Opinion

Dear Community, With a very heavy heart, I feel it is my responsibility to share the statement I gave yesterday at the Public Comment portion of the special School Board meeting that focused on the events of Sierra House’s 11/11 fire and clean-up. We are all deeply grateful for the success of Lake Valley Fire and all the specialists and District staff that have bent heaven and earth to help remediate all aspects of this situation. I write with deep respect and gratitude for all that LTUSD leadership has done for our family and community as well.

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.

To the South Lake Tahoe Community,

I have had the great pleasure and awesome responsibility of serving as a member of your city council for the past eight years. During this time we have faced some challenges, but we have also had much success as a council and a community, although some of those successes doing always get the attention they deserve.

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.

Desperation – a state of despair, typically one that results in rash or extreme behavior.

This must be the mental state of those opposed to Measure T. The fear mongering they are resorting too has reached an all-time low. They are claiming voting YES on Measure T will: Cost us hundreds of million in lost revenue, the loss of the entire VHR TOT, cancel the Recreation Center project, cause the fire department to respond less quickly, etc… These people apparently have no shame in their desperation to sway the local voters from forcing VHRs to operate in areas where they are zoned.

I’m Lou Pierini and I am running for the South Tahoe Utility District Board of Directors. I would like to be part of the process that makes decisions regarding our sewer and water service. I have the experience, the knowledge and the ambition to positively contribute to the direction South Tahoe Public Utility District takes now and in the future.

As a full-time resident of South Lake Tahoe for the better part of 20 years, I write today to share why I am voting No on Ballot Measure T this November - a measure to ban vacation rentals within the city limits.

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:

Today we are faced with broad challenges in our investing climate. Rising interest rates and high stock valuations can create unforeseen challenges.

Did you know that all investment income is not equal, at least in the eyes of the IRS? Let us start with some of the basics before we digress into more complicated subject matter.

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.

In this election season, it is normal for individuals – and even elected officials – to endorse a campaign to support it. Elected officials are legally allowed to use their position titles to back a candidate or an initiative. We should all keep in mind, however, that they may or may not represent the opinions of the organization that they were elected to serve, or the personnel within that organization. It would be unfair of any public servant to assume that responsibility.

So, Tahoe, let’s get out there and vote!

Leona Allen
Meyers, CA

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.

My name is Nick Exline and I am asking for your vote on November 6th for the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) Board as I will bring a higher level of commitment, leadership and vision to the STPUD Board.

Engaging from the actor's first entrance to the moment the stage lights went dark, Pam Taylor & Briana Biller’s performances in "‘Night, Mother" are raw, are tender, and shatteringly heart wrenching. The two actresses expertly weave the tragic story into such simple and relatable conversation, yet take the audience on an emotional rollercoaster that keeps you breathless. Director Rich Sargent has knocked it out of the park with this production.

There ought to be a compromise letting city homeowners rent out their houses to vacationers, but the topic is controversial. The city once felt residents should know what was permissible in their neighborhoods and maintained an online database listing. This has been removed. Maybe residents shouldn't know about rentals allowing 22 guests?

Location

This summer marks the tenth anniversary of Lake Tahoe’s Watercraft Inspection Program. Under the program, every motorized watercraft is inspected to ensure it is clean, drained, and dry and not carrying aquatic invasive species before launching at Tahoe.

Last month, the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center released the Tahoe: State of the Lake Report, which included their finding of an average of 59.7 feet depth of water clarity for 2017, the lowest since they began taking measurements. In advance of the 2018 Lake Tahoe Summit, the following is from Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD, chief executive officer for the League to Save Lake Tahoe, on the findings:

The night before football tryouts in the 9th grade I can still hear the advice my father gave to me before I tried, but failed, to get a good night’s sleep. He didn’t comfort me to tell me I would make the team, or tell me how great I was, he simply told me, “the only thing you can control, is that you can outwork everyone else.” This advice had an impact on me and ultimately led to everything positive in my life.

The following is a comment in support of Preferred Alternative 2B of the Upper Truckee River Restoration and Golf Course Reconfiguration Project submitted by the League to Save Lake Tahoe to California State Parks:

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors (Ad Hoc Committee) will be meeting the public tomorrow, July 26, at the Magnet School in Meyers at 5:30 p.m.

This VHR meeting is especially important since this Board already voted yesterday in Placerville on VHR Ordinance changes that affect everyone in the County South Lake Tahoe area.

These new Ordinance changes are outline here under attachments – VHR Conceptual - Item #1 :

https://eldorado.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3579809&GUID=7BD4C4E0-9B86-4E06-9052-6A82B2C...

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.

Lake Tahoe is one of the clearest lakes in the world, known around the globe for its spectacular scenery. The lake’s water clarity is one of the many attributes that make the Tahoe Basin such an amazing natural resource and a mecca for outdoor recreation.