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Laura Lavelle
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If you have been by the Lake of the Pines pool recently, you may have seen the Bear River girls' water polo team at practice. LOP authorized use of the facility and it has been great for the team. Early in the season, players had been driving to Grass Valley for practices. The site for home games is still the Nevada Union High School pool.
LOP is paid a fee for pool use by the high school and it is based on number of swimmers. Girls who are LOP residents are charged less than the non-residents. The LOP Piranhas swim team has a similar arrangement with LOP.
Because the pool is already being heated for the water polo team, the LOP swim season has been extended. This week, the pool was available to residents Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5-7 p.m., and Saturday from noon-2 pm. Resident Michael Brown has formed a five-person ad hoc committee to look into keeping the pool open as long as possible - even year-round on a limited basis.
"This is an experimental year," Michael said, and we have "a unique opportunity" because the high school needs the pool until their own pool is complete.
Brown's volunteer committee is exploring additional uses for the pool in order to make year-round use more feasible. Some have suggested forming a lap swim club or holding scuba diving lessons. If you have input on this subject, contact Michael Brown at 268-8201.
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There are thousands of mountain lions in California, and about half the state is considered their habitat - including Lake of the Pines. Almost everyone who has lived here for any amount of time has a story regarding the big cats.
Earlier this month, the Mann family glimpsed an elusive tawny-colored lion near their residence on Lavender Court. Security came out to verify the sighting. The cat, whose yellow eyes were caught in a spotlight, was seen hopping over the fence and heading into the DarkHorse Golf Club property.
There have been many sightings here at LOP over the past several years. One LOP board member remembers security receiving a report of a deer kill found on Greenbriar Way. Another lion was cornered in some bushes down by the dam, which seems to be a favorite spot for the cats. A patrol car once followed one all the way down Oro Valley Road. Residents have even seen the predators on LOP rooftops.
A particularly gruesome report came from a man who discovered a partially-eaten deer leg in a load of mulch he had picked up from Parcel E. Mountain. Lions often bury their kill and come back to finish eating at a later time.
When living in an area with mountain lions, it is important to follow a few rules of common sense. Don't jog across the dam in the early morning or evening hours, keep children's play areas free of vegetation that might provide cover for the animals to hide, and don't feed the deer - mountain lions prey mainly on deer and tend to follow them.
For a complete list of precautions and also instructions on what to do if you encounter a mountain lion, consult the California Department of Fish and Game at their Web site, www.dfg.ca.gov.
ooo
Laura Lavelle is a resident of Lake of the Pines, and her column is for Lake of the Pines area residents to share thoughts and information. Contact her at laural@theunion.com or leave a phone message with the readership editor at 477-4238.
LOP is paid a fee for pool use by the high school and it is based on number of swimmers. Girls who are LOP residents are charged less than the non-residents. The LOP Piranhas swim team has a similar arrangement with LOP.
Because the pool is already being heated for the water polo team, the LOP swim season has been extended. This week, the pool was available to residents Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5-7 p.m., and Saturday from noon-2 pm. Resident Michael Brown has formed a five-person ad hoc committee to look into keeping the pool open as long as possible - even year-round on a limited basis.
"This is an experimental year," Michael said, and we have "a unique opportunity" because the high school needs the pool until their own pool is complete.
Brown's volunteer committee is exploring additional uses for the pool in order to make year-round use more feasible. Some have suggested forming a lap swim club or holding scuba diving lessons. If you have input on this subject, contact Michael Brown at 268-8201.
ooo
There are thousands of mountain lions in California, and about half the state is considered their habitat - including Lake of the Pines. Almost everyone who has lived here for any amount of time has a story regarding the big cats.
Earlier this month, the Mann family glimpsed an elusive tawny-colored lion near their residence on Lavender Court. Security came out to verify the sighting. The cat, whose yellow eyes were caught in a spotlight, was seen hopping over the fence and heading into the DarkHorse Golf Club property.
There have been many sightings here at LOP over the past several years. One LOP board member remembers security receiving a report of a deer kill found on Greenbriar Way. Another lion was cornered in some bushes down by the dam, which seems to be a favorite spot for the cats. A patrol car once followed one all the way down Oro Valley Road. Residents have even seen the predators on LOP rooftops.
A particularly gruesome report came from a man who discovered a partially-eaten deer leg in a load of mulch he had picked up from Parcel E. Mountain. Lions often bury their kill and come back to finish eating at a later time.
When living in an area with mountain lions, it is important to follow a few rules of common sense. Don't jog across the dam in the early morning or evening hours, keep children's play areas free of vegetation that might provide cover for the animals to hide, and don't feed the deer - mountain lions prey mainly on deer and tend to follow them.
For a complete list of precautions and also instructions on what to do if you encounter a mountain lion, consult the California Department of Fish and Game at their Web site, www.dfg.ca.gov.
ooo
Laura Lavelle is a resident of Lake of the Pines, and her column is for Lake of the Pines area residents to share thoughts and information. Contact her at laural@theunion.com or leave a phone message with the readership editor at 477-4238.
