Austin

Almost four million American teenagers have just started their freshman year of high school. Can they learn better ways to deal with all that stress and insecurity?

New research suggests they can. Though academic and social pressures continue to pile on in high school, teenagers can be taught effective coping skills to skirt the pitfalls of anxiety and depression.

The City of South Lake Tahoe is still trying to work out a deal with the Halferty Development Company, a $4 million sale of the developable portions of the lots known as the "Knights Inn Properties."

During Tuesday's City Council meeting a purchase agreement was scheduled to be voted on, but SLT City Manager Nancy Kerry had to pull it off the agenda.

"We are still working on it," Kerry told South Tahoe Now. "We are still negotiating and have some issues to work out."

The City of South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Unified School District, Lake Tahoe Community College and South Tahoe Public Utility District have all released advertisements, press releases and emails to the public, looking for candidates for their open seats this election season.

There will be two open seats for City Council, three seats for LTUSD School Board of Trustees, two for LTCC Board of Trustees, and two for the STPUD Board of Directors. All will be voted on during the next election, November 8, 2016.

She's been a Regional Director with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, PR and Marketing with Kautz Irontstone Vineyards and Banquet and Conference Manager at Copper Mountain Resort. She earned a Doctor of Law degree, and, for what most in South Lake Tahoe know her as, she's been the Executive Director of the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce. As of today, she's left the Chamber and is now preparing for a new career in coaching, leadership and training.

The 11th annual Lake Tahoe Bike Challenge was officially kicked off with a ceremony at Lakeview Commons Wednesday afternoon. A small crowd gathered for what was the second kick-off party which culminated in a group bike ride.

Proclamations were read by both El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel and South Lake Tahoe Mayor Pro Tem Austin Sass, both celebrating alternative modes of transportation on the South Shore.

Just as it is when the topic of vacation rentals is on the South Lake Tahoe City Council agenda, a large, and at times, angry, crowd gathered.

The task at hand Tuesday was to review changes to the current Vacation Home Rental (VHR) Ordinance which included 11 changes which will take effect 30 days after the June 7 Council meeting if approved.

A free summit in South Lake Tahoe this weekend will bring biking enthusiasts together under one roof for seminars, movies, food and drink. There will also be rides and the showcasing of local trail renaissance during the event which begins on Friday, May 6 and ends with a breakfast and Mother's Day family ride.

The public is invited to attend any, or all, parts of the inaugural Tahoe Trails Summit "Trails of Tahoe Today and Tomorrow" which will be held at the Tahoe Beach Retreat.

It was a very short South Lake Tahoe City Council agenda Tuesday, but one that brought out passionate comments on the dais, and what one witness called "bickering."

The lone new business item was for the creation of a City policy where local parades are concerned, an item requested to be placed on the agenda by Councilmember JoAnn Conner.

The public once again had the opportunity to participate in the planning of the US50/South Shore Revitalization plan (also known as the Loop Road) during a meeting held at South Tahoe Middle School Wednesday evening. About 100 people took advantage of having the opportunity.

A panel made up of three representatives from the project, Tahoe Transportation District's Carl Hasty and Russell Nygaard, and the Project Manager Mark Rayback from Woods Rodgers.

There are many parcels of land in South Lake Tahoe owned by El Dorado County that the City would like to have, and talks between the two are getting closer to making the land transfer a reality.

South Tahoe High and Whittell High athletes have seen wins this week, both on the court and on the slopes and South Lake Tahoe's Maddie Bowman is at Mammoth Mountain today for the first stop for the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup 2016.

South Tahoe High's varsity basketball teams won Wednesday night in Sparks. The boys beat the Railroaders 77-63 while the girls handled their opponent, winning the game by a score of 54-34.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council voted to rescind the ban on single use plastic bags in retail outlets during Monday's meeting. Mayor Wendy David and Mayor Pro Tem Austin Sass were the only ones who wanted to continue the ban but were outvoted in the 3-2 vote.

"South Lake Tahoe, you should be proud of yourself."

Those words, said by South Lake Tahoe Police Sgt. Brian Williams, were echoed throughout the evening as the City of South Lake Tahoe celebrated its first 50 years with a golden anniversary gala Saturday night.

Almost 300 people were at the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel to share memories of the past, review of the present, and a look towards the future of a city that was formed because many of the residents were tired of being represented by a government in Placerville.

During a special meeting of the South Lake Tahoe City Council on Monday, October 19, JoAnn Conner was publicly censured, a first of its kind for the City. An overflowing crowd spent over three hours in Council Chambers as comments were made both supporting Conner, and against what they said was "abusive, bullying and intolerant behavior."

An updated Lake Tahoe Basin Community Wildfire Protection Plan will be presented to the public during the Lake Tahoe Environmental Summit on Monday, August 24, 2015. This new Community Wildfire Protection Plan was collaboratively developed by the 18 member organizations of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) and is the culmination of a three-year planning effort.

It was another packed house at the South Lake Tahoe City Council's meeting Tuesday, which has been commonplace for all of the meetings and workshops on the contentious subject of vacation home rentals.

In a unanimous vote of 4-0 (Councilman Tom Davis had to recuse himself), the City Council voted to implement an ordinance that addresses three key issues:

Once again, an audience full of mainly Realtors and property managers filled the South Lake Tahoe City Council Chambers as the topic of Vacation Home Rentals (VHR) was on the agenda for discussion.

Renting a vacation home is being increasingly popular in South Lake Tahoe just as in other communities. Many tourists prefer to rent a VHR instead of a traditional motel or hotel room. There are many reasons from enjoying time with family to reunions and wedding parties.

May 30-31 Valhalla Renaissance Faire @ Camp Richardson
Wagon Train Rendezvous @ Zephyr Cove / Wagon Train parade
June 01 Phat Caddy Monday @ Fat Cat Cafe
June 02 DJ Dakini, Oneness, Lo-G @ Whisky Dicks
June 03 Chad Bushnell @ Hard Rock Hotel
June 03-07 Heath Hyche @ Improv at Harveys
June 04 Ike and Martin @ Jimmy's at The Landing
Lacey, LaBella, and Richardson @ Cottonwood Bar & Grill
Serina Williams, Lost Whiskey Engine @ Moody's Bistro
June 05-06 Bias and Dunn @ Bar of America
The George Souza Trio @ Moody's Bistro
June 05 Superlicious @ Hard Rock Hotel

Motels and hotels being used for long term occupancy is a problem across the country and South Lake Tahoe is no different.

Of the 120 motels and hotels in the city limits, 58 of them are being used for long term occupancy. 1,300 rooms are now rented for long periods of time. These units were not built for people to live in long term as there is no refrigeration or cooking facilities, and many times there are families living in a room meant for just two people for a night or two.

New South Lake Tahoe City Council members Wendy David and Austin Sass will join Hal Cole, Tom Davis and JoAnn Conner today as they begin their official first day of service after being sworn in this morning.

The 9 a.m. meeting begins with an inaugural ceremony and election on who will be the next Mayor of the city and the Mayor Pro Tem for 2015.

All committee assignments will be laid for for the year as well.

Also on the agenda are BevMo's request for a liquor license and South Tahoe Refuse's request for a rate increase starting January 1.

Several key public service positions have been filled the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA).

Tom Lotshaw has been hired to work as TRPA’s Public Information Officer. He replaces Jeff Cowen, who worked for TRPA in that and other roles for eight years.

Lotshaw graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in public affairs journalism and has seven years of newspaper reporting experience. He worked most recently as a reporter for the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell, Montana, and as a reporter and photographer for the Tahoe Daily Tribune.

If anyone ever needed proof that every vote counts, they could look to the recent elections in South Lake Tahoe. In June, the County Supervisor District 5 primary election ended up with just 14 votes separating the second, third and fourth positions. The top two, Sue Novasel and Kenny Curtzwiler advanced into this week's election.

With just 13 votes separating two candidates and deciding who will be on the South Lake Tahoe City Council, thousands of uncounted absentee and provisional ballots could actually change the outcome.

El Dorado County election officials told South Tahoe Now today that an estimated 12,000 absentee ballots and 1,000 provisional ballots may take until Thanksgiving to count. By law they have 18 days to certify the election and all votes must be counted by then.

Dear Voters,

Today is the day you shape our City’s future. With your vote, choosing three members for our city council, you will speak on issues from economic development and the environment to jobs and the way we care for families and children. You have seven candidates to choose from, each proposing a path to move our City forward.