seasonal

Sledders and snowboarders this season were not kind to the new Bijou Bike Park, breaking down banked trails, overturning tables and benches, and leaving the area full of trash.

At Thursday's South Lake Tahoe Parks & Recreation Commission meeting, City staff, commissions and bike enthusiasts discussed how to ensure the damage and some other issues at the park come to an end.

The Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) is proud to announce Dusty LaChapelle as the District’s Firefighter of the Year and one of the Tahoe-Douglas Rotary Club’s Community Hero Award recipients. The Community Hero Award recognizes local police, fire professionals, and others in the community who embody the Rotarian motto, “Service Above Self.” The award will be given March 11, 2016 at the Tahoe-Douglas Rotary St. Patrick’s Celebration at Harrah’s Tahoe.

Benjamin Cunha, 33, of Placerville, was sentenced Tuesday, February 23, 2016 to five years in prison for arson after being found guilty of setting at least 30 wildland fires during the summers of 2006 and 2007.

Two of these fires burned onto federal land. Cunha indicated that his motivation for setting the fires was to overcome boredom, to earn overtime pay for fighting the fires, and to impress his peers.

United States District Judge John A. Mendez also ordered Cunha to pay $246,862 in restitution to Cal Fire, his former employer.

Spring-like forecast for the Lake Tahoe basin this week with a chance of precipitation over the weekend. It's going to be a warm week ahead!

Temperatures will be close to record highs and well above seasonal averages. Periods of warmth in the middle of winter are not uncommon for the Sierra and Western Nevada.

In the long-range forecast, temperatures will trend back to colder and protect the snowpack.

Forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today - Sunny, with a high near 47. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight - Clear, with a low around 18. East wind around 5 mph.

he El Niño weather pattern that's fueling a snowy start to 2016 for the Lake Tahoe region is among the strongest on record and likely to continue bringing storms to the region.

But the long-term climate prognosis for the Sierra Nevada and the planet as a whole is more troubling with rising global temperatures threatening to make cold, snowy winters less likely in the future.

That was the message two climate scientists delivered Friday to an audience of meteorologists gathered for a conference at Lake Tahoe.

‘Tis the season for friends, family and holiday feasts—but also for possible distress for our animal companions. Pets won’t be so thankful if they munch on undercooked turkey or a pet-unfriendly floral arrangement, or if they stumble upon an unattended alcoholic drink.

Check out the following tips from ASPCA experts for a fulfilling Thanksgiving that your pets can enjoy, too.

Talkin’ Turkey

A strong El Niño is predicted to help ease drought conditions in some, but not all of California. The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) released their latest seasonal weather assessment on Thursday, and news isn't very good for the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health Division will begin conducting low-cost community flu vaccination clinics in South Lake Tahoe this fall. Seasonal influenza vaccine will be available in nasal mist and flu shot forms at the clinics.

The year was 1946. The President was Harry S. Truman, "It's a Wonderful Life" was in the theaters and a stamp cost three cents. It was also the year the Tahoe Trout Farm opened in South Lake Tahoe.

This business, located off of Lake Tahoe Blvd on Blue Lake Avenue, was the topic of the South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission's meeting on August 13.

In an effort to "Clean Up Highway 50," the City's sign ordinance is meant to get rid of the blight and unattractive signage that visitors and locals see each day they travel the main artery through town.

Scientists have determined that Lake Tahoe’s iconic blueness is most strongly related to algae, not clarity. In a report released today from the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, researchers found the lower the algal concentration, the bluer the lake.

In the “Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2015” report, research shows clarity is controlled by sediment. Blueness is controlled by algal concentration, which in turn is driven by the level of nutrients available to the algae.

A beautiful lake surrounded by breathtaking scenery, Lake Tahoe is a year-round tourist destination located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Nevada and California. A popular area, the towns lining the lake feature some amazing eateries from fine-dining establishments to budget-friendly options the entire family will enjoy. Here we take a look at some of the tasty culinary gems found on the Nevada side of the Lake Tahoe area.

Austin's

Kites will take to the skies above historic Dangberg Ranch over the weekend of May 16-17 during the "Something in the Wind" festival. Expert kite flyers, kite making and other children's crafts, as well as wind artists will be featured.

This is a celebration of the Washoe Zephyr, the seasonal diurnal winds that are in Western Nevada.

There will be eight expert kite flyers from the Rogue Valley Windchasers Kite Club from Brookings, OR at the two day event along with Balloon Nevada with their hot air balloons on display.

Saturday and Sunday, May 16-17

T.C. Ghisletta of the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department just completed a four week HAZMAT course, earning his HAZMAT Technician certification and a spot on the Quad County HazMat Team. This is a specialized team from Douglas, Central Lyon, Carson City and Storey Counties.

Ghisletta began his career with the fire district in 2008 as a seasonal Wildland Firefighter/Crew Foreman with the Zephyr Fire Crew. He attended paramedic school with REMSA in 2012 and was promoted to a firefighter/paramedic in 2013.

The University of California, Davis and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency recently released their yearly water clarity readings for Lake Tahoe. The good news: Mid-lake water clarity improved significantly in 2014, with an average reading of 77.8 feet. That’s 7.5 feet greater than the average reading for 2013, and almost 14 feet greater than the 64.1 feet measured in 1997, Lake Tahoe’s lowest recorded clarity.

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, in its capacity as the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization, is asking people to take an online survey and provide public input needed to create a connected, accessible, and safe bicycle and pedestrian network at Lake Tahoe.

The survey is being offered through June 30. It is available at http://tahoempo.org/atpsurvey/ and takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Runny and stuffy nose, fever and chills, body and headaches, cough and sore throat, tiredness. Have these symptoms? You might have the flu.

You don't have to go far in South Lake Tahoe before you come across someone who is sick, and the flu season is just beginning. Evidence points to high or widespread flu activity in 43 states including Nevada, and it's just now entering California.

Finishing touches are being put on the new Cold Water Brewery & Grill as General Manager Debbie Brown prepares to open this weekend.

Months have been spent remodeling the former Swiss Chalet Restaurant, installing beer brewing equipment, brewing beer, developing a menu and creating a new South Lake Tahoe experience.

It's that time of year when recreation areas start to closed down for the season.

Nevada Beach, Fallen Leaf, Bayview, Meeks Bay, and Kaspian campgrounds, and Nevada, Pope, Baldwin, Meeks Bay, William Kent, and Kaspian beaches all closed for the season on Monday, October 13. The Tallac Historic Site closed at the end of September.

Camp Richardson and Zephyr Cove resorts remain open year-round.

The Taylor Creek Visitor Center will remain open on weekends through the end of October.

Parking rates for Heavenly Village retailers wishing to validate customer's tickets were lowered from $1.50 per hour to $1 per hour in Tuesday's South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting. The movie theater validations were lowered from four hours to three hours as well.

The following is an opinion article and does not necessarily reflect the views of South Tahoe Now:

Melody Easton is here to make a difference. Recently tapped as the coordinator for the South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition, the action oriented Easton has hit the ground running.

Tahoe Youth & Family Services was awarded a Federal Drug Free Communities grant, bringing in $125,000 for each of the next five years to help combat drug and alcohol abuse among the youth of South Lake Tahoe. Once the grant was awarded a coordinator needed to be hired. Easton was hired and the Concordia College graduate and her husband packed up and moved from Portland, Oregon.

El Dorado County health officials have confirmed an influenza-related fatality in a County resident. The individual was an adult who resided on the Western Slope of the County. This is the first confirmed flu-related fatality in El Dorado County this flu season.

In Washoe County, Nevada there have been 5 flu related deaths, bringing the total deaths in Nevada due to the flu to 8.

Is cutting down a Christmas tree in the forest part of your tradition or wanting to start a new one? This is the time of year that tree cutting permits go on sale, and they'll go quickly! Just 2,500 permits will be available to those wishing to cut down their own Christmas Tree in the Lake Tahoe basin this year. Available are a variety of pine, fir and cedar trees from designated cutting areas around the lake. The permits cost $10 each and available only on a first come, first serve basis starting on November 18, 2013. There is a two permit per family limit.

Sierra-at-Tahoe® Resort will host a job fair to fill seasonal positions for the coming winter season on November 2, 2013 at the Sierra™ Resort base lodge near South Lake Tahoe from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Operational departments will be interviewing and hiring seasonal workers including Lift Operations, Retail, Food & Beverage, Adult Ski & Snowboard School, Wild Mountain Children’s Center, Blizzard Mountain, Guest Services, Parking, Rental & Repair Services and Ticket Administration. Positions range from full-time November through April to Weekends and Holidays only.