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The Tahoe Transportation District will assume daily operations of the bus transit system in South Lake Tahoe beginning July 1, and along with that change is a new name. Blue Go is out, and TTD is in.

42 buses make up the local system which have more than 800,000 trips annually on their routes which cover both sides of the state line including commuter bus service from the lake to Carson City and the Carson Valley.

"Swim Smart, Swim Safe: know the dangers of cold water" is the message coming from agencies responsible for boating and water safety on Lake Tahoe, especially after the recent deaths in the lake of two healthy men.

Drowning incidents from boating, paddling and swimming often share the same cause, "cold water shock," an involuntary gasp reflex caused by sudden immersion in cold water. Swimmers and boaters suddenly exposed to the cold waters of Lake Tahoe may experience rapid breathing, gasping, fainting, muscle failure and immediate risk of drowning.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - The Cave Rock tunnel and road project on Highway 50 is approximately 25 percent completed according the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). The road construction is to enhance driver safety along the east shore of Lake Tahoe, but with the massive, $6 million undertaking, there are minor traffic delays. With the upcoming July 4 holiday, NDOT is reminding drivers that they should anticipate these minor travel delays.

The Fourth of July holiday period is the busiest time of year in the Lake Tahoe Basin. For those visiting during the holiday and attending one of the firework displays over the lake, expect extremely crowded conditions and excess traffic. Because of the Basin’s high elevation, expect intense sunlight during the day and much lower temperatures at night. Bring sunscreen, a jacket, and carry a flashlight. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.

Check out the latest report from Mountain Resort Television as they look into all of the recreational opportunities in the Carson Valley: boating, fishing, ATVs, water sports and more.

Enjoy free summer workouts and activities for the entire family. Pack a picnic and the water toys then together enjoy the sunset on Lake Tahoe.

Thursday, August 11, 5-8pm
Baldwin Beach, Baldwin Beach Road, South Lake Tahoe

Location

After the July 4th festivities, our beaches are thrashed with trash. This trash can hurt wildlife and lake clarity. Be a part of the solution and help us this day to keep our beaches clean.

Join the League to Save Lake Tahoe and clean a beach. They will provide refreshments, cleanup bags, gloves, and hand sanitizer. Please bring your reusable water bottle, gloves if you have them, sunscreen, your friends and family, and a smile!

Each attendee will receive a raffle ticket for great prizes from Keep Tahoe Blue and our partners.

Join us at one of the following sites:

The inaugural Lake Tahoe Boats & Brews Boat Show will be held in the Tahoe Keys Village Friday, June 24 through Sunday, June 26. The three day boat show event is free and visitors will be able to check out a wide array of new boats, water toys and an assortment of local and regional vendors.

On Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the South Lake Tahoe Yacht Club will be sponsoring a Brew Fest during the event. By donating $20 to the Brew Fest, participants will be able to sample unlimited local and regional craft beers.

Even though the winter of 2016 brought a strong El Nino, it wasn't enough to recover from the previous years' dismal snowpacks.

In a report released by a team of researchers led by UCLA, the snow water equivalent (SWE) seen in 2015, when added to the previous three years of drought, was the worst seen in 1,200 years.

Since the SWE in the Sierra snowpack directly affects the state, the scientists also said that, even if the Sierra has average snowpacks, it will take
California until at least 2019 to recover.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS
State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to just north of Granlibakken Road in Tahoe City that is upgrading storm water drainage and treatment systems, adding curb and gutter, resurfacing and realigning the road, adding new left-turn pockets and widening shoulders on an 8-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected by summer 2017.

El Dorado County residents can keep their homes cooler this summer and warmer next winter by taking advantage of free weatherization services through the El Dorado County Community Services Weatherization Program. “The average household can save $400 or more each year on their energy bills after weatherization, depending on the work that is done,” said Kyle Hartman, weatherization supervisor with Community Services.

The U.S. Forest Service is planning a project to restore the Taylor and Tallac creek ecosystems, an area that provides habitat for numerous protected wildlife speciesfas well as being an important hydrological connection to Lake Tahoe.

Named the Taylor and Tallac Restoration Project, the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will restore the large wetland complex where the two creeks were once connected through a series of four swales.

Public comment is sought on the Environmental Assessment, Initial Study and Initial Environmental Checklist.

Major components:

For two weeks every year, Lake Tahoe area commuters, students and recreational riders get on their bikes instead of in the cars to get to where they need to go. This year's event started on June 1 and goes until June 14 so there are just a few days to make your bike rides count.

In addition to all the other reasons to participate (including that it is fun & free), the data collected goes to help show the need for bicycle paths and other infrastructure when we apply for grants and other funding.

Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series returns Thursday, June 23 for its fifth season at Lakeview Commons in South Lake Tahoe. Promising a diverse selection of entertainment, organizers start off the ten-week series with Live at Lakeview veteran performer and world-renowned percussionist, Paa Kow from Ghana, West Africa.

In an effort to prevent the growth and spread of invasive weeds in the Tahoe Keys, residents are being proactive in the fight to keep their lagoons clean. The Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association (TKPOA) has submitted an updated Integrated Management Plan to the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board for approval.

TKPOA's plan is an adaptive, holistic one to greatly reduce aquatic invasive weeds in its lagoons.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is urging backcountry hikers and backpackers to use extra care when visiting upper elevation areas of the Lake Tahoe Basin over the next several weeks as there is still significant snow above 8,000 feet in many locations. This past winter saw a return to normal snow-pack conditions and many backcountry trails are still covered with snow and ice leaving trails slippery and difficult to find. In addition, current warm temperatures have caused streams to flow higher and faster, which can make crossing difficult.

Not quite two years after his last promotion to chief managing officer of Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel, Bill Cottrill needs another business card. Cottrill, who has been with the property for 18 years, was promoted to general manager effective June 1 by the hotel’s ownership group Premier Hotel Collection.

Cottrill’s long tenure is not unusual for the hotel that enjoys a continuously low turnover rate year after year.

The California State Primary is Tuesday, June 7, and there are a few local items on the ballot.

The following are summaries of what voters on the lake side of El Dorado County will be voting on. If people are unsure of their polling place, visit this site, input your address and birthdate: http://elections.edcgov.us/lookup.fwx

Measure A - The preamble of the County Charter will be changed if passed. The proposed wording is below, with :

The South Shore Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Healthy Forest Restoration project on 10,000 acres near Fallen Leaf Lake has resumed.

Crews with the U.S. Forest Service will be mechanically removing whole trees off Fallen Leaf Road near the campground over the next several months and the area will be closed for public safety.

The goal of the project is to reduce the risk of severe wildfire and create healthier forests.

Three men were plucked from Lake Tahoe on Monday afternoon after they crashed their jet ski near Nevada Beach. The teen and men, ages 13-31, were in the water for about 25 minutes and were all nearly hypothermic when rescued.

At 1:30 p.m., the crew of the newly launched Marine 7 of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office was on routine patrol when they noticed a jet ski stopped about 1/8 of a mile off shore. They heard a shout for help as the approached the jet ski.

After crashing the jet ski, the riders lost its key.

A Cameron Park teenager is still missing in the Bucks Bar area, near the North Fork of the Cosumnes River. On Saturday, May 29 at 12:08 p.m., the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office received a call of the missing 15-year-old who was hiking in the area with family and became separated from the group and was last seen near the river.

There has been another spill in the Tahoe Keys, this time a small diesel fuel spill in the Spinnaker Cove area between White Sands and the beach.

On Wednesday, May 25, the spill was reported at about 4:00 p.m. to the California Office of Emergency Services by the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association (TKPOA). Employees from TKPOA immediately placed booms in the water to keep the fuel from spreading.

Clean Harbor arrived on Thursday to lay out more booms and absorbent pads on the fuel and were able to pull them out on Friday.

The weather is starting to clear and temperatures are warming up, just in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Don't forget, when you are coming or going from the Lake Tahoe Basin, check out the Caltrans message board at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/. Click on "Options" and "message boards." This handy tool shows you the exact time it takes to get from town over the mountain so you can stay longer and avoid the traffic!

Here is a list of some of the things to do on the South side:

Lake Tahoe Summer Kick Off Car and Bike Show at the Heavenly Village

Over half of the state of California are in severe to exceptional drought conditions, but things are as bad as they were just a year ago when most of the Western United States were experiencing those same drought conditions.