unedited tahoe mt. news story
By Kathryn Reed
“I don’t think scary even begins to describe it,” El Dorado County Supervisor Norma Santiago said of possible cuts coming from Sacramento that will impact a county budget that is $20 million in the red.
The day before the Board of Supervisors eliminated 90 more positions, one of Santiago’s concerns was staffing the Building Department’s Tahoe office. Earlier cuts mean veteran staff from Placerville will be sent to South Lake. These people don’t have to deal with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency on the West Slope.
When it came to a vote Nov. 18, Santiago and Supervisor Ron Briggs said nay to cutting 47 people from the payroll and taking 42 vacancies off the books. They were in the minority of the 3-2 vote.
“My argument was that while I appreciated the information provided to the board by (Chief Administrative Officer Gayle Erbe-Hamlin) and it was what we had requested, there were many questions in my mind regarding the operational impacts of these layoffs. Our budget should reflect our policy and some of the layoffs were going to negatively impact the county's ability to move forward on some policy issues that we have identified as being important,” Santiago told the Tahoe Mountain News after the vote. “Given this, I was concerned that we would make these cuts only to find out that operationally it was so detrimental that we would be asking employees to come back. With all the stress our county employees are already going through, I just couldn't support even the remotest possibility of that.”
The cuts equate to a savings of $3.1 million for the remainder of this fiscal year that ends June 30. Annually it will save the county $6.5 million.
“I tell people we have moved the ball down the field 50 yards and the next 50 will be tougher,” Mike Applegarth, the county’s senior administrative analyst, said.
The county may follow the state’s lead by implementing mandatory furloughs. For now, the county welcomes staff to take voluntary unpaid time-off. Applegarth said the county could save $1.3 million through June 30 if a 10-day mandatory furlough is implemented in January.
Officials are toying with the idea of cutting $2 million from the Transportation Department’s capital improvement fund. This means roads. Another $1.3 million could be saved if the county cuts its allocation to fire districts.
“Basically, it’s just a gift to fire protection districts,” Applegarth said. He admits departments like Meeks Bay and Fallen Leaf don’t see it that way.
The $20 million figure stems from sales and property taxes being much below original forecasts, as well less interest accruing. In the first quarter of this fiscal year, the number of building permits issued was half of what was projected, Applegarth said. People are asking for property taxes to be recalculated as a parcel’s value declines, which results in the county taking in less.
What all California counties, cities and education venues are worried about is how Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislators are going to deal with a state deficit that could top $24 billion in two years. It’s at $11.2 billion two months after the overdue document was signed.
Santiago said the state owes the county $3 million for mental health programs. She fears other state mandated programs will either not be funded or will be delayed.
“It puts us in a precarious cash flow situation,” Santiago said.
Supervisors will revisit the county budget in February.
The state may raise the sales tax to add cash to the coffers, as well as make previously excluded items taxable. Veterinary care is one of those services that is targeted to be taxed – this at a time when people are abandoning pets and unable to feed Fido.
Applegarth warns that lawmakers have mentioned taking the $3 million the county receives in gas taxes. That fuels the county Transportation Department.
The state can take up to 8 percent of the county’s property tax dollars.
“It would be a multimillion hit to the general fund that we would have a hard time absorbing,” Applegarth said. “The total damage (from the state) could be in the tens of millions of dollars range. We just are not able to absorb that without severely compromising the services we provide to the public.”
Despite lean times, at the same meeting supervisors unanimously agreed to dole out more than a half million dollars for “funding of Programs and/or Services to Promote the County of El Dorado's Arts, Culture and Tourism Resources.” The Nevada-based chamber received $90,000.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
County courthouse issues
dec. 08 unedited tahoe mt. news story
By Kathryn Reed
If only the city had done with the Johnson Boulevard property what the land owners had wanted, then the current bickering between government officials in South Lake Tahoe and Placerville would be a mute point.
The Johnson-Springmeyer clan gave land to the city several decades ago with the understanding a city hall would be built there. It never happened. Marjorie Springmeyer, who now resides in the Carson Valley, unsuccessfully sued the city for allowing the county to build a courthouse and jail there.
What was supposed to be a happy gathering spot for locals, turned into a housing facility for society’s degenerates – not exactly what the land givers intended.
Fast forward to 2009. The state is about to own the courthouse building. This is to comply with the 2002 Trial Court Facilities Act that mandates all California courthouses owned by counties become state property. The land becomes the state’s as well if the county owns it.
In the Johnson Boulevard case, the deed for the land remains in the hands of the city of South Lake Tahoe. The portion of the building used as a courthouse will go to the state.
On Nov. 18, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to turn its court related properties over to the state by the end of the year. At issue is whether El Dorado County has the right to give California the courthouse building at 1354 Johnson Blvd.
An agreement between the city and county dated April 4, 1972, says in part, “This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the successors of the parties. Except to the extent expressly provided for herein, neither party may assign any right or obligation hereunder without the written consent of the other.”
Ed Knapp, who works in the county counsel office, said, “First of all, the agreement says we can’t assign it. We are not assigning it. Assignment would be a voluntary act on our part. The statute says transfer. This is an involuntary act.”
City Manager Dave Jinkens and City Attorney Cathy DiCamillo are of the belief that the agreement the city has with county is a contract that trumps state law.
Jinkens is upset that he has been corresponding with the county since November 2007 about this issue, but that no one will meet with him. He didn’t know about the supervisors’ decision until the Tahoe Mountain News told him.
“It’s not like we are a subunit of the county,” Jinkens said. “Neither the state, nor county, nor city can violate a contract and I would think they would not want to. I think we have to go the next step if they are not going to ask for permission.”
While the city figures out what that next step is, the county is ignoring the city and doing what the state wants.
Because counties are deemed sub-entities of the state, unlike cities which are independent jurisdictions, the state has the power to take the courthouses. The state is not paying the counties for the buildings that were paid for county taxpayers. In fact, the county must pay $346,465 a year in maintenance fees to the state.
By Kathryn Reed
If only the city had done with the Johnson Boulevard property what the land owners had wanted, then the current bickering between government officials in South Lake Tahoe and Placerville would be a mute point.
The Johnson-Springmeyer clan gave land to the city several decades ago with the understanding a city hall would be built there. It never happened. Marjorie Springmeyer, who now resides in the Carson Valley, unsuccessfully sued the city for allowing the county to build a courthouse and jail there.
What was supposed to be a happy gathering spot for locals, turned into a housing facility for society’s degenerates – not exactly what the land givers intended.
Fast forward to 2009. The state is about to own the courthouse building. This is to comply with the 2002 Trial Court Facilities Act that mandates all California courthouses owned by counties become state property. The land becomes the state’s as well if the county owns it.
In the Johnson Boulevard case, the deed for the land remains in the hands of the city of South Lake Tahoe. The portion of the building used as a courthouse will go to the state.
On Nov. 18, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to turn its court related properties over to the state by the end of the year. At issue is whether El Dorado County has the right to give California the courthouse building at 1354 Johnson Blvd.
An agreement between the city and county dated April 4, 1972, says in part, “This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the successors of the parties. Except to the extent expressly provided for herein, neither party may assign any right or obligation hereunder without the written consent of the other.”
Ed Knapp, who works in the county counsel office, said, “First of all, the agreement says we can’t assign it. We are not assigning it. Assignment would be a voluntary act on our part. The statute says transfer. This is an involuntary act.”
City Manager Dave Jinkens and City Attorney Cathy DiCamillo are of the belief that the agreement the city has with county is a contract that trumps state law.
Jinkens is upset that he has been corresponding with the county since November 2007 about this issue, but that no one will meet with him. He didn’t know about the supervisors’ decision until the Tahoe Mountain News told him.
“It’s not like we are a subunit of the county,” Jinkens said. “Neither the state, nor county, nor city can violate a contract and I would think they would not want to. I think we have to go the next step if they are not going to ask for permission.”
While the city figures out what that next step is, the county is ignoring the city and doing what the state wants.
Because counties are deemed sub-entities of the state, unlike cities which are independent jurisdictions, the state has the power to take the courthouses. The state is not paying the counties for the buildings that were paid for county taxpayers. In fact, the county must pay $346,465 a year in maintenance fees to the state.
Charter Cable on the South Shore
unedited dec. 08 tahoe mt. news story
By Kathryn Reed
A firestorm is brewing in South Lake and El Dorado County regarding Charter Communications’ desire to toss California channels and replace them with Nevada ones.
Charter officials will be back before the City Council on Jan. 6. City Councilwoman Kathay Lovell, who has worked in the business, is the city’s liaison as negotiations take place this month to devise a compromise.
At issue is whether Charter subscribers on the California side of the South Shore will have access to KCRA, the NBC affiliate in Sacramento, and KGO, the ABC channel from San Francisco.
Vocal locals want California news, not just Reno. Reno stations don’t delve into issues like California’s scary budget debacle, Southern California wildfires and potential mudslides, or if Dungeness crab will be available for holiday dinners.
When it comes to road closures, Reno stations focus on Interstate 80, not Highway 50 – the South Shore’s lifeline.
During the Angora Fire of 2007, TV news stations in California had more continuous coverage than their Reno counterparts.
A bit of history
“If the state and federal government would stay out of our business and quit listing to the paid AT&T lobbyists, we would get what we needed,” City Manager Dave Jinkens said.
Part of the problem is the Federal Communications Commission has sided with advertisers. The South Shore belongs to Reno, according to the FCC. That’s why Reno stations are the norm here with cable and satellite providers.
Another part of the problem is California changed the law a couple years ago to open cable service to telephone companies. South Lake Tahoe officials along with the League of California Cities unsuccessfully fought the legislation.
Cable franchises used to be handled by the city or county the customer resides in. South Lake Tahoe’s franchise agreement with Charter expires in 2010. Charter’s fees in fiscal year 2007-08 were $318,811 and $304,825 in 2006-07. When the agreement expires, the state Public Utilities Commission takes over and the city’s coffers will be hit and customers could have even less of a say about programming and service.
The state handles the county agreement with Charter. El Dorado gets a 5 percent franchise fee or about $90,000 a year. The FCC sets the fee, not the state or county.
The county is fighting the KCRA-KGO issue by taking it to the state as a safety issue. County Supervisor Norma Santiago said she is working with the state controller’s office as well as the Office of Emergency Services.
Current conditions
Although Charter officials say they have received only a handful of calls and letters from irate customers, they were handed a petition Nov. 18 with hundreds of signatures from people wanting to keep the status quo.
It was standing room as Charter’s John Figueroa and George Jostlin, local operations manager and direct of government affairs, respectively, spoke to the council.
A KCRA camera guy was filming the proceeding. Stefan Hadl, KCRA’s director of engineering, briefly spoke.
“Technically they don’t have to change the system,” Hadl told the council. “I don’t want to throw anyone under the bus. I think we all need to work together.”
Elliott Troshinsky, president and general manager of KCRA, wrote a letter to former Mayor Judy Brown in response to an inquiry from her that was submitted into the record. In part it says, “We also believe that their reason to discontinue carriage is disingenuous at best, since they have been receiving an adequate signal from us for many years and have had the ability and desire to broadcast our signal to you and other Charter customers in your area.”
The masses were heard, at least temporarily. The Dec. 2 blackout date for KCRA and KGO was extended until Charter addresses the council next month.
“My hope is that we will have worked together with KCRA to find a way to maintain providing their 5.5 hours of news programming a day that they produce,” Jostlin told the Tahoe Mountain News.
He and Charter’s general manager met Dec. 1 with KCRA officials.
Even though it may be possible to keep KCRA online for news broadcasts, Jostlin wouldn’t commit to the station being accessible in an emergency unless the emergency alert system is tripped. It never was during the Angora Fire and it’s not guaranteed to be if a major earthquake hits San Francisco or a mudslide closes Highway 50.
He is working with only KCRA because he said more people talk about the need for the Sacramento station. This is the tactic even though only a fraction of Charter’s nearly 12,000 customers on the east side of El Dorado County, which includes the city, have voiced an opinion.
The city’s website -- http://www.cityofslt.us/pdf/charternovember2008.pdf -- has information about who can be contacted about this issue.
By Kathryn Reed
A firestorm is brewing in South Lake and El Dorado County regarding Charter Communications’ desire to toss California channels and replace them with Nevada ones.
Charter officials will be back before the City Council on Jan. 6. City Councilwoman Kathay Lovell, who has worked in the business, is the city’s liaison as negotiations take place this month to devise a compromise.
At issue is whether Charter subscribers on the California side of the South Shore will have access to KCRA, the NBC affiliate in Sacramento, and KGO, the ABC channel from San Francisco.
Vocal locals want California news, not just Reno. Reno stations don’t delve into issues like California’s scary budget debacle, Southern California wildfires and potential mudslides, or if Dungeness crab will be available for holiday dinners.
When it comes to road closures, Reno stations focus on Interstate 80, not Highway 50 – the South Shore’s lifeline.
During the Angora Fire of 2007, TV news stations in California had more continuous coverage than their Reno counterparts.
A bit of history
“If the state and federal government would stay out of our business and quit listing to the paid AT&T lobbyists, we would get what we needed,” City Manager Dave Jinkens said.
Part of the problem is the Federal Communications Commission has sided with advertisers. The South Shore belongs to Reno, according to the FCC. That’s why Reno stations are the norm here with cable and satellite providers.
Another part of the problem is California changed the law a couple years ago to open cable service to telephone companies. South Lake Tahoe officials along with the League of California Cities unsuccessfully fought the legislation.
Cable franchises used to be handled by the city or county the customer resides in. South Lake Tahoe’s franchise agreement with Charter expires in 2010. Charter’s fees in fiscal year 2007-08 were $318,811 and $304,825 in 2006-07. When the agreement expires, the state Public Utilities Commission takes over and the city’s coffers will be hit and customers could have even less of a say about programming and service.
The state handles the county agreement with Charter. El Dorado gets a 5 percent franchise fee or about $90,000 a year. The FCC sets the fee, not the state or county.
The county is fighting the KCRA-KGO issue by taking it to the state as a safety issue. County Supervisor Norma Santiago said she is working with the state controller’s office as well as the Office of Emergency Services.
Current conditions
Although Charter officials say they have received only a handful of calls and letters from irate customers, they were handed a petition Nov. 18 with hundreds of signatures from people wanting to keep the status quo.
It was standing room as Charter’s John Figueroa and George Jostlin, local operations manager and direct of government affairs, respectively, spoke to the council.
A KCRA camera guy was filming the proceeding. Stefan Hadl, KCRA’s director of engineering, briefly spoke.
“Technically they don’t have to change the system,” Hadl told the council. “I don’t want to throw anyone under the bus. I think we all need to work together.”
Elliott Troshinsky, president and general manager of KCRA, wrote a letter to former Mayor Judy Brown in response to an inquiry from her that was submitted into the record. In part it says, “We also believe that their reason to discontinue carriage is disingenuous at best, since they have been receiving an adequate signal from us for many years and have had the ability and desire to broadcast our signal to you and other Charter customers in your area.”
The masses were heard, at least temporarily. The Dec. 2 blackout date for KCRA and KGO was extended until Charter addresses the council next month.
“My hope is that we will have worked together with KCRA to find a way to maintain providing their 5.5 hours of news programming a day that they produce,” Jostlin told the Tahoe Mountain News.
He and Charter’s general manager met Dec. 1 with KCRA officials.
Even though it may be possible to keep KCRA online for news broadcasts, Jostlin wouldn’t commit to the station being accessible in an emergency unless the emergency alert system is tripped. It never was during the Angora Fire and it’s not guaranteed to be if a major earthquake hits San Francisco or a mudslide closes Highway 50.
He is working with only KCRA because he said more people talk about the need for the Sacramento station. This is the tactic even though only a fraction of Charter’s nearly 12,000 customers on the east side of El Dorado County, which includes the city, have voiced an opinion.
The city’s website -- http://www.cityofslt.us/pdf/charternovember2008.pdf -- has information about who can be contacted about this issue.
Tahoe charities hurting
unedited dec 08 tahoe mt. news story
By Kathryn Reed
It was easier to move around.
That was the only good thing about the noticeable drop in attendance at November’s wine tasting put on by Soroptimists International of South Lake Tahoe. Bidding on silent auction items is competitive. Goods have multiple bids early on. Ticket sales are robust. None of theses statements was true this year.
Before the last penny was counted, wine tasting chairwoman Valerie Conners estimated her group took in upward of $6,000 less from the silent auction compared to 2007. About 100 fewer of the $65 tickets were sold.
“I can tell the economy has made a huge dent in our life here,” Conners said. “We had a lot of donors who normally donate that didn’t donate at all.”
Fewer wineries and restaurants participated. Some dropped out at the last minute. Some brought less food and libations than years past.
“They have to be a little more choosey in what they bring,” Conners said, noting that fundraising and giving is changing on all fronts on the South Shore.
Tahoe is not unique in this phenomenon of donations to charitable groups being less and the need being greater. Still, in a small community like this, the effects of layoffs in sectors as diverse as gaming-banking-housing-government takes a greater toll when tourism, the lifeline, has been clobbered for consecutive seasons.
Going into this month, Christmas Cheer was on target to set a record for the last quarter of 2008 – not for donations collected, but for the number of people the organization has helped.
In October, 1,433 people were fed – that equates to 530 families. It was a record. Just before Thanksgiving, November was on track to be a record month, too.
“People’s hours have been cut or they’ve been laid off and now have no visible means of support,” said Joanne Shope of Christmas Cheer. Her group is run by volunteers and community donations.
Its name is a bit of a misnomer. Though it does bring cheer to people this time of year, bags of food are doled out year-round to people who have been referred to the nonprofit. Clothes and other goods are also available.
Like most years, bins are scattered about town to collect food. Christmas Cheer (2085 Eloise Ave., South Lake) takes donations year-round – including cash.
Freshies hosted its annual fundraiser for the group Dec. 9. Besides diners being asked to make a $10 minimum donation for the cause, owners Melodie and Erik Ulman donated all proceeds from the event to Christmas Cheer.
Hours of hard work
Even though the myriad fundraisers sponsored by service clubs are not hitting their marks of previous years, the effort to put them on doesn’t change. Some wonder if asking people to write a check might be easier than spending a year to plan an event.
“No” is the answer heard over and over again.
“We see results. We have an impact on our community,” said Kathy Suthern of Soroptimists International of Tahoe Sierra.
She and five others in the group descended upon Lisa Huard’s home Nov. 24 to discuss their fundraiser – Elegant Evening, which will be April 4. Planning started a month after the 2007 event was over.
President Pat Papp knows more than 1,000 woman hours are put into the event – which is probably the same for the crab feeds, salmon festivals and other community fundraisers. It goes beyond committee meetings. It’s talking with the printer, checking with the florist, collecting silent auction items and other minutia party-goers don’t see.
This planning meeting had a full agenda. The budget and financial projections topped the list. Expenses are going up; projected revenue going down. Attendance was down this year and is expected to keep going in that direction.
Seven committee reports were on the agenda ranging from entertainment to tickets to donations to decorations.
Music choices took up part of the discussion.
Shope, who is in this group, talked about being able to get raffle tickets, tape and baskets again this year.
Huard talked about sending save the date cards this month in hopes people might buy a few $50 tickets for holiday gifts.
Each year things are tweaked. Wendy David wants to emphasize “elegant” for the ’09 goodie bags.
Huard and others said the work involved is about creating a sense of community – to bring people together. They said they gladly take cash donations, but they believe merely soliciting checks would not have the warmth associated with creating an event.
“If you just write a check, you miss the human connection,” Papp said.
Giving and receiving
All Soroptimists groups are about giving to women and children. The two local ones are no different. Beneficiaries have included South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center, Tahoe Youth & Family Services, Challenge Day and Drug Store Project.
The wine tasting group takes applications in the fall and disperses money in January. What is given out next month is money raised from the 2007 wine event and other fundraisers.
The Elegant Evening women keep cash on hand to give out as needed. A check for $500 helped secure Melba Beals’ speaking engagement at South Tahoe Middle School last month.
Although most of the bigger fundraisers are in a casino convention room, MontBleu is offering up its showroom to nonprofits. Hard costs, like lights and sounds, have to be absorbed by the organization, but the casino is essentially offering the room for free on select nights.
“I’m a big believer in locals. We have to come together,” said Tom Davis, marketing guru at MontBleu and Horizon.
Tom Millham wears the hat of giver and receiver. He is part of Kiwanis Club of Tahoe Sierra, one of three Kiwanis chapters on the South Shore.
September marked the seventh year his club has staged an Oktoberfest. With 2007 being a record year, Kiwanis was happy with just a 10 percent decline in attendance and money raised this year.
Kiwanis worldwide supports youth groups. Affiliated groups of Kiwanis are Key Clubs in high schools, K-Kids for younger students and the Builders Club in Boys & Girls Clubs.
This year Millham’s group is focusing on at-risk kids in the community.
He also raises money for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, the animal rehabilitation center he runs with his wife, Cheryl, and a gaggle of volunteers.
In 2007, LTWC opted to not have its annual raffle because of the Angora Fire. The thinking was businesses were tapped out with giving, so donations would not be sought. However, LTWC had a non-raffle raffle, meaning people could still give cash but they wouldn’t be in the running for a prize.
“We did 50 percent better than what was normal. It just blew me away,” Millham said. “We decided to do it again this year. It saves us money in printing tickets, collecting prizes and spending time.”
In the first two weeks of the non-raffle, $9,000 had been collected in November. In 2007, $15,000 was raised.
Two LTWC fundraisers that were financially off this year were the Great Gatsby Festival and an event at the Ehrman Mansion. Millham blames part of the decline on other events scheduled the same day and more food booths than just his being allowed in.
However, for the third year he ran out of salmon at the annual fall Kokanee Salmon Festival. This made it the most profitable one to date for LTWC.
It costs big bucks to feed wild animals, especially with seven bears this year. The fame of L’il Smokey helped bring in cash from outside the area. Luckily, the need for bear food diminishes because by mid-December the bruins are hibernating.
“Every year we fight and scrape to take care of the animals. We are fortunate for the people who live here and visit here who support us,” Millham said.
It also helps that the number of local animal organizations to give to pales in comparison to the number of human groups needing money.
Other organizations
Another human group seeing its dollars stretched is the Boys & Girls Club. About 260 kids come every day, with 850 part of the local organization.
“In the span of the three years I’ve been onboard, we have increased our services and needs by 30 percent, yet our resources are not matching that,” Karen Houser, executive director, said. “We are literally caught in the throes of the economy.”
Starting this month the doors are closing 30 minutes earlier – at 6pm now.
The club is open to California and Nevada kids ages 5 to 18. More high school students are becoming junior volunteers.
“We have gone from kids doing sports and recreation to really being that viable entity where they get homework done, get involved in leadership and learn life skills,” Houser said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the kids ... the difference we make in their lives.”
Her $750,000 annual budget is funded part by fees, part from the government, part from grants and a lot from local support.
This year’s annual fund-raising golf tournament was down by more than 30 percent. Participation was off and the number of silent auction items donated was down.
For the first time the club is having a raffle for a house. Only 1,000 of the 12,000 tickets have been sold. Seven thousand need to be sold for the event to occur next spring.
The winner will get the $650,000 house on South Upper Truckee Road. Raffle tickets are $150 each or two for $200 through the end of the year. Actor-comedian Kevin Nealon has lent his name and voice to the cause in promotional material.
The Boys & Girls Club is not alone in seeing donations drop. All groups accustomed to receiving money from service groups are likely to see less money because they have less to give. Cut backs at the county, state and federal levels are also impacting local groups.
For those who find themselves homeless in El Dorado County this winter – it’s going to be cold. Not a single shelter exists in the county.
Zephyr Cove Elementary School’s emergency clothes closet needs all sizes of gender-neutral T-shirts and sweat-type or pull-on pants.
The reality is people are not looking for extras. They want their basic needs met -- food, clothing and shelter.
By Kathryn Reed
It was easier to move around.
That was the only good thing about the noticeable drop in attendance at November’s wine tasting put on by Soroptimists International of South Lake Tahoe. Bidding on silent auction items is competitive. Goods have multiple bids early on. Ticket sales are robust. None of theses statements was true this year.
Before the last penny was counted, wine tasting chairwoman Valerie Conners estimated her group took in upward of $6,000 less from the silent auction compared to 2007. About 100 fewer of the $65 tickets were sold.
“I can tell the economy has made a huge dent in our life here,” Conners said. “We had a lot of donors who normally donate that didn’t donate at all.”
Fewer wineries and restaurants participated. Some dropped out at the last minute. Some brought less food and libations than years past.
“They have to be a little more choosey in what they bring,” Conners said, noting that fundraising and giving is changing on all fronts on the South Shore.
Tahoe is not unique in this phenomenon of donations to charitable groups being less and the need being greater. Still, in a small community like this, the effects of layoffs in sectors as diverse as gaming-banking-housing-government takes a greater toll when tourism, the lifeline, has been clobbered for consecutive seasons.
Going into this month, Christmas Cheer was on target to set a record for the last quarter of 2008 – not for donations collected, but for the number of people the organization has helped.
In October, 1,433 people were fed – that equates to 530 families. It was a record. Just before Thanksgiving, November was on track to be a record month, too.
“People’s hours have been cut or they’ve been laid off and now have no visible means of support,” said Joanne Shope of Christmas Cheer. Her group is run by volunteers and community donations.
Its name is a bit of a misnomer. Though it does bring cheer to people this time of year, bags of food are doled out year-round to people who have been referred to the nonprofit. Clothes and other goods are also available.
Like most years, bins are scattered about town to collect food. Christmas Cheer (2085 Eloise Ave., South Lake) takes donations year-round – including cash.
Freshies hosted its annual fundraiser for the group Dec. 9. Besides diners being asked to make a $10 minimum donation for the cause, owners Melodie and Erik Ulman donated all proceeds from the event to Christmas Cheer.
Hours of hard work
Even though the myriad fundraisers sponsored by service clubs are not hitting their marks of previous years, the effort to put them on doesn’t change. Some wonder if asking people to write a check might be easier than spending a year to plan an event.
“No” is the answer heard over and over again.
“We see results. We have an impact on our community,” said Kathy Suthern of Soroptimists International of Tahoe Sierra.
She and five others in the group descended upon Lisa Huard’s home Nov. 24 to discuss their fundraiser – Elegant Evening, which will be April 4. Planning started a month after the 2007 event was over.
President Pat Papp knows more than 1,000 woman hours are put into the event – which is probably the same for the crab feeds, salmon festivals and other community fundraisers. It goes beyond committee meetings. It’s talking with the printer, checking with the florist, collecting silent auction items and other minutia party-goers don’t see.
This planning meeting had a full agenda. The budget and financial projections topped the list. Expenses are going up; projected revenue going down. Attendance was down this year and is expected to keep going in that direction.
Seven committee reports were on the agenda ranging from entertainment to tickets to donations to decorations.
Music choices took up part of the discussion.
Shope, who is in this group, talked about being able to get raffle tickets, tape and baskets again this year.
Huard talked about sending save the date cards this month in hopes people might buy a few $50 tickets for holiday gifts.
Each year things are tweaked. Wendy David wants to emphasize “elegant” for the ’09 goodie bags.
Huard and others said the work involved is about creating a sense of community – to bring people together. They said they gladly take cash donations, but they believe merely soliciting checks would not have the warmth associated with creating an event.
“If you just write a check, you miss the human connection,” Papp said.
Giving and receiving
All Soroptimists groups are about giving to women and children. The two local ones are no different. Beneficiaries have included South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center, Tahoe Youth & Family Services, Challenge Day and Drug Store Project.
The wine tasting group takes applications in the fall and disperses money in January. What is given out next month is money raised from the 2007 wine event and other fundraisers.
The Elegant Evening women keep cash on hand to give out as needed. A check for $500 helped secure Melba Beals’ speaking engagement at South Tahoe Middle School last month.
Although most of the bigger fundraisers are in a casino convention room, MontBleu is offering up its showroom to nonprofits. Hard costs, like lights and sounds, have to be absorbed by the organization, but the casino is essentially offering the room for free on select nights.
“I’m a big believer in locals. We have to come together,” said Tom Davis, marketing guru at MontBleu and Horizon.
Tom Millham wears the hat of giver and receiver. He is part of Kiwanis Club of Tahoe Sierra, one of three Kiwanis chapters on the South Shore.
September marked the seventh year his club has staged an Oktoberfest. With 2007 being a record year, Kiwanis was happy with just a 10 percent decline in attendance and money raised this year.
Kiwanis worldwide supports youth groups. Affiliated groups of Kiwanis are Key Clubs in high schools, K-Kids for younger students and the Builders Club in Boys & Girls Clubs.
This year Millham’s group is focusing on at-risk kids in the community.
He also raises money for Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, the animal rehabilitation center he runs with his wife, Cheryl, and a gaggle of volunteers.
In 2007, LTWC opted to not have its annual raffle because of the Angora Fire. The thinking was businesses were tapped out with giving, so donations would not be sought. However, LTWC had a non-raffle raffle, meaning people could still give cash but they wouldn’t be in the running for a prize.
“We did 50 percent better than what was normal. It just blew me away,” Millham said. “We decided to do it again this year. It saves us money in printing tickets, collecting prizes and spending time.”
In the first two weeks of the non-raffle, $9,000 had been collected in November. In 2007, $15,000 was raised.
Two LTWC fundraisers that were financially off this year were the Great Gatsby Festival and an event at the Ehrman Mansion. Millham blames part of the decline on other events scheduled the same day and more food booths than just his being allowed in.
However, for the third year he ran out of salmon at the annual fall Kokanee Salmon Festival. This made it the most profitable one to date for LTWC.
It costs big bucks to feed wild animals, especially with seven bears this year. The fame of L’il Smokey helped bring in cash from outside the area. Luckily, the need for bear food diminishes because by mid-December the bruins are hibernating.
“Every year we fight and scrape to take care of the animals. We are fortunate for the people who live here and visit here who support us,” Millham said.
It also helps that the number of local animal organizations to give to pales in comparison to the number of human groups needing money.
Other organizations
Another human group seeing its dollars stretched is the Boys & Girls Club. About 260 kids come every day, with 850 part of the local organization.
“In the span of the three years I’ve been onboard, we have increased our services and needs by 30 percent, yet our resources are not matching that,” Karen Houser, executive director, said. “We are literally caught in the throes of the economy.”
Starting this month the doors are closing 30 minutes earlier – at 6pm now.
The club is open to California and Nevada kids ages 5 to 18. More high school students are becoming junior volunteers.
“We have gone from kids doing sports and recreation to really being that viable entity where they get homework done, get involved in leadership and learn life skills,” Houser said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the kids ... the difference we make in their lives.”
Her $750,000 annual budget is funded part by fees, part from the government, part from grants and a lot from local support.
This year’s annual fund-raising golf tournament was down by more than 30 percent. Participation was off and the number of silent auction items donated was down.
For the first time the club is having a raffle for a house. Only 1,000 of the 12,000 tickets have been sold. Seven thousand need to be sold for the event to occur next spring.
The winner will get the $650,000 house on South Upper Truckee Road. Raffle tickets are $150 each or two for $200 through the end of the year. Actor-comedian Kevin Nealon has lent his name and voice to the cause in promotional material.
The Boys & Girls Club is not alone in seeing donations drop. All groups accustomed to receiving money from service groups are likely to see less money because they have less to give. Cut backs at the county, state and federal levels are also impacting local groups.
For those who find themselves homeless in El Dorado County this winter – it’s going to be cold. Not a single shelter exists in the county.
Zephyr Cove Elementary School’s emergency clothes closet needs all sizes of gender-neutral T-shirts and sweat-type or pull-on pants.
The reality is people are not looking for extras. They want their basic needs met -- food, clothing and shelter.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Carnival Cabaret
By Kathryn Reed
The face of Carnival Cabaret lives on even though his voice has been silenced.
Hunter – his legal and stage name – did such an incredible rendition of Cher that it was hard to know it wasn’t her, let alone it was a man in those outrageous costumes. Hunter’s image is being used to advertise the current show at the Horizon. He died in 2005 from a head injury after a fall during a rehearsal in Southern California.
“I still don’t think I’ve replaced him,” said Dan Gore, producer of the female impersonation show. “Hunter was a special act, a special person.”
Steven Andrade may not be the permanent Cher.
Carnival Cabaret returned to the Horizon hotel-casino in the fall after going dark in 2004. The initial nearly four-year stint at Stateline made it the longest running show on the South Shore. The casino has extended the current gig through April.
“My goal is to stay as long as possible,” Gore said. “I think we left prematurely.”
Many people also associate this show with Gypsy (aka James Haake) the 76-year-old grandfather who emcees the event. Even if you don’t want to hear the music of Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick or Prince, Gypsy is worth the $26.95.
His routine is part drag queen, part comedy, part interaction with the audience.
Anyone who has seen Cher live will agree Gypsy rivals her in the number of wardrobe changes. His attire is full of Versace gowns and Jimmy Choo shoes. (That’s the same footwear the “Sex and the City” gals wore.) He credits Barbara Parina at Side Street Boutique for keeping him so well attired.
His humor crosses the line a bit, so best to leave the kids at home. Talking about how the seam in nylons hits male body parts is just an example.
Self-deprecation is the norm – such as needing to shop at Home Depot for makeup and saying, “The only reason to dress like this as an old man is for the money.”
Gypsy’s humor is timely, with some Sarah Palin jokes thrown in before the governor went back to Alaska in defeat. In between each of the musical acts Gypsy converses with the audience. Insecure men should not sit near the stage.
The original show had seven performers, this time there are nine.
“There are endless possibilities. We are always working on something else,” Gore said. “We’ll be constantly changing.”
Gore said his contract with the current management at Horizon gives him more control over the show. Last go-around one of the performers was in transition – that’s something Gore won’t allow now that he calls all the shots.
With the diversity of impersonations, the show provides a little bit of something for everyone, as evident by a table of four locals who all had different favorites. Some liked “Parton” strutting in from the back of the room with a buxom out to there, another liked “Midler” – why pay Vegas prices to see her for real?
The finale will make you think twice about gay men dressing as women, but more important, about accepting each others differences.
Original cast members include Patrick Ross as Streisand and Midler, and Tony Celestine as Ross and Warwick. New to Tahoe are Frank Moore as Prince, and Kevin Wiley as McEntire, Parton and Garland. Shows are Tuesday-Sunday at 8pm and 10pm.
The face of Carnival Cabaret lives on even though his voice has been silenced.
Hunter – his legal and stage name – did such an incredible rendition of Cher that it was hard to know it wasn’t her, let alone it was a man in those outrageous costumes. Hunter’s image is being used to advertise the current show at the Horizon. He died in 2005 from a head injury after a fall during a rehearsal in Southern California.
“I still don’t think I’ve replaced him,” said Dan Gore, producer of the female impersonation show. “Hunter was a special act, a special person.”
Steven Andrade may not be the permanent Cher.
Carnival Cabaret returned to the Horizon hotel-casino in the fall after going dark in 2004. The initial nearly four-year stint at Stateline made it the longest running show on the South Shore. The casino has extended the current gig through April.
“My goal is to stay as long as possible,” Gore said. “I think we left prematurely.”
Many people also associate this show with Gypsy (aka James Haake) the 76-year-old grandfather who emcees the event. Even if you don’t want to hear the music of Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick or Prince, Gypsy is worth the $26.95.
His routine is part drag queen, part comedy, part interaction with the audience.
Anyone who has seen Cher live will agree Gypsy rivals her in the number of wardrobe changes. His attire is full of Versace gowns and Jimmy Choo shoes. (That’s the same footwear the “Sex and the City” gals wore.) He credits Barbara Parina at Side Street Boutique for keeping him so well attired.
His humor crosses the line a bit, so best to leave the kids at home. Talking about how the seam in nylons hits male body parts is just an example.
Self-deprecation is the norm – such as needing to shop at Home Depot for makeup and saying, “The only reason to dress like this as an old man is for the money.”
Gypsy’s humor is timely, with some Sarah Palin jokes thrown in before the governor went back to Alaska in defeat. In between each of the musical acts Gypsy converses with the audience. Insecure men should not sit near the stage.
The original show had seven performers, this time there are nine.
“There are endless possibilities. We are always working on something else,” Gore said. “We’ll be constantly changing.”
Gore said his contract with the current management at Horizon gives him more control over the show. Last go-around one of the performers was in transition – that’s something Gore won’t allow now that he calls all the shots.
With the diversity of impersonations, the show provides a little bit of something for everyone, as evident by a table of four locals who all had different favorites. Some liked “Parton” strutting in from the back of the room with a buxom out to there, another liked “Midler” – why pay Vegas prices to see her for real?
The finale will make you think twice about gay men dressing as women, but more important, about accepting each others differences.
Original cast members include Patrick Ross as Streisand and Midler, and Tony Celestine as Ross and Warwick. New to Tahoe are Frank Moore as Prince, and Kevin Wiley as McEntire, Parton and Garland. Shows are Tuesday-Sunday at 8pm and 10pm.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Clean Tahoe's annual report
By Kathryn Reed
Metal trash cans have one useful purpose – being a safe receptacle for ashes. When it comes to deterring animals, forget about it. The metal absorbs food smells that attract bears, raccoons and dogs.
That was some of the information dispensed by Clean Tahoe personnel in its annual report. The nonprofit’s 2007-08 fiscal year ended Sept. 30.
A new problem was the need to clean up after construction trucks leaving the Angora burn area. Clean Tahoe crews were out on Lake Tahoe Boulevard at least once a week picking up debris.
Assisting with the cleanup are work release crews from El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department. However, the 976 who picked up trash totaled the fewest number of participants in six years.
For 2007-08, Clean Tahoe collected 78 tons of trash in South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County. Crews responded to 2,969 service calls. This is down from the 3,482 the previous year, but up from the 2,717 calls in 2005-06.
Ellen Nunes, program manager, said Clean Tahoe’s bus stop contract is now with South Tahoe Area Transit Authority instead of Area Transit Management. She said STATA has hired a contractor to handle snow removal.
“It should be smoother this winter,” Nunes told the South Lake Tahoe Basin Waste Management Authority board.
Clean Tahoe has regular routes and set areas, like Linear Park, where crews pick up litter. Personnel also respond to calls of garbage or larger items dumped along roadways.
Fewer appliances were part of the mix this past year. This is attributed to Sierra Pacific Power’s refrigerator buy-back program and No E-Waste free drop-off events.
Clean Tahoe hosts the annual Community Cleanup day in June at South Tahoe Refuse. It also is responsible for coordinating the local Coastal Cleanup day in September.
Clean Tahoe is also part of the recently formed consortium of local entities called Recycle Tahoe.
Metal trash cans have one useful purpose – being a safe receptacle for ashes. When it comes to deterring animals, forget about it. The metal absorbs food smells that attract bears, raccoons and dogs.
That was some of the information dispensed by Clean Tahoe personnel in its annual report. The nonprofit’s 2007-08 fiscal year ended Sept. 30.
A new problem was the need to clean up after construction trucks leaving the Angora burn area. Clean Tahoe crews were out on Lake Tahoe Boulevard at least once a week picking up debris.
Assisting with the cleanup are work release crews from El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department. However, the 976 who picked up trash totaled the fewest number of participants in six years.
For 2007-08, Clean Tahoe collected 78 tons of trash in South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County. Crews responded to 2,969 service calls. This is down from the 3,482 the previous year, but up from the 2,717 calls in 2005-06.
Ellen Nunes, program manager, said Clean Tahoe’s bus stop contract is now with South Tahoe Area Transit Authority instead of Area Transit Management. She said STATA has hired a contractor to handle snow removal.
“It should be smoother this winter,” Nunes told the South Lake Tahoe Basin Waste Management Authority board.
Clean Tahoe has regular routes and set areas, like Linear Park, where crews pick up litter. Personnel also respond to calls of garbage or larger items dumped along roadways.
Fewer appliances were part of the mix this past year. This is attributed to Sierra Pacific Power’s refrigerator buy-back program and No E-Waste free drop-off events.
Clean Tahoe hosts the annual Community Cleanup day in June at South Tahoe Refuse. It also is responsible for coordinating the local Coastal Cleanup day in September.
Clean Tahoe is also part of the recently formed consortium of local entities called Recycle Tahoe.
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