planning

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.

Autumn’s reflections have begun and Lake Tahoe’s forests and wildlife are preparing for the winter. While fall is generally a treasured time of year at the lake, a sense of uneasiness hangs in the crisp air as we brace for the next phase of the COVID crisis.

Summer was record breaking on many fronts. Businesses and agencies with major staff and budget shortages were suddenly required to manage the pandemic, following strict protocols. Trash overflowed on our pristine beaches and roadways. Follow that with more than 8,300 wildfires and 4 million acres burned in California alone.

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. - A new Forestry Education and Job Placement program is heading to Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) in South Lake Tahoe.

To get things started, the California Tahoe Conservancy Board awarded the college a $351,000 grant and $480,000 was received from CAL Fire’s Forest Health Grant Program. LTCC has hired Kim Carr as their contracted consultant on the project and she helped write the grants and secure funding for the new avenue of education in South Lake Tahoe. She is bringing 30 years of forestry and environmental experience to the college.

As a candidate for City Council, in the city of South Lake Tahoe, I became very upset at a very disturbing text I had received on Friday concerning campaign contribution and form 460 lings.

South Tahoe Now reached out to all nine candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council and provided the same list of questions to each one of them. Once a day their answers have been published in the order received. Today is our final candidate.

Today's candidate is Stacey Ballard

Profession: Artist/Author

How many years in SLT: I have lived in Tahoe on and off since 1997, over 16 in total.

The Tahoe Chamber collected 190 nominations from the community for the 13th annual Blue Ribbon Award to celebrate the businesses, non-profits and individuals that make the South Shore of Lake Tahoe so unique. Local businesses have been a resilient backbone of the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and honoring their contributions, achievements and milestones is more important than ever before.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Years of planning for the future of transportation around Lake Tahoe has led to the creation of a Regional Transportation Plan. Join the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) on Monday, October 12 during a one-hour webinar on the draft plan starting at noon to learn more (register here).

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is hosting their fourth annual “Fright at the Fairgrounds” every Friday and Saturday night through the month of October starting Friday October 2.

Fright at the Fairgrounds happens at the Douglas County Fairgrounds located off Pinenut Road in Gardnerville. Tickets are $5.00 for kids and $10.00 for adults.

The Tahoe Douglas Rotary Club will be welcoming screenwriter, author and executive producer Leslie K. Barry to their October 9 meeting, and the public is invited to join in the virtual event. She will be speaking about her new book, Newark Minutemen: A True 1930’s Legend About One Man’s Mission to Save a Nation’s Soul Without Losing His Own.

After more than 15 years of service, Hilary Roverud has been named Development Services Director after filling the position on a temporary basis since the resignation of Kevin Fabino on July 6.

“Hilary is incredibly skilled and loved by the staff she has worked with for so long,” said City Manager Joe Irvin, “As a community, we are lucky to have her in this leadership role and know she will continue moving that department in the right direction.”

Beginning October 1, watercraft inspections for the detection and prevention of aquatic invasive species (AIS) will change locations and shift to a first-come, first-served basis, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD) announced today.

With this shift back to on-demand inspections, the agencies are closing out the inspection appointment system initiated this year to lower the risk of COVID-19 spread.

October 1 through 12:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - All seven of the 96-foot long girders have been placed on US50 at Echo Summit. Over night, ultra-high performance concrete was poured to connect them and now heating blankets are keeping the concrete warm during its curing process.

NEXT STEPS
Concrete barrier rail is planned to be poured starting tomorrow morning.
Asphalt paving on the approaches to the bridge is planned to start this Sunday.

According to Caltrans, the project remains ahead of schedule to reopen by or before Oct. 2.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - After being moved from a planned speaking event at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, President Trump will be making a stop at the Minden-Tahoe Airport on Saturday, September 12 according to a Douglas County spokesperson.

Douglas County was contacted by the Secret Service and representatives of the Trump Campaign late in the evening on Wednesday September 9, 2020 requesting use of the Minden-Tahoe Airport for a campaign rally.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For years the members of Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe (SISLT) have planned for a major legacy project for the community. The club has saved a portion of its fundraising proceeds for over a decade while searching for a major project which suits its mission to empower women and youth. The result of that search broke ground Wednesday - the renovation of the softball field at the South Tahoe Middle School. The socially distant ceremony was held with club members and partners in their endeavor.

The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority has informed private airport hangar tenants who were planning to host a campaign rally for President Donald Trump on Saturday that the 5,000-person gathering would be in violation of their lease agreements due to Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak’s directive of no gatherings in excess of 50 people and Washoe County’s recommendation to limit the number to 25 or less.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. — The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is calling for nominations for projects completed in 2019 that display outstanding environmental design to be recognized in the 2019 Best in the Basin awards program, the agency announced today.

Nominations are due by September 28, according to TRPA.

Now in its 29th year, TRPA’s annual Best in the Basin awards program showcases projects around the lake that demonstrate exceptional planning, implementation, and compatibility with Tahoe’s natural environment and communities. The categories are:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There will be two new members of the South Lake Tahoe City Council after the November 3 election. In the coming weeks the pubic will have chances to hear from the candidates both via zoom, in print and possibly in person. Below are eight of the ten candidates responses to questions asked by the local #IRunWithMaud group.

The first peak of a new Lake Tahoe commemorative coin was unveiled during Tuesday's virtual Lake Tahoe Summit. The coin is in honor of the 50th anniversary of the bi-state Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and is being minted in the historic U.S. Mint at Carson City's Nevada State Museum.

The work of South Lake Tahoe artist Eleanor BonBon is featured on the coin. It was accepted for the coin after she responded to a Request for Proposal which included examples of her sketching process, all while conceptualizing TRPA’s core values into a visual language.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.—Lake Tahoe West partners have released an interactive “story map” to explain ongoing and proposed actions to restore forests and watersheds across 59,000 acres of Lake Tahoe’s west shore. (StoryMap Here)

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Trash has been the topic of conversation around Lake Tahoe this summer with the influx of visitors during the pandemic and much more trash found left behind. In a few stories this week we will be looking at efforts and education to keep things clean.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe is the vacation destination for millions of people annually, but recent behaviors of many of the tourists have the residents on edge. Trash is being left behind on beaches, trails and picnic areas, overflowing trash containers are shown daily on social media pages, stores are packed and roads are crowded, all during a pandemic while travel orders are still in place for the California.

With international travel at a standstill many are keeping their vacationing during the coronavirus to locations near their homes, and Lake Tahoe is one of those spots.

MEEKS BAY, Calif. - The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) is developing a plan to restore Meeks Creek to a more natural condition, while continuing to support sustainable recreation opportunities. The LTBMU, in conjunction with Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, will host a virtual public workshop on the project from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. on August 19, 2020.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - If you are accustomed to paying premium prices for parking in towns like San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento, how much would you be willing to pay for a parking ticket in Lake Tahoe?

Apprently whatever it costs.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) issued 297 parking citations along SR89 at Emerald Bay in July and 273 during the first 11 days of August. Six vehicles were towed from the area during this time.