community

The Tahoe Women’s Community Fund (TWCF), a philanthropic leadership organization, is dedicated to building and engaging an inclusive and diverse membership of women interested in strengthening the South Lake Tahoe community through the power of collective giving.

TWCF is a collective giving organization created in 2015. Through a simple grant making process, the annual proceeds from membership provide financial support to nonprofits that address pressing issues facing the communities of Lake Tahoe.

South Tahoe Now reached out to all nine candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council and provided the same list of questions to each one of them. Once a day their answers will be published in the order received.

Today's candidate is Keith Roberts.

Profession: Executive Chef

How many years in SLT: 5 years

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) will be adopting their previously released Pandemic Educational Plan with some modifications as they move into Phase 2 starting October 12, 2020.

During their special meeting Monday, several parents, teachers and trustees voiced their opinions and concerns representing all sides, from keeping students in Phase 1, moving to Phase 2, as well as skipping to Phase 3.

After more than 15 years of service, Hilary Roverud has been named Development Services Director after filling the position on a temporary basis since the resignation of Kevin Fabino on July 6.

“Hilary is incredibly skilled and loved by the staff she has worked with for so long,” said City Manager Joe Irvin, “As a community, we are lucky to have her in this leadership role and know she will continue moving that department in the right direction.”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Student Senate at Lake Tahoe Community College is hosting a City Council Virtual Candidate Forum on Monday Oct. 5 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. via Zoom.

All are welcome to join.

As of right now, all but two of the candidates have agreed to participate. They’ll share their visions for the community and their thoughts about Measure S.

The link to join the forum is: https://zoom.us/j/95691454270.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The American Legion Stella Van Dyke Post 795, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of the American Legion of South Lake Tahoe will hold their annual Toy Drive on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, from noon to 3 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, 2748 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City of South Lake Tahoe created two programs to help local business owners during COVID-19, a restaurant vouchers and reimbursement of expenses used to open under new health protocols.

Both of these will be ending at the end of the City's fiscal year on September 30.

During the City Council meeting Tuesday, staff reminded everyone in the business community to turn in their receipts and restaurant vouchers by that date.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There's been movement at the Al Tahoe Historic Pioneer Cemetery, and thankfully it isn't from some of the occupants, most who have had that as their final resting spot since the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The I Run With Maud-South Lake Tahoe group is holding a rally at Lakeview Commons on Sunday, September 27 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to celebrate free speech, inclusion and diversity.

Organizers said they'd like to see many of our neighbors represented at this fun, safe, family-friendly, peaceful event. They expect to have a variety of local speakers and an event that is "inspiring, uplifting and overwhelmingly positive for the South Lake Tahoe community.

Volunteers to help are also needed.

Running a hospital takes a large team of professionals, all pulling together, often under tremendous stress. We often recognize our caregivers who have direct contact with patients. But behind every clinician is a team of people making sure she or he can do their job well and safely.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Community College offers noncredit citizenship classes along with English as a Second Language (ESL) and High School Equivalency (HSE) courses. Even though registration is wrapping up, the flexibility of these noncredit classes allows students to still get started.

As part of the course, they assist students in filling out forms, provide practice interviews and assist with learning English. While the class is in English, assistance is provided for students in Spanish and other languages, if needed. This quarter, the classes are via live Zoom.

The Fork Fire burning west of Lake Tahoe, north of Pollock Pines continues to be 1,752 acres in size but is now 61 percent contained. The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 has been in command of the Fork Fire since September 11 and will be handing that duty over to another team on Thursday, September 24.

The containment lines are to the north, east and south sides of the Fork Fire and fire continues to burn in the steep Rubicon drainage area.

351 personnel are assigned to the fire at this time.

Each year flu causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of deaths in the United States. While it is unclear what will happen this fall and winter, if there is COVID-19 and
flu at the same time, this could place a tremendous burden on our health care systems and cause many additional illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. Now more than ever, it’s important that everyone do their part to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, like flu and COVID-19, according to Alpine County Health Officer Dr. Richard Johnson.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. During the month of September, the El Dorado County (EDC) Behavioral Health Division encourages the community to “know the signs, find the words, and reach out” to prevent suicide, as well as learn about local suicide prevention resources.

GARDNERVILLE, Nev. – The Town of Gardnerville seeks public input to help shape the future of town owned parks and open spaces. Over the last nine months town staff has been working with Wood Rodgers Inc and the town board to draft a parks and open space master plan. The plan will guide town spending and grant submittals in the upcoming decades to help the town provide unique and desired amenities to encourage and increase resident use of the parks and open spaces.

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - After an extensive search, Sierra Nevada University has secured a new president on August 31, 2020. Dr. Robert M. Valli, an alumnus of UC Berkeley, Stanford, and Cambridge universities, accepted the position at SNU Tahoe, replacing Dr. Ed Zschau who had been the interim president.

Dr. Valli came to SNU Tahoe from his most recent role as Dean of Long Island

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - The Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) teamed up with CoCoMoes Qnique Eats on September 11 to raise money for Special Olympics through a Tip-A-Cop event. They raised $8,849 to help benefit the Douglas County Special Olympics chapter.

“We want to thank CoCoMoes for going above and beyond to provide the take-out option at this year’s event,” said Scott Turek of Special Olympics Nevada. “This option allowed us to still host the event with COVID restrictions in place and the athletes were able to pair with DCSO to provide a safe and fun event.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and a good time check in with yourself and loved ones. So many of us are struggling to keep our mental health in check right now. It’s normal to feel anxious about the impacts of COVID-19. Preventing our worries from consuming us can reduce stress and uncertainty—and even more severe behavioral health issues like suicide.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) was able to refinance $15.15 million in general obligation bonds in September, saving property owners in the district $3,335,698 in property taxes.

With low interest rates brought about by the pandemic and economic uncertainty, LTUSD refinanced two series of their Election of 2008 General Obligation Bonds.

“With interest rates near historic lows, we wanted to take this opportunity to save our community money, particularly in light of the downturn in the economy,” said LTUSD Superintendent Dr. Todd Cutler.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A summer-long project at Tahoe Valley Elementary School is now open to the public and the tree at the center of the love-filled efforts is in memory of student Marianna Zepeda.

The quiet, reflective garden area includes seating, a lending library and a tree dedicated to Marianna, a 4th grade student who passed away June 19.

"She was always happy and sunny," says Principal Christina Grubbs of the young student. "That is why we chose a sunny, yellow tree."

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A nurse at Barton Memorial Hospital’s Family Birthing Center has received the international DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses. Labor & Delivery nurse, Rayanne Marshall, RN, BSN, RNC-OB, won the award after being nominated by a patient for the dedication and compassion shown during delivery, making her feel comfortable and well-cared for, even when tensions were high.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - After being moved from a planned speaking event at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, President Trump will be making a stop at the Minden-Tahoe Airport on Saturday, September 12 according to a Douglas County spokesperson.

Douglas County was contacted by the Secret Service and representatives of the Trump Campaign late in the evening on Wednesday September 9, 2020 requesting use of the Minden-Tahoe Airport for a campaign rally.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Former Recreation Superintendent Judy Crawford has passed away. She worked for the City from 1974 until 2003 and was the first woman to hold that position. Crawford was also the President of Great Ideas for Tahoe, or GIFT, during her time in the community.

Born in New Orleans, LA, in 1948, she lived around the country until she settled in South Lake Tahoe.

She started work for the City as a Recreation Supervisor and was eventually promoted to Recreation Superintendent. What she loved the most, teaching young kids how to swim.

As ashes fell delicately from a blazing orange sky earlier this week, Lake Tahoe got a jarring glimpse of just one of the threats of the climate crisis. The frequency and intensity of wildfires in the West are breaking records and destroying communities. Scientists are also measuring wilder weather patterns, more severe droughts, and changing ecosystems as the planet’s temperature rises. More drought means more dead trees, and hotter summers mean a longer and more
severe fire season.