businesses

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With more and more cases of COVID-19 being confirmed across the nation and more people traveling, the chances of employees at our favorite stores, businesses, and restaurants having the virus are also increasing.

Such was the case this past weekend at The Beacon Bar & Grill in South Lake Tahoe.

An employee showed up for work on Saturday, June 20, and informed management he was running a fever. They immediately sent the employee home. A COVID-19 test taken on Sunday confirmed he was positive for the virus on Tuesday.

As temperatures at Lake Tahoe are heating up, so are discussions about wearing a face mask in public. While science continues to reveal new information about the coronavirus, one thing is clear: wearing a face mask slows the spread of COVID-19, if enough people wear them.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There will be a public presentation from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24 on the Bijou Park Creek Watershed Restoration Project.

The project is three phases, the first beginning with the removal of the Knight's Inn and addressing flooding issues in that area. The objectives of the complete project are to improve stormwater quality, decrease flooding, restore the Bijou Park Creek SEZ (stream environmental zone), and to install a series of stormwater quality and flood control improvements.

ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. - The Class of 2020 at George Whittell High School will hold its graduation on Friday, June 19. Since only immediate family members can attend the socially distancing graduation ceremony there will be a parade starting at Kahle Park on Kingsbury Grade at 10:00 a.m. The procession of cars will go along Highway 50 and end up at the Warrior Way high school in Zephyr Cove. Those wanting to cheer the graduates on may do so from along the four-mile route.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are two locally owned and operated radio stations, KRLT FM and KOWL AM, that have served the Lake Tahoe area for 60 years (AM was first, then FM came 40 years ago).

General Manager and Owner Steve Harness took out a note with investors to buy the station from Cherry Creek Radio five years ago. On June 30, 2020, a $100,000 balloon payment on that note is due. While the stations' monthly overhead has stayed the same during the pandemic, their revenue has dropped by roughly 80 percent.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe Coronavirus testing site at Lake Tahoe Community College is now open for residents from El Dorado and Alpine counties as well as the state of Nevada.

Testing is also now available to all ages and people can get tested more than once with no charge. No medical insurance is required.

With businesses and the casinos opening up, the chance of exposure has increased. While wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, and socially distancing dramatically increases the chances of not contracting the virus, people can still become exposed.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif.,/Nev. - On Sunday, June 14 there is a Clean Up Bingo challenge hosted by Clean Up The Lake from noon to 4:00 p.m.

It is open to everyone who has the ability to post on Instagram (though cleaning is always welcome). @Cleanupthelake’s CLEAN UP BINGO encourages everyone to get out in the community, whether it is in your local neighborhood or favorite beach, and pick up some garbage.

Participants can win prizes donated by local businesses by filling up a special Bingo card.

To participate:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are two community-wide events in South Lake Tahoe Friday, June 12 to join voices around the world to eradicate racism, educate and peacefully protest.

Lakeview Commons - 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - If California Governor Newsom gives guidelines on the next industries that can open in the state, El Dorado County will be able to move quickly and reopen more businesses and activities.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors are holding a special meeting on Tuesday, June 2 at 1:00 p.m. to discuss expansion of the County's Stage 2 attestation announced by the Public Health Administrator Dr. Nancy Williams.

The only item on the agenda is discussion and possible action on expanding Stage 2 to include all businesses and industries identified in Stage 3 of Governor Newsom's Resiliency Roadmap.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The 15th annual Tahoe Bike Challenge begins on June 1 for a full month of bicycling excitement throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin. Hosted by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, the Bike Challenge is a basin-wide celebration of biking and a friendly competition to see who can record the most rides.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On Wednesday, May 27, El Dorado County rescinded its nonessential travel ban into the Lake Tahoe Basin, just as it did when letting the County-specific Stay At Home order expire in April.

The messaging is confusing as local orders are lifted, and state orders are still in place.

The action by the County does not mean that travel into Lake Tahoe Basin is all of a sudden okay though.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council will hold a special meeting on Thursday, May 28 beginning at 9:00 a.m. to discuss and vote on Emergency Order Number 1, send $100,000 to the Sierra Business Council’s “Resilience Fund Tahoe," the City's reopening plans and an urgency ordinance for relaxation of certain City regulations that may assist local businesses with a successful reopening.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - During the months of March and April 2020 there were five suicides in South Lake Tahoe. That equals the total number of suicides in all of 2019 in the community, and one less than in 2018.

There were none in January or February before the coronavirus hit.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif/ - The Tahoe Art Walk is back in a new way during these physically distancing experiences. A virtual tour has been created instead of the once-a-month in-person event and participants can plan their own tour, shop online, and plan a route with a map once ready to head out as businesses reopen.

Location

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Is your local business reopening after being shut down for several weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic? Let us help get the word out with one free week of advertising!

The first ten businesses to respond will get on the immediate advertising loop and more will be accommodated if space allows. There are Facebook sidebar ads, across-the-top banners and sidebar banner spaces available.

The business needs to provide the artwork and South Tahoe Now will share the good news that you are open!

Since the beginning of March as the COVID-19 crisis was just beginning to feel like it could become a threat in our community, the El Dorado Community Foundation has granted out over $280,000 to individuals in need and nonprofits striving to continue providing their services through lost funding and canceled fundraisers.

The Foundation is beginning to shift focus from response to recovery as they see sectors of the community start to open back up. One component of that needed recovery will be in the form of financial support to the small business community.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. The annual Made in Tahoe festival held during the Memorial Day Weekend at Squaw Valley has moved their event to October, but, to highlight local craftspeople who would normally be there, a virtual weekend event has been created.

Times are hard, especially for the artisan and small business community so organizers have brought together 50 local artisans, businesses, chefs, organizations, and entertainers featuring a wide array of offerings that are made in or inspired by the Lake Tahoe Basin and Truckee areas.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A planned full closure of US50 over Echo Summit for the Sidehill Viaduct Replacement Project has been postponed to after Labor Day, 2020.

Caltrans made the announcement on Thursday that construction has not progressed enough to where the bridgework requiring a full closure could not be completed by June 15.

A full closure of Highway 50 is not permitted between June 15 and Labor Day due to high traffic volumes expected during the peak summer season in South Lake Tahoe.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City Council voted Tuesday to amend their Emergency Order No. 1 from April that authorized administrative citations and fines of $1,000 for violations of the Governor's Stay at Home Order.

The City will not be fining second homeowners who visit their home in South Lake Tahoe but they will continue to fine those found renting out vacation homes until the Governor's ban on non-essential travel is amended.

ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. - Alpine County is grateful to report that we still have only one resident with a laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 infection. That occurred in March, the person was not hospitalized, and has recovered. Surrounding counties continue to report either no change or a small increase in the number of cases (El Dorado – 56, with 20 in South Lake Tahoe, Douglas (NV) – 24, Calaveras – 13, Amador – 8, Tuolumne – 2, Mono - 32).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The May 12 agenda for the South Lake Tahoe City Council is a full one. The 9:00 a.m. virtual meeting will address the second reading of a wireless communication facility ordinance on private property, the first reading of the facilities on public property, a vote on $1,000 fines, reopening plans for City facilities and a hold on public events on City property until large gatherings are permitted.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Many South Lake Tahoe businesses will be able to open soon, but not until they have plans in place that comply with the State’s COVID-19 guidelines and the State approves and publishes the public health director's signed Variance Attestation and supporting documents.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has unveiled his plan for the state to reopen under phase one starting May 9, 2020. Outdoor malls, restaurants, hair salons, and barber shops are among those able to reopen with new standards for safety.

"We must stay safe so we can stay open," said Sisolak of the ability to move into phase 2 by the end of May, or sooner.

"The beginning of the reopening of our economy is not the end of the coronavirus," said Sisolak during a press conference Thursday afternoon. "It's still with us, as strong as ever. It will not go away until there's a vaccine."