fired

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - In a unified move, all fire agencies around the Lake Tahoe Basin have banned all open burning utilizing wood and charcoal for the remainder of the summer, or longer if needed. This includes campgrounds with fire rings, fire pits at homes and all charcoal barbeques whether at home or at public and private facilities.

The suspension takes effect at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2020 and will be enforced with extinguishment and possible citations and fines.

Welcome to the ninth year summary of the SnowGlobe Music Festival. This is the first year the TRPA has done any monitoring and the event continues to violate TRPA’s pre-existing rules. We can add air pollution to the list of accomplishments for this event given the recent successful lawsuit by the Center for Environmental Health (CEH). Onsite inspections for building and fire continue to find violations (they have had violations every year) and the fireworks were moved to an open undeveloped area in the forest of Bijou Park this year.

Dan Aykroyd called my morning radio show on 93.9FM Friday to talk about his appearance Sunday over at the Hard Rock Hotel Lake Tahoe. There he will present an evening of Q & A, tell some fascinating stories in an exclusive evening presented by his business, Crystal Head Vodka billed as 'An Evening with Dan Aykroyd.'

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - The Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) responded to reports of a road rage incident between two motorists on the Mt. Rose Highway (SR431) Tuesday afternoon at approximately 3:00 p.m.

It had been reported that the driver of a gold Ford pickup truck fired a handgun at another vehicle, shattering its window. The car was later found on the highway west of Callahan Road.

UPDATE 8:30AM 4/27/19: An observant officer from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) was on patrol near the Heavenly Village at approximately 9:45 p.m. Friday night when he saw a car listed on a Bay Area police "Be On The Lookout" report go through an intersection. The report said the driver was a suspect in two homicides, one in each Oakland and San Francisco.

He followed the vehicle and attempted to pull it over with the assistance of another officer, but the driver took off and a pursuit began.

11/1/18 update: More details have come to light surrounding the officer involved shooting of an armed robbery suspect in Meyers on Monday.

There were three warrants for the arrest of Billy Jo Johnson on Monday, one from each South Lake Tahoe, Douglas County and Carson City. Law enforcement from each agency were working together on their cases in an attempt to locate and arrest the 34-year-old Johnson.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log

7/18

UPDATE 7/2 8:15AM: The victim in Saturday's shooting has been identified as 44-year-old Christopher Kitchen of South Lake Tahoe. The suspect, 62-year-old Roy Figaro of South Lake Tahoe, is in the El Dorado County Jail and is facing murder charges.

* * *
One person has died after being shot Saturday near the Y in South Lake Tahoe.

Just before 5:30 p.m. on June 30, 2018, officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) responded to the 1000 block of Julie lane after several calls were made into dispatch about shots fired.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It's been almost one year since the Lake Tahoe Humane Society (LTHS) fired their former Executive Director Niki Congero amid allegations of embezzlement. For months, South Lake Tahoe Police detectives worked through piles of paperwork and film, completing the case for the El Dorado County District Attorney in December. Since then, the case has been in the hands of the DA's office, but nothing has happened yet.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The student body, teachers, staff of South Tahoe High School and community members came together Wednesday to be part of the National School Walkout and March For Our Lives, events held across the country one month after 17 students died in Parkland, Florida when a fellow student opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - On March 7, 2018 after a two week trial, a South Lake Tahoe jury convicted Ignacio Madrigal Arizaga of Galt, California of Attempted Murder; Shooting at an Occupied Vehicle; Illegal Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and, Illegal Possession of Ammo by a Convicted Felon.

He faces 41 years to life in state prison when he is sentenced on April 2, 2018.

4:00 p.m. update: A 47-year-old man has been identified as the suspect in Sunday's murder in Tahoma. For more information: http://southtahoenow.com/story/02/12/2018/tahoma-murder-suspect-identified

LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. A chase along State Route 89 between Tahoma and Homewood today resulted in the arrest of a man who is being accused of being involved in a shooting and suspicious death.

11/6/17 5:15 p.m. UPDATE - The Placer County Sheriff's Office has determined that this homicide was a murder-suicide. Their preliminary investigation has determined that 64-year-old Scott A. Kotter, manager of the Northwood Pines Motel in Kings Beach, shot and killed Isabelle C. Gallo, 34, a female tenant, before turning the gun on himself.

For more on the update -http://southtahoenow.com/story/11/06/2017/murder-suicide-ruled-weekends-homicide-kings-beach

* * *
Two people have died in Kings Beach after a reported neighbor dispute, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Office.

9:15AM Update - The South Lake Tahoe Police Department has contacted two men who are considered "investigative leads" at this point. As of this time no arrests have been made and the investigation is continuing.

Witnesses reported that two Hispanic males in their 20’s with short dark colored hair were the occupants in the vehicle.

The gun used in the event appear to be a semi-automatic handgun.

UPDATE: A shooting at the Carson Nugget Friday evening just before 6:15 p.m. has left two injured, authorities said, including one Carson City sheriff's deputy who was stabbed and the stabbing suspect who was shot.

The deputy is in good condition, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong. The incident happened when law enforcement and security attempted to detain a suspicious suspect. During the incident the deputy was stabbed or cut in the head with a knife and shots were fired at the suspect, Furlong said. The incident happened on the south side of the Nugget near the loading dock area.

Former executive director of the Lake Tahoe Humane Society moved out of South Lake Tahoe over the weekend, leaving many in the community questioning the timing after she was fired on March 31 amidst accusations of misappropriation of agency funds.

Niki Congero moved out of her rental home because she was given a 60-day notice to vacate May 4. The owner of the home wanted to use it for his purposes, according to Realty World, the property management company.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office and several law enforcement agencies are investigating new information related to threats made against a Carson City judge, Sheriff Ken Furlong said Thursday.

On Wednesday, Carson City Sheriff’s Office detectives and Department of Public Safety investigators received information that an inmate at the Washoe County Sheriff’s Detention Center was being held on a 2011 felony contempt of court warrant out of Carson City.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - It was an emotional day in court Tuesday as one of the suspects in the January 30, 2016 murder of Dennis "Spike" Wright, Jr. withdrew his plea of not guilty and plead guilty to an amended criminal complaint that included four felonies surrounding Wright's murder and robbery.

The higher elevations saw a very small glimpse of winter this week as snow dusted the peaks around Lake Tahoe, but not too small to keep Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows from announcing their opening date for this winter.

They announced today that they'll open between November 11 and 18, earlier than their November 23 opening date last year. The resorts hosted the longest season in 2015-16 by staying open until May 30 with over 41 feet of cumulative snowfall.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows was voted 2016 Best Ski Resort in North America by USA Today and 10 Best Readers’ Choice.

ZEPHYR COVE, NV - Investigators and vessel inspectors from Coast Guard Sector San Francisco are on the scene of Tuesday's fire on board the 119-foot passenger Lake Tahoe paddle wheel boat, the Tahoe Queen.

"Most of the damage is limited to the boat's pilot house and second deck," Lt. Jake Aulner of the U.S. Coast Guard told South Tahoe Now. "This can be attributed to the great response by the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department."

Aulner and the team from USCG Yerba Buena Island will be at the scene until the cause of the morning blaze is determined.

After 782 miles and eight days of racing, 23 year-old Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) of Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team clinched the 2016 Amgen Tour of California championship, becoming the youngest rider to hold that title in the race’s 11 years. U.S. National Road Race Champion Megan Guarnier (Glens Falls, New York) of Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team also celebrated victory in Sacramento as the four-day Amgen Breakaway from Heart Disease™ Women’s Race Empowered with SRAM which concluded along with the men’s event.

A 57-year-old Douglas County man was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of domestic battery and shooting multiple rounds from a firearm inside his home.

Deputies from the Douglas County Sheriffs Office responded to a call of domestic dispute with shots fired at the 3400 block of Tourmaline, south of Carson City at 4:00 a.m. on April 6. When they arrived they heard additional gun fire coming from the residence.

Soon after, Daniel Vanhooser came out of the home and was taken into custody without incident.

Update:

Stanford has hired Jerod Haase as its next head coach, the school announced Friday.

Haase, 41, has been the head coach at UAB the past four seasons. He was 54-46 heading into this season, but the Blazers went 26-7 in 2015-16 and won the Conference USA regular-season title before falling in the conference tournament.

Jim Nichols is officially not a Douglas County employee beginning January 29, 2016. The Board of County Commissioners approved a voluntary separation agreement Thursday between the county and Nichols, their County Manager.

Nichols and the County came to a mutual agreement that he would leave his position. During the on January 21, the Commissioners reiterated the fact that Nichols was not fired, nor did he quit. Nichols will be receiving a check for more than $115,000, the equivalent of six months pay plus sick pay and vacation pay.