Town Council Bans Plastic Bags TRUCKEE
In a unanimous vote on Nov. 25, the Truckee Town Council approved an ordinance aimed at reducing the consumption of single-use carry out bags in all stores within Truckee. Effective June 1, 2014, all plastic single-use carryout bags are prohibited from distribution; recyclable paper bags may be provided to customers for a minimum charge of 10 cents per bag. The 10-cent charge will not be subject to sales tax and will be kept by the merchant. Due to health code regulations, restaurants providing carryout food service are currently exempt. Retail establishments can provide reusable bags to customers for free as a promotional event. Truckee joins more than 80 California communities that have also banned single-use bags. Info: ndorr@townoftruckee.com
TDPUD Considers Water Rate Increases TRUCKEE
The Truckee Donner Public Utility District is considering increasing water rates by 3 percent beginning in March 2014, and then increasing them by another 3 percent in January 2015. A public hearing where the board will receive public comments is scheduled for Wed., Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. at the district office. The TDPUD’s last water increase was adopted in 2010 and became effective January 2011. Earlier this year, the district hired a consulting firm to perform an independent rate and cost of service study, which supported the proposed rate increases. The board accepted the study at its Nov. 6 meeting. Protests must be filed in writing with the deputy clerk of the district any time before the close of public hearings. Info: 11570 Donner Pass Rd., Truckee, tdpud.org ~ Kara Fox/Moonshine Ink
Sears and Truckee Fire Department Give Out Carbon Monoxide Detectors TRUCKEE
With the recent deaths in Tahoe Donner due to carbon monoxide poisoning, Sears Hometown Store in Truckee has partnered with the Truckee Firefighter Charitable Fund to raise money for additional carbon monoxide detectors for the community. Through Dec. 31, Sears customers and company employees will have the opportunity to donate to the “Salute to Local Heroes” charity campaign, with all contributed funds in the Truckee Sears Hometown Store going to the CO Detectors Campaign. In addition, $2 from each Craftsman® Bottle Cap Wrench purchase at the store will be directly donated to the campaign. Initial symptoms of CO poisoning often mimic the flu, including headaches, dizziness, and nausea, and often are misdiagnosed. When undetected, CO poisoning can lead to severe brain damage or death. To pick up a free carbon monoxide detector, visit the Truckee Fire Department at 10049 Donner Pass Rd., Truckee.
New Executive Director at the Family Resource Center TRUCKEE
The Family Resource Center of Truckee has hired Nicole Todd Bailey as its new executive director. This comes after an extensive eight-month search by a transition committee comprised of three board members and an external consultant. Emily Diepenheim has served as acting executive director since the departure of Adela Gonzales de Valle last March. Bailey brings a wide range of leadership and intercultural experience from the Peace Corps to Apple, Inc. She currently serves as a board member for Child Family Health International in San Francisco, and has most recently been providing organizational consulting services to corporate and nonprofit clients in the Bay Area. She and her family are in the process of relocating to Truckee.
Resort Hires Kings Beach Activist As Outreach Coordinator SQUAW VALLEY
Squaw Valley Real Estate Holdings has hired Theresa May Duggan as its community outreach coordinator. Duggan is a long-time community advocate and volunteer in Kings Beach, and was one of the leaders of the Kings Beach Commercial Core Improvement Project. Duggan worked with Chevis Hosea, Squaw’s vice president of development, and Squaw Valley CEO Andy Wirth on the Community House project in Kings Beach. For the last two months, Duggan has been interviewing Squaw community leaders, skiers, and incorporation proponents to find out how to improve the Squaw Valley village expansion project. “We learned from Kings Beach that the best ideas come from the people,” she said. “The goal is to obtain solutions we can all live with, and to do that together.”
Hosea said Duggan was the best person for the job.
“In searching for someone to help us harvest community input into our expansion plans for the Village at Squaw Valley, Tee May seemed like the perfect candidate and has proven to be just that,” Hosea wrote in an email. “She has reached out to her key contacts in the community at large and received volumes of input, much of which we are currently incorporating into our plans, which will be presented to the public very soon.” ~ Melissa Siig/Moonshine Ink
Olympic Valley Incorporation Group Files Application to Become Town SQUAW VALLEY
Incorporate Olympic Valley has taken the next step toward becoming a new town by submitting a formal application and $25,000 deposit to the Local Agency Formation Committee (LAFCO).
LAFCO will determine whether the application is complete and will initiate further studies to determine the viability of the proposed incorporation, including an environmental study and fiscal analysis.
“Our initial fiscal analysis, essentially a feasibility study, showed the town to be viable,” said Fred Ilfeld, IOV chairman. “Now that we have officially submitted the application, we look forward to a positive comprehensive fiscal analysis that will prove to LAFCO we can stand on our own as a separate town.“
If LAFCO approves the application, the measure to become the new town of Olympic Valley will go to the ballot. Currently, there are approximately 560 registered Squaw Valley voters. Total incorporation costs are estimated to be $105,000. To date, IOV has raised over $48,000. Info: incorporateolympicvalley.org
“Plates for Powder” Program Raises Funds for Environmental Projects TAHOE BASIN
The Tahoe Fund is again launching the popular “Plates for Powder” promotion to drive sales of Lake Tahoe license plates. From now until April 1, individuals who purchase a new Lake Tahoe license plate in either California or Nevada can receive two free lift tickets to one of 11 participating Tahoe resorts. Over 96 percent of the funds raised through plate sales go directly to the California Tahoe Conservancy and Nevada Division of State Lands to fund hiking and biking trails and watershed restoration projects. Current Tahoe plate owners can win free lift tickets throughout the winter season through the “Plate Spotting” promotion. A team of plate spotters will photograph Tahoe plates spotted around Lake Tahoe and the Bay Area. These plates are then eligible for the bimonthly drawing of two lift tickets. The public is invited to spot plates and upload their own photos to the Tahoe Fund Facebook page. Info: tahoeplates.com
Liberty Utilities Proposes Rebuilding Tahoe Transmission Lines NORTH SHORE
California Pacific Electric Company, better known as Liberty Utilities, wants to rebuild two major transmission lines — the 625 and 650 power lines — which primarily serve the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. They are some of the oldest electric lines in California.
As far back as the 1980s, the need to upgrade these two power lines was identified. When CalPeco purchased the NV Energy service territory in early 2011, it acquired these aging lines and began the process to upgrade the system.
Plans were filed to upgrade the existing 625 and 650 power lines and associated substations from 60 kilovolt (kV) to 120 kV to allow the entire transmission loop to operate at 120 kV. This upgraded closed loop system will allow for greater load transfer and switching ability, resulting in better reliability for Liberty’s customers.
Liberty Utilities President Mike Smart emphasized that even without any new load growth, the current system in the winter is at its capacity and reliability limits.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is accepting written comments on the draft environmental impact report through Jan. 7. Info: trpa.org/get-involved/major-projects/, libertyutilities.com/west/community/reliability.html
TRPA and Other Agencies Propose Cross-Lake Ferry NORTH SHORE
The Federal Transit Administration, Tahoe Transportation District, and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency are proposing the Lake Tahoe Passenger Ferry Project, a cross-lake ferry service. The ferry would travel between the South Shore at Ski Run Marina and the North Shore at Grove Street Pier, just west of Tahoe City Marina. Additional North Shore terminal locations may be considered.
The service is proposed to operate year-round and on a fixed schedule. Additionally, it would coordinate with existing local transit services on the North and South shores. Implementation of the project would assist in achieving local, state, regional, and federal environmental and transportation goals by reducing dependency on automobiles and environmental impacts associated with automobile use. Additional goals to improve mobility, connect communities, and enhance economic vitality would also be realized.
The public has until Jan. 3 to comment on the notice of preparation. Info: Alfred Knotts, aknotts@tahoetransportation.org, (775) 589- 5503, tahoetransportation.org, trpa.org
