bomb squad

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Businesses and institutions across the country received emailed bomb threats Thursday, each demanding payment of bitcoin or risk the use of an explosive device at their location. Many of these emailed threats prompted evacuations and response by multiple bomb squads including South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County.

Officers from the South Lake Tahoe office of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to US 50 and Pioneer Trail Wednesday morning after a citizen reported a possible bomb laying in the roadway.

Upon arrival they observed what appeared to be some type of explosive ordinance in the road and called in the El Dorado County Sheriff's bomb squad. The roadway was shut down temporarily for public safety according to a post on the CHP Facebook page.

Ralph Jones, a 17-year veteran of the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, has been promoted from captain to battalion chief.

Jones has been in fire service for over 30 years and was previously with the East Fork Fire Protection District. He started with TDFPD in 1999 as a firefighter/paramedic.

"He is an accomplished and respected peer," said Eric Guevin, Fire Marshal.

Chief Jones has been married to his wife Julia for 37 years, and they have three daughters, three sons and five grandchildren. He resides in Minden where his service started as a volunteer firefighter in 1984.

For those that were on the South Shore on August 27, 1980, they'll be able to tell you exactly where they were, or what they were doing when law enforcement detonated a bomb that had been left inside Harvey's Resort casino in Lake Tahoe.

Three men planted a bomb containing 1,000 pounds of dynamite inside a machine they delivered to the second floor. Successful landscaper, John Birges from Clovis, Calif., the mastermind behind the bomb, was attempting to extort $3 million from the casino, claiming he had lost $750,000 gambling there.

Todd Moss has been promoted to Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District Battalion Chief. The South Tahoe High graduate has been with the department since 1998 when he started at a firefighter/paramedic.

In his new capacity, Moss will be responsible for the day to day operations for A Shift. Moss will also serve as the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Chief and Custodian of Records. Chief Moss will be the NV PERS Chief Officer Representative, a member of the Employee Benefits Committee and he will oversee the GASB 45 and 68 compliance requirements.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) responded to a call of a suspicious package left against the wall near the entrance of Starbucks, located at 1734, U.S. Highway 395 in Minden, NV.

Due to the heightened terrorist alert across the country over the holiday weekend, DCSO took precautions and had called in their Bomb Squad to evaluate the briefcase. It was determined that it was a laptop computer inside and not an explosive device.

Customers and employees were evacuated from businesses around noon today at the South Y Center in response to suspicious circumstances surrounding an overheard conversation and a possible bomb.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department received a call from an employee at the South Y K-Mart, stating they had overheard a suspicious conversation between store patrons. The employee stated that the patrons had exited the store and that the employee walked around the shopping center and reported hearing a ticking sound coming from the shopping center general mailbox.

UPDATE 8:06PM: Scene is secured, according to South Lake Tahoe Police. Highway 50 reopened as is Safeway. Best Western customers who were evacuated now allowed to return to their rooms.

UPDATE 8PM: Areas near Takela Drive and Fairview on Highway 50 have been blocked off for vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic, passersbys have been told to leave the area, a hotel has reportedly been evacuated, and a bomb squad has been staged at Safeway on Johnson Boulevard, according to South Lake Tahoe Police via dispatch.
At around 6:45 p.m. a bomb squad reportedly responded and was told to stage its operation command center at the Safeway store on Johnson Lane. According to dispatch via scanner a hotel was evacuated, also around 6:45 p.m. It is unknown at this time why the bomb squad was called or what the situation is. However, reports are that authorities were going to use a fire hose to blast water at whatever has been deemed suspicious. It is unclear whether it is a package under scrutiny. As of 7:57PM Highway 50 was still blocked and traffic was diverted.
Developing ....

A device was thrown through the window of Patient to Patient, a marijuana collective in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. on Thursday night, prompting a bomb squad unit from Douglas County to be called to the scene. No injuries were reported. The scene was rendered safe at 12:30 Friday morning.
The device, thought to be explosive, was reported to South Lake Tahoe dispatch at 10:15 p.m. Patient to Patient is located at 2314 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Tahoe Douglas Explosive Ordinance Disposal team was called in to handle a homemade explosive device found near 983 Tallac Avenue Tuesday morning.South Lake Tahoe p...

9. The ordnance consisted of unexploded gas canisters, grenade simulators, and an 81mm smoke mortar round. Authorities say dropping ordnance off in this manner is not safe. To dispose of items properl...