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DRIVETHEARC, a corridor of electric vehicle (EV) fast charging stations spanning from Monterey to Lake Tahoe, broke ground today with a ribbon cutting ceremony in El Dorado Hills, Calif.

The new EV travel highway is the result of an agreement between the State of California and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan's largest public research and development company.

Also in this partnership is the Nissan Motor Co., Nissan North America, Kanematsu and EVgo.

John Joseph Castellanos, a South Lake Tahoe area lawyer, passed away suddenly on November 5, 2016.

John was born on October 31, 1949 to loving parents Jose Juan and Lucille Castellanos in Stockton, California. He is the second of six siblings, who all experienced the sad loss of their father at an early age and whose memory brought them closer as family. John lived the values and beliefs of his parents, especially his beloved mother. He was a devoted son and loving brother and loyal to many friends.

11/12 update: The Vikings' road to state has ended in Las Vegas. The boys from South Tahoe High suffered a crushing blow with a loss to Desert Pines, 56-7 in the 3A State semifinals.

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For the first time in 25 years, the South Tahoe High football team is headed to the Nevada Division 3A State football championship games in Las Vegas this weekend. The Vikings are coming off a victory over rival Truckee to head to Vegas as the number two seed from Northern Nevada.

The 28-20 win over Truckee sends South Tahoe to their first appearance at the state playoffs since 1991.

A new federal law goes into effect on December 1 that entitles salaried employees to get overtime pay if they make less than $47,476 per year. To help people understand this change they are holding a lunchtime workshop on Wednesday, November 16 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Tahoe Mountain Lab.

According to the White House, an estimated 4.2 million white collar workers will become entitled to overtime pay when they work extra hours as a result of the new rule, and wages for workers will increase by $12 billion over the next 10 years.

The Tahoe Resource Conservation District's Landscape Conservation Program is seeking input from past participants of the program in order to continue to serve the community with high quality services into the future.

If you have received services through the the Landscape Conservation Program in the past, we please ask that you take 5 minutes of your time to fill out the online survey at the link below.

https://www.esurveycreator.com/s/6609af1

Ready to cut some firewood? Time is running out to do so on U.S. Forest Service land in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The last day to purchase fuelwood permit for the is on Friday, November 18 and the last day to cut wood is Sunday, November 20.

Permits cost $20 per cord, with a two-cord minimum purchase and a limit of 10 cords per household. Permits have specific conditions and complete information is provided when the permit is issued. Maps to designated cutting areas are also provided and must be in the permit holder’s possession along with the valid permit.

To the South Lake Tahoe Community,
Thank you for considering me for Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board member. With your support, I will serve the residents of Trustee Area #1. My husband Matt Lucksinger, a South Tahoe native, and I decided to move to the LTUSD in 2014, excited to have our daughters enter school and to be able to participate in this community. School Board service is an extension of that decision.

Dear Henry,
I’m new to the area and not sure about how to deal with the cold weather and my dog, do you have any tips for us?
Thank you,
Bethany

Purrfect timing for this question as it actually looks like we are going to get a winter this year! Here are some winter tips for all pets.

Keep your cats inside. During any time of the year, cats that are allowed to stray can become lost or stolen, injured or killed. They can also be exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.

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.

Prescribed burning on urban lots around the South Shore resumed Tuesday, and will continue through the Fall as conditions remain favorable.

Urban lots near Heavenly Mountain Resort and off of South Upper Truckee Road near Highway 89 in Christmas Valley are on the list for fire operations.

To view a map with the project location and details, visit the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) website at http://www.tahoefft.org.

The popular “Plates for Powder” program and offers skiers and boarders two free lift tickets at one of ten resorts in Lake Tahoe if they purchase the new Lake Tahoe license plate in either California or Nevada.

“The mountains are covered in white from this weekend’s storm signaling that ski season is almost here,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “Get ready to ski at one of the 10 resorts in Tahoe who generously support this great program by purchasing your new California or Nevada Tahoe plate today.”

Throughout the summer season, Tahoe Heritage Foundation raises funds by selling interpretive and educational items at Taylor Creek Visitor Center and Tallac Historic Site's Baldwin Museum Store.

This Saturday they'll be selling off some samples and end of season merchandise.

Get some great deals on books, toys, shirts, and gift items!

There will also be information on getting involved with the non-profit.

Location

A special election officer has been appointed by the U.S. Attorney's Office to oversee any complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud," said Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. "The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”

It's that time of year again when the U.S. Forest Service resumes their prescribed burns in the Lake Tahoe basin to reduce fuels in sensitive areas.

Fire restrictions have not been lifted in the basin yet, but it is not uncommon for the Forest Service to conduct operations while those restrictions are still in effect according to Lisa Heron of the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.

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 in summer 2017.

Learn more about the US 50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project during a community forum hosted by the Tahoe Chamber on November 3 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel.

The program will include a project update, information about the environmental analysis, and audience Q & A about the highly debated topic also known as the Loop Road.

With the pending release of the draft environmental impact study for public review and comment, it’s never been more front and center than now and now is the time for the public to get their questions answered.

Millions of visitors and most residents interact with Lake Tahoe from the shoreline, and a plan is currently being created to protect it while also enhancing recreational access to the lake.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is inviting people to attend an upcoming community workshop on Thursday, November 3 to share input and ideas and help guide the creation of a Shoreline Plan. The workshop is open to the public and will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the TRPA offices in Stateline at 128 Market Street.

Pedestrian and bicycle transportation and safety will be among the topics at the 14th annual Nevada Bicycle and Pedestrian Summit, scheduled for Nov. 9 and 10 at the MontBleu Resort Casino in Lake Tahoe.

Developed to augment statewide bicycle and pedestrian resources, the summit will provide the latest information on bicycle tourism, facility planning and design, safety, enforcement and education initiatives, as well as Safe Routes to School and complete streets program information and more.

There are just a few days left to nominate local businesses and individuals for the Tahoe Chamber's 2016 Blue Ribbon Awards.

They are seeking nominations for those that excel in working as one in an effort to improve the quality of life on the South Shore.

During Fire Prevention Week, the Tahoe Fire Fuels Team is reminding Lake Tahoe Basin residents that this is the time to check your smoke alarm.

Even if you change your batteries in the old style alarm annually, their life expectancy is still ten years. The new sealed smoke detectors which are required in new building codes require no battery change but they too are expected to only last ten years.

Nevada wildlife biologists released a three-plus year old male black bear back into the forest near the top of Mt. Rose Summit on Monday morning after capturing him Sunday in Incline Village at Lake Tahoe.

Nevada Department of Wildlife trapped the young bear while attempting to trap another bear that had caused damage to a building, according to wildlife biologist Carl Lackey. The bear that was captured and then later released Monday wasn't the bear Lackey was looking for.

Lackey says that NDOW had handled the released bear once before in the mountains east of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Dear Hopeful Henry,

My Neighbor reported me because my dog barks and he said it is disturbing him. I am frustrated because yes, my dog barks, but all dogs bark. And he didn’t bother coming to me first! Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Barking Dog & Nagging Neighbor

Barking Dog,

The South Tahoe Public Utility District is organizing a Board Candidate Forum for Wednesday, October 19, at 6 p.m. in the District Board Room.

The Forum is open to the public and is an opportunity for the community to attend and hear statements from each of the four candidates running for a seat in November: Kirk David, Nick Exline, Kelly Sheehan, and Randy Vogelgesang.

Each candidate will be allowed to give an opening statement, answer questions posed by the audience and then provide a closing statement. The Forum is anticipated to last approximately 1½ hours.

For those wanting to learn more about how the City of South Lake Tahoe works while at the same time giving back to their community, there is currently a few great opportunities to accomplish both.

The City Council is soliciting applications for two-year appointments to the following City Commissions/Boards:

Planning Commission
Airport Land Use Commission
Building/ADA Board of Appeals
Parks & Recreation Commission