joann conner

Local author JoAnn Conner will be speaking and signing books at the Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum on Saturday, March 30, at 1:00 p.m. The topic will be "The Importance of Research in Writing." Conner will introduce her latest book, Death Song, and will have all three of her mystery novels available for sale. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Historical Society.

The museum is located at 3058 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

South Lake Tahoe JoAnn Conner will be at Camp Richardson on March 11 at 11:00 a.m. for "Sunday Morning With a Local Author."

Conner, who has written two books will be giving an author talk and book signing.

The first, Heartwood, is historical fiction centered in 1867 Bridgeport, CA, but also adds historical bits about Carson City, Genoa, and Virginia City. Information about the everyday life is historically accurate.

The South Lake Tahoe Cancer League has a lot to be grateful for this past year. For nearly four decades, the volunteers of this organization have driven patients from South Lake Tahoe to their medical treatment, at no charge to the patients or their families. The drivers take patients to Reno, Carson City, Minden, Truckee, and as far away as UC Davis. The Cancer League also gives limited monetary assistance in the form of small grants to the patients to help with their monthly expenses.

The 7th annual Lake Tahoe Home and Garden Show is coming back to the South Tahoe Middle School Multi Purpose Room on April 27 and 28, 2018. Produced by Golden Bear Events, the show will run from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. This family friendly show offers free admission for attendees and door prizes.

Local author JoAnn Conner will hold a book signing of her first novel, Heartwood, at Rainbow Sprinkles Donut and Frozen Yogurt Shop on Sunday, August 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The were some questions surrounding Monday's special meeting of the South Lake Tahoe City Council, a meeting that will both certify the November 8 election results and honor outgoing City Councilmember JoAnn Conner with a plaque of appreciation.

In 2014, a special meeting was held to honor outgoing council members Angela Swanson and Brooke Laine, both who lost in their bids for reelection. Conner lost her reelection bid this year.

There are two items on the agenda for a special meeting of the City of South Lake Tahoe City Council on Monday, December 12, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.

Outgoing City Councilmember JoAnn Conner will be recognized with a plaque for her four years of service on the Council.

The other agenda item is the official acceptance of the November 8 election results which put Brooke Laine and Jason Collin on the Council, and passage of Measure P and T. Once accepted, Tuesday's Council meeting will entail the swearing in of the election winners.

On Wednesday, the El Dorado County Elections Department released more results from the November 8 election. There are still approximately 200-300 ballots remaining to count from County Supervisor District 5 which is from Pollock Pines to South Lake Tahoe and Tahoma.

"We'd like to not wait until the December 6 deadline, but there are quite a few provisional ballots left to count," said Justin Canning of El Dorado County.

All ballots must be certified 28 days after the election, hence their December 6 deadline.

The election was seven days ago, but the final ballots cast in El Dorado County have yet to be tabulated, and it might not be until Friday for the results of over 20,000 ballots are released. Another 3,000 provisional ballots should be counted by Monday.

As of 5:00 p.m. November 15, the 20,000 ballots were about to be scanned.

Many are ready for this election to be over the national level with the negativity surrounding the campaigns. On a local level there are several choices before voters.

If you have not already submitted your ballots, find your polling place here:

California
Nevada

If you live in the South Lake Tahoe City limits, you are able to vote for two of ten candidates for City Council (in alphabetical order):

Brooke Laine
Dan McLaughlin
Jason Collin
JoAnn Conner

Two hot topics for locals were discussed during a Caltrans informational meeting at the Lake Tahoe Airport on Thursday evening: A roundabout and viaduct replacement.

The 3-legged Roundabout

Citing the safety of the intersection of Highway 50 and 89 in Meyers as the catalyst, project managers, engineers and planners unveiled their plans for a three-legged roundabout at the intersection to the dozens of interested citizens who attended.

South Tahoe Now is offering a new feature this election season, Ask the Candidates. Send your questions of Douglas County (Lake Tahoe side) and South Lake Tahoe candidates candidates, and South Tahoe Now will ask, and get their answers.

Please send your questions to: southtahoenow.com/contact.

The local candidates are:

South Lake Tahoe City Council
Jason Collin, JoAnn Conner, Patrick Jarrett, Brooke Laine, Ted Long, Danny Laughlin, Harold "Trey" Walker III, John Shearer, Robert Topel, Tamara Wallace

Deadlines for candidates interested in sitting on four local boards and councils have come and gone for most of the contests, so there is now a much clearer picture on the November elections.

There are now ten people interested in sitting on the South Lake Tahoe City Council. With a deadline of 5:00 p.m. on August 17, the last of the candidates submitted their paperwork just under the wire.

The race for the two open South Lake Tahoe City Council seats may turn out to be an interesting one as several people have expressed interest in serving the community with a four-year term.

As of Tuesday, eight people have been issued sets of filing papers with four people turning them in and being qualified to run.

Those running thus far are Patrick Jarrett, Ted Long, JoAnn Conner and Robert Topel.

The deadline to qualify is this Friday, August 12 at 5:00 p.m. If incumbent Hal Cole doesn't decide to run again, the deadline is extended to Wednesday, August 17.

The City of South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Unified School District, Lake Tahoe Community College and South Tahoe Public Utility District have all released advertisements, press releases and emails to the public, looking for candidates for their open seats this election season.

There will be two open seats for City Council, three seats for LTUSD School Board of Trustees, two for LTCC Board of Trustees, and two for the STPUD Board of Directors. All will be voted on during the next election, November 8, 2016.

During the City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 21, the following items will be addressed and possibly voted on:

The approval of $627,371 to be spend on the lobby of the SLT Airport to make improvements for both appearance and aging electrical and lighting. A Verdi, Nev., company submitted the bid to add a gas fireplace, log and iron accents, stone facade, new windows, walls and ADA complaince.

Approve measures to add two new tax measures to the November ballot, one to increase Tourist Occupancy Tax (TOT) by 2 percent and the other to increase sales tax by 1/2 percent.

As a follow-up to their February 16 meeting, the South Lake Tahoe City Council Tuesday looked at proposed changes to the Vacation Home Rental Ordinance that are meant to streamline City Code, remove duplicate language and make it easier to read.

Hilary Roverud, the SLT Deputy Director of Development Services, made the presentation that covered self-limiting occupancy, parking standards and apartments being used as vacation rentals.

The agenda for the South Lake Tahoe City Council was a light one this week.

The plastic bag ban ordinance was amended to only affect grocery stores and not retail outlets. Former Mayor Hal Cole asked for the issue to be brought back before the council in October. "I thought we were only voting to bring the ordinance back for review, not to pass it," Cole said about his vote on October 15, 2013.

Plastic Bag Ban Timeline

September, 2012 - City's Sustainability Committee eyes plastic bag ban

City Councilwoman JoAnn Conner filed a lawsuit against the City of South Lake Tahoe and City Manager Nancy Kerry in El Dorado County Court on Wednesday, December 9, asking for the City Council's censure of her be withdrawn.

In a special meeting of the Council on October 19, Conner was censured for interactions she had with City staff which at times were described as bullying and creating a hostile work environment.

It was a changing of the guard during Monday's South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting. Wendy David moved from her position of mayor pro tem to mayor, and Austin Sass took over the second-in-command duties.

Councilmember Tom Davis, who has served as both mayor and mayor pro tem, was also interested in a fifth term in the pro tem spot but the nod went to Sass.

The fourth Annual Holiday Parade to benefit Christmas Cheer is seeking a sponsor to purchase a new banner. High winds last year destroyed the old banner which is on display at the South Lake Tahoe Visitors Center.

Parade organizer JoAnn Conner and her Golden Bear Events, is looking for donation(s) to help purchase a new one to leave more of the proceeds to Christmas Cheer, a local food closet.

This year's parade will be held on Saturday, December 12th, and begins at 3:00 p.m.

There's an old joke about the seasons in Lake Tahoe: There are two seasons in Lake Tahoe. Winter, and Road Construction.

While the "winter" comment may not be as it once was, there is no question about "road construction" as it now goes from May through October.

Part of living in the mountains is sharing our best weather months with construction workers, road controls and traffic cones. Residents get that. But what drivers went through during the 2015 construction on highways 50 and 89 was not only inexcusable, it was preventable.

During a special meeting of the South Lake Tahoe City Council on Monday, October 19, JoAnn Conner was publicly censured, a first of its kind for the City. An overflowing crowd spent over three hours in Council Chambers as comments were made both supporting Conner, and against what they said was "abusive, bullying and intolerant behavior."

With flags lining the American Legion in South Lake Tahoe, the community bowed their heads and remembered those that lost their lives on the dark day, September 11, 2011.

Fourteen years ago 2,977 people died as terrorists hijacked four passenger planes, smashing two into the World Trade Center in New York. A third jetliner rammed into the Pentagon outside Washington while a fourth one crash-landed on an empty field in Pennsylvania.