2017

On June 1, 2017 as I watched President Trump announce that his administration would be pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord I couldn’t help but reflect on President Reagan’s farewell address to the nation in which he imparted, for the final time as president, his vision that the United States is the world’s shinning “light on a hill.”

Detectives and officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department served a search warrant at the home of Niki Congero Thursday morning, searching for evidence in their embezzlement investigation of the former Lake Tahoe Humane Society executive director.

A 14-year-old female died on Wednesday, May 31 after she fell approximately 50 feet while hiking near the Vikingsholm trail at Emerald Bay.

Just after noon, On May 31, 2017, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office received the call and responded along with CHP, Cal-Star, CA State Parks, Lake Valley Fire and South Tahoe EMS personnel. An off-duty law enforcement officer who was recreating in the area began CPR on the victim prior to the arrival of on-duty first responders.

the community is invited to the League to Save Lake Tahoe's 5th annual Summer Kickoff to celebrate the start of summer and their 60th anniversary on June 23, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Learn more about the League and what you can do to help Keep Tahoe Blue.

Bring your friends and family while they get together to recognize dedicated volunteers and enjoy live music, small bites and drinks. They'll have raffle prizes from local businesses and a sale on items in their store.

Participants are encouraged to carpool, walk, ride a bike or take the bus for a surprise reward.

Location

It was South Tahoe High Principal Chad Houck's last day on Friday, and the outpouring of support from teachers, staff, students and parents was evident.

For almost every morning for the past three years, Houck has greeted students being dropped off at the school, and Friday he was joined by others who carried pictures of the principal glued to a stick, "Chad on a Stick."

Parents got out of their cars, students stopped by for a handshake or hug and others called out their "goodbyes."

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - The following is a recap of activity the South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to 218 calls between May 16 - May 22, 2017.

Calls Resulting in Arrests/Citations:

5/16 (31 calls)

Transient/Homeless in the 3300 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd
Resisting in the 1000 block of Fremont St
Drunk in Public in the 2000 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd

5/17 (34 calls)

Drug Offense in the 4000 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd
Transient/Homeless in the 1000 block of Heavenly Village Way

Keith Willette of Cameron Park was arrested by deputies from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDSO) on May 25, 2017 on suspicion of sexually molesting a minor between 1999 and 2004.

The victim contacted EDSO on May 18 and reported the 54-year-old gymnastics coach had sexually abused her for multiple years

Willette was a gymnastics instructor in El Dorado and Sacramento Counties, as well in Ohio, Minnesota, and Washington. He is also a professional photographer.

Roadwork stops in South Lake Tahoe at 6:00 a.m. Friday, so drivers have an easy go of it until 6:00 a.m. Wednesday as crews break for the Memorial Day holiday. Those working on the City of South Lake Tahoe roads go by the same rules as Caltrans, so both will stop for this period.

Starting Wednesday, Caltrans continues on the three-year Highway 50 project from the Y to Trout Creek. This year's work is from the Y to Tahoe Keys Boulevard. Another project is the completion of the bike trail from El Dorado Beach to Ski Run Blvd.

With a record mountain snowpack changing to a robust, above normal, significant fire potential, wildland firefighting agencies are gearing up for another fire season and the University of Nevada, Reno is ramping up its AlertTahoe HD/4K fire camera system, which overlooks and helps protect dozens of western mountain ranges and hundreds of square miles of Nevada’s Great Basin.

After a very successful inaugural 4th of July parade in 2016, the City of South Lake Tahoe is doing it again in 2017. They have invited everyone to participate with a float, band, bicycle group, walkers or whatever other unique way to celebrate the nation one can come up with. Showcase your organization while joining with the entire community in celebrating Independence Day.

All businesses, organizations, community members, sports teams and bands are invited to be in the parade and floats are encouraged! It is free to participate.

On Wednesday, May 24, Edgewood Tahoe is offering a "Locals Day" golf special. They have opened for the 2017 season and are offering those living in the surrounding Lake Tahoe or Northern Nevada area (South Lake Tahoe, North Lake Tahoe, Reno/Sparks, Carson City, Carson Valley) a discounted rate.

Captivating audiences from coast to coast, Tintabulations Handbell Ensemble returns to present their 2017 Spring/Summer concert series, "Cam-pa-no-lo-gy,
the art or practice of bell ringing."

A homegrown community handbell ensemble, Tintabulations has grown from a small group of artistic director Barb Walsh's students to a nationally and internationally respected and sought after ensemble.

Performances from May 21 to June 25 are listed in the photo.

Location

The first South Lake Tahoe Police Department community gathering was a successful one on Saturday as the 50th anniversary of the department was celebrated with hundreds of people at Lakeview Commons. There were rides on both the police and fire boats, a concert, BBQ, interactions with the police K-9s, booths, fingerprinting and an awards ceremony.

Going above and beyond the call of duty was recognized with awards to both staff members and the public.

Construction season has started in the Tahoe basin and the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District will utilize the warm weather and their student’s summer exit to complete projects that were approved under Measures E and U in 2014.

Auerbach Engineering Corporation was selected through a competitive bid process to provide Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) services for the Tahoe Lake Elementary reconstruction and the Rideout/Tahoe Lake Elementary temporary relocation projects.

After cycling for seven days and 583 miles across California, Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s George Bennett (NZL) claimed the 2017 Amgen Tour of California race championship today in Pasadena with an overall time of 22 hours, 54 minutes and 38 seconds at America’s largest professional cycling stage race.

Local athletes will be coming home from the 2017 NIAA State Track and Field Championships in Southern Nevada with medals around their necks.

Results on the first day of the meet on Friday, April 19:

Division 1 results:

Boys 800 Meter Run
Cole Snyder from Whittell High School - 2nd

Boys 100 Meter Dash
Pierce Manchester from Whittell High School - 4th

Girls 4 x 200 Meter Relay
Whittell - 1st (Anna White, Michelle Barnes, Samantha Forvilly, Kyla Rippett)

Girls 400 Meter Dash
Anna White from Whittell High School - 1st

Girls 200 Meter Dash

Daniel Deemer is biking across America on his "Bike for the Homeless" tour from Big Sur, California to Ocean City, Maryland to bring awareness to a social issue he is deeply passionate about.

In partnership with Tahoe Youth and Family Services, Dan is using the trip in an effort to raise funds for the agency and increase awareness of homelessness.

Dan will be leaving Big Sur on May 22, 2017. He has no predetermined route, but will be passing through the Sierra Nevada on SR-88, and through South Lake Tahoe.

With one of the biggest winters we have experienced in years and the snowpack level at 200-300 percent of normal, it is expected that the excessive precipitation will likely push the start of the 2017 fire season back a couple months.

“Below normal significant wildland fire potential is expected to develop across northern portions of the Great Basin and far western Nevada in May and June,” reports the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).

However, the low risk scenario will not last forever once the moisture is gone.

Every two years a new business plan is presented to the South Lake Tahoe City Council, outlining goals, the vision and strategic priorities. This is done after each election.

In February, City staff, Council and community members got together for a two-day strategic planning session, and the results that came out of that were put into the 2017/18 South Lake Tahoe Business Plan.

Celebrate the upcoming mountain bike season in Lake Tahoe at the TAMBA (Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association) Spring Party this Friday, May 19, 2017 at the Heavenly Mountain Resort California Base Lodge starting at 6:00 p.m.

All ages are invited to this free, family-friendly event that will include the showing of an UnREAL bike film, raffles, pasta dinner and information about all their 2017 projects. A membership drive is also being held and those interested can sign up at the event.

There are proposed improvements to Highway 50 from the state line at the South Shore to Spooner Summit, and the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) would like to share ideas and hear your comments. On Wednesday, May 31 there will be a public meeting at the Zephyr Cove Elementary School multi-purpose room located at 226 Warrior Way in Zephyr Cove, with an informational presentation held at 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend the open-format meeting at any time between 4 and 7 p.m.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) is investigating a collision on Saturday night that claimed the life of a cyclist.

For unknown reasons, a male cyclist crossed the road in front of a car traveling westbound on Highway 50 between Johnson Boulevard and Takela Drive on May 13, 2017 at 7:40 p.m.

The cyclist was transported to Barton Hospital where he was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival according to Sgt. Brandon Auxier of SLTPD. The rider's name and hometown is being withheld until notification of next-of-kin.

Our mother Robin lived her life true to her convictions. She was a strong and resilient woman, who was known for her many stories of Nevada's legends and history. Robin had extensive knowledge of Tahoe gaming and history.

Robin Mattingly made Tahoe her home in the early 1960's, she met and married John Cristando (married from 71/79). Robin started as a cocktail server, then Black Jack dealer. Our mother often recalled meeting many entertainers and stars, including Elvis and NASA astronaut Walter Schirra.

On Sunday the four-stage Amgen Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM Women's Race empowered with SRAM concluded with Boels-Dolmans’ 2016 Olympic Games road race gold medalist Anna van der Breggen (NED) taking the overall win. Van der Breggen rode into the final race day one second behind UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling’s Katie Hall (Saratoga, Calif.) and earned valuable Sprint points during today’s Sacramento circuit race to take the overall race victory by one second. Today’s result also keeps Van der Breggen at the top of the UCI world rankings.