Photo Matthew Means Tahoe Knight Monsters players put it on the line before their first game.
I have to admit, I was a little worried about turmoil at the polls this year. We all know tensions were running high over the presidential election and there had been scattered incidents of conflicts at election sites throughout the country. Add to that the vitriol and division locally over Measure N and I thought things might boil over. I considered voting by mail and avoiding that possibility. But I always show up in person to vote. For me, being present and taking part in the privilege and responsibility afforded by this country’s civic religion alongside my fellow citizens is important. So, I went. I was pleasantly surprised. I voted at the CCC in Meyers. There was a bit of a line when I arrived, which was a surprise. In the past, this has been a more sparsely utilized site by voters. I saw all sorts of people there— one in a three-piece suit, some in hoodies, a woman in exercise gear. Not to judge people by what they wear, but it seemed a broad cross-section of the community showed up and everyone was cordial and polite. A woman showed up with a bunch of roses and began handing them out to poll workers and a few voters. “It’s a stressful day for people,” she told me. She was met with handshakes, hugs and thanks all around.
I would also like to give a shoutout to the poll
workers who make this all possible. Those at the CCC arrived around 6am to set up and wouldn’t go home until around 10pm. They were all unfailingly helpful and accommodating in making sure everyone could exercise their fundamental right to vote.
A few years ago, El Dorado County Registrar of Voters Bill O’Neill showed me how votes are gathered and counted in an exhaustive tour of his offices. He guided me through numerous steps and stops from when ballots first arrive to final tabulation while explaining the various safeguards built in. Personally, Mr. O’Neill seems like he is genuinely committed to the spirit of democracy and takes his duties seriously and I left with a renewed faith in the integrity of our county’s system. He has come in for criticism from some quarters for this or that, but those complaints are misguided. If someone has concerns about the operation of the elections office, either about personally navigating the system or in general, call them. In my experience and what I have heard from others, he and his staff are happy to answer questions and provide explanations about their protocols and processes.
On to the election and what it means. At a national level, people are gleeful or depressed—no surprise
there, we knew that would be the case no matter which side prevailed. Due to the election results, Tahoe Dad is no longer. He is now Tahoe Guy. Read about the switch and what prompted it on page 25.
I am proud that the Mountain News stood up and made endorsements in local races last month. It wasn’t easy and some people weren’t happy with our picks, but I feel like we fulfilled our duty as a newspaper. Media outlets can bring a valuable in-depth understanding and perspective to bear in making decisions at the ballot box. And lots of organizations and people make endorsements of candidates and measures in an election. We are just adding our two cents, informed by our reporting and examination of the issues.
With two new council members, the resounding defeat of Measure N and other controversial topics still on the table or in the works, our community is going to have to chart a new way forward with the potential for continued conflict and disagreement. And we will be there. But this month we decided to pivot a bit focusing on things that could bring us together as a community rather than what divides us.
-Heather
There is nothing like an election ass kicking to inspire reflection. The ultra-conservative wing of the Republican Party has prevailed, and the next four years will provide an opportunity for Democrats and independents to stay engaged and swing the ideological pendulum back towards the center.
The telling part of the election is that roughly half the country is disillusioned and disagrees with MAGA ideas like abortion bans that come with criminal prosecution (Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Montana, Nevada and New York did pass abortion rights amendments in this election), mass deportation of 10M immigrants (many here legally), the elimination of the Department of Education, tariffs on foreign imports (making the price of goods higher)…
Some are describing this election as FUBAR: F**cked Up Beyond All Recognition (or Repair), a military term that refers to any situation or person that has gone wrong and there is no possibility of repair. Others
Regime change
believe this election will usher in a golden age of prosperity and world peace. That remains to be seen, but locally we can be certain that Heavenly will continue to piss off local skiers, the TRPA will keep their PR staff busy defending approvals of billionaires’ lakefront vanity ($$$) projects, and potholes will be the number one complaint in the city with the new trash bins a close second.
The takeaway is that we live in a democracy. The system works and the voice of the people stands. We must value and protect our democracy and the Constitution even when we disagree.
LOCAL POLITICS
The million-dollar campaign against Measure N (the Tahoe Vacancy Tax that was defeated) sucked the air out of all other campaigns in the city. This initiative invited controversies over second homeowners’ voter eligibility, privacy, and potential voter intimidation. The over saturation of political ads (print, internet, TV, social media) was negatively received by residents
who said, “enough already.”
Twenty-one oversized mailers came to my home between August 17 and October 25. An estimated 250,000 mailers were delivered to voters. This volume of mail was felt at the post offices where employees sorted and delivered these mailers and then later emptied lobby trash cans overflowing with these discarded mailers.
We have elected former City Manager David Jinkens and Keith Roberts to represent us on the city council. They will quickly learn what a thankless job this can be when residents blame them for anything that goes wrong at the city. Thank you for your service.
THE LAW OF HOLES . . is an adage which states, “If you find yourself in a hole, stop
digging.” It is used as a metaphor, warning that when in an untenable position, it is best to stop making the situation worse.
This was not the case at the November 5 council meeting when Heavenly’s VP/GM Shaydar Edelmann, accompanied by attorney Lew Feldman, made public comment that was the equivalent of taking a backhoe to the already fraught annexation negotiations between the city and Heavenly. Adding fuel to the fire, Shaydar had preemptively sent a letter to the city the previous day with accusations of coercion (to persuade using force and threats) and strong arm (intimidation and bullying) tactics. Before public comment, Mayor Bass quickly disabused Mr. Edelmann of the letter’s many inaccuracies and assertions followed by similar comments from council members Wallace and Robbins. Heavenly would have all of us believe they are an economic gift to the city (exempting them from taxation), but their greedy over-tourism business model has reached a tipping point
where tourists and their cash no longer bring benefits to the city but instead cause harm to the environment and overwhelm our infrastructure, making life more difficult for those who live here.
The current city council has drawn a line at spending city tax dollars to benefit a business located in El Dorado County exempt from city taxes and business license fees.
Heavenly has ignored the golden rule of cultivating local “good will,” instead choosing to drive their bottom line.
It is worth noting that Lew Feldman’s fingerprints are likely all over the redevelopment era deal that exempted Heavenly from paying any lift ticket taxes at the Gondola. If Heavenly doesn’t want to annex into the city, it may be time for the residents of SLT to override this sweetheart tax giveaway and gather signatures to put a Gondola lift-tax initiative on the ballot to let the voters decide this issue.
To be continued….
"Where does Destination Stewardship stand today?"
– Wanting Accountability
within the council. One example of this is the prioritized authorization of use of national forest lands at Tahoe City to support winter transit services in partnership with Palisades, North Tahoe Community Alliance and Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transportation. The positive outcomes from these efforts directly support Destination Stewardship goals.”
TRPA Executive Director
Julie Regan said, “We are making Lake Tahoe a more sustainable tourist destination. Whether it’s the reduction in trash this Fourth of July or the rise in microtransit ridership, we’re making real progress on our goal to provide access to Lake Tahoe’s public lands while protecting our irreplaceable natural resources. There is much more work to do, but this unprecedented collaboration is off to a positive start.”
The council’s action teams are:
• Recreation Infrastructure: Co-chairs Chris Mertens (California Tahoe Conservancy) and Kevin Fromherz (Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources).
• Peak Demand: Co-chairs John Stark (South Lake Tahoe) and Brian Bigley (Vail Resorts).
Prosperity Center, Travel North Tahoe Nevada, Visit Reno Tahoe, Visit Truckee-Tahoe, Washoe County, and the Washoe Tribe. In the last year Vail Resorts, Palisades Tahoe, and Nevada Tahoe Resource Team came on board. Douglas County remains notably absent.
Consultants were paid about $200,000 to develop the 126-page Lake Tahoe Stewardship Plan that was released in summer 2023. Cressy said LTBMU contributed $40,000 over two years with funds from the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act. Breakdown of other contributions, most of which is taxpayers’ money, has not been shared. What else is unknown:
• Who is on the executive council of the larger group besides Cressy and Chaplin.
• What is being done to include the public and outreach to locals-tourists.
• The press release announcing Pardue’s arrival said: “She will create metrics that can be used to demonstrate the impact of the council’s work for the community….” Pardue refused to answer what metrics if any she has created or what measurables she expects to deliver or when.
Nettie Pardue, who was hired last November as managing director of the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Council, boasts only about accomplishments of other entities and nothing initiated by the group she heads.
Pardue has a one-year contract “with opportunity to extend based on performance,” according to Daniel Cressy with the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. He is the co-chair of Destination Stewardship Council along with Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority’s Carol Chaplin.
Chaplin deferred comment to the council’s PR agency, JVP Communications. This same PR company represents Tahoe Fund, the fiscal agent for the council.
The $200,000 secured before Pardue’s hire was for two years’ salary and cash to do an unidentified project. A year later, no project is identifiable.
Neither Cressy nor the PR firm answered whether Pardue
will be retained for more than one year or any details about her contract.
The council’s fall newsletter touted accomplishments by other agencies such as improving the July 4 experience, reservations at Sand Harbor, LTBMU bear canister rules, and improved beach access for people with mobility issues.
“In a way, improvements are improvements. Another question could be how is Destination Stewardship not a part of what these projects are doing; and how are these steps not part of Destination Stewardship?” Tahoe Regional Planning Agency spokesman Jeff Cowen said. Why, then, have an umbrella entity when the work is already being done?
“I think without Destination Stewardship, its principles, the conversation it has started in the basin, and the cooperation it is creating, the improvements would not have the momentum, support,
and longevity they have,” Cowen said.
He added, “Five years ago, visitation in the Tahoe basin hit an all-time high. If Lake Link had started then, it might have petered out in a year or two like other good ideas have in the past. Now it is being expanded in both directions from Stateline with additional funding and is becoming central to every conversation about recreation access and reducing car travel on both the South and North shores.”
Lake Link microtransit was a condition of TRPA’s on the occupancy permit for the Stateline events center. Plus, the larger South Shore bus system Tahoe Transportation District runs has been sputtering for years. The biggest achievement Cressy, Pardue and TRPA point to is collaboration.
Cressy said, “Other less tangible achievements are being achieved through the enhanced relationships between organizations
• Economics: Co-chairs Heidi Hill Drum (Tahoe Prosperity Center) and Devin Middlebrook (TRPA).
• Stewardship: Chair Noah Shapiro (Tahoe Fund).
Entities involved in DS are: LTVA, USFS, Tahoe Fund, TRPA, CTC, city of South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation, North Tahoe Community Alliance, Placer County, Tahoe Chamber, Tahoe
Email: mountainnews2@ gmail.com
Mail: P.O. Box 8974, South Lake Tahoe, CA 95618.
Photo Kathryn Reed
Painting of public restrooms like this one at Sawmill Pond is boasted about in the fall newsletter put out by the Destination Stewardship Council.
Visit https://www.tahoelivingwithfire.com for details on forest thinning projects throughout the season including land ownership, lead agency, start date and expected duration. On the South Shore, prescribed fires are scheduled for Luther Pass and off Columbine Trail.
There will be no Christmas tree program in the US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit this year due to limited, suitable cutting areas, except for families with a fourth grade student as part of the Every Kid Outdoors. Visit https:// everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm for more information. Permits will be available in the nearby Humboldt-Toiyabe and Tahoe National Forests.
The Tahoe Fund’s Plates for Powder program is back. Buy specialty Tahoe license plates in California or Nevada, which raise money for environmental projects around the basin, and receive a free ticket to one of Tahoe’s 11 nordic and alpine skiing areas around Tahoe. For more information, visit tahoeplates.com.
Invasive golden mussels have been discovered in the Bay-Delta near Stockton, the first time the species has been detected in North America. Tahoe is now on high alert to prevent their spread here. The Lake Tahoe invasive species program is reinforcing its “clean, drain, dry,” message for all motorized and unmotorized watercraft in the area.
South Tahoe High’s Theater Department will be staging Little Shop of Horrors, November 15 and November 16 at 7pm and November 17 at 2pm. Cost Is $15/ adults, $10/students and children. Tix available at https://sths.myschoolcentral.com/
The Valhalla Holiday Faire returns for another year November 15-17. Holiday vendors (including many local artisans), music, food and drink and visits with Santa. South Shore’s original musical comedy, Guilty Christmas returns November 13 through November 17 at 7:30pm to the Boathouse Theater. Celebrate the season
Tahoe-style. Tickets at valhallatahoe.com.
The Mountain News’ very own humor columnist, Trish Tomer, presents her debut book, Tahoe Local at the South Lake Tahoe Library on November 19, 5:30pm. Billed as a night of humor, memories and conversation. Free.
The Marcella Foundation will be hosting its first ever Friendsgiving, November 20 at 6pm at South Lake Brewing Company. Purchase a table for six for $150 and fill it with friends. Table decorating contest, raffle and live music. Tix and info at https:// www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/4aba5f72de98-44ba-b611-7e34ca30b8a4.
A Pray for Snow fundraiser and film festival will he held November 16 at South Lake Brewing Company, 6pm. Free.
Save the date for the 4th annual WinterFest December 13 and December 14. More info available at https://www.cityofslt.us/1260/Festival-of-Winter-Lights.
Tahoe bears are currently into a state of hyperphagia, otherwise known as the fall feeding frenzy, where they build up their fat stores to see them through winter hibernation. Bear-resistant practices are encouraged at this time of year, including putting out garbage the morning of pickup, not the night before, securing and storing garbage so bears cannot access it. Other tips available by watching https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=VSY3oqrjWbE
The city of South Lake Tahoe is seeking applicants to serve on various boards and commissions. Applications for the El Dorado Community Action Council, the El Dorado County Commission on Aging and the TRPA Advisory Planning Commission are due on December 2. Applications for the Airport Land Use Commission the Building Board of Appeals, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Planning Commission, the Arts, Culture and Tourism Commission and the Police Advisory Commission are due January 7. Visit https://www.cityofslt.us/110/ City-Boards-Commissions to learn more or
call the City Clerk at 530/542-6004.
Barton Health is offering assistance during this open enrollment period for health insurance through Covered California or Nevada Health Link for the coming year.
To book a free appointment, call 530/6001984.
On November 14, Barton Health will host a webinar about lifestyle modifications and medication for weight loss as part of national Diabetes Awareness Month Visit BartonHealth.org/lecture to register.
The Washoe Environmental Protection Department recently hosted an intentional fire training in conjunction with several Tahoe agencies. The goal is to eventually have the tribe tend to land in the basin using its traditional cultural practices, such as low intensity fire and other measures.
Barton medical/surgical nurse Kyle McDougal is the recipient of the DAISY award for outstanding nurses. The patient who nominated Kyle stated, “his bedside manner was amazing; he was warm, thoughtful, attentive, and compassionate.” McDougal joined Barton as part of its new graduate nurse residency program.
After 43 years in business, the Tahoe Guide has ceased its print edition and is converting to online only. It is offering yearly online subscriptions to its newsletter for $25. Visit https://tahoeguide.fundjournalism.org/donate/?utm_ source=Tahoe+Weekly+magazine&utm_ campaign=858796b320-EMAIL_ CAMPAIGN_2023_11_15_01_52_ COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_ term=0_-e9fc6b632c-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ ID%5D to subscribe and participate in a short survey.
Visit apps.cpuc.ca.gov to comment on Liberty Utilities proposed rate increase.
Graham St. Michel is the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s new general counsel. A graduate of Lewis & Clark law school, St. Michel is an alumnus of South Tahoe High School. .TRPA will be hosting a December
11 meeting of Cultivating the Community, Conserving the Basin its workforce housing initiative. For more information, to apply for a mini-grant or apply to be part of the advisory group, visit https://www.tahoeliving.org.
The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit National Visitor Monitoring Use Survey is underway through September, 2025. Workers will fan out among developed recreation sites and along roads to ask people about their use of forest service lands and resources. Surveys are confidential and will take around 10 minutes. Participation is important for planning purposes and all who are approached are encouraged to take part.
The Lake Tahoe Unified School District is accepting nominations for its Hall of Distinction through November 22. The awards honor major contributors/volunteers who have made significant contributions in areas such as scholarship, athletics, student activities, career achievements, community service, and overall service to the school community. Visit https://www. ltusd.org/district/office_of_the_superintendent/l_t_u_s_d_hall_of_distinction for more information.
The city of South Lake Tahoe and the Optimist Club will be hosting the Turkey Trot Fun Run for ages 2 through 10 at the Rec Center on November 23. Registration at 9am.
Bread and Broth will be hosting a free Thanksgiving dinner on Monday, November 25 from 4pm to 6pm at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church Grace Hall.
Low-income residents can receive 15 percent to 25 percent off their water and sewer bills through the South Tahoe Public Utility District. Apply at stpud.waterstart.com.
Got a community item for Heard? Email mountainnews2@gmail.com, subject line “Heard.”
Photo Provided Barton nurse Kyle McDougal received the DAISY award for excellence in nursing.
Hockey is here . . . at
Well, by the time you’re reading this, it will have been here for a few weeks. But still, it’s kind of amazing, isn’t it—our own pro sports team right here? . well, at Stateline, anyway.
I have a separate piece this month about the Tahoe Knight Monsters, our pro hockey team that calls the Tahoe Blue Event Center its home (opened the season on Oct 24), and I hope you find it informative on all things TKM and their inaugural season. Let me know if I’ve left out some information you’re looking for.
Aside from that, in this monthly column I’ll be chroni-
cling little bits about the experience as a season ticket holder this year since that may be informative to some of you. I mean, after all, did I point out—it is an actual pro sports team right here in SLT—kind of a big deal, right?
But these ongoing remarks will be more my personal take on the games, the team and the experience as opposed to the informational nature of my other piece this month.
On to the games
So, with that said, a couple observations from the opening
games, Thursday and Friday October 24 and October 25. It started on a weird note, I’ll admit, with the Tahoe Truckee Elementary School choir singing our national anthem. We couldn’t help wondering, were none of the local schools available?
Not Zephyr Cove Elementary? Tahoe Valley? Sierra House? Bijou? Meyers? STMS? It was just odd—that’s all. It got stranger a week later before Game 4 when we saw a group of kids in matching attire, ushered onto an unfurled carpet on the ice, preparing to be introduced to sing the national anthem. We wondered—ah, from which local school is this group? . . . until we heard the announcer—you guessed it—Carson Valley Middle School. It gave me a good laugh, anyway. The pomp and ceremony wrapped up and the players took the ice amid a well-designed pump-up video in which deep bass backdrops a computer-generated Tessie prowling the depths of Lake Tahoe.
A “Let’s go, Tahoe!” chant start-
ed before puck drop, so that was a good sign. That continued into Game 2, though we have some work to do in developing cohesion—and to come up with some other uniquely local chants. Some fan bases like the Winnipeg Jets’ faithful are known for coming together with humorous chants such as “book your tee time” and also for tailoring their taunts specifically for opposing teams or individual players.
There were some attempted crowd waves that didn’t sustain themselves too well, despite the guy who got shirtless in his efforts to inspire other fans. Did I mention—there is an assortment of adult beverages around the concourse . . . though, yes, the prices rival those at any other pro sporting event. That’s probably to cut down on the number of shirtless.
What did get the fans on their feet in the opening games was that the home team scored first in both contests, although Game 1 ended in a disappointing overtime loss. And Game 1, especially, brought much of what fans also love—end-of-play scrums, a few crosschecks here and there, some board-rattling hits and a handful of “facewashes,” which are just what they sound like—using the (stanky) gloved hand to “wash” your opponent’s face, generally against
their wish. Childish, maybe, but good fun, nonetheless.
Just two games in, but so far, fun as heck.
Local-motion
Lots of locals in attendance the first couple nights, which was good to see as well. Many were there to accompany their kids who made on-ice appearances for the Grizzlies local developmental hockey program, or for the SLT Parks and Recreation cheer and flag football programs, who formed the player entrance tunnel. Local kids also served as ice crew—darting out during stoppages to scrape and shovel the accumulated “snow” from the ice surface to allow better puck movement.
In week two, the Halloween night game invited costumes, and many fans obliged. I’ll give a special shout-out to original hockey local and allaround good dude, Jeff Stowell, who pulled off an excellent look as one of the Hanson brothers from Slap Shot I first met Jeff when playing rec hockey at our local rink on Rufus Allen Blvd.
Speaking of our local rink, I expect that having an ECHL team here is going to accelerate the growth of local programs and inject the local rink with new energy, not to mention revenue. Typically, the presence of a local pro team generates interest and inspires more kids and adults alike to join the fun. Since the rink was built in 2003, hockey on the South Shore has grown in fits and starts over the past couple decades. There have even been times that the rink’s ongoing viability was in doubt, but I have to think those times are past.
your family & wildlife by
enclosure! Built locally in Carson City, NV. The No Bear Can has been tested in Yellowstone National Parks at the grizzly & wolf discovery center. We are proud to have earned the;
Dr. Neil Powell • Dr. Ellen Sears
The puck has dropped on the Tahoe Knight Monsters season
As the Henderson Silver Knights settled their roster out of camp through early October, more player movement occurred, sending additional players over to the Knight Monsters.
Tahoe Knight Monsters.” Ok, full disclosure—I was one of them.
The App You can now download the Tahoe Knight Monsters app, which has the schedule, roster, standings, ticket links, social media links, games, merchandise and team news. This app will also allow you to purchase parking passes (through the ParkWhiz app) and digitally scan them at the parking gate for access.
Player housing
The players will be living in Carson City where the organization was able to house the players together affordably—i.e. an apartment complex of some sort. Also, it makes for easier travel to the Reno Ice facility for practices when their home rink at the TBEC is otherwise occupied.
Off-ice officials
Every professional hockey game requires ten to 13 off-ice
from other regions where they have performed these duties before, and some will be locals.
The organization will look to train more locals in these roles because when weather prohibits travel over the passes, you’ll
with a seven-minute period to allow more games to be settled by regular play rather than in shootout fashion.
The Knight Monsters Roster is made up of affiliate-signed players and others solely on Knight Monsters contracts who are no doubt hoping to be signed by the parent team.
want enough officials who are already here and can navigate the weather to get to the rink.
Same game as the “show"?
The rules of the game are the same as the NHL’s, with the exception of overtime play.
In NHL overtime, teams play a five-minute sudden death period,
The ECHL schedule is 72 games, same as the AHL but 10 fewer than the NHL, with 36 home and 36 away games. Event Center parking and transportation
A top-of-mind concern for locals wanting to attend games is, of course, transportation and parking. And as with most South Shore parking concerns, there’s no local-friendly solution other
Yes, the Tahoe Knight Monsters are a professional hockey team—a member of the East Coast Hockey League, which is an “AA” or tier-two league that feeds both the American Hockey League and the National Hockey League.
NHL and AHL Affiliations
For further context, the AHL is usually the last stop for a prospect before they arrive in the NHL and more than 500 players from the ECHL have reached the NHL over the past couple decades.
And yes, an “East Coast” league can accommodate Lake Tahoe, its westernmost franchise, followed geographically by the Idaho Steelheads and Utah Grizzlies.
tion the team’s name, logo and colors, which seemed to court three western U.S. NHL franchises simultaneously—the San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights.
hometown Monsters regardless of affiliation.
One item on the Knight Monsters’ plate this summer was to secure an affiliation with an NHL organization. On July 16, the club entered an affiliation agreement with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. Many expected this outcome given the team’s Nevada home rink (Tahoe Blue Event Center), not to men-
With the inclusion of Tahoe, Nevada joined Pennsylvania and Québec as the only current states or provinces with all three leagues—the NHL, AHL and the ECHL – directly affiliated. So, Sharks fans in particular, who tend to see themselves as rivals of the Vegas Golden Knights, will have to suck up the loss on this and embrace their
The Knight Monsters are co-owned by former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, who said, “I’m grateful to be part of the Tahoe Knight Monsters where we hope fans and families can create memories for years to come.”
The Roster
The Knight Monsters’ roster is made up of affiliate-signed players and others solely on Knight Monster contracts who are no doubt hoping to be signed by the parent team. Players will
move both directions according to their performance, the needs of the affiliate club and as other transactions happen within the ECHL.
The Knight Monsters’ first signing was forward Anthony Collins, a 34-year-old veteran known for his toughness and leadership. Collins is known less for his scoring than his penalty minutes (PIM)—his 1,042 “PIMs” being among the most in ECHL history—and he reunites in Tahoe with head coach Alex Loh, who coached Collins with the Savannah Ghost Pirates this past year.
At the time of this writing, there are about a dozen other forwards signed besides Collins, some hailing from Canada, some from the U.S.—notably, one from Coral Springs, Florida and one from Huntington Beach.
It’s a reflection of the growth of the game across the U.S., especially the “sunbelt” states.
Nine defensemen are also signed as of this date, all but a few being U.S. prospects—from San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois—the exceptions being from Canada and Ukraine.
Team name and branding
It’s true that many locals expressed confusion and disdain upon hearing the name, “The
While the “monster” made some sense in connection with the lake or mountains, it was hard to reconcile how the “Knight” fit in. As it turns out, according to Anthony Benge, senior vice president of sales, “Tessies” topped the naming submission poll “in a landslide,” so they really wanted to reflect that somehow; hence, the “Monsters.”
Still, added Benge, the name eventually arrived at was in fact a fan suggestion rather than a mishmash of submissions, as some have speculated. Tessie found its way back in as the mascot, announced along with the affiliations and jersey reveals. And “Knight” in retrospect feels pre-determined as the franchise was sure to court the Vegas Golden Knights’ affiliation.
officials. These are the folks who serve as goal judges, score keepers, penalty bench attendants, timekeepers, statisticians, and more. In the TKM’s inaugural season, many of these will come
3-on-3 as opposed to the usual 5-on-5 (skaters—not counting the goalie). If the game isn’t settled at the end of five minutes, it goes to a shoot-out. The ECHL will follow the same format but
than discounted parking for season ticket holders.
Ray Suarez of the South Shore Transportation Management Agency, which operates the Lake Link microtransit, said
Captain Luke Adam, #19, prepares for the face-off against the Jacksonville Icemen.
Photo Andrew Fielder
Photo Andrew Fielder
Youth fans are part of the Tahoe Knight Monsters target demographic.
Photo Andrew Fielder
Brennan Kapcheck, #96, gives the puck to youth players on the Tahoe Grizzlies during warm-ups.
Smoothing the way to Fallen Leaf Lake
On a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 being the best, Fallen Leaf Lake Road is a 19. That’s bad, really bad, but not the worst in El Dorado County where the pavement condition index has roads ranging from the single digits to 98.
This nearly 5-mile-long road is on the radar of El Dorado County officials who are responsible for the upkeep of this swath of pavement, with plans to hopefully start construction in 2026.
“The overall project is a road widening and rehab from (Highway 89) to the driveway to Fallen Leaf Lake Campground. From the aforementioned driveway back to the Fallen Leaf Lake
Marina, the project is a roadway rehab project—fix/improve the road, but no widening other than a few turnouts between the campground and Tahoe Mountain Road,” county spokesperson Carla Hass explained.
In this budget cycle, the Board of Supervisors allocated about $1.6 million in transient occupancy tax dollars to fix the dilapidated road.
“That covers environmental, rightof-way and design, but not construction,” Hass explained.
The county anticipates a construction price tag of $5.5 million, with funding coming from TOT, the feds and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency mitigation funds. The federal dollars are via the U.S. Forest Service, as it has a popular campground accessed via the county road.
According to the county, some sections were repaved in the early 2000s,
with other work done following storm damage in 2017.
It's easy to spot potholes that have been filled in, which is an annual occurrence. Sometimes the work lasts, but not always. It’s much like an obstacle course on this road to avoid needing a realignment or hitting oncoming traffic.
In a perfect world the major rehab project would be finished in one season, but financial constraints could turn it into a multi-phased endeavor.
Access to houses, the marina, Stanford Camp and hiking trails will be possible during construction, though delays will be unavoidable.
“If temporary daytime road closures are necessary, that portion of the work would likely be scheduled after Labor Day,” Hass said.
This is a well-used road even though not all of it is open year-round. A gate at Tahoe Mountain Road blocks access in the winter. The county’s most recent average daily travel numbers are pre-pandemic, at 1,592. Tahoe has only gotten busier since then.
Hass explained the normal width of a two-lane road is 24 feet with 12foot travel lanes. Fallen Leaf Lake Road varies between 16 and 20 feet in width from Highway 89 to the campground, and 13 to 17 feet from the campground to the marina.
“The county is evaluating widening Fallen Leaf Road from one lane to two lanes from (Highway) 89 to Fallen Leaf Campground to account for the amount of large vehicle traffic. For areas south of the campground to Tahoe Mountain the county is evaluating repaving the road with dedicated paved pullouts to allow for the passing of vehicles,” Hass said. “The pavement rehabilitation work will include dig outs of failed sections, repaving these sections to create a solid base section, and overlaying the roadway with an established crown to help drain water off the roadway.”
The current alignment and width from the campground to the marina will not change.
“Once paved, the road would have a surface treatment applied every seven to 10 years to maintain the surface integrity. Keeping the integrity of the surface
will minimize the need to ‘repave' the roadway,” Hass said responding to the question: How often would Fallen Leaf Lake Road be repaved?
The $9.5 million in road projects the county is undertaking in the basin include:
• Meyers Erosion Control-Stream Environment Zone Project.
• Apache Avenue Pedestrian Safety and Connectivity Project.
• Road surface treatments of Pioneer Trail and South Upper Truckee Road.
• Seal coat applications on Black Bart, Martin and Barbara avenues, and Elks Club Drive.
Photos Kathryn Reed
Fallen Leaf Lake Road is barely wide enough for a vehicle and bicycle in some locations.
The edge of Fallen Leaf Lake Road is crumbling.
City revitalizing recreation programs
Organized chaos fills South Tahoe High School’s football field as half the players stand on the line of scrimmage not understanding what they are supposed to do after an interception, while the other half runs with their teammates or opponents, as the case may be, toward the end zone.
Six points for the defense.
“Help your teammate up,” a coach says as a player is splayed on the ground.
Etiquette, sportsmanship, camaraderie—these are all part of sport. Unbeknownst to the kids, they are learning what it means to be a team player.
The sport on this particular Sunday is flag football for grades K-2. While this fall’s inaugural program through the South Lake Tahoe Parks & Recreation Department was co-ed, the six teams are mostly boys.
The end zones are the width of the field, so three games are going on at once. Parents and other supporters fill the stands, end zones and sidelines.
Also rooting everyone on is the Sierra Spirit Team. Shaking pompoms, they shout, “Let’s get fired up!” This, too, was to be coed, but only girls are on the field.
Flag football and cheer are also open to grades 3-5 at a different time.
Footballs are smaller and feel more grippy than standard sized ones, which helps this age learn the sport.
Most of the coaches aren’t on the sidelines. They’re on the field telling play-
ers what to do, where to run, and simply to pay attention. Clearly, some youngsters are familiar with the sport, while others have never seen, let alone participated in, a football game of any kind.
After being knocked down, one tyke ran to his mom in tears. After giving him a hug and a quick once-over, she sent him back to the gridiron, saying, “Your team needs you.” More lessons.
nor’s introduction to football. Mom Tassia Connor signed him up, not knowing what to expect.
“It’s nice to get introduced to different sports,” she said.
For Devin Cofield, 6, football runs
Etiquette, sportsmanship, camaraderie— these are all part of sport.
Unbeknownst to the kids, they are learning what it means to be a team player.
Support for programs
Dario Tenocelotl, 12, is proud to see his 6-year-old brother, Sebastian, follow in his footsteps. “He learns from watching me,” the big brother said as Sebastian was on the field with his team.
Their mom, Yanira, says she likes the various programs the city offers “because it keeps them active. They are making new friends.”
This fall was 5-year-old Jasper Con-
in his blood. His dad, Dajuan, played for the San Francisco 49ers in 2012 and 2013.
“I get to run up and make touchdowns,” Devin said of what he likes most.
Cofield and wife Shelby Spicer are just fine with this level of football.
“I don’t want him to play tackle until he’s 12 or 13. We don’t need concussions this early,” Cofield said.
As for coaching, not yet, he said. “I want to be a dad now.”
Continued from page 20
After moving here in the summer, it didn’t take Jenah MacGrain long to find the Mini Mountain Movers program. This is on Wednesday mornings for infants through preschool age.
Scattered about the gym at the rec center are tumbling mats, play structures and all things soft for super little ones to crawl, walk, jump and lay on.
“I like that there is space for them to explore on their own,” MacGrain said as she watched Lachan, 18 months. “He can play independently or with other kids.”
It costs $4 per child for the drop-in sessions.
“With our long winter season, we want indoor space for early childhood programs,” John Stark, who has led the city’s rec department since May 2023, said of this type of programming.
Regulars are Michelle Farias who is a nanny for 11-month-old Liam.
“I love that it is a safe place full of soft toys,” Farias said.
Recreation changes
Stark was a bundle of controlled energy when he coached the Broncos’ game Sept. 22 as they took on the Jaguars. His son, Jake, is on the team. Coaches appeared to all be dads.
Stark’s mandate for what types of recreation to offer come from the community—in particular a survey that was taken earlier this year that garnered more than 800 responses. One by one, he is trying to implement what people want.
Flag football and cheer were two of those items.
Stark also has an eye toward 2026 as he is beefing up offerings.
“If you look at the last several years since Covid, programing has dropped off,” Stark said. “It’s been my effort since I began here to restore programing and really ramp things up as we look to
open the doors of the new recreation center in (early) 2026. When we open, we want robust programming for the community to enjoy.”
The recreation and aquatics center under construction in the middle of town will replace the nearby outdated facility that was built in 1975, which figuratively is being held together by duct tape and luck.
Stark said the agreement with El Dorado County is for the old structure to be demolished within 10 years of the new one opening.
“Our community deserves quality programming, a safe and accessible space for the community to enjoy, and a place to come together as a community,” Stark said.
Activities like flag football and basketball are seasonal, while others such as yoga, which was one of the top requests by survey takers, will be year-round.
Programs are multi-generational and cater to different skill levels.
In July, youngsters could participate
in the Parks Pursuit Passport Adventure, a trivia contest based on visiting various city parks.
The Silver Striders Walking Club is for those 55 and older.
This fall an indoor soccer league for youths and adults started.
Swimming lessons have returned to a year-round offering. For all of 2023,150 people took lessons, compared to this past summer where 340 participated. Part of the change is the city lowered the lifeguard age requirement from 18 to 16.
The city wants to offer pickleball and volleyball leagues this winter.
Stark and his team (six full-timers in recreation, nine full time for parks, plus a cadre of seasonal and temporary workers, in addition to volunteers) are responsible for all of this.
The new facility will allow for even more programs. The gym will have 12 backboards for basketball with a dividing curtain so multiple sports can be played at once. Tournaments will also be possible.
Besides lap swimming, a lazy river and low entry pool are part of the aquatic facilities. The climbing wall will also be found in this area.
Upstairs will be the indoor running track. The exercise room will have all new equipment.
“The event space will allow us do rentals like weddings and quinceañeras, and to provide space for the community to hold public meetings for local nonprofits,
As nanny to Liam, Michelle Farias finds the Mini Mountain Movers program stimulating for her charge.
John Stark, right, coach of the Broncos and head of South Lake Tahoe Parks and Recreation Department, with coach Larry Sydney, left, practices with players Jack Stark, far left, Jackson Ramos, with ball, Isaiah Aguirre and Lucas Sydney.
Construction crews work on the recreation and aquatics center that will open in South Lake Tahoe in early 2026.
Devin Cofield, 6, of the Jaguars gains significant yardage.
Photos Kathryn Reed
HOCKEY
Continued from page 17
service will be available between the Round Hill Safeway and Grocery Outlet until 9pm, Sunday through Thursday and until 11pm on Friday and Saturday. Tahoe Transportation District busses will run back and forth from the Stateline Transit Center to the Y Transit Center with stops in between, the last bus departing Stateline at 8:50pm. Both are free.
The parking options are the usual ones at Stateline—i.e. the casinos. For season ticketholders, parking is available at the Golden Nugget for $10 per game, a cumulative total one should account for when purchasing season (or any) tickets. As mentioned earlier, ticket holders can download the Knight Monsters app, download their parking pass and use the app to scan in at the parking garage. Parking is also available at Bally’s, Harrah’s and Harvey’s.
Tickets Possibly unhappy news to some, Ticketmaster is the only authorized ticketing agency of the Tahoe Blue Event Center, which means for the Knight Monsters as well. You can also purchase tickets directly from the box office (hours posted on the TBEC website).
Folks should be able to get a ticket for around $25, speculated Benge earlier this summer although the website now shows tickets for $21 on the low end. Season tickets are still available but because the schedule is now open for single-game purchases, it’s unlikely that a season ticket you purchase now would come with the same seat for all games.
Concessions
Aside from the Event Center’s four main food and beverage concession counters, two on each side of the rink, the concourse also hosts local vendors Chicken in a Barrel, Baked Bear, and of course, the Tahoe Blue Vodka Lounge. Bar carts are also available in several locations.
Game on
The Knight Monsters hosted their inaugural season’s opening weekend on Thursday and
Friday, October 24 and 25 against the Jacksonville Icemen at the TBEC. Game 1 included a dramatic comeback but ended with
the Icemen in Game 2, sealed by an empty-net goal from Bear Hughes with under a minute to play.
Possibly unhappy news to some, Ticketmaster is the only authorized ticketing agency of the Tahoe Blue Event Center, which means for the Knight Monsters as well. You can also purchase tickets directly from the box office (hours posted on the TBEC website).
a disappointing overtime finish as TKM forward Jake McGrew, while trying to assist goalie Jesper Vikman in covering the puck in the goal crease, inadvertently poked it through and into his own net. The Knight Monsters redeemed themselves the next night by delivering a win over
At the buzzer . Benge said, “We want to give locals something to be proud of. Whether die-hard fans or kids who have no idea what hockey is,” the organization wants them to leave asking, “When’s the next game?!”
Fentanyl victims’ families waiting for answers
Nine months after four people died in South Lake Tahoe from inhaling fentanyl-laced cocaine, their families are in limbo waiting for justice that for them seems elusive.
“It is still an open, active investigation,” South Lake Tahoe Police Chief Dave Stevenson said.
The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office and federal officials will decide if charges will be filed, not police. The DA’s office only said the case is open. The Sacramento FBI office would not confirm its involvement. The Drug Enforcement Ad-
ministration in San Francisco deferred to SLTPD.
Gabrielle Weetman, mother of Keely Pereira who died, said SLTPD told her the FBI and DEA are involved. She is frustrated things are moving at a glacial pace.
The person who supplied the lethal drugs could face murder and drug charges. Others could face charges, too.
“Four people have died and nothing has happened. Even public opinion is ‘oh, this is sad.’ But this is murder,” says Casey Pereira, younger sister of Keely.
Pereira, 33, of South Lake Tahoe; Abe Lemus, 34, of South Lake Tahoe; and brothers Adam Joy, 35, of South Lake Tahoe and Cliff Joy, 38, of Minden were found dead the morning after the Super Bowl last February. They were at the home shared by Lemus, Adam Joy and Tom Civitano.
Civitano and Pereira had been an on again, off again couple for years, and at one time ran a boat captain business here. Civitano was there that night as was Cliff Joy’s wife, Katrina.
“I am not sure if I am ready to talk to (the) press about it,” Civitano said.
Katrina Joy said, “I had fallen asleep at the end of the game. I woke up and Cliff and Adam said they were going to grab something real quick. That was the cocaine. I fell back asleep. When I woke up (the next morning) I found everybody.”
She said she didn’t use the drugs.
“(Civitano) passed out for a while. He wasn’t able to walk, was really disoriented.
He had been affected, but not to the level the others were,” said Joy, who is a registered nurse at Douglas County’s Minden jail.
Fentanyl facts
People can die from just 2 mg of fentanyl, according to the DEA.
As of Nov. 1, the federal agency reported more than 47.7 million fentanyl pills were seized this year and more than 5,818 pounds of powder.
“Fentanyl is the greatest threat facing Americans today. It is the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18
and 45,” the DEA’s website says.
In late October, the U.S. Justice Department charged eight China-based chemical companies and eight employees with attempted distribution of synthetic opioids and precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl.
Even though China banned the production of fentanyl in 2019, companies there found a loophole by producing and selling the ingredients to manufacture the drug.
While neither SLTPD nor Barton provided the number of drug arrests or overdoses each deals with, drugs are a huge problem here.
“If it is believed the patient has overdosed on opioids, physicians typically provide naloxone to restore breathing and reverse the effects of the drug, regardless of testing or test results,” said Jacob Marquette, co-medical director of the Barton Community Health Center who is board-certified in addiction medicine. “Barton has incorporated fentanyl testing in its urine drug screen panel.”
NIK test kits are available online to test what’s in recreational drugs though authorities won’t vouch for their reliability. Naloxone, aka Narcan, which can reverse opiate overdoses, may be purchased over the counter.
Still, there is a role for fentanyl.
“Prescription fentanyl is a synthetic opioid similar to morphine, but 50-100 times more potent than morphine, used
primarily for pain control within a medical setting. Prescription fentanyl is produced by legitimate manufacturers with oversight from the FDA, ensuring good manufacturing processes,” explained Jeff Koeck, Barton Health’s director of pharmacy.
Families in mourning
Collectively, the families want people to know these human beings who died— that they were good people, living and working in the area. They weren’t hard-core drug users. They didn’t overdose; they were poisoned, and for that, they all want justice.
Lemus’ family could not be reached for comment.
“My husband has never done anything like fentanyl or any pain pills. He has very little tolerance. Even cocaine wasn’t a normal, regular thing for him,” Katrina Joy said.
They met as 14-year-olds and married five years later. Adam was like her brother. Through tears she talked about what a great dad Cliff was, how he was building a handyman business where he did fencing and other construction jobs after working in the oil fields for about a decade. His business contacts and family photos were on his phone, which the police have not returned.
“Our son is almost 19. A couple weeks before Cliff passed, we had our first granddaughter and she passed away in June of SIDS,” Joy said. “It’s been a horrible year.” Joy is raising their 15-year-old daughter while sharing custody of her late husband’s 7-year-old daughter.
For Daisy Joy Bankofier of Minden, the loss of Cliff and Adam means three of her five children have died; a daughter died at age three.
Something to look forward to is her youngest daughter will be naming her son after her brothers.
Still, Bankofier wants to know more about what happened that fateful night.
“I’m not making any less that my boys were partaking in cocaine, but they were murdered because they were given poisoned cocaine,” Bankofier said. “I feel like
it is all going to go under the rug and not be addressed. That just guts me.”
Bankofier met Civitano when she went to pick up Adam’s belongings. He allegedly told her that “he did partake in it; he did pass out. He woke up partially numb, he went to the hospital. He doesn't know why he was spared. He feels like he should have been with the others.”
Friends of Bankofier’s sons reportedly told her they know who sold them the tainted product, and that it was actually meant for someone who wanted part fentanyl.
“My two boys were so close that it is
almost surreal they went together,” Bankofier said.
Adam Joy was an electrician who had just finished his apprenticeship, according to his mom.
Weetman, Keely’s mom, wants answers, too. She wants people to understand how the drugs of today aren’t the same as what was on the streets in the 1980s, and that one line could be deadly.
The Markleeville resident said, “I just want to save other families from this.”
She also wants people to know “(Keely) was happier than she ever had been. She had trouble with alcohol, and drugs apparently, too. She took a job and broke up with her boyfriend (Civitano) and was down (in Mexico) for three months. She came up for a week and was going to be on the boat for the next six months and never made it.”
Keely’s dad, Don Pereira, choked up talking about her, calling her a “badass” when it came to being able to captain a boat.
“She could drive anything. She was an awesome rock climber, a great snowboarder, skier … everything she did was 100 percent. She was a little ball of fire, super smart, but she made a mistake,” Pereira said.
Pereira wants justice and the truth, saying there are conflicting stories and that he questions the timeline of events.
Court proceedings, if there are any, will sort out the truth.
Keely Pereira Abe Lemus
Cliff Joy Adam Joy
Tahoe Knight Monsters players line-up before the start of the inaugural game.
Photo Matthew Means
Dead butt syndrome is a thing
Maybe it was the approach of fall that compelled me to clean the garage. Or maybe it was the fact that after so many hours spent in my lawn chair, basking in the silky warmth and soft angled light of another perfect Tahoe Indian summer, I was beginning to experience throbbing pain and lower body paralysis. Naturally, when your butt begins to ache, you turn to the closest computer, which just happens to be on the table next to your lounge chair, and input your symptoms. And Dr. Google cheerfully informs you that you could be experiencing a “potentially debilitating condition called gluteal amnesia, or dead butt syndrome.”
After you stop laughing, you can read more about “the muscles in your rear” that “become so weak from inactivity they seem to forget how to function,” no matter how many beers you didn’t drink. This is one of the few painful and embarrassing, body stagger-
ing experiences that can happen when you’re perfectly sober. Furthermore, pardon my medical terminology here, it can only be cured by “lifting your ass outta the chair.” You may quote me, on this, as I am now an authority on dead butt syndrome.
So, back to my decision to clean the garage while suffering from the pain and trauma of gluteal amnesia, a common condition of those owning a lounge chair. When I hobbled over to scan the dusty, unstable piles of overstuffed, swelling plastic and cardboard boxes ringing the garage from floor to ceiling, I thought, “Well, this shouldn’t take too long. And it will be fun!” Thereby proving dead butt syndrome also causes hallucinations and delusions of grandeur.
Because, before the first box was emptied, the past was resurrected and I wandered and winced my way through a half century of photographs and letters. I became immersed in a world of fantasy and adventure, warfare, slavery, power struggles, tragic romances, a treasure chest of riches, the cruelty of poverty and broken promises. And that’s just my parents’ box.
Now, onto my own boxes. Piecing together a story from forgotten memories, photos creased and faded, yet more revealing with age. The photo of an awkward kid resisting womanhood. The memory of a boy who kept stealing my french fries. Yanking him across the table by his shirt and skidding him across the lunchroom floor over the ball-bearing river of peas from our shattered plates. How many “best friends” did we have? How easily we promised, “I will
love you forever” to friends, family, acquaintances, dance partners, our bedroom wall posters of rock stars and movie stars, bartenders, first dates, classmates, potential mates, soul mates. Before our hearts become brittle, they soak and swell with love, as soft, absorbent and malleable as a sponge.
Then I handed Hubby his past. Crushed cardboard boxes jammed with photos of hiking journeys, fishing trips and romances with boats from every decade of his life. A stint in the Army, which from his collection of photos, appears to have been spent in a German beer garden.
An ex-wife, ex-jobs, moving to Tahoe for a new life, new wife.
Melding our boxes together. The mixing and matching of genetic materials some would caution as inadvisable. From a Darwinian perspective, we may have set our species back a few millennia. But we did manage to salvage our many impetuous, spontaneous, crazy-bad decisions and, along the way, were gifted with a child thoughtful, wiser, and stronger than we will ever be.
And so, onto my son’s boxes,
where I begin to recognize an eerie similarity in our grade school report cards. Particularly in our “Non-academic Social Skills”:
1. Student shows initiative and stubbornness in all things he/ she wants to do.
2. Student plays well with others but needs to refrain from wrestling classmates to the ground or using their lunch pail as a soccer ball.
3. Student follows directions on occasion when he/she wants to.
4. Student is occasionally defiant.
As I look back, I believe my acts of defiance were justified. And, in the case of the stolen french fries, clearly necessary. However, at the time, I remember questioning my son about his act of defiance. He said the teacher opened her palm and told him to spit out his gum. Instead, he swallowed it.
“So why didn’t you do what the teacher asked?”
“Mom,” he sighed, “Do you really think it’s better to spit your gum out on your teacher’s hand ?”
As you can see, opening old boxes is a window to the past. And it reveals the trail map to our present. We could allow it to lure us into a future where we follow directions and play well with others who steal our french fries. That is, if we weren’t so darn defiant. When we are inactive or feel weak and forget how to function and move forward, it’s similar to gluteal amnesia. Maybe now is the time to be defiant and move forward, following Dr. Google’s advice. Which I’m quoting exactly, because it’s both practical and humiliating, as most medical recommendations are: “Simply tap your butt cheeks with your fingertips to remind your brain the muscles are still there.”
I'm just a Tahoe Guy now
I recently toured Dachau, the Nazi concentration camp outside of Munich, Germany. I knew that I’d see the barracks where prisoners slept piled on one another with diseases and infestations soaking the straw and dripping with urine through the wooden slats of the triple bunks. I knew that I’d see the furnaces used to incinerate human remains next to the massive holding rooms where the dead were stacked. And I knew I’d see memorials to the millions who lost their lives
made swimming lagoon with a large sandy beach, they had an Olympic-sized track and tennis courts and a fully functioning town with every convenience imaginable directly next to the killing. I’d never given much thought to the ordinary German people adjacent to the horror of the Holocaust. I didn’t know that after World War II ended and Dachau the “Camp” was liberated by American soldiers, Dachau the “Town” would have the same mayor as it had while the genocide was taking place.
criminalizes others who don’t look like, act like, pray like, vote like, and believe like you.
Ordinary Germans in the 1920s suffered from inflation and economic instability. They began to target and stigmatize outsiders and any non-Aryan members of society. Ultimately, ordinary Germans put their faith, their idolatry, their allegiance at the feet of Adolf Hitler. Hitler lashed out against the enemies within Germany who were poisoning the pure white bloodline of his country. Hitler demanded that people put their trust in him, and he told them not to worry about the details, that he had a plan, that he would handle it. So, the German people voted, in a democratic election, to give Hitler ultimate, unchecked, fascist power.
bloodline of America. Trump says not to worry about the details— that he has a plan. Just put your faith in him. Trump has described building camps and cages for immigrants. Trump has promised his supporters that he would target his political opponents and anyone critical of him. Trump has shown callous indifference toward the rights of women and minorities.
How easily history cycles back on itself like a venomous snake consuming its tail.
I can no longer write about my family in this column. It isn’t safe for my children.
Over half of my immediate family is, either by faith, ethnicity, special needs or orientation, a
discriminated minority and they have been harassed and targeted right here in our little town of South Lake Tahoe. I won’t be a silent bystander. I won’t be tacitly complicit. I will still write a column because I believe in ardent vocal dissent. But for now, no more Tahoe Dad stories. I’m just a Tahoe Guy.
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.
and I’d walk into the actual gas chambers where some of those lives were abruptly ended. What I did not know, what I did not realize, was that I’d also see the sprawling luxury of the quarters where the guards and servicemen who oversaw the atrocities at Dachau stayed. They had a man-
History goes on. How easy it is for ordinary people to be complicit in mass atrocities and then forget and bulldoze over the evidence like nearly all of the concentration camps run by the Nazis. How quickly and smoothly does a population adjust to a new reality that devalues life and
Today ordinary Americans suffer from inflation and economic instability. Today Americans have begun to stigmatize outsiders and immigrants, especially those that don’t look and speak like them. As of November 5, Americans have voted, in a democratic election, to give near-absolute power to Donald Trump. Trump has lashed out against the enemy within and wants to preserve and purify the
Well, I’m not sure what just happened. No, I’m not talking politics—something far more important. The change of seasons. I feel like I was just at work with the air conditioner struggling to keep the shop, uh, not sweltering, while complaining because it was too hot. Today it may not get out of the 30s and the wind on the ridges will gust to 100 miles an hour; I guess we won’t be going out to do that ride up on my favorite ridgeline today. Oh yeah, that trail has seven inches of snow on
Fall into winter
it, too! Not that that’s a bad thing.
I always feel like summer scoots along pretty quickly. Crazy days at work, overcrowded roads, beautiful days out in the woods and on the lake, and of course, waking up every morning hoping for no fires. Nothing ruins a summer like huffing smoke, then getting your town evacuated, only to return to find your home in ashes. Fortunately,
I have only experienced two of those three things so far. Summer is pretty much guaranteed to be warm, mostly dry and really fun in a huge variety of flavors. Then summer unofficially ends sometime in September. I can hear the screeching brakes. I swear time slows down for me as we get through the fall months. Now don’t get me wrong here because I do love a good Indian Summer (are we still allowed to call it that?). Things mellow out around town, workload backs off a bit, the temperatures get nice, especially at night, which at least for me makes for better sleep. But, and I do mean a big but, for myself and I know a lot of others around here, we can’t think about anything else but winter’s arrival. As autumn progresses, albeit ever so slowly, we get to that point where the conditions make it hard to do anything in the mountains. We’ve gotten some snow, not enough to slide on but too much to ride or hike, so it kind of shuts down upper elevation fun. Most people have pulled their boats from the lake, rivers are too low
for paddling. You can see us walking around town, unmistakable, the offseason zombies (see my Nov. 2014 column), needing to go do something out there but stuck in between. Time is moving so slowly, week after week—was that a week? Because it felt like a month! We still have two months to go before we can ski?
How is it that time can seem to skew so profoundly? Is there some space-time continuum or as I would call it, a ski-time continuum, that changes our perception of . . . when is it going to be winter!?!
There are people out there who will say there is something to this time warping thing, but of course it lies more in our own perception than in time somehow skipping around and messing with our poor little fun-starved minds. There are many studies that have been done on this. One of the more recent and relatable was done by neuroscientist, author, technologist and researcher on time perception, Richard Engleman who shows that when our brains are less engaged and less stimulated, we tend to take fewer snapshots of the moments and events. This “less filled in” period, Engleman says, makes it feel like time is passing more slowly, whereas if we are more stimulated doing things, especially new exciting and adventuresome things, our brains take many more snapshots of the time spent, thus mak-
ing it feel more full and like time is passing more quickly. Time flies when you’re having fun! Yeah, yeah, Richard, we just want to hear that there are some storms coming in soon and that we had better get ready because they are going to be big; that will speed up those snapshots in my brain!
Yes, I agree with many of the summer folks out there: summer in Tahoe is an amazing gift that we truly love to experience. Autumn in Tahoe is so alive even though many of the animals, plants and trees are shutting down, going into their winter dormancy (yeah, too bad about all those critters that don’t like to play in the winter); what a lovely time of year—no wonder they call it Indian Summer. But it still passes too slowly!
Then we start to get all the new ski and board videos coming out—you know, to “fuel the stoke, bra!” Yeah, I can’t even watch them this early because the only thing it fuels is the angst. Oh, and then there are the weather prognosticators telling us it’s going to be La Nina, El Nino, I say we just call it La Familia because no matter what, we are in Tahoe and we sit right on the knife’s edge, meaning we might get the storms and we might not get them. That sounds like an average Tahoe winter, which will be just great, but those big ones are way more fun. We wait, take some snapshots and hope someone will get their foot off the brakes because I am excited for the magic of winter at Tahoe.
Let’s play
RECREATION
Continued from page 21
and a space for galas,” Stark said. “It will be a really beautiful space.”
The commercial kitchen will support the senior nutrition program five days a week.
Downstairs will be a dedicated room for arts and crafts, while another will have bars and mirrors catering to dance. Stark’s budget for 2024-25 is $4,521,228. Seldom does a parks and rec department pay for itself from the fees it charges. His department is responsible for 14 miles of trails and 180 acres of park land,
including Reagan Beach, Lakeview Commons, El Dorado boat ramp, Bijou Golf Course, Campground by the Lake, and more.
Parks Foundation
City residents, Douglas County folks, tourists—everyone pays the same fee. Whether that remains true when the new center opens remains to be seen.
Soft toys to climb on for ages zero to preschool are available weekly at the city's recreation center.
The spirit team cheers for each flag football team.
The South Tahoe Parks Foundation is a 501(c)3 created in 2017 to raise money for the new recreation center. Incorporation papers say the foundation is a “nonprofit public benefit and is not organized for the private gain of any person,” its purpose being to support the new center, though it does not have to be limited to that. Recently the foundation has become more active. Money is being raised to fill the nearly $70 million new facility paid for by Measure P that was approved by voters in 2016.
The foundation works in partnership with the city, which will own and operate the multi-faceted center.
Naming rights is one way to obtain cash for equipment and other furnishings. This summer a $20,000 donation for batting cages came via the American Century Championship in memory of pitcher Tim Wakefield and wife Stacy.
City residents, Douglas County folks, tourists—everyone pays the same fee. Whether that remains true when the new center opens remains to be seen.
On Oct. 25, 25 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales at the Tahoe Knight Monsters’ hockey game went to the foundation.
“Once we get beyond the recreation center effort, money could go to scholarships or other efforts with parks and recreation in South Lake Tahoe,” Stark said.
Waiting for winter.
Photo Gary Bell
Tassia Connor helps her son, Jasper, with his uniform.
Three films to fit any fancy
Okay, this month I said I would be back to movies, so let’s check out a few.
First up is a quiet little film called Ghostlight. You can catch it on Prime and it premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews and for good reason. It deals with a family—Dan, his wife Sharon and their teenaged daughter Daisy—who live in a quiet Chicago suburb. Dan, a construction worker, is just going through the motions of day-to-day living. He seems sad and preoccupied most of the time, with brief explosions of anger. His daughter Daisy is a firecracker who’s been acting out and getting suspended from school. Sharon is a good wife and mother but seems to be barely keeping it together. As events unfold, we realize that there is something that has happened to this family, but we won’t know exactly what for some time; for now, we just feel their pain.
Dan’s crew is working near a small theatre space in town and Rita, one of the members of a local community theatre company, talks him into taking a part in the play they are producing. The play is Romeo and Juliet and as events unfold, we realize that art imitates life as Dan deals with his world through the events of the play.
He has never remotely thought about acting on stage and tries to keep his participation in the play a secret, which of course leads his family to think that something else is going on. The film is about how we deal with tragedy and learn to heal as we move on. Though it is an emotional and moving drama, there is a lighter tone to many scenes. The other actors in the play are a hodgepodge of quirky characters, giving the group a Waiting for Guffman feel, but the comedy is toned to reality and supports the deep emotional levels that Dan and his family are experiencing. There are no big Hollywood stars; Dan, Sharon and Daisy are actually parents and child in real life and overall, Ghostlight is a deeply moving film with a gentle and hopeful finish.
Next up is a mystery, thriller, comedy, just out on Netflix called It’s What’s Inside. The film follows the reunion of some Gen Z friends who have known each other since high school. They gather at the estate of Rueben who is getting married and wanted to have one last night with his friends. As the party gets started, another member of the group who disappeared after a “problem evening” long ago, shows up, and has with
him a very unusual device which he uses after talking everyone into playing a unique game. The device can temporarily switch people into each other’s bodies and the game involves guessing who is in whose body.
But as each person inhabits another friend, they find they can also explore themselves and each other in new ways, which can bring up old envies, attractions, and insecurities. After the first round is played and the second round begins, things start to get real as each character exposes their true feelings. And when tragedy strikes, suddenly the stakes are raised as everyone tries to get what they want.
The film shifts continually between the various characters as they interact in twos and threes. First time director Greg Jardin occasionally gives us hints to remind us who is in whose body by switching to red lighting which reveals the actual people under the skin.
If all this sounds confusing at times, it is, even to the point of needing to rewind a bit to remember who is who. But the whole thing is still fun as the comedy of the situation is interspersed with the more serious interactions of these self-possessed young peo-
ple.
The film is stylized with split-screen, unique montage flashbacks, very active camera shots, and unusual music choices.
Overall, It’s What’s Inside is a funny, clever and unique mess of a film that doesn’t end smoothly and may leave you with a sense of “what did I just watch?”
Let’s finish with a new documentary out on Paramount, with a couple of unexpected stars, called ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amore!
Casa Bonita is an iconic restaurant in Lakewood, Colorado that opened in 1974. It was a massive 52,000-square-foot experience that became known as the Disneyland of Mexican restaurants. It had cliff divers diving into a grotto-like pool with a 30foot waterfall, areas that were like caverns or a jungle, along with several live characters that moved among the diners. It became the favorite of thousands of kids who grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
But in the ‘80s the restaurant was sold to a corporation, which slowly let it slide into a dirty, beat-up wreck of its former self.
It closed in 2020 during the pandemic and never reopened. The unexpected stars of the film are South Park creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, both lifelong Col-
orado residents, with Parker having great childhood memories of the restaurant. They buy the foreclosed building, thinking to fix the place up and have a grand reopening. They begin with a $12 to $13 million budget. But this is before anyone actually went inside to see what would have to be done to bring it back to its glory days. What they find is an epic disaster, everything held together with duct tape and bailing wire, and the budget to reopen begins to explode.
The film follows the whole process from the beginning—removing the most disgusting and dangerous stuff you’ve ever seen (like, how did this place not kill people?), designing the new experience, all while trying to keep the iconic elements intact. Parker is heavily involved in every creative decision and everyone stresses as they try to reach an opening deadline.
Overall, the film is a fun account of how Parker and Stone remake Casa Bonita. Even though the cost is huge and they all stress to make it work, they still go at it with the same fun and humor I imagine they employ in making South Park. Teresa really liked this this film. Unfortunately, she didn’t see the other two, but I know she would love Ghostlight
Photo IFC Films
Real life couple Keith Kupferer and Tara Mallon star in Ghostlight.
Photo Heather Gould
Natalia hands out roses and appreciation to poll workers at the CCC in Meyers on election day.
