Social distancing?

“There can only be one.” The movie Highlander might be considered an acquired taste, but the Toyota Highlander has been anything but. Since its inception in the early 2000s, Highlander has become the dominant force in the mid-size SUV segment. As the antagonist Kurgan said in the movie, though, there can only be one. And one there is, but which Highlander might that be? Spoiler, it’s the Hybrid. For most Toyota devotees, that’s as much reading necessary to decide on their next Toyota. I say next because Toyota buyers are a different breed; they’re loyal.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For the second consecutive day, there were no new cases of COVID-19 in El Dorado County. The confirmed cases remain at 111 with 21 of those active after three more people recovered.

There are no hospitalizations of confirmed COVID-19 cases at this time in the county but there is one suspected case in one of the county's 174 licensed beds.

An additional 171 tests were administered, bringing that total to 7,539.

There have been 52 cases in the Lake Tahoe area (including South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Strawberry, and Tahoma).

LAKE TAHOE, Nev, - This year's American Century Championship will return to Edgewood Tahoe for the 31st consecutive year July 8-12, but it will look a lot different than past tournaments due to COVID-19.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors are holding a special meeting on Tuesday, June 2 at 1:00 p.m. to discuss expansion of the County's Stage 2 attestation announced by the Public Health Administrator Dr. Nancy Williams.

The only item on the agenda is discussion and possible action on expanding Stage 2 to include all businesses and industries identified in Stage 3 of Governor Newsom's Resiliency Roadmap.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - In response to Governor Sisolak’s announcement of our entering Phase Two of COVID- 19 Recovery, Douglas County Community Services has announced the reopening of Topaz Lake Campground effective June 1, 2020.

Campground reservations will continue to be accepted online and in advance. Please know that spots may be limited.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. The South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously passed an urgency ordinance during their special meeting Thursday, one that relaxes the regulations regarding temporary signage, building permit fees, and outdoor restaurant seating rules.

As the City and County move into Governor Newsom's Stage 2 plans, restrictions placed on some places of business to promote social distancing and safety practices will not allow many to reopen in the same manner as pre-pandemic.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The El Dorado County Certified Farmer's Market is starting late this year due to uncertainties created by COVID-19.

Starting June 2, and every Tuesday through October 13, the Farmer's Market will be held in South Lake Tahoe at the American Legion located at 2732 Lake Tahoe Boulevard from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

This will be the county-wide market in 2020.

Other communities in El Dorado County that have a market are Cameron Park on Wednesdays, Placerville on Saturdays, and El Dorado Hills on Sunday.

The Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe is reopening over the Memorial Day Weekend and having a four-day celebration after being closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are excited to have the village open and operating," said Heavenly Village VP Gary Casteel, Jr-. "I cannot stress the level of excitement I have received from our tenants to safely re-open. A special thank you to mayor pro-tem Tami Wallace for all of her support in the re-opening.”

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?

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Lake Tahoe transit providers Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) and Tahoe‐Truckee Area Regional Transit (TART) will be getting a boost from the federal government after they received word that $8.6 million form the CARES Act is headed their way. Transit services are especially critical to essential workers during this COVID crisis, the agencies said today.

These funds will help sustain free transit services for the public.

ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. - The USFS Forest Service closed all of their recreation sites in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to keep in alignment with federal, state, and local guidance for social distancing, and to ensure the health and safety of its employees, visitors, and volunteers.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - Casinos in Nevada will not be opening during the Phase 1 reopening plan unveiled by Governor Steve Sisolak Thursday. All Nevada casinos will be required to create and implement an infectious disease prevention plan before they will be allowed to open once Sisolak gives them the green light. He said Thursday Phase 1 expires May 30 and the next phase can start then, or even earlier if all goes as planned. It is unknown at this time if casinos will be included in the next reopening phase.

8.14.20 UDPATE: Clean Tahoe's Dump Day has been canceled for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing requirements. For more information on Clean Tahoe and their program, visit https://www.clean-tahoe.org/,

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The popular Clean Tahoe $5 Dump Day has been moved from June to September 12 due to current COVID-10 restrictions and social distancing requirements.

Time and other details will be released at a later date.

The following is a letter sent to El Dorado County and City of South Lake Tahoe. It is published here in its entirety at the request of the author.

The South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce would like to offer encouragement and support of a revival of the local economy, while continuing to keep the health and safety of our residents in mind. Cases of COVID-19 have remained low in our region when compared to other more populated areas around the State and Nation. We applaud the quick action taken by the County and City that has helped us keep the case count low.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - When Governor Sisolak of Nevada said some outdoor recreation businesses can reopen, Edgewood Tahoe was ready to go after weeks of preparation to do so in a safe manner.

If Monday's opening day on the greens at Edgewood was any indication, golfers were ready to start swinging their clubs and start getting in rounds of golf. Open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for now, all tee times through Thursday were already booked before the first round was played.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A temporary closure order for USFS beaches and recreation sites around Lake Tahoe has been extended through at least May 15, 2020. The original order was set to expire May 1. To keep in alignment with current federal, state, and local guidance for social distancing, and to ensure the health and safety of its employees, visitors, and volunteers, it was extended.

Trailheads and trails outside of the orange areas of the attached maps, or the ones on the closure website, are not affected by this order but parking lots are closed.

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.”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Just two weeks after giving away 1,000 pounds of hamburger to the community, Overland Meat & Seafood is doing it again, and this time they brought friends!

On Monday, April 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (or until supplies last), the two long-time South Lake Tahoe businesses will be giving away two pounds of hamburger and $10 Grass Roots gift cards to each family that comes by the Overland location at 2227 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

There will also be seasoning samples from Heart Rock Herb & Spice Co.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe is having a special puppy adoption day on May 5 to coincide with the annual Giving Tuesday fundraising day.

"Little Rays of Sunshine" is bringing two litters with a total of 11 puppies, along with one of the moms, to the public for adoption.

Pictured here is the mom Sunshine with one her puppies, Hope.

As we approach the one-month mark of socially distant living, I want to assure our community Barton Health takes the risk presented by COVID-19 seriously. We have planned, prepared and implemented pathways for patients to receive appropriate care in the safest possible environment.

This is an unprecedented time in health care and Barton, like the rest of the nation, is working to care for current and future patients during this pandemic, sometimes using new and innovative ways to reach and treat them.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Earlier this week the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit announced all national forest recreation areas and sites in the South Shore Recreation Corridors were closed to the public with fines for individuals or groups disobeying the order.

They said the closures were to keep in alignment with current federal, state and local guidance for social distancing and to ensure the health and safety of its employees, visitors, and volunteers.

(Since publishing, LTBMU has corrected the date their order expires.)

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - All national forest recreation areas and sites in the South Shore Recreation Corridors are now closed. In an announcement Wednesday, the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) said the closures are to keep in alignment with current federal, state and local guidance for social distancing and to ensure health and safety of its employees, visitors and volunteers.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barton Hospital is prepared to handle a surge in COVID-19 patients with an extra 150 beds identified for use if needed, and if that supply is used, more space is ready to be used through the help of community partners.

This was from Dr. Clint Purvance, CEO & president of Barton Health who participated in a virtual Town Hall meeting on Friday, hosted by the Tahoe Chamber.

STATELINE, Nev. - The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) is rolling out zero-fare bus service on the South Shore starting Sunday, April 12.

While they already had plans in place for a free system to help eliminate traffic, the rollout is sooner than expected in order to make travel safer in response to COVID-19 by eliminating fare exchanges between drivers and riders.