outdoor

Ambiguity, uncertainty, and contradictions abound in this pandemic. Add time to the list of contradictions swirling around us. Morning and night sometimes seem a week apart. The first month of shelter‐in‐place dripped by for many of us. The second month was gone before we knew it. And now summer is fast approaching. We welcome the season because in ordinary times it can elevate our well‐being, but these are not ordinary times. With most of the attention and intensity now on reopening, the question that hangs in the balance is, are we ready? Is it the right time?

ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. - Alpine County is grateful to report that we still have only one resident with a laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 infection. That occurred in March, the person was not hospitalized, and has recovered. Surrounding counties continue to report either no change or a small increase in the number of cases (El Dorado – 56, with 20 in South Lake Tahoe, Douglas (NV) – 24, Calaveras – 13, Amador – 8, Tuolumne – 2, Mono - 32).

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Many South Lake Tahoe businesses will be able to open soon, but not until they have plans in place that comply with the State’s COVID-19 guidelines and the State approves and publishes the public health director's signed Variance Attestation and supporting documents.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - What was once a large hole in the ground at Stateline in South Lake Tahoe has been filling in with businesses from the Zalanta condos to restaurants and shops, and the owner of the property is now preparing to start the next phase.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, May 6 at 9:00 a.m. with a single agenda item: Authorization of a letter signed by Mayor Jason Collin to California Governor Gavin Newsom to request approval for the City of South Lake Tahoe for its transition to Phase 2 of re-opening the County of El Dorado and City of South Lake Tahoe for individuals and businesses.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - During their special meeting on Tuesday, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved sending a letter to Governor Newsom to allow a phased opening of some businesses and loosening restrictions on the public in El Dorado County.

Residents have responded to the closures by abiding by stay-in-place orders enacted to stop the spread of COVID-19.

At the request of Alpine County in California, all Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest lands within the boundaries of the county will be temporarily closed to overnight camping starting on Saturday, April 25, 2020.

“We recognize that this overnight camping restriction comes at a time when many are seeking respite in natural areas,” said Forest Supervisor Bill Dunkelberger. “However, this temporary closure is to support state, county, and local authorities in controlling COVID-19 pandemic.”

The City of South Lake Tahoe is currently accepting applications for community
members to join the newly formed transformational change sub-committee. This committee is focused on developing second and third economies for Tahoe in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

The committee is proposing to bring together a diverse and innovative group of community stakeholders, thought leaders, and experts to implement policies, programs, and projects today that will have long term beneficial impacts for South Lake Tahoe over the next 50 years.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council has two items on their special meeting agenda for Wednesday, April 8 at 1:00 p.m. The meeting is live-streamed on Channel 21 and on the City’s website at www.cityofslt.us.

There will be no formal action on the first item. They will be discussing their newly appointed Transformational Change Committee which is comprised of Councilmembers Cody Bass and Devin Middlebrook.

At their meeting last week, the council created two other committees as well that will address the response and recovery to the COVID-19 crisis:

CARSON CITY, Nev. - The Nevada Department of Transportation is launching “Walk and Roll Wednesdays” to give socially-distanced Nevada families the opportunity for healthy and fun outdoor activity.

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) is closed, but they are sharing with parents, teachers, students, caregivers a list of free STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) resources.

Due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic schools across the country, including UC Davis, are shut down. TERC has been closed its science centers and suspended regular program offerings.

They said they realize the challenges many parents who have had to home school their children may need help getting through the normal day-to-day schooling.

The California State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health have ordered all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence, except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors.

Some people may be confused and hear different messages and wonder exactly what are "essential services". To list what the State order covered they have come out with a guideline to help navigate these unchartered waters.

What does this mean?

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - Slightly Stoopid is making a return to the 2020 Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series at Harveys Outdoor Arena on Saturday, June 13, beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Supporting the headliners are the popular alt/reggae-rock band Pepper, the American/Hawaiian reggae band from Orange County, Common Kings, and legendary Jamaican reggae singer (and former member of Black Uhuru) Don Carlos. The lineup is full of great reggae and reggae-fusion music.

With over half of the school year completed, the talk at preschool pickup lately amongst the parents has been kindergarten – a big transition that seems like the official beginning of your child’s school career. Living in Nevada and working locally in town, parents have the ability to choose between any of the South Lake Tahoe public schools or our local district school in Zephyr Cove.

After a gangbuster start to the winter season, a lot of us in Tahoe are wondering where all the snow has gone. Sitting here at the end of February with snowpack numbers dwindling, snow lovers are chomping at the bit, waiting to see the storm track shift back our way.

Still, the mountains have been buzzing with activity as skiers and snowboarders race to the mountains to enjoy what natural snow we’ve received and are ever thankful for the assist from local resorts’ snowmaking operations.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The old Super 8 motel on Lake Tahoe Boulevard and adjacent Lotus Pho restaurant in South Lake Tahoe are currently closed as pre-construction activities have begun on a four-story 120-unit Hampton Inn and Suites.

The asbestos abatement has been completed as have the pre-demolition permits and the current two-story building is set for demolition soon. Once that happens, crews will be waiting for the May 1 grading date to get started on what is promised to be a "facelift to the area."

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - Ready to party with a few thousand of your friends this summer? Join country music star Dierks Bentley when he comes to the Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys Tahoe on Saturday, August 15.

Coming off the release of his successful ninth album in 2018 and "Burning Man" tour in 2019, Bentley will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. and entertain concert goers with many of his 17 number one songs and other fan favorites.

Tickets are $60.50, $90.50 and $130.50, plus fees and taxes, and are available Friday, Feb 14, at Another Planet (apeconcerts.com) and Ticketmaster.com.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - Construction is set to begin in May 2020 on the renovation and reimagination of facilities at Spooner Lake State Park. A collaboration between Nevada State Parks, Nevada State Lands and the Tahoe Fund has been successful in securing funding and donations to complete plans for the 35-year-old park.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - MTV’s SnowGlobe Music Festival has a continued commitment to give back to the South Lake Tahoe community each year, both during and after the three-day outdoor festival.

SnowGlobe 2019 was able to successfully expand their sustainability program, non-profit, and charitable giving initiatives, they said in a report released Monday.

In 2017, SnowGlobe began its partnership with The Sugar Pine Foundation, planting 200 sugar pine seedlings to help restore Lake Tahoe’s sugar pine population, which now makes up less than 5 percent of the Tahoe Forest.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The long-discussed 56-acre parcel in the middle of South Lake Tahoe is finally seeing movement again, and both the South Lake Tahoe City Council and El Dorado County Board of Supervisors (BOS) supporting further conversation. A formal agreement between the two is expected later in 2020 with another one-two years of public meetings, consultant review, and planning before plans are implemented. The California Tahoe Conservancy is funding the cost of the consultant, just as they did 30 years ago.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Barton Health welcomes audiologist Marina Mulvey, Au. D., to its Ear Nose & Throat Department, and Barton Audiology office. Dr. Mulvey’s expertise and scope of practice expands audiology care at Barton, as patients can now obtain hearing aids locally and not have to travel for these medical devices. Dr. Mulvey has more than 25 years’ experience dispensing hearing aids.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There have been changes over the past eight years with the annual outdoor music festival in South Lake Tahoe, SnowGlobe, and many of them are meant to mitigate sound that affects nearby neighbors.

The festival draws thousands of electronic dance music and festival fans from around the world December 29-31 each year.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Jolly your way to the tippy-top of Ski Run Boulevard in your best, most festive Kris Kringle outfit on Sunday, December 15. This fun-filled jaunt from the Black Bear Lodge all the way up to the bar at Himmel Haus will benefit the local nonprofit, SOS Outreach.

Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase at the start and finish. A procession with city officer support will leave Black Bear Lodge at 3:30 p.m. A fun and lucrative raffle drawing will be during the after-party at Himmel Haus.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The El Dorado Community Foundation played Santa Wednesday night, handing out checks for 29 different projects in the South Lake Tahoe area that help both children, education and adults.

Over $50,000 was distributed to the following groups (with funded projects listed):

Community
Kiwanis Community Organization, Inc. - Coats for Kids
Juvenile Service Council of El Dorado County - Life Skills/Job Readiness program
Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless - Coordinated Entry
Choices for Children - The Healthy Bottom Line Program