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Like many residents and visitors of Lake Tahoe, I have had the good fortune of running, hiking, swimming, skiing, dining, lodging and otherwise living in and around Lake Tahoe nearly all of my life. Tahoe has played a vital role in the development of my most treasured relationship, with my wife Lisa, where we both learned to care for much more than ourselves, and where we were married 25 years ago on the west shore.

1/13/21 UPDATE: The state has updated its website to reflect that hotels and vacation rentals can open with modifications in the purple tier. For all businesses, visit https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Just moments ago, the Greater Sacramento Region, of which El Dorado County is a part, was granted authority by the State to exit the Regional Stay At Home Order, effective immediately. This is based on the State’s four-week projection putting the region’s ICU capacity at 19.1 percent, above the 15 percent threshold announced last month.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After a few days of being above the benchmark of 15 percent, hospitals in the Sacramento Region have fallen below that number of available ICU beds. South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County are part of the Sacramento Region which fell under Governor Newsom's Stay-at-Home Order on December 10, 2020.

As of December 31, the Sacramento Region ICU availability was 14.4 percent.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With a concern that group gatherings over the holidays could lead to another spike of COVID-19, a new local company has expanded its operations to address the concerns and protect the public with at-home testing for the coronavirus.

It was a great honor to serve as a member of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board of Trustees for the last four years. As previously reported, I am stepping aside to focus on my career and raising my beautiful baby girl. I said many times while I was on the Board that every family in the District was my family, and every child in the District was my responsibility. Now that I have a child of my own, I think the parents of LTUSD will understand when I say that I need to focus on my own family for the time being.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barton Health has begun the process of inoculating its frontline healthcare workers at the South Lake Tahoe hospital. The first 500 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were received from the State of California Thursday.

Doses received during the vaccine rollout in Phase 1a have been specifically allocated for healthcare workers and hospital Skilled Nursing Facility residents, under California’s tiered vaccination plan.

Tahoe is a wonderland. Every season creates not only beautiful landscapes, but also new opportunities to get outside and play. For those of us that enjoy playing in the outdoors there are some simple practices we can all engage in to spread cheer all year and everywhere.

Tread Lightly
In the show “The Crown” the queen educates Margaret Thatcher on proper behavior while stalking a stag. She mentions the importance of dressing properly, speaking quietly, and avoiding wearing perfumes. The same is true for spending time outside while visiting Tahoe.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - In a move initiated by the Republican-based North State Conference, a letter has been sent by the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors to Governor Newsom to ask for local control of the state's rules through the pandemic.

Assemblyman Kevin Kiley gathered leaders from 16 Northern California counties at this Fall's Conference of North State Leaders. No Democrat leaders were invited. The conference was held to obtain a joint response to counter Governor Newsom's approach and out of it came a "Healthy Communities Resolution."

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - South Lake Tahoe and the rest of El Dorado County and Alpine County will go under a Stay-at-Home order effective Thursday, December 10 at 11:59 p.m. This order will last for at least three weeks and then the state will reevaluate. The order has gone into effect because the Sacramento Region, of which South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado and Alpine counties are part, now has staffed ICU bed availability under 15 percent.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With a surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, California Governor Newsom today issued a new regional stay-at-home order as an "emergency brake" to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

This order goes into effect in regions with less than 15 percent ICU availability. At this time, the El Dorado County does not fall into that group but it could be a matter of days until it does. The county is part of the Greater Sacramento Region which is at 22 percent capacity as of Thursday.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - Elementary students in Douglas County are receiving free Child Safety ID kits from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO). These kits are a helpful resource for parent nd law enforcement to identify a child in case of an emergency.

The school district office will be distributing the kits where were made possible by a generous donation from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Advisory Council.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The safety of patients and healthcare workers is Barton Health’s top priority. The health care system has operations in place to continue to meet the demand for medical services as COVID-19 cases surge across the nation and Lake Tahoe. After preparation for the anticipated increase of patient volume this fall and winter, aspects of Barton’s plan are being implemented to meet the needs for patient care.

This season of giving is more important than ever, as our community faces complex challenges brought on by the pandemic. To help provide additional financial resources in response to the pandemic, the COVID-19 Response Fund is the beneficiary of the Barton Foundation’s 30th Annual Gala, held virtually this year beginning November 30 through December 11, 2020 at BartonHealth.org/Gala.

There are those that would say 2020 is hands down the scariest Halloween movie ever and yeah, I wouldn’t argue with that. The script for this year has certainly freaked everybody out. Add to that an election year and the advent of modern day zombies who’ve been quarantined a little too long and you have the ultimate scary flick that appears to have no ending. Are you wearing your mask? Yeah, I’d rather be scared by a movie and not real life if that’s okay?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are three open seats on the South Tahoe Public Utility Board of Directors this election season, two for a four-year term and one for a two-year term.

South Tahoe Now reached out to the candidates and below are their answers to a set of questions. For the two four-year terms, incumbent Kelly Sheehan is running for reelection, Duane Wallace is running after being appointed to fill Jim Jones's spot on the board until this election, and they are joined by David Peterson.

At this point in time, the intersection between equity and climate change has never been clearer. The Sunrise Movement is a national youth climate group that is seeking a future that’s not only sustainable, but also just. With only 11 years left to transform our economy away from fossil fuels to avoid the worst effects of climate change, we need to elect officials now who will defend our future. The remedies for unsustainable practices must work for everyone in this city. That’s why we’re endorsing John Friedrich and Scott Robbins for the city council of South Lake Tahoe.

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

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City of South Lake Tahoe created two programs to help local business owners during COVID-19, a restaurant vouchers and reimbursement of expenses used to open under new health protocols.

Both of these will be ending at the end of the City's fiscal year on September 30.

During the City Council meeting Tuesday, staff reminded everyone in the business community to turn in their receipts and restaurant vouchers by that date.

To the Editor: As Barton nurses, we are at the forefront of the battle to beat COVID-19, and pandemic or not, we always strive to give the best care we can to our patients. We need our community’s support.

Almost three years ago, Barton Hospital’s managerial apathy to the ongoing concerns of Barton’s nurses regarding safety, working conditions, and employee retention compelled us to join the California Nurses Association. Barton immediately hired an expensive union-busting law firm and, as of today, has been successful in denying us the contract we deserve.

One of priorities established by the Tahoe Prosperity Center (TPC) during the pandemic has been to help local businesses find ways to affordably obtain required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Through its participation in the El Dorado County Business Protection Workgroup, TPC has been able to help businesses find funding and develops plans to stay open through the impacts of COVID-19. They now have been able to procure the PPE needed to meet safety guidelines, protect employees and customers, and stay open for business.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Former Recreation Superintendent Judy Crawford has passed away. She worked for the City from 1974 until 2003 and was the first woman to hold that position. Crawford was also the President of Great Ideas for Tahoe, or GIFT, during her time in the community.

Born in New Orleans, LA, in 1948, she lived around the country until she settled in South Lake Tahoe.

She started work for the City as a Recreation Supervisor and was eventually promoted to Recreation Superintendent. What she loved the most, teaching young kids how to swim.

There are currently some scams currently spreading through the area from phone calls from IRS and Department of Justice impostors.

The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the public as part of an impostor scam. The department strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target the elderly.

Join Scott Fitzgerrell and UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center director Geoff Schladow as they kayak Lake Tahoe in support of the Citizen Science Tahoe project September 20-26, 2020. Using the app they will collect valuable water quality, algal growth, and microplastics data.

All participants are responsible for bringing their own watercraft, personal protective equipment (flotation device while on the water and a mask while on land), food, beverages, and planning their own transportation to/from the departure and arrival sites.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It was 1:15 a.m. on the morning of September 6, 1970 when nurse Donna Ann Lass was working in the first aid room of the Sahara Tahoe Hotel & Casino in Stateline, Nevada. She made a log entry just before her last patient entered the room 15 minutes later, one-half hour before getting off duty.

Donna was scheduled to make a log entry at 1:45 a.m. but it was never completed and she was never seen again. Although her car was found parked at her apartment she wasn't seen leaving the Sahara.