public relations

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There has been a lot of recent conversation about the stress COVID-19 patients have put on hospital systems across the country, including El Dorado County and South Lake Tahoe. Concern has been expressed about the occupancy rates at Barton Hospital and what its capacity is to handle the current surge of residents testing positive for the virus.

While the consensus is that 2020 will look much better in the rearview mirror, it will leave indelible experiences that shape discussions, planning, and direction for years to come.

It certainly reinforces sustainability as the future of tourism here at Tahoe, with benchmarks to embrace including environmental integrity, economic development, and social equity for visitors and locals.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Many have asked, what if our community starts getting COVID-19 cases, are we prepared? Many different groups, agencies, and the government have been working diligently and collaboratively on emergency plans to prepare.

MINDEN, Nev. - For the sixth consecutive year, several Douglas County businesses were recognized with a Spotlight Award. This year’s awards were given at the Critical Issues Conference held on Thursday, September 26, 2019. The Spotlight Awards recognized businesses in 7 different categories: Business and Professional Service, Entrepreneur, Manufacturing and Production, Restaurant, Retail, Sports and Recreation, and Tourism and Hospitality.

El Dorado County Office of Education’s (EDCOE) Communications Director, Dina Gentry has been awarded the prestigious “35 Under 35” Award the National School Public Relations Association.

5:25 p.m. Update: The El Dorado County HazMat Emergency Response team has confirmed that the powder substance found in a package delivered to Barton's supply chain this morning is not hazardous.

The sequestered employees have been released and the back entrance of the hospital is now accessible to the public.

"Barton is thankful for the local agencies who collaborated with us to ensure the safety of staff and patients," said Mindi Befu, Barton's Director of Marketing, Public Relations & Patient Experience.

The South Tahoe Association of REALTORS® partnered with Vitalant, previously
United Blood Services, to host a Blood Drive on Monday, June 17. This event was open to the public. Realtors® and members of the community made appointments and dropped in to donate. There was a total of 22 donors, translating into 66 lives that can be saved.

“This is something that really only takes minutes of your time and is free to give. I’m happy to donate each year and glad to know that it will impact someone’s life in a positive way,” said Kili Ongoy, Chair of the Community Involvement Committee.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The California Nurses Association (CNA) has served Barton Health with another ten-day notice of their RNs' intent to strike on May 24, 2019. This is the second such notice this year. Their original notice was sent on February 15 and was withdrawn on February 22.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The nurses at Barton Hospital in South Lake Tahoe who voted to organize in November 2017 have voted to strike for one day if necessary should their union and management fail to come to an agreement on issues that concern them at the bargaining table.

"Progress has stalled out," said Barton nurse Beth Dameral. "We haven't heard back on the healthcare issue."

STATELINE, Nev. - Weidinger Public Relations recently captured three awards at the Public Relations Society of America, Sierra Nevada Chapter annual awards including “Best of Show,” signifying Northern Nevada’s top PR campaign for the year.

After losing their town manager to the Douglas County Public Works Department, the Town of Genoa has approved an interlocal agreement to appoint Melissa Blosser in their top spot.

Blosser is also Douglas County's community relations manager and public information officer and will be splitting her duties between the two roles through an interlocal agreement.

The $4,500 month-to-month contract was approved by the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners on October 18, 2018. Former Town Manager Phil Ritger accepted a position as the County's new public works director.

The National Day of Suicide Awareness will be observed in South Lake Tahoe at the Suicide Prevention Network's 2nd annual Emily's Walk for Hope on Saturday, September 8 at 10:00 a.m. at Lakeview Commons.

Emily’s Walk for Hope was founded last year by longtime local, Susan Alessi who lost her daughter Emily Ann Alessi to suicide in 2014. The purpose of this walk is to honor her life, to remember those around us lost to suicide and to help end the stigma surrounding suicide.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - Small businesses in the South Lake Tahoe area are now able to receive mall business consulting through a partnership between Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce (Tahoe Chamber) and the Sierra Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Lake Tahoe-based Weidinger Public Relations was recognized with three awards for 2017 campaigns at the Public Relations Society of America, Sierra Nevada Chapter Silver Spikes Awards, Nov. 16 at The Grove in Reno, Nev.

Weidinger PR received honors for three entries: one Silver Spike and two Awards of Excellence. The firm’s public relations efforts for the 2017 American Century Championship captured the Silver Spike for “Special Events and Observances.”

Former South Lake Tahoe resident Glenn Lucky turn 65 this month, and the Nevada State Museum in Carson City is planning a big birthday party in his honor on September 27 at 10:00 a.m. in the Dema Guinn Concourse of the museum at 600 N. Carson Street.

Lucky was born on Sept. 27, 1952 in Coronado, Calif. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was just one.

He and his family moved to the South Shore when Glenn was 3-year-old.

8:00 p.m. update: Road construction on Highway 50 is what led to the closure of Bank of the West in South Lake Tahoe.

"Nearby construction resulted in an air quality issue at our South Tahoe Branch, which was quickly identified and is being remedied," Anita Fox, Senior Vice President of Public Relations and Corporate Communications for Bank of the West told South Tahoe Now this evening. "We anticipate re-opening the branch no later than Thursday."

In the meantime, those wishing to conduct in-branch transactions can visit the bank's Tahoe City Branch at 150 West Lake Boulevard.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and you may have heard the phrase “each mind matters.”

Why does each mind matter? Mental health is something we all have. Just as our bodies need attention, our minds also need nourishment and care. Suicide rates are increasing and there is a relationship between mental illness and suicide. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), about 90 percent of people who die by suicide have experienced mental health issues.

Sometimes in life, events occur that fracture the very foundation on which we stand. Life, as we have known it, is forever changed and we find ourselves in an unexpected struggle, first just to survive and then to move forward.

The Suicide Prevention Network has formed a new Survivors of Suicide loss support group that will meet at 6:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Barton Health Public Relations office located at 2092 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Suite 400 in South Lake Tahoe.

Who or what is Tahoe South? When the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority first started marketing the name, many locals perceived it as an attempt to rename the community, but instead, it is the branding of a concept as well as a location.

A new video about the brand launched at the Tahoe Chamber Blue Ribbon Awards Thursday night.

Tahoe South is an active, quirky, fun, young at heart lifestyle, and the “Tahoe South” logo and campaign includes elements that evoke the connection between the consumer and South Shore to inspire overnight visits.

Author Guy Clifton will speak on his book Dempsey in Nevada in a free presentation at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Saturday, August 6, at 10:00 am.

Many people are surprised to learn that Jack Dempsey once called Nevada home. Dempsey left footprints all over the Silver State that affected the entire sporting arena.

He helped usher in the era known as “The Golden Age of Sport” along with baseball’s Babe Ruth, football’s Red Grange, golf’s Bobby Jones and tennis’ Bill Tilden.

Location

In honor of April Fools Day, here is a reprint of our 2016 story.

Mike Bradford knew the April Fool's Day ad campaign was a hit when people started calling him to complain about Lakeside Inn's plans to turn Rabe Meadow into Lakeside Ranch. People took their rants to social media as well.

The headline read, "Lakeside Inn and Casino returns cattle grazing to historic Lake Shore Meadow." The story that followed outlined the casino's plans to raise prime Angus beef so their restaurant, Latin Soul, could put new meaning to the term, Farm-to-Table.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - A chair fell from Heavenly Mountain Resort's North Bowl chairlift today, resulting in 65 people being stranded for two hours before being evacuated from the lift.

Just before 11 a.m. on January 3, 2016, the unoccupied chair fell off the cable and the lift was immediately shut down.

Lara Miller of South Lake Tahoe was among those stranded on the chairlift. She said the resort's ski patrol checked on the stranded skiers during the two hour ordeal.

Barton Health has launched two new billing services: a Price Estimator Tool and a reduced MRI cost structure.

The new Price Estimator Tool gives patients an estimated cost for a planned surgery or medical imaging service at Barton Memorial Hospital. It allows patients to financially plan for a procedure and simplify their billing process by knowing their estimated costs prior to a procedure.

The community has undergone a complete physical and the results are in. Based on the 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment, mental health and substance abuse remain top health concerns in the area.

Barton Health conducted its second Community Health Needs Assessment to identify unmet needs within the community. After identifying these needs, Barton will work with representatives from organizations who provide services for the medically underserved to offer recommendations and a collaborative action plan focused on positively impacting the community’s health.