swimming

"Although he was off duty, Deputy Carlos Francies died doing what he was sworn to do: putting himself in harm's way to protect the life of another." Those were the words of Robin Bender as she spoke to the crowd gathered at El Dorado Beach and Lakeview Commons to remember Francies who drowned in Lake Tahoe on August 13.

Bender, the CFO of South Tahoe Stand Up Paddle, along with owner Chris Brackett, spoke, and Sammantha Bender sang as people with their paddle boards headed off shore to have a paddle-out, the surfing tradition that honors the life of a fallen comrade.

Lake Tahoe’s first new campground in more than 20 years would be developed on a forested ridge overlooking Lake Tahoe under a plan announced Wednesday by developers.

Mountainside Partners and landowner Sierra Pacific Industries have submitted an application to build a 550-site campground on a ridge south of Northstar California and near the Tahoe Rim Trail.

A bird found in the El Dorado Hills area of the county tested positive for West Nile Virus this week.

The bird, a Western Scrub Jay, was found on June 16 and is the first bird of the year to be found to have the virus. So far this year, West Nile virus activity has been reported in 26 California counties, including neighboring Sacramento and Placer counties.

No human cases of the virus have been reported in California thus far in 2015.

The Splash Day Club at Hard Rock Hotel Lake Tahoe was set to open over the Memorial Day weekend, but wet weather and a chance of thundershowers has caused management to postpone the grand opening.

“We’ve been ramping up for the opening of Splash Day Club, but we want to do it right with the best conditions possible,” said Chris Fiumara, vice president and general manager of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe. “Plus, it’s no secret this area needs some serious precipitation, so we’ll take it.”

The 3rd Annual Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel Outdoor Arena on Saturday, June 27. The concert is open to all ages and will feature Iration, Matisyahu, Don Carlos, The Green, The Expendables, Fortunate Youth, Vokab Kompany, Squarefield Massiv and more.

Advanced general admission tickets for the reggae festival are $45, VIP tickets are $90; and kids 12 and under are only $10, and kids under 6 are FREE. All tickets can be purchased on line.

Location

One of the top water users in the Reno area, Gov. Brian Sandoval said Wednesday he is taking steps to cut back on outdoor irrigation and plans to remove turf in his yard to set an example during this time of drought.

A landscape contractor who is taking care of Sandoval's Latigo Drive home while he and his family reside in the governor's Carson City mansion accepted blame for overwatering that at one point consumed more than 1 million gallons over the course of a year, according to records obtained by the Reno Gazette-Journal.

“Hotel Showdown” squares off four different hotels against one another in a
winner-take-all competition. Representatives from the competing hotels spend the night at each other’s property, and with an exacting eye for detail, award points for every aspect of their experience. The highest-rated hotel wins a coveted $25,000.

The hour long episode featuring South Lake Tahoe’s 968 Park Hotel is titled ”Cat’s Out of the Bag with a Gun Show” and premieres Tuesday, January 27 at 9:00 p.m. PST.

Douglas County has now counted 100% of the ballots for Tuesday's election.

State Senate 17 Senatorial District
REP - SETTELMEYER, JAMES A. 15,301 100.00%

State Assembly Dist. 39
IAP - GIORDANO, AL 3,716 22.33%
REP - WHEELER, JIM 12,924 77.67%

County Assessor
DOUGLAS W. ''DOUG'' 15,195 100.00%

County Clerk/Treasurer
REP - THRAN, TED 14,966 100.00%

County Commissioner District 2
REP - THALER, STEVEN 14,585 100.00%

County Commissioner District 4
REP - MCDERMID, NANCY 14,156 100.00%

District Attorney

In January, Governor Brown called for California residents to drop their water usage by 20% due to the drought. In July, urban water usage in the state was down by 7.5%. White this isn't the requested 20%, it still represents 17 billion gallons of water conserved. That is the equivalent of 25,755 Olympic-sized swimming pools or enough water for 1.7 billion people each to take a 5-minute shower.

Some people, when they first see Lake Tahoe, think how it'd be nice to boat on top of the glass like water. Others imagine fishing on the lake stocked with big fish, while yet others think about how nice it would be to sit at the quiet and scenic shore and enjoy the sun and the view.

To nine year old Erline Christopherson, all she thought when first saw the crystal blue waters was how she'd like to swim across it. The dream was born that day in 1955.

Kids from the ages of 3 to 13 will be participating in Sunday's Triathlon in South Lake Tahoe. Each athlete will be swimming, biking and running in the area of the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center. Parents can help the kids in the Pee Wee group (3 to 6) only.

Distances depend on age, as listed below.

3 to 6 year olds:
25 yard swim (flotation device and parents okay)
1 mile bike ride (okay for parents to accompany)
.3 mile run (okay for parents to accompany)

50 yard swim
3 mile bike ride
1 mile run

10 to 13 year olds:
100 yard swim
5 mile bike ride
7 to 9 year olds:

100 gallons of invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil were removed from the Upper Truckee River by 14 League to Save Lake Tahoe volunteers on August 5.

The volunteers worked on the 1,000 foot stretch of the river near the Tahoe Keys Marina. This infestation was the first to be identified and removed by trained Eyes on the Lake volunteers. It was also the first confirmed new infestation discovered at Lake Tahoe in several years. A follow-up volunteer effort will take place later this month to ensure the infestation is completely gone.

Over 120 kids have taken advantage of the summer programs at the Boys and Girls Club in South Lake Tahoe. They started the summer off with a bang with a plethora of activities in the first week. They went swimming at the recreation center, enjoyed ice hockey, spent time building paddleboards, went ice skating, had drama club, golf club and bmx club, Jr Staff program, beach trips, trout creek, water day, soccer, sewing, and many more fun activities.

There are still opening available but they are going quickly.

Summer Registration Fees

The South Lake Tahoe Recreation Division is gearing up for another summer season full of adventure, learning, fun and great memories. The Recreation staff is geared up to host the second annual “Spring Into Summer” Kick- Off Party on June 7, 2014 from 10am to 2pm. The event is designed to highlight summer programs, introduce Recreation Instructors and provide tours of the Recreation and Swim Complex in a fun and festive environment.

Lake Tahoe is one of California’s greatest natural treasures. It is a beauty to behold, with forested mountains surrounding the deep blue shimmering surface. It is famous for many recreational activities- snowboarding, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, and sunbathing. But the clear blue waters of Tahoe are in trouble. Invasive species, climate change, and sedimentation all threaten the unique ecosystems of the lake.

Even the name IRONMAN tells the story. After watching a day of swimming, biking and running it was proven to me that these athletes must be made of iron, or, at least, something different than my composition. Even having the trademark name in all capital letters gives one a sense of strength.

Lake Tahoe — Big Blue, as it is referred to by many — is North America’s Largest Alpine Lake and the Jewel of the High Sierra … and the Reno Tahoe Territory of the Nevada Commission on Tourism and Bike the West invites you to experience the adventure of riding your bicycle around her 72-mile shoreline by participating in the Annual Tour de Tahoe – Bike Big Blue.

The City of South Lake Tahoe Recreation Department is proud to partner with the Tahoe Tri Club to host a Kids Triathlon this Sunday, July 21, at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Complex beginning at 1:30 p.m. Arrive early for registration. The cost of the event is $35.

The Tahoe Kids Triathlon is a triathlon (series) for kids ages 3-13. The triathlon course includes the Recreation Complex Swimming Pool, Parking Lot, and Greenway that surrounds the Campground. A post-race party, barbecue and yearly age-group awards will follow the triathlon.

Here is the Memorial Day weekend fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of May 22-28. Pack plenty of sunscreen, fill your cooler full of cold beverages and enjoy the long holiday weekend.

Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort will give skiers and riders one last chance to shred Sierra Resort on April 15 with its Annual Customer Appreciation Day. Customer Appreciation Day is all about celebrating the season with fun stories of a season gone by and smiles.

Skiers and riders of all ages can purchase a lift ticket for only $25 on April 15. All of the proceeds raised from the day’s lift ticket sales will be donated to sponsor youth recreation and education including youth baseball, soccer, swimming, and other youth activities.

The South Lake Tahoe Rec Center will offer a special “Kids Night Out” on Monday, Dec. 31. Two party options are being offered:
Monday, Dec. 31st from 6:00 pm – Tuesday, Jan. 1st to 1am for $50 per child.
OR, Monday, Dec. 31st from 6:00 pm – Tuesday, Jan. 1st to 10am for $100 per child.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Sept. 12-19.

Here is this week's fishing report for Northern California, Nevada, Lake Tahoe and the Sierra-area rivers, lakes and streams. Fall colors are around the corner for the Sierra and Lake Tahoe region. Enjoy the fishing while the weather is still good and don't forget to pack your sunscreen and fishing license. This report is for the week of Sept. 5-11.

ADOBE POND, CALIF:
Tom Loe of Sierra Drifters Fly Fishing Guide Service (760-935-4250) (www.sierradrifters.com) reports:

Squaw Valley welcomes the world premiere of Further, the second installment in the Jeremy Jones snowboard movie trilogy by award-winning producers Teton Gravity Research. Presented by O’Neill, “Further” will open at Squaw Valley’s KT Base Bar Friday, September 7. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., show starts at 8:30 p.m.