justice

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Elevating Humanity is the theme of the 4th annual TEDx South Lake Tahoe at the Lake Tahoe Community College's Duke Theatre on Saturday, October 19, 2019.

The goal of organizers this year is to uplift individuals and spark positivity to make the world a better place. All of the speakers presenting during the evening will use this theme as they inspire attendees.

So far, three speakers have been revealed and over the next few weeks, the other seven will be introduced on the TEDx website, http://tedxsouthlaketahoe.com.

In the wake of more senseless violence in our country, we see our politicians taking their now familiar position on their soapboxes to lament their party opponents’ inaction. We need less grandstanding and more real response. While California Governor Gavin Newsom is busy pointing fingers, AB 1722 – an assembly bill based on science and focused on preventing gun violence – languishes in the Appropriations Committee.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following are the call logs for the South Lake Tahoe Police Department June 26 - July 7, 2019.

6/26

ARRESTS (0)

TRAFFIC STOPS (7)

OTHER CALLS FOR SERVICE (49):
Alarm - 2000 Block of Aloha Dr
Alarm- 3500 Block of Bobby Grey Cr
Alarm - 3500 Block of Lake Tahoe Bl
Alarm - 900 Block of Emerald Bay Rd
Animal Incident - 900 Block of Bal Bijou Rd
Assault With a Deadly Weapon- 3700 Block of Forest Av
Assist Outside Agency - 3100 Block of US 50
Assist Outside Agency - Rufus Allen Boulevard & Lake Tahoe Bl

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe man who led multiple law enforcement agencies on a high-speed pursuit in El Dorado County and Sacramento in May was indicted by a federal grand jury today on two counts.

Scott Forrest Fine Art Studio is hosting the second annual exhibit of “Love is a National Treasure” on Thursday, June 27, 2019, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. “Love is a National Treasure” is a South Lake Tahoe event where Pride meets Art. This annual exhibit is designed to bring people together, showcase the diversity of our community, and celebrate Pride Month.

South Lake Tahoe, CA - Scott Forrest Fine Art Studio, located at 2572 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA, will host the second annual exhibit of “Love is a National Treasure” on Thursday, June 27, 2019, presented by MakeTahoe.com. “Love is a National Treasure” is a South Lake Tahoe event where Pride meets Art. This annual exhibit is designed to bring people together, showcase the diversity of our community, and celebrate Pride Month.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Twelve more South Tahoe High seniors celebrated their commitment to playing their respective sports after next week's graduation. Nine will be playing baseball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball at community colleges across the state while another three are playing hockey at the next level.

A group of family and friends gathered at the campus to cheer on the following students (alphabetical with sport, school and focus of education):

Noah Dahlen - Hockey with the Pueblo Bulls of Western States Hockey League

Western Nevada College celebrated a record 617 graduates during its commencement ceremony earlier today at the Marv Teixeira Pavilion in Carson City. The 2019 graduating class will receive 651 degrees and certificates of achievement.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford addressed WNC’s graduating class during its commencement ceremony.

The list of graduates:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF.
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE — NURSING
Jasmin Dawn Carlucci, Korrina Lynn Klimek, Carlos Rojas, Tabitha B. Tripp, Sara Winter

On July 17, 1982, the body of a woman was found off of a hiking trail in the Sheep's Flat area near Mt. Rose just a few miles above Incline Village, was found. There was no identification or jewelry on the victim and investigators could tell by her clothing she may have been headed to Lake Tahoe when she was murdered.

And there was no suspect.

For over three decades, both her and her killer's identity have been unknown but with new DNA technologies, hard work by a team of law enforcement investigators and genealogists, the case has been solved.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Starting May 25, 2019, there will be no more youth staying in the Placerville Juvenile Detention Facility. After a decision by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors in February, South Lake Tahoe's Juvenile Treatment Center (JTC) will be the only youth facility in the county to serve those in the justice system 18-years-old and younger, for now.

There are several reasons for the changes including an aging facility, increasing costs and the fact that fewer youth are working their way through the juvenile justice system.

For those waiting for an annual sojourn down State Route 88 to Daffodil Hill, it's time to change your plans. They opened for the season on March 30, not knowing their season would only last two days.

A rainy week has more than dampened spirits, it also damaged the thousands of daffodils lining the four-acre farm owned by the McLaughlin family.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Two decades old murders in the South Lake Tahoe area have been solved using genetic genealogy, identifying a deceased local man as the murderer of two women.

During a El Dorado Cold Case Task Force press conference in Placerville Monday, District Attorney Vern Pierson said Joseph Stephen Holt of South Lake Tahoe and San Jose was responsible for killing Brynn Rainey in 1977 and Carol Ann Andersen in 1979.

Do you know what it is like to be caged like a wild animal? Do you know what it is like to scratch at the insides of a jail cell wall as you scream for your freedom? Do you know what it is like to have your nightmares as your only company?

I can’t say that I know what it’s like. I really can’t.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - Murder suspect Wilbur Ernesto Martinez-Guzman will be tried jointly in Reno, Nevada by both the Douglas County and Washoe County district attorneys in what could be a landmark case.

During a joint press conference Monday, the DAs from both counties outlined their case against Martinez-Guzam for the murders of Connie Koontz, Sophia Renken, Gerald David and Sharon David.

UPDATE 1/23/19 - The suspect in the quadruple murder in Northern Nevada was in the country illegally from El Salvador when he was arrested on January 19, 2019. Tips received by law enforcement led them to Wilbur Ernesto Martinez-Guzman, and as they built a murder case they started to tail him. Immigration officials were unaware of Martinez-Guzman until those tips came in.

Officials did not want to lose the suspect and arrested him on immigration charges as the investigation continued and the murder case developed.

RENO, Nev. - Keeping the community safe is the number one priority of law enforcement working on four recent murders in Reno and Douglas County. This was the message from Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam during a press conference late Thursday afternoon.

Two elderly people, a man and a woman, were killed in a home in southwest Reno. Their bodies were discovered on January 16 after concerned neighbors called law enforcement after not seeing the residents. Their names and ages have not been released pending notification of next of kin.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A public memorial for the first superior court judge in the community, the Honorable Terrence M. Finney, will be held on Friday, January 4, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Department 3 of the South Lake Tahoe courthouse.

Finney passed away on November 7, 2018 at the age of 84.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Two South Tahoe High graduates are among the four newly sworn in officers for the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD).

Jason Fritz and Grant Fagen were sworn in at City Hall on Friday, Jason Nixon was sworn in on Thursday as he graduated from the Sacramento Police Academy and John Miller started work in October.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Even though she was sentenced to six months in jail after taking a plea deal for her embezzlement of almost $60,000, Niki Congero, the former executive director of the Lake Tahoe Humane Society, has been released and is now back in Tennessee a free woman.

She was in the El Dorado County Jail from August 1 to October 28, a total of 89 days. Her jail term started the day of her arrest in Tennessee.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Nicola (Niki) Congero, 50, the former executive director of the Lake Tahoe Humane Society (LTHS), pleaded guilty Monday to felony embezzlement for using almost $60,000 of Humane Society money for her own personal purposes.

Much appreciation to the 30 business owners and managers from All Seasons Plumbing & Heating, Sierra Nevada Job Corps, Harrah’s & Harveys, Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort, Leonard Mechanical & Plumbing, Cold Water Brewery & Grill, TJ Maxx, Casa of El Dorado County, South Lake Tahoe City Council, Pay-it-Forward Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, Lake Tahoe Community College, Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, LTUSD Board Members, the Morning Soroptimist, and community members who attended the Mt. Tallac High School annual Community Meet and Greet.

A 52-year-old South Lake Tahoe man was arrested in the area of North Curry and West Spear streets for felony suspicion of third DUI, driving on a revoked license, and following too close, a Carson City sheriff's deputy said.

Ragan Allen Stacey was arrested after deputies responded to a two vehicle crash Saturday evening. Dispatch advised the driver of one of the vehicles was walking away from the crash, and deputies were able to locate him on North Curry Street.

Detectives from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department flew to Tennessee overnight to arrest Nicola "Niki" Congero, the former executive director of Lake Tahoe Humane Society.

Congero, 50, was arrested without incident on the morning of Wednesday, August 1 and booked into the Knoxville jail on charges of embezzling approximately $60,000 from the South Lake Tahoe based non-profit. She is being held there on $200,000 bail and is currently awaiting extradition.

A major drug ring that stretched from Mexico into El Dorado and Placer Counties and beyond was broken up with the arrest, conviction and sentencing of Francisco Felix, 45, of Mountain House on July 13, 2018.

Felix will be in prison for up to 20 years for his role in leading a large, multi-defendant drug-trafficking conspiracy that moved significant quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico into California and throughout the United States, and that controlled at least three large marijuana grows in the Central Valley of California, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.