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Let’s hope it never happens, but there may come a time in your life when you need mental health care. Your Medicare covers a wide variety of such services, in both hospital inpatient and outpatient settings.

If you have Medicare Part A (hospital insurance), you’re eligible for mental health services when you’re admitted to a hospital as an inpatient. You can get these services either in a general hospital or a psychiatric hospital that only cares for people with mental health conditions.

For the past week, South Lake Tahoe's homeless have been able to get out of the cold at the Lake Tahoe Community Presbyterian Church, but come January 1 they will be moving into their new home.

The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless will open their warm room at 1195 Rufus Allen Blvd, the City owned property that once housed Unity at the Lake. Their operations will begin at 7:00 p.m. The will be open daily from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. until April 1, 2018.

As a parent, you may be concerned about how to pay for your child’s future higher education expenses. You want what’s best for your child and to help them fulfill their dream of becoming whatever they want to be. However, as we all know, the cost of college is getting more expensive each year. By the time your children are ready for college, it may be even more expensive than you thought.

Overnight significant winds fanned over a dozen fires across Northern California. 15 new wind whipped wildfires in nine counties have already burned over 73,000 acres in the past 12 hours. Firefighters have been challenged with winds gusting in excess of 50 mph causing extreme rates of spread and volatile burning conditions.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board on Wednesday approved an emergency permit for Caltrans to remove hazardous dying trees along its highways and rights of way in the Tahoe Basin.

California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a tree mortality emergency in October 2015 because of widespread tree die-offs after several years of severe drought. There are now an estimated 102 million dead trees in California, with the greatest tree mortality in the Southern Sierra Nevada.

After a historic winter that saw more than 60 feet of snow fall on the slopes, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has made another notch in the history books with staying open until July 15, the latest date in their history.

They were open 200 days during the 2016/17 season, more than a month more than the average of 174 days.

Liberty Utilities-CA serves nearly 50,000 electric customers in one of the most pristine areas of the country—the Lake Tahoe and surrounding region of Northern California. While it’s no surprise that our customers rank environmental responsibility as very important, it’s been a welcome surprise that they rank Liberty’s environmental stewardship higher each year. In 2016, 75% said we were environmentally responsible—up from 68% the year before!

Liberty Utilities has taken several steps in recent years that contribute to our customers recognizing our environmental commitment.

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.

The public is invited to an Electric Vehicle Summit sponsored by Liberty Utilities at the North Lake Tahoe Events Center on Monday, April 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The summit will include displays of two Tesla vehicles, a Proterra 40-foot electric bus and a ChargePoint EV charging station.

The summit agenda:
8:30 a.m.: check-in
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Presentations
12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Interaction w/vendors and test drives

Easter will be celebrated at the Tahoe Tot Spot on Saturday, April 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with lots of fun activities planned.

All children participating will hunt for eggs including special eggs with big prizes, crafts and special treats for parents and kids. The Easter Bunny will also make an appearance!

The hunt will start at 11:00 a.m.

The activities are for all kids enjoying the Tahoe Tot Spot that day and their regular rates apply.

Many who have camped in South Lake Tahoe at the City owned Campground by the Lake have said they love the campground, but hate the reservation system.

That experience is about to change and duties of reservations, and cancellations, will soon be handled by Reserve America. This nationwide company handles reservations for 289 federal properties, 42 state, 23 county and 23 private campgrounds according to their website.

Good morning skiers and riders, and if you are visiting, welcome to Lake Tahoe!

Today is Tuesday, February 21.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT THRU WEDNESDAY MORNING.
24”- 40”+ OF FRESH POWDER IS REPORTED AT RESORTS CAUSING DELAYS IN LIFT OPERATIONS AFTER SNOW SAFETY PROCEDURES AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS AFFECTING OPERATION OF UPPER MOUNTAIN LIFTS.
CLOSED RESORTS: MT ROSE SKI TAHOE; DONNER SKI RANCH; ALPINE MEADOWS
ALL OTHER RESORTS REPORTING UPPER MOUNTAIN LIFTS ON HOLD AND DELAYED OPENINGS AFTER SNOW SAFETY… CALL AHEAD!

Good morning Lake Tahoe skiers and riders! If you are visiting Lake Tahoe, welcome!

January 4, 2017

A CHALLENGING HUMP DAY TO MAKE TURNS… A WINTER STORM WARNING IS POSTED THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING… ALL LIFTS WILL OPERATE WIND & WEATHER PERMITTING… UPPER MOUNTAIN LIFTS ARE CLOSED AT HEAVENLY, SIERRA AT TAHOE, SQUAW, MT ROSE & MAMMOTH… ALPINE MEADOWS & DONNER SKI RANCH CLOSED TODAY… CALL AHEAD.
R1 & R2 ROAD RESTRICTIONS ARE POSTED ON ALL HIGHWAYS IN AND AROUND LAKE TAHOE. I-80 & HWY 89 EMERALD BAY ROAD & HWY 207 KINGSBURY GRADE ARE CLOSED.

South Lake Tahoe is on top of a list that perhaps isn't the best list to be on as the area it is now the most expensive destination in California to spend New Year's Eve 2016.

The region is a very popular one with skiing, concerts, and bars and restaurants where can ring in the new year from.

According to a recent survey by LosAngelesHotels.org, the average overnight stay in SLT is $345 for the most affordable room. They took the rate for the cheapest available double room at a 3-star hotel (or above) at 20 popular destinations for the holiday in the state.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) just released their annual report this week, and there was some good news mixed with a fairly surprising fact: For the first time since 1993, Americans’ life expectancy has actually decreased and is now lower than Canada, Germany, France and other developed countries.

The life expectancy of U.S. residents in 2015 declined by 0.1 years to 78.8. While this figure isn't drastic, it is making news since its the first drop in life expectancy in more than two decades.

The 10 leading causes of death in 2015 remained the same as in 2014. Age-adjusted

The 8th annual Barton Festival of Trees & Lights at MontBleu got underway on Thursday with the Senior Stroll, complete with an ukulele concert and treats.

Judging of the decorated trees also took place. A team of local media, chamber members and educators viewed the trees and judged them on criteria including elegance, theme and creativity.

The Best of Show and Best Interpretation of Theme awards went to "Woodland Queen."

Ring in the holiday spirit at Barton Health’s eighth annual Festival of Trees & Lights. The winter celebration features events and entertainment starts Thursday, December 1 and continues through Sunday, December 4 at MontBleu Resort on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe.

“The Festival of Trees & Lights provides a warm and family-friendly atmosphere to inspire people to get into the spirit of holiday giving,” says Kindle Craig, the director of the Barton Foundation. “All the money raised goes back into the community and supports health and wellness programs.”

It is an exciting time to live on the South Shore – during a critical point in our region’s evolution and potential. It is time to set our course: moving away from bickering and blaming, exclusionary special interests and single-industry dominance to consensus-building and proactively choosing progress. Whether we live in Nevada or California, everyone benefits from uniting towards a sustainable vision for the South Shore.

I am endorsing Randy Vogelgesang for reelection to the STPUD Board. Randy is a long time local, having lived in the South Lake Tahoe community for 30 years raising a family with his wife, Cathy, and running a successful engineering firm as a small business owner. During the twenty years that I have known Randy and his family, I appreciate the honesty and integrity he has always displayed both personally and professionally.

Ever find yourself spending a day on the slopes when you wish you could get a quick work task completed, then get back to skiing or boarding? That wish will be a reality this winter as Tahoe Mountain Lab and Vail Resorts have developed a first of its kind coworking space at Heavenly Mountain's Lakeview Lodge.

Starting in December, the on-mountain solution will open for people that need to hammer out a few hours of work but would still like to enjoy a day on the slopes.

8:00AM update 10/15: Highway 89 remains closed in both directions from Fallen Leaf Lake Road to Emerald Bay due to the Emerald Fire which remains 80 percent contained this morning. Acreage burned is 210 acres.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

There are 3 engines and 12 firefighters still on the scene.

Opening time for Hwy 89 is still unclear. CHP estimates Saturday afternoon and Caltrans estimates the road will be closed until Monday. This is to allow crews to clean up the fallen trees and other debris on, and near, the roadway.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office will be partnering with the Drug Enforcement Agency in hosting a Drug Take Back on Saturday, October 22, 2016. This will be the public’s 12th opportunity in the County over the last six years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding your home of potentially dangerous expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs. You can drop off your pet medications also.

Bring your pills for disposal at the following locations between 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

• East Fork Fire Station #12, 3620 N. Sunridge Drive (north Douglas County )

Part of a series on mental health in schools.

Every Monday morning at Harvie Elementary School, in Henrico County, Va., Brett Welch stands outside her office door as kids file in.

"The first thing I'm looking for are the faces," says Welch, a school counselor. She's searching for hints of fear, pain or anger.

"Maybe there was a domestic incident at the house that weekend," says Welch. "That's reality for a lot of our kids."

I am lucky to have lived in South Lake Tahoe for 9 years and grateful to be raising my children in such a wonderful place. I received a Masters Degree in Land Use Planning from UNR and am currently a solution oriented AICP, Senior Planner at Midkiff & Associates. My commitment to community service led me to the Leadership Lake Tahoe program, board membership with the Tahoe Drug Free Coalition, the Chamber Government Affairs Committee and the fight against climate change.