bill

A controversial bill that abolishes "personal belief exemptions" for vaccinations won overwhelming approval in the California Senate on Thursday, bolstering supporters' hopes that it will also clear the Assembly and be signed into law.

The measure by Democratic Sens. Richard Pan, of Sacramento, and Ben Allen, of Santa Monica -- introduced after a outbreak of measles in December at Disneyland sickened 136 Californians -- passed 25-10 after the two senators agreed to compromises aimed at easing its passage.

A Fireside Chat with longtime local historian Bill Kingman will take place at the historic Camp Richardson Lodge on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:00 p.m.

During last month's Fireside Chat, Kingman's presentation was so popular that he was asked to come back for more.

The event is free for Lake Tahoe Historical Society members and $3 for non-members.

Limited seating is available. For more information, contact the Lake Tahoe Historical Society at (530) 541-5458 or visit their website here.

Learn about Lake Tahoe history through the photos and words of Bill Kingman when he presents "Then & Now" at the first Fireside Chat of the year.

The Lake Tahoe Historical Society is planning a series of such chats all spring and summer. The first one will be held on Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. in the Lodge at Camp Richardson.

The cost is $3 for non-members and free for members. Seating is limited.

The following is an opinion article from the Reno Gazette Journal and reprinted here:

It doesn't matter if you love or hate Democratic Sen. Harry Reid to agree that the announcement of his retirement just dramatically reduced our state's political power in Washington D.C.

Nevada will go from a state whose issues were often at the center of debate because of Reid's position as minority leader to a state without a congressional power player in either party.

Editorial Note: This opinion piece was originally published in the LA Times.

Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year.

One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.

One in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

One quarter of high school girls have been victims of physical or sexual abuse.
Approximately 70% of college students say they have been sexually coerced.

A bill meant to solidify students' First Amendment right to religious expression stirred up a hornet's nest in the Nevada Legislature on Monday over its unintended consequences, even attracting the disapproval of a Christian priest.

"I believe this bill pushes the Christian position, which I do, but not in school," said the priest, testifying before the Assembly Committee on Education, holding its first hearing for Assembly Bill 120.

Five big nights of music have already been announced for Harvey's Outdoor Concert venue and tickets are already selling.

The popular South Lake Tahoe spot will host Train as they tour the US on their Picasso at the Wheel Summer Tour. Train will be joined by The Fray & Matt Nathanson on Tuesday, July 21.

On Wednesday, July 22, superstar Kenny Chesney stops by on his Big Revival Tour 2015. Chesney is the only Country artist in Billboard’s Top 10 Tour Acts of the last 25 years. Chase Rice will also be on the bill.

The date was February 17, 1955. The City of South Lake Tahoe had yet to be incorporated (that happened ten years later). Bill Harrah has just purchased George's Getaway Club for $500,000 and Chris Kuraisa purchased Bijou Ski Area for $1,950 and moved lift operations up the hill and renamed it Heavenly Valley. The number one song was "Sincerely" by the McGuire Sisters.

February 17, 1955 was also the day that the original Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce was incorporated.

Tucked deep inside the 1,603-page federal spending measure is a provision that effectively ends the federal government's prohibition on medical marijuana and signals a major shift in drug policy.

The bill's passage over the weekend marks the first time Congress has approved nationally significant legislation backed by legalization advocates. It brings almost to a close two decades of tension between the states and Washington over medical use of marijuana.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county.

The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at press time and the story will be updated when provided.

11/30
12:06 a.m. - Cholula St - COUPLE INVOLVED IN A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION RESULTING IN NO INJURIES. THE COUPLE, A 39-YEAR OLD MAN AND 36-YEAR OLD WOMAN, WERE SEPARATED FOR THE EVENING.

South Lake Tahoe non-profits were awarded $48,000 during the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority board meeting today. The 22 groups were each given between $1,000 and $3,000. The LTVA, in partnership with NBC Sports and American Century Investments, previously directed an additional $67,200 through on-site volunteer organizations and other efforts during tournament week to area high schools, Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe Booster Club, Boys and Girls Club of South Lake Tahoe, and the Gene Upshaw Scholarship

The following is a recap of activity the South Lake Tahoe Police Department responded to for the week October 24 through October 30, 2014. They responded to 170 calls during the 7 day period.

Calls Resulting in Arrests:

10/24
Petty theft in the 1000 block of Emerald Bay Road

10/25
Violation of Court Order in the 900 block of Modesto Ave
Felony "Other" in the 3600 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd
Drunk in Public at Washington Avenue and 3rd Street
Unlicensed Driver in the 3600 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd

With California and Nevada grappling with a third year of drought, one of the largest and most complex challenges we face over the long run at Lake Tahoe is adapting to a changing climate.

Climate change will affect the protection and restoration of our beautiful mountain lake as well as the expansive forests around it. And the health of our lake, forests, and communities are all intertwined.

To avoid going down the bankruptcy path as many cities had to over the past few years, the City of South Lake Tahoe today adopted resolutions to restructure the wage and benefit packages of its employees.

The new wage and benefit plans include a mixture of more clearly defined benefits and contributions. It was the undefined plans of the past that caused $25M in unfunded liabilities.

In front of a packed council chambers full of firemen and other staff, City Manager Nancy Kerry unveiled the results of negotiations between five of the six employee groups and the City.

Whole the Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel is undergoing $8 million dollars in renovations, the leadership of the hotel formerly known as "Embassy Suites" is also undergoing renovations.

The resort just celebrated a year of independence in April 2014 and is putting into place a management structure that throws away the corporate mold, and invests in the resort’s front line -- its staff.

Air show officials have decided to drop the $10 entrance fee and offer free admission to all attendees for the 25th Annual Lake in the Sky Air Show this Saturday, September 20th from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. at Tahoe Valley Airport in South Lake Tahoe.

Last year's air show was canceled due to heavy smoke from the Rim Fire. Officials are monitoring the King Fire's smoke and movement, but at this time there are no flight closures and the aerial performances and all on ground activities are still going to occur.

This year’s show which will includes:

In case you haven't been inside the former Embassy Suites in South Lake Tahoe lately, it sounds like it might be time to do so.

The Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel just finished $5M in renovations and has started the next phase, a $3M project that will add alpine mountain ambiance touches to its premium and balcony suites, lobby, banquet rooms and pool area.

South Lake Tahoe residents are reporting being the target of a phone scam where people pretending to be from Liberty Utilities call and demand payment.

According to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, the caller tells the resident that they have a past due bill, and threaten to shut off their power if they don't pay the bill over the phone immediately.

The 25th annual Lake in the Sky Air Show at Lake Tahoe Airport in beautiful South Lake Tahoe, California is scheduled for Saturday, September 20, 2014. The Lake in the Sky Air Show has been described as “the best in the west” by one of its many professional aerial participants.

This year’s show which will include exciting aerobatic performances by several top performers including Bill Cornick, Jon Melby and Spencer Suderman.

On July 18th 15 of some of the world’s most legendary athletes and entertainers competed in Lake Tahoe for the Korbel Closest-to-the-Pin Challenge as part of the American Century Championship, currently being played at the Edgewood Golf Course. NFL Former Pro Bowl Quarterback Mark Rypien who was the inaugural tournament champion took home the title after teeing off from Hole 17 and placing his ball just seven feet away from the pin winning a $5,000 donation for The Tahoe Fund from the Korbel Toast Life® Foundation.

Champagne was flowing on the 18th tee Friday as 29 of the celebrity golfers participating in the 25th Annual American Century Championship proved their skill in something other than golf.

As celebrity superstars prepared to tee off on the 18th hole, Korbel challenged them to show off their best champagne celebration skills as part of the Celebrity Spray-Off. Former NFL MVP Joe Theismann took home top honors after he popped the cork on a bottle of Korbel and his cork traveled the furthest distance - 87ft.

The likelihood of four-year degrees coming to Lake Tahoe Community College just got a major boost. A bill authorizing California’s Community College System to launch a limited baccalaureate degree pilot program was just approved by the State Assembly Committee on Higher Education. Senate Bill 850 (SB 850) allows 15 California community colleges to offer one 4-year degree as early as January 1, 2015, and starting no later than the 2017-18 academic year. The bill already passed through the state Senate back in May by a 34-0 vote.

Californians are invited to attend public hearings being held by the Department of Motor Vehicles on AB60, the state law that directs DMV to issue driver licenses to undocumented California residents.

While no hearings are held in South Lake Tahoe, there will be one in each Southern California and Northern California as well as an on-line telecast.

A live webcast of the hearings will be available. For a direct link, please visit the DMV web page at http://apps.dmv.ca.gov/ab60 during the hearings.