The Nevada Historic Preservation Office will distribute federal grant funds to nonprofit organizations and local and state agencies throughout the state to support historic building rehabilitation or restoration, public education, surveys and planning.

The deadline for the 2015 Historic Preservation Fund grant applications is Dec. 5. Application forms are available online.

HPF grants are a 60/40 match, with 60 percent provided by the HPF and 40 percent provided by the grantee.

Applications will be reviewed in early January.

For more info, call Elyse Jolly at 775.684.3450.

To the community,

Sheriff [Ron] Pierini’s campaign cheerleaders have been working hard to broadcast the mantra that the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department isn’t broken and doesn’t need fixing. They wouldn’t have to work so hard if the sheriff would just answer a couple of simple questions:

How come your department’s budget went up fivefold in 28 years — from $3 million to over $16 million — yet you field the same number of patrol cars now as then? Before you answer, recall that in May 2013 you confirmed that DCSO currently fields five area cars, plus a supervisor, the same as in 1986, even though the county population has doubled.

How do you justify the $192,460 your salary and benefits costs the county taxpayers when you have failed to proactively plan for completely predictable law enforcement challenges in our community?

The answer is that Sheriff Pierini doesn’t have a good answer for either of these questions or any of the other issues the Brady for Sheriff campaign has raised. The incumbent would rather hide behind an ever-growing forest of political signs and hope to coast to re-election.

Both of these questions took on fresh relevance recently when, just two months into a new budget cycle, the sheriff placed an order for a brand new $245,000 patrol boat (to be custom made in Canada) and discovered that he’d failed to set aside the full cost of this long known about expense in his $16 million budget. So he sent his undersheriff to the Douglas County Commission a couple of weeks ago to clip the taxpayers for his $100,000 shortfall. This type of amateur slip-up is particularly ironic coming from this sheriff, who claims fiscal discipline is one of his strong points.

The escalation of gang activity and the hard drug trade may not be an issue for the majority of county voters yet, but street patrol resources — the tip of the street crime spear — are dangerously inadequate to address these growing problems.

The sheriff’s campaign’s response to all this has been to acknowledge that while Dave Brady’s law enforcement experience is extensive, it’s less that what the incumbent has. That misses the point: in spite of the incumbent sheriff’s experience, Douglas County’s law enforcement operations are not being properly managed and our taxpayer money is funding a budget that’s out of control.

Dave Brady has a master’s in public administration, a typical education requirement for the chief law enforcement officer for a department the size of DCSO. More importantly he has the financial training and experience to manage a large budget, the public sector experience to create and execute a proactive plan to meet upcoming law enforcement challenges, and the leadership skills to efficiently utilize the human resources within DCSO.

Lynn Muzzy, Minden

By David Karp, Los Angeles Times

Bringing to fruition a decade-long campaign by farmers market stakeholders, Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB1871, which for the first time provides what supporters say is adequate funding to ensure that growers at certified farmers markets produce what they sell.

“This is the single-most significant change to farmers market laws since they were established in 1977,” said Ben Feldman, chair of the California Alliance of Farmers’ Markets.

Starting Jan. 1, 2015, the bill will increase the state fee paid by markets for their vendors from 60 cents to $2 daily. Currently only farmers pay the fee, but next year it will extend to all vendors, including food and crafts sellers in non-agricultural sections.

Legislative analysts have estimated that the bill will raise $1.35 million annually, including more than $1 million in new revenues, which will go to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. It will be used chiefly for hiring new state inspectors and reimbursing counties for local investigative work, as well as maintaining a database of markets and growers.

Across the state, consumers should see more inspectors at farmers markets. As cheaters are caught and fined or suspended from participation, shoppers will have greater confidence that the farms they buy from really grew the produce. In the short term, they may also see a reduction in the quantity and variety of produce at certain markets, as cheating becomes more difficult.

Read the whole story

• Tahoe Best Friends’ Howloween party is Nov. 1 starting at 2:30pm, 2197 Ruth Ave., South Lake Tahoe. There will be a costume contest for dogs and people. Bobbling for Howl’owennies (for dogs), dog dancing contest, face-licking contest, best trick, musical sits and more.

• Truckee is hosting early voting for Nevada County residents in the Town Clerk’s Department at Town Hall, 10183 Truckee Airport Road on weekdays from 8am-noon and 1-5pm from now-Nov. 3.

• Outdoor USA magazine has named Alpenglow Sports of Tahoe City as one of the top 100 Retailers of North America.

• The third annual celebrity golf tournament benefitting Squaw Valley Institute is Oct. 13. For more info, go online.

• Between Horses and Humans, a nonprofit that pairs able bodied children with social, behavioral or emotional issues with horses, is hosting its annual benefit at Maddi’s Friesian Ranch on Oct. 18 from noon-3pm. Students will demonstrate their skills and two of the top Friesian stallions will perform. Tickets are $65; email betweenhorsesandhumans@gmail.com.

By Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Lawyers for a former lobbyist are going before a federal appeals court in San Francisco to try to overturn his conviction for carrying out a scheme to raise money illegally for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Federal prosecutors and lawyers for Harvey Whittemore, a one-time Nevada political powerbroker who headed a billion-dollar real estate company, each get 20 minutes on Monday to argue their case before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The 9am hearing was scheduled to last an hour.

Whittemore’s lawyers wrote in their appeal that he violated no laws because he didn’t force anyone to give any money to Reid. They also argue placing limits on the amount of money he can contribute to candidates is a constitutional violation of his right to free speech – an argument the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected in other cases as recently as April.

Whittemore, 61, began serving a two year prison term in August at a minimum-security prison on the central California Coast on three felony counts related to violations of campaign-contribution laws.

A federal grand jury in Reno indicted him in June 2012 after FBI agents testified that they caught him trying to skirt contribution limits by using family members and employees as “straw donors” to hide the true source of $133,000 he funneled to Reid’s re-election campaign in 2007

A district court jury found Whittemore guilty in May 2013 of making excessive campaign contributions, making contributions in the name of another and causing a false statement to be made to the Federal Election Commission. The maximum penalty for the three counts combined was up to 15 years in prison.

Reid, D-Nev., was not accused of any wrongdoing, although he was forced to amend his FEC reports for 2007.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Myhre said Whittemore wrote checks only to workers at his real estate company – $5,000 if single, $10,000 if married – whom he knew would not refuse the request partly because they were highly dependent on him financially. In each case, they contributed the maximum $4,600, leaving $400 to keep for themselves.

Whittemore’s lawyers said the checks were “gifts” with no strings attached, and that he merely suggested they consider contributing to one of the most powerful members of Congress in a position to best represent Nevadans.

Dominic Gentile, Whittemore’s lead defense counsel, wrote in the appeal that U.S. District Court Judge Larry Hicks erred when he failed to instruct the jury to consider whether Whittemore illegally made contributions “in the name of another” or provided them with the money unconditionally.

“Mr. Whittemore engaged in two perfectly lawful activities. He gave unconditionally of portions of his personal wealth to the object of his bounty. And he likewise exercised his fundamental First Amendment right to advocate and solicit support for the political candidate of his choice,” he said.

Prosecutors described Whittemore as the “king of the hill” in Nevada political circles, “the ultimate insider” who had worked his way onto the short list of many U.S. senators and representatives as someone to call when they needed to quickly find donors.

Whittemore once hosted an event for ex-Sen. John Edwards, then a Democratic presidential hopeful, and a fundraiser at Reid’s request for then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. He also helped arrange a reception attended by President Bill Clinton during an environmental summit at Lake Tahoe.

Smoke from the King Fire could be seen in Cool and Auburn overnight.

This is normal as the fire continues to burn within the interior. Smoke will settle with the cooler night air and follow canyons and drainages, and will lift and disperse as the day warms. It should become progressively lighter until the fire runs its course or enough precipitation extinguishes it.

The fire, which has consumed 97,717 acres, is 98 percent contained, with full containment expected this week. Crews continue to be sent home, however there are still nearly 2,000 personnel on the fire.

There will be a community meeting tonight at 6 at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Camino.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Shared and individual desks are available at Tahoe Mountain Lab depending on membership. Photo/Kathryn Reed

By Kathryn Reed

Boss doesn’t believe you’ll work in Tahoe? Mom doesn’t believe you’ll meet anyone being self-employed? Spouse wonders how the home office is suddenly so neat?

Tahoe Mountain Lab may prove working on vacation isn’t so stuff, that like-minded entrepreneurs flock together, and working independently and alone are two very different things.

It is tucked along Ski Run Boulevard in a two-story building that opened in June with the sole purpose of bringing freelancers, self-employed people, and others together.

No cubicle to contend with on these premises. Desks are more like butcher block tables. Some are pushed together to make a foursome, while others are solitary. No problem for those needing to stand to work. Your desk is in one of the corners.

Chairs swivel and are adjustable so the worker can be ergonomically correct.

Most people bring their own phones, but there is one in the conference room if need be. And for the loud talkers there is what looks like an old-fashioned telephone booth so they can duck into it so everyone has privacy.

Probably the most important thing to people is the Internet connection. Charter built-out a high-speed line specifically for Tahoe Mountain Lab.

Shared workspaces are no longer the corner coffeeshop. They’ve evolved into an office environment.

Jesse Walker, David Orr and Jamie Orr

The South Lake Tahoe enclave is the brainchild of Jesse Walker, David Orr and Jamie Orr. They had similar ideas, pulled their resources and opened what is now a bevy of activity. But they still have their “real” jobs – urban planning consultant, general manager of Startup & Tech Mixer, and college science professor, respectively.

They know what it’s like to work from home. It’s not always as idyllic as it sounds. A little structure can be good. Because they knew they weren’t alone and had experienced workspaces elsewhere, they were sure Tahoe would be a good fit.

“It was hard to work in a home office where you don’t want to bring people to,” Jamie Orr said.

Walker, who was born and raised on the South Shore, had spent enough time away to solidify his career to where he could work at home. A small baby proved more than he could handle on a regular basis and get work done.

The Orrs moved here about three years ago, also understand the young child scenario, and soon started looking for alternatives.

Tahoe Mountain Lab is now a different kind of baby for all of them.

They equate membership in the lab to like being at a gym. There is full membership, part and drop in. The first two come with a key so people can work any hour. Full-time membership includes a place to store some belongings for the long haul.

Eventually, the goal would be some of these businesses will get so big they will need to find their own brick and mortar location. To the lab owners, that would be a success story.

To help ward against any unsavory characters, everyone must sign a code of conduct.

For those who need a little more space there is room to rent upstairs on a monthly basis. They are private, can be locked and allow a business to have more a permanent space. Sierra Nevada Alliance, Sage Engineers and Spatial Informatics Group are some of the companies calling the lab home.

A small conference room may be rented by anyone. It also comes with video- and teleconferencing capabilities.

While mostly it’s locals who are filling the lab, a number of second homeowners and tourists drop in.

But like any good workplace, it’s not just about work. The trio is creating social opportunities for people – just like a traditional workplace would do.

Tahoe Mountain Lab plans to partner with other shared workspaces in the mountains so the respective members can benefit when they travel. The closest space to South Lake Tahoe is in Alpine Meadows.

—–

Notes:

• Tahoe Mountain Lab is online.

• Phone: 530.600.3447.

• Address: 1048 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

• Prices: $250/month membership, $150 for 10 days, $20 to drop in.

By Dan Walters, Sacramento Bee

By any measure, health care is now California’s largest single economic sector, churning well over $200 billion a year in private and public funds each year, and growing fast.

Obamacare, the aging of the population and other factors expand demand for medical services and pump more money into the system. Health care is also a major – and very fast-growing – employment field, with 450,000 new jobs expected in California over the next decade.

Dan Walters

It was once ignored by Capitol politicians, but it’s now big business involving big money – as well as a personal priority for 38 million Californians – and sparks high-octane political conflict.

Divvying up health care dollars generates countless bits of legislation each year, and, not surprisingly, a steady stream of ballot measures, including two this year.

However, Propositions 45 and 46 may turn out to be busts because even before the full-bore campaigns have begun, as voters appear to have soured on both.

Read the whole story

By Julie R. Thomson, Huffington Post

Winter is cold, guys. But you know what makes it a little more bearable? Booze. That’s why winter is not only the season of cheer, but also of hard, stiff drinks. The stronger, the better.

Better, that is, if you don’t have to take off your gloves to have a swig from your very own flask, so you don’t get frostbite while trying to get your buzz on. Lucky for all of us, that’s all possible now.

The flask mitten is here to answer all of our winter wishes, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a flask (that will hold 3 ounces) built inside of a snug red mitten.

It’s designed so that you never, ever have to take your gloves off — the worst part of any winter day.

Read the whole story

By Michael McFall, Salt Lake Tribune

Deer Valley Resort is buying Solitude Mountain Resort and will take over its operations this May — the second major shift in Utah’s ski industry in weeks.

The purchase was a private acquisition and a news release about the deal does not disclose how much Deer Valley paid.

The Deer Valley management does not anticipate “any major changes in staffing at Solitude at this time,” according to a Deer Valley Resort news release. Some of Deer Valley’s staff will work alongside Solitude’s this winter to learn how they manage the resort, the release adds.

“Solitude has a distinct brand. What we want to do is build upon that brand,” said Coleen Reardon, Deer Valley’s marketing director. The Summit County resort will bring some of its service-oriented philosophy to Solitude, but they have no intention to re-brand. Deer Valley intends to keep snowboarding available at Solitude, and a name change would be limited to some acknowledgement that it’s now part of Deer Valley.

Read the whole story