environment

CARSON CITY – Danny Tarkanian narrowly beat out state Sen. Barbara Cegavske in the 4^th Congressional District GOP primary today, surviving a tough challenge in the contest to see who will face Democrat state Sen. Steven Horsford in the November general election.

The Lodge Assisted Living and Memory Care Community will host an open house and garden party to welcome the Dementia Resource Center of Northern Nevada to Carson City on Thursday, June 14th from 4 – 6pm. The center will be located inside The Lodge.

On Friday, June 8, 2012, Heavenly Mountain Resort will begin operating the Heavenly Gondola seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for sightseeing, hiking and dining. The Tamarack Express Chairlift will also operate, accessing miles of hiking trails with the best views of Lake Tahoe.

The University of Nevada, Reno’s Sudeep Chandra, a leading Lake Tahoe scientist who has studied invasive species and limnology at the lake for 20 years, said issuing permits for commercial harvesting of crayfish at Lake Tahoe will help improve clarity at the pristine lake, as well as take away a food source for other invasive species that threaten lake clarity and ecosystems.

CARSON CITY – The National Retail Federation has launched a nationwide 60-day campaign to raise awareness among lawmakers and the public on how what it calls a loophole exempting online sales from sales tax is hurting local communities and job creation.

If Nevada’s five-member Congressional delegation is any indication, the group has its work cut out for it, with three members opposed and two supportive of the idea to allow states to tax online sales.

In a milestone for the organization, Amy R. Berry was appointed to the new position of CEO of the Tahoe Fund on Wednesday. The official announcement is a major shift forward for the organization and its mission to raise private and public funding for environmental projects in Lake Tahoe.

Services for legendary radio commentator Travus T. Hipp will be held this Saturday, May 26, in Silver City. Hipp died early Friday morning, May 18, at his Silver City home. He was 75, as old as the Golden Gate Bridge in his beloved San Francisco.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 26, in Silver City. Gathering, gnoshing and remembering will begin at the Silver City Community Center, 385 High Street, at 10:00 a.m. Food and refreshments will be provided. Those who wish may bring more.

More than 350 scientists, environmental policy makers and economic stakeholders will discuss Lake Tahoe and its environmental and economic future at the annual Tahoe Science Conference “Environmental Restoration in a Changing Climate” May 22 to 24 at Incline Village.
The conference, this year being held at Sierra Nevada College, features a scientific poster session and the opening of “Visualizing Change, a photographic exhibition,” on Tuesday evening followed by two full days of seminars and workshops covering more than 20 topics in three main areas:

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is encouraging local residents and part-time homeowners to become “wildfire aware” by taking advantage of public education activities during Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Week happening May 26 to June 3.

“With the fifth anniversary of the Angora fire coming up, this is a good opportunity for our community to discuss the importance of wildfire awareness,” said Joanne Marchetta, Executive Director of TRPA.

TEDx an online education series and offshoot of the popular TED Talks programs, will happen at South Lake Tahoe this fall, those associated with the program confirmed Tuesday.
The conference was approved by TED administration and will likely be held at the new Viking Theatre at South Tahoe High School's Tahoe Arts and Design Academy.

In today's economically stressed environment, it would be quite the political feat to enact any kind of tax increase.

But the backers of the Carson City Center Project, aka Nugget Project, are going to have to hope they can pull off a miracle two-fer.

Several environmental gains over the last five years have been made at the Lake Tahoe Basin, according to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s “Threshold Evaluation Report” released Wednesday, which highlights water quality as a continued area of concern.

Rehabilitated through Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, a total of six orphaned bear cubs have been returned to the wild this spring, ending the California Department of Fish and Game's 2012 yearling bear release program.
The cubs were found in various locations around the state in the summer months of 2011 and were rehabilitated at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care prior to being judged ready to return to the wild. The state program is ongoing and will continue as new cubs come into the facility.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency announced the schedule of public meetings and workshops for public input on the Regional Plan Update draft and environmental documents for Lake Tahoe being released later this month.

The Copper Mountain Solar 1 facility in Boulder City that President Obama visited Wednesday is certainly impressive. With nearly 1 million solar panels, the nation’s largest operating solar facility can provide power for about 17,000 homes without producing any harmful emissions or sending any money out of state for dirty coal or foreign oil.

The Northern Nevada Development Authority's monthly breakfast on May 28 at the Gold Dust West features a program on "Recruiting and Retaining the Multi-Generational Workforce."

Authors Lance Richards and Jason Morga will speak about how, in today's dynamic business environment, workforce diversity has emerged as a key to unlocking competitive advantage. The aging and declining workforce is a global phenomenon presenting unprecedented workforce shifts - across traditional boundaries.

How do organizations prepare for these colliding simultaneous trends? What are the keys to success?

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval sent a letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today making it clear that he does not support any type of nuclear waste disposal or interim storage at Yucca Mountain.

Come join the Lake Tahoe Water Trail's Annual Spring Paddle! We will be launching from Commons Beach in Tahoe City for a morning paddle, followed by lunch at Sunnyside Restaurant and Lodge. Interpretive guides will navigate and educate about the Lake Tahoe environment. All ages and skill levels are welcome! For more information and registration log onto laketahoewatertrail.org.

Brad Bonkowski has announced that he plans to run for Carson City Supervisor Ward 2.

Bonkowski is the third candidate to announce a run for the seat being vacated by Shelly Aldean, who decided not to run for reelection after serving on the board of 10 years. Liz Teixeira and Maurice White have also announced their intentions to run for the seat.

Bonkowski released the following statement:

Prospective students, parents and community members are invited to explore the reality of customized teaching and learning during the Spring 2012 Custom Learning Academy (CLA) Open House in Truckee from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21. CLA employs a highly personalized approach to education, offers national standard-based curriculum tailored to the individual needs of each student and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

New Lake Tahoe license plates are appearing on the vehicle fleets of major ski resorts and businesses in the Tahoe Basin, as support for the Tahoe plate program in California and Nevada continues this winter.

Heavenly Ski Resort helped launch the program in 1996 and has 140 vehicles plated for Tahoe. Northstar Resort, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, and Tahoe Dave’s Skis and Boards have ordered new Tahoe plates.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 27, 2012

CONTACT: Marsha Gilford Justin Fletcher Mike Dale
Smith’s Food & Drug Smith’s Store Manager New Media Strategists
(801) 973-1700 (775) 885-9922 (801) 930-0547

NEWLY REMODELED SMITH’S BRINGS FRESH SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency will conduct travel surveys with visitors and residents at several recreational and commercial locations throughout the Basin beginning this Friday, February 24. The interviewing, to be carried out by a professional survey research company, is scheduled to take place through Sunday, March 4. Surveyors will wear badges while patrolling survey sites. Results from the Travel Mode Survey will be used to track the success of and help plan multi-modal travel options around Lake Tahoe.

Café at Adele’s hosted two events this week to promote changes at the restaurant and to raise money for The Greenhouse Project.

Community leaders met Tuesday to experience first-hand the changes owners Charlie and Karen Abowd have made, both to the restaurant and to the menu. The same was true of Wednesday’s event to benefit The Greenhouse Project.

Recognized for stewardship and care taken in the building and construction of developments around Lake Tahoe, the 22nd annual Best in the Basin awards were announced Tuesday by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
The TRPA, which sets policy for development around Lake Tahoe, will recognize the winners, listed below, during the 2011 Best in the Basin awards presentation during the meeting of its Governing Board on Wednesday, Feb. 22 in Stateline. Go here for the agenda.

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency employee Jeff Cowen was honored as the recipient of the North Lake Tahoe Chamber and Resort Association’s Employee of the Year Award for his outstanding work as TRPA’s Community Liaison.

“I was shocked and truly honored to receive this recognition,” Cowen said about the award. “I am lucky in my job because I get to inform the community about all the great work being done by TRPA staff. I know I share this award with them,” he said.

The City of South Lake Tahoe and the League to Save Lake Tahoe have entered into a Settlement Agreement in which the League agrees to drop its appeal of their lawsuit against the City regarding the General Plan Update and the City agrees not to seek payment for legal fees.

The Northern Nevada Development Authority's monthly breakfast on Feb. 29 at the Carson Nugget will feature Steve Hill, director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. Hill will share the new strategies and plans for developing a stronger and more effective economic development structure throughout the State of Nevada.

Key elements of The Plan include:

• Coordinate & execute regional planning
• Regional & sub-region branding

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval described today’s first meeting of the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority as “historic,” and he called on the new group formed as a result of 2011 legislation to help expand charter schools to provide more choice to parents and students.

Sandoval spoke at the first meeting of the panel, one of only 10 in the country solely dedicated to the development and oversight of charter schools.