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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Many Facebook users have been following South Lake Tahoe resident Brenda Simpkins since the pandemic began. She started posting festive cocktail photos on the social media site from her balcony with Mt. Tallac, a meadow, and Lake Tahoe in the background.

The COVID-19 virus is widespread throughout the South Lake Tahoe community. Transmission is taking place at its highest rate to date largely due to cooler weather moving gatherings indoors. Any gathering outside of your immediate household is now the largest vehicle for spread.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Caltrans is planning a $16.8 million U.S. Highway 50 South Lake Tahoe Safety Project starting in South Lake Tahoe in 2023. Circulation of the project's Draft Environmental Document (DED) was expected on November 25, but it has been delayed, Caltrans announced Tuesday.

The safety project is proposing to install additional intersection and mid-block lighting, pedestrian signals and advisory signs from the “Y” intersection to Pioneer Trail.

Santa is going to be very busy this season in South Lake Tahoe, not only preparing his gift list for children and keeping the elves busy, but by answering each and every letter left for him in a special mail box.

2020 has been a difficult year for many, and who couldn't use some extra cheer with a letter from the jolly guy in the red suit? He will be responding to each child with a message about kindness and hope during challenging times along with a special personalized certificate of kindness!

California State Park and Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District crews are scheduled to continue prescribed fire operations this week, weather permitting. Smoke may be visible.

Project Name: Secret
Responsible Agency: Tahoe Douglas Fire District
North of Glenbrook
Burn Type: Hand Piles
Total Acreage: 10.00
Planned Ignition: 11/23/2020
Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 2-4 days of ignition and 2 days of burn down time
Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: North/Northeast

Project Name: Sugar Pine Point State Park

STATELINE, Nev. - Nevada’s non-restricted gaming licensees reported a total “gaming win” of $822,676,544 for the month of October 2020, the fifth month of casinos reopening in the state after being closed due to the coronavirus. This amounts to a 19.50 percent decrease compared to October 2019, when licensees reported a gaming win of $1,021,966,875, according to the monthly report released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board today.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials say another 88 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since Friday. Of those, 18 are in El Dorado Hills, 14 in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, four in North County, one in South County, 10 in Greater Placerville, one in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, three in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz, 25 in Lake Tahoe region. There are 12 awaiting address confirmation.

One of those new cases, 12 are under the age of 18, 49 are aged 18-49, 15 are aged 50-64, and 12 aged 65 or older.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif - It was a true community effort to get the Christmas Tree delivered to the Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe last week. For the third consecutive year, a tree was selected from the South Shore to be on display for the holiday season.

On Monday, November 16, 2020 the 64-foot tree was cut down by Kenny Curtzwiler of K & K Services at 6:30 a.m., lifted by a crane and placed onto a flatbed truck, escorted by South Lake Tahoe Police and CHP, driven to its destination, lifted off the truck and placed into a stand to be decorated.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - Elementary students in Douglas County are receiving free Child Safety ID kits from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO). These kits are a helpful resource for parent nd law enforcement to identify a child in case of an emergency.

The school district office will be distributing the kits where were made possible by a generous donation from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Advisory Council.

Governor Steve Sisolak announced a "at least a three-week statewide pause" to protect Nevadans from the pandemic due to a surge in positive cases and deaths. Starting Tuesday, November 24 at 12:01 a.m. there will be tighter business restrictions and a stricter mask mandate in the state of Nevada.

Many thought he would be calling for a shutdown in the state, but instead he chose the "pause" at this time. Sisolak said ten percent of all COVID-19 cases in Nevada since beginning of pandemic have been recorded in the last seven days.

Sugar Bowl Resort and Royal Gorge Cross Country will open for the 2020/21 winter season on Friday, November 27, 2020 with new safety procedures.

“We are eager to welcome our guests back to the mountain and are thrilled that opening day is just a week away,” said Greg Dallas, President and CEO of Sugar Bowl/Royal Gorge. “Our team has worked tirelessly on a reopening plan that keeps the safety of our guests and staff as the top priority.”

The evacuation order for residents affected by the Mountain View Fire in Walker, California will be lifted on Sunday, November 22, at 8:00 a.m. Residents are asked to please use the reentry site on Highway 395 and Eastside Lane.

The fire started about 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, November 17 in the Coleville area and quickly grew due to the high winds and dry grass, affected the towns of Coleville, Walker and Topaz. 20,879 acres have burned to date and the fire is 60 percent contained. Over 200 firefighting personnel remain at the scene dealing with hot spots and completing containment lines.

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. At this time there is no work scheduled for the South Lake Tahoe area.

Most traffic-interfering work will be restricted from 6 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 until 10 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials say another 31 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, ten are in El Dorado Hills, one in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, three in North County, four in Greater Placerville, one in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, and 13 in Lake Tahoe region (One fewer "address awaiting confirmation"- the count by region will only add up to 31 if there's a "-1" from the "address awaiting confirmation" category. Right now the County currently awaiting for address confirmation for 2 cases).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The California Highway Patrol South Lake Tahoe office is joining in on the holiday spirit this season with the CHiPs for KIDS 2020 campaign. With a goal of helping to bring holiday cheer to local families in need they are holding a local toy drive with two drop off locations.

Bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Jim Bagan Toyota dealership or CHP South Lake Tahoe office from now until December 17. The toys will be given to South Shore children.

CHP South Lake Tahoe is located at 2063 Hopi Avenue and Jim Bagan Toyota is located at 1855 Lake Tahoe Boulevard.

The winners of the 13th annual Blue Ribbon Awards were announced Thursday, November 19 during an awards show shown on Lake Tahoe Television. In place of the annual awards dinner the community was invited to tune in virtually with hosts Chris Fiore from the City of South Lake Tahoe and Meg Peart from the Tahoe Resource Conservation District. If missed, everyone can watch the celebration of the 2020 finalists and winners at https://tahoechamber.org/13th-annual-blue-ribbon-awards-show/ (and don't read any further if you want to be surprised).

Crews began work this month in the marsh system of Taylor and Tallac creeks in the Southwest portion of the Tahoe Basin to remove aquatic invasive plants from an abundant and impacted marsh ecosystem, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) said today.

UPDATE 11/20 11:30AM: On the night of November 15, 2020, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) responded to a domestic violence incident in the 1200 block of Sierra Boulevard. A woman had been bettered after her boyfriend returned to their apartment after being at a local bar, allegedly throwing her around by her throat. The boyfriend, Brandon Bannowsky, then allegedly stole the victim's car and fled.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials say another 52 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, 15 are in El Dorado Hills, five in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, four in North County, one in South County, eight in Greater Placerville, eight in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz, and 11 in Lake Tahoe region.

One of those new cases, three are under the age of 18, 31 are aged 18-49, 15 are aged 50-64, and three aged 65 or older.

Another 374 people were tested for the coronavirus and 322 negative tests results were received.

Time is a unifier of sorts, isn’t it, even during a pandemic. It keeps marching on, month by month, day by day and minute by minute.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Those in the North Upper Truckee neighborhood in Meyers are still until a boil water advisory but that could be lifted Thursday. The South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) has received good results on their first set of water samples from the North Upper Truckee neighborhood.

STPUD collected 30 water samples from the affected Tuesday evening. The tests for chlorine residuals came back normal (ranging from 0.4 to 0.8 parts per million) and no coliform bacteria was detected in any of the samples.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The safety of patients and healthcare workers is Barton Health’s top priority. The health care system has operations in place to continue to meet the demand for medical services as COVID-19 cases surge across the nation and Lake Tahoe. After preparation for the anticipated increase of patient volume this fall and winter, aspects of Barton’s plan are being implemented to meet the needs for patient care.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Due to the continued dramatic rise of COVID-19 cases in the community, Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) has moved all schools and programs to distance learning starting Thursday, November 19.

A significant number of staff members currently have COVID-19 or have been in direct contact with a confirmed positive individual.

Tuesday's Pinehaven Fire in the Caughlin Ranch area of Reno burned quickly inside a 1,200 acre perimeter, taking with it five structures and damaging another 15. One of the homes lost belonged to the O'Brien family who lost their second home in 19 months.

The family of four, soon to be five, had recently moved back in after losing it the first time to an electrical fire when it was under construction. Mom Marie "Mimi" O'Brien is 37 weeks pregnant, expecting their third son in just three weeks.