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State Gold Award:Jon Halvorsen, Tahoe Truckee Education Assocation representative (left), Laura Abbey Brown, Excellence in Education executive director, and TTEA representative Ed Hilton traveled to Sacramento to attend the CTA annual dinner and awards ceremony. Courtesy photo |
CommentsSpot News Briefs: Placer County
17 June to 14 July 2010
Published: June 22, 2010
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Excellence in Education Wins Award
The Excellence in Education Foundation has received the State Gold Award from the California Teacher’s Association. The award is bestowed annually upon people or organizations whose leadership, acts, and support have proven them to be a true friend of public education, educators, or students and deserves statewide recognition.
“This is a tremendous honor for our foundation,” said foundation Executive Director Laura Abbey Brown. “Our mission has always been to support the teachers and students in our school district and it is always nice to be reassured that our efforts are appreciated.”
The Excellence in Education Foundation was nominated by members of the local Tahoe Truckee Education Association. Info: (530) 550-7984, exined.org
Tahoe Vista Wetlands to Be Restored With Help of Grants
Placer County’s cleanup efforts of an abandoned concrete batch plant on the North Shore have been bolstered by three grants totaling $600,000 towards restoration efforts in the Snow Creek wetlands.
The property, known as the TNT Materials plant, is located on Gun Club Road in Tahoe Vista. Department of Public Works Tahoe Engineering division is the owner of the property, having acquired it in August of 2008 with a $2 million grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. Additional public easements create a project area of almost three acres.
The plant, opened in 1948, initially provided paving material for the construction of State Highway 267.
The three grants are from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Grants and Land Revitalization program, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The goal is to remove fill material that was placed into the wetlands.
North Tahoe PUD Seeks New Members for Rec and Parks Commission
The North Tahoe Public Utility District is seeking interested community members for volunteer positions on the district’s Recreation and Parks Commission. Two adult seats and two youth seats are open.
The commission awards Youth Trust Fund scholarships and makes recommendations to the board about policies, pricing, and park rules. Current projects include fundraising for the playground at the North Tahoe Regional Park, developing a policy about advertising and donations for parks, and assisting with facilitation of a sailing program in Kings Beach.
The commission meets monthly; meetings last two to three hours. The commissioners are also asked for additional time commitments for special community events, to share information on the Friends of the Park Fund, and other activities.
All commissioners must be residents of the district, and student members must be full-time 11th- or 12th-grade students in good standing. Applications available at ntpud.org; click on the “About” tab and then “Recreation and Parks Commission.”
Info: Pam Lefrancois, plefrancois@ntpud.org, (530) 546-4212; Kathy Long, klong@ntpud.org, (530) 546-7249
Two Caltrans Road Improvement Projects Start
Two California Department of Transportation projects began around June 7. On Highway 267, the $500,000 asphalt replacement improvement project will remove and replace sections of the asphalt concrete surfacing between Northstar Drive and Brockway Summit. Motorists can expect delays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday (until noon on Friday). The contractor is J.D. Pasquetti Engineering, Inc. from Lincoln, Calif. Work is anticipated to be completed before Memorial Day weekend.
In Kings Beach between North Avenue and Stewart Way, roadwork includes drainage improvements, installation of a turn lane at the Commonwealth/Kingswood intersection, new surfacing, and new lighting. Contract bid is $3.36 million. There will be one-way traffic control during daytime hours until July 1. After July 1, lane closures will only occur between 8 p.m. and 11 a.m. The contractor is Q&D Construction Co. out of Sparks. Info: dot.ca.gov
Bennington Hired as Tahoe Rim Trail Executive Director
The Tahoe Rim Trail Association recently appointed Mary Bennington of Gardnerville, Nev., as its new executive director.
Bennington brings more than 20 years of experience managing nonprofit organizations and governmental programs.
As a founding member and past president of the Carson Valley Trails Association, Bennington helped establish the Douglas County Comprehensive Trails Plan and was instrumental in preserving access to public lands in the Carson Valley. Bennington served as the associate director of the Sierra Nevada Alliance and also worked at the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, first as their environmental program coordinator and then as the tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program compliance officer. She served as the Carson River Project Manager for the Nature Conservancy, was elected twice to the Douglas County School Board, and served on the board of the League of Women Voters for over five years. Info: info@tahoerimtrail.org, (775) 298-0012, tahoerimtrail.org
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