change

Up until only a few decades ago, for as long as humans have existed, parenting has been guesswork. New parents would get information and guidance from their elders or peers based on anecdotal evidence. We are lucky enough to live in an exciting time where we have research to find evidence for what parenting strategies and qualities lead to the most successful outcomes for children. Of course, there is not one cookie cutter way for each child, and being flexible in learning what works best for your child is essential.

At a price tag of $150 million, the California legislature is considering a bill that, if approved, would change the way the Sierra snowpack is measured each year.

For 90 years the snowpack has been measured at several locations including Phillips, just west of Lake Tahoe. Normally performed in front of media, staff from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) snowshoe into a spot where they stick a pole into the snow to measure the depth and water content of the snow.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Looking for a career change or your first job? Interested in what choices there are on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe, both on the Nevada and California side?

Or, are you a business in search of staff?

The opportunity comes later this month for both those looking for employees and those seeking employment when The Collaborative hosts a regional job fair at Harrah's Tahoe on April 23 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In a world where youth are faced with continued bullying on social media and at school, and where they feel disconnected and unsafe, a program continues to be offered to South Lake Tahoe students to change the direction of negative outcomes.

Imagine a school where everyone feels safe, loved and celebrated. Imagine enemies finding common ground and making peace; friends healing past hurts and making amends; people igniting their passion for service and leadership; adults and youth working together to create a school where everyone is included and thrives.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. The City of South Lake Tahoe has launched its new
newsletter - "At Lake Level." The monthly newsletter is written by City Manager Frank Rush and prepared by Communications Manager Chris Fiore in an effort to keep the community well informed about City issues and initiatives.

New Leadership

Between 12,000 and 14,000 small lakes are scattered throughout the Sierra Nevada. How is climate change affecting these remote mountain lakes?

Recent research provides insight into the climate sensitivity of these water bodies and the influence of warming temperatures and a shrinking spring snowpack. Join Dr. Adrianne Smits on Thursday, April 25 as she discusses how lakes across the Sierra Nevada are expected to change and what that change could mean for the surrounding ecosystems.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - During their mid-cycle review of South Tahoe High School (STHS) the visiting committee from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) provided the school with positive feedback on all they are accomplishing at the school.

"Students and families feel safe on the campus and have multiple opportunities for connectedness to the school," said the committee in their report. "The facility is kept clean and safe from accidents. An SRO (student resource officer), social worker and empathy training has made the campus a friendly place for students and staff."

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) will start the process to raise water service rates by up to six percent and sewer rates by up to five percent in order to start replacing aging pipes and providing improved fire flow throughout their service area. If fully implemented, this increase would fuel an $81.5M capital improvement program for sewer improvements, and $70M for water system improvements, especially fire flow projects.

As the seasons shift from cold, dry, and grey to warm, damp, and sunny we can easily become swept up in the shift and can lose ourselves in the change. Yoga is a practice of establishing balance, ease, and steadiness. The better we become at recognizing how seasonal changes affect us, the more harmonious we will feel year round.

Understand Your Surroundings

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A vacant one-half acre lot on Emerald Bay Road at the "Y" in South Lake Tahoe will soon become an “affordable by design” housing project and could be the site of tiny houses. At Thursday's California Tahoe Conservancy meeting they announced their intent to sell one of its developable properties to Dinsmore Sierra who will finance and build the project which is across the street from Alpina Cafe.

With the season we've had in the Sierra, who wouldn't want an extra hour of sunshine to beat those end-of-winter blues? (Even if we might have to wait for sunshine and no snow for a few days)

Don’t forget to set any clocks that aren’t on a smart device ahead one hour before heading to bed Saturday night, and, if you're like me, it will take weeks to pull out the instructions on changing the clock in our cars and on the microwaves.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It's been over three decades in the making. The US50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project, also known as the Loop Road, is getting closer to becoming a final plan and its implementation.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council heard a presentation by Tahoe Transportation District (TTD), Lew Feldman and John Hasty of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) on Tuesday, outlining what has been accomplished and what is left to be done.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The forecast for the Lake Tahoe Basin is beginning to sound like a broken record: rain, snow, repeat. Next week won't be much different as it will start off fairly quiet before the next storm heads into the region Tuesday night through Friday with periods of valley rain, mountain snow, and gusty winds.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno says the slushy snow we've been seeing at lake level could change and to expect colder conditions returning at the end of the week with snow possible at all elevations.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It is being called #FebruBURIED for a reason, record snowfall on the slopes of Lake Tahoe and in the communities in the basin that never stopped. Resorts have broken records for the month, prompting Vail Resorts to announce today they are extending the 2018-19 ski season.

Heavenly Mountain Resort - Plans to extend the season through April 28, with a bonus 3-day-weekend May 3-5.
Northstar California Resort - Plans to extend the season through April 21, Easter Sunday.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Not only has the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) added some new recruits, they've also promoted from within.

Nicholaus "Nick" Carlquist is the newest sergeant on the force.

The Cal State Monterey graduate became a paramedic before sponsoring himself through the police academy and ending up with the Hollister (CA) Police Department.
Nick then came to South Lake Tahoe and has been with the department since 2008.

Vail Resorts has announced leadership changes after the vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain said he is retiring after 25 years with Vail Resorts.

With Doug Lovell's retirement at Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek’s Beth Howard has been tagged as hi placement. Nadia Guerriero, current vice president and general manager at Northstar California Resort, will move to Colorado to succeed Howard at Beaver Creek and the Company will immediately begin a search for her replacement at Northstar.

These changes will also occur on May 1, 2019.

We are not unique in the fact that traffic apps have been showing shortcuts and causing headaches in neighborhoods, which have become freeways filled with people speeding through them to "save" up to a minute on their commute.

We do not have the luxury of support from our elected officials as other communities do, so we must come up with a solution ourselves.

Meyers is under siege every weekend with tourists trying to get home after a long weekend of enjoying what we sometimes take for granted and they are using traffic apps to try to get around the gridlock.

After a six-month investigation into drug transactions in the Lake Tahoe Basin, the El Dorado Sheriff's Department Narcotics Task Force executed search warrants at two locations in South Lake Tahoe on August 23, 2017. Large amounts of heroin, methamphetamine and approximately 12 firearms were seized in the search. Lynwood Towle, Shawn German, Melissa Griffis, Paul Ryan, and Krystal Long were all arrested, charged, and eventually pleaded guilty to various charges stemming from those searches.

“Sales volumes and prices are down”
“Facing another bubble?”
“Millennials aren’t buying”

The headlines are intimidating if not scary. But let’s compare the market data for single-family residences to discover the real story:

South Lake Tahoe & County

....................4th. Quarter ‘17........4th. Quarter ‘18
Active listings..........unavailable.................71
Pending Sales............unavailable.................12
Units Sold...................183....................153
Median sales price.........$449,000...............$455,000

Do you know what it is like to be caged like a wild animal? Do you know what it is like to scratch at the insides of a jail cell wall as you scream for your freedom? Do you know what it is like to have your nightmares as your only company?

I can’t say that I know what it’s like. I really can’t.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - If you were planning on crossing the Sierra this evening, you'll have to change those plans now that US50 over Echo Summit has been added to the road closure list.

Severe weather conditions have led to numerous accidents and stranded vehicles.

Snow at times has been falling at 4.5 inches an hour. Caltrans closed the roads for safety.

Current closures:

Interstate 80: Eastbound commercial vehicles are being turned at Applegate; passenger vehicles are being turned at Colfax. Westbound at the Nevada state line

The journey started as South Lake Tahoe resident Ari Ramos touched the Atlantic Ocean and left Jacksonville, Florida on January 28, 2016, , and if all goes well it will end this February when she touches the Pacific Ocean at the Santa Monica Pier.

UPDATE -9:30 a.m. - That high pressure appears to be buckling, allowing for some storms to come inland and to Lake Tahoe. See the update here - http://southtahoenow.com/story/01/28/2019/change-weather-ahead-lake-tahoe.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - High pressure centered near the West Coast will bring dry conditions and above average temperatures through the first part of the
week. By Friday, an area of low pressure is forecast to move into to

I was recently watching the movie Castaway. This time, as I watched, I thought about how it was filmed. As the movie begins, Tom Hanks’ character has a bit of a belly. As the story progresses he becomes thinner and more muscular. I assume the effect was created by filming in reverse; he began as thin and muscular and gained the weight afterward. I began thinking about how easily we can change when we put our minds to it.