landscape

Opinion: Re-Making Tahoe in the 21st Century

When people visit Tahoe for the first time, they marvel at the extraordinary natural landscape and fresh, clean air. At the same time, some are shocked at the dilapidated condition of the built environment: rundown buildings, crumbling infrastructure, and tired-looking development. The paradox is compelling. Despite TRPA’s mandate to harmonize the natural and human-made landscapes so that they blend together, outdated development that preceded environmental standards now serves as blight in our community.

Spring Art Exhibits at LTCC highlight talent of faculty, staff and students

Event Date: 
April 14, 2016 - 5:00pm

The community is warmly invited to Lake Tahoe Community College on Thursday, April 14 to enjoy two new art exhibits celebrating the talents of LTCC’s faculty, staff, and students. Free artist receptions will be held simultaneously from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., offering a chance to meet the artists whose work will be on display and enjoy light refreshments.

1960's Green Lantern evolves into modern Coachman Hotel

A multi-million dollar remodel of the old Green Lantern Motel in South Lake Tahoe has been completed, and emerging out of the dust is the new and trendy Coachman Hotel.

Doors will open to the public on Wednesday, March 23.

The new owners of the hotel, Peter and Justin Watzka, bring with them years of hotel and hospitality management. Peter was the Executive VP of Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and VP of Marketing for Marriott Vacation Club International, while Justin was previously a director with Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Vacation Clubs in Florida and Asia.

Sacramento King's co-owner selling Tahoe home for $35 million

Mark Mastrov, a Sacramento Kings co-owner and founder of 24-Hour Fitness, is selling his waterfront Lake Tahoe home in Glenbrook, Nev., for $35 million.

Conservancy Board awards $7 million in Proposition 1 grants

On Thursday, the California Tahoe Conservancy Board awarded more than $7 million for seven watershed restoration and forest health projects around the lake. Thirteen different applicants submitted 32 grant requests totaling $30 million, but with just $13,950,000 to give out, it was a very competitive process.

The money comes from Proposition 1, the $7.545 billion water bond approved overwhelmingly by California voters in November 2014. It was divided around the state to agencies like the Conservancy for water supply infrastructure projects.

Column: Working together for Tahoe at the landscape level

Restoring and conserving our environment at Lake Tahoe means setting our aspirations at the right scale. That’s what TRPA and many partners are working to do through strategic initiatives to ensure the health of our basin’s forests, streams, and lake, and to improve our communities and transportation infrastructure.

Tahoe, A Visual History may be gone, but memories to last a lifetime

Recently, I had the chance to visit the much-hyped Tahoe: A visual History at the Nevada Museum of Art. Located in the hip, CalAve District wedged between downtown and midtown Reno, the museum offers locals to the region a taste of world-class art collections. During events like Art Town (a marathon of a hundred-or-so art related events in Reno during the month of July), the museum offers innumerable pieces from local and global artists alike.

STPUD explains benefits of snowmaking during a drought

Winter has arrived in the Tahoe Basin with very welcome early snow events and freezing night time temperatures, allowing snowmaking operations to commence to help open ski resorts early. Given California’s drought and the District’s request for continued water conservation, one may wonder about the wisdom of using water for snowmaking.

Prescribed burning is more than just igniting fuels

With more than 4,000 acres of land in the Lake Tahoe basin being burned by the U.S. Forest Service annually, prescribed burns have become an important part of keeping forests healthy.

On Thursday, I followed the Tallac Hotshots as well as Engines 41 and 42 from the U.S. Forest Service as they burned an eight acre parcel off Grass Lake Road in Christmas Valley.

Nevada Arts Council Fellowship work on Display at Sierra Nevada College

Event Date: 
October 16, 2015 (All day)

Sierra Nevada College presents a traveling art show from the Nevada Arts Council October 16 through December 11, 2015 in the school's Prim Library.

“PANORAMA: Selections from the Nevada Arts Council’s Artist Fellowship Program,” the third in a series of traveling exhibits showcasing the recipients of the agency’s Artist Fellowship Award in the visual arts. PANORAMA features twelve exceptional artists and brings Nevada’s statewide artist landscape into view. Each contributing Fellow has demonstrated mastery of process and medium in producing a significant body of work.

Location

Sierra Nevada College Prim Library
United States

Plan unveiled for old Factory Stores at the Y location

"The Factory Stores at the Y" will soon be transformed into "The Crossing at Tahoe Valley" if the plan is approved by the City of South Lake Tahoe. In January, 2015, The Sutter Capital Group of Sacramento announced they had purchased the property after it fell into bankruptcy.

Environmental Technology & Sustainability degree added at LTCC

Lake Tahoe Community College is taking environmental course work to a new level with its new Environmental Technology and Sustainability (ETS) program, being offered for the first time starting this fall. The new ETS program offers three areas of concentration: biological resources, physical resources, and sustainability. Students can earn an Associate of Arts degree, as well as a Certificate of Achievement.

El Dorado County: An unexpected wine region

Editors Note: This is a reprint of an article that appeared in the San Francisco Examiner. Those of us who live in El Dorado County already knew this secret, but it is now out!

It may be gold (and God and gun) country, but visitors are beginning to satisfy other tastes in the Hangtown hills, from apple orchards, farm-side vacation respites and outdoor excursions to wines without an extra layer of price or pretense.

Lake Tahoe road work schedule for August 23 - August 29

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

Land purchased to prove thinning forests can increase water supply

More than 10,000 acres of scenic meadows, forests and trout streams in the Sierra Nevada 10 miles west of Lake Tahoe have been preserved in a deal in which environmentalists hope to prove that thinning out overgrown forests can increase California's water supply.

The Northern Sierra Partnership, an environmental group based in Palo Alto and founded by longtime Silicon Valley leaders Jim and Becky Morgan, joined with the Nature Conservancy and the American River Conservancy to buy the land for $10.1 million from Simorg West Forests, a timber company based in Atlanta.

8th Annual Conservation Landscape Tour

Event Date: 
August 19, 2015 - 4:30pm

The public will have a chance to learn about sustainable landscaping in Lake Tahoe at the 8th Annual Conservation Landscape Tour on August 19. The tour will begin at the Lake Tahoe Community College Demonstration Garden and continue down Pioneer Trail towards Meyers Station.

Jimmy LaFave, the Night Tribe at Valhalla Boathouse Theater Wednesday

Event Date: 
August 12, 2015 - 7:30pm

Considered one of the founding fathers of Americana, singer songwriter Jimmy LaFave will be at the Valhalla Boathouse Theater on Wednesday, August 12.

Lightning to bring critical fire danger to Lake Tahoe

As another round of thunderstorms heads for for the Reno-Tahoe area, forecasters are warning of lightning strikes that could start dangerous wildfires.

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for the greater Lake Tahoe Basin and California’s Mono and Alpine counties from late Thursday afternoon through late Thursday night as an area of low pressure approaches that could bring dry thunderstorms.

Updated fire plan to be presented at Lake Tahoe Summit

An updated Lake Tahoe Basin Community Wildfire Protection Plan will be presented to the public during the Lake Tahoe Environmental Summit on Monday, August 24, 2015. This new Community Wildfire Protection Plan was collaboratively developed by the 18 member organizations of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) and is the culmination of a three-year planning effort.

Understanding & Managing Micro-Irrigation Class

Event Date: 
August 4, 2015 - 5:30pm

Tahoe Resource Conservation District, in partnership with South Tahoe Public Utility District, is hosting FREE Water Conservation Workshops this summer.

The next one on the schedule is "Understanding and Implementing Micro-irrigation."

Get inspired to create a mountain oasis at Landscape Tour

Get inspired to transform your home’s landscape into a mountain oasis at the 8th Annual Conservation Landscape Tour on Wednesday, August 19 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This year’s theme is discovering the many approaches to Tahoe Friendly Landscaping.

Design Workshop wins two Nevada awards

Design Workshop, the company behind several recent South Lake Tahoe projects, won two awards from the Washoe County Open Space and Regional Park Commission.

The company, who has an office on the South Shore, has completed projects in 30 countries over the last 45 years. They received the Elmer H. Anderson Parks Excellence Award for the work they have done to make the Ballardini Ranch Trailhead project a success. The project team also included Wood Rodgers, Spanish Springs Construction and Angie Persigehl.

Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band join Houston Jones at Valhalla

Event Date: 
August 5, 2015 - 8:00pm

The Valhalla Art, Music and Theatre Festival continues with a live music double header when Susie Glaze & The Hilonesome Band and Houston Jones perform in the Boathouse Theater on Wednesday, August 5 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Susie Glaze & The Hilonesome Band and Houston Jones

Event Date: 
August 5, 2015 - 7:30pm

A live music double header at Valhalla!

Susie Glaze & The Hilonesome Band has been likened to the classic British bands Pentangle and Fairport Convention blending classic folk music with rough-edged stories of tragedy and fate, all with orchestral arrangements sounding like chamber music gone folk! This is a lush newgrass Americana folk fusion quintet presenting gorgeous eclectic blends of mountain folk and exciting new grassy and Celtic-inspired originals, all with the remarkable voice of Susie Glaze.

Location

Valhalla Boathouse Theatre
#1 Valhalla Rd., Emerald Bay Rd (Hwy 89) South Lake Tahoe
United States

Disaster Declaration for parts of Douglas County

9:20 p.m. update 7/8/15

Approximately 141 homes have water and structural damage after Wednesday's flooding in the Stephanie and Johnson Lane areas of Douglas County. It is unknown how many homes may have landscape damage.

No injuries have been reported.

Douglas County has activated a flood hot line for residents who have been affected by the flooding. The number to call is (775) 782-6262 or visit douglasflood2015@gmail.com.

Free Lake Tahoe Landscape Class: Xeriscape the Garden

Event Date: 
June 17, 2015 - 5:30pm

During times of drought, homeowners turn to water conservation not only in their daily habits but in their gardens as well.

There is even a word for this: xeriscape. The definition of xeriscape is landscaping and gardening that reduces or eliminates the need for supplemental water from irrigation.

The Tahoe Resource Conservation District is hold a free workshop on xeriscping on Wednesday, June 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the South Tahoe Public Utility District.

Reform called for in funding of wildfire suppression efforts

Those of us living in the Sierra Nevada are well aware of the drought and of the growing threat of wildfires caused by dry conditions. Due to the threat of catastrophic wildfires in the West, three major players at the government level have called for reforms in the way the federal government funds wildfire suppression efforts.

Smart towns know how to capitalize on active and bike tourism

South Lake Tahoe can create a sustainable economy if we focus on "active tourism." This was the message relayed by the panel of speakers at Wednesday's Tahoe Talk series at Lake Tahoe Community College.

If the 15 page spread about Lake Tahoe in the May edition of Bike magazine is any indication, people know about the activity/recreation based tourism awaiting them in Tahoe, and they're about to come.

Are we ready?,

Just about.

'Swim for Africa' Paint & Sip fundraiser

Event Date: 
May 18, 2015 - 6:00pm

Learn how to paint a beautiful African landscape piece and help give our children in Kenya an education and future hope.

Swim For Africa was founded in 2010 by the three Carter sisters from South Lake Tahoe to help raise support for children in Athi River, Kenya. Each year, 'Swim For Africa' helps the Athi River children by providing their families with necessary funds for schooling, school supplies, and food. 'Swim For Africa' relies on the donations of others and the comfort that community can bring to fund 7-8 children in school and 3-4 families with food.

LTBMU Forest Supervisor to speak at Tahoe Sierra Club meeting

Event Date: 
May 28, 2015 - 7:00pm

Jeff Marsolais, the new forest supervisor of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, will be speaking at the next meeting of the Tahoe Area Sierra.

Formerly LTBMU’s deputy supervisor, Marsolais, who now oversees the 154,000 acres around the Lake Tahoe Basin, will be speaking on a variety of issues including Recreation Sustainability and Landscape Collaboration.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions and comment in an open forum after the talk. This meeting is free of charge and open to the public.

Location

Unity at the Lake
1195 Rufus Allen Blvd South Lake Tahoe
United States

Celebrate May Day with Art Reception at Bona Fide Books

Event Date: 
May 1, 2015 - 6:30pm

Bona Fide Books will host an art reception for plein air painter Claudia A. Garza on Fri., May 1, 6:30-8:30 pm at its shop in Meyers. This event is free and open to the public.

Raised in Chicago, Garza is a longtime art lover who began studying with Phyllis Shafer and Dave Russo at Lake Tahoe Community College when she moved to South Lake Tahoe in 2004.

Court's decision leaves marijuana on list of dangerous drugs

Marijuana is still on the list of dangerous drugs after U.S. Federal Court Judge Kimberly Mueller's ruling in Sacramento Wednesday. The move disappoints advocates that saw the case as a chance to get closer to their goal of nationwide legalization.

Mueller denied the motion of the defendants in United States v. Bryan Schweder to dismiss an indictment on that basis that the continued scheduling of marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance in federal law was unconstitutional.

Tesla effect: 10 notable newcomers to Nevada commerce

Northern Nevada is on the radar of businesses seeking to relocate to the state, due in part to the much-publicized Tesla Motors' mammoth battery gigafactory under construction east of Sparks.

Over the past year and into 2015, the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada has assisted in bringing nearly three dozen businesses to the region and helped in at least seven expansions of existing businesses.

Sandoval to remove lawn at Governor's mansion due to drought

One of the top water users in the Reno area, Gov. Brian Sandoval said Wednesday he is taking steps to cut back on outdoor irrigation and plans to remove turf in his yard to set an example during this time of drought.

A landscape contractor who is taking care of Sandoval's Latigo Drive home while he and his family reside in the governor's Carson City mansion accepted blame for overwatering that at one point consumed more than 1 million gallons over the course of a year, according to records obtained by the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Tahoe Art League presents a demonstration by local artist Thaleia Georgiades

Event Date: 
March 11, 2015 - 6:00pm

The Tahoe Art League preesnts “Change Your Point of View," a demonstration by artist Thaleia Georgiades.

They have invited the public to participate in the demonstration to learn how to add drama and interest to art works through changing your point of view. This dynamic event will be held as part of the league's monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 11, at 6:00 p.m. at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center. It is free to the public.

Friends of Black Rock looking for artists for Spring residencies

As we enter a New Year, it’s time for artists to share their thanks in celebrating one of Northern Nevada's icons by applying for spring residencies at the Black Rock Desert High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. Applications will be accepted until March 31.

In Nevada, a Controversy in the Wind

For the past few years, the geologists Brenda Buck and Rodney Metcalf have combed the wild terrain of southern Nevada, analyzing its stony dunes and rocky outcroppings — and to their dismay, tallying mounting evidence of a landscape filled with asbestos.

Asbestos occurs naturally in many parts of the country, mostly in the West but also along some mountain ranges in the East. But in Nevada, the scientists found, natural erosion and commercial development were sending the fibers into the wind.

Before and After the Flames: Forest, Fire and Climate Change in the Wake of the King Fire

Event Date: 
January 27, 2015 - 7:00pm

The El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society presents Before and After the Flames: Fire, Forest and Climate Change in the Sierra Nevada, a talk by Dr. Hugh D. Safford, Senior Vegetation Ecologist for the US Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region (including California, Hawaii and Pacific Islands) and Dr. Becky Estes, ecologist with the the US Forest Service, Tuesday, January 27th, 7pm at the Planning Commission Meeting Room, Building C of the County Office Buildings, 2850 Fairlane Court in Placerville. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Alpine Smith of South Lake Tahoe offers free snow removal to military families

South Lake Tahoe military families and wounded or disabled veterans can receive free snow and ice removal this winter from Alpine Smith, Inc.

In their fifth year of providing this service, Alpine Smith, Inc joins ranks with Project EverGreen's Snowcare for Troops program to help ease the burden on military families or disabled and wounded veterans needing assistance this winter.

Carson Valley Storyteller Horserider video series released

For the past year, Terri Arnold of South Lake Tahoe has been creating promotional videos for the Carson Valley Story Teller series. Each of the nine completed videos (three are still in post production), show Arnold as she shows viewers all they can do in the area. She doesn't show you in the normal way either, everything is done while on a horse named Meha. They can all be seen on the Carson Valley Visitor Authority's You Tube page.

At Tahoe and Across the Country, Epic Collaboration is Key

As the keynote speaker at last month’s National Workshop on Large Landscape Conservation in Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell emphasized the central role collaboration must play for America to protect its natural resources, balance economic needs, and address emerging environmental challenges such as climate change.

“We are moving into an era of epic collaboration,” Jewell said, explaining that regional partnerships across jurisdictional boundaries are more important than ever for the federal department that manages 20 percent of our nation’s land.

Residents and Businesses Work to Restore Lake Tahoe’s Natural Beauty

Event Date: 
October 12, 2014 - 9:30am

Residents and businesses located in Nevada and California have joined efforts to remove graffiti and trash from Lake Tahoe which is known for its pristine water and incredible natural setting. On Sunday, October 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., organizers invite friends and supporters of Lake Tahoe to participate in this special multi-state effort. They will meet at 9:30 a.m. at Sand Harbor for a safety talk, graffiti and trash removal instructions and supplies.

Sign ups being taken for 11 week Master Gardener training session

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) invites adults interested in helping others learn about gardening and landscaping to apply to train as a Lake Tahoe Master Gardener volunteer. UCCE Master Gardener volunteers learn University-based scientific information and then share that knowledge with the gardening community. Master Gardener volunteers are people of all ages and from all walks of life.

Tahoe Tourism, Technology + Marketing Workshop Set for November

Event Date: 
November 6, 2014 - 8:30am

Learn the Latest in Analytics, Email Marketing and Social Media Best Practices at the Annual Tahoe Tourism, Technology + Marketing Workshop on November 6.

From blogs to social media, online video to location based services, there is an enormous volume of technologies facing marketing executives today. Understanding where and how they fit into a marketing strategy can be confusing, even overwhelming.

Location

Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel
4130 Lake Tahoe Blvd. South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
United States

Wetlands to be restored and dam removed at Incline Lake

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit purchased Incline Lake on the north shore in 2011, and after it was deemed unsafe to development downstream it was drained.

Now they are planning on restoring the wetlands in the area and removing the dam.

Dine with Mark Twain at the historic Dangberg Ranch

Event Date: 
September 13, 2014 - 5:30pm

Have you dined with the ghost of Mark Twain recently? If not, the historic Dangberg Ranch in Minden, NV is giving you an opportunity!

The non-profit Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch will present a day of music, art and Americana on Saturday, September 13, to raise operating funds for the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park.

The main event is a reservations-only gala dinner, "Under Western Skies: Dinner with Mark Twain," at 5:30 p.m., featuring McAvoy Layne performing as the ghost of Mark Twain.

Toast of the Canyon Wine Train on the V & T Railroad

Event Date: 
August 30, 2014 - 5:00pm

Northern Nevada has its own version of a wine train as the V & T Railroad's historic steam engine takes people along the Carson River for an evening of wine and appetizers.

Hop on board at the train station each of Carson City and embark for a scenic trip that offers panoramic views of the Carson River Canyon and Nevada's classic high desert landscape.

7th Annual Landscape Tour: Vegetable gardens of Meyers highlighted

Event Date: 
August 21, 2014 - 4:30pm

A free, and self guided tour of various vegetable gardens in Meyers will be held on Thursday, August 21 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

See how successful local gardeners can be, even with our high altitude and short growing season in the South Lake Tahoe area.

Staff from the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, University of California Cooperative Extension- Lake Tahoe Master Gardeners and residents will be on hand at each location to share tips, success stories and information on how you too can successfully grow vegetables in our mountain environment.

Gary Noy, author of Sierra Stories: Tales of Dreamers, Schemers, Bigots and Rogues autographs books for local agency

Event Date: 
August 2, 2014 - 1:00pm

Gary Noy, author of Sierra Stories: Tales of Dreamers, Schemers, Bigots and Rogues, will sign books and lecture as a Benefit for the South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center on August 2, 2014 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The author will make a presentation and sign books to help raise money for the agency.

The event will take place at the Center’s Bookworks Bookstore located at 3330 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe.

Location

Bookworks at Lakeview Plaza
3330 Lake Tahoe Blvd, Suite 9 Where the highway meets the lake
United States

Lake Tahoe a finalist in "America's Favorite Space" - Winner announced on Thursday

Good Morning America, ABC TV's morning show, has but the vote out to the viewers to select the top spot in the country. They gathered nominations and photos and here are the Top 5:\\The Top 5 Nominees

1. Lake Tahoe. Known for its crystal clear blue water and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the lake, which borders Nevada and California, is a nature lover's paradise. For Nancie Goodnough, who cannot walk and hike due to rheumatoid arthritis, Lake Tahoe has been a place of healing.

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