Middle School

More money is on the way to the South Shore to fund ambulance services thanks to a unanimous vote by the El Dorado County Supervisors during their June 27 meeting. An amendment was made to the original contract between the Cal Tahoe Emergency Services Operations Authority (Cal Tahoe) and the County, giving an extra $790,000 per year as well as funds to buy a new ambulance.

The extra money will help fund a special team for interfacility transfers.

Staff with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the League to Save Lake Tahoe (Keep Tahoe Blue) took the top prizes in the 2017 Tahoe Bike Challenge, while hundreds of Tahoe youth rode in increasingly large bike-to-school events.

Each year, for the first two weeks of June, hundreds of Tahoe residents and visitors participate in the Tahoe Bike Challenge. In teams or as individuals, participants join a friendly competition to see who can replace the most car trips with trips by bicycle.

It is that time of year again. It is time for the youth in our beautiful community to take the big plunge. We, the members of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board of Education wish to congratulate each and every member of South Tahoe High School and Mount Tallac High School class of 2017 for all their hard work, not just for the last 4 years, but for the last 12. We are deeply proud of our seniors, and we hope that moving forward you never forget the closeness and care of a community like South Lake Tahoe.

In addition to leadership events, club meetings, and recreation trips, the Club Live program at the Tahoe Middle School promotes service to others and on Monday, May 22nd, Club Live sponsored a Bread & Broth ‘Adopt A Day of Nourishment’. At the Monday Meal, program leaders Larry and Paula Lambdin and club members Mylee Blanchard, Destiny Hursh and Elisa Roberts provided incredible service to the guests who came to Grace Hall for a tasty and filling evening meal.

Free sports physicals for boys and girls are being offered by Barton Health at South Tahoe High School on June 5.

All high school, middle school, and Pop Warner athletes from South Tahoe area are eligible to attend the June 5 event at South Tahoe High School. Physicals are scheduled at 5:30 p.m. for South Tahoe athletes, 6:00 p.m. for Pop Warner football players, and 6:30 p.m. for Whittell athletes.

For the 12th year the Tahoe Bike Challenge will see how many locals and visitors will park their cars and use a bike to get to work, school and play. This year's event is from June 1 to 14.

Returning is the popular and friendly competition which pits students from local schools, businesses and agencies against each other in friendly competition to see who can replace the most car trips by bicycle.

"I's so excited!"

Eduardo Gutierrez has a lot to be excited about this week. He is attending his U.S. Citizenship ceremony today in Reno, a day after the school he is a custodian for, South Tahoe Middle School (STMS), celebrated him and his achievement with Red, White and Blue Day.

On Thursday, students and staff dressed in the colors of the flag, hallways were decorated and a ceremony was held to present Gutierrez with a flag for his home. "This is a big surprise, I'm so happy," he said of the celebration.

Carline Sinkler has been selected as the new principal of South Tahoe High School and the community is invited to meet her at the LTUSD District Office on Tuesday, May 23 at 5:00 p.m.

Sinkler comes from the San Francisco Unified School District where she has served as the principal of Herbert Hoover Middle School since 2013.

She was selected by the interview committee with "overwhelming enthusiasm" according to Shannon Chandler, the district's public information officer.

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) didn't give South Tahoe High and the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) the results expected after a WASC accreditation team visited South Lake Tahoe in the Spring of 2016.

Instead of an expected six-year term they received a two-year accreditation which goes through June of 2018. On March 19 and 20 of that year a team of educators will return to the campus and evaluate recommended changes.

"I love Tahoe," Olympic Gold medalist Kristen Armstrong said as she greeted South Tahoe Middle School (STMS) students on Wednesday. "You're lucky to have the mountains and the lake."

Armstrong, a four-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist stopped by two South Lake Tahoe schools (South Tahoe Middle School and Sierra House Elementary) to meet with students and deliver a message.

There is a full slate of events in South Lake Tahoe and the surrounding area this weekend. On Al Tahoe Boulevard, one can hit the Lake Tahoe Home and Garden Show, Earth Day, and Ladies' Morning Out on Saturday.

“Choices, what are yours?” was the theme of our efforts in keeping our youth drug free.

This story has been updated 3/16/17.

The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board formally accepted the resignation of Chad Houck, the principal of South Tahoe High during their Tuesday night meeting, though word of the upcoming change in leadership had been circulating for weeks.

"Chad will be seeking other opportunities," said LTUSD Superintendent Dr. Jim Tarwater.

The popular principal has received a lot of support from parents, the community and staff.

A 12-year-old student was arrested on Thursday evening after making threats to bring a gun to Carson Valley Middle School on Friday February 17 and “shoot up the school.”

At 7:00 p.m. Thursday, February 16, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office received a call after a concerned parent intercepted the threatening message sent to their child. Deputies responded to the Indian Hills residence of the reporting party and met with the parent to examine the phone in which the threat was received.

South Lake Tahoe, Calif. - Its been eight months of scrubbing, painting and planning for Jody Filgo and Sallie Ross-Filgo as they took an old, run down donut shop at the "Y" in South Lake Tahoe and turned it into Rainbow Sprinkles. And now they are ready to serve some happiness.

"I can't wait until I can turn on the lights," said Sallie. The shop will be opening in South Lake Tahoe this Saturday, January 21 at 6:00 a.m.

During their meeting Tuesday, the Douglas County School District Board of Trustees turned down a request by the buyer of Kingsbury Middle School (KMS) for almost $100,000 to be spent on a environmental impact study of the planned development of the South Shore property.

7:25 p.m. update Sunday - A second evacuation site has been set up at South Tahoe Middle School in the Multi-Purpose Room. It will accommodate pets and is staffed by the City of South Lake Tahoe staff and South Tahoe Action Team volunteers.

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The City of South Lake Tahoe and American Red Cross have opened an evacuation center at South Tahoe High School in the school's student union.

It is located at 1735 Lake Tahoe Boulevard. The Recreation Swim Complex is not available as an evacuation center due to flooding at that location.

Last touches are being finished at the temporary concert venue on the South Lake Tahoe community field to prepare for estimated 15,000 people who will be attending SnowGlobe 2016. From December 29-31, 2016, electronic music fans will fill the town, and organizers have put some new transportation plans in place to accommodate the crowd attending the almost sold out concert.

Kenneth Charles Traum passed away suddenly at his home in Martinez, Ca., on Nov. 5, 2016.

He was 45.

Kenny was born on July 17, 1971, at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, Ca. He moved to South Lake Tahoe, Ca., with his mother, Judy, and brother, Mike, when both boys were toddlers. He attended pre-school at Under the Magic Pine Tree, followed by Meyers and Al Tahoe elementary schools, South Tahoe Middle School, and graduated from South Tahoe High School in 1989.

Three South Lake Tahoe girls want to help those less fortunate this winter by helping keep them warm with donations from the community.

Maiella Riva, her sister Milan, and friend Lily Demus are collection warm gloves, socks and thermals for the Tahoe Warm Room, others in need in South Lake Tahoe and in Reno. The Riva girls got the idea from family friends who do comething similar in Reno so they want to donate a small percentage back to that project for inspiring them.

Their goal is get 50 items by December 16.

The Lake Tahoe Unified School District Performing Arts Department will be presenting a a Veterans Musical Tribute on Thursday, November 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the South Tahoe Middle School's multi-purpose room.

This annual concert is a wonderful tribute to the men and women who have served, or are currently serving, our country in the various branches of the military. LTUSD is inviting all veterans and their families, as well as the rest of the community, to attend their concert to honor and thank them for their brave and selfless duty.

What was it like for Anne Frank and other young people during the Holocaust? Or for families getting off the boat in New York and making their way through Ellis Island? Who were the women who led the fight for the right to vote?

These stories were told to students in South Lake Tahoe this week through the Living Voices program presented at South Tahoe and Mt. Tallac High Schools and South Tahoe Middle School.

UPDATE 1:00PM 10/15/16: The Little Valley Fire in Washoe Valley has now burned 3,460 acres with 5 percent containment. Four injuries due to smoke inhalation have been reported.

The Sierra Front Type III Incident Management Team reports that 22 residences and 17-outbuildings have been destroyed. 500 structures are still under threat.

Interstate 580 is open in both directions, as is old U.S. Highway 395. Franktown Road, the area where most of the home damage is, remains closed.

The first South Tahoe Middle School convention was complete with delegates, platforms, debates and slates. Every state was represented and the students spent the day Friday much as a participant at the national convention would.

Since the school year began, teachers James Seider and Andrew Losk have been teaching their eighth grade students about civic responsibilities and duties, what it means to be a citizen of the United States and about the political process.