natural

By Nancy Kerry
The City of South Lake Tahoe announced today the appointment of Sarah Hussong-Johnson as Director of Engineering. Announcing her appointment, City Manager Tony O’Rourke said Ms. Hussong-Johnson, “has demonstrated outstanding capability to build public improvements on time and within budget and will lead the City’s Strategic Priority to Improve the Built Environment. Sarah brings a solution-oriented collaborative approach to resolving the challenges of constructing public improvements and will be an excellent leader for the years ahead.”

By John Heil
California is expected to see a boost in its local mountain economies as a result of a new legislation that now permits year-long recreation opportunities on U.S. Forest Service ski areas. The Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011, which was signed by President Barack Obama on Nov. 7, is estimated to create and annually sustain up to 600 extra jobs nationwide.

The Lakeview Commons Project, a partnership between the California Tahoe Conservancy and the City of South Lake Tahoe, spans the beach area that was once known to locals as El Dorado Beach. Approaching from the western side is the boat ramp, and a newly constructed Boathouse. The downstairs will feature storage lockers for paddle boards and kayaks, restrooms, and a boat rental area. Upstairs will be a concession stand and patio with a gas fire pit and a more commercial size barbeque with a cook top.

His love of movies is second only to his love of comedy - and both work best without a script. Those traits make Allan Havey, the Improv headliner through Sunday, Nov. 6, a natural and one of my...

UPDATED 5:19PM: Environmental regulators and a Lake Tahoe property owner who has hosted events for the League to Save Lake Tahoe have settled a dispute over environmental rule violations that stretch back to 2008.
Tamara Fritz and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency agreed to terms this week resolving violations between April 2008 and March 2011. Go here for more.

Here is a release this afternoon from the TRPA:

By Peter Brumis
The Truckee River Fund has awarded $267,267 to the Tahoe Resource Conservation District to protect Truckee area waterbodies from the growing threat posed by aquatic invasive species. The money will also be used for continued implementation of a mandatory watercraft inspection program and the establishment of a stakeholder collaborative to fund a long-term, sustainable aquatic invasive species prevention program for the Truckee area.

By Kristi Boosman
The state of Maine's largest lakes organization is visiting TRPA and the Lake Tahoe Basin this week, seeking advice on their lakes' management programs, according to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

By Claudene Wharton
The Department of Anthropology announces the publication of a new book, “An Archaeology of Desperation: Exploring the Donner Party’s Alder Creek Camp.” The book is a collaboration between anthropology scholars from the University of Nevada, Reno and other academics.

By the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
As part of its Lake Tahoe Regional Plan Update, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency recently released the public draft of an overhauled Code of Ordinances that is already more than one pound lighter in print than the current code. Most of the changes in the draft document will not need to wait for the TRPA’s scheduled adoption of the Regional Plan Update in 2012 to take effect. The TRPA Governing Board could vote to adopt the reformatted and more understandable version of the code in November of this year, according to the Agency.

A new pier installation at Tahoe Beach Club www.beachclubtahoe.com will underscore the lakefront lifestyle at the first fully-owned residential lakefront development on Lake Tahoe in 25 years, and mark initial phase construction at the eagerly awaited project.

"Fairest Picture: Mark Twain at Lake Tahoe" by David C. Antonucci describes the famed American literary master's experiences and travels to our shores. Fairest Picture is the first and only book to describe Lake Tahoe as it was in Mark Twain’s time and reveal in detail the locations where he traveled, camped and stayed at 19th century hotels.

Effective Saturday, Oct. 1, NV Energy will decrease its overall electric rates by 2.43 percent for northern Nevada customers including those in Stateline, Zephyr Cove and Incline Village.

By Jeff Cowen
As the Lake Tahoe Regional Planning Agency shifts into the final phases of its Regional Plan Update, the Agency announced Tuesday an associated change in leadership for its Regional Plan Update team. The effort that had been led by Harmon Zuckerman for the past two years will now be charged to Arlo Stockham, a planner and consultant with 14 years' experience in Northern Nevada.

By Cheva Heck
The Forest Service will soon begin removing conifers (cone-bearing trees) from meadow, aspen groves and upland forest areas along Scotts Lake Trail, off Big Meadow Trailhead near Luther Pass on Hwy. 89. The project should not affect access to the trail, but the Forest Service is asking that users remain on the trail at all times. A contractor will use crews with chainsaws for the thinning project, which could begin tomorrow.

Here's an open letter from Tony O'Rourke, city manager of South Lake Tahoe, sent to the local press. South Tahoe leaders will meet Sept. 27 to vote on proposed cuts to the budget, which could mean eliminating several more city jobs.

Here is the fishing report for the week of Sept. 21-28. This report covers rivers, streams and lakes in Nevada, the Sierra, Northern California and Southern Oregon.

By Kristi Boosman
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is hosting a Community Appreciation Day event on Thursday, September 29 from 4 - 7 pm to celebrate the Tahoe Basin community's commitment to protecting Lake Tahoe.

This fun, family event will include bluegrass music by local band, Bison, a free BBQ dinner, activities for the kids, an ice cream social hosted by members of TRPA's Governing Board and Advisory Planning Commission, and demonstration booths explaining TRPA's mission.

La Niña is officially back, according to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), and since La Niña contributed to a very wild 2010-2011 winter across the U.S. and Europe, a natural meteorological question is whether the same thing will happen this winter.

Experience a unique blend of art and the natural world during the eighth annual Trails and Vistas art hike on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18. The hike, modeled on the theme of “Reflections and Rhythms,” takes place at Spooner Lake in Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park (Glenbrook, NV ) – just fifteen from Incline Village and less than a one-hour drive from Reno, Carson City, South Lake Tahoe and Truckee.

Location

I was just looking at the Aug. 26 edition of the Tahoe Daily Tribune and was floored. I have been rock climbing at Elphant's Graveyard for the last 10 years. This area is located across from the sn...

By Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
From Southern Nevada to Lake Tahoe and all parts above and in between, state, federal, local and volunteer firefighting resources have responded to numerous lightning- and human-caused wildfires across Nevada so far this year. The state has lost about 94,000 acres to wildfire this summer, which is significantly less than the five-year average of 428,084 acres a year.

By Bob Conrad / Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
CARSON CITY, Nev. — When shoppers use any reusable grocery bag — paper, plastic or canvas — at any Raley’s and Food Source store in Nevada, they will be helping more than the environment, they will also be raising money to preserve and enhance Nevada State Parks.

By Jeff Cowan
To streamline the review and deliberation of items crucial to the Lake Tahoe Regional Plan Update, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board on Wednesday chartered a new committee to focus on update of the Plan.
The formation of this committee comes on the heels of the annual Lake Tahoe Summit where federal and state representatives urged swift completion of the plan update.

By Kristi Boosman
Paddlers at Lake Tahoe who enjoy the peace and solitude of skimming over crystal clear waters can now join the Tahoe Keepers stewardship community to protect Lake Tahoe from aquatic invasive species, according to an invasive species multi-agency committee.

Tahoe Keepers is a free training program designed to help non-motorized watercraft operators guard against inadvertently transporting aquatic invasive species to water bodies within the Lake Tahoe Basin by self-inspecting and decontaminating their boats and gear after each use.