affordable

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council answered the same ten questions that were given to them by South Tahoe Now. For nine consecutive days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

Today, Hal Cole gives his responses as he attempts to return to the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council answered the same ten questions that were given to them by South Tahoe Now. For nine consecutive days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

Today, the first-time candidate Tamara Wallace gives her responses as she seeks a seat on the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council answered the same ten questions that were given to them by South Tahoe Now. For nine consecutive days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

Today, current Councilman Austin Sass shares his thoughts in his quest for another term on the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

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.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On Thursday, the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) Board of Directors discussed changing their administrative code to allow for the transfer of sewer and water units from one parcel to another in order to encourage the building of affordable housing projects.

Since 2012, the transfer of the sewer units have not been allowed by STPUD, but with the current lack of affordable housing on the South Shore the board will look to approve a change of the code at their September 20, 2018 meeting.

Everyone knows what goes downhill, but the South Tahoe Public Utility District knows how to recycle it into 381,000 kilowatts of electricity per year. A recent feature article by the Association of California Water Agencies pointed out that STPUD is one of only a handful of utility districts in the entire world that can claim 100% reuse of wastewater and bio solids. Here’s how. We use centrifuges instead of the usual pollution causing burners. That allows us to make fertilizer for ranch land.

Chariot, the new microtransit service in South Lake Tahoe, was officially welcomed to the community Tuesday during a Tahoe Chamber ribbon cutting ceremony with representatives from the League to Save Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the City of South Lake Tahoe and chamber members.

The annual Art, Wine and Music Festival will return to The Village at Squaw Valley on July 14 and 15, celebrating its 17th anniversary. In celebration of the event, visitors can taste some of California’s finest wines at wine tastings while enjoying performances from national and international artists on three different stages. The event, which also features local and regional artisans, takes place on Saturday, July 14 and Sunday, July 15, 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After an extensive nationwide search for the perfect candidate to fill Lake Tahoe Community College’s (LTCC) first-ever, full-time, tenure-track faculty position in Wilderness Education and Outdoor Leadership, LTCC is pleased to announce the hiring of Dr. Clinton Culp, an avid outdoorsman.

South Lake Tahoe, CA - Starting in Fall 2018, all first-time, full-time California residents or AB540 eligible students attending Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) will pay no tuition their first year. The Lake Tahoe College Promise is available to any student who is attending college for the first time. LTCC offers associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and vocational certificates in more than 40 areas of study, including Psychology, Business, Fire Science, Culinary Arts, and Allied Health.

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 following was sent to the South Lake Tahoe City Council and was shared with South Tahoe Now:

Two pressing issues in Lake Tahoe and Northern Nevada are problems encountered by cities throughout the country, affordable housing and homelessness, and a student at Western Nevada College believes he has a viable solution.

Western Nevada College (WNC) student Masih Madani is devoted to seeing these two issues addressed by constructing tiny houses from out-of-circulation shipping containers. The 320-square-foot galvanized steel containers can be stacked side by side, as well as on top of each other, creating a variety of housing possibilities.

As a parent, you may be concerned about how to pay for your child’s future higher education expenses. You want what’s best for your child and to help them fulfill their dream of becoming whatever they want to be. However, as we all know, the cost of college is getting more expensive each year. By the time your children are ready for college, it may be even more expensive than you thought.

Signing up for a health insurance plan can be daunting and time consuming. As a Certified Enrollment Counselor, my job is to make it easier for South Lake Tahoe families and individuals to navigate Covered California and enroll in a health care plan.

With all the talk the about health care, I have heard rumblings and rumors about what is happening with the Affordable Care Act and what is changing with insurance. Get informed! Make a free one-on-one appointment with me or one my fellow enrollment counselors, have your questions answered, and get enrolled for 2018.

The Board of Directors and membership of St. Joseph Community Land Trust wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the PFUND Family Foundation for its generous gift of $5,000. This donation will assist us considerably in our mission to help provide affordable housing and to improve the quality of life for residents of the Lake Tahoe Basin.The continued support of the PFUND Family Foundation over the years is very much appreciated.

- Cathy Kope, Executive Director, St. Joseph Community Land Trust

The public has another opportunity to give feedback on the design of the U.S. 50/South Shore Community Revitalization Project on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Formerly known as the Loop Road Project, this one seeks to divert Highway 50 from its current location near the intersection with Pioneer Trail and move traffic behind Raleys and the casinos, then reuniting with the current location of Highway 50 in Stateline, Nevada with a roundabout.

Nevada residents and visitors are invited to celebrate Nevada Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 30, with a “fee-free” day at Nevada’s State Parks. Park fees, including entrance, camping on Saturday night, and boating, where applicable, will be waived at state parks throughout Nevada.

More than a few people have asked me if I was frustrated by this last city council meeting and the 6.5 hour discussion regarding the revised VHR (Vacation Home Rental) ordinance. I thought the City Manager's introduction on why we were looking at a revised ordinance and the staff presentation on the revisions were excellent and on point. At first I was a little confused about some of the council questions of staff but reminded myself that the VHR sub-committee made up of Mayor Pro Tem David and myself have been living, sleeping and eating the VHR issue for over two years.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are two topics that fills the City Council chambers: Marijuana and Vacation Home Rentals (VHR). Interested residents and other stakeholders in the City's proposed changes to the VHR ordinance not only filled chambers, but filled seats surrounding televisions in the lobby where the proceedings were aired.

After almost six hours of presentation and conversation, the City Council voted to bring back the new ordinance in one month on October 5.

"Our job is to make a decision, not continuing to kick the can down the road," said SLT Mayor Austin Sass.

It's back to the drawing board for the Douglas County School District (DCSD) Board of Trustees after they officially decided to not give Patrick Taylor and Lake Parkway LLC another extension in their effort to buy Kingsbury Middle School.

Citing no confidence in the buyer's ability to put a deal that can close together, the trustees voted unanimously to take the steps needed to put the old middle school back on the market.

"I think the School District made a poor decision today," Patrick Taylor of Lake Parkway LLC told South Tahoe Now. "They are very unrealistic."

South Lake Tahoe’s first ever Brewfest last month was such a huge success that it ran out of beer and raised over $20,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe.

A special meeting of the Douglas County School Board will be held on Monday, July 24 at 4:30 p.m. to discuss, review and vote on one of two options surrounding the sale of Kingsbury Middle School.

The district closed the school during the 2008-2009 school year due to declining enrollment. Zephyr Cove Elementary School and Whittell High School adjusted the grades the serve to absorb the middle school students. The district put the school building and property on the market in 2012 and it has now been vacant for over eight years.