state

Gaming revenues down across Nevada, South Shore revenues down almost 40% in July

STATELINE, Nev. - Nevada’s nonrestricted gaming licensees reported a total “gaming win” of $756,793,269 for the month of July 2020, the second month of casinos reopening in the state after being closed due to the coronavirus. This amounts to a 26.16 percent decrease compared to July 2019, when licensees reported a gaming win of $1,024,925,615 according to the monthly report released today by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Mural in Tahoe East Shore Trail tunnel unveiled

The community mural art project in the tunnel on the popular Tahoe East Shore Trail was unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday. The mural, painted by local husband and wife art and design duo, Tyler Rivenbark and Frida Ticehurst-Rivenbark, was completed with help from students at Lake Tahoe School in Incline Village.

Boil water notice issued for Tahoe Keys homes after power failure at well

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Residents in the Tahoe Keys are being asked to use only boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes after an electrical failure at one of their wells (#3) Monday. The power failure led to a loss of water pressure.

The Tahoe Keys Property Owner Association's (TKPOA) said they emailed and hand delivered notices to residents to advise them of the boil water order.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Last Week's Log - http://southtahoenow.com/story/08/16/2020/el-dorado-county-sheriffs-report

This Week's Log:

8/16

Interactive story book released to highlight the 59,000-acre Lake Tahoe West restoration project

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)

Lake Tahoe, Sierra and El Dorado County roadwork August 23 - 29

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following is a list of the long term and short term projects the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has scheduled for the week around Lake Tahoe, in the Sierra and El Dorado County.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

COVID-19 test results now in 2-5 days in El Dorado County

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Results from COVID-19 testing at the two state-sponsored, free sites in South Lake Tahoe and Placerville are currently expected to come back in 2-5 days. These tests are available for any El Dorado County, Alpine County, or State of Nevada resident wanting to be tested for the virus.

All wood and charcoal fires banned in Lake Tahoe Basin

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - In a unified move, all fire agencies around the Lake Tahoe Basin have banned all open burning utilizing wood and charcoal for the remainder of the summer, or longer if needed. This includes campgrounds with fire rings, fire pits at homes and all charcoal barbeques whether at home or at public and private facilities.

The suspension takes effect at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2020 and will be enforced with extinguishment and possible citations and fines.

Placer County off of state's COVID-19 monitoring list

Placer County fell off the state's County Data Monitoring List for COVID-19, with the rate of new positive cases in the county now dipping below that state monitoring metric.

If Placer County remains off the list for at least 14 days, K-12 schools could potentially reopen for in-person instruction. However, no other businesses would be allowed to modify their operations until the state modifies the state order.

Watsonville cop arrested on suspicion of battery and damage charges in Stateline

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A 24-year-old police officer from Watsonville, California was arrested in South Lake Tahoe early Thursday morning on a felony fugitive warrant out of Douglas County.

Tyler Leroy Stephens, a new officer for the Watsonville department, is currently in the El Dorado County Jail awaiting extradition to Douglas County on counts that include battery and destruction of property.

Fires covering the west; Lake Tahoe still impacted with smoke and unhealthy air

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Multiple new fires, mostly from last week’s lightning, are causing a drastic decrease in air quality at Lake Tahoe and throughout the state. Another inversion is expected to set up overnight Thursday, and visibility may be impaired due to smoky conditions.

The air quality in all area communities has been around the unhealthy to very unhealthy range for the past two days. As of 3:45 p.m. Thursday, the Air Quality Index in South Lake Tahoe was 195.

Are you ready in case of a wildfire at Lake Tahoe?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With 367 current wildfires in the state of California, fire fighting resources are spread thin. Calfire If there was a fire in South Lake Tahoe, are you prepared?

Tens of thousands of residents are evacuated from their homes in Napa, Sonoma, Santa Cruz, Salinas, Grass Valley, Nevada City and other cities in the state. Most of the fires were started by a massive lightning storm over Northern California Sunday where over 10,800 lightning strikes were observed.

Not wearing a mask in South Lake Tahoe could lead to fines: $500 for businesses, $100 for individuals

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The message was clear during Tuesday's emergency City Council meeting: Disregard the safety of people in South Lake Tahoe - Face a fine.

For almost four hours the South Lake Tahoe City Council listened to several residents commenting on a desired city response to the pandemic. While many other discusses will be coming up in the near future, the council took steps towards protecting the community with leverage and enforcement.

Reminder: Two-week full closure of US50 scheduled for Echo Summit Project

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After a delay in getting materials in 2019, Caltrans has scheduled a full closure of U.S. Highway 50 for the Echo Summit Sidehill Viaduct Replacement Project for two weeks beginning Friday, Sept. 18. After the delay last year, the contractor on the project was going to install the bridge girders in June of 2020, but many wanted that timeframe postponed due to the the opening of tourist season after COVID-related closures this past spring.

24th annual Lake Tahoe Summit: Resilient Tahoe

Event Date: 
August 25, 2020 - 10:00am

LAKE TAHOE, Nev./Calif. - The 24th annual Lake Tahoe Summit has moved to a virtual format this year. U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada will be hosting the event that will feature Olympian David Wise as the keynote speaker.

Since the first Lake Tahoe Summit in 1997, the area’s congressional representatives have pledged to keep working together and with local, state, and private sector partners to restore Tahoe’s environment, improve forest health, and confront climate change.

Unauthorized #Lake2o event brings 300-400 cars to South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A large group of car enthusiasts on top of an already busy summer weekend created a hectic weekend for South Lake Tahoe area law enforcement.

Dubbed #Lake2o, a social media-organized group of about 300-400 modified car owners converged on the town starting Thursday and went through Monday morning, taking over parking lots, parking garages and filling city streets.

Trash talk: Record amount of trash being collected around Lake Tahoe

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 resident tests positive for plague, most likely from flea bite

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for plague according to El Dorado County health officials. The individual is currently under the care of a medical professional and is recovering at home.

It’s believed that the person, an avid walker, may have been bitten by an infected flea while walking their dog along the Truckee River Corridor north of Highway 50 or the Tahoe Keys area in South Lake Tahoe. Health officials started investigating the situation after being notified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Lightning-caused Loyalton Fire now at 36,295 acres and 5% containment

LOYALTON, Calif. - Fire officials with the Tahoe National Forest say the Loyalton Fire has now burned 36,295 acres and is at five percent containment as of 8:30 a.m. Monday.

They have determined the fire is lightning caused. It started Friday afternoon east of the town of Loyalton. It spread quickly resulting in the closures of US395 and SR70, both of which have reopened.

A forest closure was issued by the Humboldt-Toyabe National Forest for the Dog Valley area due to the fire's southern spread.

Letter: Lake Tahoe Region has three times the number of new COVID cases as El Dorado County

If the Lake Tahoe Region of El Dorado County were its own county, it would be solidly on the state watch list, as its new case rate is even higher than LA County’s rate. Furthermore, El Dorado County should be on the watch list, but it is not. As a result, people think it is safe in Tahoe and thousands of visitors are continuously bringing the virus into the area, overwhelming our health system, and exposing residents.

Right turn restrictions during peak travel days in Meyers approved by committee, on to supervisors

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - As most in the South Lake Tahoe and Meyers area already know, getting out of town over US50 and Echo Summit on Sundays and holidays can be slow moving during summer, but during the winter it can be a miserable time both for visitors and locals.

Smoke from Loyalton Fire can be seen from Lake Tahoe

8:30 p.m. SUNDAY UPDATE: The Loyalton Fire which originated east of the town of Loyalton and southwest of Mount Ina Coolbrith is now estimated at 29,828 acres and 0 percent contained. It is north and east adjacent to the areas of Beckwourth Pass and Hallelujah Junction.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Virtual public workshop on planned restoration of Meeks Bay

Event Date: 
August 19, 2020 - 5:30pm

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.

Popular South Lake Tahoe fishing derby canceled for 2020

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The 18th annual South Lake Tahoe Moose Lodge Kids’ Fishing Derby has been canceled due to the pandemic. The Lodge has sponsored the tournament at Lake Baron inside Tahoe Paradise Park for 17 years and said they feel it important to follow state and county guidelines to avoid group gatherings and the safety and protection of children is paramount.

The Lodge had been planning on having the Optimists Club as co-sponsors this September after the Optimists had to cancel their fishing derby at Sawmill Pond earlier this summer.

Lake Tahoe, Sierra and El Dorado County roadwork August 9-15

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following is a list of the long term and short term projects the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has scheduled for the week around Lake Tahoe, in the Sierra and El Dorado County.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

Fire restrictions expanded into Washoe County and Humboldt-Toiyabe Forest

Starting August 9, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is entering Stage 2 Fire Restrictions in response to the current severe risk of wildfire. Nevada is experiencing record dry conditions with much of the state in a severe drought.

COVID-19 case update for Lake Tahoe area counties

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials have confirmed another 13 positive cases of COVID-19 for the county since yesterday. Of those, two are from the Lake Tahoe region, five in El Dorado Hills, three in the Greater Placerville region and three in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue. Two are under the age of 18, seven aged 18-49, three aged 50-64, one aged 65 or older.

160 more tests were administered. There were 147 negative tests returned, 36 assumed recoveries and currently 169 assumed active cases of COVID-19.

Challenge of accurate Census numbers in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Every ten years a Census is taken of all people living in the Unitied States. While the state of California currently has a 64.5 percent response rate, South Lake Tahoe once again is lagging far behind.

As of August 6, 28.1 percent of those living in South Lake Tahoe had turned in answers to the Census Bureau. El Dorado County as a whole, 58.6 percent. Nationally, the Census return rate is 63.2 percent.

Why is it so hard to get South Lake Tahoe residents to participate?

COVID-19 case update for Lake Tahoe area counties

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials said another 14 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of the new cases, 11 are from the Lake Tahoe region and three are from the Greater Placerville region, ten are aged 18-49, three are aged 50-64 and one is aged 65 or older.

92 tests were administered since yesterday, 78 tests came back negative and there were 13 assumed recoveries. At this time there are 178 assumed active cases.

Women injured in hit-and-run Lime scooter verses vehicle collision

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A 31-year-old woman from Alexandria, Virginia is in a Reno hospital today after suffering severe injuries in a South Lake Tahoe hit-and-run collision.

At approximately 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, August 4, first responders arrived in the 3300 block of Pine Hill Road near Keller Road and found the victim laying in the roadway, suffering from severe injuries.

Incline Village and Crystal Bay homeowners to get $56M tax refund

Incline Village and Crystal Bay property owners will be soon getting refunds from Washoe County after the County Commission approved a settlement of an estimated $56M during their meeting Tuesday. Half of those funds will come from Washoe County and the rest will come from the other beneficiaries of those tax payments - Washoe County School District, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Incline Village Improvement District, and the State of Nevada.

Four properties face fines from Nevada Gaming Control Board for improper COVID-19 operation

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has completed 10,135 inspections and opened 156 regulatory cases since gaming properties were able to reopen on June 4 after they were closed for over two months. All have been related to non-compliance with the Board’s Health and Safety Policies issued on May 28. To date, they have alleged findings against four licensees

Meyers traffic meeting to discuss possible right turn restrictions this winter

Event Date: 
August 5, 2020 - 9:00am

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. Calif. - Traffic leaving South lake Tahoe through Meyers on Sundays and holidays through the winter can be a nightmare. Map apps lead visitors onto roads that are steeper and not plowed as much as US50, thus creating hazards and clogged roads. Tow trucks are backlogged hours to assist getting the stuck vehicles off Apache, Mandan, North Upper Truckee and Sawmill Roads.

Due to these jammed roads, residents in the area cannot to get to work or the grocery store, and a Traffic Advisory Committee was formed to seek solutions.

Smoke in Lake Tahoe Basin from Northern California fires

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A 275-acre fire burning in Lassen National Forest is most likely to blame for smoke in the Lake Tahoe Basin and in the Reno area.

The Stump Fire started Saturday afternoon and is near State Highways 36 and 172 near Childs Meadows, in the mountains between Red Bluff and Susanville. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno said some smoke could also possibly be coming from the 1,800 acre Red Salmon Complex fire in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

Tahoe East Shore Trail to close temporarily for tunnel art project

The Tahoe East Shore Trail will be temporarily closed to public access between the Tunnel Creek Café and Sand Harbor on Tuesday, August 4 (all day), and Wednesday, August 5 through Friday, August 7 (after 8:00 p.m.) for the initial phase of a community mural art project.

The Tahoe Fund, Tahoe Public Art and Nevada State Parks collaborated to commission the mural to augment the natural beauty of the Tahoe East Shore Trail and transform a utilitarian tunnel into a community-involved, relevant art experience.

Letter: Sheriff has made Douglas County a state and national embarrassment

Since when did Sheriff Dan Coverley get put in charge of the thought police?

And who told him he has the authority to ignore 911 emergency calls – from the Douglas County Library! – because he’s upset about a draft statement on diversity that mentioned Black Lives Matter?

On Tuesday, Coverley made statewide and national news by issuing exactly that threat in a letter to the library’s board of directors:

Gaming revenues down in state as casinos start back up after closures

STATELINE, Nev. - Nevada’s nonrestricted gaming licensees reported a total “gaming win” of $566,806,791 for the month of June 2020, the first month casinos started to reopen in the state after being closed due to the coronavirus. This amounts to a 45.55 percent decrease compared to June 2019, when licensees reported a gaming win of $1,040,978,076 according to the monthly report released today by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Douglas County Sheriff tells library to not count on emergency help due to its support of BLM

6:50 p.m. Update: Douglas County Library Director Amy Dodson and Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley met Tuesday to discuss the library's proposed Statement of Diversity, a topic that became very controversial after a letter from Coverley to the library was circulated.

Volunteers spend Tahoe Forest Stewardship day restoring Johnson Meadow

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Johnson Meadow was once used as a post-Gold Rush dairy farm, became a place for summer cattle grazing, and is now being restored as part of the Upper Truckee River watershed. The Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD) purchased the Johnson Meadow in 2018, a critical step in restoring the river's watershed that contains significant wildlife habitat, including river, riparian, meadow, and upland habitat areas.

Lane closures over Spooner Summit for NDOT roadside drainage project

Single lane closures will take place on U.S. 50 between Carson City and Spooner Summit beginning July 30 as the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) wraps up a project to reduce roadside erosion and help preserve water quality.

Between July 30 and Aug. 7, drivers will see single lane closures from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays on both directions of U.S. 50 in areas between Tahoe Golf Club Drive and Spooner Summit.

Mammoth Lakes added to state's monitoring list; Truckee/North Lake Tahoe ask visitors to stay away on weekends

To help stop the spread of the coronavirus, California Governor Gavin Newsom has added more counties to his "watch list," those showing concerning trends in rates of COVID-19. This list now numbers 37 which makes up 93 percent of the state's population. There are 58 counties in the state.

New on that list are Mono County (home to Mammoth Mountain) and Santa Cruz County, a popular tourist destination. North Lake Tahoe is in Placer County which was added to the list earlier this month.

Stevenson named new police chief for South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City of South Lake Tahoe has selected a long-time local and South Tahoe High graduate to head its police department.

The selection of David Stevenson as police chief was announced Monday.

South Lake Tahoe Police Blotter

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following is a list of calls the South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to the weeks of July 5 - July 11, 2020. Location Checks are when officers search an area at a certain address. Transient/Homeless arrests/citations and calls are those normally categorized in other columns (Drunk in Public, Trespassing, etc) but stats are collected separately. COVID calls are related to state and county guidelines.

7/5
ARRESTS (1)
10:51 p.m. - Drunk in Public 1000 Block of Ski Run Blvd
LOCATION CHECKS (4)
TRAFFIC STOPS (15)

Lake Tahoe, Sierra and El Dorado County roadwork July 26 - August 1

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following is a list of the long term and short term projects the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has scheduled for the week around Lake Tahoe, in the Sierra and El Dorado County.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

New El Dorado County COVID-19 interactive dashboard

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - A new interactive dashboard is now available for COVID-19 tracking in El Dorado County. The new feature is a more comprehensive dashboard that provides additional data points and opportunity for the public to learn how the COVID-19 virus is impacting the area in both Spanish and English.

High school sports news - NIAA moves football and soccer to spring

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) has announced their high school sports schedule for members in their area, including South Tahoe and Truckee High Schools.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty of school reopening schedules, traditional fall sports have moved to Spring 2021. Adjustments to the schedules were voted on by the NIAA Legislative Commission which is comprised of the superintendents of each school in the league.

The new schedule (all have six competitive weeks) for NIAA sanctioned sports:

Winter Season Sports

Draft SR89 Corridor Plan available for the public to review

Event Date: 
September 22, 2020 - 5:30pm

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Years of work by a team of professionals and public outreach has led to the release of the Draft State Route State Route 89 Recreation Corridor Management Plan.

Those who have been on this congested segment of roadway around Lake Tahoe are aware of the long list of issues including traffic issues, parking issues, and safety issues during the summer and popular weekends.

State of the Lake address offered during digital Summer Speaker Series

Event Date: 
July 30, 2020 - 12:00pm

The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) is offering everyone a front-row seat at the discussion of the annual Tahoe: State of the Lake Report on Thursday, July 30 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Dr. Geoffrey Schladow, the director of TERC, will make the presentation on the data collected, an important element for lake management. Elected officials and public agencies tasked with restoring and managing the Lake Tahoe ecosystem use this data.

Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe cancels the 2020 Tahoe Brewfest

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Another event has been forced to cancel amidst safety concerns and restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

With the City of South Lake Tahoe canceling their events through September, and added restrictions added by the state of California, the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe has announced they are canceling its annual Tahoe Brewfest for 2020. The event is normally held in June and was moved to September due to the rise in COVID-19, and now the new date is June 5, 2021.

Douglas County School District reopening plans approved by board

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - School districts across the country are working on how to safely open for the fall term. Some are going completely digital, some are electing to have in-person classes, and other are considering a hybrid of both types of learning. Besides guidelines from states, districts have to consider further guidelines from local health officials as they create a plan.

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