importance

Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) is one of a handful of California community colleges that has significantly closed equity gaps and increased success rates for Latinx students, according to a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Airbnb has responded to a letter written by local officials who asked for assistance in stopping short-term rentals (STR) during the current Stay at Home Order. From December 28 through January 1 the vacation home rental reservation platform said they are blocking guests from booking in Placer County, El Dorado County and the Town of Truckee.

Tahoe is a wonderland. Every season creates not only beautiful landscapes, but also new opportunities to get outside and play. For those of us that enjoy playing in the outdoors there are some simple practices we can all engage in to spread cheer all year and everywhere.

Tread Lightly
In the show “The Crown” the queen educates Margaret Thatcher on proper behavior while stalking a stag. She mentions the importance of dressing properly, speaking quietly, and avoiding wearing perfumes. The same is true for spending time outside while visiting Tahoe.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The new Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Deputy Forest Supervisor Danelle D. Harrison is our guest columnist and looks back, and ahead, to the health of Lake Tahoe

Looking Back

December is a special time of year when our thoughts turn to family and friends, and communities come together to celebrate the season. It also marks the end of the year. And what a year it was. Together, we experienced unprecedented events including a record-breaking wildland fire year in the Pacific Southwest Region.

In a year filled uncertainties and safety mandates, many have been anxiously awaiting the ski season at Lake Tahoe. Heavenly Mountain Resort opened last week, and now their sister Vail property, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, has opened.

As long as allowed, Kirkwood's winter operating plan is focused on comprehensive safety protocols, Kirkwood opened Friday with more than 180 acres of beginner, intermediate and advanced terrain.

Building professionals are invited to join a free virtual workshop from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on November 18 to learn how to design, build, and retrofit homes to withstand wildfire.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce Board recently asked the nine City Council candidates ten questions they felt were of most importance to its members. The questions focused mainly on topics relating to things that will or may affect both the local small businesses and the community in general.

Their board made the decision to not endorse a specific candidate this election, but instead rank them based on how much they align with the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce goals based on their answers to the questions below.

The reminder to schedule a breast cancer screening test comes on strong during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. This month, let each splash of pink you see be an encouragement to get screened with a self-exam, physician exam, or a mammogram.

It’s also a good time to get a feel for your own unique breast density, and establish a baseline to help identify warning signs of breast cancer, including:

- A lump in the breast or armpit
- Swelling or thickening of all or part of the breast
- Dimpling or skin irritation of breast skin
- Localized, persistent breast pain

The I Run With Maud-South Lake Tahoe group is holding a rally at Lakeview Commons on Sunday, September 27 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to celebrate free speech, inclusion and diversity.

Organizers said they'd like to see many of our neighbors represented at this fun, safe, family-friendly, peaceful event. They expect to have a variety of local speakers and an event that is "inspiring, uplifting and overwhelmingly positive for the South Lake Tahoe community.

Volunteers to help are also needed.

Heavenly, Kirkwood and Northstar, all members of the Vail Resorts family, will be operating differently during the winter season 2020/21. Vail plans on opening both Heavenly and Northstar on November 20 and Kirkwood on December 4.

Ticket sales, use of season passes and facility uses will all be handled to promote physical distancing and protect the safety of staff and guests.

By motor or by paddle, the experience of boating on Lake Tahoe is like none other. Hovering over its crystal clear shallows and unfathomable depths inspires awe, and the surrounding mountains and forests combine for a breathtaking experience. Given this, it is understandable that boating is both a major part of Tahoe’s culture and its regional economy.

STATELINE, Nev. - A familiar face on the South Shore is returning to be the senior vice president and general manager for Harrah’s and Harveys Lake Tahoe properties.

Caesars Entertainment made the announcement today that John Koster will return to the Lake Tahoe gambling scene after the merger of Eldorado Resorts and Caesars Entertainment.

Please join Make Tahoe Records at Scott Forrest Fine Art Studio on Saturday, August 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for The Art and Music of Yvonne McGrath in the premiere of “Sound and Vision.” This is a series of introductions to the work of visual artists and the reciprocal connections of music and their art.

In the spirit of reciprocity, a portion of the proceeds from sales of Yvonne McGrath’s work and vinyl from the Make Tahoe Records pop-up exhibit will be donated to the Tahoe Art League as part of the “Saturday Show of Support” series.

To help stop the spread of the coronavirus, California Governor Gavin Newsom has added more counties to his "watch list," those showing concerning trends in rates of COVID-19. This list now numbers 37 which makes up 93 percent of the state's population. There are 58 counties in the state.

New on that list are Mono County (home to Mammoth Mountain) and Santa Cruz County, a popular tourist destination. North Lake Tahoe is in Placer County which was added to the list earlier this month.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Just as many other cities around the country have done, the City of South Lake Tahoe is partnering with local residents to act as volunteer ambassadors to reach out to the community and visitors about the importance of safety during the pandemic.

“We have said the entire time to do everything you can to stay safe, so Tahoe can stay open,” said City Manager Joe Irvin, “This ambassador program is about making sure people wear a mask, wash their hands, and do their part to make sure visitors and residents alike stay healthy during this crisis.”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - School Resource Officers, or SROs, have been a recent topic of conversations in the community with some residents questioning the need for an armed officer on South Lake Tahoe campuses.

The word "resource" gives one an insight into their position - a resource for the students, and not only at school. A resource for the parents. A resource for the school district. A resource for the school.

And the job doesn't end there.

In South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and Mammoth Lakes, our public lands are woven into the fabric of life. These lands are symbols of our strength and keepers of serenity in these turbulent times. As we've seen locally, our parks and public lands are a beloved resource and one that is essential for our collective recovery. If we want our parks and public lands to be there for us for the long haul we need to invest in them now.

Heidi Hill Drum, CEO of the Tahoe Prosperity Center, has stepped in to serve as co-chair of the California Stewardship Network, an alliance of regional economic leaders throughout the state, which are instrumental in leading economic recovery efforts in their respective regions.

Drum, who lives on the South Shore, will serve alongside Oscar Chavez, assistant director of the Sonoma County Department of Human Services.

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - Washoe County deputies on board Marine 9 found a couple clinging to a deflated raft on Lake Tahoe around 3:00 p.m. Thursday, June 18.

Deputies aboard the boat were patrolling just northwest of the Thunderbird Lodge on the east shore when they spotted a number of items, including paddles and shoes, floating on the lake.

The Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities (Tahoe Network), with generous support from the Tahoe Fund, is hosting a free virtual screening of the award-winning documentary Wilder than Wild: Fire, Forests, and the Future through the Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema from June 5 - June 11, 2020.

Wilder than Wild is a one-hour documentary that reveals how fire suppressioand climate change have exposed Western landscapes to large, high-intensity wildfires. The film goes on to explore strategies that are being developed to help mitigate the impact of these fires.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There have been no new cases of COVID-19 in EL Dorado County since Monday. 176 more tests were administered, with 4,584 tests to date. One more person has recovered, bringing that total to 53, leaving 14 active cases.

There have been 25 cases in the Lake Tahoe area (including South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Kyburz, and Tahoma).

Pollock Pines, Camino,Kyburz - 2 (Zip codes 95726, 95720, 95709)
El Dorado Hills - 19 (Zip Code 95762)
Diamond Springs, El Dorado - 3 (Zip codes 95623, 95619)
North County - 3 (Zip codes 95664, 95614, 95651, 95635, 95634, 95633)

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.

STATELINE, Nev. - Three candidates for the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners have been endorsed by the Tahoe Chamber Board of Directors: Larry Walsh, Nathan Tolbert, and Danny Tarkanian.

Walsh is seeking reelection for District 3, Tolbert is a candidate for the open District 5 seat, and Tarkanian is running for election against incumbent Commissioner Dave Nelson in District 1.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A search warrant served at a South Lake Tahoe home on April 15, 2020, has resulted in the arrest of a local 39-year-old snowboard and soccer coach on alleged child pornography charges.

Timothy Daniel Mackey was arrested without incident by the FBI and U.S. Marshals at his home during the search.