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Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Beach access sparks outcry among Lake Tahoe locals
Wealthy residents of a upscale area on Lake Tahoe are outraged over a plan that will open their private beach up to local dishwashers, ski instructors and other area workers. Incline Village, a gorgeous lakefront community on the Nevada side of the lake, declared last week that seasonal employees and full-time workers in the area, plus their families, can now access its sandy beaches, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. Since 2023, Incline Village's beaches have been fully private and reserved for its roughly 7,800 homeowners and their guests. But the five-member board that governs Incline Village ultimately decided access should be expanded to the workers who keep recreation and utility services running. 'To me, it's the right thing to do,' said David Noble, a trustee for the Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID), who introduced the Employee Pass Program to the board. 'It also serves as both a recruiting and retention tool.' The proposal wasn't without its critics. Several community members and one IVGID trustee spoke out against the plan at a June 11 meeting. Ray Tulloch (pictured), a trustee who's owned a property in Incline Village for 18 years, said he thought opening up the beach to employees would be unfair to homeowners, who each pay a $655 annual fee to maintain it. 'It puts the whole beach deed at risk,' Tulloch said. 'I'm not sure why owners should be paying that much money for a private facility that is then potentially opened up to the world.' Another person, who identified himself as Frank Wright (pictured), spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting and raged about Incline Village beaches being opened up to 'people who don't belong here.' 'The exclusive beaches will become public,' Wright said. 'You're going to have a nightmare on your hands. The people in town are going to rebel.' Wright lives in Crystal Bay, a nearby community that is also governed by IVGID. He has run for a trustee position on the board multiple times and lost his most recent bid in 2024. While he was running last year, he gave a statement to the Tahoe Daily Tribune and argued that allowing employees on Incline Village beaches violated the town's beach deed. Wright explained that while serving on a citizens group appointed to write rules and regulations for IVGID's recreational venues, he 'raised the issue of the irresponsibleness of the employees accessing the beach.' 'Employees who lived outside the district were accessing the beach (and their families), which was a violation of the beach deed,' Wright said. Incline Village employees had beach access for decades until the trustees revoked it in January 2023. The trustees sided with Wright at the time, pointing out that worker access could open them up to lawsuits or violate the deed authored in 1968, which only allows property owners, their tenants and guests to use the beach. During the June 11 meeting, Noble said that after beach access was revoked from employees, even people who worked on the beach during the day had to leave during their breaks. Noble said that there are about 500 staff members during peak season but added that many of them commute from outside Incline Village, which meant few of them used the beach in their free time anyway. Employees and their families represented just 1.5 percent of the total beach visits in 2022, when they were last allowed to be there, according to documents shared at the meeting. 'It's still exclusive,' Noble said. 'Nobody will notice whether they're there or not there.' The IVGID board voted to approve employee beach access, with the only dissenting vote coming from Tulloch. Before anything changes, the board will send homeowners letters asking them if they'd be willing to sponsor employees as their guests on the beach. That appears to be the way the board will comply with the beach deed. Noble said with enough buy-in from residents, employees will soon be allowed back in. That will mean access to sand and swimming areas, as well as an outdoor pool with a waterslide, playgrounds, picnic and grilling areas, paddleboard and kayak rentals, a snack and drink bar and a boat launch. Rob Watson, a property owner in Incline Village, told the board he'd be willing to sponsor employees. 'As any competent executive knows, the employees of a company are their most valuable assets,' he said. 'These are our employees.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iconic Hardware Store Pacific Heights Closing for Good After 118 Years
An iconic hardware store is closing its doors for good after 118 years. The store is known as an "icon in the neighborhood," according to a May 12, 2025, article by SFGate. Pacific Heights Hardware is shutting its doors by the end of May, the newspaper reported, "after struggling to generate enough revenue." We just didn't have a lot of people coming by, and so it was just costing us more money than we were getting,' employee Lisa Schmid told SFGate of the store, which opened in 1907. At one point, when a new owner took over, he even gave away free avocados for a time from a tree in the store's backyard, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. A photo on Instagram shows a cardboard sign in the store's window that reads, "support a small business" and "going out of business sale." The hardware store is advertising a closing sale on Craig's List. "Pacific Heights Hardware – CLOSING DOWN SALE STARTS MAY 10! Address: 2828 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115," the post says. "After years of serving the neighborhood, Pacific Heights Hardware is permanently closing its doors — and everything must go!" it reads. "Radical Clearance Sale Begins Saturday, May 10, 2025 Buy One, Get One Free! Everything — merchandise, hardware, even store fixtures — is deeply discounted. Stop by for unbeatable deals while supplies last. Don't miss your chance to save big before we say goodbye! Thank you for your loyalty and support over the years," the post continued.
New York Post
19-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
‘Dilbert' creator Scott Adams reveals same cancer diagnosis as Biden, predicts he has only months to live
'Dilbert' comic strip creator Scott Adams revealed Monday he has prostate cancer, saying that 'every day is a nightmare,' and that 'my life expectancy is maybe this summer.' Adams, 67, made the announcement while talking about former President Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis. Advertisement 'I have the same cancer that Joe Biden has. I also have prostate cancer that has also spread to my bones,' Adams said during his 'Coffee with Scott Adams' web show. 'My life expectancy is maybe this summer. I expect to be checking out from this domain sometime this summer.' 'The disease is already intolerable. I can tell you that I don't have good days,' Adams continued. 'So if you are wondering, 'Hey Scott, do you have any good days'? Nope. Nope. Every day is a nightmare and evening is even worse.' 'I do have the ability to kind of get up for this part of the day, but I am in pain, and I'm always in pain. And the pain moves around to different parts of my body,' Adams also said. 'I've been using a walker to walk for months now.' Hundreds of newspapers pulled Adams' comic strip 'Dilbert' in early 2023, after he made racially charged comments during the same show. Advertisement 3 'Dilbert' comic strip creator Scott Adams revealed that he has prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. Photo By Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images 3 President Biden announced that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File 3 Adams said he may only have months to live. Photo By Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images 'If nearly half of all blacks are not okay with white people – according to this poll, not to me – that's a hate group,' Adams said in a past episode of 'Coffee with Scott Adams,' referring to a Rasmussen poll. 'That's a hate group, and I don't want anything to do with them.' Advertisement The 'Dilbert' comic strip was named after its title character struggling to make it up the corporate ladder and often poked fun at office culture with satirical humor and social commentary. Adams began writing and illustrating the comic in 1989 before launching a newer version, called 'Dilbert Reborn.' Fox News' Peter Aitken, Howard Kurtz and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Newsweek
12-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
California Governor Candidate Wants To Scrap State Income Tax
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. One of the candidates running for California Governor has said he wants to scrap the state's income tax for high earners. Steve Hilton, one of the Republican candidates for the role, said the policy would lead to growth and investment in the state. Why It Matters California will elect its next governor in 2026 when Gavin Newsom, who has served in the role since 2019, will see his term end. Hilton, who used to advise former British prime minister David Cameron and hosted a show on Fox News for six years, joined the race in April with a campaign theme "Golden Again: Great Jobs, Great Homes, Great Kids."] Author and former Fox News host Steve Hilton announced his run for California governor, as a Republican to replace Democrat Gavin Newsom, during an event in Huntington Beach, Calif., Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Author and former Fox News host Steve Hilton announced his run for California governor, as a Republican to replace Democrat Gavin Newsom, during an event in Huntington Beach, Calif., Tuesday, April 22, 2025. . (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP, LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT California is a Democratic stronghold and Republicans have not won a statewide race in nearly two decades. According to The San Francisco Chronicle, state income tax provides $100 billion in revenue each year and makes up more than 40 percent of state revenue. What To Know Speaking at his campaign launch in April, Hilton, who became a U.S. citizen in 2021, said: "We are going to remove state income taxes for everyone earning $100,000." He told The San Francisco Chronicle that cutting the tax "is the quickest and simplest way of bringing some relief to people" and that it would "accelerate our rate of growth so the jobs are created," making California "a more attractive place for people to invest." What People Are Saying Chris Hoene, executive director of the California Budget and Policy Center, told The San Francisco Chronicle: "Big promises are easy to make, but the tax system and government programs are intricate and carefully crafted. Rash decisions lead to complications, mistakes, and real harm. Without clear details, it's hard to judge whether the proposal is even realistic or just an empty promise." Speaking to The Times about his campaign, Hilton said: "California is an iconic state. It represents everything that we think of as the greatest virtues of American innovation and energy and optimism and ambition and all these things, and so we can't just tolerate this slow decline." "The flat tax piece of the proposal would likely have to be approved by voters, since the current income tax rates for higher-income taxpayers approved via Prop 30 and Prop 55 are in the Constitution through 2030," he added. What Happens Next Other candidates that have announced they are running for California governor include former Democratic mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, former speaker of the California State Assembly Toni Atkins, the state's current lieutenant governor Eleni Kounalakis, as well as California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former state controller Betty Yee. There has also been speculation that former Vice President Kamala Harris—the Democratic nominee for president in 2024—could potentially run for the role.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Wants to Turn Alcatraz Into a Working Prison—but Here's Why It'll Remain a National Landmark
President Trump has proposed turning Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary back into a working prison. The island prison off the coast of San Francisco was shuttered in 1963 and eventually converted to a popular national park and tourist destination. Experts say the idea of transforming Alcatraz from a tourist site back into a working prison is not feasible or realistic. President Donald Trump had a busy Sunday evening on social media, announcing various plans he had for the country. One of his most discussed announcements was his intent to reopen and expand Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. This was obviously a surprising statement—partly because the prison is now an incredibly popular tourist destination. The island, located less than two miles off the coast of San Francisco, receives more than 1.4 million visitors each year, according to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The history of Alcatraz is long: it was a military fort, then military prison, before being converted into a federal prison between 1934 and 1963. During that time, famous inmates like Al Capone, Whitey Bulger, and Machine Gun Kelly were all incarcerated at the facility. In the years since its closure, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Now, it is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which offers daily guided tours and exhibits for tourists. But the site's popularity isn't the only reason Alcatraz won't likely be turned back into a functioning prison any time soon, if ever. Alcatraz history expert and former park ranger John Marti told The San Francisco Chronicle that it would be basically impossible to turn the current structure into an operable prison, given its lack of water, sewage, and electricity. 'If the discussion is to rebuild the prison building to hold people, I don't think that would be feasible,' Martin told The Chronicle. 'It would have to be torn down and rebuilt.' Not only would it require an entire pricey overhaul, but it would be very expensive to run the penitentiary once it is opened. Former National Park Service director Jon Jarvis told Politico that 'it would be ridiculously expensive to operate as a prison.' One of the main reasons the prison was closed in 1963 was that the operating costs for Alcatraz were three times more expensive than other prisons to run, according to USA Today. Then there's the matter of the legal protections Alcatraz Island now has given its status as a National Landmark. It would be a long process that would involve Congress to alter Alcatraz's status before any construction or renovations could occur. In addition to the logistic and legal challenges of such a move, and Alcatraz's ongoing popularity with tourists, there is also political opposition. State Senator Scott Wiener, a Democrat who represents San Francisco, was one of several politicians to speak out. 'In addition to being deeply unhinged, this is an attack on the rule of law,' Wiener said in a post on Instagram. 'Putting aside that Alcatraz is a museum & tourist attraction, this is both nuts & terrifying.' Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi echoed that sentiment, writing on X: 'Alcatraz closed as a federal penitentiary more than sixty years ago. It is now a very popular national park and major tourist attraction. The President's proposal is not a serious one.' Right now, Trump's plans are a far, far stretch from becoming reality. If you plan on visiting Alcatraz, that's still entirely possible. In fact, you should plan on booking your tickets in advance, as they tend to sell out. You can book tickets for the ferry ride to the island plus options for day, night, or behind the scenes tours, starting at around $50. Everything else you need to know about the island can be found on the park service website at Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
