Easter at Bull Run

Often times when traveling, one finds time for the unexpected side trip. While wandering about Virginia, near Manassas, a friend, a local, suggested a look at the famous battlefield that initiated the Civil War: the first battle of Bull Run.
The rolling low hills of tidewater Virginia are noted for their lacking of defining terrain features, small rills and streams excepted. A few miles from the railroad junction town of Manassas is found Henry's Hill on the Henry farm. Neither the Union Army nor its Confederate counterpart were experienced in infantry tactics: untested, unbloodied, but not poorly led. Gen. Thomas Jackson would earn his sobriquet ' Stonewall' here, on a low hill, as he rallied the rebels to carry the day and send the federals running all the way back to the capitol of Washington,DC.
While the southern forces were led by Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, he needed Jackson's Virginia Brigade to take the initiative. Confederate Gen. Barnard Bee called his troops to rally around Jackson where he stood-like a stonewall! After this battle, those in the know understood that the conflict would be long and bloody, expensive in dollars and lives.
The museum on site does a fine job portraying the significance of the battle and how it evolved on the ground. A solitary monument of red sandstone, placed by Union survivors in 1865, marks the high ground of Henry's Hill. Mute cannon stand in opposition a mere 300 yards apart. This fact alone underscores the lethality of artillery at point blank range. Air bursts of canister rounds would prove to be of exceptional effect. These shells carried primitive timed fuses that allowed cannoneers to create their punishment above ground troops in the attack.
The 150 year Anniversary of the start of the conflict has been marked by the Park Service at various sites. At Bull Run, a reenactment will occur this summer on July 21,2011-150 years to the date. A grim reminder of the cost of Unification and the preservation of the Union.

Hear those wedding bells

It's showtime in The Big Easy. The Mayor will be giving away the Daughter in 6 hours. It is a truly glorious day here in the Crescent City: Springtime as we want it-no heat, no humidity, no wind, no bugs, no tornadoes, no hurricanes(except those you drink).
The revelers are preparing for one, big party. The finery is being prepped, the hair coiffed, the nails polished, shoes shined and buffed, hats readied, lips glossed-------GET READY TO PARTY!

Not everyday one walks his only daughter down the aisle_it's is a special day, a once in a lifetime day. It is a walk with memorable steps- each one riveted with meaning, each one light with joy, excitement, and humor tinged with deep emotion. The long anticipated day has arrived. It hardly seems like 16 months have passed since the initial commitment, but, alas, that time is now history.
After four days of pre-celebration, all the factors and plans have been completed. Everything is ready. More later.

Is it April or January?

More snow. Enough. It's baseball season. Look, it was opening day in San Francisco, the World Series Champs took on the Cardinals at AT&T Park, and beat them in 12 innings.
But, die hard skiers like the small crowds and fresh powder. Can't blame 'em. Who knew about powder skiing in April? What do they think in Vermont and New Hampshire? They hate us.
Be safe, enjoy the late spring weather. It is cold.

TAX TIME again

Seems like I just paid the Man a few weeks ago(DEC. 10). Now, again. Did you read the numbers? Did you look at the extras that have been voted for over the past 3-4 years? It is starting to get ugly for property owners around the lake. Without a lot of influence in Placerville and even South Lake Tahoe, residents of the West Shore find themselves paying many direct tax additions to the bill. Here's a current list for direct assessments:
Mosquito abate.................$6.
Litter abate.....................6.
Ambulance........................50.
Snow removal...................50.
HseHaz waste.....................3.
Tahoe.Truk.Sch................98.
Meeks Bay Fire................195.
Meeks Bay Fire.................45.
Meeks Bay Fire.................85.

The largest fire assessment came from the recent property owners vote. Now that's an interesting election. Not quite 2000 ballots were mailed out. Less than 900 were returned. That's less than 50%. Correct: less than 50%!!!!!!!!!! Most property owners probably thought it was another throw away. We'll never know. Yes votes equaled 600+ and no votes 280+. So the measured passed. 17 voter ballots were nullified. Those 17 swung the vote to the affirmative. Curious, I say.
So, the Chief and his crew can spend, and spend, and spend some more. No doubt they will ask the board for a pay raise, a cost of living increase, and better benefits. And will probably ask for more when El Do county reduces funding even more. The county probably looks at the vote and says, "the voters in Tahoma don't even bother to vote; why should we care enough to give them more money?
Complacency-the bane of democratic action!!
Don't forget to get your checks in early-that 10% fine can hurt, even Prop 13 owners(prior to'75.

Meeks Bay Fire District Board has problems

As noted in the monthly meeting minutes, the IRS,(yes,that IRS) has questioned the pay of board members as tax free income based on pre-tax dollar designation. Certain IRS rules allow some, not all, employees to qualify certain benefit costs to be designated "paid" before receipt . This then, allows the employee to not have income tax with held on the paid benefit amount. At issue is the definition of employee as it relates to board members. For most districts, about 99% of them, it is not an issue at all. Few board members receive more than a few dollars(gas money) for their services. At the Meeks Bay District, board members are richly compensated, magnificently so. The El Do County attorney disagrees with the IRS.
Who will win this one?
Stay tuned, the fire district is getting some close scrutiny of late.

Postal Blues Hit Tahoma?

Locals in Tahoma who have P.O. boxes got a notice of a meeting to be held at the Rideout Community Center on April 13. This meeting is to give notice of the UPS' fiscal situation(enduring an $8Billion loss last year). Budget concerns indicate a scaling back of service at many locations and the elimination of postal service sites that fail to meet certain criteria.
A questionaire was included with each notice. It appears that Tahoma will no longer qualify for a freestanding building for postal services. With the larger Homewood office a mere 2 miles away, it seems a no brainer that Tahoma customers will be served almost as well at that location.
It's a hard argument to deny: there just aren't that many residential customers here year around anymore. With the economy still in the tank, it is hard to justify the continued use of the downtown Tahoma site.
It's a sign of the times: higher costs, lower service needs =$ losses. It's in keeping with the
with the high cost of living in the Sierra and the lack of full employment opportunities year around. Many locals knit several jobs together as the seasons change. Those jobs are harder to find and often pay less or the same as they have for years. The net result is fewer $$$ to go the distance year to year.
We'll wait to see what happens at this meeting.
Stay tuned.

Last Gasp of Winter

Saturday morning looks good but some more snow will fall tonight. Gov. Brown declares the drought officially over, and the snow storage folks call the pack 160+% of normal. They predict the lake will rise 2 1/2' by May. Good news for all parties involved.
Good article in the Sierra Sun on local population numbers from the latest census. Yes, there are fewer people around the lake. Not good.

Possibly a snowfall record if we get more than 4' of new snow. Last record was set in 1950-51-65'. We'll see.