legislature

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Many head to the Sierra to experience snow in all forms, from the ski slopes to sledding and building snowmen. Even during the pandemic and current "Stay-at-Home" orders in California, area roads were full this past holiday weekend with those seeking play time in the snow.

Each year, law enforcement has to deal with those who seem to have forgotten the laws of being safe on the roadway and parking on the highways, and not observing "no parking" zone rules.

South Tahoe Now reached out to all nine candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council and provided the same list of questions to each one of them. Once a day their answers will be published in the order received.

Today's candidate is Cristi Creegan

Profession: Business Owner

How many years in SLT: 23 years

Blue Raz Cotton Candy, Peach Green Tea, Pink Spot and Frozen Lime Drop are just a few of the names of flavored tobacco that will no longer be allowed on the shelves in California after Governor Newsom signed SB793 Friday. The bill was created to stop kids from getting addicted to tobacco and vaping and is an addition to existing law, the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Act.

The bill takes effect Jan. 1, 2021.

The ban includes the sale of everything from menthol cigarettes to e-cigarette flavors, including pods for vape pens, tank-based systems, and chewing tobacco.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) has selected a seasoned professional with two decades of experience in California state policy and politics to fill a critical role during unprecedented and uncertain times.

New laws will be going into effect in California in the new year, putting into place California legislature action during 2019. There are many changes including road safety and distracted driving penalties, roadkill rules, minimum wage, independent workers and rent caps.

Except where noted, these laws are effective January 1, 2020:

Traffic Safety

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is highlighting several new laws passed this year:

The 2019 legislative year for California has come to an end and Gov. Gavin Newsom wrapped u the session with signing several bills. His first year of office saw 870 new laws and 172 vetoed proposals.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - A new $5 per night surcharge will be added to all hotel rooms and other transient lodging accommodations within the Lake Tahoe Township area of Douglas County.

As a result of Senate Bill 461, the new law adding the fee went into effect July 1, 2019, giving the new charge to Tahoe-Douglas Visitor’s Authority (TDVA) for a planned event center in Stateline. It affects all bookings received by the lodging properties after July 1.

STATELINE, Nev. - Douglas County Redevelopment Area No. 2 (RDA2) at Stateline is moving forward despite a move to have it dissolved by Douglas County Commissioner Dave Nelson.

There was an overflow crowd at the commissioner's June 20 meeting at Lake Tahoe. Many of those who could not fit in the meeting room were accommodated with audio feed in the judges' chambers and the bottom floor of the parking garage.

At a price tag of $150 million, the California legislature is considering a bill that, if approved, would change the way the Sierra snowpack is measured each year.

For 90 years the snowpack has been measured at several locations including Phillips, just west of Lake Tahoe. Normally performed in front of media, staff from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) snowshoe into a spot where they stick a pole into the snow to measure the depth and water content of the snow.

Douglas County has made it clear to the State of Nevada they won't stand for any legislation that exceeds federal firearm transfer requirements. Their reaction came after Governor Steve Sisolak signed SB 143, a bill that would require background checks on gun sales, on February 15, 2019.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It has been just two weeks since the final count of the November 2018 election was certified in El Dorado County and there is already a lawsuit surrounding the outcome of Measure T.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - From 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., local voters will be casting their decisions for the future of South Lake Tahoe government, El Dorado County government, cannabis, vacation rentals and state and federal issues and candidates.

A historic number of voters are expected both nationally and locally. During the last California gubernatorial election in 2014 voter turnout was at a record low, but the opposite is expected in 2018.

The Nevada Promise Scholarship began accepting applications for its second-year on Wednesday, which allows students to attend Nevada community colleges at virtually no cost.

Last year saw more than 1,300 students become eligible to receive the scholarship and attend the College of Southern Nevada, Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows Community College, or Western Nevada College this fall semester nearly for free.

The California primary is on Tuesday, June 5, and a lot of decisions are facing voters in South Lake Tahoe both at the county and district level, as well as at the state level.

California changed their primary system ten years ago for the top offices and now it is the two candidates with the most votes on Tuesday that will head to the November elections, no matter which party they belong to. Prior to this system it would be the top democrat and top republican that would face off.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council will take a look at vacation home rental (VHR) fines at their meeting on Tuesday, May 15. In a story that has had national attention, the $1,000 fines for violations of parking, noise and other ordinances for each the renter and homeowner have become the spotlight.

Council will look at the fines and rules for parking and bear boxes, and the fact that both renter and homeowners are fined for each instance.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Last October, California experienced a series of devastating wildfires that destroyed property and took lives. In a four month period the State endured fires and floods from San Diego to Mendocino that destroyed over 11,000 homes and commercial structures and killed 64 Californians. Local Government fire and rescue personnel and equipment comprised up to 80 percent available resources for mutual aid throughout the State. The City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Department along with other fire agencies around the basin engaged in these critical fire fights.

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors have voted for a temporary ban of commercial licenses for both medical and recreational cannabis in El Dorado County with the exception of medical cannabis dispensaries allowed to operate under ordinance 4999.

At the same time, they voted to create a new ad hoc Cannabis Advisory Committee to study and create ballot measures for different cannabis commercial uses tied to
taxation for a local election.

Supervisor Sue Novasel, who represents the South Shore will join Supervisor Ranalli on the new committee.

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office now has a designated E-commerce Exchange Zone for members of the public looking for a safe, neutral location to complete online transactions.

Two parking spaces in front of the Sheriff’s headquarters at 911 Parr Boulevard in Reno are reserved specifically for e-commerce transactions. Those spaces are located near the front of the parking lot, in a well-lit area subject to 24-hour video surveillance.

The Board of Directors of Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District (TPRID) will hold a special meeting on June 15, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. at Paradise Park to hear public comments, and to consider whether to request that the El Dorado Local Agency Formation Commission convert the district from a “Resort Improvement District” to a “Recreation and Park District.”

Friday's board meeting of the California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC) was delayed almost two hours due to ice on the road near near Zephyr Cove, causing it to close, and those weren't the only icy conditions on the South Shore that day.

The other ice could be felt during the meeting as conflict of interest, ethics, integrity, suspicious actions and lack of transparency were the theme of the day.

All three items on the agenda Friday were placed there amid a stressed relationship between the City of South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County and Patrick Wright, the Executive Director of the CTC.

The deal to bring the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas is one step closer after the Senate approved a more than $1.1 billion public funding package for an NFL stadium and convention center upgrades in Las Vegas.

What seemed like an uncertain proposition early in the day came to fruition after a lengthy amount of closed-door wheeling and dealing. Five senators opposed the measure, including state Sen. Julia Ratti, D-Sparks, who was appointed to her district for the special session, and state Sen. Don Gustavson, R-Sparks.

Phillip Garrido is now eligible for release over 400 years early.

Douglas County residents who are not registered as Republicans will not have a say in who the next Douglas County Commissioners will be.

Why?

Because of a new Nevada law that says: If all candidates for an office are from the same party the election for that office will be completed in the primary election. Only those affiliated with that party will be able to vote.

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: