public works

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - First responders in South Lake Tahoe have been dealing with an antiquated public safety communications system for years but that is about to change. On Tuesday, City Council approved the funds needed to fix the system with much more than a band-aid.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are three new stop signs in the Rocky Point neighborhood of South Lake Tahoe in response to complaints about speeding vehicles and unclear lines of sight.

Last week City of South Lake Tahoe Public Works staff installed stop signs at Chonokis Road and Rocky Point Road, and on Montreal Avenue at Moss and Fern roads.

The City hired a traffic engineer to do an assessment of the conditions after they received complaints and requests to look at speeders using the neighborhood to bypass Highway 50/Lake Tahoe Boulevard through the casino corridor.

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.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There's been movement at the Al Tahoe Historic Pioneer Cemetery, and thankfully it isn't from some of the occupants, most who have had that as their final resting spot since the late 1800s and early 1900s.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council approved unanimously at their meeting Tuesday to send what is being called the "South Lake Tahoe Fire Protection, Emergency Response, City Services Measure" to the ballot in November.

If voters approve the measure, a one-percent sales tax increase will be added in the City of South Lake Tahoe to all taxable purchases to meet funding shortfalls, according to the City.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Parks run by the City of South Lake Tahoe that were closed for the season will remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We aren’t discouraging public access to the parks, we want our residents to get outside during this crisis,” said Public Works Director Ray Jarvis. “We are going to keep the parks closed to vehicle access though to discourage large gatherings and to continue to encourage people to follow state and federal guidelines.”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Many have asked, what if our community starts getting COVID-19 cases, are we prepared? Many different groups, agencies, and the government have been working diligently and collaboratively on emergency plans to prepare.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Many resort towns are dealing with results of parents out of work and students out of school due to the coronavirus - increased visitation. Officials are reminding all that shelters in place and advisements to stay home are serious and not a reason to go on vacation, and South Lake Tahoe is no different.

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - After a national search and interview process, Interim General Manager Indra Winquest has announced the selection of Paul Navazio as Incline Village General Improvement District’s (IVGID) new Director of Finance. Navazio’s first day with IVGID will be March 16, 2020.

MEYERS, Calif. - The El Dorado County Department of Transportation (DOT) is asking voters in Meyers and the county areas of South Lake Tahoe for money to replace their aging snow removal fleet and equipment.

On March 3, voters will be deciding whether or not they want to pay $60 more a year via their property taxes to fund CSA3 (from Strawberry to Meeks Bay to South Lake Tahoe City Limits). Measure M, if passed, will supply an extra $540,000 annually for the sole purpose of buying and leasing snow removal equipment. The funds could not be used for salaries, pensions or any other purpose.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It was Staff Recognition Day at the City Council meeting Tuesday, with employees with 20 years, 10 years, five years and new employees recognized.

20-Year Service:
Darci Prescott, Recreation
Jerry Heath, Public Works
Karl Koeppen, Fire
Shannon Laney, Police
Linda Clark, Police

15-Year Service:
Sallie Ross, Fire
Matthew Morrison, Police

10-Year Service:
Justin Keys, Fire
Jody Benavidez, Fire
Holt Cawelti, Fire
Scott Crivelli, Police

5-Year Service:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Sierra Boulevard Complete Streets project will wrap up with a ribbon-cutting and celebration next week. The event was scheduled originally for Tuesday, but weather delays have pushed the ribbon-cutting back to Halloween.

The October 31 ceremony will take place at Sierra Boulevard and US50 from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Five months of work on the .6 mile, $6 million Sierra Boulevard Complete Streets project will wrap up with the ribbon-cutting and celebration.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The proposed 2019/20 budget for the City of South Lake Tahoe was presented to the Council Tuesday by City Manager Frank Rush who showed where $119M will go should they agree and approve at their September 17 meeting.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe City Council voted Tuesday to give SnowGlobe a new five-year contract with the criteria that organizers must be working on locating a new location for the event at the end of two years.

If they do not have a good plan in place after those first two years the City could terminate the contract.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - When the City formed in 1965 it was incorporated as a general law city for the purpose of having more local control over public services such as police, fire, and snow removal.

Now there is discussion about changing to a charter city. During their March 5 meeting, Councilmember Cody Bass asked that this subject come forward at a future meeting and Councilmembers Jason Collin and Devin Middlebrook said they were interested in learning more about what the differences are between the two, and what it would mean to South Lake Tahoe to switch.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Since its arrival, the 2013 model Ferrara ladder truck the City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) purchased has been been a "lemon," and now they have reached a settlement with the manufacturer, Ferrara Fire Apparatus of Holden, Louisiana.

In 2014, City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) took possession of a 2013 model Ferrara ladder truck at the tune of almost $1,050,000. It was purchased to replace the aging ladder truck SLTFR had from 1982 and was paid for with funds from California sales tax money devoted to public safety.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With about $8 million in unassigned General Fund reserves, the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted last week to spend about $2.5 million for the replacement of four pieces of critical snow removal equipment and the purchase of one new piece of equipment.

The Department of Public Works has thirty-one pieces of heavy equipment assigned to snow removal operations for use on roads, the airport, facilities, parks, and
trails. Some of that equipment can do double duty and work during non-winter months including loaders, pick-up trucks, and tractors.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Road rehabilitation has long been a concern of City Council, but there hasn't always been money in the budget to do anything more than patching, pothole filling and some resurfacing. With almost 130 miles of roads (260 lane miles) maintained by the City of South Lake Tahoe, with many of them past their prime, it would take millions of dollars to get all of them to a top rating.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council will receive a presentation about broadband and wireless communications infrastructure in South Lake Tahoe during their meeting on Tuesday, April 2. The presentation will be from representatives with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and a communications expert.

The meeting, which starts at 9:00 a.m. in Council Chambers at the airport, will have the following items up for discussion and vote:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Douglas County and the City of South Lake Tahoe are urging residents to prepare for the possibility of flooding and high winds as a storm with high winds and heavy rain enters the region.

Douglas County has sandbags available at nine locations and urges residents to assemble them on their property if there is a chance of flooding. Sandbag locations can are self-fill and the current locations are:

Zephyr Cove Park, Warrior Way - Sand is located in the upper parking lot

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With rain falling on top of Tuesday's snow and ahead of a predicted snowstorm Thursday morning bringing concerns of flooding, the City of South Lake Tahoe is offering free sandbags to residents.

There are two locations to pick up the bags:

• City Public Works Yard, 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd.
• Fire Station 3, 2101 Lake Tahoe Blvd. (In the back off James)

The City supplies the sand and the bags, but residents will need to fill their own bags and transport them back home. Bring a shovel if possible though there are some provided for use at the sandpile.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council have answered the same ten questions given to them by South Tahoe Now. For nine consecutive days the candidate's responses have been shared in the order received.

Today is the ninth and final candidate. Cody Bass gives his responses as he makes his first bid for a seat on the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County and the South Shore are a big part of the Hollywood scene with movies, television shows and commercials filmed often in the area. It takes a lot of partners to make location shoots successful and to recognize those that go above and beyond to make filming successful the California On Location Awards (COLA) are given out.

The COLA nominations were announced this week by the Film Liaisons in California Statewide (FLICS) and one will find nominees from the county and South Lake Tahoe.

Hear what the two candidates for El Dorado County District 5 Supervisor have to say during the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce (Tahoe Chamber) Candidates Forum on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at Tahoe Beach Retreat in South Lake Tahoe.