October 2013 Concerts in Tahoe: Steve Martin, Blue Öyster Cult, Leon Russel, Rusted Root, Flavor Flav

October 02  Jungle Costume party @ Opal at Montbleu
The Unknown Comic w/ Susan Jones @ Crystal Bay Club
October 2-6 Jimmy Shubert, Suli McCullough @ Improv at Harvey's

Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers
ft. Edie Brickell

October 3-5 Hookah Stew @ Cabo Wabo
October 03 Adient Zoo, Groovebox, Black Star Safari, 4 Piece Puzzle @ Holly's Place (1201 Rufus Allen Blvd)
Hemlock, Deathplant, Qarin, Downtime @ Whisky Dick's
Polish Ambassador, DJ Vadim feat. Wildlight @ Tahoe Biltmore
Pyle of Zen @ Cottonwood bar and grill
October 04 SublimedLive w/ Corn Doggy Dog & The 1/2 Pound @ Whisky Dick's
DJ Gjestar @ Electric Mushroom
DJ Keenan, DJ G. Money @ PEEK Tahoe
  Helena and the Bear @ Naked Fish Sushi
The Roemers @ West Side Pizza
The Rusty Buckets @ Divided Sky
Sneaky Creatures @ Crystal Bay Club
October 05 Steve Martin, Edie Brickell, and the
                Steep Canyon Rangers @ Montbleu
DJ Rick Gee, DJ SN1 @ PEEK Tahoe

Lake Tahoe Toy Run @ Brother's Bar
"Doing Damage Tour" feat. VNDMG, Indaskyes,
                 and Le Moti @ Crystal Bay Club
"McConkey" movie premiere @ Squaw Valley

October 5-6     Lake Tahoe Fish Festival @ Taylor Creek Visitor's center
October 06 Conducting from the grave, Dethrone the Soverign, Ironclad, Half a Tusk @ Classic Cue
October 07 Cash Only Band @ Cabo Wabo
October 9-13 Jeff Dye, Brandt Tobler @ Improv at Harvey's
October 10 Lisa Marie Johnston @ Cottonwood bar and grill
  Dyer Maker @ Cabo Wabo
October 11-12 Nothin Personal @ Cabo Wabo
October 11 DJ Keenan, DJ Ivan @ PEEK Tahoe
The Roemers @ West Side Pizza
  Helena and the Bear @ Naked Fish
Keyser Sose @ Crystal Bay Club
Jimmy Ashley @ Cottonwood bar and Grill
October 12-13  Pony and Pumpkin festival @ Forest Suites resort
October 12 Tahoe Donner Fall Festival @ Donner Lake
Blue Öyster Cult @ Harrah's
Machine Gun Vendetta, Ninja Slaughterhouse, Infecto Skeletons, Melvin Makes Machine Guns @ Whisky Dick's 7th Anniversary party
DJ Rick Gee, DJ SN1 @ PEEK Tahoe
Thick Soup @ The Divided Sky
Tahoe City Grill Fest
Tracorum @ Crystal bay Club
October 13 Dinner Theatre feat. Richard Blair @ Cottonwood bar and grill
October 14 Boys and Girls Club Golf Classic @ Edgewood
Supersuckers, the Marones, Dirt Starship @ Whisky Dick's
Cash Only Band @ Cabo Wabo
October 15 S1nthys3s, Zombass, Selby @ Whisky Dick's
October 16-20 The Stagebenders, Joel Lindley @ Improv at Harvey's
October 16 Griz, Rebel Era, Two Fresh, Anvil Smith @ Tahoe Biltmore
Will Durst @ Crystal Bay Club
October 18-19 A Train @ Cabo Wabo 
October 18 DJ Keenan, DJ CRE-8 @ PEEK Tahoe
  Theresa Bell @ Naked Fish Sushi
Down North @ Crystal Bay Club
October 19 Blind Boys of Alabama @ Harrah's
Decide, Broken Hope, Necronomicon, Purification by Fire, Gary Busey Amber Alert @ Whisky Dick's
Too $hort @ Private Party (Contact Late Nite productions)
Burbon Dinner w/ master distiller Jimmy Russel @ Harvey's
DJ Rick Gee, DJ SN1 @ PEEK Tahoe
Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty band, Cherry Royale @ Crystal Bay CLub
  Fall Pumpkin Patch @ Tahoe City
October 22 Cherub, Con Bro Chill w/ Mansions on the Moon @ Crystal Bay Club
   Ireyes, Tattoo Joe Moontribe, Benjah Ninjah @ Whisky Dick's
October 23-27 Scott Record, Chipper Lowell @ Improv at Harvey's
October 23 Rusted Root feat. Goodnight, Texas; The Royal Teeth @ Crystal Bay Club
October 24 Todd Clouser @ The Divided Sky
  Tribulation @ Rojo's
  Jesse Kalin Carson @ Cabo Wabo
Jill Cohn @ Cottonwood bar and Grill
October 25-26 Hookah Stew @ Cabo Wabo
October 25 DJ Keenan, Crisco Kid @ PEEK Tahoe
Z-Man, DJ True Justice, Tip-C, D-Day  @ Whisky Dick's
  DJ Morefiend, Gerbal, Smug, Sceam, Cook-E, Syrax @ Electric Mushroom
  Little Town @ Naked Fish Sushi
The Roemers @ West Side Pizza
The Motet, Jellybread / Thick Newton @ Crystal Bay Club

Leon Russel at Harrah's South Shore Room October 26th

October 26 Leon Russel @ Harrah's
35th annual Freaker's Ball feat. Glam Cobra @ Montbleu
Naughty or Nice Costume Ball feat. Playmates Chrissy Henderson, Niccolette Shea, Mei-Ling Lam
@ PEEK Tahoe
  Lisa Rose @ Electric Mushroom
Creeper's Ball feat. Tainted Love / Boggan, Jaekwon the Chief @ Crystal Bay Club
October 29  Kayla Scintilla, DubColinG, Bird of Prey @ Whisky Dick's
Oct 30 - Nov 3 Rachal Feinstein, Johnny Loquasto @ Improv at Harvey's
October 31 Freq Nasty Haloween freak fest @ Whisky Dick's
Haloween Party feat. Flavor Flav w/ DJ Rick Gee @ PEEK Tahoe
  Jesse Kalin Carson @ Cabo Wabo

The Freeway Revival @ Divided Sky
November 1-2  Dia de los muertos pub crawl @ Heavenly Village
November 01 The Freeway revival @ Whisky Dick's
Keyser Sose @ Moody's Bistro
November 02 Kytami (of Dehli 2 Dublin) @ Blu Nightclub in Montbleu
Gov't Mule @ Harrah's
Diverse Mentality feat. Handsome Dodger (Primitive Science), DJ Drew & Mermer
                w/ Intalekt MC and DJ Slim and Diskfunktion (of Pusch), Beatstax, Flysofee, DJ Sonar, Highbreed,  and Cas Z. @ Electric Mushroom

Tahoe Expo brings Sustainable Geotourisim to Lake Tahoe

The 3rd Annual Tahoe Expo from Sustainable Tahoe is a Basin-wide geotourisim event in Lake Tahoe where the participant can explore many different tracks of sustainable tourism around the Lake Tahoe basin.


Among many other offerings this year's event featured a wild mustang tour of western Nevada, ultimately leading to the place where the Donner party camped before they attempted to cross the sierra.

 It also featured Stand-Up Paddle Yoga, an electric bike tour of the water quality hazards posed by unprotected drain pipes into Lake Tahoe, and a demonstration of Native American music and spirituality.

September 2013 Concerts in Tahoe: Dave Matthews Band, Cascada, Journey, Afroman

August 30-Sept 01 Tattoo convention @ Montbleu
August 31 The Situation @ PEEK tahoe
Sept 01-02 The Garage Boys @ Cabo Wabo
September 01 Afroman, Beach Bum Alcoholics, Jonzen, the Chor Boys @ Blu nightclub in Montbleu
  Allan Miller Trio @ Valhalla
Cash Only Band @ Steamers
Ike and Martin @ Jakes on the Lake
DJ Rob Base @ Peek tahoe
Drop Theory @ The Passtime Club
Natalie Gelman @ Northstar
  Local's last waltz feat. King High Tide, Downbeat, the Beer Gardeners @ Commons Beach
  Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, the Easy Leaves, / Swamp Zen @ Crystal Bay Club
September 02 DJ Keenan @ Peek tahoe
Cash Only band @ The Beacon
Big Band Jazz @ Sugar Pine Point st. Park
September 03-05  North tahoe Flow Arts Festival @ Kings Beach



September 03 DJ J-Bird @ Cabo Wabo
Mindfull Massive @ Whisky Dick's
Ukelele Jam @ Mo's Place
Sept 4-8 Dat Phan / Mike Price @ Improv at Harvey's
September 04 Dave Matthews Band w/ Gary Clark Jr. @ Harvey's Outdoor Ampetheatre
The Garage Boys @ Cabo Wabo
Darren Senn @ Coyote Grill
September 05 Drought Relief @ Cabo Wabo
Austin Quattlebaum @ Cottonwood bar and grill
Eric taylor @ Shooting Star BnB
Andy frasco @ Moody's Bistro
DJ Beromaze / Lambchop @ Lakeside at Night
Sept 06-08 Autumn food and Wine Festival @ Northstar
Pacific Fine Arts Festival in Truckee
September 06 Gold Star Peak Dedication ceremony @ Lakeview Commons
Summer of Bass feat. Upstairs Downstairs, DJ Kronyak, Sceam, SyRaX, Bluntstache, Beat Karma,
Conspiracy Theory @ American legion
Rival Sons @ Cabo Wabo
DJ Romeo Reyes @ harrah's
Guitar Strings vs Chicken Wings ft. Drop Theory, Thick Newton, One Track Mind, Bad Move Smooth, Matt Reardon and Montange @ Squaw Valley
Emily tessmer @ Cottonwood bar and Grill
Serena Dawn @ Rubicon Pizza Co
Dusty Miles and the Cryin Shame @ The Passtime Club
Mama's Cookin, Peter Joseph Burtt and the King Tide / Zeb Early @ Crystal Bay Club

Sept. 07-08 Tahoe Expo @ Lakeview Commons
September 07 The Zombies, Et Tu Bruce @ Harrah's South Shore room
Them Creatures, Sad Boy Sinister, Dirt Starship @ Whisky Dick's
DJ Rick Gee / DJ SN1 @ Peek Tahoe
Audioboxx @ cabo Wabo
Open Blues Jam @ Coyote Grill
Milton Morales / Ian Ethan Case @ Northstar
Trails and Vistas @ Truckee Regional Park
Coburn Station @ The Passtime Club
Trevor Selby w/ Bassment-ality @ Crystal Bay CLub
September 08 DJ Chris English @ Cabo Wabo
NT Jazz band / The Beer Gardeners @ Commons Beach
Ike and Martin @ Jakes on the Lake
Cascada @ Northstar
September 09 Cash Only Band @ Cabo Wabo
DJ Keenan @ Peek tahoe
September 10 DJ J-Bird @ Cabo Wabo
Tight and Bright on Bikes @ Jakes on the Lake
Peter Joseph Burtt and the King Tide @ PJ's in Truckee
Sept 11-15 Adam Hunter / Annie Lederman @ Improv at Harvey's
September 11 Dyer Maker @ Cabo Wabo
DJ Professor Stone, Gurbtron, Aux @ The Grid
Comedy Night w/ Robert hawkins @ Crystal bay Club
Sept 12-14 Hookah Stew @ Cabo Wabo
September 12 Danielle French @ Cottonwood bar and grill
Sept 13-16 BASS MTN: Love and Light, Kayla Scintilla, Knight Riderz, TYMK, Nominus, Sugar Pill, Digital Rust,
Stylust Beats, Sugar Pill, 9 ft of smoke, Subtropixx, Zombass, Oscar Daniel, Gurbtron,
Shane Suffritti, IJV, Subdocta, Wet Dreamz, Safi's Lab, Motorhome Music, Heidilicious, C. Worth
@ Yuba river outside of Truckee
Sept 13-15 Tahoe Fat Tire Festival @ Squaw Valley
September 13 Spiral Arms, Weight of the Tide, Tuco Ramierez, Stone Daddy, Up Against It @ Whisky Dick's
Celtic house concert w/ Anne Roos, Sean Cummings, Keith Shannon, Robert Erlich
DJ Antman @ Lakeside Inn
John Ayres @ Cottonwood bar and grill
Jellybread @ Crystal Bay Club

September 14 Tahoe Youth and Family Services Color Run
Journey @ Harvey's outdoor ampetheatre
The Yardbirds @ Harrah's
Tony Holiday trio, Candy's River House, Hellhound express @ Whisky Dick's
Progress feat. Infinite Luv, Elektromagnetik, Maizon Tech, C_Note vs. 3PO, Batch,
Stensen, Mr. Smeags @ Electric Mushroom
Emerald Bay Rim Trail Run
Tahoe Sierra Century Ride / CRJ ski movie premiere  @ Squaw Valley
Formerly Known As (a tribute to Prince) @ Crystal Bay Club
September 15 San Fransisco Comedy Competition feat. Samuel J Comroe, Drennon Davis, Brendan Lynch, Duat Mai,
Paul Morrissey, Matt Ralston, Melissa Shoshahi, Johnny Taylor, Kate Willett & More @ Montbleu
DJ Chris English @ Cabo Wabo
September 16 Cash Only Band @ Cabo Wabo
DJ Keenan @ Peek tahoe
 The Hooten Hallers @ Sierra Pizza
September 17 Dyer Maker @ Cabo Wabo
Mindfull massive @ Whisky Dick's
Sept. 18-22 Mark Pitta / Gilbert Lawand @ Improv at Harvey's
September 18 Calabrese, Los Pistoleros, Goodbye to Sunlight, Dirt Starship @ Whisky Dick's
September 19 Jessie Carson Kalin @ Cabo Wabo
The Old Way @ Cottonwood bar and Grill
Sept 20-21 Nothin Personal @ Cabo Wabo
September 20 Street Urchinz, Massive Delicious, Weapon @ Whisky Dick's
Tuck Wilson @ Cottonwood bar and Grill
Big Sam's Funky Nation, The Stooges / Mojo Green @ Crystal bay Club
September 21 The Robert Cray Band @ Harrah's
DJ Rick Gee @ Peek Tahoe
Electric Blu EDM Show @ Blu in Montbleu
Sweetwater String Band @ Divided Sky
Dog Days of Fall in Incline Village
Purple Haze / Benjah Ninjaj, Mr. Roony @ Crystal Bay Club
September 22 DJ Chris English @ Cabo Wabo
Ironman Triathelon @ Squaw Valley
Sweetwater Strong Band @ Fat Cat Cafe
September 23 DJ Keenan @ Peek Tahoe
Fabrizio @ Americana Inn
September 24
Sept 25-26 Dane Reinhardt @ Cabo Wabo
Sept. 25-29 Alan Havey / Jann Karam @ Improv at Harvey's
September 25 Darren Senn & friends @ Coyote Grill
September 26 Tuck Wilson @ Nine 41 in Tahoe City
Sept. 27-29 Lake Tahoe Marathon
Route 111 @ Cabo Wabo
September 27 Jeff Berman, No red Alice, Bradley Riot @ Whisky Dick's
5tr3ngth 1n Numb3r5 w/ Chi-Gu Kom, Conspiracy Theory @ Electric Mushroom
DJ Antmann @ Lakeside Inn
Ike and Martin @ Lucky beaver
The Bumptet @ Divided Sky
Drop Theory @ Crystal Bay Club
Sept 28-29 Tough Mudder @ Northstar
September 28 Drive By Truckers @ Harrah's South Shore room
DJ Pauly D @ Peek Tahoe
Red Rose feat. Groovebox @ Whisky Dick's
Oktoberfest 2013 feat. Johnny Koenig @ Himmel Haus
Casual Dogs - a tribute to the Gratefull Dead @ Crystal bay CLub
September 29 Oktoberfest @ Squaw Valley
September 30 DJ Keenan @ Peek Tahoe

If your browser doesn't support embedded playlists
click here for the September 2013 Tahoe Concert Playlist


October 02 The Unknown Comic @ Crystal bay Club
October 03 Polish Ambassador / DJ Vadim @ Tahoe Biltmore
October 05 Steve Martin, Edie Brickell and the Steep Canyon Rangers @ Montbleu
Terror in tahoe skateboard competition

Tahoe Summit 2013: Governor Brian Sandoval on SB 229 and the Tahoe Fire Compact

Thank you.  Good morning everyone, it's always a pleasure to follow congressman Amodei and the Vice president and you might have seen that I brought up a little prop with me but it's unfortunate that the vice president had to leave for that very important board meeting because I had something for him.  My mom has recently moved back to Nevada and we were going through her things and we discovered something that I thought I would present him with today but this is his inaugural poster from the first election and I thought he would enjoy and appreciate that but I hope we can get it to him...

Thank you, Senator, he does look young in that picture.  [laughter] I wanted to present it to him because, as was mentioned, I had the privilege of serving on the TRPA 17 years ago and I had the opportunity and the privilege of attending that first summit and I know that I mentioned this last night at dinner, but I know that the vice president didn't remember me meeting him but I certainly remembered meeting him, and he's got just a tremendous, tremendous legacy.  And I think that it's really important that we pause for a moment and remember what it meant for he and President Clinton to come here that day so that we could all be here 17 years later.

You know, we gathered here today, and we've heard a lot of adjectives, but to recommit to a generational promise to preserve and protect one of the Earth's finest treasures.  Senator Reid, I want to thank you for your leadership through the years, senator Feinstein for your sponsorship of that very important federal legislation; Governor Brown, it's such a privilidge to be with you here today and a lot of folks don't know this but it also was mentioned that we had signed that legislation, or I had signed that legislation a few short months ago.  What I will recall more important than signing that bill was the opportunity to travel to Sacramento and meet with the governor and discuss these very important issues as I mentioned to him last night and even today: you know Paul Laxalt is one of my mentors and I believe that it's an absolute responsibility on my part to continue that legacy that he and President Reagan started, and I see it continuing now between governor Brown and myself.



It's fun for me to have this event here at Sand Harbor.  I mean, we all have our Sand Harbor stories and though I wasn't cleaning toilets or picking up trash or whatever but I was here 40 years ago playing out on the rocks and swimming out on the beach, and it's truely one of the gifts that we have in the state of Nevada to have this.  We've got some of our state parks folks who preserve it so well... If you would just raise your hand and be acknowledged for what you do.

When you think about it, this park here gets 1 million visitors per year and it is the most visited state park in the state of Nevada.  I think it's also important, and I know it's been mentioned today, that we acknowledge our native americans.  This is their ancestral home and it's a privilidge and honor to be in your presence as well.

[applause]

Now, I was looking at some of the program materials and this year's theme is "a clear lake legacy: preserving Tahoe and the environment for future generations" and I think that's obviously why we're all here.  We understand what we have, but also what it's going to mean that our children and our grandchildren and the generations to come can share this and enjoy it just like we have.  The regional plan update was mentioned and it was adopted by the TRPA and I think the members of the TRPA deserve a big hand because it took a lot of courage to adopt that.

[applause]

And that's a combination of the TRPA staff, the governing board, the environmental community, members of the business community, local residents and representatives... It truely was, and it's going to be an overused word today, this collaboration, this teamwork to get things done, so, as the Vice President said, this will be a model not only for our two states but our nation and the world.  Mr Ambassador it's such a pleasure that you're hear today and I hope that someday I have the opportunity to visit your great country and see that lake as well.

Now, I don't think that it's appropriate for me to go on.  We have that American Fire that's going on today and I see the firefighters here and the leaders of the firefighter community; and just think about it: as we sit here on this beach in this great sand and wonderfull backdrop, there are those firefighters, hundereds if not thousands of them, fighting that fire a short distance from here to help preserve what we have.  Please thank them for their courage.

[applause]

Now just a short few words talking about Nevada's comittment, as we've mentioned senate bill 229 and why it was a priority.  Economic, healthy communities provide a healthy foundation for continued environmental gains at Lake Tahoe.  The EIP program continues to be our shared roadmap to the restoration of the Lake Tahoe basin watershed.  We're using the newest and best practices, the latest available science.  The state of Nevada continues to honor our comittment to this great lake and to prioritize: funding for forest restoration, water clarity improvements, stream restoration, recreation enhancements, and invasive species management.  I'm also pleased to report, and Leo Drozdoff, I wanted to acknowledge him today for his leadership in what happens here in our great state, but the Nevada jurisdictions will likely meet their 5 year milestones in polutant reductions and are well on their way to meeting or exceeding all the other milestones, and that's due to your leadership and that of many others.  Thank you Leo.

[applause]

It was also mentioned about the stream zone environments, I know that they are some of the greatest contributors to the lake, and we are working on the third at Incline Creek, the two creeks there are the largest contributors to fine sediments; and I want to thank all of our partners in this great work: the Nevada tahoe conservation district, IVGID, Washow County, the Glenbrook community, and the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Beaureau of reclamation - another fine example of this teamwork to get things done up here.

I mentioned about the wildfires, Governor Brown and I immediately before we met today signed an agreement to continue, a proclamation that recomfirms the bi-state effort that began with the California-Nevada Tahoe basin fire commission created after the Angora fire.  Today's proclamation displays the continued cooperative work by our two states to protect people, property, and natural resources of the basin through fuel treatment projects, defensible space inspections, and agressive public education campaigns.  Governor Brown, thank you for your teamwork.

[applause]

So, in closing, it's a privilidge and an honor to be here today.  There are so many people responsible for all of us being here on this stage and I look out and I see everyone in the audience and I'm so proud of our Nevada legislators that I see out here and how we were able to work together.  The Nevada Secretary of State is here and I know that he sits on the TRPA and has a great comittment to Lake Tahoe.  Our federal representatives, the state representatives who work here, those representatives from California, I could go on and on, our county comissioners, our city council people, everyone is here and I know that when it comes to Nevada you have our future comittment to do whatever it takes to continue to preserve the greatest place on Earth, Lake Tahoe.  Thank you.

Tahoe Summit 2013 - Harry Reid introduces Al Gore

You've been welcomed, I welcome you again.  Especially I want to acknowledge Dianne Feinstein, who has been a partner in this operation since she came to the senate.  Dianne Feinstein has had a love affiar with this great lake since she was a child.  Her visits here those many years ago recognized the quality of this natural resource, the beauty of nature.  I acknowledge governor Brown and governor Sandoval and I've said this before and I'll say it again: they've set an example with this beautiful part of the world in acknowledging that a progressive governor and a conservative governor can work together for the good of the people of their states.  So, thank you very much, governors.


We didn't get a confirmation of this until the last minute, but I'm so thankful and we're all fortunate to have with us today the Russian ambassador to the United States, ambassador Sergey Kislyak, and I'm sorry because we didn't know he was coming but I would like somebody to escort the ambassador up here... [applause] I've had the good fortune and I appreciate very much the many courtesies he's extended to me.  He's always available, always returns his phone calls, even though sometimes the subject of the conversation isn't the most pleasant.  We work together and I have great admiration for him because he and I do our best working for the betterment of our two sovereign nations.  Thank you very much for being the first Russian ambassador ever to see Lake Tahoe.

You see, one reason that he's interested in this beautiful lake is that in his country, they have the other lake.  There are only two alpine glacial lakes in the world, Lake Tahoe and Lake Baikal.  Now, I told him today that he is not to boast about the size of Lake Baikal. [laughter] We love this lake that we share with California.  It is a beauty of nature.  Lake Baikal is interesting: it's 400 miles long and 50 miles wide, and that lake has more than 20% of all the fresh water in the world in that one lake.  They have freshwater seals and all kinds of unusual animals.


 Now, we have done some really good things: we have now the Tahoe-Baikal institute that has been going on for a significant number of years. [applause] It's a program of cultural and environmental exchanges between students and academics.  It's a wonderfull organization.  I've been to Lake Baikal: it is stunning, and if Mark Twain could've seen that he would've said the same thing about Lake Baikal that he said about Lake Tahoe "the fairest place in all the earth."  and I'm confident that these two places, Lake Baikal and Lake Tahoe are two of the fairest places in all the earth.  We should all be proud that we have done so much to preserve both these lakes.  We can criticize the former Soviet Union and russia all we want, but we should acknowledge that they have done a great job of protecting that great lake.

See more pictures of Sand Harbor on Google+ 

So, let's talk a little bit about really how this summit came about, how the first one came about.  I was a junior senator and I had been coming to the lake for a long time.  I was elected to my first statewide office in 1970 and everyone complained about Lake Tahoe.  The quality of the lake wasn't what it used to be, and so I was up here and the press said "What are you going to do about it?"  and what I wanted to say was "How the hell am I supposed to know?  I don't know." but, what I did say is this: "I think the only thing left is a presidential summit."  Now, folks, I'd never been to a presidential summit, I frankly didn't know they existed.  [laughter]

But I called my friend Al Gore.  Al Gore and I have known each other since 1982.  If there were ever two non-blood brothers in the world it's him and I.  I just think so much of him because he's been so good to me and I've tried to reciprocate.  And I said, "Mr. Vice President, here's what we have, and what I've asked for is a presidential summit.  Will you help me?"  and he said "Yes."   Now, as I look back at how I felt about this 16 years ago, I knew this basin was at risk: I knew that algae was growing, I knew that lake temperatures had increased, but I thought 'well, maybe we'll have a good photo op.' but that isn't how it worked.

Gore and Clinton, they weren't going to settle for a photo-op.  They had four cabinet officers come here, not only for a visit but to do hearings with the people here.  Environmentalists, developers, state and local government and more than 50 organizations participated.  It was really something.  Now I can look back, and, actually, we spent two days that first summit, it wasn't something that was good for our states from a public relations perspective for one day, not just for our nation, but it was an international event for two days, and people focused on this great part of nature that was being hurt.  And, it was a wonderfull event.  And we finished this event with speeches that were given, but as soon as we finished it, there was a presidential executive order designating this lake as a national priority; and that's the main reason that we've been able to spend here since that time $1.8 billion dollars.  Pretty good, huh?


I had the good fortune about a month ago to go to the renaming of the Environmental Protection Agency complex in Washington, DC, Named after President Clinton; and that speech he gave was a typical Clinton speech. He pretended it was unprepared, but it was prepared.  [laughter] and he started by saying (and this is paraphrasing but pretty close to every word) he said "I'm gonna lay out the things that we've done for the environment during my 8 years as president..." and he said "We've done a lot, but I want everyone here to understand that everything I'm going to talk about could never have happened without Al Gore."  and he said "Al Gore was the quarterback of the things I'm going to talk about."

Well, I have already told you how I feel about this good man.  He has been a member of the congress of the United States, where we first met, a United States senator, Vice President of the United States, ran for president twice (I supported him both times) but the most significant thing he has done was to alert the world to what's happening to our world. He's been tireless.  He devotes the vast majority of his time to explaining to the world, not just the United States, the world, what's happening to this world.  Now, when the history books are written about this era and other eras; when they're written about this era they're going to talk about the most important messenger that has existed for saving this Earth: it's my pleasure to introduce Al Gore.

Tahoe Summit 2013 - Dianne Feinstein on the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act

Well, in 1997 it was the worst, and lake clarity actually dropped something like 22 feet the week after this.  Thanks to Jeff Schladow's latest paper that's been put put, since '97 we have gained 11 feet in lake clarity.  [applause] And, when we began our bills, I really didn't know what was going to work and what wasn't.  So we tried to combine a number of different things and be very prudent, and lake clarity is more or less a guide.  It goes up, and it goes down, but the trend line has to be that the clarity improves because then we know that the things we are doing have achieved a benefit.


I also want to express to you that this partnership is multidimensional: it is not JUST the federal government.  It is the federal government, it is each state putting in funds.  We had $1.69 billion spent (that's an awful lot of money) in the last 10 years and the important thing is to see if that $1.69 billion dollars is working.  The federal share was $554 million, the California share was $647 million (Thank you, Jerry, Thank you John), the Nevada share was $110 million plus $200 million from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act.  Local governments put in $73 million dollars for this program, and the private sector $312 million dollars.  So, what that demonstrates is that everyone is working together to put funds in to what must be a very practical and doable program. I did this last year and I'm going to do it again because it's important that you know where your tax dollars have gone.

We have treated 54,444 acres of hazardous fuels, and I cannot tell you how important that is.  Forest fire is something that I know something about, and I travel the California side of the lake and it needs a lot of help.  The fire ladders are all over the place with non-native species that are intensely flammable.  The forest fire that is burning 30 miles over these hills to the west, the winds are westerly and we have a big fire and we have lightning strikes and it starts big fires and it destroys property, it destroys trees, and everything goes into the lake, and decades of work is gone.

We have added 15,800 acres for wildlife habitat.  We have added 2,579 feet of public access to shoreline.  We have created 136 miles of bike and pedestrian routes. And we have inspected, as was just said, and decontaminated thousands of watercraft.

When we began this effort there was no hazardous fuels mitigation.  There was no interaction between the states and the federal government as there is today.  So, the risk of wildfire is tremendous.  I remember it was my birthday a couple of years back, and in Northern California on that day there were 2,200 lightning strikes that started 900 wildfires.  That could be any day, any time, right here.  So, getting property owners to clear around their buildings  is important.  Getting hazardous fuels out of the area is important.  And, I think, paying attention to good fire safe practices is important.  I shudder to think of what that day will be like, but I also know that one day, is is coming.  It has happened here before, and it can happen here again, and we must do everything we can to minimize it.

Who knew, that there was something called a Quagga Mussel and it was at Lake Mead and they reporduce a million eggs for a million Quaggas a year?  And I have a pipe in my office from lake Mead and in 6 months it was entirely filled with quagga mussel shells.  We have to keep the quagga out.  Miss Marchetta was talking about every boat that goes into this lake gets inspected and there's a reason: the Asian clam.  The Tahoe Fund now is going to be doing 5 and a half acres of laying rubber down in Emerald Bay because the Asian clam has drifted to that beautiful bay and we cannot lose it.  So that's an important project and I say to the Tahoe Fund "Thank You, very, very much."

Well, Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, myself, and the other senator for Nevada have put together a second bill now, which we are in the process of introducing.  It's $415 million in federal dollars over 10 years: it continues the hazardous fuels reduction with $135 million, it's $113 million for storm water management and watershed restoration, it's $80 million for projects to improve forest health, air and water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat, and it's $30 million to battle invasive species.  This is up $10 million because we think it's really necessary.  We cannot let these creatures get control of this lake.  [applause]  and the bill also invests $30 million in something called the Tahoe Basin Science Program, and this will allow us to direct funds to the most worthy projects that are effective in both monitoring and producing good environmental effects.

With Harry Reid's support, and I mean he's the powerful majority leader of the United States Senate, you can be sure - Right Harry? - Yes. [audience laughs] that the bill will pass the Senate.  We will need help in the House.  The House is not known for doing constructive projects right now.  And so now we need your help to go out there and say "Look, we've done this for 10 years and it's worked." Water clarity is showing us that it has worked. We must continue, and this bill continues the work for all.  And so, I hope, ladies and gentlemen, that this work will go on, that we will see Tahoe improve, and that we will save what is only one of two alpine clear lakes in the world.  The other one, as the leader said, is in Russia, and the ambassador was just telling me that lake has enough clear water in it to be drinking water for 20% of the people in the world.  So it's a huge clear lake and we have the second clear lake and we must keep it that way.  So, thank you, it's been a great 20 years, and now we have to keep going!

Hot August Nights 2013 Classic Car show

Over 400 classic cars showed up at the Montbleu resort's Hot August Nights 2013 classic car show, you can see my full classic car gallery on Google+ here.


Highlights of the show included a reporduction custom 1928 ford, a 1939 Cadillac Rosewood coupe, two one-owner Mustangs from the late 60s, and a thorough discussion of how to restore antique and classic cars.

See the full gallery of Classic Car stills here.