enforcement

There is an increase in illegal sales of tobacco products in El Dorado County, including South Lake Tahoe.

County health and law enforcement officials released the results of a recent operation where trained youth volunteers, aged 14-17, went into stores to purchase cigarettes. Of the 142 retail stores the youth went into, 32 stores sold them tobacco.

Top women's cycling teams from around the world will converge on South Lake Tahoe for the Amgen Tour of California Women's Race title May 8-9. Fourteen teams will take part in the three stage cycling competition which will have both start and finish lines at Heavenly Mountain Resort's California Main Lodge

The race is sanctioned by Union Cycliste International, denoting the highest level for a non-World Cup event.

Vacation home rentals are an everyday part of life in South Lake Tahoe, though during weekends and holiday periods their impact is much more noticeable. With the large number of visitors "living" in the area neighborhoods next to full time residents their impact has created tension over noise, trash and parking issues.

In the City limits there are currently 1,574 houses that have a permit to be operated as a vacation home. In comparison there are about 15-20% that number in vacation cities Santa Cruz and Napa.

Fact. Research has found that using a cell phone behind the wheel makes a driver four times more likely to get into a crash serious enough to cause injury.

Fact. When sending or receiving text messaging behind the wheel, a driver’s eyes are off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, equivalent to driving the length of a football field at 65 miles per hours.

Fact. The likelihood of crashes dramatically rise when your actions require a combination of visual, manual and cognitive attention

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 press time and the story will be updated when provided.

1/25
3:55 p.m. - Driving without a license - Emerald Bay - A 28-YEAR OLD MALE ADULT WAS CITED/RELEASED FOR DRIVING WITHOUT A VALID CA LICENSE.

A Chico man who works as a captain for the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department has been arrested on suspicion of child pornography.

Mark McLeod Wygant, 44, appeared in federal court Friday and is scheduled for preliminary examination Feb. 13, unless he is indicted earlier, which would change the appearance to arraignment, said Lauren Horwood, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Bond was not offered and he remains in custody at Sacramento County Jail.

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 press time and the story will be updated when provided.

1/18
3:52 p.m. - Domestic Violence - Wasabe Way - DATING CO-HABITANTS ENGAGED IN VERBAL DISPUTE.

1/19
2:23 p.m. - Dogs off leash - Lily Ave - TWO 23-YEAR OLD MEN WERE CITED FOR HAVING DOGS OFF LEASH WHILE ON CONSERVANCY.

Since the beginning of December, 2014 there have been 19 thefts, six burglaries and two robberies reported in the South Lake Tahoe city limits. While many of these are petty thefts, others have resulted in the theft of valuable jewelry, electronics and other belongings from residences while the owners weren't home.

Have you protected your home to the best of your ability? Many of us may think that "it can't happen to me," but when a home was burglarized around the corner from me, I changed that mode of thinking and started looking into ways to better protect mine.

Imagine packing up the car and heading up to South Lake Tahoe to enjoy a week at the large vacation home you just rented, only to find out that the house isn't yours to use when you arrive.

That scenario happened over the recent holiday when not one, not two, but four different groups thought they rented a home on Bonita Road near Heavenly Mountain Resort. All of the groups found a home for rent on Craigslist, a popular website used for buying, selling and renting.

1/10/15 11:45 a.m. update - The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a child abuse case involving a 2 month old infant.

On January 10, 2015 at 12:48 a.m., the two month old infant was taken off life support and died. The cause of death is pending autopsy.

Suspect Trent Getty was located in Sacramento, California at a Greyhound Bus Depot and was taken into custody by the Sacramento Police Department. Suspect Getty is in custody in the Sacramento County Jail and is awaiting extradition back to Douglas County, Nevada.

Investigation continues.

The following is a summary of accomplishments during 2014 by the City of South Lake Tahoe.

Strategic Priority: Fiscal Sustainability
The most important issue facing cities and local agencies is continued steadfast attention to the budget, both short term and long term fiscal impacts.

· Implemented “budget watch” approach to financial analysis; a year-long effort evaluating state, national and global economic impacts for South Shore economy, and capital investment opportunities

Preliminary data released today by the Nevada Departments of Public Safety and Transportation show that there were 284 traffic fatalities in the state in 2014, up by 18 deaths from the prior year.

Even though the crash fatalities are far below the state's high in 2006 of 432, the previous downward trend has been reversed the past few years.

A New Year's Day head-on collision on Mt. Rose Highway left one person dead, two sent to Renown Hospital by helicopter with major injuries and one taken by ambulance with serious injuries. The accident happened when a 1998 Isuzu Rodeo crossed over the center line and struck a 2003 Jeep Liberty. All three occupants of the Liberty were taken to the Reno hospital.

The driver of the Isuzu left the scene on foot after the accident which occurred just after 6 p.m. Witnesses said he was bleeding and looked injured.

7 p.m. update: South Tahoe Now carried a story written by KTVN News earlier today about the Tahoe Queen. They have printed a retraction as the Coast Guard and passenger's stories proved to be false:

2 News needs to make a correction to a story we first brought you early Thursday morning in regards to an incident involving the Lake Tahoe Queen, one of two tour boats that cruises Lake Tahoe.

South Lake Tahoe Police officers responded to a call of an armed robbery at the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant on Lake Tahoe Blvd in South Lake Tahoe Monday night.

At about 11:30 p.m., officers arrived in response to the armed robbery which had just occurred. When they arrived the suspect, described as 5'8" and 130 pounds, had already fled.

Kevin Dennis Golden, 39, of Reno, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

In the United States, 31% of all traffic fatalities involve drunk driving which means 10,322 people are killed by drunk drivers annually, with 802 of those in California alone.

With holiday parties and festive occasions, more people will be drinking that during a normal week.

Minors helping the South Lake Tahoe Police Department were able to buy alcohol at two local businesses on December 5, resulting in citations and fines for the clerks.

The participants of "Minor Decoy" tried to purchase alcohol from 33 licensees in the city.

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 press time.

11/15
3:37 p.m. - Mt. Tallac - SEARCH AND RESCUE INITIATED FOR TWO LOST HIKERS COMING DOWN FROM MT TALLAC. LOST WAS A 27 YEAR OLD WOMAN AND A 30 YEAR OLD MAN.

7:00 p.m. - Cherry Hills Circle - REPORT OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

9:38 p.m. - Martin Avenue - 27 YEAR OLD MAN ARRESTED FOR DUI.

11/16

A domestic argument in South Lake Tahoe Monday night lead to a woman getting into her car, driving over large boulders, through a building and coming to rest against a tree.

South Lake Tahoe Police, Fire, Paramedics and El Dorado County Sheriffs responded to a 911 call reporting that a car went through the local Jack in the Box. When responders arrived they found a car partially inside a building on the corner of Sussex and Brockway Avenues, across the street from the restaurant.

The 7th Annual Blue Ribbon Awards ceremony was the biggest yet, with 300 people at Thursday's banquet and 175 nominations of local businesses, employees and experiences.

Here is the list of winners:

Experience Award – Sponsored by Marriott Grand Residence & Vacation Club

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county.

The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore.

10/24
1 p.m. - Elks Club Drive - REPORTING PARTY CALLED EDSO DISPATCH AFTER FINDING DRUG PARAPHERNALIA ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY.

1:31 p.m. - South Avenue - A 93 YEAR OLD FEMALE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL.

South Lake Tahoe may be a small city of around 23,000 residents but it isn't immune to the big city problems of gangs.

Our mountain hamlet has white gangs, a black gang, hispanic gangs, motorcycle gangs and even white supremacists and sometimes they cross racial lines in order to beef up numbers. The gang names won't be mentioned in this article because of the advertising value it would give them as they try and recruit children and new members.

Last week's arrest of three gang members for a home invasion robbery brought the comment to the forefront..."Tahoe has gangs?"

Law enforcement and police dogs have been searching an area near the Tahoe Keys for a knife used in last week's attempted murder of a South Lake Tahoe woman.

Thomas Payne is accused of cutting his wife's throat with a large knife on October 16. He took off after the incident and returned to the scene several hours later. The knife used in the attack has not been found.

Payne's wife was taken to the hospital with life threatening injures and he was arrested on October 17 for attempted murder.