Opinion

Running a hospital takes a large team of professionals, all pulling together, often under tremendous stress. We often recognize our caregivers who have direct contact with patients. But behind every clinician is a team of people making sure she or he can do their job well and safely.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless will receive significant funding in the first round of awards for Project Homekey. The funds awarded will support the local community to purchase and rehabilitate housing, including hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, and other properties, and convert them into permanent, long-term housing for people facing homelessness and those currently in insufficient short-term housing. We strongly support the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless and their Project Homekey plans.

If the Lake Tahoe Region of El Dorado County were its own county, it would be solidly on the state watch list, as its new case rate is even higher than LA County’s rate. Furthermore, El Dorado County should be on the watch list, but it is not. As a result, people think it is safe in Tahoe and thousands of visitors are continuously bringing the virus into the area, overwhelming our health system, and exposing residents.

Now, as much as ever, our local community is coming together for the health and wellbeing of our residents and businesses. We are all being affected in different ways by COVID-19 and our local businesses are working to navigate this pandemic safely and successfully.

The South Shore of Lake Tahoe is in uncertain times, but we want to let you know that you can count on:

Businesses taking extra precautions to keep their staff and customers safe.
Residents are coming together to support local businesses.

Local businesses rely on the support of local residents.

My pragmatic mind looks at the recent George Floyd riots in our cities, and as usual, I am astounded with the contrast of how our society and press view the participants, the two sides, in rioting demonstrations recently in our cities.

Peaceful demonstrations as stated by the constitution I have no problem with, even if I disagree with the position of the demonstrators. However, there are two sides to the action in these riots.

If the 4th of July weekend is any indication, Tahoe is under pressure. As coronavirus cases grow nearly everywhere, people naturally look to the mountains, fresh air, and clear water of Tahoe as a respite. Now residents and visitors alike are struggling to adjust to the confusion around re-opening, and visitation that is normally our lifeblood is suddenly a health risk.

Independence Day has a long tradition of bringing family and friends together from near and far to enjoy many of the things that make us uniquely American. Along with all of the freedoms we enjoy we share a strong national conscience. Part of that conscience is accepting responsibility for fulfilling, as individuals,
our civic duties. In these times of pandemic, perhaps our most important civic duty is to ensure the health and safety and wellbeing of ourselves, our families and our community.

With its decision last week, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a real sense of relief and a bit of a reprieve to approximately 800,000 DREAMers in America, including 200,000 in California alone. When the justices sided with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, ruling that the way the Trump administration rescinded the program in 2017 was unlawful, it was a big victory for immigrant communities and their many allies.

If ever there was a time to draw on the healing powers of Lake Tahoe, it’s now. The COVID crisis, complete with loss of life and wide-ranging financial impacts, is being compounded by human struggle and a wellspring of social justice demonstrations that are gripping the nation. One of our core values at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is collaboration -- building collaborative relationships to protect Lake Tahoe. I can tell you that Tahoe's successes have not ever come from reinforcing divisions. The imagined “us vs them" simply creates false divides.

The following is a letter to the El Dorado County CAO, reprinted here at the author's request.

Dear Chief Administrative Officer Don Ashton,

As a 40-year company doing vacation rentals in the South Lake Tahoe area including El Dorado County we would like to make a request that we have made to our representative Sue Novasel many times. Before you implement regulations on vacation rentals, analyze the data which you should have been collecting for the last few years.

Such as:

• Where are the problems coming from?

Whether you live here in Tahoe or can’t wait until it’s safe to visit, we’re all anxious for a return to normalcy. This time of year, that means getting boats on the Lake's beautiful blue waters - while ensuring that you, me and Lake Tahoe stay healthy. To Keep Tahoe Blue, we must protect it from harmful invasive species. Weeds, fish and other invasive organisms can cloud the Lake’s clear waters, encourage toxic algae blooms, and damage Tahoe’s ecological balance. In short, invasive species turn Tahoe green.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

One in five adolescents has had a serious mental health disorder, most commonly depression, anxiety disorders, and/or a substance use disorder. With the COVID-19 pandemic, it has only worsened symptoms of emotional distress.

After living here for over 42 years and working/owning Sessions Salon for 34 of those years, I have never been so grateful to be here.

Watching the extreme loss of life in our country has been heartbreaking, to say the least. Not having full access to our grandkids is painful but nothing compared to what people in many cities in the country have dealt with.

Beautiful weather and a case of cabin fever from shelter in place directives have many of us yearning to get outside. Being in nature provides many wellness benefits. When we leave home to enjoy the bounty of outdoor activities, parks, and trails around us, we can honor those working on the front-line of the coronavirus pandemic by doing our part to stay healthy and keep each other safe.

We would like to express our sincerest appreciation and deepest thanks to the Barton Health team for their efforts to address the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis. This is an unprecedented time to work in health care, and the staff, physicians, and administration have risen to this challenge while showing perseverance, nimbleness, and strategic creativity. The dedication to their job and the brave face they don each day while arriving at work is humbling. As Board members and community members we are deeply moved by this courage.

In the coming days and weeks, you will see a recall petition circulating for me. I voted my conscience on an item before the city council and certain members of the public disagreed with that vote.

The vacation home rental (VHR) industry stands with our neighbors, community, and City Leadership in South Lake Tahoe to discourage visitors to our town at this time. South Shore of Tahoe VHR industry companies have blocked calendars to prevent reservations, issued full refunds for cancelations, and offered incentives encouraging visitors to postpone travel to later dates.

We all need to do our part to eliminate the spread of COVID-19 with social distancing, limiting exposure to our friends, family, and neighbors, and make every attempt to flatten the curve.

Thank you to everyone who attended the 8th annual Dancing with the Tahoe Stars to support Tahoe Arts Project (TAP). This is TAP’s major fundraiser for the year and all proceeds go towards professional performing arts programs in the schools and community. Over 4,500 K-12th grade students benefit from TAP’s programs.

The following letter is from Leonard Carter, a South Lake Tahoe resident interested in running for one of the two open City Council seats in November. While it is too early to officially become a candidate, Mr. Carter explains why he'll be running. Filing opens July 13, 2020.

I support the upcoming Measure B and believe all voters should be informed as to the importance of passing this $52/year bond issue. As a 47-year resident, I have developed a very high degree of respect for and confidence in the Lake Valley Fire Protection District and it’s publicly elected Board of Directors.

I have been a resident in Lake Valley Fire District's jurisdiction for 29 years. Fortunately, my family has never had to use their services. But even so, I appreciate the value of quality, highly-trained Firefighter/Paramedics. I would guess that those many individuals whose lives they have saved would agree. To effectively perform their jobs, they need the best equipment possible and the funding to obtain it.

I am fully in support of Measure B and encourage all residents to vote YES!

Jamie Rhone, Meyers

After a gangbuster start to the winter season, a lot of us in Tahoe are wondering where all the snow has gone. Sitting here at the end of February with snowpack numbers dwindling, snow lovers are chomping at the bit, waiting to see the storm track shift back our way.

Still, the mountains have been buzzing with activity as skiers and snowboarders race to the mountains to enjoy what natural snow we’ve received and are ever thankful for the assist from local resorts’ snowmaking operations.

The Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce (Tahoe Chamber) has announced its endorsement of Measure B and Measure M on the March 3rd Primary Election ballot. Both local measures address a well-documented need for investment in new equipment.

This letter is in response to Toni Hall and Tom Yant whose letters were printed on 2/14/20 (“Why I will be voting ‘No’ on Measure B” and “LVFPD needs to budget for equipment from its big lard pot”). I want to begin by saying YES on Measure B!

I have to wonder if either of them contacted Lake Valley Fire Protection District with their questions, as their information is misleading and incorrect. Our Fire District is available to talk with you about Measure B (530-577-3737), or you can go to their website (lakevalleyfire.org).