family

“You’ve got to count to three.” Those were the words of advice attributed to Norm Woods one of the first five city council members. The Cityhood project in 1965 was spearheaded by the South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce with all five of that first council members coming from the Chamber Board ranks. Norm served as one of the first rotating Mayors and many times thereafter. His advice was offered to the citizens who were newly elected to subsequent councils.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With nice weather, a relaxing of some travel restrictions, and some snow on the ground, the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend is expected to be a busy one in the Sierra.

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) and California State Parks have joined together in an outreach campaign to provide simple actions to increase the enjoyment of the outdoors experience. Staying local, planning ahead, social distancing guidelines, not leaving trash and following the posted rules are just some of the ways to enjoy Lake Tahoe and the Sierra.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe wishes to extend our appreciation to the following for their help, support, and generous donations that help us to purchase and distribute brand new coats, beanies, and gloves to ensure that the youth in our community stay warm this winter.

The generosity of our donors:
• The Bob Baunhauser Foundation, in remembrance of member Bob Baunhauser
• TLC Investment, in remembrance of member Katy Fagan
• 2020 American Century Championship/Celebrity Golf
• El Dorado Community Foundation/Give Tahoe

Through the pandemic, legislative sessions in Sacramento were canceled just as they were across the country, not giving the time needed to add new legislation. As a result, in 2020 Governor Gavin Newsom signed the lowest number of laws since 1967, just 372. In comparison, in 2019 there were 870 new laws, 1016 in 2018 and 859 in 2017.

Many of the new laws are centered around COVID-19, addressing systemic racism, employee rights and policing. For a full list, select 2020 here.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Back in the 1940s, before South Tahoe Public Utility
District existed, sewage flowed directly into beautiful Lake Tahoe. Citizens rallied to sign a petition to form the District and this year marks our 70th anniversary. From a single septic field to an award-winning 7.7 million gallon per day wastewater treatment facility, with 100% recycled water and biosolids, a lot
has changed over the years.

As we prepare to bid the year of 2020 a fond farewell, we are celebrating Christmas as best we can during these unprecedented and uncertain times.

I could start with all the normal holiday greetings like Merry Christmas, May your holidays sparkle with joy and laughter, or I hope the magic of Christmas fills every corner of your heart and home with joy — now and always, but this year seems like so much more is needed.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Seeing a need to help support the Latinx community, South Lake Tahoe's local social justice group, #IRunWithMaud, reached out to its members nd got to work raising funds. They spent the past several weeks gathering donations and today donated the last of almost $3,000 in food gift cards to the Family Resource Center.

"This community has been overwhelmingly impacted by COVID resulting in food insecurity," said one of the organizers Jen Dawn.

The Tahoe Chamber has launched the GO Local Tahoe Digital Gift Card program to boost immediate local spending that will support South Shore restaurants, retailers and service providers throughout the recent Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. The GO Local Tahoe Card is a community based, e-gift card that allows you to give the gift of supporting LOCAL and allows your recipient to spend with local businesses of their choice. The ease of this gift card makes it the perfect last-minute holiday gift and stocking stuffer for a Tahoe lover.

A South Lake Tahoe woman has become the 11th resident of El Dorado County to die from COVID-19. Elda Yadira Dueñas passed away at Barton Memorial Hospital on December 16, 2020.

It was a great honor to serve as a member of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board of Trustees for the last four years. As previously reported, I am stepping aside to focus on my career and raising my beautiful baby girl. I said many times while I was on the Board that every family in the District was my family, and every child in the District was my responsibility. Now that I have a child of my own, I think the parents of LTUSD will understand when I say that I need to focus on my own family for the time being.

Christmas started early for this guy once the pandemic hit. I put my Christmas lights up over the 4th of July and for a short while started watching Christmas movies too to try and get that feel-good feeling happening. Okay, I also did it because I wanted to watch movies where no one was wearing a mask and hugging one another without fear of being exposed. I’ve always enjoyed movies for their pure escapism and who doesn’t want to escape what we’ve been through already ya know? I also like being wrapped around a movie completely.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A true trailblazer in the forming of the City of South Lake Tahoe has died at the age of 90. Del Laine, passed away from natural causes with her family at her side.

She served on South Lake Tahoe's City Council from 1976-1980, and then again from 1984-1988 and became the City's first female Mayor in 1977. She would go on to serve one more term as Mayor during her time on council.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The holidays will be a bit more brighter this season after the community Toys for Tots toy drive provided special gifts for 347 kids.

Toys were collected in bins located around the community as well as online via Walmart's virtual toy drive.

The presents will be given to youth from the Family Resource Center who collected applications for the Toys for Tots organizer. Now the families will be picking up a bag full of books, toys and stuffed animals.

Christmas Cheer, the South Lake Tahoe-based food pantry, is in need of food to give to the local community. The Tahoe Chamber has teamed up with a chamber member who is matching donations of food and cash given to Christmas Cheer this season up to $1,500.

All donating with locally purchased items and donated funds are eligible for the Chamber's Go Local Passport program. Spending locally gives the donator entries into the passport's $500 grand prize.

What is needed most this week at Christmas Cheer are hams and turkeys.

As we prepare to say goodbye (and maybe even good riddance) to 2020, the end of the year brings several holidays. Whether celebrating Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, Boxing Day, Kwanza, and of course, New Year’s Eve, remember that indoor holiday gatherings with others not in your immediate household can put you, your community, and those you care about at risk. As challenging as it is, staying home for the holidays is your best way to protect yourself and loved ones, and help slow the spread of COVID-19 in a time when healthcare and essential workers critically need that support.

The Soroptimist International Club of South Lake Tahoe (SISLT) has helped make the holidays a bit brighter for the men and women served by Live Violence Free, the nonprofit committed to promoting a violence-free community.

Each year the SISLT club president chooses a "President's Project" to complete during their year of service. This year, Club President Louisa Boone decided her project would be to make Christmas Stockings for the 50 women and 10 men the agency serves. Stockings were filled with beanies, socks, teas, gift cards for the men, beauty supplies and jewelry for the ladies.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - South Lake Tahoe and the rest of El Dorado County and Alpine County will go under a Stay-at-Home order effective Thursday, December 10 at 11:59 p.m. This order will last for at least three weeks and then the state will reevaluate. The order has gone into effect because the Sacramento Region, of which South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado and Alpine counties are part, now has staffed ICU bed availability under 15 percent.

State health insurance exchanges, like Covered California and Nevada Health Link, are now in open enrollment - the time when we can sign up for coverage for the year ahead. It’s always a good idea to make sure you and your family have health insurance, and with the current surge of COVID-19, you don’t want to be uncovered. Luckily, there are many options for families and individuals to enroll virtually, including free, bi-lingual enrollment services offered here in our community.

Eric Michael Berg tragically and unexpectedly passed on Sunday, November 29, 2020 at the age of 32. The severity and duration of his addiction to alcohol was almost entirely hidden from his friends and family. He passed just hours before family intended to bring him to a medical detoxification facility.

The South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center is busy assisting our community during these incredibly difficult COVID-19 times. This Holiday Season many members of our community are struggling with basic necessities to survive. So many members of our community work in the service industry in jobs such as; servers, waiters, bussers, housekeepers, maintenance personnel etc. Those industries have been impacted dramatically, especially with the updated governmental restrictions on in-door dining in California.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With a surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, California Governor Newsom today issued a new regional stay-at-home order as an "emergency brake" to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

This order goes into effect in regions with less than 15 percent ICU availability. At this time, the El Dorado County does not fall into that group but it could be a matter of days until it does. The county is part of the Greater Sacramento Region which is at 22 percent capacity as of Thursday.

UPDATE: The South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue decorated truck will run again in 2020. Once repairs are completed a schedule will be released.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The longstanding tradition of the decorated South Lake Tahoe Fire Truck making the rounds through neighborhoods will be taking a year off due to COVID-19.

The tough decision was made due to safety and protecting participant's health.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. = After consultation with the Douglas County officials, the towns, public safety agencies, and Douglas County Emergency Management it was determined in-person public holiday events in the towns of Gardnerville, Genoa, and Minden have been canceled. This includes the 25th annual Parade of Lights hosted by the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce. County officials said the action was deemed necessary for the safety of the community, due to the most recent State directive limiting public gatherings to no more than 50 people.

Bread & Broth’s holiday Thanksgiving meal giveaway on November 23 was a tremendous success thanks to the kindness of many generous community supporters. In addition to the regular bags filled with fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, eggs, butter, bread and pastries, 170 holiday meal “fixings” bags were handed out in the foyer of St. Theresa Grace Hall. The Thanksgiving meals went to 549 very grateful individuals and family members.