Leadership

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 Barton Foundation will be awarding $50,000 in grant funding to improve community health. As part of Barton Health’s commitment to community health and collaboration, this annual grant cycle provides funding for programs and services that positively impact the health of the local community. Applications are being accepted through May 31, 2018.

Grant criteria and the application can be found online at bartonhealth.org/grants, and for more information contact Marty Chartraw at 530.543.5784.

South Tahoe High School received great news from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Commission with confirmation that the school is fully accredited through June 2022. When the accreditation team left the campus in March they had nothing but glowing reports for the staff and school, but the final decision was mailed to the school May 3.

The Tahoe Women’s Community Fund has invited the community to join them at their annual Grants Gala to celebrate the 2018 grant recipients as $68,000 is distributed to 13 non-profit organizations in the South Shore community.

The evening will also feature short presentations from the 2017 grantees on how they spent the collective funding this past year.

Nationally recognized human trafficking consultant John Vanek will return to South Lake Tahoe for a May 18, 2018 presentation as a guest of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department and Live Violence Free.

Vanek, an author and retired lieutenant of the San Jose Police Human Trafficking Task Force, will speak on that date at Sierra Community Church at 6:00 p.m. Vanek is a leadership, collaboration, and anti-human trafficking consultant and speaker working with law enforcement agencies, non-governmental and community-based organizations, academic institutions and private sector companies.

The Tahoe Chamber’s Leadership Lake Tahoe Class of 2018 invites the Tahoe community to join them for their event "Putting the Lens on STEAM Learning" to raise much needed funds to elevate STEAM Learning in Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) elementary schools.

Connecting with victims and witnesses after a crime is not just the job of law enforcement, its also the job of composite sketch artists.

Imagine talking to a child who just witnessed a horrific crime, a woman who has just been raped, or a man who beaten up as another man murdered, and needing them to remember the face of the perpetrator.

Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada (GSSN) have announced this year’s recipients of both their volunteer awards and those for the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), and several are from South Lake Tahoe, Zephyr Cove, Truckee and the Carson Valley.

They will be honored during Volunteer Recognition & Award Ceremony on Saturday, April 21 at the Peppermill Hotel and Casino in Reno. The ceremony is GSSN's way of thanking and celebrating their amazing volunteers and the priceless love they give girls every day through unwavering dedication to their success.

Winners:

Heritage Award

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Last October, California experienced a series of devastating wildfires that destroyed property and took lives. In a four month period the State endured fires and floods from San Diego to Mendocino that destroyed over 11,000 homes and commercial structures and killed 64 Californians. Local Government fire and rescue personnel and equipment comprised up to 80 percent available resources for mutual aid throughout the State. The City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Department along with other fire agencies around the basin engaged in these critical fire fights.

Douglas County has announced the hiring of a new assistant county manager to replace Bradley Hurley who left in October, 2017 after holding the position for just four days.

Jenifer Davidson, a Douglas High graduate, has been hired at a salary of $114,920.

In January, 2018, the County accepted applications for the job. The salary range is $100,796 - $151,195 and requires one to be not only an effective leader, they must be team-oriented with effective interpersonal skills and highly motivated with seven years of public administration or business management experience.

Today, Lucky Beaver Bar & Burger presented the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows with a $5,000 donation to support before and after-school programming at the organization’s 22 sites throughout the Truckee Meadows, which serves Reno, Sparks and Fernley areas.

Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe (SISLT) awarded $25,003 towards programs in the local community that benefit youth during a luncheon on Wednesday, March 14.

The following presenters gave a brief description of the program on how the funds that were awarded would be used.

Jeanne Nelson– NAMI, El Dorado County, SLT – Brain Health Leadership
Paula Peterson – St. Theresa Bread & Broth 4 Kids - Healthy Snacks in the Classroom
Peggy Blowney – Tahoe Arts Project – Performing Arts in School
Kristy Wilson – Sierra House Elementary School PTA – Agroforestry Project

The Live Violence Free Girls Empowerment Retreat in South Lake Tahoe on March 28 is open to all eighth grade girls.

This retreat encourages eighth grade girls to explore self-worth, care, leadership and sisterhood, to move forward into freshman year feeling connected with their peers, and strong in their own capabilities. The day is structured with lessons, activities, games, food, and most of all: fun!!

The retreat is FREE for participants.

Registration ends on March 14. There is LIMITED space available - email jalbee@liveviolencefree.org to register.

The Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) club of South Lake Tahoe honored three women as winners of their Violet Richardson, Live Your Dream and Ruby Awards during a special breakfast meeting on Thursday, March 8.

I was pleased to learn that U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein has announced her intention to run for another term in the United States Senate. Senator Feinstein has been a tremendous Senator for my home state of California, and she has a distinguished career in public service. She has served in the United States Senate since 1992. She served as Mayor of San Francisco and was a member of the Board of Supervisors there. In my experience, she represents the best the elected public service has to offer.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - Author, hip hop artist and speaker Philip "Sharp Skills" Jacobs will be at Lake Tahoe Community College Tuesday, February 27, 2018. His 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. workshop in the college's Duke Theatre will focus on how one can develop into a skillful and successful leader.

Jacobs is the author of "Accuracy: A Guide to Living Skillfully and Successfully in Today's Crazy Times," a look at how to live the most accurate life possible with practical everyday wisdom, a road map to flourish on every area of life.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - Since January 1, 2018 there have been 18 school shootings in the United States, 25 fatal school shootings since 1999's Columbine High School tragedy. With the deadly shooting February 14, 2018 at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, many communities are looking at their own schools and their safety procedures to help prevent a repeat of a tragic event.

What is commonplace at schools across the country are drills for "shelter in place" and for students to understand what to do, and not do, in case of an emergency.

Liberty Utilities is offering $4,750 in academic scholarships to eligible high school and college students within its service territory.

The eight schools participating in the sixth annual scholarship program are South Tahoe High School, Loyalton High School, Douglas High School (students residing in Alpine County only), Coleville High School, North Tahoe High School, Truckee High School and Portola High School, as well as Lake Tahoe Community College.

News spread through South Lake Tahoe this week that surprised and shocked many, the City Council's decision to put City Manager Nancy Kerry on indefinite leave. The council will be meeting in closed session on Monday, February 12, 2018 to discuss the situation. Their agenda item, "PUBLIC EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE/DISMISSAL/RELEASE Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(b)" starts at 9:00 a.m.

That section of code allows special and closed session meetings to consider the appointment, employment, evaluation of performance, discipline, or dismissal of a public employee.

To help achieve Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows’ goal to be powered by 100 percent clean, renewable energy sources, Liberty Utilities, the electric service provider in the Lake Tahoe region of California, is actively collaborating with resort leadership to identify and develop new renewable energy generation, storage and energy efficiency projects to benefit the Olympic Valley and surrounding areas. Subject to regulatory approval, the two companies intend to achieve the resort’s 100 percent renewable goal as early as December 2018.

Many in South Lake Tahoe know native son Ryan Wallace, whether it's from his starting to wrestle at age 5, being a high school and middle school coach, or from when the community pulled together in 2014 to raise funds for his new prosthetic leg.

To the City, Snowglobe, and Community – As many of you know I am vocal critic of Snowglobe. Well after another year I feel like it’s kind of tradition for me to write my letter and vent about the event.

I will preface this letter with a reminder that I am not against events in the area. I just want events to be at a proper venue and I want them to not shake the walls of my house.

The Tahoe Women’s Community Fund invites you to join our 2018 membership! We are a philanthropic leadership organization dedicated to building and engaging an inclusive and diverse membership of people interested in strengthening our community through the power of collective giving. Plus, through a very generous gift of $100,000 from Ms. Lisa Maloff, we will be matching membership money dollar for dollar, doubling our collective giving power for 2018!

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Philanthropy and South Lake Tahoe non-profits were recently celebrated by the Barton Foundation as they honored their 2017 grant recipients in a luncheon at Riva Grill.