children

While the community is still in shock over the death of South Lake Tahoe Police Officer Mark Hounsell, his wife Jeanne and a family friend, a fundraising campaign has started to help their children as they move forward in life without a parent.

All four of Mark's children were in the 2004 Chevy Suburban on October 17, 2015 with Mark and Jeanne when, for unknown reasons, the vehicle left the roadway and crashed, killing all three adults inside.

It is with deep sadness and sorrow that we inform our South Lake Tahoe community and others of the passing of Officer Mark Hounsell and his wife Jeanne. Mark had served the citizens of South Lake Tahoe as a Police Officer since May 19, 2007.

The Tahoe Arts Project once again presents the Missoula Children's Theatre, this year with their production of Peter and Wendy.

It is a busy week-long experience for children ages 5 to 17. They will start off with auditions for over 60 roles on November 2 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Rehearsals are Tuesday through Thursday, November 3-6, then a production on Saturday, November 7 at 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Auditions are free but there is a $50 charge per child to participate. There are some scholarships available. For more information, contact Peggy Blowney at 530-542-3632.

Sports and entertainment stars, including many of the current and future Hall of Famers, MVPs and stars who golf in South Lake Tahoe's annual celebrity tournament, will be teeing it up in the inaugural Diamond Resorts Invitational celebrity golf tournament at the Golden Bear Golf Club in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 14-16, 2016.

September 11 evokes a different meaning to South Lake Tahoe resident Christine O’Farrell. In 2002, on the one-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Christine was on the operating table at Barton Memorial Hospital facing a new threat: cancer.

Christine had been diagnosed with an aggressive case of breast cancer. At the time, she was 42 years old and working at Barton’s Home Health and Hospice for quality assurance and infection prevention. Her three children were 14, 12, and 9.

The City of South Lake Tahoe has been involving the community in several planning sessions, from the Tahoe Valley Area plan to the Recreation and Airport Master Plans. On Tuesday night, the latest plan for the Regan Beach area were unveiled to a group gathered at the South Lake Tahoe recreation center.

While attendance hasn't reflected a very large portion of the community, several dozen locals have played active roles at the meetings.

"Family" is a word that can sum up what happened during Friday's STHS homecoming parade and football game.

Though not related, about 70 graduates, most of them from the Class of 1984, came together over the weekend to honor another one of their classmates stricken with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Kevin Sullivan, 50, is the second graduate of South Tahoe High's class of '84 to afflicted with ALS. Todd Fields died in 1999 at the age of 33.

To help South Lake Tahoe children in need, Bread & Broth 4 Kids has been formed to bring weekend food to 100 students each week. The bag of food is to help with meals when they aren't in school and able to receive free breakfasts and lunches Monday through Friday.

Bread & Broth is a non-profit, all volunteer organization that provides free, hot meals to those in need in South Lake Tahoe. They are now seeking donations and volunteers for the new kid's program.

10 p.m. update 9/29/15:

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has arrested a 23-year-old Orangevale, CA man in connection with threats made at several El Dorado County preschools and day care centers over the past few days. Many of the schools closed temporarily in response to the threats to staff and children.

Michael McDermort was booked into El Dorado County Jail for charges related to terrorizing threats. As of Tuesday night he was still in jail on a bail hold of $51,500.

A school bus and pickup collided Friday afternoon on Highway 50 East near Airport Road in Carson City, sending the driver of the pickup to the hospital. The driver of the bus and two children aboard were not injured, said Carson City Fire Chief Bob Schreihans.

"There were no injuries to anyone on the bus and the parents of the kids were there to pick them up," said Schreihans.

Always a crowd pleaser, the annual Firefest is on Saturday, September 26 at the South Lake Tahoe Airport from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This free event highlights fire and life safety for children and families with exhibits and hands on demonstrations.

Helicopters will star at Firefest when they land at the airport. The three "Super Scoopers" currently making the airport their home will be parked on the tarmac as long as they aren't dispatched to a fire.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office and South Lake Tahoe Police Department will be taking back unwanted prescription drugs on Saturday, September 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Lira's Market in Meyers.

Take expired or unused drugs as the disposal site. No sharps will be accepted.

Prescription drug abuse continues to be a problem in the community, and removing unwanted containers of drugs from medicine cabinets will take them out of the hands of abusers.

In light of recent ambushes and assignations of police officers across the country, some South Lake Tahoe residents are organizing a local event on National Thank A Police Officer Day September 19.

Organizer Daniella Flatau is trying to create awareness in South Lake Tahoe by showing support for the police officers who protect and serve their community, and to help boost officer morale.

Location

Smoke from the Butte Fire burning near Jackson, CA filled the Lake Tahoe basin last Saturday afternoon.

The air quality index for South Lake Tahoe is measured on Sandy Way and remained in the moderate range as of 7 p.m.

This means, people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children are the groups most at risk. Unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.

For America's young men 70 years ago, their thoughts weren't on college and careers. They were focused on survival and a battle bigger than any of them individually during World War II.

For some that meant a foxhole in Europe, Africa or some Pacific island, or perhaps aboard a battleship with eyes focused for enemy submarines. For thousands of young men, most barely out of high school themselves, it meant long days airborne in a freezing aluminum tube, hoping that it wasn't their day to be unlucky.

Lake Tahoe’s Movement of Wings (LTMW) will bring the Incline Village and Lake Tahoe communities together on September 5 from 9-12 p.m. to raise awareness for thyroid cancer. LTMW aims to provide a fun, community-generated event that will provide support and a proactive way to fight this disease, while promoting a healthy lifestyle in one of the most beautiful places to run, Lake Tahoe. Proceeds will be donated to ThyCa.

Parents worried that their college-bound children might succumb to the temptations of campus life may want to take note of a new analysis that found that students tend to experiment with specific types of drugs for the first time during certain times of year.

Tahoe Turning Point is holding a charity golf tournament on September 17, 2015 at the Lake Tahoe Golf Course.

The agency has been serving the community since 1980 with five residential group homes for youth ages 13-18, counseling services for children, adults and families, as well as transitional housing programs for foster youth.

For $125 players will receive a round of golf at Lake Tahoe Golf Course, breakfast buffet, on course lunch, BBQ after playing, and awards.

Sign up on their website, or call 530-541-4594.

South Lake Tahoe resident Allan Delisle was arrested on Thursday, August 19 on several sex crime charges.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) took the 69-year-old man into custody after obtaining a warrant. He has been charged with the crimes of lewd and lascivious acts with a child, oral copulation of a child under 16 years old, oral copulation of a child by force, and oral copulation of a victim with a mental disability.

Delisle is currently in the El Dorado County Jail on $1 million bail hold.

Most kids and parents have a mixture of excitement and nervousness about starting a new school year. This is normal. However, parents can help ease the transition from summer vacation to the school routine. Here are some tips to prepare you and your student for the upcoming academic year.

What would you do if you had a family miniature golf business you wanted to pass onto your four children? Build three more, of course!

In 1972, Bill and Mary Koplin built Magic Carpet Golf on land they purchased from Marjorie Springmeyer adjacent to what was once the South Lake Tahoe amusement park. Marjorie had overheard Bill and his real estate agent talking in a local restaurant about Bill's plans for building the course. "I have a piece of property I can sell you," Marjorie told them.

Douglas County residents can expect to see an increase in the normal law enforcement presence near crosswalks within Douglas County between August 17 and August 28, 2015. Douglas County has joined forces with Lyon County and other law enforcement agencies statewide to monitor pedestrian safety.

A passenger who died in a Sunday night vehicle crash has been identified by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office as 33-year-old Rachelle Piparo of Georgetown.

Piparo was riding in the front seat of a pickup and was killed when driver Joseph Piparo, 33, rolled the vehicle and flatbed trailer it was towing east of Georgetown.

Joseph Piparo, of Georgetown, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and booked into El Dorado County Jail.

Ignatius Kyeremeh was sworn in as a Douglas County Deputy Sheriff on Monday, August 10 during a ceremony in Minden, NV.

Kyeremeh completed several months of testing and evaluation consisting of a physical agility test, oral interview, extensive background investigation, psychological evaluation, polygraph examination, and medical exam. He will begin his career with the department in the Jail Division.

Deputy Kyeremeh served in the United States Marine Corps for 20 years achieving the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. He is married with 2 children.