Leadership

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The three newly elected South Lake Tahoe City councilmembers were sworn in on Tuesday along with the new city clerk, and a new mayor and mayor pro-tem have been selected.

Devin Middlebrook, Tamara Wallace, Cody Bass and Sue Blankenship all took the oath of office in front of a packed City Council meeting on December 11, 2018.

Brooke Laine was unanimously chosen for mayor and Jason Collin was unanimously selected for mayor pro-tem.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Get your holiday spirit on (along with your running shoes or snowboots) for the first ever Santa Fun Run on Ski Run on Saturday, December 15, 2018.

Come dressed in your best and most festive Kris Kringle outfit and join in the winter fun, all for a good cause. All proceeds will benefit the local non-profit, SOS Outreach.

The fifth annual Zawadisha Holiday Bazaar will be held at The Landing on December 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on December 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Local entrepreneurs, artisans and the community are being connected to support the concept of shopping locally while making change globally. A portion of proceeds from the event will be donated to Zawadisha, a social enterprise founded in Lake Tahoe by Jen Gurecki and Julie Lowe. Zawadisha will invest the funds from the event into their leadership and business training program for rural Kenyan women.

Nancy Kerry has been gone from her position as the city manager of South Lake Tahoe since March, but she finally got the credit due for her many accomplishments and contributions during a standing room only celebration Tuesday evening.

Over 75 community leaders came together to present Nancy with a proclamation signed by both Mayor Wendy David and Mayor Pro Tem Tom Davis, their last official act with the City.

The list of tributes spoken during the evening is a lengthy one.

The following is a Letter to the Editor from Ellen Palazzo, candidate for South Tahoe City Clerk.

My name is Ellen Palazzo. I am an experienced Certified Municipal Clerk with 22 years of service in the City Clerk’s office. I am currently working towards my Master Municipal Clerk designation. With new city leadership coming on board, it will be essential to elect a City Clerk with the highest integrity and intuitional knowledge to help move our city forward. I have the heart to serve the city and the community in a respectful manner.

Some of my accomplishments include:

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

Today is the ninth and final candidate. Cody Bass gives his responses as he makes his first bid for 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 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 nine consecutive days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

Patrick Jarrett shares his thoughts in his quest for a seat on the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

California's State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson is wrapping up his final term by touring some of the state's schools.

In just a few days he went from visiting a school in Los Angeles with an enrollment of 4,000 to touring Alpine County Schools and the Diamond Valley Elementary School campus, in particular, which has 80 students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

“It is a small school in numbers but mighty in its focus and learning,” said Torlakson in Alpine County on Sept. 20.

I first arrived in South Lake Tahoe in June 1991 about 6 weeks after college graduation. In 1991, Tahoe had the most amazing roads; now, Tahoe has the worst roads. North Dakota – a very low tax state – just might have the best roads in the whole country. In 1991, there were many places to rent in Tahoe at affordable prices; now, too many people who work in South Lake Tahoe need to commute from the Carson Valley, unnecessarily increasing their carbon footprint.

To the community: Although I have been on staff with Tahoe Youth & Family Services since January, I still use the word, “new” because we have spent this year rebuilding. We have faced many challenges over the last several years and I truly feel that I am part of this organizations revival, so much of our efforts feel very “new.”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On Thursday, the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) Board of Directors discussed changing their administrative code to allow for the transfer of sewer and water units from one parcel to another in order to encourage the building of affordable housing projects.

Since 2012, the transfer of the sewer units have not been allowed by STPUD, but with the current lack of affordable housing on the South Shore the board will look to approve a change of the code at their September 20, 2018 meeting.

Philip Ritger has been selected as the Public Works Director effective October 8, 2018. Philip has served as the Genoa Town Manager for the past five years and brings a wealth of management and leadership experience to Douglas County.

As the Genoa Town Manager, Philip was responsible for the financial health of the town. He managed all public works, facility maintenance, professional contracts and related activities necessary to provide the residents with a high level of service in a fiscally responsible manner.

South Shore students are the beneficiaries of funds raised during the American Century Championship (ACC) in Lake Tahoe this July. Edgewood Tahoe partnered with three local non-profits who operated concessions during the tournament in exchange for donations to be used for education.

Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation, Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, and Tahoe-Douglas Rotary Club each volunteered at least 400 hours at the food tents, and in exchange for their efforts they split $55,230, giving each group $18,410.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows and Alterra Mountain Company announced today that Ron Cohen has been selected as President and Chief Operating Officer of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. Cohen has served as the interim President & Chief Operating Officer at the resort since April, 2018, and will move into the permanent position effective immediately.

Steve Teshara, CEO of the Tahoe Chamber and chairperson of the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) Board of Directors, now has another leadership duty for the upcoming year.

Teshara will serve as the president of the California Association of Councils of Governments (CALCOG), a group whose membership includes 47 regional governments involved in the planning, funding, and development of the state’s transportation infrastructure.

He has been representing TTD on the CALCOG Board.

After a nation-wide search, Barton Health is pleased to announce its new Chief Nursing Officer, Julie Clayton, RN, MSN, NEA-BC. A registered nurse with a Master of Science in Nursing, Ms. Clayton brings her expertise to Barton’s executive team from her most recent position as Vice President of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer at Overlake Medical Center in Bellevue, Wash.

The new multi-million dollar Robert Maloff Center at Barton Memorial Hospital is stunning, resembling a high-end health club instead of the medical and wellness center it is. Inside its wood, glass and stone walls is the Barton Center for Orthopedics & Wellness, bringing together services needed by those recovering from injuries and surgery into one building.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) has a new deputy on board.

Dustin Clifford took the oath of office on July 2 during a ceremony with family and friends.

The new deputy was born and raised in Reno graduating from McQueen High School. After graduation he attended and graduated from the University of Nevada Reno with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.

Clifford enjoys the outdoors by hiking, fishing and hunting and is ready to begin his career with DCSO. He will be assigned to the Jail Division under the leadership of Captain Jim Halsey.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - "This is a really special group," Brad Deeds, Dean of Workforce Development and Instruction at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC), told those attending Saturday's graduation of the Lake Tahoe Basin Fire Academy (LTBFA) class of 2018.

For the past ten months, the 18 graduating men and women have been put through the tough physical, emotional, operational and educational requirements of becoming a firefighter.

Each speaker echoed Deeds' sentiments.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Edgewood Tahoe has moved from one non-profit receiving the proceeds from food concessions during July's American Century Championship to several groups.

This year, Edgewood Tahoe is partnering with Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation, Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, and Tahoe-Douglas Rotary Club who in turn will be donating 400 volunteer hours at Edgewood’s four main concession tents.

The Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) Foundation is pleased to announce that Bijou Community School Principal Cindy Martinez is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for 2018, which she will receive at LTCC’s Commencement ceremony on Friday, June 29. Each year, the LTCC Foundation recognizes one special LTCC graduate to receive this prestigious award based on their exemplary achievements in academic, business, artistic or civic activities.

The students at Lake Tahoe Middle School have the opportunity to join Club Live which is an organization that promotes a healthy lifestyle by providing high energy alternative activities. For 25 years the Club has featured leadership events, community service projects, club meetings and recreational trips. For the past four years, Larry Lambdin, the Club’s mentor/leader, has had Club Live sponsor a Bread & Broth Adopt A Day of Nourishment and offer three to four of the clubs members the opportunity help those dealing with poverty.