thankful

“You’ve got to count to three.” Those were the words of advice attributed to Norm Woods one of the first five city council members. The Cityhood project in 1965 was spearheaded by the South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce with all five of that first council members coming from the Chamber Board ranks. Norm served as one of the first rotating Mayors and many times thereafter. His advice was offered to the citizens who were newly elected to subsequent councils.

For Bread & Bread there is so much to be thankful for as the year 2020 comes to an end. The organization would like to acknowledge all of the members of the Lake Tahoe South Shore community who have so generously supported our efforts to feed and help those in need during this holiday season.

As we prepare to say goodbye (and maybe even good riddance) to 2020, the end of the year brings several holidays. Whether celebrating Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, Boxing Day, Kwanza, and of course, New Year’s Eve, remember that indoor holiday gatherings with others not in your immediate household can put you, your community, and those you care about at risk. As challenging as it is, staying home for the holidays is your best way to protect yourself and loved ones, and help slow the spread of COVID-19 in a time when healthcare and essential workers critically need that support.

If those who attended the first Thanksgiving in 1621 happened to time travel and visit the 2020 version, what would they think of our version of the holiday?

That first celebration wasn't called Thanksgiving, they didn't have potatoes or pumpkin pie, but they did have a feeling of gratitude and thankfulness over the three-day celebration after a successful harvest.

Thanksgiving is based on the idea that we should all take time to count our blessings at least once a year and to celebrate it with family and friends.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - El Dorado County Animal Services is looking for information from anyone who may have witnessed two German Shepherd dogs being abandoned on Highway 50 near Bridal Veil Falls and Fresh Pond in earlier this month. The young adult male dogs, which were found malnourished and with their metal chain collars embedded into their necks, were rescued by Animal Services officers and are now safely at the Animal Services Shelter in Diamond Springs.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - If it's true that "lightning never strikes the same place twice," the Ogness family doesn't have anything to worry about.

Mike Ogness, his wife, daughter and son-in-law, and grandaughter (and two Golden Retrievers) were enjoying a summer afternoon in their Tahoe Keys home on Thursday when a storm cell went over South Lake Tahoe, dropping hail and rain, and accompanied by outbursts of lightning.

One of those lightning strikes hit the Ogness home.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - There will be some very big shoes to fill when finding a replacement for retiring El Dorado County Undersheriff Randy Peshon. On Tuesday, June 30, Peshon will be putting his badge on for the very last time. For 43 years he's been in some level of law enforcement, the last 33 years in El Dorado County.

During his career in El Dorado County, Peshon has been at the forefront of change from implementing a change in culture at the jail in South Lake Tahoe to getting the new Public Safety Facility built under budget and ahead of schedule.

STATELINE, Nev. - Lakeside Inn and Casino on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe will not be reopening its doors after the coronavirus concerns are over. They were the first Lake Tahoe gaming property to close, even before Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak ordered all casinos to close in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With people unable to dine-in at restaurants in South Lake Tahoe due to concerns of the spread of the coronavirus, many are changing the way they've done business in the past in order to serve guests, keep some staff employed and keep afloat during these uncertain financial times.

So far, the following restaurants are offering new services in South Lake Tahoe:

Exchanging their Heavenly Ski Patrol jackets for Bread & Broth (B&B) aprons, Patrick Chu, Colton Terry, Andi Bertolina, Abby Salter, Marissa Streck, and Mike Galgay joined the B&B volunteers serving a delicious hot meal to the dinner guests at the Monday Meal on January 27 at St. Theresa Grace Hall. It was a cold evening and the hot chicken noodle casserole, prepared by the talented B&B cooks and served by the Heavenly Ski Patrol Adopt A Day sponsor team members, was a hit with the dinner guests.

The AlertTahoe 11-camera system surrounding the Lake Tahoe Basin has been credited for detecting its 57th fire since first being installed in 2013.

As the Kincade Fire in Sonoma and the Easy Fire in Southern California raged, a camera in Lake Tahoe spotted a small fire on the West Shore. Fire crews were able to respond and quickly put it out.

NORTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The family of actress Anna Faris had a brush with danger in North Lake Tahoe during the Thanksgiving holiday. The group of 13 rented a vacation home in the 100 block of Tahoma Drive in Tahoe City. Two of them felt ill and went to the hospital where it was determined they were suffering from Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - He has been at the helm of the City for almost a year, but Frank Rush has submitted his resignation and is headed south to take on a new position in Big Bear Lake, California.

Rush was sworn in as the City of South Lake Tahoe city manager on December 6, 2018, and will be leaving on January 24, starting in Big Bear Lake on February 3, 2020. Their City Council approved him during their meeting on Monday.

For Larry and Kerstin Sidney, wanting to help others was their motivation for sponsoring their first Bread & Broth Adopt A Day of Nourishment (AAD) on October 28 at St. Theresa Grace Hall. With their $300 AAD donation, the Sidney family enabled B&B to feed 100 dinner guests a filling, nutritious and tasty dinner in a warm, safe and friendly environment. Bread and Broth's (B&B) Monday Meal communal dinner is open to everyone in the Tahoe community to be enjoyed as a way to ease hunger, save money for other necessities besides food, and enrich their social interactions with others.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The first day of school has been pushed out until September 9 for all of the students at Sierra House Elementary School. South Tahoe Now had spoken to the school district on Wednesday and at that time they were still hoping to have the school open by August 26.

Everyone in the Lake Tahoe South Shore community is invited to attend any of the weekly meals served by St. Theresa’s Bread & Broth organization in St. Theresa’s Grace Hall. The Monday Meal is a full-course, hot, nutritious dinner served from 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Friday’s Second Serving meal offers a simple entrée and soup served from 4 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The Tahoe Douglas Rotary Club is truly committed to helping non-profit organizations in the Lake Tahoe South Shore community. From helping to fund activities for developmentally disabled children, to building ice rinks for the local curling teams, to feeding those in need in the community, Rotary provides funds for causes that improve the lives of our local community members.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Passengers on two Amtrak trains heading through the Sierra on Tuesday evening had some excitement on their trips after a plow train was derailed near Soda Springs, fell through a trestle and blocked the tracks.

The east bound train with 155 passengers on board slept in the heated train, then resumed their trip to Chicago at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday after rotary plows cleared he tracks. Their trip puts them in the Windy City 16 hours behind schedule.

On Monday, January 28, Bread & Broth’s 102 dinner guests were treated to a very special dinner. Members of St. Theresa’s Filipino community cooked and served chicken adobo, sweet and sour pork ribs, shrimp and chicken pasta, honey mustard chicken, steamed vegetables, rice, and salad. All delicious Filipino specialty dishes. In addition, to the heaping first servings dished out, many of the diners came back for seconds and containers filled with ‘leftovers’ to take home.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - As we say goodbye to one year, and welcome in another, I would be remiss without saying a big "Thank You" to all of the South Tahoe Now readers, contributors and advertisers!

As the only daily digital newspaper serving South Lake Tahoe and the surrounding area it is a tough job to be get everything needed to everybody, but I try! I appreciate the tips and ideas, thank you.

If you're like most this holiday season, you've been busy trying to find the perfect gift for loved ones on your list. You've hit the malls, shopped online, browsed the catalogs and spent your free time shopping.

For some it's easy to figure out what to buy them, but for those who already have everything, it's not so easy.

Instead of searching for what to give, especially for the adults in our life, how about doing something that will help those who lost everything and now need everything?

The purpose of the Donald W. Reynolds Community Non-Profit Center (DWR), run by the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation, is to provide an economical and collaborative environment for non-profit organizations. Tahoe Prosperity Center is all about collaboration, so we are thankful to be one of the resident non-profit organizations in the building.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Four local young ladies are continuing to help the South Lake Tahoe community with their fundraising efforts to help different needs on the South Shore.

For the 2018 Christmas season Maiella and Milan Riva, Lily Demus and Simone Sitchon will be collecting items and money to help both Lake Tahoe Humane Society and El Dorado County Animal Shelter.

Last year the four girls collected clothing and toys for local foster youth and in 2016 they collected gloves, hats, socks, coats, and thermals for the Tahoe Warm Room.

An Avian type C Botulism outbreak in Northern Nevada sickened thousands of shore and water birds, with hundreds of them sent to South Lake Tahoe two weeks ago to recuperate at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.

Under their care, over 80 of the birds have been released back into the safe, and unaffected, Little Washoe Lake.

Most of the birds at LTWC were Avocets and Ibis with volunteers spending many hours feeding the birds by tube.