threat

Column: Positive momentum through relationships for Lake Tahoe

Like many residents and visitors of Lake Tahoe, I have had the good fortune of running, hiking, swimming, skiing, dining, lodging and otherwise living in and around Lake Tahoe nearly all of my life. Tahoe has played a vital role in the development of my most treasured relationship, with my wife Lisa, where we both learned to care for much more than ourselves, and where we were married 25 years ago on the west shore.

Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless begins move-ins at purchased motels

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) successfully purchased El Nido Motel using some of the awarded Project Homekey funding. The property will provide much-needed affordable housing and supportive services for the most vulnerable local seniors, people with disabilities, and others at high risk of cold exposure and COVID-19 illness. The first client move-ins began last week, including medically fragile seniors who were living unsheltered in our community for many years.

Column: Finding bright spots on the horizon

We are ready for some glad tidings this holiday season. While we look forward to the spirit of generosity and warmth the season brings, many are also hoping the New Year will deliver a meaningful reset. Propelling ourselves forward and out of crisis will require fortitude and drive. The pending vaccine is a bright spot on the horizon, but there are other positive indicators for better days to come.

Feed El Dorado helping community throughout county including South Lake Tahoe

The holidays this year are set to be especially hard for many families throughout El Dorado County and beyond, with many facing the threat of going hungry without the means to put food on the table. To help relieve some of this stress, and help ensure families can eat this holiday season, Feed El Dorado has provided $25,000 in food cards to be distributed by Choices for Children and Head Start on both the Western Slope of El Dorado County and in South Lake Tahoe.

CCC Tahoe Center corpsmembers help communities recover and prepare after fires

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Long after the fire trucks have come and gone, the threat to a community impacted by wildfire remains. It’s a less obvious threat than a towering inferno destroying homes and ripping through forests and hillsides. It is a hidden threat that arrives with winter rains and California Conservation Corps Corpsmembers are helping communities stay safe from it—toxic runoff, including those from the South Lake Tahoe center.

Free screening of the award-winning film Wilder Than Wild extended two more weeks

The free virtual screening of the Wilder Than Wild film has been extended through October 25.

If you missed the first presentation, you're in luck!

The award-winning documentary Wilder Than Wild: Fire, Forests, and the Future reveals how fire suppression and climate change have exposed Western landscapes to large, high-intensity wildfires. The sixty-minute film explores strategies that are being developed to help mitigate the impact of these fires.

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/10/06/2020/el-dorado-county-sheriffs-report

This Week's Log:

10/4

Forest Service extends emergency fire restrictions in California including all of Lake Tahoe Basin

The US Forest Service has extended its emergency fire restrictions across all National Forest lands in California. This involves all USFS land in the Lake Tahoe Basin on both sides of the state line.

Smoking and all recreational fires, including campfires, bonfires, warming fires, wood fires, charcoal fires, or any other kind of outdoor fires, involving solid fuels are prohibited.

With the ongoing threat of wildfire and a very dry season, the danger of fire remains too high to allow recreational fires.

City Council candidates respond to 100% Renewable Energy Committee questions

On April 18, 2017 the South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously passed a resolution to: 1) Power the South Lake Tahoe community with electricity provided from 100 percent renewable sources by 2032 and 2) Reduce community carbon emissions from baseline by at least 80 percent by 2040, and reduce municipal emissions by 50 percent by 2030.

Fire Chief tells how Measure S can help fund needs in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It will be hard to find someone in favor of taxes, but with them being the reason many things in this world are funded, they are accepted to some degree.

On November 3, the City of South Lake Tahoe will be asking voters for support of a one-cent local sales tax known as Measure S.

SLT Council Candidate Douglas Williams

South Tahoe Now reached out to all nine candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council and provided the same list of questions to each one of them. Once a day their answers will be published in the order received.

Today's candidate is Douglas Williams

Profession: Hospitality

How many years in SLT: 10 years

SLT Council Candidate John Friedrich

South Tahoe Now reached out to all nine candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council and provided the same list of questions to each one of them. Once a day their answers will be published in the order received.

Today's candidate is John Friedrich

Profession: Founder and Director, Tahoe Green Jobs Initiative

How many years in SLT: 15

Opinion: LTUSD Board supports student-led climate initiative

Former Climate Crew Co-president, Anthony Pedigo, introduced Resolution No. 2020/21-07 in Support of School District Climate Literacy to the LTUSD School Board on September 22, 2020. It was the culmination of a year of passionate student organizing, writing and mobilizing. The resolution passed unanimously.

Teens 4 Tahoe hosts Wilder Than Wild virtual screening

Event Date: 
October 4, 2020 - 5:00pm

Teens 4 Tahoe, an environmental stewardship group formed by six teens in collaboration with the nonprofit Tahoe Fund, will host a free virtual screening of the award-winning documentary Wilder Than Wild: Fire, Forests, and the Future on October 4, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The virtual event, proposed by the teens living in Tahoe and around the Bay Area, will be the group’s first effort to help educate their peers about wildfire preparedness. It will include viewing of the one-hour long documentary followed by an online Q&A session with Kevin White, the film’s producer.

FAQs from the US Forest Service on closures

The USFS regional emergency closures have created a lot of questions from forest recreational users. Here are the frequently asked questions (FAQ) provided by the Forest Service:

Q) Is there an imminent threat of fire, are we in immediate danger?

Fork Fire re-mapped at 1,647 acres and continues to be 7% contained

The Fork Fire continues to burn west of Lake Tahoe in the Rubicon drainage area near Loon Lake. The size has been remapped and 1,647 acres have burned and it is seven percent contained.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has downgraded the mandatory evacuation order to an evacuation warning for the areas of Quintette, Stumpy Meadows and Volcanoville. This does not supersede the temporary closure order that prohibits entering or using National Forest System lands, roads and trails on the Eldorado National Forest.

Explosion of North Complex Fire: Triples in size to over 150,000 acres

UPDATE 2:30PM 9/9/20: The North Complex Fire more than tripled in size since Tuesday and is now 150,140 acres with 38 percent containment.

Forests, campgrounds and day-use areas to close in California and Lake Tahoe Basin

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - All campgrounds and day use areas on U.S. Forest Service land in California and the Lake Tahoe Basin must close at 5:00 p.m. Monday, September 7 due to the unprecedented and dangerous fire conditions and extreme heat, significant wind events, dry conditions, and firefighting resources that are stretched to the limit.

The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has announced the following temporary closures and fire restrictions to provide for public safety and reduce the potential for human caused fire starts:

IRS and Department of Justice phone scams circulating in area

There are currently some scams currently spreading through the area from phone calls from IRS and Department of Justice impostors.

The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the public as part of an impostor scam. The department strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target the elderly.

South Lake Tahoe City Council candidates respond to #IRunWithMaud questions

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There will be two new members of the South Lake Tahoe City Council after the November 3 election. In the coming weeks the pubic will have chances to hear from the candidates both via zoom, in print and possibly in person. Below are eight of the ten candidates responses to questions asked by the local #IRunWithMaud group.

Statewide town hall to address wildfire assistance and insurance resources

Event Date: 
September 4, 2020 - 1:30pm

Join Cal OES Director, Mark Ghilarducci, CA Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and United Policyholders Executive Director, Amy Bach for a Statewide Virtual Town Hall on wildfires assistance and insurance resources available to renters and homeowners.

With many communities experiencing evacuations, loss of homes and the continued threat of COVID-19, it is imperative for you to have up to date information on services and resources.

Friday, September 4th at 1:30PM
Join Via ZOOM: https://tinyurl.com/CDIwildfire
FACEBOOK LIVE: Facebook.com/insurancecagov

Keeping Lake Tahoe the resilient jewel it is for the next 10,000 years

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The resiliency of Lake Tahoe was the focus of the 24th annual Lake Tahoe Summit Tuesday, held virtually instead of on the shores of the pristine lake in the Sierra Nevada many call home and even thousands more visit.

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.

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).

Illegal campfires an issue in Lake Tahoe area forests and campgrounds

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Just as the Eldorado National Forest managers announced last week, the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) of the National Forest Service said they too have seen the same record increase in illegal campfires.

Column: Our fight against aquatic invasive species

By motor or by paddle, the experience of boating on Lake Tahoe is like none other. Hovering over its crystal clear shallows and unfathomable depths inspires awe, and the surrounding mountains and forests combine for a breathtaking experience. Given this, it is understandable that boating is both a major part of Tahoe’s culture and its regional economy.

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:

Douglas County wildfire near Indian Hills extinguished

UPDATE 5:57PM: Fire crews have knocked down the Topsy Fire and are mopping up hotspots, according to fire officials. The cause of the fire is under investigation. It was noted that there were a number of lightning strikes in the area shortly before the fire started.

New study investigates link between clothes dryers and microplastic pollution in Lake Tahoe

Last year, Desert Research Institute (DRI) and the League to Save Lake Tahoe detected microplastics in Lake Tahoe for the first time ever, many of which were microfibers. This discovery revealed that microplastic pollution is not just present in oceans, but also in mountains and lakes, including highly protected areas like Lake Tahoe.

One-percent sales tax increase for South Lake Tahoe to be added to the November ballot

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council approved unanimously at their meeting Tuesday to send what is being called the "South Lake Tahoe Fire Protection, Emergency Response, City Services Measure" to the ballot in November.

If voters approve the measure, a one-percent sales tax increase will be added in the City of South Lake Tahoe to all taxable purchases to meet funding shortfalls, according to the City.

Column: Wildfire threat still looms

If the 4th of July weekend is any indication, Tahoe is under pressure. As coronavirus cases grow nearly everywhere, people naturally look to the mountains, fresh air, and clear water of Tahoe as a respite. Now residents and visitors alike are struggling to adjust to the confusion around re-opening, and visitation that is normally our lifeblood is suddenly a health risk.

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/07/02/2020/el-dorado-county-sheriffs-report

6/27

Letter: An open letter to the guy who harassed me for wearing a mask on the street

To the guy who harassed me for wearing a mask on the street:

You know you were wrong to yell at me from your open car window at a red light. You know you were wrong because when I looked up and said, “what?” your first reaction was, “oh, nothing.”

El Dorado County public health officer: Don't be lax on simple guidelines

Independence Day has a long tradition of bringing family and friends together from near and far to enjoy many of the things that make us uniquely American. Along with all of the freedoms we enjoy we share a strong national conscience. Part of that conscience is accepting responsibility for fulfilling, as individuals,
our civic duties. In these times of pandemic, perhaps our most important civic duty is to ensure the health and safety and wellbeing of ourselves, our families and our community.

Fight Fire With a Plan campaign for Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Month

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team is promoting Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Month during July. This year’s theme is “Fight fire with a plan” to encourage residents and visitors to prepare their family, property and possessions now before a wildfire starts by creating a plan.

Some ways to plan include:

Develop a family evacuation plan.
Assemble a Go-bag and a disaster supply kit for your home and vehicle.
Create and maintain defensible space around homes.
Sign up for emergency notifications for residents and visitors and stay informed.

Column: Dreaming of a just and permanent solution

With its decision last week, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a real sense of relief and a bit of a reprieve to approximately 800,000 DREAMers in America, including 200,000 in California alone. When the justices sided with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, ruling that the way the Trump administration rescinded the program in 2017 was unlawful, it was a big victory for immigrant communities and their many allies.

Summer fire restrictions around Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Fire season is upon us and many restrictions are now in effect where outdoor burning, campfires, and fire pits are concerned. 2020 started out with the driest February on record since the 1850s, and there is an increased fire danger posed by dead grass and hotter, drier conditions in the region.

It is important to understand that with all of the different fire areas around Lake Tahoe, there are different rules.

Column: Tahoe's successes based on working together; eliminating divide

If ever there was a time to draw on the healing powers of Lake Tahoe, it’s now. The COVID crisis, complete with loss of life and wide-ranging financial impacts, is being compounded by human struggle and a wellspring of social justice demonstrations that are gripping the nation. One of our core values at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is collaboration -- building collaborative relationships to protect Lake Tahoe. I can tell you that Tahoe's successes have not ever come from reinforcing divisions. The imagined “us vs them" simply creates false divides.

South Lake Tahoe SWAT operation leads to arrest of local man

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Several people in the Bijou neighborhood saw and heard something on Thursday they normally aren't a witness to. The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) SWAT and Crisis Negotiation teams were called out to an apartment on Spruce Avenue to arrest a suspect with a known violent history and a history with weapons, according to police.

They were there to arrest 45-year-old Edgar Bringas Zavala, a suspect in a domestic violence and terrorist threat case from the night before.

Free virtual screening of award winning documentary Wilder than Wild: Fire, Forests, and the Future

The Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities (Tahoe Network), with generous support from the Tahoe Fund, is hosting a free virtual screening of the award-winning documentary Wilder than Wild: Fire, Forests, and the Future through the Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema from June 5 - June 11, 2020.

Wilder than Wild is a one-hour documentary that reveals how fire suppressioand climate change have exposed Western landscapes to large, high-intensity wildfires. The film goes on to explore strategies that are being developed to help mitigate the impact of these fires.

Column: This time, our future must be different

It’s difficult to find the right words. Even now, a week after the on-camera murder of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by police officers, and all of the fallout felt nationwide, I’m still trying to understand the world, how to respond as a community leader, and how to explain it to my kids. All of the frustration, sadness, and outrage — it all seems so familiar since we’ve all been witness to these acts before, all seen and read and heard about cases of unarmed black people and other people of color killed in police custody when it was clearly avoidable.

Prescribed understory burn in Sugar Pine Point State Park starts June 1

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – California State Parks will conduct an understory burn on four acres in Sugar Pine Point State Park beginning Monday, June 1, weather permitting.

Smoke may be visible.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team lists all current burn projects on their website at https://www.tahoelivingwithfire.com/get-informed/. The one next week at Sugar Pine is the only one currently scheduled.

South Lake Tahoe City Council to hold special meeting Thursday

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council will hold a special meeting on Thursday, May 28 beginning at 9:00 a.m. to discuss and vote on Emergency Order Number 1, send $100,000 to the Sierra Business Council’s “Resilience Fund Tahoe," the City's reopening plans and an urgency ordinance for relaxation of certain City regulations that may assist local businesses with a successful reopening.

Keeping Tahoe bears wild - COVID-19 closures can affect their behavior

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Spring is in full swing in the Tahoe Basin and Tahoe black bears are searching for food. Intentional or unintentional feeding of bears results in unwanted bear behaviors, increased human-bear conflicts, and public safety issues as well as fines and possible jail time for violators. Each year, local law enforcement and state wildlife officers respond to hundreds of calls in which bears may pose a public safety threat or are damaging property. In some cases, the bear must be euthanized.

Applications available for El Dorado County small business recovery funding

Since the beginning of March as the COVID-19 crisis was just beginning to feel like it could become a threat in our community, the El Dorado Community Foundation has granted out over $280,000 to individuals in need and nonprofits striving to continue providing their services through lost funding and canceled fundraisers.

The Foundation is beginning to shift focus from response to recovery as they see sectors of the community start to open back up. One component of that needed recovery will be in the form of financial support to the small business community.

Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities Weekly Tip #8: Create Defensible Space

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities is presenting their eighth "Tip of the Week," an ongoing series for the public since they are unable to perform their normal community outreach services. All tips are ways people can prepare for wildfire while staying at home. They will be providing a total of ten tips.

Tip #8: Create Defensible Space

Prescribed burn operations at Sugar Pine, Glenbrook and Zephyr Cove

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District (TDFPD) and California State Parks will conduct understory burns at Lake Tahoe in the coming days.

TDFPD is planning on burning in Glenbrook on May 12 and in Zephyr Cove on May 20, 2020. State Paks is planning on burning at Sugar Pine Point State Park on the West Shore on May 11 and May 18. Both are weather permitting and smoke be visible.

Glenbrook - Burn Type: Hand Piles, Total Acreage: 3.00
Zephyr Cove - Warrior Way, Burn Type: Understory, Total Acreage: 2.00

Prescribed burn operations resume on Lake Tahoe's northwest shore

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) has resumed prescribed fire operations in the Tahoe Basin. California State Parks is currently conducting operations at Burton Creek State Park on Tahoe’s northwest shore and will continue over the next three weeks, weather permitting. Smoke may be visible. View map with project locations/details at https://www.tahoelivingwithfire.com/get-informed/ and sign-up for prescribed fire notifications by sending an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us.

Operation information:

What is being burned - Seven acres of hand piles

South Lake Tahoe forecast: Mostly sunny days with above normal temps to start the week

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - High pressure will dominate and bring above normal temperatures through Wednesday. Rivers and streams will run faster as snow melts, but no flooding is expected. A low-pressure system will usher in breezy and cooler conditions for the last part of the week with an increasing potential for showers by Sunday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno.

Douglas County to VHR owners and tourists: Do not rent homes, Do not visit at this time

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - Consistent with directives issued by Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, and the guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control, Douglas County is urging travelers and short-term rental owners/managers, to take this threat to our community seriously, act responsibly and refrain from renting vacation home properties to non-essential travelers at this time.

Syndicate content