campground

Fallen Leaf Campground will be closed starting Monday, June 27 so county and state public health and vector control officials can start pesticide treatments to minimize the risk of plague.

The treatments are a public safety precaution after tests on 15 rodents resulted in one positive case of plague on June 20, 2016. There is minimal risk to the public at this time.

The campground will close at 7:00 p.m. Monday but all campers will need to check out by noon. The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit expects it to reopen by Friday, July 1 in time for the holiday weekend.

A flea from a Yellow pine chipmunk in the Tahoe area has tested positive for plague according to El Dorado County health officials. The flea was sampled from one of three rodents trapped in the Fallen Leaf Campground area during routine plague surveillance May 18, 2016.

Micah Flaherty, 33, from Reno was arrested on Monday evening after word got out about a theft at the South Lake Tahoe K-Mart by a man seen dropping a gun in the store's parking lot.

On May 30, 2016, at 5:10 p.m., the Douglas County Sheriff's Office received information about the theft, and that a male suspect was reportedly running toward his vehicle when he dropped, and retrieved, what appeared to be a handgun. The suspect fled in a silver Volkswagen.

NOTE: Most traffic-interfering work will be limited from 6 a.m. Friday until 10 p.m. Monday, May 30 for the Memorial Day weekend.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to just north of Granlibakken Road in Tahoe City that is upgrading storm water drainage and treatment systems, adding curb and gutter, resurfacing and realigning the road, adding new left-turn pockets and widening shoulders on an 8-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected by summer 2017.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS
State Route 89 (Placer County): Work has resumed on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to just north of Granlibakken Road in Tahoe City that is upgrading storm water drainage and treatment systems, adding curb and gutter, resurfacing and realigning the road, adding new left-turn pockets and widening shoulders on an 8-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected by spring 2017.

Even though the bike paths through South Lake Tahoe are relatively safe, those using them should exercise caution at all times and be aware of their surroundings, especially when going by areas of thick brush and low lighting.

After the May 4, 2016 stabbing of two men on the isolated section of bike trail behind Meeks Lumber, SLTPD Lt. Brian Williams offered that advice for the bikers and walkers that utilize the trails.

The opening dates for recreational facilities in the Lake Tahoe Basin have been announced, with the first ones set to e ready April 30, 2016.

Kiva Picnic area, Baldwin and Nevada beaches, Big Meadow trailhead, the McKinney Rubicon Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) area and Sawmill Pond, Eagle Falls, Chimney Beach and Secret Harbor parking areas will open April 30, 2016.

The Tallac Historic Site opens April 30, 2016, and will be staffed beginning Saturday, May 21, 2016 for Memorial Day weekend.

The Sandpit OHV area opens May 10, 2016.

Prescribed fire operations are scheduled to continue around the Lake Tahoe Basin on Monday, March 21, weather permitting.

The areas on the map scheduled to be burned, weather permitting:

A) Burton Creek State Park between North Tahoe High School and Rocky Ridge Properties, 35 acres of hand piles to be burned by California State Parks starting 3/21/16.
B) Sugar Pine Point State Park - Hwy 89 across from General Creek Campground, 12 acres to be burned by California State Parks starting 3/21/16.

Visitors to South Lake Tahoe have several options to charge their cars, with the newest location added in the City owned Heavenly Village parking garage.

The City partnered with ChargePoint, the largest electric vehicle charging station company, and added a system on the first floor of the garage near the elevator. Users will need to have an account with ChargePoint.

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.

As the camping season of 2015 draws to an end, Tahoe Valley Campground will celebrate over 40 years in business with a Tahoe Chamber ribbon cutting ceremony, barbecue and horseshoe tournament on October 22 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The community is invited to attend.

“We are very proud to celebrate another successful summer here at Tahoe Valley Campground,” Resort Manager Duane Jakob said. “We are so happy to be part of this community for the past 40 years and look forward to the future as the South Shore continues to be a world renowned destination.”

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

Tallac Historic Site, Kiva Beach, Valhalla and the Taylor Creek Visitor Center will all be closed on Wednesday so the U.S. Forest Service can conduct pesticide treatments to reduce the risk of plague. The Pope-Baldwin Bike Trail will remain open, but signs will be posted where the trail crosses closed sites.

The gates to these areas will close on Tuesday evening, September 15 at 7 p.m. and likely reopen on Thursday morning, September 17.

Now that history buffs have started the hunt with the City of South Lake Tahoe's week full of treasure, the Lake Tahoe Historical Society picks up the trail.

August 29 is the last day of the City's hunt. Maps can be picked up at any City facility including the Recreation Center, Explore Tahoe, the Campground by the Lake and Bijou Golf Course. The maps maps can also be downloaded. There will be a chance at prizes for those that complete the hunt.

The Tahoe Transportation District recently appointed Russ Nygaard as transportation capital program manager to oversee the planning, design and execution of the agency's capital projects.

With 26 years engineering experience in transportation and bridge projects, Nygaard will perform project management duties and assist with funding procurement and budget maintenance while ensuring all federal requirements are met and executed on schedule.

Officials at Yosemite National Park said Friday they will temporarily close a popular campsite after two squirrels died of plague in the area.

Tuolumne Meadows Campground will close from noon Monday through noon Friday so authorities can treat the area with a flea-killing insecticide. Campers had their reservations canceled at the 304-site campground so the insecticide can be sprayed into rodent "burrow holes," the California Department of Health said Friday.

Plague is carried by rodents and is spread by fleas, but transmission between people is rare.

Supervisor Sue Novasel, Lake Tahoe’s representative on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, announced the formation of an ad hoc committee that will engage a visioning process related to future development and use of County-owned properties and facilities in South Lake Tahoe. The vision committee will join with two members of the City Council and staff in collaborating toward mutual facility goals.

The Lake Tahoe Humane Society has planned a unique set of events that gives everyone the chance to enjoy a fun day of kayaking on August 2 and two nights of kayaking and camping August 2-4.

Long Term Projects

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county.

The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at press time and the story will be updated when provided.

6/21

12:14 a.m. - Vacation Rental Noise Complaint - Cold Creek Trail - VACATION RENTAL NOISE COMPLAINT, PARTY WARNED.

12:28 a.m. - Vacation Rental Noise Complaint - Lupine Trail - VACATION RENTAL NOISE COMPLAINT. PARTIES WARNED.

1:35 p.m. update on 6/23/15

The fire figures were updated this afternoon. At 8 a.m. they report almost 16,000 acres, then downsized a bit at noon to 13,562 after analyzing infrared reports. The 1:35 p.m. update is as follows:

The Washington Fire is actively burning. It is spreading due to both fuel-and-slope-driven forces and in some some drainages off of the East Fork Carson River. It has also spread to the north and to the east.

Fire is burning in hazardous and inaccessible terrain and approaching an increasing number of structures and impacting travel corridors.

Hello fellow anglers, I have to tell you that last weekend's Lampe Park Kids derby was rewarding. The fishing was slow both days, but there were a few nice fish caught. At one time I felt as if I were at a ball game. I could hear the crowd cheering at one end of Willow Creek with the voices in unison rising and lowering as a 4-year-old angler was reeling in a 7 pound trout.

A project to remove invasive plants from the Lake Tahoe Basin will continue this summer. The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will eradicate, control, and contain these plants using chemical treatment. Work will occur at approximately 70 infestation sites beginning May 15 and continuing through September, 2015.

Beaches, parks, trailheads, campgrounds and popular Lake Tahoe viewing areas will start opening on April 1 for the 2015 season, almost two months ahead of schedule.

A mild winter has allowed the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) to start opening the popular areas but they won't be fully opened since they won't be fully staffed until closer to summer.