kingsbury grade

Douglas County Emergency Management is currently working on managing the storms that are currently passing through Douglas County. Areas of concern are the flood prone areas of the Fish Springs, Johnson Lane, Foothill Road and Topaz Ranch Estates.

Current road closures at this time in Douglas County are East Valley Road near Eldon Way in the Johnson Lane area. Precautions should be taken when driving along roads that have steep embankments alongside such as SR207 Kingsbury Grade for falling rocks and debris.

A proposed solar panel project on 260 acres of Park Cattle Company land won approval by the Douglas County Planning Commission in May, but residents opposing the solar farm with its 148,277 panels are fighting back. They are taking their complaints to the July 2 meeting of the Douglas County Commissioners led by local residents Steve and Mary Walker who filed an appeal right after approval of the planning commission.

7:15 p.m. update:

The storm passed through and the concert is back on.

Original Story

The 6,000 people attending the Reggae Festival at the Hard Rock Lake Tahoe are being evacuated because of lightning in the area.

Several strikes of lightning in the South Lake Tahoe area Saturday evening prompted the necessity to get the people out according to Tahoe Douglas Fire Marshal Eric Guevin. He was expecting the open the venue back up as soon as safe. As of 6:45 p.m. Saturday, the lightening was in the ridge about Glenbrook.

Even though it lasted just 19 months, the Pony Express played an important role in the western expansion of the United States. The Pony Express was the most direct and practical means of east-west communications prior to the telegraph.

With the threat of the Civil War there was a need for faster communication with the growing number of people living in the West. Three men understood this need (William H. Russell, William B. Waddell, and Alexander Majors) and created the Pony Express.

Back in the mid-1990s, the Tahoe Citizen's Committee pursued the creation of a new county at Lake Tahoe, succeeding the lake portion from the rest of Douglas and Washoe counties. The group felt that all Nevada side communities at the lake did not get their fair share of funding from their counties. The proposed county would have stretched from Incline Village at the north to Stateline on the south.

A race from Reno, around Lake Tahoe, through the Carson Valley, up to Virginia City and back to Reno began Friday morning at 7 a.m. This is the 11th year the Reno-Tahoe Odyssey Relay Run Adventure is taking place and it is growing in popularity each year. There are 253 teams of an average of 12 runners each taking part in the overnight race which covers 178 miles.

A project to remove invasive plants from the Lake Tahoe Basin will continue this summer. The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will eradicate, control, and contain these plants using chemical treatment. Work will occur at approximately 70 infestation sites beginning May 15 and continuing through September, 2015.

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and the U.S. Forest Service may continue prescribed fire operations next week, beginning Monday, April 6, 2015, weather permitting. Operations are scheduled to take place in Blackwood Canyon between Tahoe City and Tahoma, on the south side of Meeks Bay, on Gardner Mountain near South Tahoe High School and off Gardner Street, in the Tahoe Keys, on Luther Pass near Grass Lake, at Ski Run Boulevard near Heavenly, on upper Kingsbury Grade and on the East Shore near Logan Creek Drive.

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and the U.S. Forest Service are expected to conduct prescribed fire operations around the Tahoe Basin next week, beginning Monday, March 16, 2015, weather permitting.

Operations are scheduled southwest of Meeks Bay, on Gardner Mountain near South Tahoe High School and off Gardner Street, Luther Pass near Grass Lake, Ski Run Boulevard near Heavenly, Edgewood Canyon on lower Kingsbury Grade and near Logan Creek Drive on the East Shore. Operations may last through the next several weeks, as long as conditions allow.

The following originally ran in South Tahoe Now on January 21, 2014 as part of a series of stories about winter activities when there isn't much snow:

Since there is a lack of snow through the Sierra Nevada, visitors and locals in the Lake Tahoe basin are enjoying things that are normally reserved for the summer months.

The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, California State Parks, the Nevada Division of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service will continue prescribed fire operations beginning Monday, January 12, 2015.

During last week's Loop Road open house, residents and businesspeople gave their input on what they felt the US Highway 50/South Shore Community Revitalization project should offer.

Results show that 82% of the people participating believe the most important goal is to beautify the corridor and create gathering spaces for locals and visitors.

Another 67% of the respondents believe there should be efforts to reduce traffic congestion and improve mobility options, 60% said the project should revitalize the area and boost economic development.

As we at the Nevada Department of Transportation and Q&D Construction substantially complete the Kingsbury Grade Pavement Reconstruction Project this week, we want to thank local community members and businesses for their understanding and support.

Originally scheduled to continue through next summer, the project has substantially completed this week; one season ahead of the original schedule. Completing this important project ahead of schedule could not have been accomplished without the understanding of the entire community.

Kingsbury Grade, which has been closed at the summit due to a $15M road construction project, is scheduled to open on Tuesday, October 7 at 6 a.m.

Construction work will continue after Tuesday's reopening for a couple of weeks. State Route 207 (Kingsbury Grade) had two construction closures, one in May and the other since Labor Day. The through traffic closure was originally slated to end in mid to late October.

Have you noticed the new, blue signs placed along some of the South Lake Tahoe bike trails? They are part of a pilot way finding sign project to help cyclists between Kingsbury Grade and Meyers.

There are currently eight signs up in four locations, so people using the trails can see the directions from opposing views.

According to Steve Noll, community planning consultant with Design Workshop, “the international best practices for way finding signs consist of four elements known as 'The Four D’s: distance, direction, destination and distinction'."

5:35 p.m. update: Fire crews are getting a hand on a brush fire that was burning on the valley side of Kingsbury Grade. Hwy 207 is still closed at the top.

Two heavy air tankers, one single engine air tanker and one helicopter responded as well as multiple fire agencies. Containment is expected soon on the fire.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, fire numbers were near six acres and they have reevaluated it to be 1.5 acres. There is no threat to homes or structures at this time.

With less than 50% of the Lake Tahoe basin homeowners not complying with mandates to install Best Management Practices (BMPs) on their properties, the TRPA is looking for ways to get people on board.

The proposal being currently discussed is to make BMPs mandatory at Point of Sale for a home as well as discussion of them during the transaction's disclosure process. This discussion at the TRPA BMP Compliance Worksing Group meeting Tuesday brought a packed house of mostly Lake Tahoe real estate agents and brokers.

Runners with lights and reflective gear ran through South Lake Tahoe Friday night as part of the 10th Annual Reno-Tahoe Odyssey relay race. Drivers in town might have seen the blinking arrows, informing runners of the route. Others in town reported seeing the bonfires and groups of people stationed where runners were changed. The Beachcomber Inn housed one team for a quick nap and shower before they headed to the finish.

Free Drop Off of Combustibles For Nevada Residents

Clear out the combustibles from your yard and drop them off for free at the kickoff event being held for “Compost Your Combustibles 2014” at
Heavenly Boulder parking lot this Saturday, May 24th in recognition of Wildfire Awareness Month.” Drop off days will be held through the first Saturday in August.

Rake and remove pine needles and yard combustible waste to prepare your home in the case of wildfire.

In 1851, Genoa became the first settlement in the Nevada Territory and was full of cowboys and settlers. cowboys and ranchers have shared work, words and music here. The first "thirst parlor," the Genoa Bar, came along two years later to serve drinks to those traveling the California Trail as well as others finding themselves in the West.

A two car accident on Kingsbury Grade Thursday afternoon resulted both drivers being transported to Renown Medical Center by helicopter.

The Nevada Highway Patrol is investigating the head-on collision which occurred about halfway down on the valley side of the State Route 207/Kingsbury Grade.

The crash happened about 12:45 p.m.and the road was closed for about two hours.

The expectations of tourists to South Lake Tahoe are continuously evolving, and being able to anticipate, adapt and prepare for these will be highlighted at the 2014 Tourism Forum. The April 15th event is being sponsored by the TahoeChamber, Lake Tahoe Visitor's Authority and El Dorado County.

In order to succeed as the tourists to South Lake Tahoe start to deman new services, amenities and conveniences, businesses must adopt the necessary tools to survive or risk being left behind.

A year and a half road construction project will result in the closure of Kingsbury Grade for almost 75 days this year and more in 2015. Since this will have an impact on local businesses, residents and commuters, a forum was held on Wednesday in order to inform the community about the impact.

A full house was on hand in the TahoeChamber conference room to listen to representatives from Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) and the road construction company.

Youth Sports and Recreation celebrated a ribbon cutting on January 31
with Tahoe Chamber on hand to officiate. Owner Tim Wesley invited guests
to tour his facility and learn more about the business, which operates to promote physical activity and provide nutritional education to children ages 5 to 17.

Youth Sports and Recreation also provides a tutoring center for after school care. Instructors demonstrated martial arts while children tried
the various machines available, including stationary bikes that allowed riders to play video games as they cycled.