laws

During their April 19 meeting, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Lake Tahoe Unified School District’s Safe Routes to School Master Plan. With this approval, the Supervisors support plans to improve pedestrian and bicycle access and safety around Lake Tahoe schools through infrastructure upgrades, education and encouragement programs, and better enforcement of traffic laws.

Rafael Corea, a 61 year old former restaurant worker, has failed to register as a sex offender and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department would like to find him.

In 1995, Corea was convicted for lew and lascivious acts with a minor aged 14 or 15. As part of his conviction he much register as a sexual offender for the rest of his life, and he failed to do so in 2015 as required.

SLTPD detectives discovered Corea has moved out of his former residence in South Lake Tahoe and his current whereabouts are unknown, and they'd like the public's help in locating him.

The following is a recap of activity the South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to 134 calls between March 23 and March 28, 2016.

Calls Resulting in Arrests:

3/23
2:49 a.m.- Liquor Laws in 3300 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd - Officer saw two minors with bikes parked, sitting drinking beers. They said a man went into the Safeway Gas Station and bought it for them. Man providing beer was found, arrested for providing alcohol to a minor, and kids arrested for minors with alcohol.
12:07 p.m. - Battery in 1000 lock of Heavenly Village Way

Great news! Compared to last year, our violent crime rate is down 41% (from 112 occurrences in 2014 to 66 in 2015). The news is not all good. Our property crime rate is up 6% (from 516 in 2014 to 548 in 2015). This was not unexpected as we reported on a significant upward trend in property crime 6 months ago. Total crime is down 2.2% over last year.

While California figures are not in yet, Nevada has released a report on their traffic fatalities for 2015.

Preliminary data shows that there were 321 Nevada traffic deaths in 2015, an increase by 30 deaths over the previous year.

When compared with the number of miles driven in Nevada, though, traffic deaths have dropped from an average of 1.54 deaths per every 100 million miles traveled in 2008 to 1.13 fatalities per 100 million miles in 2013. Statewide, traffic fatalities reached an all-time high of 432 in 2006.

Hundreds of new California laws take effect on January 1, 2016, many that will have tangible impacts on the lives of Californians as they work, drive, ride a bike and shop.

Here is an overview of some of them:

Transportation:

Now that the gift giving season is upon us, many people may have model airplanes, drones or quadcopters on their wish list. There are some new rules in place that all users of the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) need to know.

The Federal Aviation Administration today that all UAS units weighing between 0.55 pounds and 50 pounds must be registered by February 19th, 2016.

The following is a recap of activity the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. They responded to 446 calls between November 2 and 18, 2015.

Calls Resulting in Arrests:

11/2
Petty Theft in the 1700 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd
Drug Offense in the 800 block of Tallac Ave
Drug Offense in the 3600 block of Spruce Ave

11/3
Warrant in the 2600 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd
Weapons in the 1400 block of Melba Ave
DUI in the 3600 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd

11/4

The Reno Gazette-Journal filed a lawsuit Friday against the city of Sparks in an effort to compel them to release the names of medical marijuana business licensees.

As the newspaper expands its coverage of Nevada’s burgeoning medical marijuana industry, the RGJ has requested and collected copies of current business licenses for cultivation centers, dispensaries and production facilities in the area. Reno and Washoe County both have policies to release all of the information that the licenses entail.

U.S. and Nevada regulators have fined Caesars Entertainment Corp.’s bankrupt unit a total of $9.5 million for deficient anti-money-laundering controls at its Caesars Palace VIP rooms, which cater mainly to Chinese high-rollers.

Operation Vigilance, a multi-agency collaborative effort to verify sex offender registration compliance, was conducted in the Carson, Douglas, Storey and Lyon County areas. Over the course of three days and nights, from Thursday, July 30th through Saturday, August 1st, 2015, nearly 30 officers with area law enforcement agencies knocked on doors and made contact with community members to carry out this important operation.

The controversial bill that would give California one of the country's strictest vaccination laws headed on Monday to Gov. Jerry Brown's desk, with supporters urging him to sign it and opponents promising to stand vigil around the clock to convince him to veto it.

On Monday, a majority of the California state Senate again passed Senate Bill 277, incendiary legislation that would require almost all schoolchildren to be fully vaccinated in order to attend public or private school, regardless of their parents' personal or religious beliefs.

The only exception would be for medical reasons.

In light of the recent officer involved shooting in South Lake Tahoe, the discussion about body cameras being worn by local law enforcement has once again surfaced. While there has been discussion by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD), according to Lt. Brian Williams, no decisions have been made.

"A large part [of the wearing of cameras] hinges on the State as there may be regulations coming soon," said Williams. He said they have to watch out for taxpayers dollars and not spend money on a system that might not be allowed by state laws.

Every year for two weeks, hundreds of Lake Tahoe residents and visitors park their cars and ride their bikes to work, school, and for fun. Participants in the Tahoe Bike Challenge, which runs from June 1 to June 14, track their miles and join the friendly competition for fun prizes and bragging rights.

Biking season is in full swing for mountain and road riders alike. Here are a few pointers to keep you riding smoother, safer, and more comfortably throughout the season!

Don’t wear underwear under bike shorts. I’ve had this conversation with several patients and it's worth mentioning, loudly and boldly. Bike shorts are supposed to be worn commando and without undergarments. It decreases chafing from seams and makes the ride more pleasant. I promise!

A simultaneous sting operation between the California State License Board and the Nevada Contractors License Board snared 5 people on the California side of South Lake Tahoe and 12 on the Nevada side on April 27, 2015.

This was the 4th annual Border Blitz which targets unlicensed contractors who operate illegally under California and Nevada laws.

The one day operation took place at a house near Pioneer Trail and a condominium in Stateline, NV.

The National Little League pledge, written by Peter J. McGovern in 1954, reads as follows:

I trust in God
I love my country
And will respect its laws
I will play fair
And strive to win
But win or lose
I will always do my best

It has long been a tradition in South Lake Tahoe where players recite the pledge prior to every Major Division Little League game.

That tradition ended this year as the local Board of Directors decided to remove the words "God" and "country" from the pledge so it would read like this:

I will play fair
And strive to win
But win or lose

Marijuana is still on the list of dangerous drugs after U.S. Federal Court Judge Kimberly Mueller's ruling in Sacramento Wednesday. The move disappoints advocates that saw the case as a chance to get closer to their goal of nationwide legalization.

Mueller denied the motion of the defendants in United States v. Bryan Schweder to dismiss an indictment on that basis that the continued scheduling of marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance in federal law was unconstitutional.

To save lives and educate all Californians, especially young drivers, about the dangers of distracted driving, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), California Highway Patrol (CHP), Impact Teen Drivers, and more than 200 law enforcement agencies statewide are working together on increased education and enforcement efforts for National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April and California Teen Safe Driving Week, the first week of April.

This Webinar will focus on alcohol and drug testing in the workplace. The learning objectives will include identifying the costs/risks to businesses’ associated with having employees who are substance abusers. Also, inform employers on how to introduce an alcohol and drug testing program at their company and familiarize employers with the state laws of workplace drug testing. Lastly the webinar will discuss recent judicial decisions in cases challenging an employer’s drug testing policy. The webinar will be held from 12:00pm-1:00 pm. Cost: $45.

This webinar will focus on the common misunderstood aspects of Nevada’s various leave laws. The leave laws that will be reviewed for employers will include the FMLA, ADA , and other state law leaves. This program is pending HRCI approval. $45 to attend the Webinar. Can't Attend The Live Webinar? Cd's & Mp3 Recordings Are Available To Purchase. Please register online: www.suttonhague.com/events/|email:yvette@suttonhague.com| or by phone [702-270-3065].

This webinar will include the following: identification of the costs and risks to businesses associated with employing substance abusers; informing employers how to introduce an alcohol and drug testing program; familiarize employers with the state laws of workplace drug testing; and discussion of recent judicial cases challenging an employer’s drug testing policy.

Webinar will be held on November 4, 2015 from 12:00pm-1:00 pm. Cost: $45 per line. Please register online: www.suttonhague.com/events/; email: yvette@suttonhague.com; or by phone 559-325-0500.

It's a sunny afternoon at Kelly's Collective, a medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles, and Nikki Esquibel is getting stoned. But you wouldn't know it.

The 19-year-old, who has a medical prescription for marijuana, is "smoking" pot with a handheld vaporizer, or a vape pen. It's sleek, black, and virtually indistinguishable from a high-end e-cigarette.

That's the point, says Esquibel. "I use it mostly around my neighborhood. It's easy to hide." The vapor coming from the device doesn't even have much of an odor.

Plastic bags, driver's licenses, selfies, assisted living and teens are just a few of the subjects the new laws in California will address in 2015.

Here are just a few of the 930 new laws: