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LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) will begin conducting prescribed fire operations in the Lake Tahoe Basin this week, weather and conditions permitting.

North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District is scheduled to being operations Monday at Diamond Peak Ski Resort (50 acres) and later near War Bonnet Way/Peace Pipe Lane in Incline Village (20 acres).

California State Parks is scheduled to begin operations at Burton Creek (17 acres) and Sugar Pine Point (20 acres) state parks beginning as early as Tuesday.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barton Health has welcomed two new primary care providers, Krista Ault, MD and Tyler Peterson, DO, at its network of family care medical offices in South Lake Tahoe.

These physicians will expand community access to care, a priority of Barton’s in response to its Community Health Needs indicating access to health services being a top concern of surveyed residents in the local area.

This season of giving is more important than ever, as our community faces complex challenges brought on by the pandemic. To help provide additional financial resources in response to the pandemic, the COVID-19 Response Fund is the beneficiary of the Barton Foundation’s 30th Annual Gala, held virtually this year beginning November 30 through December 11, 2020 at BartonHealth.org/Gala.

The ban on Vacation Home Rentals (VHRs) in South Lake Tahoe is looming and the City is now working on putting holes in it. The first attempt is being presented Tuesday, Nov 3 at the City Council meeting. The City plans to allow 200 “Hosted” short term rentals in our neighborhoods. It will require a tenant or owner to host guests in their ‘homes’ to be available to respond to complaints within 60 minutes of issues being reported. On the surface this seems a reasonable alternative until we consider the realities and how this might actually be used.

South Lake Tahoe has earned “Safe Travels stamp and global protocols” recognition as part of a progressive group working to restore confidence in travel from the World Travel & Tourism Council.

6:00 p.m. Update - The Thunder Fire is contained and is in mop-up status thanks to a quick response by local, state and federal firefighters. No structures were threatened and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Note: Mop-up means to extinguish or remove burning material near control lines, fell snags, and trench logs to prevent rolling after an area has burned, to make a fire safe, or to reduce residual smoke.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - During their last meeting, the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted unanimously to adopt a Climate Action Plan (CAP).

This plan will be used as a dynamic, policy-guiding roadmap to provide insight on strategies and actions that can be taken in the community to help move towards is two climate goals - 100 percent renewable community electricity by 2032 and a 80 percent reduction in community greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

Carson Valley and South Lake Tahoe collaboratively are welcoming visitors to the region with a travel safely, adventure greatly message. Under the cooperative marketing umbrella of the #SierraSafely campaign, the goal of the program is focused on tourism recovery for Douglas County while restoring confidence among visitors and locals in the region.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Long after the fire trucks have come and gone, the threat to a community impacted by wildfire remains. It’s a less obvious threat than a towering inferno destroying homes and ripping through forests and hillsides. It is a hidden threat that arrives with winter rains and California Conservation Corps Corpsmembers are helping communities stay safe from it—toxic runoff, including those from the South Lake Tahoe center.

Seasonal holidays like Halloween will be different this fall to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Finding safe ways to celebrate can create magical memories, and lower the risk of exposure to yourself, your family, and your community. The decisions we make on this one day can have a ripple effect beyond our own families. Halloween during the COVID-19 pandemic is a chance for you and your children to get creative, and maybe even invent some new traditions for your family. It's also a great opportunity to model flexibility and a positive spirit.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following is a list of the long term and short term projects the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has scheduled for the week around Lake Tahoe, in the Sierra and El Dorado County.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barton Health is partnering with local therapists to expand care to vulnerable community members thanks to a $100,000 grant from Health Net®.

Through the Barton Community Health Center, Medicare and Medicaid patients can schedule virtual visits with Licensed Clinical Social Workers and Marriage Family Therapists contracted through Barton’s secure telehealth platform.

This cooperative effort builds upon Barton’s expert psychiatric services, and makes additional patient care available in a time of need.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council made another attempt to create a Hosted Rental Ordinance but they decided at their meeting Tuesday to hand back to staff for some revisions.

After much discussion they decided to have staff clean up rules that could be potential loopholes for homeowners and/or tenants. This is the second time a first reading has been turned down for more fine tuning.

The following changes were added for Council to review October 20:

(1) Increase the required tenancy for a tenant to qualify as a hosted rental applicant from six months to two years;

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce Board recently asked the nine City Council candidates ten questions they felt were of most importance to its members. The questions focused mainly on topics relating to things that will or may affect both the local small businesses and the community in general.

Their board made the decision to not endorse a specific candidate this election, but instead rank them based on how much they align with the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce goals based on their answers to the questions below.

Child Advocates of El Dorado is holding its first one-hour virtual Gala on November 7 starting at 6:00 p.m.

The event is free to attend, but it is the local Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) annual fundraiser, hosted this year by Eileen Javora Boeger. There will be live entertainment by world-renown performance painter David Garibaldi.

CASA El Dorado benefits the community by serving the abused, neglected and at-risk children in our county’s foster care system. This is accomplished by recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers from the community.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. — The limited-edition Lake Tahoe Commemorative Coin is now available to the public, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation (Parasol) announced this week.

Due to the collaboration of the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition and Tahoe Fund, over 100 more racks were installed in town centers in the Tahoe Basin this summer. Together, the nonprofits have worked together to install nearly 450 bike racks during the past three years, offering secure parking for 900 bikes.

With a grant from the Tahoe Fund and matching contributions from local businesses, the nonprofit Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition completed the third phase of its efforts to create secure bike parking within the Tahoe Basin.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are three open seats on the South Tahoe Public Utility Board of Directors this election season, two for a four-year term and one for a two-year term.

South Tahoe Now reached out to the candidates and below are their answers to a set of questions. For the two four-year terms, incumbent Kelly Sheehan is running for reelection, Duane Wallace is running after being appointed to fill Jim Jones's spot on the board until this election, and they are joined by David Peterson.

The El Dorado County Ad Hoc Hemp Committee will be meeting on Thursday October 29, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. via Zoom.

Following a presentation on industrial hemp by the Agriculture Department on June 23, the Board of Supervisors requested the formation of an Ad Hoc Hemp Committee to include two members of the Board.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The first set of campaign finance reports filed by South Lake Tahoe City Council candidates have been received by election officials and posted to the City's website.

Required forms:

Form 460 - Candidates who have raised/spent $2,000 or more file
Form 410 (Statement of Organization) - Must also be filed once $2,000 or more has been raised/spent
Form 470 - Candidates who do not raise or spend $2,000 or more (or anticipate raising or spending $2,000 or more) in 2020 and do not have an open committee

Youth girls and boys lacrosse is coming to the Carson Valley! In partnership with both the High Sierra Lacrosse Foundation and the High Sierra Lacrosse League, Douglas Girls Lacrosse Club is hosting a free youth TryLax lacrosse clinic on October 24, 2020 from 1:00 - 2:30PM at Lampe Park in Gardnerville. Lacrosse is a rapidly growing sport in the West, but there are few opportunities for our Carson Valley youth.

The desperation evident in those in our community, including some other candidates for City Council, who hope to maintain the status quo and deny us the opportunity to evolve is reaching fever pitch. As indicated in the Form 460 I filed as required by the FPPC, I received a campaign contribution of $5,000 from a Nevada resident, a retired businessman with philanthropic leanings. Aside from our one conversation in which we discussed our love of Tahoe, some local nonprofit organizations we'd both supported, and our love for our own daughters, I've never spoken with him.

On October 31, 2016 I wrote an editorial "Use the election to create a community of collaboration and teamwork" due to a growing vibe of discourse and anger across the country as well as in South Lake Tahoe.

Since we are once again in the midst of a contentious national election I saw a need to once again look at the definition of community as we focus on our local situation in El Dorado County and Douglas County.

com·mu·ni·ty:

On September 22, 2020 the Tahoe Chamber endorsed City Council Candidates Cristi Creegan and John Friedrich. We strongly believe they are the wrong choice for this position and will not represent the businesses, jobs, local working residents, and current challenges in our community effectively.