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South Tahoe High received news this week that they not only made one Top 10 list, but they were also named a California Gold Ribbon school.

A list of the top 10 public high schools in Northern California based on college readiness, according to U.S. News and World Report was released today, and South Tahoe High ranked #10.

With only 400 yearbooks purchased at South Tahoe High School last year, new Principal Chad Houck wanted to change that fact.

"The yearbook is a timeless record of each year at the high school," Houck said in a letter to parents. " It is a symbol of belonging to something good and important. It is also one of the traditions that students end their year with and can set the excitement for the next school year."

Up until the 1970s and 80s, people with severe mental illness were housed in institutions by the hundreds of thousands. Replacing long-stay psychiatric hospitals with less isolated community mental health services became the norm, and it created a whole new set of issues.

Members of the Western El Dorado Narcotics Enforcement Team (WENET) arrested two South lake Tahoe men on Thursday, April 30 after a week long investigation into circumstances surrounding a Craigslist ad.

David Anthony Reading of South Lake Tahoe responded to the ad of a motorcycle for sale on the west slope of El Dorado County. A county resident posted the ad and was contacted by Reading who offered the seller illegal narcotics as payment for the motorcycle.

The concerned citizen contacted the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.

In July of 2014, a packed house was at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Board Meeting (TRPA). The crowd, made up mostly of those in the Lake Tahoe real estate profession, were there to voice their concern about a proposal before the board to require completion of Best Management Practices (BMPs) by the time a home sold or the title would not be cleared until completed.

The real estate brokers and agents said they didn't find it appropriate that they should be the enforcing arm of TRPA.

If you've ever driven by South Tahoe Middle School just as the kids get to school, or as they depart, you know what an unsafe area it can be for students on bikes and on foot. Because of this, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District secured a $154,000 grant from the TRPA On Our Way program to work with the Lake Tahoe Sustainability Collaborative to conduct outreach and develop a connectivity and mobility plan for the area.

All bids for the final phase of the Sierra Tract Erosion Control Project may be rejected during Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Originally, Vinciguerra Construction was awarded the project even though their bid wasn't the lowest. The City felt the lowest bid, submitted by Burdick Excavating Company, didn't meet all of the federally required regulations (required due to federal financing).

Outdoor enthusiasts in Lake Tahoe will soon be able to access one of the North Shore's most popular destinations, Northstar California.

The Northstar Golf Course opens on May 15 with the rest of the extensive variety of summer adventure following with a May 22 grand opening.

Memorial Day Weekend marks the grand summer opening of the mountain bike park, hiking trails, and all activities, dining and shopping offered throughout The Village at Northstar.

Northstar Golf Course tees off Friday, May 15

"You got to do something as doing nothing is costing you money," City of South Lake Tahoe Fleet Manager Ron Corbett told the City Council Tuesday.

The 260 vehicles and equipment maintained by Corbett's tea of master mechanics have a continually rising age. The City's police cars have an average age of 10 years, the Fire Department's vehicles are an average of 11 years old and the rest of the fleet has been around for an average of 17 years. If the fire and police departments hadn't just purchased new vehicles the ages of vehicles would have been much higher.

Gaming veteran Chris Fiumara has been named as the new vice president and general manager of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in South Lake Tahoe.

The former man in the position, Don Marrandino, left a month ago after overseeing the construction and opening phases of the Hard Rock which opened January 28, 2015.

Dozens of community members came to the South Lake Tahoe Library Tuesday night to see what is being planned as an update to the Lake Tahoe Region Bike and Pedestrian Plan and give their opinions.

Those attending were asked to look at the plans displayed on boards lining the room, and give their comments on a variety of issues from safety to connectivity.

People were actively participating, telling the project planners, Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization (TMPA) and TRPA, what they felt was most important on infrastructure and goals.

The Nevada Department of Transportation’s Carson City Freeway Project has reached an important milestone with the recent opening of construction contract bids for the project’s final leg.

Road and Highway Builders’ approximately $42 million bid was named as the apparent low bid for the project. Final bid approval and contract execution will take place in future weeks, with the contract pending ultimate approval at the state transportation board’s May 11 meeting.

There was standing room only at Tuesday's City Council meeting as changes to the current Vacation Home Rental (VHR) ordinance were on the agenda.

Most of the audience was from the real estate and home rental management companies, both of whom felt there would be a lot of loss should a stricter policy be enforced.

Of South Lake Tahoe's 120 motels and hotels, 58 of them are being used for long term occupancy. This means that people are now living in 1,300 rooms that were never meant to be used as long term residences.

Since most of these units do not have refrigeration or cooking facilities, and because many times there are families living in a room meant for just two people for a night or two, the City is looking into the situation.

There were two high-end bike thefts in South Lake Tahoe city limits this week and the Police Department is issuing a warning.

One bike, a Kona ManoMano, was stolen off the back of a Tahoe Youth and Family Services board member's car as he attended an afternoon meeting at the agency's office on Fremont Avenue. His bike is described as a 27 speed Kona ManoMano, white in color with black printing. A witness saw a man walking by the parking lot with bolt cutters at approximately 4:20 p.m. on Monday, March 30. In a matter of moments the perpetrator was riding off on the bike.

Caltrans will be working on Highway 89 in South Lake Tahoe from the "Y" to Cascade Road, north of Camp Richardson and they are holding an open house about the project on Wednesday.

The South Lake Tahoe community to the informational meeting on Wednesday, April 1 at South Tahoe High School in the Student Union Conference Rooms. The school is located at 1735 Lake Tahoe Blvd. The student Union is located in the middle of the campus just beyond the back of the gyms.

Caltrans staff will be on hand to answer questions about the project.

The following is an opinion article from the Reno Gazette Journal and reprinted here:

It doesn't matter if you love or hate Democratic Sen. Harry Reid to agree that the announcement of his retirement just dramatically reduced our state's political power in Washington D.C.

Nevada will go from a state whose issues were often at the center of debate because of Reid's position as minority leader to a state without a congressional power player in either party.

The Douglas County Parks and Recreation Commission invites the community to review the phased improvements planned for Johnson Lane Park located on Stephanie Way during its Commission meeting on April 7, 2015, 6:00 pm at Piñon Hills Elementary School.

The Parks & Recreation Commission will be reviewing a conceptual phased improvement plan for the Johnson Lane Park. The estimated construction budget for the improvements is $750,000 and will include the following:
• A new playground system
• A picnic pavilion
• A restroom remodel

An overflowing audience of South Lake Tahoe residents, home owners, vacation home owners, real estate agents, property managers, vacation rental companies, locals and city officials were on hand Tuesday night at the Vacation Home Rental (VHR) community workshop held in City Council chambers at the airport.

City Manager Nancy Kerry ran the meeting, giving everyone a chance to speak their opinion after a short presentation.

We've got the need... The need for speed - networking, that is!

Enter the danger zone and get to know your peers during lighting fast speed networking at this special BAHM! on April 30 at Lucky Beaver Bar & Burger.

You'll have three minutes to get to know your partner & learn more about his or her business before meeting someone new. You'll walk away from this BAHM! with new connections for your professional life! Speed networking will last 45 minutes, so you'll have plenty of time to mix and mingle before and afterwards. Speed networking is optional if you do not wish to participate.

Location

It is getting close to the final design approval on the Bijou Bike Park and the City of South Lake Tahoe and Bijou Bike Park Association would like the public's input before submitting it.

The meeting will be held at the multi-purpose room at Bijou Elementary School located at 3501 Spruce Avenue in South Lake Tahoe.

A preliminary environmental report has been completed on the Tahoe Valley Area Plan and is ready for public input.

This report is created so the agencies developing the plan can determine whether a nEnvironmental Impact Report (EIR), a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), or a Negative Declaration is required for a project under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines.

There is an open seat on the Board of Directors for the Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvment District (TPRID), and appliations are now being accepted to fill it.

The volunteer position is open due to the resignation of Lorraine Anderson whose term expires on December 7, 2015. The current Board hopes to fill the position at the next TPRID meeting on March 26.

All directors, which compose a five-member board, have a vested interest to operate the business of the District to the best of his or her ability and conscience.

Beginning in Fall 2015, California community college transfer students who meet certain academic criteria will be guaranteed admission to nine historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), thanks to an agreement the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and the leaders of the institutions signed at the board’s meeting this week.