Loads of trash left behind on Tahoe beaches
Trash from July 4 that volunteers collected on the South Shore. Photo/Kenny Curtzwiler
Either more people were in town or they were less respectful of their surroundings because the beaches in Lake Tahoe were full of garbage from July 4 revelers.
For the 17th year, Skibumfamily Inc. spent July 5 clearing trash from El Dorado and Regan beaches, and the surrounding area. About 42 yards of trash were picked up by volunteers.
“This is the largest amount of garbage we have ever collected,” organizer Kenny Curtzwiler told Lake Tahoe News.
All of this is in addition to the 2,260 pounds of trash that were picked up at five sites around the lake by League to Save Lake Tahoe volunteers.
My guess, it was because they are less respectful now. Self entitled punks with no regard for anyone or anything.
Mr. Curtzwiler has once again demonstrated what true dedication to his community is. Full color mailers do not indicate a commitment to anything, IMHO. Mr. Curtzwiler’s actions certainly do. Please remember this when the runoff vote comes around.
everyone say’s thank goodness for tourist they keep this town a float.. that bull, if we actually had a community here an not just a bunch of worthless second home buyers an tourists we probably wouldn’t be cleaning 42 yards of trash off of a couple miles of beach. god bless the locals!
While South Lake Tahoe wants to be a recreation destination care must be taken in the kind of people we want to attract. People with no respect for anyone or anything with ten bucks in their pocket are not what we want. They come here to party, bring nothing positive to our community, and take advantage of whatever is free. People who’ve worked to have something have respect for what that takes and are less likely to trash and destroy just for the fun of it. It’s not about the quantity of tourists we attract to our community, it’s about the quality of civilized tourists we should be seeking.
If we want to perpetuate the reputation of giving everything away for free and attracting lowlifes then we better plan on spending a lot more money on law enforcement to control the miscreants and additional services to clean and repair their damage.
Class or crap? Which does our community want?
Maybe the Truxlers can sue someone over this?
Made a couple of trips up to Emerald Bay on 89 this weekend. Over all the road is spotless which made the litter areas all the more glaring. I was in a commercial vehicle, so I could not really stop to take care of things. A kitchen bag could take care of the whole visual impact on this stretch of road but use caution.
Normally the fourth is a pleasant experience, this year we had the displeasure of sitting near a group from University of Colorado – at least according to the banner they had hanging from the balcony of the house they were renting. There was at least 45 people at the house. They had trash everywhere. They were loud, drunk, disrespectful, and totally obnoxious. At one point they were playing catch from balcony to the beach. They hit people in the head with balls, they dived into families trying to catch balls, they yelled and screamed. Now I don’t want to sound like a fuddy duddy, but the lack of respect and trash and disruption made me question what type of event we really want to have up here. Events based on parties will bring these types of people.
For four consecutive weekends leading up to the fourth there were several large sporting events that brought in a much different group. These groups were families who traveled for CUFA, Football Camps, and Basketball Camps. These people didn’t leave trash, didn’t act disrespectful, and greatly increased the occupancy rate and local restaurant revenue. What a contrast to sitting at a beach filled with trash… there has got to be a better way and myself and many of the local coaches are trying very hard to make that a reality!
Maybe getting rid of the fireworks is a good idea after all. Send the problems and mess up to North Shore. Volunteers shouldn’t have to clean up everything afterward.
Tahoe South; party on, Duuuuuuuudes. . .
Lia:
My thanks and appreciation to you and all of your colleagues for your efforts in bringing quality individuals/tourists to our community.
If we don’t want our town treated like a frat house or a free-for-all then we need to stop promoting it as such. The owners and managers of vacation home rentals who have no respect and regard for our community and for its residents need to take a big hit in the wallet.
Absolute bs. I cannot believe how people trash our surroundings. Don’t think for a minute that you could go into their neighborhood and do the same thing, nor would you consider doing it. Absolutely rude.
Kenny Curtzwiler, 4-mer-usmc and B.C. Kenny, my hat is off to you for actually DOING SOMETHING to make a difference in this community. Your tireless efforts and work for this town are worthy of a vote for Board of Supervisors for district 5, as well as some local award from the city of SLT!!!
4-mer-usmc, Yes, I’m in agreement, we do need to attract a better clientle to So. Shore. Sure, people come here to party and enjoy our beautiful area but over the years it seems to me we are drawing more of the “party” folk. There is more emphasis on recreation which is great, but So. Shore for alooong time has had the reputation of a place to go wild,let your hair down and anything goes!!!.
Polluting the lake, the trails, the meadows, noisy vacation rentals,crumbling infra structure with jammed up traffic.
Yes I know we need the visitors dollars,(I’ve been in the business my whole life!) but at what cost to our community??? The environment, our way of life??
B.C. I agree with you on the condition of Keys Marina and it’s poorly run operation and also on your comment about about So. Shore becoming what it is currently.
Don’t trash this place! We live here! Respect our beautifil Tahoe area and our neighborhoods! OLS
When your entire tourism marketing campaign is based on attracting people to the Lake for partying, drinking, and doing drugs, these are naturally the people you will attract. Rock on, Tahoe South! Enjoy your “walk on the wild side!”
As a former Tahoe Resident and current Colorado resident (SO sorry about the CU jerks, I can’t BELIEVE those clowns came from here or even worse, Boulder! You’re damn right that behavior like that would not be tolerated in any of the natural areas here) I am APPALLED at the rank disrespect shown to such a wonder of pristine beauty.
I can’t imagine for the life of me how anyone could look at the timeless, tear-inducing beauty of Lake Tahoe and trash it. I would not be surprised if fireworks were canceled entirely, although that’s been being discussed for at least 20 years that I know of and it hasn’t happened yet.
Next time you see a frat boy being disrespectful, ask very sweetly to borrow his cell phone. Then call his mother, explain to her what he’s doing and hand him the phone. You’d be surprised how effective that is.
Long Skiis:
I agree with you that there’s been an increase in the “party” folk who have no respect for our residents or our community. The reputation of a place to go wild, let your hair down, and anything goes needs to change. Perhaps that’s the ad campaign and slogan that the LTVA, Lodging Association, Douglas County’s Visitor Authority, Stateline casinos, and the City of SLT should all go to work on. Or maybe the public can come up with a catch phrase that lets people know that they’re welcome to come here and have fun but not be obnoxious lowlifes.
“Degenerates Need Not Visit”? LOL!
Enjoy the summer Skiis! — 4-mer
As long as his Frat Mom, is responsible and sees the stupid, disrespectful behavior of her off spring. Most of the self entitled punks are a result of their parents to a degree. They expect their kids to get a trophy for JUST SHOWING UP to a game or school. Pathetic! Most of the punks are mindless video game products. They DEMAND respect, but FAIL miserably in gaining respect from successful people in a proper manner. YOU DON’T DEMAND RESPECT. RESPECT IS EARNED you pathetic, simple minded fools. Stay in your own garbage of a town. We don’t want you or your kind up here polluting ours.
The crowd was definitely LESS RESPECTFUL. Besides the volume of garbage left behind for “other people” to cleanup. The foul language was really obnoxious. Can somebody please come up with different phrases for fornication besides the four letter variety?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ua1rRc5gHw
This is the type of tourism some are promoting. Sustainable Tahoe!
While it was still light out my daughter was playing in the water. She fished out an empty cardboard Coors light box, water bottles, a net, two plastic bags and a pinwheel. She is only seven so the area I allow her to swim in is very small. When that was over she collected thousands of “invasive species” shells that she learned about from Mrs Quandt at LTUSD. What an enlightening experience.
We went to Pope the next day and I swear the water at the edge had a brown tinge to it. It was gross.
I love the Tahoe fireworks as much as the next person, but boy – I hate to beat a dead horse (terrible phrase)…. at what cost do we draw the line?
After living in my home town for over 50 years I am disgusted with all the trash on the roadways and on the beaches after the fourth of July weekend. I have never seen anything close to the mess left by our visitors this weekend. The LTVA markets this as party central. We need to find a better class of visitors and after this mess maybe it is time to do away with the fireworks. The last time I went to our local fireworks at El Dorado Beach the punk kids were above us tossing firecrackers down into the crowds. That is the last time I have gone now I go to Kings Beach which is a respectful family atmosphere and a much more enjoyable experience. LTVA you are taking this town in wrong direction in my humble opinion. Thanks Kenny for all you do in our community although people should pick up after themselves. Picking up after these slobs is just a bandaid to a much bigger problem we have with this type of visitor as how much of this trash ended up in the lake?
Thanks Kenny for your dedication.
I think everyone is getting a little carried away. The 4th of July is naturally a outside party event. The beach I was at was full of people of all ages and no one was rude, throwing trash or the like. A big group of younger people were near our kids and the worst thing we saw was a big guy in a Speedo! I agree the marketing should change, but a little town like ours simply cannot absorb a huge influx of people for a summer event without some collateral damage. I think it is a sign the economy is slowly improving and we had more visitors. Nobody is getting shot here guys, take it easy.
You’re right, Atomic. No one got shot. Just stabbed. Party on, Tahoe South!
https://www.laketahoenews.net/2014/07/man-arrested-after-stabbing-at-stateline-casino/
Paul, we’ve had locals murder and attempt to murder people, so what’s your point?
Our city fathers(and mothers) are curiously silent. I ask you Tom, Hal, Brooke, Angela, JoAnn(well, okay, not you-we know what you’re going to say) about TahoeSouth’s unique definition of fun. You are fine with paid parking. You are fine with plastic bags. You are fine with party rentals. I’m guessing you are ‘fine’ with drunk a-holes using our town as a disposable diaper. Or did i miss something in your comments?
Curiously silent is right. I emailed all of them recently on a city topic and received no response from ANY of them. None Zero, Zilch. That was uninspiring.
Scott says – POSTED: JULY 7, 2014
When your entire tourism marketing campaign is based on attracting people to the Lake for partying, drinking, and doing drugs, these are naturally the people you will attract. Rock on, Tahoe South! Enjoy your “walk on the wild side!”
ditto!
I didn’t go to the beach but had a great weekend. All the locals that drive 50 mph plus down my street blasting their stereos and letting their dogs run wild were out of town.
After talking to people at Zephyr and El Dorado beach, this is a normal year. The person at El Dorado said it was a little less than last year.
If you look back to all the articles and comments on the fire works lawsuit, you will see many opposed to the lawsuit declaring that they would clean up the beaches after the fireworks. Where are they? I think the Truxlers made a good point which has been proven again this year.
really there were plenty of people cleaning the beaches over 40 at nevada beach alone, i was one of them, you must not have been there or you would have known this.
“Brown Tinge”. Is a combination of pollens. I have been on the lake each day since July 4th, no way any part of the fireworks could make it to pope beach. Prevailing winds have been south east, south and north west. Clean up has gone well, organized by the LTVA, League, and other groups. Easy solution to the problem. Did not need lawyers, law suits or Eco freaks! Just common sense. This 4th was one of the busiest I have seen in my lifetime. Believe it or not the lake survived. The fish I have been catching are clear to the naked eye at over 50 feet. Locals have no entitlement to this beautiful place we call home, simply stewardship. The Lake is here for all to enjoy. For those locals that can’t stand the crowds take a vacation that week.
What marketing does Tahoe South promote the party down and drink till you drop that I have read above.Tahoe South promotes the area and all events that take place in town. Carol has been instrumental in the organization of our basketball tournaments that brought over 300 teams over three weekends. Couldn’t have done it without her! Lay off the back door bashing!! Stand up and be part of the solution. Not petty bashers with nothing more than negative comments. What I saw was an incredible law enforcement and fire department presence. These officers and fire fighters did a great job controlling huge crowds. Great job!
The way for Tahoe, and Nevada, to stand out from the California Indian Casinos is to promote the party, drink all night atmosphere that one can experience in NV, but not CA. Welcome to the future of Tahoe South, better known as South Lake Tahoe.
No input will change that, as the casinos pay the LTVA’s bills. And I challenge anyone to come up with an instance the casinos did not get what they want in regards to any and all LTVA Marketing Campaigns!
Sorry Parker but the casinos do not pay all of the bills, half are paid by the Lodging properties in the city limits. The casinos only have one Board member on the LTVA board of directors out of seven. That is no way close to controlling the board. The LTVA has been promoting the outdoor experience for quite a number of years now, some gambling but I have never ever seen anything about drinking until 5 am being promoted by the LTVA. People just know that in Nevada the casinos are 24 hrs. I find it interesting that out of the 20+ posters here that only myself and Joby seem to have been the only ones that volunteered to do any cleanup. Lots of talkers but not enough doers.
Again, tell me one time the casinos did not get their way? Sure, if you’re promoting Tahoe, to distinguish from other casino markets, they allow some outdoor element to be promoted. But they want the party element to be hyped, so it is. Do they say blatantly say, you can drink all night? Of course not. Is it in the messages if someone chooses to look? And we get what we get.
The casinos pay over half the bills, so how the world works is, only 1 seat on the board is a moot point. They get their way, or they take their marbles ($) and go home. They’ve made that threat many times, and gotten their way as a result.
The upper mgt. at the LTVA wisely states they work for the whole community. But the front line staff, when they know they’re off the record, makes it quite clear they understand where their bread is buttered!
Good for you for helping clean up. Seriously! We all help our community in different ways. And I’m not saying hyping the party element is bad! I’m just saying it is what is, and the citizens need to understand that.
LTVA has seven board members four live in Nevada.
Hey reloman, I pick up trash every time I go to the lake, which is about 4 times a week. I just dont need the kudos for doing what I do every day. I walk through my neighborhood picking up garbage all the time. I pick up trash in parking lots when im in one, I stop and get trash even when im in my car. Some People are pigs and irresponsable and thats a fact. Its great that folks showed up the day after the 4th to pick up after the piggies.i personally stayed away from the beaches for that whole weekend because I tend to point out to the piggies their garbage and sometimes they dont get it which ruins my day.