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El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel and her fellow supervisors have taken the first steps to create a Traction Control Ordinance for Lake Tahoe. During their meeting on March 21, approval was given for the concept of an ordinance that, once created, will be back before the Supervisors in April for final adoption.

In coordination with the Community Development Agency, Transportation Division (DOT) and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office (EDSO), Novasel presented the item for vote to create safer roads during heavy snowstorms in the Lake Tahoe area.

The roof over a South Shore condominium collapsed Friday morning, destroying one of the units and damaging the other.

Tahoe Douglas Fire Department (TDFD) responded to the March 10 incident on Kingsbury Grade on the lake side of its intersection with South Benjamin Drive.

"Looks like a total loss as the only thing still standing is garage, but even that ceiling is damaged," said Tahoe Douglas Fire Marshall Eric Guevin.

Sometimes in life, events occur that fracture the very foundation on which we stand. Life, as we have known it, is forever changed and we find ourselves in an unexpected struggle, first just to survive and then to move forward.

The Suicide Prevention Network has formed a new Survivors of Suicide loss support group that will meet at 6:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Barton Health Public Relations office located at 2092 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Suite 400 in South Lake Tahoe.

South Lake Tahoe, Calif. – Starting February 4, customers at the Ross Dress for Less store in South Lake Tahoe can support the local Boys & Girls Club by making a monetary donation at the checkout counter during the month of February.

Every year, nearly four million young people are served by Boys & Girls Clubs. To celebrate these extraordinary efforts, Ross Stores, Inc. announced that it is partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs of America with a four-week program called, “Help Local Kids Learn.”

The roads around Lake Tahoe have been hard to navigate this week after several feet of snow fell in the basin after the last series of storms over the weekend. Many streets in South Lake Tahoe remain narrow and thick with snow, making it hard to drive through neighborhoods.

Just as residents struggle with all that snow left on their roofs, driveways and walkways, City snowplows are also struggling with what seemed at times as nonstop snow.

A suspect was arrested two days after the Douglas County Sheriff's Office circulated the photo of a person of interest in an attempted residential burglary in Gardnerville.

On January 19 at 3:00 p.m., Joshua Gutierrez, 25, of Gardnerville was arrested at his place of business in Douglas County. During the arrest, a box of collectibles, coins and currency that didn't belong to the suspect was located in Gutierrez's vehicle.

If you have been the victim of a theft with the loss of those types of items, contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division at (775)782-9080.

It was a winning year for Nevada casinos as they turned a $661.7 million loss in 2015 into a $978.9 million gain in net income during Fiscal year 2016 (FY16).

There are 273 casinos in Nevada that have gross receipts of $1 million or more, and together they had $25 billion in total revenue during the year. Total revenue is the money spent by patrons on gaming, rooms, food, beverage, and other attractions.

Net income/loss is the money retained by casinos after expenses have been paid but prior to deducting federal income taxes and prior to accounting for extraordinary expenses.

Lake Tahoe Community College will be closed Wednesday January 11 due to power outages, severe weather, and continuing road condition issues.

The college wants to assure students that they will work with them to make up lost days of school, but their safety comes first.

"While we are very concerned about the loss of student learning this week, we have to be more concerned about the safety of our students, faculty, and staff," said LTCC President Kindred Murillo. "The decision maker was the City of South Lake Tahoe issuing a request for community members to stay off the roads."

Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) is looking for the suspect(s) responsible for the breaking of windows and other vandalism at Douglas High during the early morning hours of December 21.

The suspect is described as approximately 5’11 to 6 feet, wearing dark clothing, dark gloves and shoes, and a camouflage colored hat with matching face mask. During the crime is carrying a black or dark blue “Jan Sport” backpack with a suede bottom.

The Elves did it again!! They visited the South Lake Tahoe Children's Memorial tree for the fourth straight year, leaving behind signs of Christmas with stockings and garland.

There is a stocking at the tree for every child who is memorialized there.

The memorial was created 25 years ago when tragedy struct the local community when South Tahoe High students Rory Hrbacek, Sandy Haynes, and Casey Wells died in an vehicle accident on Pioneer Trail.

8:00 p.m.update 12/7/16: South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue has ended their command at the 10th street apartments that suffered major damage in a blaze earlier today. The loss is estimated to be $250,000.

The unit where the fire started is uninhabitable, upper units received some water and heat damage as the fire spread up to the second floor by lapping up the outside of the structure. The fire did not extend into the attic space.

Red Cross is helping the fire victims with temporary housing.

John Joseph Castellanos, a South Lake Tahoe area lawyer, passed away suddenly on November 5, 2016.

John was born on October 31, 1949 to loving parents Jose Juan and Lucille Castellanos in Stockton, California. He is the second of six siblings, who all experienced the sad loss of their father at an early age and whose memory brought them closer as family. John lived the values and beliefs of his parents, especially his beloved mother. He was a devoted son and loving brother and loyal to many friends.

On November 8, voters in South Lake Tahoe are tasked with selecting not only local and national leadership, but they are also faced with raising taxes. Measure P is on the ballot, but it is very different than other taxes, and let me explain why.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county.

The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at press time and the story will be updated when provided.

10/2/16

12:22 a.m. - DUI - Pioneer Trail - A 37-YEAR-OLD MALE ARRESTED FOR DUI

1:24 p.m. - Death Investigation - South Lake Tahoe - A CORONERS INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED AFTER 71-YEAR-OLD MALE WAS FOUND DECEASED

10/3/16

5:15 p.m. update: Weather is helping fire fighters on the fire burning south of Gardnerville.

Recommended evacuations have been lifted and residents can return to their homes in the Ruhenstroth area. The area on the west side of Highway 395, including Stone’s Throw, Frontage Road and the Riverview Mobile Home Park remain closed to the residents.

Highway 395 north and southbound will be opening soon, single lane only with a pilot vehicle.

“The conditions are improving due the light rain, decrease in the winds and cooler temperatures,” said Deputy Chief Dave Fogerson.

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Income for casinos on the South Shore rose in July, 2016, recording a 20.03 percent gain in gaming win when compared to income from a year ago. The $27,985,039 was the highest percentage gain in Nevada.

The gaming win represents the computed income of casinos before business expenses and taxes.

This is the first month of the fiscal year, so off on a good foot.

As a state, Nevada was up 9.96 percent over last July, with $1,015,014,676 extra left behind at the table and slots. Boulder Strip casinos saw the biggest loss for the month, with their take of gaming down 8.19 percent.

Briant Benson, 59, of El Dorado Hills, pleaded guilty today to tax evasion after failing to file tax returns or pay any personal income tax to the IRS, despite receiving at least $2 million dollars in income.

The body of a 36-year-old Georgetown woman missing since August 20 was found near her home Wednesday. Jennifer Wilson-Johnston, who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis and memory loss, left her residence on foot Saturday evening and hadn't been seen since.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office issued a press release earlier Wednesday, asking for the public's help in finding Jennifer.

The cause of death is under investigation and foul play in not suspected.

The City of South Lake Tahoe is still trying to work out a deal with the Halferty Development Company, a $4 million sale of the developable portions of the lots known as the "Knights Inn Properties."

During Tuesday's City Council meeting a purchase agreement was scheduled to be voted on, but SLT City Manager Nancy Kerry had to pull it off the agenda.

"We are still working on it," Kerry told South Tahoe Now. "We are still negotiating and have some issues to work out."

With higher than average temperatures in the Sierra this week it is important to know the warning signs of too much exposure to the heat. It is important to stay hydrated and limit times outdoors in the direct sun.

Heat Exhaustion: According to WebMD, heat exhaustion is a heat-related illness that can occur after you've been exposed to high temperatures, and it often is accompanied by dehydration.

There are two types of heat exhaustion:
Water depletion. Signs include excessive thirst, weakness, headache, and loss of consciousness.

Starting in the upcoming Fall 2016 quarter, Lake Tahoe Community College will once again be offering reduced tuition to residents of certain nearby Nevada communities in the Tahoe Basin. Up to 100 Nevada residents living in specific communities who meet the parameters established in the new partnership between California and Nevada can tap into the new, lower cost, which is three times the California resident rate, or $93 per unit. This equates to a savings of $88 per unit from the $181 per-unit rate established for all other non-residents attending LTCC.

A lawsuit against the City of South Lake Tahoe over the fees charged to those who rent out their homes as vacation rentals was won by the City in court this week. The June 23 verdict was received by all parties on June 28.

Judge Steven Bailey of the El Dorado County Superior Court issued an 11-page decision supporting the City's rights to charge fees to recover their costs in administering the VHR ordinance, including staff time for accounting, planning, building department, administration, code enforcement and other costs.

5:30 p.m. update 6/27: A call went into South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue at 6:47 a.m. Monday, June 27 of a home on fire on Kubel Avenue. When personnel arrived, they saw flames from the roof and shed at the rear of the property.

Search teams have suspended the search for a paddle boarder who went missing Friday night off of Obexer’s Marina on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe.

The Placer County Sheriff's Office reported Saturday, June 11 that two days of searching have not recovered Marc Ma, a 20-year-old football player for the University of Nevada Reno (UNR).