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This is a critical School Board election. It is important that our future Board continue the great work our present Board has completed over the last decade. So, it is imperative that Larry Reilly be elected as LTUSD School Board Trustee for Area #1. There is a great deal of work that needs to be done in our district. There are important decisions that need to be made. Our schools and our community need practical, tough, experienced leadership to support Dr. Tarwater in his continuing efforts to make LTUSD a great district for our children.

In an effort to clear up misinformation about the proposed US50 Community
Revitalization/Loop Road Project, the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce (TahoeChamber) hosted a public meeting Thursday evening at the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel. With the amount of negative public comments and voiced skepticism during past meetings, Measure T, and in social media, a larger group was expected than the 35 people who attended (and many of those were Tahoe Transportation and Tahoe Chamber staff).

As we collectively hold our breath to see who will lead our nation, our city, our public school system and our local utility district, it is a great time to define leadership.

I learned about leadership while serving on many boards over the last 40 years, starting with Tahoe Parents Nursery School, graduating to school site councils and youth sports boards, then on to community boards, at the County and local level. I have observed many great leaders and learned what leadership is and is not.

Student success, teacher support and a district where all students have access to highly qualified teachers and cutting edge curriculum are some of Larry Reilly’s goals if elected School Board representative for LTUSD area 1. Larry believes that given the opportunity, supported by a strategic, goal oriented plan all students can succeed.

Worried that California might legalize recreational marijuana, the state’s third-largest city by population has voted to ban pot sales ahead of Tuesday’s election.

San Jose isn’t alone in scrambling to block the possible effects of Proposition 64, which would legalize pot but also allow local bans on sales.

Dozens of cities and counties from tiny Blue Lake in the heart of Northern California’s pot-growing mecca to National City near the Mexico border have either imposed or are contemplating tough restrictions on recreational marijuana sales and cultivation.

I am writing this letter in support of Annie Davidson for the LTUSD Board. She is mother to two LTUSD students and knows firsthand the challenges that our school district, educators, and students face. She has no political ties that might sway her in one direction or another in regards to what is best for our community.

As a sitting Council Member and Board Member of Lodging Association, I urge voters to vote Yes on Measure P – “P” for Play and Recreation. This would increase hotel taxes by 2% throughout the City. The Lodging Association is supporting this measure because Recreation is our economy; investing in our economy will encourage more visitors and visitors to stay longer, which in turn supports the rest of our local economy.

Measure T is not about the Loop Road. It is about power. If and when there is a Loop Road Plan, there will be components that will need the city’s approval. The two biggies will be accepting the old Hwy 50 as a city street and using eminent domain to tear down many houses. The point here is that the city will be making decisions. Measure T is about who will be making those decisions: A majority of city council, i.e. 3 people, or 9000 voters.

To the voters of South Lake Tahoe,

I am writing this letter in support of Nancy Dalton’s candidacy for the lake Tahoe Community College Board of Trustees. I heartily endorse Nancy for this position. Nancy’s commitment to education and our community in general is exemplary.

I have known Nancy Dalton for over 25 years. In that time I have seen her give of her time and expertise to our community in so many ways. From teaching our children to setting an example of a life of service, she always carries herself with honor and integrity.

A special election officer has been appointed by the U.S. Attorney's Office to oversee any complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud," said Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. "The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”

I am endorsing Randy Vogelgesang for reelection to the STPUD Board. Randy is a long time local, having lived in the South Lake Tahoe community for 30 years raising a family with his wife, Cathy, and running a successful engineering firm as a small business owner. During the twenty years that I have known Randy and his family, I appreciate the honesty and integrity he has always displayed both personally and professionally.

The Board of the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce (Tahoe Chamber) has announced its position on seven local ballot measures in the City of South Lake Tahoe and Douglas County.

Yes on Measure P

I am a resident and registered voter in Nevada, but I work in Meyers, attended Meyers Elementary, grew up in Christmas Valley, and graduated from South Tahoe High School (STHS). The state line is a blur to me because I view the South Shore as one community. I have two children currently in high school, one at Whittell and one at STHS; I also have another child who graduated from Whittell and is now a college freshman. I believe that a good public education system is the great equalizer in America, and that every child has a right to the best education possible.

I first met Nick at a climate coalition meeting. I was immediately impressed by his passion and knowledge for making a difference to our community, our environment and our economy. He is highly qualified for the position, holding a master’s degree in land use planning. He has lived in our community for 9 years and is dedicated to preserving the environment and improving the infrastructure. He is a proponent of sustainable land practice and renewable energy and will work to implement projects that will have long-term environmental and economic savings for the community.

There are many important issues concerning the Nation, California and South Lake on the November 8th ballot. Not only we will decide on who the next President is but we’ll also be voting in two City Officials, who some could argue will actually have a greater impact on our daily lives than the Nation’s Leader.

This November the right choice for South Lake Tahoe is Jason Collin! Jason is a thoughtful, collaborative and engaging leader with a responsible and positive vision for our community. It has been my pleasure to witness his leadership skills first hand working on volunteer boards and local events together! Jason is a top notch individual whose common sense, respectful communication style and energy are desperately needed on the City Council.

Jason Drew
South Lake Tahoe

To get a look at the properties the County owns, and to get a look at services and programs going on in South Lake Tahoe, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors (BOS) met on the South Shore last week for tours and discussions.

The County owned properties in SLT were highlighted during a morning tour. Each of the properties, the Senior Center, the Museum, the Art League building and the Visitor's Authority building, are owned by the County and maintained by the City.

There is a "Flash Vote" out for community members to give input on their feelings about the safety of South Lake Tahoe's neighborhoods.

Until October 6 at 2:12 p.m., votes will be accepted on perceived safety during the day, during nights, and any input surrounding safety participants wish to provide.

FLASH VOTE HERE

This letter is for anyone interested in seeing students in Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) get the best opportunities possible.

Angela Swanson, who was a Lake Tahoe Unified School Board member from 2005-2009 is back on the board, this time to replace Ginger Nicolay-Davis who left in June to accept a job with the school district. She was interviewed and voted in Tuesday night during the LTUSD board meeting. Her term will last until December, 2018.

The school district accepted applications for the open seat, and Swanson was the lone candidate so Tuesday's interview and vote was just a formality.

Swanson also served on the South Lake Tahoe City Council for a term from 2010-2014.

More money is headed to preserve and restore Lake Tahoe. In Washington Wednesday the U.S. Senate passed its $415 million version of 2015's Lake Tahoe Restoration Act by a vote of 95-3.

The money for Lake Tahoe is part of the $10 billion Water Resources Development Act of 2016.

This is the first time the funding legislation to reauthorize the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act has cleared the full Senate even though its has succeeded at the committee level several times.

The Placer County Supervisors today approved one portion of the controversial Martis Valley Project on 1,052 acres adjacent to the Northstar California Resort, west of State Route 267.

Known at Martis Valley West, the project will add residential and commercial uses while permanently preserving 6,376-acres known as the East Parcel. Even though the acres will be preserved, 760 units and 6.6 acres of commercial area previously approved for the East via the Martis Valley Community Plan will be transferred to the West Parcel.

The fifth annual Fall Festival and the fourth annual Chili Cook Off have joined into one fun Fall event, and will take place at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Complex on Saturday, September 17.

Produced by Golden Bear Events, the Festival will open at 10:00 a.m. and run until 4:00 p.m., and the Chili Cook Off will run from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Admission to the event itself is free, and each attendee will receive a free door prize ticket. Drawings will be held every twenty minutes for gift certificates or small items like plants, reusable bags, coffee mugs, tee shirts, etc.

El Dorado County Superior Court Judge James Wagoner ruled today against the lawsuit filed by Jason Collin on July 14 to stop the Loop Road measure from being submitted to the voters November 8.

"I'm obviously disappointed in the ruling today," Collin told South Tahoe Now. "I still have a lot of concern about an initiative being pushed forward that has fundamental flaws and misleads voters."