highway

Road Beat: 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE, the right way to go

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE, A new direction for the Corolla iM and it’s the right way to go.

Corolla iM evolved originally from the Scion brand, it was a second-generation Scion and when the brand was folded into Toyota it became a Corolla iM. I liked the iM as it had good performance, great styling looking a bit like a lowered and sleeker RAV4 with excellent fuel economy.

Lake Tahoe area roadwork May 26-June 1

The following is a list of Caltrans projects at Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County. Most traffic-interfering work will be limited through 10 p.m. Monday, May 27 for the Memorial Day Weekend.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Routes 28/89 (El Dorado and Placer County): Work continues on a $4.8 million project to remove dead and dying trees from State Routes 28 and 89 in various locations of El Dorado and Placer counties. Completion is expected this fall.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

5/15
8:05 a.m. - Battery on Custodial Officer - Al Tahoe Blvd - 32-YEAR-OLD MALE

Barton Hospital nurses go out on strike

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The almost 180 registered nurses at Barton Hospital went out on a planned strike Friday morning to show the South Lake Tahoe hospital they want a fair contract, one that honors all of their demands.

Police pursuit of South Lake Tahoe man caught on film in Sacramento

1:00 PM UPDATE: More information has been released in the arrest of Christopher Wadstein in Sacramento. Police found almost a pound of methamphetamine in the fire after his truck burst into flames.

Wadstein is a long time South Lake Tahoe resident with arrests dating back to his teenage years. Lt. Shannon Laney said their first file on him was in 2001. His previous convictions range from drugs and vandalism to kidnapping and weapons
charges. He is also believed to be a skinhead white supremacist prison gang member according to SLTPD.

Lake Tahoe area roadwork May 19 - 25

Most traffic-interfering work will be limited from 6 a.m. Friday, May 24 through 10 p.m. Monday, May 27 for the Memorial Day Weekend. The following are the current CalTrans projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Routes 28/89 (El Dorado and Placer County): Work continues on a $4.8 million project to remove dead and dying trees from State Routes 28 and 89 in various locations of El Dorado and Placer counties. Completion is expected this fall.

Traffic collision in South Lake Tahoe; Injuries reported

Update May 19 9:00 a.m.: The 65-year-old driver who verred off Lake Tahoe Boulevard on Saturday suffered a medical episode according to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. The unidentified South Lake Tahoe man was transported to Barton Hospital with minor injuries from the crash.

Update 1:15 p.m.: One person was transported to the hospital after they left the roadway and ended up hitting two parked cars and a building Saturday morning. The driver was transported with unknown injuries.

Rain and crash during Amgen Stage 3: It's a three-peat for Deceuninck – Quick-Step riders

The Amgen Tour of California Stage 4 presented by Lexus ended with the expected sprinter shootout – UAE Emirates’ Jasper Philipsen (BEL) launched the final attack to the finish line, trailed by BORA-hansgrohe’s three-time World Champion Peter Sagan (SVK). With just meters to go, Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Fabio Jakobsen (NED) rocketed past both to claim the team’s third stage in three days. Cofidis, Solutions Credits Nacer Bouhanni (FRA) followed the trio across the line in fourth place.

NDOT wraps up series of overnight closures of SR28 in Incline Village

The Nevada Department of Transportation has wrapped up a series of overnight full road closures on State Route 28 shared used path ahead of schedule. The roadway closure allowed for installation of pre-fabricated bridge decks on the three-plus mile shared-use path under construction between southern Incline Village and Sand Harbor State Park.

Both directions of SR 28 were closed overnight on May 14 and crews had planned to work to continue overnight May 15 but that has been canceled.

Amgen Stage 3: France's Cavagna finishes almost 1.5 hours of next rider

For the second day in a row, a Deceuninck – Quick-Step cyclist claimed his first WorldTour stage win at the Amgen Tour of California, with 23-year-old French rider Rémi Cavagna spending hours on a solo ride several minutes ahead of the peloton.

About an hour into the race day, a breakaway including the USA Cycling National Team’s reigning U.S. U23 National Champion Alex Hoehn (Lenexa, Kansas) and Cavagna (FRA) built their lead to over 10 minutes and ended up spending 100 miles out front of the peloton.

South Lake Tahoe weather: Rain and snow in the 10-day forecast

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Enjoy your last day of sunshine for a while as a strong, wet and cold weather system heads to California and Lake Tahoe. The 10-day forecast has rain and snow in South Lake Tahoe each day. Have weekend outdoor plans? You may want to have a backup plan in place.

Amgen Tour of California picked the right weekend to start in Northern California. As the race moves south, the storm systems move in.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

5/2

Kingsbury Grade to close Wednesday for continuing investigation

STATELINE, Nev. - The Nevada Highway Patrol, along with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, will be closing State Route 207 (Kingsbury Grade) on Wednesday, May 15, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. It will be closed at Foothill Road for traffic headed to Lake Tahoe and at Tramway Drive for traffic heading down to the valley.

Lake Tahoe area roadwork May 12-18

The following is a list of roadwork projects CalTrans is working on in Lake Tahoe.

SPECIAL EVENT

Amgen Tour of California comes through the South Shore on Monday, May 13. Between 3:00 p.m and 4:00 p.m. expect delays from Luther Pass on SR89, Pioneer Trail and Ski Run Blvd. For details: http://southtahoenow.com/story/05/09/2019/ready-amgen-viewers-guide-stage-2-south-lake-tahoe

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

Two SLTPD officers earn Meritorious Service awards at South Lake Tahoe ceremony

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - During their annual awards ceremony on Thursday, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) honored two of their officers for their response to a shooting on June 30. 2018.

SLTPD officers Derek Simon and Anton Kushlan earned the "Meritorious Service" award for selfless acts in the wake of a shooting.

2019 Hooters International Pageant featuring country star Lee Brice at Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena

STATELINE, Nev. – Country star Lee Brice is heading to Lake Tahoe as part of the 23rd annual Hooters International Pageant on Thursday, June 20 at the 2019 Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series in the Harveys Outdoor Arena.

Women around the country have been participating in local pageants, all to win a spot at the big event in Lake Tahoe.

Viewing the pageant and concert are open to the public and tickets are on sale now.

Fire fighting in Lake Tahoe: We're not alone with mutual aid and pre-positioning

The following is the third in a series of stories on being a community that is prepared for wildfire.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Fire knows no boundaries, no city, county, or state lines, so why should those fighting the fires be limited by an unseen line? Fire chiefs across the country manage their fire departments based on need and available staff, but what happens when their resources aren't enough to fight a fire in their own backyard?

Father John Grace ~ September 18, 1920 - May 4, 2019

Father John Grace, former pastor of Saint Theresa Catholic Church in South Lake Tahoe, passed away on May 4, 2019, at the age of 98. Father Grace had injured himself in a fall while on a walk near his Al Tahoe residence a few days before his death.

He was born September 18, 1920, to John and Cecilia Grace in the small coal-mining village of The Commons, County Tipperary, Ireland. He was predeceased by his parents and two sisters, Catherine (“Rena”) and Maureen. At the time of his death, Father Grace was the oldest priest in the Diocese of Sacramento.

Road Beat: Toyota Avalon, A Super Car for whom?

Toyota created the Avalon about 25 years ago as a more luxurious and bigger Camry. Eventually, Toyota used the Avalon chassis for its Lexus ES350 series. Nothing wrong there. Now in its fifth generation, the all-new Avalon really is all new. While the nameplate is old, it is looking to attract younger drivers. The median age of Avalon drivers has grown from about 60 in 2005 to about 66 currently. For this new generation Avalon, perhaps the question should be asked: “Why are 66-year old’s having all the fun?”

Lake Tahoe area roadwork May 5-11

The following is a list of roadwork projects CalTrans is working on in Lake Tahoe.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

Kingsbury Grade to close next Friday for continuing investigation (Canceled)

9:00 p.m. update: NHP has canceled this closure.

STATELINE, Nev. - The Nevada Highway Patrol, along with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, will be closing State Route 207 (Kingsbury Grade) on Friday, May 10, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. between Tramway Drive and Foothill Road.

Expect delays as Liberty Utilities, AT&T and Charter underground wires on Apache

MEYERS, Calif. - Expect traffic delays along Apache Avenue in Meyers into October as crews move approximately 2,500 feet of overhead power lines underground. They will also be moving communication lines owned by AT&T and Charter underground as well.

The work will be done on Apache Avenue from Highway 50 north to East San Bernardino Avenue. They will be completed in the area next year during the allowed construction time period of May-October.

Sierra snowpack at Phillips Station: Cold, dense and 188 percent of average

PHILLIPS STATION, Calif. - In a final reading of the Sierra snowpack at Phillips Station west of Lake Tahoe, officials from the Department of Water Resources (DWR) found it to be 188 percent of average with 47 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 27.5 inches.

Statewide, California’s snowpack sits at 31 inches of SWE, which is 144 percent of average for this time of year. Snow water equivalent is the depth of water that theoretically would result if the entire snowpack melted instantaneously.

Lake Tahoe area boat inspection stations opening for 2019 season

LAKE TAHOE, CA/NV - Roadside watercraft inspections stations aimed at stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species are opening for the season. Locations, hours of operation, and opening dates are online at TahoeBoatInspections.com and as follows:

Opening Wednesday, May 1:
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., seven days a week

Meyers: at the junction of US Highway 50 and Highway 89, South Lake Tahoe
Spooner Summit: at the junction of US Highway 50 and Highway 28 in Nevada
Alpine Meadows: Highway 89, off Alpine Meadows Road north of Tahoe City

No overnight closure of SR28 at Lake Tahoe needed May 1

The Nevada Department of Transportation has wrapped up the first in a series of overnight full road closures on State Route 28 ahead of schedule and will not need to close again tonight, May 1.

Seasonal dog closure for Upper Truckee Marsh in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Starting Wednesday, May 1, the California Tahoe Conservancy will be initiating their seasonal dog closure at the Upper Truckee Marsh in South Lake Tahoe. This annual closure will last through July 31.

The purpose of the closure is to keep dogs out of critical breeding habitat for special, threatened and endangered species such as the Willow Flycatcher.

Completion date of Fanny Bridge/ SR89 project pushed out, final stage may start in 2020

The SR89/Fanny Bridge Community Revitalization Project on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe has not progressed as expected and completion will not happen in 2019 though lots of work is scheduled.

Weather, utilities and construction scheduling have put it well behind the original 2018 planned completion and now construction work will be getting off to a late start in 2019 because of high water levels at the lake and Truckee River after an above average winter of snow and rain. Crews are expecting to start around mid-June.

Lake Tahoe area roadwork April 29 - May 4

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following is a list of roadwork projects CalTrans is working on in Lake Tahoe.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

State Routes 28/89 (El Dorado and Placer County): Work is starting on a $1.8 million project to remove dead and dying trees from State Routes 28 and 89 in various locations of El Dorado and Placer counties. Completion is expected this fall.

Road Beat: 2019 Honda Passport, Honda’s best ever SUV/CUV and Best in Class

Not very often does a new car/truck come along that gets my attention as the new Honda Passport did. It is certainly not a rebadged Isuzu as the original “rush to market” first Passport was.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

4/17

New entrance/exit for Round Hill Pines being planned

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - Anyone passing by the entrance to Round Hill Pines on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe during the summer months knows the traffic and safety issues created by drivers turning into the popular beachfront resort.

On Tuesday night there was a public meeting held to gather ideas on a solution to the ingress and egress issues the road has along Highway 50 in this area. Representatives from the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), US Forest Service, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA) were on hand to lead the discussion.

Navigating through South Lake Tahoe road construction

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With three major road construction projects on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe this summer, both residents and visitors alike will have their patience put to the test as they navigate local roads.

Not only will CalTrans have three major projects on Highway 50 between Echo Summit and Al Tahoe Boulevard, but the City of South Lake Tahoe will have their own road projects going on at Sierra Boulevard and Gardner Mountain.

It truly will be a six-month-long "Road Construction Season."

Two-year long NDOT US50 Spooner Summer project to begin this week

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) will begin a two-year long storm drainage project to help preserve water quality and reduce erosion on US 50 between Carson City and Spooner Summit on Thursday, April 25.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

4/10

Tahoe Rim Trail fundaiser: Boot Scootin' Bash at the Lake

Event Date: 
June 1, 2019 - 5:30pm

On National Trails Day, join the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA) at their Boot Scootin Beach Bash in South Lake Tahoe on June 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

They’re fixin’ to have a good time celebrating trails on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe with a BBQ, contra dance (don’t worry, no experience necessary), laughs, and live music ’til the cows come home – (in Tahoe the cows come home at 9:00 p.m.).

Douglas County teams removing debris from river channels ahead of spring flooding

With warming temperatures and melting snow, Douglas County is reminding residents of the potential for some minor spring flooding in the months to come. With the spring run-off, citizens could expect to see some road closures on arterial roads such as Mottsville, Centerville Lane, Muller Lane and Genoa Lane.

In preparation for flooding, the Douglas County Stormwater Division has been removing flood debris in river channels with the Carson Valley Conservation District, Carson Water Subconservancy and Nevada Division of Water Resources.

Caltrans to hold public meeting on Meyers and South Lake Tahoe projects

Event Date: 
April 24, 2019 - 5:30pm

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Long has been the joke that there are two seasons in Lake Tahoe, winter and roadwork. Both are holding up true for 2019 as we leave a long and heavy winter and prepare for several road construction projects.

On Wednesday, April 24, CalTrans is inviting the public to come out and learn about their three projects scheduled to begin on US 50 in the Lake Tahoe Basin this summer. The public meeting will be in the South Tahoe High School Student Union from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

South Lake Tahoe Police Blotter

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Tahoe Now has been posting the call logs from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department for years, and while that will still continue the format is changing. After today we will post complete logs Tuesday-Friday with Tuesdays being a list of the weekend calls.

The following is a full recap of all activity for the South Lake Tahoe Police Department from April 5 - 15, 2019.

April 5-7

ARRESTS (11):
36-year-old male arrested for disobeying a court order.
45-year-old male arrested for loitering on private property and resisting arrest.

Heading to Placerville? Expect delays

Caltrans has started a repair project in Placerville that will require them to close some on and off ramps and lanes of Highway 50 until April 26.

The Mosquito Bridge undercrossing is being repaired and will impact travelers along the highway from Clay Street to Carson Road around the clock.

Eastbound and westbound motorists can expect lane restrictions, the Mosquito Road on- and off-ramps and the eastbound Broadway off-ramp closed around the clock until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April.

One of two lanes will be closed at all times.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

4/6

Cabin west of Lake Tahoe suffers total loss in fire

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A home at the intersection of Highway 50 and Sierra-at-Tahoe Road in the historic community of Phillips is a total loss after a fire ripped through it Friday night.

At 11:15 p.m. on April 12, Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) crews were called out to the scene along with several other agencies. Upon arrival, they found the home fully engulfed. Inside the home had been two women, one male, two dogs and two cats.

The male was transported to Barton Hospital with smoke inhalation and one cat was lost to the fire.

US50 reopens after car hits boulder on Echo Summit

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - At approximately 1:39 p.m. Thursday a boulder came off the mountainside right into the path of a pick-up truck traveling westbound on Highway 50 over Echo Summit near Johnson Pass Road.

The driver hit the boulder and his vehicle had to be towed from the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol in Meyers.

There were no injuries in the incident. As Caltrans was clearing the lane and the vehicle hooked up to be moved there was one-way traffic over the summit. All was cleared in under an hour.

Highway 50 is now open and free of controls.

Work resumes on shared use path in Incline Village along SR28

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - The final stage of the three-plus mile shared-use path from the southern end of Incline Village to Sand Harbor State Park along SR28 will begin on April 22, ending a four-year, multi-agency water quality and traffic safety improvement project.

2nd Bi-Annual Basin Blitz shows Caltrans renovations help Lake Tahoe

The League to Save Lake Tahoe held its second bi-annual Basin Blitz this spring to assess progress in improving Lake Tahoe’s stormwater infrastructure (pipes, drains and sediment-catching basins). These features flow directly into Lake Tahoe and carry fine sediment pollution from our roads and neighborhoods into the lake, further degrading its clarity.

Lake Tahoe area roadwork April 7 - 13, 2019

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Major Caltrans roadwork projects around Lake Tahoe will not start until at least May 1, and in the case of the $35M Tahoe City project, until mid-June due to the height of the Truckee River. In the meantime, there will be short-term projects.

Here is the week's roadwork for Caltrans for the week:

SHORT-TERM PROJECTS

State Route 49 (El Dorado County) at the Weber Creek Bridge: Motorists can expect intermittent one-way traffic control from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday for guardrail replacement work.

Road Beat: Genesis G70 - One of the best cars ever

Sure, I like most of the vehicles I test, but there are some that stand out. Then from those stand out motor vehicles, we can find the best of the best. When you factor in price or bang for the buck, that best of the best gets very small, maybe two or three vehicles. The new Genesis G70 is one of them. The other vehicle is the Kia Stinger which is a slightly larger sibling of the G70. I will discuss the differences, but for this Road Beat it is the G70 that gets this ultimate spotlight and my tester was an AWD G70 Sport 3.3T.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

3/27

Highway reopens after another snow slide closes Echo Summit

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Travelers over Highway 50 and Echo Summit today had some challenges, once after the road was closed for avalanche control, and a second time when a snow slide covered the road.

One person was injured when their car was involved in the snow slide. They were transferred to the hospital with non-serious injuries according to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDSO). Another buried car had no injuries involved.

Daffodil Hill closes for the season after just one weekend

For those waiting for an annual sojourn down State Route 88 to Daffodil Hill, it's time to change your plans. They opened for the season on March 30, not knowing their season would only last two days.

A rainy week has more than dampened spirits, it also damaged the thousands of daffodils lining the four-acre farm owned by the McLaughlin family.

Snapchat joyride with AR-15 style weapon in South Lake Tahoe sends teen to jail

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A 19-year-old man from Dayton, Nevada was arrested in South Lake Tahoe on Friday after he was allegedly found with an illegal and loaded weapon.

On April 5, 2019, at 2:19 p.m. the Douglas County Sheriff's Office called the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) with a "Be On The Lookout" for a black Mercedes with a passenger that was brandishing an AR-15 style weapon.

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