economy

The 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring, Only the performance and fuel economy lets you know it’s a hybrid.

Most of you know I haven’t been a fan of hybrids, but that’s changing and this new Honda Accord Hybrid has put me over the edge, it’s the first hybrid I have ever driven you can’t tell the transition from electric to gas or even start-up that it is a hybrid. The only clue is the phenomenal fuel economy, extreme quiet and ethereal smoothness. You simply can’t feel the integration of the gas motor coming on line. I would buy this hybrid for this and so many other reasons.

Toyota Tacomas are almost an institution, perhaps the best-selling mid-size pickup ever. In 2017 Tacoma sales were about 200,000 and owned over 50 percent of the market and for 2018 total Tacoma sales are 20 percent higher, looking at a 250,000 in sales for 2018 and still holding over a 50 percent market share. That is remarkable. Tacoma is a true default brand as its stellar reputation of quality and reliability is at the top of the mind of just about every mid-size truck buyer.

The following is a letter from Duane Wallace, past president of the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce to the Tahoe Transportation District Board. He outlines the concerns their Chamber has expressed about the US 50 South Shore Community
Revitalization Project (Loop Road) EIR process and content.

"It is on the fastest track I've ever seen," he said of the Loop Road project.

Dear Chair Teshara and Commission Members,

Our community has less than one week before November 6th, election day, arrives. There are many important issues on the ballot. My husband and I just mailed ours in on Monday and I was reminded again of how fortunate we are to live in a nation where the voters decide on such topics as daylight savings time, on new laws preventing cruelty to farm animals, allowing rent controls to stop spiraling costs that are eliminating housing options, and many other state and local topics.

I am surprised that some people call Measure T “too extreme,” when the measure a) still allows fulltime residents to rent out their houses for 30 days per year, b) promotes the development and expansion of VHRs in areas properly zoned as commercial or part of the Tourist Core.

Do you know what is really “too extreme”?

• Local businesses struggling to fill open positions because their employees can’t find long-term housing in Tahoe.

I am an eight-year resident, a homeowner, a vacation home rental (VHR) permit owner, and I hold a profession that is involved with bringing tourists to our beautiful tourist town of South Lake Tahoe. I know how hard we work to get them to come here to spend their hard-earned money in our economy. Tourists have many options. VHRs, hotels, camping, North Lake, Utah, Colorado. They want the experience they want and VHRs are part of that experience. With limited options, they will go elsewhere.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Years of collaboration with a variety of partners have brought to completion two major initiatives for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). During their governing board meeting on October 24 a new Shoreline Plan was unanimously approved as was a comprehensive package of changes to the agency’s development rights system.

Warming temperatures pose major challenges for Lake Tahoe's environment, communities, and the outdoor recreation that drives its economy. Research by University of California, Davis's Tahoe Environmental Research Center, University of Nevada, Reno, and Desert Research Institute clearly shows Lake Tahoe is warming.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There were no seats available and people were standing along the sides of the Lake Tahoe Community College board room Sunday, all to see Congressional Candidate Jessica Morse.

On April 18, 2017 the South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously passed a resolution to do two things: Power the South Lake Tahoe community with electricity provided from 100 percent renewable sources by 2032; and reduce community carbon emissions from baseline by at least 80 percent by 2040. The 100% Renewable Committee was formed to help the City accomplish these tasks.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council answered the same ten questions that were given to them by South Tahoe Now. For nine consecutive days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

Today, the first-time candidate Tamara Wallace gives her responses as she seeks a seat on the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council answered the same ten questions that were given to them by South Tahoe Now. For nine consecutive days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

Today, the first-time candidate Devin Middlebrook gives his responses as he seeks a seat on the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council answered the same ten questions that were given to them by South Tahoe Now. For each of the next nine days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

First up is Wendy David, the current mayor of South Lake Tahoe. She is seeking a second term on the Council.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Join community leaders from around the lake and be a part of the solution to improving the regional economy during the Tahoe Prosperity Center's 2018 Tahoe Economic Summit on October 19 at the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This year's theme is "Transforming Tahoe."

Trees on the 46.52 acre Lake Tahoe Airport property will soon be removed as required (and overdue) by the California Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics. It has been 11 years since trees have been removed on the property and there is increasing threat into the navigable airspace at north end of runway from trees. The aircraft that frequent the airport would be unable to takeoff with the increased growth.

For the past five years, the department has issued letters of correction to remove multiple tree obstructions on the runway.

There are just two days left for the public to comment on a proposed restoration project of the Upper Truckee River that runs adjacent to the Lake Tahoe Golf Course and Washoe Meadows State Park.

The author shared the following letter with South Tahoe Now that was sent to SLT Fire Chief Jeff Meston concerning fire safety and the responsibility of all public agencies to assist him and the Department in this effort. "Best wishes to you and the men and women of the Fire Department," said Jinkens.

Dear Chief Meston:

First of all, my sincere thanks to you and the men and women who serve our community in the Fire Service. I am grateful for all of your work and effort to keep our community fire safe and to respond to emergency calls for service.

There are some “innocent” VHR owners caught in the crossfire between neighborhood residents and other VHR owners and tenants who have not observed simple and reasonable rules set forth by the city. I encourage you not to throw the baby out with the bath water and eliminate all VHR’s in residential neighborhoods.

Two South Lake Tahoe community groups have submitted petitions to get their vacation home rental (VHR) initiatives on the November, 2018 ballot. The first group, Tahoe Neighborhoods Group, submitted 1,651 signatures to the City Clerk on April 30, and the second group, Sustainable Community Alliance, turned in 1,827 signatures on May 21, less than 30 days after they started collecting them.

South Lake Tahoe may not be known as the home of the $2,000 parking ticket after action taken by the City Council Tuesday.

National media attention spotlighted the fines ($1,000 to the renter and $1,000 to the homeowner) associated with violations of the vacation home rental (VHR) ordinance approved at the end of 2017 by the South Lake Tahoe City Council. This negative publicity has prompted some cancellations of tourist visits, or other changes to vacation plans, according to those in the industry.

There are four people running for El Dorado County Supervisor for the 5th District on June 5: Incumbent Sue Novasel and challengers Kenny Curtzwiler, Norma Santiago and Jeffrey Spencer. The 5th District covers Pollock Pines to South Lake Tahoe and Tahoma.

South Tahoe Now asked each candidate the same questions, and here are all of their answers, exactly as they were presented to us.

Sue Novasel
Occupation: El Dorado County Supervisor – District V
Past political history:
2015 – Present: County Supervisor, District V

The "South Lake Tahoe Vacation Home Rentals Restrictions Initiative" may be added to the ballot in November should proponents get enough signatures to put it there.

Created by the Sustainable Community Alliance (SCA), a group in South Lake Tahoe, the initiative is giving voters another chance to voice their opinion about vacation home rentals (VHRs) and should be on the ballot along with another initiative that wants to ban VHRs.

If you had walked onto the LTCC campus on Tuesday, April 3, you would have never guessed that there were 325 6th grade youth and 220 agency and volunteer workers throughout the corridors, all learning information on how and why to keep themselves safe from drugs. “Choices, what are yours?” was the theme of our efforts in keeping our youth drug free. With the country’s attitudes and norms about drug use changing, times are even more difficult for our kids.

SnowGlobe will be returning to South Lake Tahoe in December, 2018, but it will be with some modifications to mitigate sound issues residents have as well as playfield concerns.

A majority of those speaking at Tuesday's City Council meeting said they are for SnowGlobe continuing, but 38 percent of those who spoke us gave a list of concerns they have from the popular three-day festival.