2015

The Loft at Heavenly Village has been in the works for months, and now it's just a few weeks from opening day on December 15.

The new indoor, year-round live theater is in a newly created space above the current Heavenly Village Cinemas created by PR Entertainment. It will include a bar and lounge, 107 seat theater and Italian restaurant featuring Chef Lisa Devenchezi-Miller, who also owns of Capisce? in South Lake Tahoe.

A woman has died in a fire near Kingsbury Grade Friday morning.

Eric Guevon with the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District says the fire at the Ponderosa Mobile Home Park was reported about 12:30 a.m November 13, 2015.

A woman in her 60s was found dead; she died of fire-related causes, but a further cause of death has not been established. Her name has not been released.

The fire started with food left on a stove and is being considered unintentional, according to Guevon, who also says there is no evidence there was a smoke detector in the home.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a person of interest in a theft at the Walmart on Topsy Lane.

On October 12, 2015 at approximately 3:25 a.m., the suspect entered Walmart and stole a 50” TV and exited through the emergency exit near the sporting goods section of the store.

Once outside, the suspect loaded the television in what appears to be a white or silver Chevy Lumina.

The Whittell Warriors are continuing on their road to the Nevada state title after beating Carlin High last week, 36-20. Whittell hosts the semifinals on Friday, November 13 when they play the Spring Mountain Eagles in a 6 p.m. game.

The Las Vegas team beat Tonopah in the first round by a score of 72-14. They are the #2 seed from the south coming into the game.

The #1 seed from the north, Whittell, spent the holiday shoveling and snowblowing off the football field in preparation for the game.

The popular Lake Tahoe basin Christmas tree permits from the U.S Forest Service go on sale Monday, November 16 on both the South Shore and November 18 on the North Shore.

Permits cost $10 each with a limit of two per family. They must be purchased in person, are not transferable and are sold on a first come, first serve basis. Even though USFS lists noon on December 24 as the last day for sales, they are normally sold out well before that date. In 2014, tree permits sold out on December 4. The last day to cut a tree down is Christmas Day, December 25, 2015.

In a community with many needs, the Barton Foundation today donated $35,500 to ten different agencies that provide services to the residents of South Lake Tahoe during their annual Philanthropy Day. For the seventh year, the Barton Foundation gave away money raised through their annual fundraising efforts which include the annual Festival of Lights.

It took double-overtime Friday afternoon for the Sparks Railroaders to beat the South Tahoe Vikings in the second round of the 2015 NIAA Division I-A Northern Region Boys Soccer Championship.

The Vikings won their first round game in Elko on Thursday, beating Lowry 6-2.

Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra and Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe are accepting applications for the Violet Richardson Award. Each year the two local Soroptimist clubs honor young women in the community ages 14-17 who are engaged in volunteer deeds such as fighting drugs, crime and violence; cleaning up the environment; or working to end discrimination or poverty.

The following is a list of all 911 calls received by South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) from October 22 to October 31, 2015.

October 22, 2015: 4 calls: 2 EMS calls, 1 false alarm, 1 call for smoke detector activation.

October 23, 2015: 4 calls: 1 EMS call, 1 vehicle accident with injuries, 1 interfacility transfer, 1 malicious false alarm for multiple alarm system.

October 24, 2015: 5 calls: 1 EMS call, 1 interfacility transfer, 1 unauthorized burning, 1 call for public assistance, 1 "no incident found."

October 25, 2015: 8 calls: 7 EMS calls, 1 "no incident found."

Mary E. "Betty" Duke, a longtime South Lake Tahoe resident, passed away on Oct. 29, 2015. She was 90.

Betty was born on Feb. 27, 1925, in Monroe, La., to Albert and Clara Olsen.

Betty was an active volunteer with many organizations. She enjoyed reading, traveling, playing piano and accordion, dancing, and the outdoors, but especially anything involving her family.

The American Legion Post 795 of South Lake Tahoe invites residents and visitors to join members of the American Legion and the Ladies Auxiliary to honor all veterans, active and retired on Veterans Day. The ceremony will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, 2015, at the American Legion Hall, 2748 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. Refreshments will be served.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) lifted fire restrictions on National Forest System lands on Friday, October 30, 2015.

“While conditions have allowed the Forest Service to lift fire restrictions, wildfires can still occur,” said Fire Management Officer, Kit Bailey. “Visitors to our National Forests need to educate themselves about how to safely build and extinguish a campfire, and should continue to be careful and remember that campfires are only allowed in certain areas.”

Get help enrolling in health insurance or MediCal with Covered California. Barton Health’s Certified Enrollment Counselors are available to assist in English and Spanish.

Barton Health will host two open enrollment working sessions during which individuals can apply for health coverage and have access to certified representatives for any needed assistance. Please bring your picture ID, social security number and household income to the enrollment session:

December 8, 2015 ~ 3:30-6:30pm at Lake Tahoe Community College, Computer Lab D123

Location

Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864, just in time for the North to win the Civil War using the needed income brought to the Union from the state's silver mines. On October 31, 2015, Nevadans and visitors will be heading to the state's capitol to enjoy the Nevada Day events.

Hear from a team of experts about how to stay injury free during the upcoming winter season at the next lecture offered by Barton Health on Wednesday, November 4. Terry Orr, MD, from Tahoe Center for Orthopedics will share what happens when a knee injury occurs and LTCC anatomy professor Beachy Orr, PhD will teach about the anatomy of the knee. Two of Barton Health's certified athletic trainers, Andy Borah, ATC and Jeremy Vandehurst, ATC, will also lead participants in exercises to get the winter season going.

Deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office responded to a complaint of loud music and firearms being discharged in the 1200 block of Slate Road in Minden, Nev. on October 23, 2015.

Once on the scene, they found Alfredo Ferreira, 54, at the home with several weapons. During the deputys' investigation they found that Ferreira is a sex offender who had failed to register. An arrest and search warrant were obtained and they found several weapons in his home.

Ferreira was arrested without incident and the weapons were seize. Ferreira has since posted bail.

A South Lake Tahoe man was attacked by a woman with a machete Saturday morning after he opened his door to a female acquaintance who was demanding money.

On October 24, 2015 at 6:45 a.m., deputies from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responded to a call about an assault in the 900 block of Brockway Avenue. When they arrived they found an adult man who was bleeding from multiple cuts on both of his arms.

The following is a list of all 911 calls received by South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) from October 8 to October 21, 2015.

October 8, 2015: 7 calls: 5 EMS calls, 1 interfacility psych transfer, 1 oil or other combustible spill.

October 9, 2015: 13 calls: 7 EMS calls, 1 interfacility transfer, 1 "no incident found", 1 outside rubbish fire, 1 dispatch error, 1 CO2 detector activation due to malfunction, 1 call for gasoline or other flammable liquid spill.

The Lake Valley Fire Protection District honored Attorney William Wright with a “Proclamation of Thanks” at the Board meeting held on October 8, 2015.

Wright served as legal counsel to the board for the past 25 years and is now going to enjoy retirement.

The District thanked Wright for his service and dedication to the
Department and it's constituents.

El Dorado County health officials are warning people to not drink and dispose of any unpasteurized apple juice purchased from High Hill Ranch on or after October 6, 2015 after several cases of E. coli were reported.

High Hill Ranch, located in the community of Camino in El Dorado County, has initiated a voluntary recall of its unpasteurized apple juice following notification from local health officials of suspected contamination with bacteria, likely Escherichia coli (E. coli.).

The three "Super Scoopers" that called South lake Tahoe home this summer left the airport on Tuesday, October 20. One plane is still under contract with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and headed to Oklahoma for the winter while the other two Bombardier CL415 firefighting plans are now off contract with the USFS and flew off to unknown destinations.

The company that owns the planes, Aero-Flite, Inc is located in Spokane, Wash.

Exciting news for South Lake Tahoe, the cycling community and local tourism today when it was announced that the Amgen Tour of California will be returning to the South Shore for both men's and women's events.

Professional cyclists will return to the lake for the men's Stage 5 finish and the women's Stage 1 start on Thursday, May 19, 2016. The men will take off in Lodi, Calif. and finish at Heavenly Mountain Resort’s California Base Lodge in South Lake Tahoe. The women will also start/finish at Heavenly Mountain Resort on May 19.

11/3/15 - Update - The scene of the crime has now been reported as the dead-end portion of Spruce Avenue.

Original Story:

Authorities have identified the suspected shooter in last week's drive-by shooting in South Lake Tahoe.

Samuel Tovar, 26, of South Lake Tahoe is wanted for shooting at a 19-year-old man who was standing in a lot near the corner of Highway 50 and Ski Run Boulevard just before midnight on October 14, 2015. Police were called when the unidentified victim showed up at Barton Hospital with gunshot wounds to his leg.

There will soon be a new Fanny Bridge in Tahoe City now that the Tahoe Transportation District has secured all of the $33 million needed to complete the State Route 89/Fanny Bridge Community Revitalization Project and Meeks Bay Trail Project.