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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The jolly guy in the red suit is ditching the reindeer Saturday and heading to the Flightdeck Bar & Grill at the Lake Tahoe Airport to spend time with the kids.

As the reindeer rest for the big trip around the world the following week, Santa Claus will arrive by helicopter at 2 p.m. on December 16 and head to the Flightdeck for some special one-on-one time with the kids who will be eagerly waiting to share their wish lists.

Every child will get to chat with Santa for perfect photo opportunities and they will each receive a small gift.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe City Council appointed the new mayor and mayor pro tem during its meeting on December 12. As expected, Cody Bass was voted in as mayor after serving a year as mayor pro tem, with Councilman John Friedrich moving up as mayor pro tem.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A skier on the Ridge Run at Heavenly Ski Resort on Sunday caught more than just the epic scenic views the run is famous for. TikTok user @Tao7570 caught the moment a bear darted across the run in between skiers and boarders on his phone Sunday, December 10, 2023.

It isn't uncommon for wildlife, bears included, to be seen around the ski resort and the rest of Lake Tahoe. The black bear population in the Lake Tahoe Basin numbers in the hundreds.

The History Lecture Series at Minden Mill Distilling continues on Sunday, December 17 with a presentation, Reflections of Lake Tahoe, at 1 p.m. Using seldom-seen vintage photos, historian David Woodruff takes a look back at the many people, places, and events that shaped the history of this magnificent Sierra Nevada gem over the years.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Tahoe Learning Haven is holding its next free event, Who are YOU as a learner?, on Wednesday, December 13 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe.

This free forum is about each of us as individuals and how we fit into a collective group - at school, at work, with friends, and even in our families. You will learn about YOU...how you perceive things, process things, and learn.

ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. - During its December 8 meeting, the Alpine County School District Board voted a significant increase to its substitute teaching rates.

Before the meeting, the Alpine County rates were among the lowest in the region, but now, after the board's decision to help fill a big need, the rates are among the highest.

The high rates are intended to attract substitute teachers from South Lake Tahoe and the Carson Valley.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The public is invited to attend the 5th annual Wreaths Across America ceremony in South Lake Tahoe on Saturday, December 16 at Happy Homestead Cemetery. The Lake Tahoe Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will host the event beginning at 9 a.m.

The purpose of Wreaths Across America is to honor active military personnel, veterans, and first responders. In South Lake Tahoe, wreaths will be laid at the Memorial Wall during the ceremony to honor each of these groups.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team (TFFT) including South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue, North Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Douglas fire protection districts, Nevada Division of Forestry, and the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will continue prescribed burning this week at Lake Tahoe, conditions and weather permitting. Smoke from these operations may be present throughout the Tahoe Basin and surrounding areas.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For December’s first Adopt A Day of Nourishment sponsorship, Bread & Broth (B&B) was joined by members of Heavenly Mountain Resorts’ Leadership Team as well as South Lake Tahoe Mayor, Cristi Creegan, for dinner service on Monday, December 14.

The next monthly meeting of the Douglas County School Board will be held on December 12, 2023, at 4 p.m. at the Douglas High School Media Center and will be carried on Zoom (https://dcsd-k12.zoom.us/j/81999349449 passcode Dec2023).

On the agenda:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Sunday night is the tenth night of the Cuppa Tahoe/South Lake Tahoe Library's 24-day Tahoe Reading Advent Calendar. Tonight's bedtime reader is Zach Fletcher, owner of Adventure Fit Dojo, a climber, and a trainer.

Zach is reading "Chicken Soup With Rice" by Maurice Sendak to his son Luca. His mother-in-law Heika is joining in the fun.

"I read to relax the baby boy and create a healthy routine," said Zach.

From athlete panel sessions about backcountry safety to guided on-snow events and a film fest, the third annual Tahoe Backcountry Safety Awareness Week is chock full of events and online content curated by Take Care Tahoe. From December 11-16, 2023, both novice and experienced backcountry enthusiasts will have opportunities to learn how to safely recreate in the backcountry this winter.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following calls only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

November 30 - December 6, 2023

11/20

16:24 - CIVIL INCIDENT - Officer initiated activity at Tahoe Prep Academy, Meyers Rd, South Lake Tahoe, CA. Disposition: UNABLE TO CONTACT.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Saturday night is the ninth night of the Cuppa Tahoe/South Lake Tahoe Library's 24-day Tahoe Reading Advent Calendar. Tonight's bedtime reader is South Lake Tahoe City Manager Joe Irvin.

Joe is reading "Miseducated: A Memoir" by Brandon P. Fleming.

"Reading before bed relaxes me and helps me to fall asleep fast," said Joe..

Did you know that you could help reduce your holiday stress and cut tension in half by reading a book before bed?

The slow march toward winter at Lake Tahoe this year is starting to make last winter seem like a distant memory. However, reflecting back on a year of both challenges and wins for the lake and our communities, it would be impossible to leave out the 70-year record snowfall Tahoe received last winter. The crushing series of atmospheric rivers brought emergency conditions that tested the basin, but when it came down to it, we saw people and agencies digging in to help one another dig out.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Olympic and X-Game Gold Medalist, and South Lake Tahoe native Jamie Anderson celebrated local students this week at a celebration at Valhalla.

Jamie worked with the Lake Tahoe Unified School District to select the inaugural 18 Under 18 celebration, recognizing students for excelling in athletics, academics, business and entrepreneurial, philanthropy as well as being inspirational and winning in another field.

Did You Know is a monthly column from the Tahoe Alliance for Safe Kids (TASK). This month they have collaborated with its partners at Barton Health to share a guide for responsible holiday practices around substances. Aislynn Soave, the Substance Use Navigator at Barton, has put together some tips for parents and children to remember during this holiday season. The holiday season can be a time of joy and connection; it also brings with it the importance of responsible actions to ensure a worry-free and enjoyable time for all.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - Douglas County School Board Trustee Tony Magnotta has submitted his resignation, effective immediately. Magnotta has been one of the three longer-term trustees who have butted heads with the three new trustees who have been the center of controversy since being elected in November 2022.

Magnotta said he has spent the last year not being listened to and being subjected to "harassment and veiled threats."

Douglas County School District,

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Three new locations have been added to the prescribed fire map for this week. USDA Forest Service firefighters are scheduled to begin burning piles tomorrow off Cathedral and Spring Creek roads on the south end of Lake Tahoe, weather permitting.

The three new spots:

Cascade 132-USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Location: Spring Creek Road and SR89 near South Lake Tahoe. Burn Type: Hand Piles.
Total Acreage: 20. Planned Ignition: 12/09/2023.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Thursday night is the seventh night of the Cuppa Tahoe/South Lake Tahoe Library's 24-day Tahoe Reading Advent Calendar. Tonight's bedtime reader is healthcare professional and public figure, Casey Costa. She is reading tonight with her son Brody.

"Reading with my son helps us unwind from an overly stimulating day and provides nightly uninterrupted quality time together," said Casey.

They are reading "Sneezy the Snowman."

Did you know that you could help reduce your holiday stress and cut tension in half by reading a book before bed?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With the increased availability of electric vehicles (EV) from multiple automobile companies, the need increases for charging stations. Since I80 and US50 are both what are deemed "alternative fuel corridors," there must be a station every 50 miles and within one mile of that highway but there is no requirement within cities and counties. In a tourist destination like Lake Tahoe, stations need to be strategically placed for their travel while also meeting the needs of residents.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The next Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Community Conversation will be held on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the District Office.

The discussion in January will be centered on Artificial Intelligence and Education.

The public is invited to attend.

Recaps from previous community conversations and the State of the District are posted at this link - Information from the State of the District and Community Conversations.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Imagine picking up a book in 2023 stating that "someday man will walk on the moon." One would correctly guess that the book is too old to be in a library. There are old books like this in South Lake Tahoe school libraries, and Lift Literature is on a mission to refresh those libraries with current books. Libraries are a hub for inspiration, as well as powerful and critical information. More often than not, the school library is the only place Tahoe kids have access to books.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Wednesday night is the sixth night of the Cuppa Tahoe/South Lake Tahoe Library's 24-day Tahoe Reading Advent Calendar. Tonight's bedtime reader is CoWork Tahoe and Untethered Space Co-Owner David Orr and his and Jamie's daughters, Annika and Ninah.

"Jamie and I read to our daughters every night to help them wind down," said David, who is also a board member of TAMBA. "I find it a good way to spend some quality time with my girls and wear mud masks or do our nails."