POLICE NON-EMERGENCY BUSINESS LINE WORKING AGAIN

The primary published non-emergency business phone number for the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (530-542-6100) has been restored and is back in service. It became inoperable on Monday of this week. The 911 phone lines into the police dispatch center remain fully functional, and were not been affected by this business line issue.

SENIOR PANCAKE BREAKFAST

South Lake Tahoe Seniors will host a pancake breakfast from 8-11 a.m. and a rummage sale from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 16. Breakfast includes pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice, coffee, tea and cocoa. Cost is $5 for adults and teens, and $3 for children under 12. The rummage sale will have new and slightly used clothing, household items and tools, and more at reasonable prices. The event is planned for South Lake Tahoe Senior Center, located at 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. To rent a table, contact Arline at the reception desk Monday through Friday, 1-4 p.m. at 530-542-6094 or call 530-545-1277. Donations are appreciated. The deadline to pay for a table is Friday, July 15, by 4 p.m. The event benefits the Seniors.

FOREST SERVICE PROJECT TARGETS INVASIVE PLANTS

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) resumed a project to eradicate, control and contain known infestations of invasive plants in the Lake Tahoe Basin using chemical treatment. Work began last week and will continue at approximately 70 infestation sites through September 2016.

Current project areas include the 64 Acres parking lot, Angora Fire area, Baldwin Beach Meadow, Burke Creek Trail, Camp Richardson Corral, Luther Pass Campground, Heavenly Creek Meadow, Heavenly Mountain Resort, the Lower Truckee River below Tahoe City, and the Spooner Summit fire station. Crews will also treat infestations on numerous Forest Service urban lots around the basin. Herbicides used in treatments include Rodeo, Milestone and Telar. Crews apply the product with backpack sprayers and other handheld tools. Herbicide application follows approved Environmental Protection Agency, state and local direction.

“When treating near sensitive habitats, such as bodies of water and wetlands, the pesticide will be applied using precise wipe and wick methods or spot spraying,” LTBMU botanist Scott Taylor said. “The Forest Service follows strict guidelines when applying pesticides to keep watersheds safe while killing the weeds. This year, crews are seeing reduced numbers of weeds at most sites and are pleased our efforts are working.”

Caution signs will be posted in treatment areas and remain for at least 48 hours after application. Orange and black caution tape will mark the boundary around each treatment area. A marker dye will be used to easily identify locations that have been sprayed. Treatment areas are typically small and consist of a few plants. Access to treatment sites will be restricted during and after the application. Forest Service staff will be on site to monitor the areas in order to ensure public safety while the project is implemented.

An Environmental Assessment released by the Forest Service in 2010 identified 493 known invasive plant infestations located on National Forest System lands managed by the LTBMU. Invasive plants reproduce and spread rapidly, displacing native plants. They can also reduce the amount and quality of fish and wildlife habitat, increase soil erosion and stream sedimentation, and impair recreational access.

Target invasive plants include tall whitetop (Lepidium latifolium), Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica), yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris), hoary cress (Cardaria pubescens and C. draba) and Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense). Photos and information about these species can be found at the Lake Tahoe Basin Weed Coordinating Group’s website at http://www.tahoeinvasiveweeds.org.

For more information about this project, contact Scott Taylor at 530-543-2879 or visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/invasiveplanttreatment.