gas

The City of South Lake Tahoe sent out emails to local businesses this week, advising them it is time for their required annual life and safety inspections of all existing commercial buildings which, among others, are used to sell merchandise, public assembly, hotels and motels.

Travis Taylor, the City's Fire Inspector, has begun the drop-in inspections which can take place Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Four people were cited for selling alcohol to minors on April 29 during a compliance sting by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

During the operation, minors under the direct supervision of officers, attempted to purchase alcohol from ten retail licensees in the city limits.

40 percent of those businesses sold alcohol to the teen decoys. Clerks at Safeway Gas, Chevron Gas, Whiskey Dicks and Chevy's Restaurant were all cited and face a minimum fine of $250, and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation.

To prepare for the $57 million Caltrans project that will start in South Lake Tahoe in 2017, Southwest Gas is continuing their gas-line relocation work along Highway 50 from the "Y" to Al Tahoe Blvd this spring and summer.

The construction work will be completed during both daytime and nighttime hours and Southwest Gas officials told South Tahoe Now there will be no major bottlenecks that were prevalent last summer.

"There will be less lane restrictions and improved traffic flow," said Stephen Miller, of Southwest Gas Corporate Communications.

The public will soon be able to tour the historic Nevada State Prison in Carson City. Opened in 1862, the prison opened on the site of the Warm Springs Hotel even before the territory became a state. The prison's quarry supplied the materials needed to build the State Capitol.

The Carson City Chamber of Commerce 2016 Leadership Class will offer the prison tours as a fundraiser from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday, April 16.

With the legalization of gaming in Nevada, the prison allowed inmates to gamble in the Bull Pen, a casino that was set up in 1932 and closed in 1967.

Spring forward, fall back.

But why?

The reason the United States and many other countries, mostly in the West, shift to daylight saving time is contentious and confusing, and some of the more popular explanations are not grounded in reality. (It isn’t for farmers, as you may have learned in school.)

The general concept is to move an hour of sunlight from the early morning, when many would sleep through it, to the evening, when you could most likely do more with the light.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department and Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) posted a 20 day liquor license suspension notice at American Gas on Thursday, February 25. The suspension comes after an undercover operation began on November 12, 2015 after the owner of the station allegedly sold a glass pipe used for smoke methamphetamine.

The owner, Stefka Dimitrova, said she wasn't arrested for selling the pipe as the ABC report claims and didn't understand the suspension.

American Gas is located at 2762 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

The following is a list of all 911 calls received by South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) from January 12 to January 26, 2016.

January 12 - 9 calls: 7 EMS calls, 1 interfacility transfer, 1 assist other agency

January 13 - 9 calls: 5 EMS calls, 1 interfacility transfer, 1 detector activation-no fire, 1 vehicle accident-no injuries, 1 "special" outside fire (downed tree on fire, no cause determined)

January 14 - 9 calls: 3 EMS calls, 1 interfacility transfer, 1 house fire, 2 cancelled en route, 1 unintentional smoke detector activation, 1 false alarm

The following is a list of all 911 calls received by South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) from December 21, 2015 to January 6, 2016.

December 21: 10 calls: 4 EMS, 1 interfacility transfer, 1 hazardous condition (other), 1 assist police call, 1 malfunctioning alarm, 1 call canceled en route, 1 carbon monoxide incident

December 22: 13 calls: 6 EMS, 1 interfacility transfer, 2 calls canceled en route, 1 no incident found upon arrival, 1 alarm system sounded with no incident, 1 passenger vehicle fire, 1 public assistance call

A new burger place has opened on the South Shore, giving residents on the Nevada side of town a new option for eating out (or on the run).

Neighborhood Burgers was opened by locals Erik Watada and Matt Grime, and in less than a week of being open its already a hit.

Grime, owner of The Fox & Hound at the top of Kingsbury, joined Watada in providing an option for people to get a quick bite, especially those on the Nevada side where options are at a minimum.

The holiday travel week may not have started out as many hoped it would as a storm hit Lake Tahoe on Monday, stranding many travelers for hours. I was one of those stranded between Kyburz and South Lake Tahoe on Highway 50, making the 1.5 hour drive from Cameron Park in 8.5 hours.

This caught me off guard since I've been driving the mountain roads for the past 36 years and my four-wheel drive car with snow tires has been very steady and dependable. I normally don't drive the mountain passes when a storm is headed our way, but I had to pick my daughter up from the San Francisco Airport.

Winter is here and that means more family and friend gatherings inside the home. Whether in the kitchen, near the fireplace or stove, it’s always a good idea to brush up on home safety tips.

Before we gather around the fireplace or stove, remember these important safety tips:

• Have a qualified professional install stoves, chimney connectors, and chimneys.
• Stoves should have the label of an independent testing laboratory.
• In wood stoves, burn only dry, seasoned wood. In pellet stoves, burn only dry, seasoned wood pellets.

For years I thawed my turkey, covered it with butter and herbs and foil, and popped it into the oven, always afraid to steer away from what I knew worked.

That was, until I watched Emeril Lagasse on Good Morning America about ten year ago. Now, its all about the brine!

The first year I tried the brine I had the recipe all written out and followed it closely, but since then I improvise with whatever is in the kitchen cupboards.

Since this is Tuesday there is still time to do a brine, but you need to hurry.

Dear Hopeful Henry,
I read your article about Halloween safety, thank you for the information on the artificial sweetener now showing up in peanut butters. I was hoping you could advise on what other food items are bad for my dog.

Thanks,
Betty

Betty, so glad you found the information from last week’s article useful and your question is a great one. To answer your question with the most accuracy I obtained this list from the ASPCA Poison Control Center.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

The following is a list of all 911 calls received by South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) from October 1 to October 7, 2015.

October 1, 2015: 5 calls: 3 EMS calls, 1 call for unauthorized burning, 1 call for CO2 detector being activated due to malfunction.

October 2, 2015: 8 calls: 5 EMS calls, 1 call for natural gas leak, 1 call canceled en route, 1 interfacility transfer.

October 3, 2015: 11 calls: 7 EMS calls, 1 false alarm, 1 canceled en route, 1 service call "other," 1 unauthorized burning.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS
State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

6:47 p.m. - Cal Fire says containment on the Butte Fire has grown to 47 percent, with acreage burned holding at 71,780 acres.

Damage assessment shows 233 residences, 175 outbuildings and 15 other structures burned in the fire, with 6,000 additional structures still threatened.

Officials ask that area residents remain vigilant, as the fire is still active in many areas. They also ask for people to assist by calling the appropriate authorities for specific situations:

If you see trees on a highway, please call Cal-Trans at 209-948-7543.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

Due to unprecendented dry conditions, visitors on the Rubicon Trail are urged to be especially careful with campfires. Outside of hosted campgrounds, you must have a California Campfire Permit to have a campfire, charcoal barbeque, use a gas stove or gas lantern.

Remember that regulations governing campfires can change with weather conditions so always check with the U.S. Forest Service for current campfire restrictions.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 89 (Placer County): Work continues on a $70.1 million project from Tahoma to the "Y" junction with State Route 28 in Tahoe City on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore that will upgrade storm water drainage and treatment systems, add curb and gutter, resurface and realign the road, add new left-turn pockets and widen shoulders on a 9-mile stretch of the highway. Completion is expected in fall 2016.

Lake Tahoe radio host, standup comedian and emcee of the Improv at Harveys, Howie Nave is among 62 Nevada radio and television personalities and managers who will be inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame this Saturday in Las Vegas.

Nave, who has been with KRLT FM 93.9 as host of “Howie’s Morning Rush” at Lake Tahoe for nearly 15 years, will be inducted at the Four Seasons Hotel. He joins the ranks of more than 800 broadcasters from around Nevada who make up the Hall of Fame.

It's been almost a year since the 5,400 square foot Alta Mira Building was torn down in South Lake Tahoe in order to provide open space, improve water quality and remove blight.