in 2018. Hiding in the shadows of the vacancy tax is the Lake Tahoe Unified School District’s anticipated 2024 bond measure.
A school bond is simply a loan taken out by the school district that is paid back by (in this case) property owners through a parcel tax. The tax per parcel is calculated by taking the total amount of the loan and dividing it among the property owners. The calculation is made per parcel based on the valuation of the property, so the higher the property’s value the higher the tax. LTUSD has received millions of dollars from bonds. In 1992 it received $7.7M. In 1999 it received $8.1M. Shortly before 2008 the district asked voters to approve an $87M bond that was denied and then in 2008 came back with a request
The amount the district is requesting in November (sit down for this) is $127,000,000, while taxpayers are still paying off $73M in loans from 1999 and 2008. The majority of funding for public education comes from property taxes. The bonds districts ask voters to pay for are in addition to their regular property taxes.
As investors in public education, taxpayers expect schools to deliver quality education and manage available facility and operation funds wisely.
Insiders tell me the district is heavy on costly administrative spending and short on providing classroom resources. The recent revelation that the district has been unwilling to provide requested Title IX accounting information is also concerning.
Meals on Wheels
Tina Roybal was the perfect person to be the meal-site
coordinator for the El Dorado County Senior Nutrition Program. She is high energy, organized, compassionate, and loved by the seniors and the volunteers. Hugs and smiles are her MO. She made everyone feel welcome.
All that changed in March when suddenly Roybal was gone and the EDC staff in charge weren’t talking. The scuttlebutt is that a disgruntled kitchen worker had filed a complaint against Roybal and she had been reassigned to the dog pound in Meyers.
With Roybal gone, many seniors have stopped coming in for lunch and several volunteer drivers resigned in protest. The program is struggling without Roybal, who was a wizard at juggling the many tasks this position requires, while keeping the volunteers and seniors happy. EDC could have handled this situation much differently and avoided losing an essential employee. Love you, Tina! Enjoy retirement.
To be continued….
More than a decade ago California State Parks wanted to move several holes at Lake Tahoe Golf Course into the adjacent Washoe Meadows State Park. In 2015, after a five-year legal battle, Washoe Meadows Community succeeded in keeping the links on Lake Valley State Recreation Area land.
The lawsuit challenged the reclassification of state land and whether the environmental impact report was consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act.
These two Meyers properties together encompass almost 800 acres, with the Upper Truckee River flowing through both. The state acquired most of the acreage in 1984 for $5 million following a lawsuit between developers and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
State Parks is restarting the environmental review process to address improving the flow of its 1.5 miles of river. This summer the agency should receive $450,000 from the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act (LTRA) which will be used to pay ECORP Consulting in Sacramento to develop an environmental impact report and environmental impact statement.
In summer 2018, the state again floated the idea to relocate golf holes onto Washoe Meadows. Lack of funding stopped the review process. Scoping began
again in January 2022 on another EIR, but money derailed it, too.
With LTRA funds just waiting delivery, State Parks has confidence the environmental process will reach the finish line.
“We want our designs to drive the CEQA. As soon as funding is released for river and golf course design, that will feed into the new project descriptions and alternatives,” Nathan Shasha, environmental scientist with State Park’s Sierra District said. He is also the project manager.
Likely three alternatives will be studied, with one being no action.
Shasha expects hole 12 to be reconfigured away from the river, while holes 10 and 11 will be modified.
“The objective of the river restoration is to restore some of those meanders, to slow down some of the water, to capture sediment instead of producing sediment. There are places where golf course turf is next to the river bank,” Rich Adams, natural resources manager for the Sierra District, said.
After the record snowfall in 2022-23, a major breach occurred that threatened a golf course bridge, necessitating 100 feet of bank to be stabilized last October with emergency funding from FEMA.
According to TRPA, a study done in 2003 found 1,380 metric tons of sediment reach Lake Tahoe from the entire Upper Truckee River. This river contributes 60 percent of the fine sediment into the lake.
The State Parks’ section produces the largest amount of sediment. It’s estimated the project will keep 18 metric tons, or the equivalent of 16 dump trucks, from reaching the lake, TRPA reports.
Straightening the river years ago created this problem. Banks cave in and water flow causes erosion; this sediment reaches Lake Tahoe, diminishing its clarity. Steep banks also mean the natural flood plain doesn’t exist.
Various reaches of the river have already been rehabbed. Shasha, though, stresses this is more than a water quality project.
Shasha said the park will be a staging area and that access to the project will be through there.
When actual work would begin is a big question mark. It could be a three-year project costing at least $9.5 million.
“The project is targeting an additional $8 million from LTRA for completion and it isn’t known if or when that might come through,” Jeff Cowen with TRPA said.
What is secured is the $450,000 from LTRA for planning, $28,000 from Tahoe Fund, and $800,000 from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
Outside of this project, State Parks intends to remove the concrete where the old Celio dairy barn was located as well as get rid of the zigzag lodgepole fence, and restore a bit of that meadow in Washoe Meadows. This will take about $65,000 which the agency doesn't have.
This fall, State Parks hopes to begin improving 500 feet of trail north of Angora Creek Bridge near Mountain Trout
“We are planning to improve public access at Country Club Drive, which is holes 6 and 7,” Shasha said. “The previous plan was to have a shared use bridge across the river at those two holes. That is still in the plans; so it has some public access and recreation improvements in it, too.”
The public will have multiple opportunities to chime in; with a draft EIR/EIS possible next summer.
Lynne Paulson, leader of Washoe Meadows Community, is still very much involved.
“We are still going to stay engaged and review the new project to ensure park resources are protected,” Paulson said. “We don’t expect major issues because they are not going to put the golf course in the park.
“We have to watch out. They might do things that would impact the park like if they put a staging area there. We will want to find out details of that and if we need to comment.”
Drive with $15,000 from the Tahoe Fund. A couple small bridge structures will be constructed along with laying turf stones like what was done several years ago in another location.
Adams said a general plan for the state park isn’t being talked about. That is in part why Washoe Meadows’ improvements are piecemealed.
Plus, the state is crying poor, the Sierra District has an employee vacancy rate of 40 percent, and South Tahoe Public Utility District has right-of-way to many of the roads because sewer lines go through the property.
GOT A QUESTION?
Email: mountainnews2@gmail.com
Mail: P.O. Box 8974, South Lake Tahoe, CA 95618.
Emergency bank stabilization of the Upper Truckee River was necessary in October 2023 after the previous heavy winter and subsequent runoff.
The river project would fix the bank erosion and sod slumping at Lake Tahoe Golf Course.
Erosion along the bank of hole 7 at Lake Tahoe Golf Course gets worse each year.
Women’s sports at LTUSD: follow the money
Since 1969, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHA) has annually collected and published data regarding the number of athletic participants by sport and by gender for each state.
From 1969 to 1972, the NFSHA participation statistics revealed an average participation rate among women students of two percent compared to 50 percent among male students. Following the enactment of Title IX, NSFHA data shows male participation remained steady around 50 percent and female participation increased to 43 percent over the past 50 years. This shows that Title IX worked, which was (and is) great news for women hoping to participate in athletics while attending school. Even better news for our community, the data from the Lake Tahoe Unified School District shows that South Tahoe High School has women participating in sports well above the nationwide average of 43 percent. This indicates that our daughters are getting meaningful opportunities to participate in sports in our schools.
Achieving equity under Title IX, however, only starts with opening up opportunities that allow for full participation among all athletes. Back in 2019, this Title IX Task Force began when parents, coaches, and other community members realized women athletes at STHS were not getting equal treatment despite having equal opportunities. From 2019 to today, the Title IX Task Force became aware through surveys and interviews that female athletes at STHS experience disparate treatment based on discrepancies in the quality and availability of transportation to competitions, discrepancies in access to the weight room, discrepancies in access to the best facilities or fields, discrepancies in sports medicine support and more. Again, at STHS, there are a good
number of women participating in the athletic programs offered to them, but issues remain in the quality of the opportunity when compared to their male counterparts.
The mandate of Title IX states that “[n]o person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Based on this statute, federal courts have agreed that schools can violate Title IX through conduct that is facially discriminatory or through conduct that impacts a protected class by disparate impact. This takes the reach of Title IX in athletics well beyond how many women are participating in athletic programs but demands that schools treat its
participants equitably. As a task force then, we strove to understand why the female experience was so qualitatively different from the male experience at STHS.
One of the best ways to determine equitable treatment is by analyzing the money a school spends on its student athletes as broken down by sport and by gender. The representatives from LTUSD, including Superintendent Todd Cutler, former Title IX Coordinator Beth Sheperd, current Title IX Coordinator John Simmons, and STHS Athletic Director Kevin Hennessee seem to disagree and refuse to disclose to the public what should be easily accessible data from the district’s general fund.
Since December 2021, in response to inquiries regarding the budget for student athletes broken down by sport and by
gender, LTUSD has offered only unsubstantiated snapshots of uniform costs by sport and estimates of equipment data.
Missing from this data: a report on sports medicine expenses and funding, the expenditures on facility maintenance by field, gym, and track, a report on monies allocated to coaching staff, answers to how weight room personnel is funded, and more. In light of the clear malaise among the female athletes, it is disturbing that the District has refused to present a comprehensive budget to the Board or the public. Instead, in their most recent athletics presentation to the Board on May 9, STHS representatives focused only on participation statistics while also claiming that their athletic programs richly enhance the student experience for women and men alike. In other words: according to the district, nothing is
amiss and equity can be achieved by ignoring the problem.
For the future of our female athletes at STHS, it is imperative and required that a detailed budget for athletics broken down by sport and by gender be provided to the public. The school board, who are ultimately responsible for how funds are spent, need to insist that this data is provided to the board, as well as the community.
As the District prepares to submit another request to the public asking for additional bond funds, we all should be asking why the district refuses to be accountable and produce the data from the general fund as applied to athletics. This data is essential for accountability and transparency as well as improving the quality of athletic programs for our daughters and granddaughters.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Mountain Area Preservation have settled a lawsuit regarding affordable housing. MAP sued the TRPA over its affordable housing policies, claiming they would lead to overdevelopment and hurt Tahoe’s environment without contributing significantly to the affordable housing supply. As part of the settlement, MAP will join TRPA’s Tahoe Living Working Group, which aims to foster dialogue and propose policies to address the housing crisis.
Gregory Cremeans of Sierra Choice Realty has been awarded the At Home With Diversity Certification from the National Association of Realtors. He completed an eight-hour course on diversity, fair housing and business planning development focused on expanding opportunities for all.
Donations to the Nevada Youth License Fund are allowing anyone ages 12 to 17 to get a free combination fishing/hunting license at ndowlicensing.com.
The South Lake Tahoe Library will host Jordan the Science Wizard on July 19 and magician Brian Scott on July 26, both at 2pm. Get ready for melting, oozing, bubbling and foaming fun and magic combined with comedy and laughter. Free.
Inflatable paddleboard users are urged to watch a new Lake Tahoe Water Trail “How to Protect Lake Tahoe and Your Paddle Gear" video and follow
the steps to ensure all their gear is completely clean, drained, and dry to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species and to protect their gear. Find the video at LakeTahoeWaterTrail.org.
Gary Bell (Spoke Junkie!) of Sierra Ski and Cycle Works has donated a new bicycle paddleboard and kayak trailer from Moved by Bikes to the Lake Tahoe Bike Coalition.
For the fourth time, South Tahoe Public Utility District has received the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence Award from the California Special District Association. STPUD’s compliance with the Brown Act, website quality and public outreach were deemed superior by the judges.
A Hand and Foot tournament to raise funds to combat hunger in Kenya will be held on August 2 at 5:30pm at the Valhalla Great Hall.
Homeowners can register for defensible space inspections and chipping services to help protect homes from fire by both Lake Valley Fire and South Lake Tahoe Fire. Visit www.tahoelivingwithfire.com.
Zephyr Cove Library accepts used books with no tears, missing pages, writing or highlights, or ex-library copies. Non-fiction must have been published within the last five years. No textbooks, encyclopedias or magazines.
Reservations at Sand Harbor will be required on weekends and holidays from Aug. 17-Oct. 13. If
space is available, people without reservations will be let in starting at 10:30 a.m. Reservations made in advance cost $5, whereas same-day bookings are free. Reservations will be required every day beginning next April.
For the first time "no parking" signs line both sides of Highway 50 from Warrior Way to Zephyr Cove beach. Douglas County is charging between $20$100 to park on Warrior Way now through Aug. 31. Douglas County residents park for free.
Local attorneys Robert M. Henderson and Michael P. Hambsch are each celebrating 50 years in the practice of law. The pair are with the law firm Rollston, Henderson and Johnson, Ltd. Henderson once successfully won on appeal a case involving the city of South Lake Tahoe and a missing stop sign. Neither attorney plans to retire.
Brennan Touryan owner of Lake Tahoe Pizza Company, has joined the board of the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce.
The Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association is hosting a fundraiser on July 13 at Valhalla.
A special gourmet dinner from the Hidden Table, lawn games, raffle and info about TAMBA efforts improving connectivity and sustainability in the Tahoe basin. Tickets $35 to $100, valhhallatahoe.com.
In mid-June, the South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition hosted over 800
kindergarten through second grade students at Meeks Bay for Woods, Water and Wildlife. Hands on activities educated students about trash, water, the natural environment and more.
Bread & Broth 4 Kids has announced its summer program running every Wednesday through August 14. Bags of food will be distributed to children up to the age of 18 from 10am to 1pm at St. Theresa’s Grace Hall.
(Adults must be accompanied by a child). In addition, bags of food will be delivered to the Boys and Girls Club, Catalyst Kids, LTCC Daycare, Catalyst Community, Step by Step and Live Violence Free.
The South Lake Tahoe
Babe Ruth All Stars 13U is heading to the Southwest Regionals in Bakersfield, July 21 through July 27. They secured a berth at the tournament after triumphing over Sparks, 17-6.
The Taylor Creek Visitor Center Stream Profile Chamber has reopened, two years after vandals broke the glass.
Isaiah Tannaci, the South Tahoe High School Sports Medicine Coordinator and Martha Ubias of Bijou Community School were named Lake Tahoe Unified School District Employees of the Year. STHS Principal Justin Zunino praised Tannaci’s enthusiasm and Bijou Principal Rosie DePierri noted that Ubias enjoys universal respect at the school.
Twenty-one local artists across eight studios will be featured in the annual Artists’ Studio Tour July 26 through July 28 and August 2 through August 4. Visit https://talart.org/ for a map. Mediums include painting, photography, jewelry and more. Visit five or more studios and be entered in an artwork raffle. They make stuff up. You laugh. The Tahoe Improv Players, a community institution, will perform at Valhalla on July 24. Valhallatahoe.com.
The Tahoe Paradise Park Music in the Park Series continues July 19 with Simon Kurth and August 9 with CB Radio. On the lawn by Lake Baron, 5pm to 8pm. By donation.
A is for acting camp, b is for basketball camp . . Lake Tahoe Community College’s CONNECT community education is offering camps, workshops and classes for kids and adults this summer. Visit ltcc.asapconnected.com for a full list of offerings and to register.
The Tahoe Art League will be hosting plein-air outings weekends in July. For more info, email quailartrun@gmail.com.
Have a community item for Heard? Email mountainnews2@ gmail.com, subject line, “Heard.”
Jordan the Science Wizard comes to the South Lake Tahoe Library on July 19.
Living in Tahoe, watching small businesses and eateries come and go over the years, you can’t help but wonder about the folks who take these risks, investing their hard work, their every waking moment and probably most of their financial resources in a dream that—especially in places like this—can’t possibly have great odds of
Food only one ingredient to being restaurateur
succeeding over the long haul.
I mean, you can count on one hand the restaurants that have stood the test of time on the South Shore.
We locals like to support our local businesses, but we don’t generally know how they make it work—what it took to get there and what it takes to stay there. As a case study, I
wanted to learn about Chico’s Burger at the “Y” to get a little behind-the-counter insight.
Why Chico’s
Chico’s wasn’t a random choice: the “Y” center has seen its share of struggles over the years, most noticeably the long-vacant former Kmart, and many will remember Sports LTD and Payless Shoes, among others no longer at the “Y,” and more recently the Beach Hut Deli. The center itself isn’t centrally located in town and these rows of shops around the sides can sometimes be overlooked. Even as a local, I had never been into Chico’s before developing this story and it’s been there since 2019, when Jorge Maldonado bought the venue from the previous owner of Burger Stop.
Maldonado had run successful ventures both in Mexico and in the U.S. and has a full resume in the restaurant industry. In 2023, he was joined by brother, Oliver Santiago and sister-in-law, Anabel Sojo.
Oliver had cooked in restaurants; Anabel brought a long run of experience in food services, retail and management.
As for their leap of faith, Anabel and Oliver knew the proven success of Chico’s but also of Jorge’s track record. She said of Maldonado, “Ev-
ery time Jorge does something, it works.”
Location, location, location
When asked about the lo cation choice, Anabel said that Maldonado saw the benefit of a property that came with existing infrastructure and equipment (from Burger Stop). He would need to make other upgrades, but not nearly like starting from scratch.
And here’s where the story takes a curious turn. While Maldonado’s extensive history in restaurant work and cooking prowess might have turned this location into a taqueria, a provision in the lease agreement was that he couldn’t open a “Mexican restaurant” since there is a competing one just down the row. Now, you might be wondering where—until it occurs to you—it’s the classic “Mexican” restaurant, Taco Bell. So, yes, just as he could not have opened a coffee shop because of Starbuck’s or a sandwich shop because of the Beach Hut Deli, he had to go in a different direction, and thus “Chico’s Burger.” It’s actually not unusual for shopping center owners to maintain such conditions; this one just held a bit more irony than most. Working with what you have
But Maldonado’s idea, according to Sojo, was to intro-
most of their vegetables from Smart and Final. Anabel said, “We are able to pay our bills because of our local people and they know we purchase our meat locally, so they support us.” In addition, they use their own recipes—fresh-made ranch dressing, salsas, chili, beans, rice and more. Challenges and rewards
When asked about the challenge of running a small business in Tahoe, Anabel said, “You have to be there . . to support your employees.” Unsurprising to locals, housing is also a challenge, as is getting a license to sell beer, a lengthy process that requires a lot of paperwork and trips back and forth to Sacramento. You also need signatures from the neighborhood residents. Sojo said that they’ll wait until after summer to continue this process. Other challenges can be weather-related, such as delayed deliveries in winter, something all local businesses experience.
And then there’s the challenge of working with family—you know—the ones with whom you also live. Anabel’s son, Chris, also works at Chico’s a couple days a week, so there’s a fair amount of “family time.”
Anabel said that while it can be trying at times, “we have fun— that’s for sure.”
As always, feel free to email mikesmutterings@gmail. com
This month marks the 30th anniversary of the Tahoe Mountain News. In July 1994, we debuted a 16-page publication under the leadership of Taylor Flynn and Vincent Hernandez (a partner in the early days of the Mountain News.) Flynn and Hernandez met working at the Tahoe Daily Tribune in 1989, then both went on to other places before reconnecting and returning to Tahoe together with a dream to publish their own newspaper free of the constraints they had encountered elsewhere and in a place they cherished.
Their introductory note started off, “(W)hat you are holding in your hands is the first issue of what we hope will be many editions of the Tahoe Mountain News—a new publication in South Lake Tahoe.” This is the 360th edition. (Math nerds will argue it is the 361st edition — and they’d be right – except we missed one month in the second year of the paper.)
The cover story of the initial issue was titled “Coyote Killing Fields.” It was about the El Dorado County government slaughter of a coyote mother, which orphaned seven cubs. The main feature story was about South Tahoe High basketball phenom Jerod Haase, then in the midst of his college career. Haase most recently coached at Stanford. We printed the names of every member of the Whittell High School and South Tahoe High School class of 1994. The ads on the back cover were 1000 Bathing Suits and The Brewery.
The majority of those first advertisers three decades ago are not in business today, making us exceedingly grateful to still be alive and kicking. Shortly after Hernandez left the partnership and Paperboy took on sole ownership, he received a letter from retiree Catherine Abel. She complimented the reporting in the paper, but enclosed articles and columns she had edited, pointing out various mistakes and making the phrasing snappier. Paperboy met with Abel and they hit it off. She began editing pieces, then writing stories. She had a knack for journal-
ism despite not having a college degree; and eventually penned a column. She also organized and moderated a debate of candidates for local office and was the impetus behind the first community Earth Day celebration.
In that decade Abel worked here she was instrumental in the early growth of the Mountain News. Sadly, shortly after she retired for good and moved to Arkansas, she died of cancer.
The Mountain News made its reputation with in-depth reporting and bold commentary, especially regarding the environment and the powers-thatbe. Although the Nevada casinos initially advertised with the Mountain News, that came to a screeching halt after Paperboy
it all, we strive to be as fair as we possibly can while attempting to uncover the truth.
Then there was the time when El Dorado County District Attorney Gary Lacy asked the California attorney general to investigate the Mountain News for posting online, in the infancy of the internet, a sealed accusation (similar to an indictment) against El Dorado County Supervisor Mark Nielsen.
At one point, Heavenly/Vail refused to speak with us after we wrote about some of its environmental and business practices. We questioned how agencies operated as well as how and why various projects and policies were approved. We were the first to bring to light the Loop Road
Paxton Frombaugh, then Phil Wolf, Cezar and a few others. Anyone interested in being the Mountain News new cartoonist, please apply!
So, how to summarize 360 issues of the Mountain News? I pulled random issues from our morgue, the stockpile of past issues, and decided to pick a few aspects from each issue. Here goes:
February 1995
Cover story: Paperboy interviewed former South Lake Tahoe Mayor Terry Trupp, who was serving time in federal prison on drug charges. Memorable quote by Trupp: “I’m writing some novels and writing some songs and I hope that works. If I
wrote a column about their outsized influence on local politics, especially in California. Lakeside Inn’s Mike Bradford stood up in a public meeting to encourage business owners not to advertise in the Mountain News, stating we were hurting the community.
What Bradford and others really didn’t like is that we were “hurting” the status quo. Yes, we have bills to pay like any business. But we put our journalistic ethics first. This means reporting accurately about people and agencies whether they advertise with us or not. Through
and ask what it was really about. There was shock when we started making election endorsements. We can’t forget our columnists – we’ve had quite a few over the years writing about such topics as gardening, fishing, wine, fitness, psychology and more. Movie reviewer Dave Hamilton and Spoke Junkie Gary Bell have been around since almost the beginning. Hamilton has never missed a month or repeated a column.
We were one of the few small-town newspapers to have a political cartoonist starting with
do anything beyond that, it will be in the realm of music and performing. I’m not very interested anymore in being involved in the political scene.”
News briefs: Campaign for local murals. Drought scare over: Snowpack 198 percent of normal.
October 1996
Cover story: Gym junkies. We took a look at the workout scene and found there’s more to pumping iron than simple vanity.
Endorsements: South Lake Tahoe City Council – Frank DuQuite, Judy Brown. Superior
Court judge -- Steve Gorman.
May 1998
Cover story: Barton briefs. We took a look at a lawsuit brought against Barton Memorial Hospital by a group of doctors.
Kate’s Comments by Catherine Abel: Where do bears go to die and the war on drugs. “I personally have never taken an illegal drug, except for the gin and tonic I drank when I was 17 …. But folks, the war is over. We lost it.”
April 2001
Cover story: Bearish neighbors. Complaints by a neighbor over Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care’s bear rehabilitation center threatened to close down the locally famous facility.
Letter to the editor: “Seems sex, strippers and their male viewers are still easy targets for small town minds and newspapers like yours.” – Jerry Nardini
February 2002
Cover story: Olympic heritage. Tahoe celebrates its Olympic athletes including South Shore’s own Jonna Mendes.
Man on the Street question: “If you could have any job in the world .?” A firefighter, ‘cause the chicks dig it—Jason Spaulding.
April 2003
Cover: War and peace. Tahoe residents find themselves divided over the war in Iraq.
Tay’s Tales: Speeding cars, loud music and cheap wine. “You see, there is a back gate out of the high school that is closed during school hours, but opened when the bell rings to let cars leave like a stampede through a cattle chute. The neighbors along Thirteenth Street have complained for years about this maddening ‘rush hour’ of teenage hormone induced speed. . Close the damn gate!”
February 2011
Cover story: Hometown heroes. We presented the heroic tale of how two search and rescue volunteers saved an out-ofbounds snowboarder at Heavenly on New Year’s Eve. Special report: City cops running a ticket mill? “Exam-
ples of what many believe to be unnecessary citations and stops have been made evident by the volume of people contacting the Tahoe Mountain News.”
May 2011
Cover story: Mountain biking mecca. Tahoe has world-class mountain biking with great trails, yet it doesn’t rate as a major fat tire destination.
Mountain Marketplace: Wanted: small electronic pinball machine, good to fine condition & working. Also will buy
a non-working pinball machine. 542-****.
October 2012
Cover story: A day in court. This month we spent a typical day in court and chronicled the cases and people.
Mountain News Outdoors: Unhappy campers: Kirkwood axes overnight RV parking. “John Holm, who notified other winter sports enthusiasts, believes the policy change is a direct result of the resort’s new corporate ownership.”
January 2013
Cover: Young at heart. Doctors were pulling the plug on a comatose Christene Garcia when she awoke to everyone’s surprise. Phil Wolf cartoon: SnowGlobe blues. This is only a scattershot of topics we have covered over the years. So much news, so many stories and photos, so much discourse has been packed into every issue that thoroughly encompassing it all is next to impossible.
Probably the issue people have hung onto through the years and still mention is our July 2007 issue on the Angora Fire. We captured this disaster that devastated the South Shore from every angle – the personal, the environmental, the scientific, the tactical, the political, the legal and more. Kathryn Reed, who has come full circle and is now writing for us again, wrote the majority of the stories in that issue. She seemed to be everywhere all at once. Our coverage was topped off by a dramatic, award-winning 12-page
photo essay on the fire from start to finish, shot by Paperboy. As for me, I joined the Mountain News in 1996, when I married Paperboy. I took over full ownership and responsibility last year following our divorce. My goal is to continue to build on our foundation with in-depth, can’t-read-anywhere-else stories, lively commentary and features on the people and things that connect the South Shore and make our community vibrant and one of a kind. Just like the Mountain News.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Tahoe Mountain News, we reached out to various community members for their thoughts. Here’s what we heard back.
Congratulations on reaching 30 years of publication! I have always appreciated TMN’s willingness to take a deep dive into issues of public concern within the Tahoe Basin. While I don’t always have the same take as the writer of any particular story, think that as a society we have come to expect our news in short bullet points.
Most of the problems that our community faces are nuanced and cannot be addressed in a short “news bite,” but that seems to be the preferred method of communicating news these days. As a result, people are forming opinions based on incomplete information. Perhaps this is a product of our 24-hour news cycle, but it is unfortunate.
appreciated your willingness to write a story on our juvenile court. Most of what happens in juvenile court is confidential, so there is a lack of understanding about how the system worked. You were willing to respect the youths’ rights to confidentiality while writing a story that informed our community about a government process they were unlikely to understand.
On a personal note, Taylor covered the Angora Fire (17 years ago - yikes!) and took photos, using our yard as a vantage point. He very helpfully put out some burning weeds under our deck with our hose, likely preventing extensive damage. That was definitely above and beyond the call of a reporter, and much appreciated!
Judge Suzanne Kingsbury (ret.), El Dorado Superior Court
The Mountain News has always been a place of community. We have always counted on the fact that everyone’s voice gets expressed in the paper, even when that voice might not represent the status quo or the powers that be. We have loved that you haven’t been afraid to ruffle some feathers while at the same time being exceedingly fair. This has created an open forum for information that has been vital to the community over the years.
The paper holds a special place in our hearts because Stew had the honor of writing a column for over a year. Also, whenever we have reached out with a need, we were accommodated. Thank you, Mountain News, for being an important part of our lives for 30 years.
Dr. Stew and Hillary Bittman
Congratulations Heather and Taylor for 30 years of dedication to local news! When Tahoe Mountain News debuted, I was a recent masters graduate in journalism who had landed in Tahoe as public information officer for South Tahoe Public Utility District. We were actually one of the first advertisers to support the paper. Now, after more than 20 years at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, my appreciation for Tahoe Mountain News has only grown. Public agencies have a big job in Lake Tahoe, and we cannot do it alone. Everyone has a role in protecting this special place and knowing what to do and how to do it is essential for public agencies to uphold our high standards. The lake and our communities owe thanks to local journalism. The Mountain News has also shown that online and print journalism share an important place in today’s world. Sometimes we just need to sit down and read a paper and you have continued to give us that experience. Again, congratulations and thank you!
Julie Regan, executive director Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
As a public library, we are in the business of providing access to information. have admired The Mountain News' role in doing the same over the last 30 years. The opinion columns, letters, even the classifieds and advertising, have provided a window into our community and what makes South Lake Tahoe "tick." The Mountain News has always been a partner for getting the word out, whether that's for author talks, wild animal performances, or ballot measures. Thank you Heather and all your crew for the essential work that you continue to do for our community.
Katharine Miller (she/her)
Librarian Supervisor, South Lake Tahoe El Dorado County Library
Congratulations! It's been great to have the diversity of journalism types and perspectives in our community. My scrapbook is full of TMN clippings from over the years, and I look forward to more!
Leona Evans Allen
Congratulations on providing 30 years of news to the Tahoe Basin. Over the years, the Mountain News has continued to provide a unique perspective on local issues. appreciate the deeper dive that the various authors take on different stories. Keep up the good work and thank you for continuing to provide the printed copy!
El Dorado County Supervisor Brooke Laine
Taxes are hurting the legal cannabis industry in Tahoe and elsewhere in California.
“Before Jan. 1, 2023, the total tax was roughly 25 percent. Since January of 2023 our tax has been 32.56 percent,” Jessica Carlson, CEO of Cannablue in South Lake Tahoe, said. “Cannabis sales are down significantly statewide this year, which is no different for our cannabis businesses here in Lake Tahoe.”
Because it’s cheaper to buy weed on the street than at a dispensary the black market is thriving.
According to Assemblyman Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, “California’s legal cannabis sales reached $4 billion in 2020, while illegal sales are believed to have surpassed $8 billion that same year.”
The straight dope on cannabis in Tahoe
owner of Tahoe Wellness Center in South Lake, said. Local pot shop operators say customers are complaining about taxes, which has driven down sales.
“Sales across the cannabis industry in California are down 30 to 40 percent,” Bass said.
“The cannabis industry in California is going through some really difficult times based on over taxation and a thriving traditional market.”
Various taxes
Californians pay a state excise tax and a sales-use tax on cannabis retail sales.
Taxes imposed by the state and local jurisdictions are ultimately paid by the consumer.
Recreational purchases are taxed
“Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, cannabis retailers are responsible for paying the 15 percent cannabis excise tax to CDTFA based on the gross receipts of any retail sales of cannabis or cannabis products,” California Department of Tax and Fee Administration said in an email. “Retail sales of
more heavily than medicinal products.
“We are competing against the street. The consumer is still going to the street,” Cody Bass,
ing 2.5 percent of gross receipts, distributor transport 2 percent of gross receipts, testing at 0.5 percent of gross receipts and nurseries at 4 percent of gross receipts.”
The cultivation tax was eliminated in 2022. Beginning last year cannabis retailers were responsible for collecting, reporting, and paying the cannabis excise tax. Under the previous tax structure, the excise tax was collected by distributors.
The cannabis state excise tax is adjusted every two years, which means the next increase could come July 1, 2025. A decision must be announced by May 1.
“Any rate change that may occur would be capped at 19 percent of the gross receipts of retail sales,” CDTFA said.
El Dorado County spokesperson Carla Hass reports that in September 2019 the Board of Supervisors approved the following tax structure: “Tax retail at 4 percent of gross receipts, outdoor cultivation $2 per square foot, mixed-light cultivation $4 per square foot, indoor cultivation $7 per square foot, manufactur-
cannabis and cannabis products are also subject to state and local sales tax. Sales tax applies to gross receipts from retail sales of cannabis, cannabis products, and retail sales of other merchandise such as pipes, rolling papers, and shirts. The cannabis excise tax is included in gross receipts subject to sales tax.”
South Lake Tahoe imposes several add-ons for cannabis operators and users. Measure G passed in 2022 converted existing cannabis business fees “to a gross receipts tax up to 6 percent on retail/distribution/manufacturing, $20/square foot of canopy on cultivation.”
For fiscal year 2023 this equated to $981,513, according to the city. The money can be used however officials want.
However, the council in 2021 passed the Cannabis Revenue Grant Program and Capital Projects resolution, which calls for half the money to be spent on nonprofits that claim to do work that mitigates pot shops operating locally.
Last month more than $400,000 was doled out to various groups.
The city also collects a development agreement fee for each allowed cannabis activity, which includes:
• Retailers
• Microbusinesses
• Testing labs
• Cultivators
• Manufacturers
• Distributors
• Delivery operations
• Medical marijuana.
According to the city, in fiscal year 2022
$1,135,975 was collected, $1,177,868 in FY 2021, and $750,160 in FY 2020. Dispensaries must also pay the city’s Public Safety Impact Mitigation Fee, which was passed by the city council in March 2019. This equates to more than $25,000 a year for each of the four dispensaries in town. (Tahoe Green did not return multiple calls for this story.)
The resolution states, “… the amount of the fee is necessary to recover the reasonable regulatory cost to the city for performing investigations, inspections, and audits of cannabis businesses and the administrative and enforcement adjudication thereof.”
Alex Gosselin, owner and founder of Cannablue, said, “Basically the officer comes over, does a walk through and stamps
A variety of cannabis products are available at Embarc.
Cannablue CEO Jessica Carlson helps a customer.
Continued from Page 19
our public safely license every year. We don't need him. It’s not like a rowdy bar with bar fights. I don't know what else he does when he is not helping us.”
Expanding opportunities
Earlier this year the South Lake Tahoe City Council allowed cannabis lounges to open. To date TWC is the only dispensary to apply for a permit.
Walking in it’s an inviting urban feel with dimmed lighting, music playing and water fountains creating a relaxing feel. Tasteful art (which can be purchased) adorns the walls. Various types of seating from couches to a long wooded carved table fill the space, with room for 28 to sit, and plenty more to stand. Order from the counter or wait for the lounge specialist to arrive with menus.
The best-seller, according to General Manager Ryan O’Malley, is the Motalada—think Michelada, only no beer and cannabis instead. A variety of cannabis infused beverages are available.
“Anything consumed here has to be purchased here,” he said. It’s just like a bar or restaurant where you can’t bring in outside beverages or food. Also, no alcohol or tobacco is allowed.
People may order off the menu or use something they bought in the shop area of TWC. A slew of bongs are available for those smoking on-site.
A DJ booth is set up, trivia nights are planned and already a puff and paint night has taken place.
“It’s not really a bar scene,”
O’Malley said of the lounge. “But we want to make it normal where they would hang out and consume responsibly. They get to relax how they want. We find a lot of people come to take the edge off and leave.
No one has had a party mentality.”
After all, a study published in May based on data from the National Survey on
Drug Use and Health revealed that for the first time more people in the United States are using marijuana on a daily basis than alcohol.
Cannablue would like to open a lounge upstairs, but first knows it must deal with parking constraints.
“With our numbers down, everything is on the back burner because we need to get a little relief so can invest in this,” Gosselin said of the lounge.
to corporate headquarters in Sacramento.
While Nevada state law allows Douglas County to have two dispensaries, local lawmakers in April 2017 banned them.
Federal changes
Adults in the U.S. continue to support the legalization of marijuana, as proven last fall in a Gallup poll that found 70 percent are in support. In 2000, support of legalization was at 30 percent.
Now the feds are contemplating changing marijuana’s status from a Schedule 1 drug like heroin and LSD to a Schedule 3 like ketamine and some anabolic steroids. The Drug Enforcement Administration is accepting comments on the proposal until the end of July.
“In less than a decade, cannabis has shifted from quasi-legal to being deemed essential in California. And now—after decades of criminalization, stigmatization and reefer madness—we are on the precipice of the next chapter of change,” Carpenter with Embarc said. “Like all things in government, at this moment we have more questions than answers. But this is also a moment where I recognize the massive societal change we are living through today. It will be two steps forward and a step backward, no doubt, but progress is the only path forward. It’s what has gotten us here
Expansion of these lounges is possible with Assembly Bill 1775, which would allow cannabis cafes. Dispensaries would be able to sell non-cannabis items like food and coffee. The Legislature has until it adjourns at the end of August to move this to the governor’s desk.
Two years ago the California State Fair introduced an educational cannabis exhibit and awards competition. This year at the fair in Sacramento that runs July 12-28 the cannabis competition will be larger. It will be the largest state-sanctioned cannabis competition, with more than 500 entries; double the number from 2023.
But even more groundbreaking is onsite sales and consumption will be available at the fair to those 21 and older.
Embarc is the retailer tapped to host the 30,000-square-foot lounge.
Embarc has 15 locations throughout the state, including South Lake Tahoe and Meyers.
“Our team believes in the importance of experiential consumption as a cornerstone of destigmatization which is why we’ve integrated onsite sales and consumption into massive events and festivals such as Cali Roots and Outside Lands—and why we have partnered to integrate onsite sales and consumption into this year’s California State Fair,” Embarc founder and CEO Lauren Carpenter said. “Our focus is on continued innovation to bring large-scale normalization opportunities like these to life.”
At this time Embarc doesn't plan to open local lounges. It would not be able to in Meyers because El Dorado County doesn’t allow them.
The local shops are not allowed to talk to the media, with inquiries deferred
Rabe Meadow restoration to start
Expect Rabe Meadow in August to look more like a construction zone than a tranquil oasis.
The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, which owns this swath of land in Stateline bordering Highway 50 and leading to Nevada Beach and other recreation sites, originally was going to eliminate Jennings Pond. After receiving input about the resident beavers during the planning process, the feds reversed course.
The late summer start is to protect the babies of these semi-aquatic rodents.
and what will keep driving us tomorrow and beyond.”
Bass would welcome the change, saying it would be “historical.”
The implications from a business standpoint could be huge. The IRS tax code 280E doesn’t allow those in the cannabis world to have traditional business writeoffs. A schedule change would eliminate that rule.
“(280E is) really made to put us out of business. That shift alone is massive,” Bass said. “We don't know how banks will view the shift. Likely they will begin to work with our industry.”
He acknowledges even if the DEA changes the scheduling classification for marijuana, it is likely to take years for Congress and other agencies to catch up.
“It does seem exciting. We don't know if they will just replace it and add a federal tax on top of this,” Gosselin said. “They giveth with one hand and taketh with the
Beavers are believed to have taken up residence in this pond in 2018. Ducks and other birds have been a regular fixture here since the pond was created in 1982. It’s just steps from the parking lot on Kahle Drive.
The project still calls for the man-made pond to be drained in order to remove invasive species. When it is refilled with water it won’t be as large as it is today.
“(It) is impacting hydrologic processes, causing damage to nearby infrastructure,
and preventing significant water from reaching the meadow area below,” explained LTBMU Forest Supervisor Erick Walker in the project memo he signed this spring. “A reduction in the size of Jennings Pond will allow this site to return to a more natural hydrology while maintaining some ponded habitat for native species, including beaver. This will also alleviate issues related to the pond overflowing and associated recreational trail damage by decreasing the overall volume of water in the pond.”
The cost of the project, including evaluation of alternatives, National Environmental Policy Act analysis and documentation, permitting and designs, and implementation, is approximately $2.35 million, according to Theresa Cody, LTBMU hydrologist and project lead.
“The current phase of the project being constructed this season includes Jennings Pond restoration, backfilling and restoring Kahle Ditch down to the existing access road from Tahoe Beach Club to the Douglas County Lake Tahoe Sewer Authority Pump Station, reconstruction of Burke Creek upstream of this access road and installation of beaver dam analogs and small wood structures along Burke Creek to improve aquatic habitat conditions, Lam Watah trail upgrades and user-created trail decommissioning to protect resources, and encroaching conifer removal around Rabe Meadow,” Cody said.
When the project is completed, the goal is for much of
the area to have been restored to what it was like before humans started messing with it decades ago.
LTBMU bought this property in 1980. During the late 1940s this land was home to Lake Tahoe’s first airport—Sky Harbor Airport and Casino.
“Burke Creek and Rabe Meadow have been impacted by historic uses such as logging, grazing, and development over the past 150 years that have resulted in significant modifications to the stream, its tributaries, and surrounding meadows. The changes to the watershed decreased the overall area of healthy wetlands and stream length,” Walker wrote. “Increased recreational use of Rabe Meadow over the past two decades has resulted in an expansive network of user-created trails and an overall increase of bare soil within the meadow. As a result of these uses, the Burke Creek Watershed has degraded water quality and lower quality aquatic and terrestrial habitat. Restoration of the watershed is needed to expand the riparian areas, increase channel length, improve habitat, reduce soil erosion, reduce flooding to nearby infrastructure, and improve water quality.”
Roads, including those leading to Nevada Beach Camp-
ground, are expected to remain open, but traffic controls are likely. No more than 1,000 feet of the Lam Watah trail are expected to be off-limits during construction. Expect detours.
When the entire project will be finished is unknown.
“Some project actions have been postponed to a future year, including re-routing and restoring the mouth of Burke Creek and backfilling Kahle Ditch downstream of the current sewer pump station access road, relocation of overhead utilities in that vicinity, and ditch backfilling around the edges of Rabe Meadow,” Cody said. “The ditch backfilling activities are planned for 2025, however the timing of construction for the final phase of Burke Creek restoration at the mouth to Lake Tahoe is currently unknown.”
This project is part of larger renovation in the area that started several years ago.
“The previous phases of Burke Creek Restoration including the design and construction costs for the highway culvert replacement and associated channel restoration and the reach of restored Burke Creek channel upstream of the highway came to a total of $2.2 million,” Cody said.
Beavers are the reason Jennings Pond at Rabe Meadow will be preserved.
Ryan O'Malley, general manager of Tahoe Wellness Center, points out the features of the cannabis lounge.
Lauren Carpenter is CEO of Embarc, which has locations in South Lake Tahoe and Meyers.
Tahoe history buried in local cemetery
in 1959 and the city does not plan for any additional burials or moving any of the existing burials,”
John Stark, the city’s Parks and Recreation director, said.
A local real estate agent in 1966 deeded the cemetery to the city, which was a year after South Lake Tahoe became incorporated. This knowledge didn’t resurface until 2019.
“Unfortunately, the city left the cemetery open for over 60 years and most of the markers were stolen, the fences were damaged and people used the cemetery as a dump site for their trash,” Manning said. “This is the only historic cemetery in Lake Tahoe, Calif., and we owe the early Tahoe settlers who are buried there a final resting place
that is secure and preserved for generations.”
It was in 2018 that the Lake Tahoe Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) took on the cemetery as a historic preservation project.
In partnership with the Lake Tahoe Historical Society a $3,000 grant was secured from the El Dorado Community Foundation. With another $3,000 from the city and $1,000 from an anonymous donor, in June 2020 ground penetration radar was used to determine the location of the burials.
From the 2023 American Century Championship DAR received $700 which will be spent this year on interpretive panels
explaining the history of the cemetery and the stories of some of those who are buried.
In March 2022, the city allotted $45,000 for capital improvements at the pioneer ceme-
tery; with the first project taking place this year. The city plans to erect grave markers by the end
of summer at the sites where it’s known someone is buried. “Unknown” will be engraved on the stone.
The city also allocates $6,123 annually toward cemetery maintenance.
It was also in spring 2022 when the cemetery improvement committee was created.
“Goals of the committee are to help the city identify long range plans and fundraising for the cemetery. The members include representation from the Lake Tahoe Chapter NSDAR, Lake Tahoe Historical Society, and the Al Tahoe community. The Lake Tahoe Historical Society is the fiscal agent for the committee, meaning that they hold all grant funds and donations for the cemetery,” Manning explained.
The committee is responsible for ongoing research, giving tours, writing grants and raising money for improvements.
Twice a year Kiwanis Club of the Tahoe Sierra rakes pine
needles and leaves, and removes dog waste. Volunteers in June collected 45 bags of trash. This is not a well-manicured cemetery like Happy Homestead.
“The city can’t dig up the plants to make it easier to walk because they might dig up one of the residents of our cemetery,” Manning says on the tour.
It’s possible the cemetery will increase in size once a land transfer between the city and California Tahoe Conservancy is completed in the next two to three months. For now, a wood fence separates the two parcels. Five known burials are on the CTC land. The cemetery is open every day from dawn until dusk for free. For information about tours, which cost $5, or to make a donation, go online http://www.laketahoemuseum.org/events.html or call (530) 541-5458.
Susan Young strolls through the cemetery, visiting family who died before her and making friends with others who are buried here.
What makes her different from other cemetery visitors is that she died in 1917 at the age of 91.
“I am wearing black because I am in mourning. I outlived two husbands and all my children,” Young says as she gives a tour of the Al Tahoe Pioneer Cemetery in South Lake Tahoe.
As chair of the cemetery improvement committee, Rosemary Manning takes on the persona of Susan Young when she gives tours.
“My son, Homer, was killed on June 28, 1877. He was out hunting by Carnelian Bay, and they say R.C. Mammond mistook Homer for a deer and shot him.
However, I knew better. Mammond was a ruffian,” Young reveals. “Homer and R.C. had been arguing over a parcel of land and
I think R.C. murdered him. It was so sad. The people at Carnelian Bay wrapped up Homer’s body and sent him to us on one of the steamers that were on the lake, and I met the body and we buried him here.”
Barton, Dickey, Rowland, Goodrich, Buell, Foster. These are the last names of a some of the more than 100 people buried on this plot of land on Alameda Avenue.
It might not be too farfetched that those who are buried here would wander the site.
After all, neighbors have reported ghost sightings.
“The cemetery is like a large family tree. Many of the people buried there are related either by blood or marriage,” Manning said. The Bartons are related to Kirk Ledbetter and Brandi Brown.
The great-granddaughter of Ademorn Hargrave Goodrich lives in the same Al Tahoe home as her ancestors. She often visits
the historic cemetery where he is buried.
Goodrich was born in 1820 in New York. After coming west to mine, he realized teaching was a better fit.
He taught in our first school, on land that is now Lake Tahoe Community College.
A.H. eventually became the superintendent for the Lake Valley School District. He died in 1895 at the age of 75,” Manning said on a recent tour.
While Washoe Indians were the first people to call Lake Tahoe home, white settlers arrived by the mid-1800s. Thomas Benton Rowland created Rowland’s Station in a part of what is known today as the Al Tahoe neighborhood.
Manning said it included a schoolhouse, shops, a hotel, and maybe a brothel on the lake’s edge.
While Rowland is buried at the cemetery, the exact location is unknown.
“The last known burial was
Richard Peter's vandalized grave marker, left, has been restored by Ira Kessey, owner of Kise Studio in Tahoe City, with funds from El Dorado County.
Susan Young, aka docent Rosemary Manning, visits her grave marker in the Al Tahoe Pioneer Cemetery.
Notes, flowers and other items are sometimes placed on the graves by visitors.
There’s been some confusion in our home for a while now and I think it’s time to clear things up.
Our question concerns the true definition of the word “contrarian.” It also concerns just who in our household of two adults (at least on the surface) actually is the contrarian.
You wouldn’t think something this simple could achieve such importance. However, the discussion has been going on for over 40 years now and we still haven’t come to an agreement. So I think we all know who the contrarian is, even if he refuses to admit it.
People like to think that as we age, we become more tolerant and less opinionated. People would be wrong. The things we used to ignore because of the kids or avoid by running off to work are suddenly inescapable. Also, the hormonal balance has shifted over the years, so we are now comparatively equal in testosterone.
Animals know this instinctively. And the best way to explain it is from their perspective. I’ll just
To the contrary
say that immediately after this chick made her nest in the henhouse and her rooster retired and came home to roost, there’s been a lot of pecking and squawking in the chicken coop.
Which brings us back to the question, who is the contrarian in the coop?
I thought the rooster and I were having an “intellectual” argument on this until he started squawking complete nonsense and then defended it by stating, “Words mean whatever I want them to mean.”
“No, they don’t. Words have distinct meanings.”
“Who says?”
“The dictionary.”
It’s well known that contrarians are often out of touch and unable to see the obvious. So don’t tell them they’re wrong when they split their beer with the Labrador or fail to shut the bathroom door when their internal combustion system is busted. They will most likely be lofty and a bit smug and respond as my contrarian did, “There is no right or wrong.”
“Really? Then I guess it won’t be wrong if I sell your fishing boat, cut up your Cabela’s credit card and cancel your South Dakota Camo-Man-cation.”
Another thing you may have noticed is, contrarians are "inclined to resist authority or control.” That means they do all the driving. Even if they just had a hip replacement. Even if they just got off the prescription meds a couple of days ago. And especially if they suspect the wife has abducted their meds and is teetering towards self-anesthetizing. She hasn’t, despite the fact that living with a contrarian is very stressful and just pretending to be unconscious all the time isn’t working anymore.
Much like husbands, contrarians, can be deliberately an-
noying and frequently question well-known facts. Such as, where they parked the car. Like earlier this week when my contrarian was marching out of the supermarket with our groceries. (Yes, marching. It’s the only form of forward motion this particular rooster knows.) I stopped in front of our car and waited for him to unlock the door.
That’s when he blurted, “Why ya stopping?”
“To get in the car.”
“That’s not our car.”
Stoney silence ensued while I waited for him to collect his birdbrain-seed. And in classic contrarian style he said, “I’ll kiss your ass if that’s our car.”
Tail feathers raised, he continued to march past me, looping the parking lot before eventually turning around and coming back to where I was standing. Then he unlocked the car door . thus providing me with entertainment for years to come.
And that’s when he said, “Well, we’ve only had the car for two years.”
Make that entertainment for decades to come.
But, contrarians can also be “unconventional thinkers” and they are “able to withstand herding pressures.” And contrarians are easily identified by their constantly slipping filter and an innate ability to assume behavior that is inappropriate for every occasion.
As my rooster has pointed out, this little chick has a pretty solid reputation for doing both. Often at the same time.
So let’s call it a draw. No more wasted years trying to figure out who the contrarian is in this coop.
As for my rooster’s declaration as he marched past our car . . . I’m still waiting for that kiss.
Trish is the author of the newly released, “Tahoe Local” — now available everywhere books aren’t banned. Feel free to contact her at trishtomer.com
Learning from the missteps of others
What follows are excerpts from a June 4 incident report from Pie Shop above Sawmill Road that Jack and I are submitting to the American Alpine Club. Jack takes it from here.
The people on the spot were Stan, who fell and was injured; Andrea, his belayer who he was teaching; and their two friends. Me, my dad, and Matthew were also going up to Pie Shop.
“I convinced myself because of the ease of the climb, Crepes Corner 5.7, and having done it multiple times previously, that I could lead it in hiking shoes,” Stan said. While I was lowering my dad, we heard a loud thump where Stan and Andrea were climbing. We thought it was a rope falling or a rock or bag. They sounded relaxed, like whatever happened wasn’t a big deal. But something didn’t seem right. While Matthew was investigating, I started toproping the 10.b with my dad belaying. About halfway up the climb Matthew called us for help.
Stan said: “About two-thirds up the climb, I slipped off and asked Andrea to ‘take.’ Next thing I remember I was rappelling down to Lunch Rock with Dr. Matthew, an ER physician, helping me since I had difficulties standing.”
Stan definitely had a concussion or something because he didn’t know what was going on.
Andrea said this was her second time to climb outdoors
with Stan. She admitted her “Spidey senses went off” hearing about his shoe situation, but thought he was the experienced one, so she wasn’t going to stop him. “We walked or scrambled up to the belay at the second pitch of Crepes Corner. I was still in my trail shoes and the rock felt a little slippery so I asked Stan to tie me in. I knew I was being a bit of a weenie and overly cautious, but I didn’t want to slip,” Andrea said. “When it was time for him to go up the second pitch, I asked him several times, ‘Are you sure you’re OK climbing in those shoes?’ He told me that if he felt unsafe, he would come back down. “He asked me to ‘take’ at one of his gear placements where he felt a little unstable, but he was able to continue climbing. Again, my Spidey-sense was going off. Something just didn’t feel right. Stan is a very safe climber, but there was something that felt very un-Stan-like about this situation.” She said when Stan was about 10 feet above the last piece of gear he placed he asked her to “take” because his feet got shaky. The thud we heard was Stan and all of his gear smacking against the slab.
“He landed upside-down, probably about 20 feet or so from where he fell.,” Andrea said.
Matthew scrambled up the first pitch to help. He rappelled with Stan, and my dad did a Fireman’s Belay from the ground.
Stan had blood stains on his hat, face and hands. He kept repeating himself, so I guess he had a concussion. As a prepared Boy Scout, I was the only one with a first aid kit. Stan wanted to go to his bag, but we didn’t want him to walk down the trail to the car because he would probably fall. Multiple times I had to tell Stan my name and that we are not walking to the car.
Matthew called 911. When Stan’s friends finally arrived, my dad and I climbed up Crepes Corner to get his gear. When the firefighters and EMTs arrived, I was rappelling down to the base like Superman. I think they were surprised to see me doing that.
A helicopter passed overhead a couple times. We gave the pilots the signal that we were OK, which is your hand on top of your head.
Stan told me at Barton he was diagnosed with a mild
compression fracture on his T1 vertebrae, a mild concussion, and had lacerations on his face and hands.
From this experience I learned rule No. 1 is to wear climbing shoes. No. 2 is be prepared, including having a first aid kit, and No. 3 is to speak up even if you are the newbie. Stan said: “I was extremely lucky to not have been more seriously injured. I attribute that to wearing the helmet. I was very fortunate to have had additional climbers nearby. It was my mistake to attempt the climb without the proper climbing shoes.” I encourage new climbers to listen to their gut or Spidey-sense. If something feels off, even if you are climbing with someone who has decades of experience, speak up.
****
I’m proud of my kid.
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.
Jack has done an admirable job processing what happened and he played an integral part in the rescue, keeping the group together, retrieving Stan’s gear, and acting with confidence and calibration. Stan’s placements were solid; no gear popped out, and his protection was reasonably spaced. It looked as if he fell in the crux section where the crack gets steep and the feet disappear. I think the real lesson to be learned is rock climbing is a 50-50 partnership. Climber and belayer have an equal role to play and an equally valuable perspective to communicate. I think one of the reasons that I love climbing with my kids so much is that it puts a tremendous amount of tangible and consequential responsibility in their hands. When the rope becomes taut and I’m on one end of it and one of my children is on the other, their sense of power and trust is unavoidable. Being part of the rescue that day was for Jack a distillation of the larger lesson that climbing has for all of us: trusting, valuing, and listening to each other
Editor’s note: While Gary Bell is gathering new material for a future column, enjoy this column from 2019.
A bike built for an army
Whenever you swing a leg over your bike, take that first pedal stroke, feel the first push of air on your face, does your bike elicit a certain feeling somewhere in you? (And, no, I don’t mean your butt).
For most of us the feeling is excitement, you’re about to go on a fun ride; road, mountain, beach, downhill, whatever, the feeling is yeah, let’s go! Sometimes it is anxious anticipation because you have been talked into a ride that may be a bit over your head— yikes. Or maybe it is the simple
drudgery of commuting to work, blah, but at least you are not driving in all that traffic. Or could it be putting your young child on the baby seat on your bike and seeing their excitement when they get that first push of air on their face?
Whatever it is, each bike, every time gives a special feeling. I have this one bike that gives me a feeling unique from any other I have ridden. In fact, the
feeling is so unique it makes me wish the bike could talk to me. No doubt it does do just that, at least a little bit. You see, this bike has history and I wish it could tell me stories from its earlier days. When people meet this bike, the reaction is often: wow that is different, it looks old, what is it?
I always like to start the answer with, “Well, you have probably had a Swiss Army knife, right?” Well, I have a Swiss Army bike. No, really, this is a bike built for the Swiss army in 1945. Then they start to look much more closely, which is really fun because it is bone stock, the grips, tires, the tool bag still has the original tools, the lights, the pump and bell still work.
Switzerland has always been a neutral country and never participated in either of the world wars. It actually hasn’t fought in a war since being invaded by Napoleon in 1798. However, the Swiss were surrounded by countries that were constantly in conflicts, including Nazi Germany, so there was always the threat of their borders being invaded or even simply abused. For these reasons the
Swiss always had an army. They did see some action during efforts to keep these other powers out of their country.
A small part of this army was the bicycle infantry which started in 1891. These soldiers were considered to be a more elite force and always had special assignments. The bicycles afforded a quick and quiet way of moving around. Initially they were required to bring their own bicycle from home, but in 1905 the army began to produce a bike called the Ordonnanzfahrrad, nicknamed the M05.
This bike was built tough.
Weighing about 50 pounds, single speed and with three brakes; the front being the spoon type which was a block that just pushes against the rubber of the tire, a coaster brake, and a drum type of brake on the rear wheel. Lots of braking power for moving through alpine terrain.
There is a front and rear light, a tool bag to give the soldier the ability to make any repair needed in the field (which they were taught to do), a pump, a frame bag, (the one part mine doesn’t have, yet), and then it would have been outfitted with racks to carry whatever the individual was tasked with which could have been carrying communication equipment, fuel, food, documents and of course weapons.
Each soldier would have been assigned his own bike with the associated documentation and then outfitted for his particular
job. These were some seriously fit young men. They were required to be able to ride 100 miles with as much as 150 pounds of gear in terrain ranging from city streets to the Swiss Alps. Remember, this is with only one gear.
The Swiss army finally phased out the bicycle infantry in 2001. However, Defense department spokesman Thomas Fisch in 2015 said it was time to bring back the bike corps to get recruits into shape. He said online in Local Switzerland, “Our view is that a Swiss soldier without rock-hard buttocks brings shame on the army.”
I won’t be pedaling my 79-year-old M05 up any big hills, but I do love riding it around town. It has an amazingly nice smooth roll and is really comfortable to ride.
I do have hope that someday, somehow my M05 will be able to share some stories of its earlier days with me. I’m thinking some wild stories of carrying really interesting maps up and over the Swiss Alps, maybe a rack to carry skis to get the soldier to the top of some remote outpost on a sick peak. I can see it now, skiing down from the top to the bike stashed in the woods and then a ride back down to a stone lodge where the maps were spread out on a table to show a safe route where a group of Jewish immigrants could safely cross a border into Switzerland.
I think I’ll go swing a leg over it right now, uhh, for a nice flat ride.
Let’s play
It's a Swiss Army bike
Hollywood past and present
Is Hollywood dying? I have written a bit about how the film (and TV) industries have been hard hit starting with the pandemic and moving through two long and costly strikes by writers and actors. But in reading a recent article in the LA Times, ( Lee, Don and Samantha Masunaga, “Film, TV jobs picture remains bleak”
LA Times, June 10, 2024), I discovered that the slowdown of production has affected thousands of people who work in the industry and that many of those jobs lost during the pandemic have yet to come back to LA. What is also happening is a rise of cheaper production sites elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad which moves more jobs away from the LA area. Add into that the fact that the cost of living in LA is relatively high compared to many other cities and skilled workers cannot get enough work and are leaving Tinseltown.
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And then there are audiences, which still haven’t flocked back to the theatres. Yes, attendance has been growing but still lags behind pre-pandemic levels.
According to Jonathan Kuntz, a film historian at UCLA, “(t)he very basis of what made Hollywood universally popular in the 20th century was the theatrical feature film. That seems to be ending now. It seems the audience has moved on.” As I had mentioned in previous columns the era of giant superhero movies also seems to have ended and though we had the “Barbenheimer” phenomena, studios are still searching for films to capture the imagination of filmgoers. And theatre owners are searching for ways to entice people away from their big screens at home. As an example, you can now find theatres that serve high-end food and drinks in plush chairs in front of the big screen. Will it all get people out to watch movies? Probably not on the level of yesteryear, but things are improving and who knows what the industry will come up with to entice us back. But Hollywood will most likely never be what it was just a few years ago, and we will see how LA fares with the changes.
Of course, the top stars, directors, producers, and studio brass can afford to stay, but a lot of production work has moved out of the area. Nationally, payrolls for production workers have mostly recovered, but California lags far behind. Also affecting workers has been the slowdown in production from streaming services that were all trying to compete for viewers but couldn’t break even. All this has had a ripple effect on all the connected industries such as prop manufacturers, design studios, talent agencies, caterers and all the ancillary businesses serving Hollywood.
Okay, now some films. A quick couple of documentaries on Netflix that you might want to catch, both dealing with entertainment icons. The first is Jim Henson Idea Man. Directed by Ron Howard, this film is a great overview of the man who gave us the Muppets and all that came with them. The film follows Henson from his early years as he started puppeteering on local television in Washington DC with his soon-to-be wife Jane Nebel back in 1955. It was there where the Muppets were born. A series of opportunities led to the creation of Sesame Street, which will become a worldwide phenomenon. That led to The Muppet Show, and eventually movies and beyond. The film captures Henson's continuous creativity, ambition, and artistic drive that never slows down. He revolutionized children’s television, even though he never originally wanted to create for kids. Of course, his characters are now known worldwide. The film features new interviews with Henson's closest collaborators as well as his grown children, and some never-before-seen materials from his personal archives— including home movies, photographs, sketches, and diaries. The film is an honest portrait and does not shy from the downside of Henson’s creative genius. His total commitment to his art kept him from his family and affected his
health, eventually being somewhat responsible for his early death.
The film doesn’t have anything scandalous or sensational about his life, because other than his fanatical dedication to his work, he was basically a great guy. The film is conventional about how it presents his life, and nothing is overblown. The interviews with his kids and the people who worked with him really help illuminate who Jim Henson was.
The only drawback is that some of the clips shown are too short, not really giving you a chance to absorb the moment. Overall, Jim Henson Idea Man is a solid documentary about one of our most beloved icons.
Next up is a film about another great icon called Remembering Gene Wilder.
Gene Wilder’s tv and film career of forty years spanned generations. Starting with his first collaboration with Mel Brooks in 1967 in The Producers to being the first (and best) Willie Wonka in 1971, then Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein and his first pairing with Richard Pryor in Silver Streak in 1976 as well as films he also wrote and directed. He had the ability to play the everyman who was so funny but always with a greater depth and energy which would at times explode outward.
This film is a loving tribute to the man, his life and work.
We get numerous clips and outtakes, never-before-seen home movies, his own narration from his 2005 audiobook memoir, and interviews with friends and collaborators like Mel Brooks, Alan Alda, Carol Kane, Richard Pryor’s daughter Rain and Peter Ostrum who played Charlie in Willie Wonka. The whole film gives us a retrospective of Wilder’s life and career. It does not attempt to dig into any sensationalized revelations or discover dark secrets and we don’t get too inside his head, getting only hints as to the complexity of his genius. The film does spend some time with his marriage to Gilda Radner and the tragedy of her early passing from cancer as well as some of his own revelations as to how he built his craft.
The best stories are of course from Mel Brooks who we find out was introduced to Wilder by his wife Anne Bancroft who had worked with Wilder on Broadway. From there Brooks cast Wilder in the film The Producers and their lifelong friendship and collaboration began. Overall, Remembering Gene Wilder is primarily a tribute, but a good one, reminding us of just how much he has been in our movie lives. Teresa loved the trip down memory lane.
Purchase a new cordless electric lawn equipment device from a store or order online.
Receive your approved CLIP application via email. Print approved CLIP application.
Apply for the CLIP program at: EDCCleanAir.org Within 30 days of the purchase of the new lawn equipment, take the old gas powered lawn equipment and the approved application to an approved disposal site. Disposal site will sign application and return to you.
AMOUNTS:
• Leaf Blower - up to $100 *
• Walk -Behind Lawnmower - up to $200 *
• Chainsaw, Trimmer, Edger, Brush Cutter, “Weed -eater” - up to $200 *
• Ride-On Lawnmower - up to $2,000* *incentive amount cannot exceed price of lawn equipment
Deliver complete application and copy of receipt for new equipment to EDC AQMD in person or via email. (edcaqmd@edcgov.us )
In 4 to 6 weeks, receive a check from El Dorado County AQMD for your incentive!
Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements:
• Reside in El Dorado County.
• Currently own and operate working gasoline or diesel powered lawn equipment.
• Purchase replacement new, cordless, electric lawn equipment.
• Application MUST be approved by AQMD before you dispose of old equipment.
• You must dispose of the old lawn equipment within 30 days of purchase of new lawn equipment
