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There’s a good chance you or someone you know will soon get a COVID-19 vaccine. El Dorado County is in Phase 1B-Tier 1, which allows residents in certain age categories to now receive a vaccine, along with other identified essential worker categories.

This is great news. The more people who vaccinate, the sooner we will again be able to safely engage in more activities. Many people ask how the vaccines do and don’t do, and how they work in our bodies. Here’s an overview.

What each vaccine does

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A major step in preparing to open schools back up to in-person classes, teachers and staff from Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) are receiving the first of two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The news of the available vaccines came earlier than the District expected. They hope to have all staff members receive the first vaccine within the next two weeks, and the second required injection within the next six weeks.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Black Ice Theater Company's Children's Theatre Program is holding auditions for the virtual musical play, "Super Happy Awesome News." To audition for the March 2021 production, parents will need to submit a video of their young thespian singing their favorite song for at least 30 seconds. The song choice can be anything from "Happy Birthday" to "Jingle Bells."

Submissions will be accepted for children ages 8-14. Please include the child's name and the role they are interested in, if any, and email to info@blackicetheatreco.com by January 15, 2021.

Christmas started early for this guy once the pandemic hit. I put my Christmas lights up over the 4th of July and for a short while started watching Christmas movies too to try and get that feel-good feeling happening. Okay, I also did it because I wanted to watch movies where no one was wearing a mask and hugging one another without fear of being exposed. I’ve always enjoyed movies for their pure escapism and who doesn’t want to escape what we’ve been through already ya know? I also like being wrapped around a movie completely.

Del Laine has left her mark on South Lake Tahoe in ways that many local residents might not know. She was a mover and shaker, whose focus was on making the city a better place. Her most important role, though, was promoting the well-being of women.

This pioneer died Dec. 18, 2020, at home from natural causes, with family at her side. She was 90.

She was born Dolores Mae Wright on March 20, 1930, in Oakland, Calif., to Mabel Paulson and Leslie Wright.

We cannot turn on the news, surf the web or walk down the street without constant reminders that we, along with the rest of the world, are battling a virus that has already taken a huge toll on our lives. No one has been immune to the impacts of this virus.

ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. - The least populated county in California is just to the south of Lake Tahoe. Alpine County, population about 1,200, includes the towns of Markleeville, Woodfords, Kirkwood and Bear Valley. While not big, Alpine County is experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases just like the rest of the country.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In search of something positive to do while staying at home during the pandemic, South Lake Tahoe parent Gantt Miller and his daughter Mackenzie started brainstorming. They couldn't sew, so making masks were out of the question. What could they do?

They could tell a story.

The nine-year-old Mackenzie and her dad, who wrote the book under a pen name, M.C. Behm, started to explore what messages they could convey between the front and back covers.

Daylight-saving time comes to an end for 2020 on Sunday, November 1 at 2:00 a.m. in much of the United States. Clocks will move back one hour as standard time starts its run.

The practice of having the time change started in the early 1900s as a way to make better use of daylight during the spring and summer months, so there is an extra hour of sunlight in the evening instead of the morning.

In the year 1921, New York Yankee Babe Ruth hit his 138th homerun as the team made their first World Series appearance, Coco Chanel introduces "Chanel No. 5". Boeing obtains orders for aircraft and abandons furniture-making, Albert Einstein receives the Nobel Prize in Physics, Woodrow Wilson (until March 4) and Warren G. Harding (from March 4) were president, and technology made advancements towards what would be the first television. Charles Bronson, Nancy Reagan, and John Glenn were born.

5:00PM Update: This afternoon South Lake Tahoe Police responded to a bank robbery at El Dorado Savings Bank at the “Y.”

Detectives are currently working the case and asking the public for assistance in identifying the suspect. The suspect’s race or gender are unknown but they were wearing a grey hoodie, black pants and high-top sneakers, standing at approximately 6 feet tall.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There's been movement at the Al Tahoe Historic Pioneer Cemetery, and thankfully it isn't from some of the occupants, most who have had that as their final resting spot since the late 1800s and early 1900s.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - El Dorado County’s Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams, today announced the County has moved within the State’s new COVID-19 framework for reopening from the Red tier into the less restrictive Orange tier, effective immediately.

The 26th annual Lake Tahoe Marathon scheduled for October 9-11 has been canceled for 2020.

Due to the volume of participants and required bus transportation to starting points, the popular three-day event was canceled since gathering and social distancing protocols couldn't be met. The date for the event will be October 8-10, 2021.

Organizer Les Wright of South Lake Tahoe sent out the following letter to participants this week:

The odds of being able to have the 25th Lake Tahoe Marathon this year on Oct 9-11th have dropped to about 1%.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The forest closure order for the national forests has been extended and did not expire Monday as some had hoped. Eldorado National Forest Supervisor Jeff Marsolais said fire concerns remain, especially near the Fork Fire.

At this time, the Fork Fire has burned 1,752 acres and remains at a seven percent containment line. At this time, 300 personnel are assigned to the incident.

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. - Restaurants in South Lake Tahoe and the rest of El Dorado County will be able to provide indoor dining at 25 percent capacity starting Monday, August 31.

California Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a new set of guidelines for counties in the state, all based on a tiered set of metrics.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It has been 11 months since the deadly tanker crash on US50 and Elks Club Road claimed the life of a 36-year-old North Highlands man. The thick black smoke from the wreckage could be seen for miles as emergency response crews worked on extinguishing the blaze.

Since when did Sheriff Dan Coverley get put in charge of the thought police?

And who told him he has the authority to ignore 911 emergency calls – from the Douglas County Library! – because he’s upset about a draft statement on diversity that mentioned Black Lives Matter?

On Tuesday, Coverley made statewide and national news by issuing exactly that threat in a letter to the library’s board of directors:

Single lane closures will take place on U.S. 50 between Carson City and Spooner Summit beginning July 30 as the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) wraps up a project to reduce roadside erosion and help preserve water quality.

Between July 30 and Aug. 7, drivers will see single lane closures from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays on both directions of U.S. 50 in areas between Tahoe Golf Club Drive and Spooner Summit.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - – El Dorado County today announced the first COVID-19 related death of a resident.

“This morning we received the very sad news that a male over 65 years of age died yesterday of complications from COVID-19,” said County Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends during this very difficult time.”

The man was a resident of the Lake Tahoe region. No further information is being released at this time.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With months of people being under "Stay at Home" orders, and if the past few days are any indication, this holiday weekend will be busy at Lake Tahoe as people get out in the fresh air, hike, bike, go to the beach and get on the water.

The July Fourth holiday at Lake Tahoe will look a bit different this year with firework shows canceled, social distancing, the requirement of face coverings in public places and growing concerns about responsible recreation.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are two locally owned and operated radio stations, KRLT FM and KOWL AM, that have served the Lake Tahoe area for 60 years (AM was first, then FM came 40 years ago).

General Manager and Owner Steve Harness took out a note with investors to buy the station from Cherry Creek Radio five years ago. On June 30, 2020, a $100,000 balloon payment on that note is due. While the stations' monthly overhead has stayed the same during the pandemic, their revenue has dropped by roughly 80 percent.

11:25 p.m. Update: Merlin Turner was found Thursday and has been reunited with his family. According to Fox40 in Sacramento, a family friend said between the stress brought on by COVID-19 and his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder, Turner needed some respite.

Social media was instrumental in finding Turner. Someone reported seeing him in Knights Landing and another person saw him eating a burger at their diner. The family friend says Turner didn’t even realize how many days had gone by or that he was on the news being reported as missing.