health

STATELINE, Nev. - The Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority (TDVA) voted unanimously Wednesday afternoon to cancel the 4th of July fireworks show on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe due to concerns around COVID-19 and large group gatherings.

Not all is lost though as TDVA is planning on a Labor Day Lights on the Lake show on Sunday, September 6, Labor Day Weekend. That show will depend on the coronavirus situation at the time and the TDVA board of directors has until July 23 to decide and not be held to any fees from Zambelli Fireworks, the producer of the show.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City Council voted Tuesday to amend their Emergency Order No. 1 from April that authorized administrative citations and fines of $1,000 for violations of the Governor's Stay at Home Order.

The City will not be fining second homeowners who visit their home in South Lake Tahoe but they will continue to fine those found renting out vacation homes until the Governor's ban on non-essential travel is amended.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - California Governor Gavin Newsom has given El Dorado County the go-ahead to move fully into Stage 2 of the reopening phases. They joined Butte County to became the first two counties in the state to be allowed to move forward.

While businesses can start to reopen, there is still a statewide ban on nonessential travel. Second-home owners are still asked to respect that order and come to South Lake Tahoe to check their homes, or quarantine upon arrival. Vacation rentals are still not allowed in this stage.

ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. - Alpine County is grateful to report that we still have only one resident with a laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 infection. That occurred in March, the person was not hospitalized, and has recovered. Surrounding counties continue to report either no change or a small increase in the number of cases (El Dorado – 56, with 20 in South Lake Tahoe, Douglas (NV) – 24, Calaveras – 13, Amador – 8, Tuolumne – 2, Mono - 32).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The May 12 agenda for the South Lake Tahoe City Council is a full one. The 9:00 a.m. virtual meeting will address the second reading of a wireless communication facility ordinance on private property, the first reading of the facilities on public property, a vote on $1,000 fines, reopening plans for City facilities and a hold on public events on City property until large gatherings are permitted.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Since Friday there have been two new cases of COVID-19 in El Dorado County. They are both in South County, one male, one female, 65+ and 18-49. This brings the total in the county to 56. There have been three new recoveries, so now 48, and eight active cases. To date, 3,193 residents have been administered tests in the county, with 258 since Friday.

Twenty people in the Lake Tahoe region of the county have tested positive. This region includes South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Kyburz, and Tahoma.

Totals for the county:

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Many South Lake Tahoe businesses will be able to open soon, but not until they have plans in place that comply with the State’s COVID-19 guidelines and the State approves and publishes the public health director's signed Variance Attestation and supporting documents.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev./Calif. - Local boats will soon be able to get into Lake Tahoe, but boaters from out of the area will have to wait until COVID-19 reopening phases allow them.

On Friday the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) announced a phased approach to boating that discourages out-of-area visitation as part of state and local coordination on recreation guidelines for Lake Tahoe this season.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Plans for the partial reopening of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County are in the works, with the Board of Supervisors voting on a plan during a special meeting Friday, May 8, starting at 8:30 a.m.

During a Special City Council meeting Wednesday, the council put their support behind what the county decides so all can be on the same page and not confuse residents and visitors with separate rules.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - County officials are reporting no new COVID-19 cases, with nine active cases remaining. They also say there were no new recoveries on Thursday.

To date, 2,770 tests have been administered.

Twenty people in the Lake Tahoe region of the county have tested positive. This region includes South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Kyburz, and Tahoma.

Totals for the county:

Pollock Pines, Camino,Kyburz - 1 (Zip codes 95726, 95720, 95709)
El Dorado Hills - 19 (Zip Code 95762)
Diamond Springs, El Dorado - 0 (Zip codes 95623, 95619)

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has unveiled his plan for the state to reopen under phase one starting May 9, 2020. Outdoor malls, restaurants, hair salons, and barber shops are among those able to reopen with new standards for safety.

"We must stay safe so we can stay open," said Sisolak of the ability to move into phase 2 by the end of May, or sooner.

"The beginning of the reopening of our economy is not the end of the coronavirus," said Sisolak during a press conference Thursday afternoon. "It's still with us, as strong as ever. It will not go away until there's a vaccine."

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - There has been one new reported case of COVID-19 in El Dorado County since Tuesday, this time in the Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue area. The person is a female between the ages of 50-64.

Residents have been given an additional 178 tests, including those administered and the two new stations in Shingle Springs and South Lake Tahoe. There are currently nine active cases with no new recoveries.

Twenty people in the Lake Tahoe region of the county have tested positive. This region includes South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Kyburz, and Tahoma.

NORTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Following the recent announcement the Incline Village/Crystal Bay fireworks show being canceled in 2020, North Lake Tahoe, Kings Beach and Truckee join the list in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and current state orders.

The Tahoe Chamber is holding another Virtual Town Hall this Friday, May 8 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This week's meeting is with Barton Health and will provide the community a health update and answer questions about COVID-19 testing.

Speakers will include:

- Dr. Clint Purvance, CEO, Barton Health
- Steve Teshara, CEO, Tahoe Chamber

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - There have been six new cases of COVID-19 in the county since Friday, four in the Lake Tahoe region, one in El Dorado Hills, and one in Cameron Park.

The new cases are two men, four women - five are in the 18-49 age range, one in the 50-64 age range.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Even though schools are not currently open, registration is underway for kindergarten and Transitional kindergarten in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD).

To be eligible for kindergarten enrollment a child must be five years of age on or before September 1, 2020. If the child will be five years of age between September 1, 2020, and December 2, 2020, they qualify for Transitional Kindergarten (TK); a two-year Kindergarten program located at Tahoe Valley Elementary School.

LTUSD is also offering an Early Entry TK program for students born between

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County officials announced Sunday they will open two appointment-only community sites for COVID-19 testing for any resident wanting to be tested for the virus, one in South Lake Tahoe and the other in Shingle Springs.

These sites follow Governor Newsom's announcement last week to add more than 80 community COVID-19 testing sites across the state, focusing on underserved communities. His goal is to test 60,000 to 80,000 people per day for the virus as the state prepares to reopen.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Since yesterday, the El Dorado County Public Health Department has reported three new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the county told to 47.

Health officials say just one of those cases in actually new, and the other two were listed in the Sacramento County figures. Their identification showed a P.O. Box in Sacramento, but they actually live in El Dorado Hills. Both have since recovered.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Dr. Kendra Yee received a "landslide" of nominations from staff and physicians to be the 2020 Barton Health Doctor of the Year.

Dr. Yee is Chief of COVID-19 Emergency Operations, Chief of Staff, Medical Director of the Emergency Department, and a practicing Emergency Medicine Physician at Barton Memorial Hospital.

Heartfelt nominations for Dr. Yee spoke to her vision and dynamic leadership on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic, and steadfast care for patients and healthcare workers alike:

NORTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With Placer County’s local health order expiring May 2, county officials and the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association are reminding would-be-visitors that while they are preparing now for when North Tahoe reopens, that date still depends on the state’s timeline for loosening physical distancing requirements.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The current order restricting travel into the Lake Tahoe Basin has been extended by the El Dorado County Public Health Officer Dr. Nancy Williams.

Originally set to expire on April 30, the ban's extension begins at 12:01 a.m. May 1.

The ban is for all nonessential travel into the El Dorado County portion of the Lake Tahoe Basin from outside the basin. Dr. Williams will review the current situation with local health care professionals at least every 14 days.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - One more person has recovered from COVID-19 in El Dorado County, bringing the total number of cases to four. There were no new cases on Wednesday, with 44 total positive tests in the county. There were 50 more tests for the virus Wednesday, with 2,050 total tests issued with 2,006 negative or pending results.

Fifteen in the Lake Tahoe region of the county have tested positive. This region includes South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Kyburz, and Tahoma.

Totals for the county:

Pollock Pines, Camino,Kyburz - 1 (Zip codes 95726, 95720, 95709)

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The largest wetland restoration project in the history of the Lake Tahoe Basin is now underway in the Upper Truckee River Marsh. The major project to restore the marsh in South Lake Tahoe has been years in the making to fix the environmental damage done by the creation of the Tahoe Keys.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - One layer of stay-at-home orders has been lifted for El Dorado County as its Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams, has lifted her stay-at-home directive effective April 30, the original date it was to be lifted when set on March 19.

This doesn't mean that South Lake Tahoe and the county are open for business though as the State's order is still in effect.

"We are requesting from the Governor that we [South Lake Tahoe] can move towards reopening in a phased approach with attention paid to his six guidelines," said South Lake Tahoe Mayor Jason Collin.