squirrels

There are many things that help those living in Lake Tahoe predict what winter will be like: Has the snow in the cross of Mt. Tallac melted? What does the Farmer's Almanac say? Are the squirrels fatter? Is NOAA going to be right in their three-month forecast?

There is no app to give one the perfect insight into what winter has in store and most weather can only be predicted a week out. For generations, people have relied on signs from Mother Nature.

Allison, also affectionately known as Allidaughter, was born in Bishop, California to Mary Strobel and Robert Dietz when Robert was the manager of the Mammoth Mountain Inn.

She attended Immaculate Heart High School in Hollywood and graduated from South Lake Tahoe High School. She studied at El Camino College and Lake Tahoe Community College.

Allison was an accomplished sailor spending almost every weekend during her early high school years sailing to Catalina Island.

The first El Dorado County case of West Nile virus has been confirmed in South Lake Tahoe. County health officials received confirmation this week that a Stellar Jay found on May 7 has tested positive for the virus.

This bird was the first one for the county in 2018. Besides El Dorado COunty, West Nile virus activity in dead birds has been reported in two other California counties, San Mateo and Santa Clara.

The first El Dorado County case of West Nile virus was confirmed in South Lake Tahoe. County health officials received confirmation this week that a Stellar Jay found on July 31 has tested positive for the virus.

So far this year, West Nile virus activity has been reported in 28 California counties, including neighboring Sacramento and Placer counties. There have been four human cases of the virus reported from Kings, Kern, San Bernardino
and Los Angeles counties.

Fallen Leaf Campground will be closed starting Monday, June 27 so county and state public health and vector control officials can start pesticide treatments to minimize the risk of plague.

The treatments are a public safety precaution after tests on 15 rodents resulted in one positive case of plague on June 20, 2016. There is minimal risk to the public at this time.

The campground will close at 7:00 p.m. Monday but all campers will need to check out by noon. The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit expects it to reopen by Friday, July 1 in time for the holiday weekend.

Pepper is a super sweet 18-month-old who loves children and babies. She walks nicely on leash and loves to play with other dogs. She also does well keeping the cats and squirrels out of the yard so she does need to be in a cat free home.

Please come visit sweet little Pepper at The El Dorado County Animal Services, 530-573-7925.

A California ground squirrel found dead at Kiva Beach picnic area on August 17 has tested positive for plague.

El Dorado County health officials were notified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that the squirrel tested positive for plague on September 2.

The squirrel had been sent for testing to the state laboratory.

Warning signs have been posted in the affected area and individuals are advised to report any dead or sick rodents. Health officials are not aware of human contact with the squirrel.

Officials at Yosemite National Park said Friday they will temporarily close a popular campsite after two squirrels died of plague in the area.

Tuolumne Meadows Campground will close from noon Monday through noon Friday so authorities can treat the area with a flea-killing insecticide. Campers had their reservations canceled at the 304-site campground so the insecticide can be sprayed into rodent "burrow holes," the California Department of Health said Friday.

Plague is carried by rodents and is spread by fleas, but transmission between people is rare.

It's getting to be quite the full house at Lake Tahoe Wildlife care, especially now with the addition of two cubs over the weekend.

The cubs came from the town of Bieber, CA, a community 55 miles northwest of Susanville. The brothers saw their mother hit and killed by a car and arrived at LTWC on Sunday. They are in good health, about 5 months old and weigh 22.3 lbs (Bieber 1) and 20 lbs (Bieber 2). They were named after the area they came from, just like the two cubs that arrived last week, Conway 1 and Conway 2 (they arrived from Conway Summit near Lee Vining, CA).

Farmer's Almanac released it's 2014 edition recently and it calls for a cool winter with "near normal precipitation." With the recent fires in Yosemite and the rest of California, many feel that anything above the precipitation of the last 2 years would be very welcome.

Visitors to recreation sites around South Lake Tahoe should to take precautions against the bubonic plague after a chipmunk found at Taylor Creek Visitor Center tested positive for the disease, the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit reports.
The California Department of Public Health has recommended the Forest Service and its concessionaire post warning signage in the area of Taylor Creek Visitor Center, the Tallac Historic Site, and Camp Richardson Resort explaining how the disease is transmitted, the symptoms and how to prevent infection. The Forest Service is advising its staff and visitors to report any sick or dead animals immediately.