advisory council

I am excited to share that Tahoe Youth & Family Services has two new board members: Captain Ron Mitchitarian of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Jen Tune Regional Manager of Anytime Fitness with facilities in Gardnerville, Fernley, Yerington and Reno. Both bring skills, talents and excitement to our organization along with a passion for our mission and vision. They understand the need and importance of providing mental health and substance abuse services along with education.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Scientists and researchers have been watching the clarity of Lake Tahoe for decades, rejoicing when one can see almost 100 feet down into the iconic body of water, sadness when clarity drops to record levels.

The clarity of the lake is an important indicator of the changing conditions of Lake Tahoe.

In 2019, Lake Tahoe's clarity decreased nearly eight feet from the previous year's dramatic 10-foot improvement. The average clarity in 2019 was 62.7 feet, the second-lowest on record. In 2017, the recorded clarity was 60 feet. In 1968, it was 102 feet.

The Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) firefighters are our friends; they are our neighbors, they are kids we went to school with, they are our softball teammate, and most importantly, they are our saviors in times of need. During the Angora Fire in 2007 some of them sacrificed their own homes to save ours, and more recently they provided vital help and support at the Camp Fire and prevented the oil tanker fire from spreading further than Hwy 50. Our community is safer because of LVFPD firefighters, but these firefighters are not safe in their jobs.

The newly installed roundabout at the intersection of US50 and SR89 in Meyers isn't fully functional yet. The westbound bypass lane is still closed as Caltrans awaits the installation of new signs.

According to Caltrans, when the bypass lane initially opened motorists were confused on how to use it. They put cones up to close it off again until instructional signs could better inform users.

They hope to have the sign package installed in the coming week and reopen the bypass lane up again.

MEYERS, Calif. - During the next meeting of the Meyers Advisory Council some important issues for residents of El Dorado County will be covered, including presentations on a parcel tax hike for both Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) and the County.

On Monday, July 29 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Council will hold their meeting in the 2nd-floor conference room in the California Conservation Corps (CCC) Building in Meyers. It is open to the public.

El Dorado County Planning staff and Supervisor Sue Novasel will be at the Freel Perk Coffee Shop on Wednesday, September 19 to chat about the County's proposed Meyers Advisory Council.

Interested citizens can stop by at any between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

Novasel and staff will be available to discuss the Advisory Council and answer questions about the process to establish it. If you cannot attend, call 530.573.7905 for any questions and comments.

The resolution for establishing the Meyers Advisory Council:

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board on Wednesday unanimously approved El Dorado County’s Meyers Area Plan, the fifth local area plan approved at Lake Tahoe to implement the 2012 Regional Plan.

Meyers, the commercial, public services, and recreation hub of unincorporated El Dorado County at the South Shore may soon have a new area plan.

The Meyers Area Plan is the comprehensive long-term plan for the Meyers Community and, if approved, will replace the original Meyers Community Plan (MCP) adopted in 1993. The MCP currently serves as the comprehensive land use and zoning plan for the community of Meyers, consistent with the Lake Tahoe Regional Plan and the El Dorado County General Plan. It was originally meant to last a decade, not the almost 25 years its been in place.

The Final Draft of the Meyers Area Plan was released today along with the associated joint environmental document. This draft updates 20-year old policies to streamline permitting for small projects, improves consistency between El Dorado County and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) policies and standards, promotes recreation and bicycle/pedestrian improvements, establishes zoning to better reflect current conditions, conserves land around the Upper Truckee River, formalizes a local citizens advisory council, and integrates design standards and guidelines.

Legal action against the approved Martis Valley West project was taken in court Thursday as three groups, Sierra Watch, Mountain Area Preservation and the League to Save Lake Tahoe, joined forces to stop the controversial development proposal they feel threatens Lake Tahoe's clarity.

Barton Health is looking for community volunteers to join their Patient Family Advisory Council and share insight about their experience at Barton Memorial Hospital.

The Council’s advisors play an active role in implementing constructive changes to the Hospital’s quality and safety. Any past Barton Hospital patient or family member of a patient can participate.

Dr. Annie Davidson should be the next LTUSD School Board member from Trustee Area #1. Since coming to Lake Tahoe, she has jumped into the community with great energy and commitment. For example, she is an adjunct faculty member of Lake Tahoe Community College and co-teacher at Tahoe Parents Nursery School with Aileen Yure and Jennifer David. She served as member of the Sierra House Elementary PTA Board as a co-grant coordinator, classroom volunteer, and also volunteers with the Coalition for the Homeless and Warm Room Advisory Council.

At Barton Health, we strive to provide consistently exceptional care for our patients and their families. But what can someone do before a hospital visit is needed or after being released?

Here are some safety tips to help you and your loved ones stay safe, healthy, and out of harm’s way.

Focus on Balance
More than a third of adults over age 65 fall each year. Injuries from falls can lead to broken bones, bleeding, and even death.
What can you do?

Improving transportation options for bicyclists and pedestrians is one of the most effective strategies to conserve and restore Lake Tahoe’s environment, revitalize the economy, enhance recreation opportunities, and improve public health, according to Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) officials.

Each year the Tahoe Douglas Rotary Club holds their signature fundraiser, the St. Patrick's Day Celebration, and because of this they are able to give away tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships, grants and gifts to members of the community.

On Friday, local non-profits were handed the fruits of the Rotarian's labor at their annual community donation day.

This year, the following groups received a donation either at the meeting or during the school year:
Zephyr Cove Elementary School
Boy Scouts Troop 468
Boy Scouts Troop 594
WHittell High Boosters

Do you want to .....
- Help improve the quality of Barton’s care for all patients and family members?

- Give feedback to the hospital based on your own experiences as a patient or family member?

- Help Barton plan changes to improve how we take care of patients?

- Work with the hospital for either short- or long-term commitments, depending on the project?

Most of us moved to Meyers because it's a rural community, away from the City & tourist congestion. I am pro-growth, most locals are, as long as it's appropriately sized growth for our community. The proposed Meyer's Plan however, opens the door to a Mega Resort, with incentives for large development and in my mind, lacks long range planning.

I started going to planning meetings last summer, just to listen, but it wasn't until December that I got really concerned. Here's a timeline of events, from my perspective:

The facts are startling, and, for lack of a better work, sobering. Studies show that 11% of all alcohol consumed in the U.S. is done so by youth aged 11 to 20, below the legal drinking age.

Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, more than tobacco and illicit drugs according to the Center for Disease Control, and is responsible for more than 4,300 annual deaths among underage youth.

The 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that among high school students, during the past 30 days:

39% drank some amount of alcohol.
22% binge drank.

On February 26th, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., the Meyers Community Advisory Council (MCAC) will be hosting a community workshop to discuss and compare the existing Meyers Community Plan with the proposed Meyers Area Plan. All residents and businesses in the unincorporated area of El Dorado County on the South Shore are invited to actively participate in the realization of this vision and are encouraged to offer input.

An additional public workshop will be held on March 19th, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm, to review the Proposed Meyers Area Plan.

Melody Easton is here to make a difference. Recently tapped as the coordinator for the South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition, the action oriented Easton has hit the ground running.

Tahoe Youth & Family Services was awarded a Federal Drug Free Communities grant, bringing in $125,000 for each of the next five years to help combat drug and alcohol abuse among the youth of South Lake Tahoe. Once the grant was awarded a coordinator needed to be hired. Easton was hired and the Concordia College graduate and her husband packed up and moved from Portland, Oregon.