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A 26-year-old male employee at the Heavenly Mountain Resort children’s ski school was officially charged Wednesday for child exploitation and possession of child pornography after images were found on an electronic device at the resort.

Stephan L. DeGraffenreid of Gardnerville was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of possession of child pornography.

Women of all ages can experience health and wellness activities that unite the body and mind at the sixth annual Ladies’ Morning Out on Saturday, April 29 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Lake Tahoe Community College.

“Ladies’ Morning Out is an opportunity for women to take time out for themselves,” says Natasha Schue, Barton’s Community Relations Coordinator. “The event celebrates health and wellness through fitness, pampering, and connecting with others.”

“This is our fourth time volunteering and our family loves it,” said Lenny Hellman on behalf of himself, wife Sarah and daughter Samantha Lee. “Our experience is rewarding as we are able to contribute to the community.”

Hosting their first “Adopt A Day of Nourishment” on Monday, March 27 the Hellman Family members were welcomed by the Bread & Broth volunteers as they joined in helping with the meal’s setup, serving and cleanup.

There are now 27 cities in the United States committed to operating with 100 percent renewable energy, will South Lake Tahoe be #28?

Cities already on board include both large an small communities. Some of those are Madison, Wis.; San Diego, Calif.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Pueblo, Aspen and Boulder, Colo.; and Moab, Utah. Efforts are currently underway for Truckee to join that group. Even Las Vegas operates their municipal buildings and facilities with 100 percent renewable energy.

People driving through South Lake Tahoe have mostly likely cringed as their car finds a pothole on a local street. That, or dodged them all by driving in a zig-zag pattern that appears to be that of a drunk driver.

After a winter with extreme rainfall, constant snow removal and high groundwater, there is most likely no street that has been spared an outbreak of potholes.

After Tuesday's City Council meeting, help is on the way!

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Local Realtors recently donned rabbit ears and grabbed empty Easter baskets to fill with donations for 80 children in the South Lake Tahoe community.

The South Tahoe Association of Realtors (STAR) and their Community Service Committee combined their funds with donated money to shop for items to fill Easter baskets.

The committee was able to donate 80 baskets to the Family Resource Center and Live Violence Free Center in South Lake Tahoe. These organizations give the baskets to kids who otherwise would not receive anything this season.

A woman visiting South Lake Tahoe has not been seen since Monday afternoon.

Sacramento resident Pamela Suwinsky, 62, left Motel 6 on foot between 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. She left behind her purse, cell phone, car and beloved dog. She did have her ID and credit cards with her.

At 10:00 p.m., the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) responded to the motel located at 2375 Lake Tahoe Blvd. after Pamela's ex-husband and long-time friend reported her missing.

Dr. John Kleppe, Professor Emeritus, University of Nevada-Reno, will be the speaker for the Lake Tahoe Historical Society's Spring General Membership Meeting, Tuesday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. in the historic Camp Richardson Lodge. The topic is Ancient Mega-Droughts in the Lake Tahoe Basin & Beyond.

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What has become an out-of-control, unsightly and all too common practice at Lake Tahoe snow play areas now has a champion to control abandoned sleds.

Tahoe Fund Executive Director Amy Berry brought several organizations together to discuss potential solutions to resolve this issue. It had been on their radar for some time, but with the rapid growth of discarded sleds covering the landscape, Berry and the Tahoe Care Team of the agency knew something had to be done immediately.

Help support local charities at the 18th annual Heavenly Ski Patrol fundraiser, Boardwalk Beach Party. Join them on April 8 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Hard Rock Lake Tahoe.

There will be carnival games, raffles, a silent auction, avalanche dogs, live music by "Hare of the Dawg", food, beer, wine and much more. Two lucky raffle winners will receive a Grand prize of a Tahoe Value 2017-18 season pass!

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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, California State Parks and the U.S. Forest Service plan on continuing prescribed fire operations April 3, weather and conditions permitting.

Scheduled operations are near Tahoe City, Glenbrook, Round Hill, Kingsbury Grade, and Meyers.

A) 30 acres in Glenbrook
B) 40 acres at Edgewood Creek
C) 15 acres on Lower Kingsbury
D) 30 acres at Burton Creek State Park
E) 50 acres at Logan Creek and Highway 50 near Cave Rock
F) 20 acres on Grass Lake Road and SR89
G) 30 acres on SR89 and Luther Pass

Due to the recent increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases in Carson City, Douglas and Lyon Counties, the health departments in those communities are reminding members of the community to get vaccinated.

The Lake Tahoe forecast this week includes something for almost everyone: Snow, sun, and temps near 60.

Starting late Sunday night, a chance of rain and snow returns with a much higher chance for significant precipitation by Friday morning. The Sunday/Monday system is out quickly with highs into the 50s Tuesday-Thursday.

The forecast for South Lake Tahoe from the National Weather Service in Reno:

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 Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

3/26

10:07 a.m. - Obtain Credit Under False Pretenses/ Nez Perce Dr - VICTIM HAD HER CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT USED FOR PURCHASES WHICH THE VICTIM DID NOT AUTHORIZE.

South Lake Tahoe, CA – The votes have been counted and Lance Orr, MD has been named Barton Health’s Doctor of the Year.

Dr. Orr is a board-certified emergency physician and medical director at Barton Hospital’s Emergency Department. He is considered a “physician of all trades” and is currently acting as Barton Health’s interim Chief Medical Officer.

The following are incidents the South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue department responded to from March 7-22, 2017.

3/7: 9 calls - 1 EMS, 1 interfacility transfer, 2 carbon monoxide detector calls/no leak, 1 vehicle accident with injuries, 1 good intent, 1 water issue, 1 public service, 1 dispatched and canceled en route

3/8: 9 calls - 4 EMS, 2 interfacility transfers, 1 interfacility psych transfer, 1 vehicle accident no injuries, 1 smoke scare

3/9: 7 calls - 3 EMS, 1 interfacility psych transfer, 1 false alarm, 1 unintentional alarm sound, 1 detector activation/no fire

Good morning skiers and riders, and if you're visiting, welcome to Lake Tahoe!

Today is Saturday, April 1.

Shaping up to be a Beautiful Day with 24” of Fresh Pow… April Fools Day… Spring Weather Returns today with Sunny Skies and warmer temps… Get out and enjoy your April Fools Day… Heavenly is hosting Gunbarrel 25 this today & Sierra at Tahoe hosting “Dual on Dynamite” on Sunday… Come out and hits the bumps and join me as I announce these annual event… Have Fun & Be Safe!

Do you love Lake Tahoe and the outdoors? Come learn skills for exploring the natural world around you and how to capture your adventures in a nature journal. We’ll learn to see more when we’re out in the Tahoe wilderness, how to identify what we encounter, and practice drawing and writing about all of it! Some materials will be provided but bring a notebook and pen if you have them! Make sure to dress for the weather—we’ll be going out exploring! Free and open to all children over 10 years of age. Additional meetings will be held on various Saturdays. The next two are April 22nd and May 13th.

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A gas explosion destroyed a home in Kirkwood on Friday, March 31. This was the second gas explosion at a home near the ski resort in a week. On March 25, a home suffered damage when a gas line caused another explosion.

The two homes are about a half mile away from each other and both explosions are under investigation according to authorities.

Nobody was home at Friday's explosion.

At this time, no other details are being released and it is unknown if the incidents are related.

Kirkwood is a community and ski resort about 35 miles south of South Lake Tahoe on SR-88.

Search and Rescue volunteers were dropped off on Jake's Peak Thursday to help an injured backcountry skier get off the mountain which is located inside Desolation Wilderness at Lake Tahoe.

At 2:30 p.m. on March 30, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDSO) received a call about the injured skier, a 24-year-old man from San Luis Obispo who was in the area on Spring Break. He had been skiing near Jake's Peak when he suffered a lower leg injury and couldn't get out on his own.

The 2nd annual South Lake Tahoe Science Expo will be held April 4-7 at Lake Tahoe Community College and volunteers are still needed to help make it another success.

The Science Expo provides over 30 hands-on science activities for upper elementary students to learn about science. This year's theme is Earth and Space Science.

All the activities will be ready to go and volunteers will be trained for their station, so no science background is needed. You might even learn something new while teaching the local youth!

More signs that California is rebounding after five years of drought were evident on Echo Summit Thursday morning as the snowpack measured at 183 percent of average. This snow water equivalent (SWE) reading by the team from the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program was 46.1 inches.

The readings represent 183 percent of the long-term average at the Phillips measuring station near Sierra-at-Tahoe. Statewide, the electronic readings from 95 sites in the Sierra showed the snowpack at 164 percent of average, or 45.8 inches. Average for all of the Sierra Nevada is 27.9 inches

March 31 update: A suspect has been arrested in San Bernardino County and is being held on $1,000,000 bail. For more on the update: http://southtahoenow.com/story/03/31/2017/suspect-arrested-south-lake-tahoe-crime-where-man-was-bound-gagged-and-injured

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A South Lake Tahoe man has been hospitalized after he was found bound and gagged inside his apartment Wednesday night by a concerned co-worker.

A stretch of Highway 50 over Echo Summit has been renamed the Firefighter Michael "Mikey" Hallenbeck Memorial Highway, and his family is raising funds to produce and install the signs.

Hallenbeck died fighting the Sierra Fire in August of 2015, near where he worked as a ski life operator. The 21-year-old was also a wildland firefighter for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.