medical

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After a national search, Barton Health has announced they hired from within to fill two key spots on their executive team.

Kelly Neiger, CPA, MBA is now the new Chief Financial Officer and Matthew Wonnacott, MD has been selected as the new Chief Medical Officer for the South Lake Tahoe non-profit healthcare system.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The nurses at Barton Hospital in South Lake Tahoe who voted to organize in November 2017 have voted to strike for one day if necessary should their union and management fail to come to an agreement on issues that concern them at the bargaining table.

"Progress has stalled out," said Barton nurse Beth Dameral. "We haven't heard back on the healthcare issue."

RENO, Nev. - Keeping the community safe is the number one priority of law enforcement working on four recent murders in Reno and Douglas County. This was the message from Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam during a press conference late Thursday afternoon.

Two elderly people, a man and a woman, were killed in a home in southwest Reno. Their bodies were discovered on January 16 after concerned neighbors called law enforcement after not seeing the residents. Their names and ages have not been released pending notification of next of kin.

One baby and two adults died in a two-car collision on Highway 50 Tuesday evening east of Placerville.

On January 15, 2019 at approximately 6:27 p.m., the California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to the crash near the Camino Heights Drive intersection. They say a 51-year-old man from Fremont, Calif. was driving a 2005 Volvo 560 westbound at a speed around 60 mph. At the same time, a 39-year-old Pollock Pines, Calif. man was heading eastbound in a 2017 Subaru Impreza at approximately 65 mph.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A 71-year-old local man has been arrested for the murder of his 65-year-old female roommate.

James Byron Cleveland was arrested by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) after they responded to a Carson Avenue residence on a call of an injured woman on Sunday, January 13, 2019.

UDPATE 1/13/19 - The second drowning victim has been recovered from Topaz Lake. The recovery efforts resumed today on at 9:00 a.m. by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Marine 7 and search and rescue units, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Specialized Vehicle Unit (SUV) and their HASTY Dive Team, and Wardens from the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. Marine 7’s ROV located the body of Jesse Gregory, 50, at a depth of 22 feet.

The surviving fisherman, Scott Wise, has recovered and was released from the hospital.

UPDATE 1/13/19 12:30 p.m. - Douglas County Sheriff's Office has released the names of those involved in the boating accident. One boater, Scott Wise, was able to get to shore while a search began for the other two occupants. Rescue teams located the body of Burt Pederson of Sparks, Nevada, a man in his 40s according to DCSO. Jesse Gregory, also of Sparks, is still missing and presumed to have drowned.

Wise was treated at the Carson Valley Medical Center for treatment. He has since been released.

* * *

2:45 p.m. update: Search and rescue teams spent Sunday night dredging through deep snow and in very windy snowy conditions to locate the missing snowshoer Raymond Murdock.

The initial search for Murdock was called off in the early morning hours due to the snow and avalanche conditions, resuming Monday morning at 6:00 a.m.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue team called in the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office was made for additional personnel and Raven for aerial observation.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following are the 177 incidents the South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue and Cal-Tahoe JPA ambulances responded to from Dec. 21-31, 2018:

12/21

02:15 - 800 block of Rubicon Tr - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
02:33 - 1000 block of 4th St - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
06:02 - 1800 block of Lake Tahoe Blvd - EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury
14:00 - 900 block of Lakeview Ave - Police matter
15:11 - 1100 block of US Hwy 50 - EMS call, Interfacility Transfer

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - An estimated 20,000 visitors attended the 8th annual SnowGlobe Music Festival in South Lake Tahoe which was held over three days, December 29-31, 2018.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) called this year's event the best they’ve had from a violation and enforcement standpoint. They said there were no significant problems or issues of any kind.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Law enforcement and medical issues associated with the 2018 SnowGlobe Music Festival were down again on the event's second night, leading City of South Lake Tahoe staff to call the evening "another success."

After much concern from the community, staff has been working to alleviate concerns from them concerning noise and trouble for law enforcement.

Highlights of the second day include:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The 8th annual SnowGlobe Music Festival in South Lake Tahoe is underway, and after Day 1 city officials reports it was a "smooth start."

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) said they had no significant problems or issues of any kind on Saturday and made just one arrest between 2:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

In comparison, there were 13 arrests on the first day of the festival in 2017.

Even outside the festival things were quiet.

Judith Virginia Brown passed away at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nev., on Dec. 8, 2018.

She was 72.

Health care in the U.S. historically has been focused on treating the symptoms of sickness. The scientific accomplishments in this area are truly astonishing, but despite these advances, the American population as a whole isn’t healthier. In fact, chronic diseases are on the rise.

To combat this in our own community, Barton Health is offering the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP), a national program proven to improve health and wellness. CHIP is designed to help people reduce their risk for disease through better health habits and lifestyle changes.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The new city council had to tackle the big issue of a cannabis ordinance during their first meeting together on Tuesday, an issue that had been before the previous council numerous times. Two versions of an ordinance were presented but neither passed muster in the eyes of the council and they hope to have one that addresses their issues come before them at their January 15, 2019 meeting.

Judy Brown, a longtime South Lake Tahoe resident, former mayor, Planning Commission chair, local business owner, wife, mother, grandmother and friend died on December 8, 2018 at Renown Hospital in Reno. She was 72 years old.

More details for family, friends and colleagues will be coming from the family but in the meantime they have opened a fundraising campaign to assist Judy's husband Alan Brown with immediate bills left after Judy's medical issues this year.

STATELINE, Nev. - There is something for everyone, young and old, at the 10th annual Festival of Trees and Lights this weekend at MontBleu Resort. The convention center at the Stateline casino has been turned into a winter wonderland that is highlighted by the star of the show, the festive Christmas trees.

The winter celebration includes the Senior Stroll, Teddy Bear Brunch, Family Night, the Gala and much more from Friday, Dec. 7 through Sunday, Dec. 9.

Public viewing: Friday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 9 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It was well below freezing but spirits warmed the air as car after car honked at the dozens of Barton Health nurses, both current and retired, picketing on both sides of Highway 50 on 3rd Street in South Lake Tahoe.

"We've had amazing support from the community," said emergency room nurse Ronnie Navarro, an 11-year employee of the hospital. That community included other local unions including the police and fire departments.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - What should be the final count of ballots for the November 6 election in El Dorado County was released today, giving clarity to a hotly contested ballot measure in South Lake Tahoe. The citizen generated Measure T calls for a ban of all vacation rentals in South Lake Tahoe except for those in what is called the "tourist core."

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Another round of votes were released Friday, narrowing the gap between yes and no on Measure T once again. The citizen generated measure call for a ban of all vacation rentals in South Lake Tahoe except for those in what is called the "tourist core."

49 votes were added to the Measure T count, 19 "for" and 30 "against."

There were approximately 2,600 vote by mail ballots still to count this week for all of El Dorado County which includes provisional ballots and 160 conditionals ballots from South Lake Tahoe.

That leaves about 1,800 left to tally.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Measure T, the South Lake Tahoe ballot measure that proposed a ban on all vacation rentals outside of the tourist core area starting in 2021 is a bit closer to passing.

In the second incremental release of votes counter after Tuesday, November 6, the Yes on T vote is at 3265, with No on T counts at 3207 - less than one percent difference. 267 ballots were tallied in this last release for Measure T.

The gap between the yes and no votes on Measure T in South Lake Tahoe got much smaller, with the measure now passing by just 25 votes. The South Lake Tahoe City Council and El Dorado County Supervisor results remain the same.

El Dorado County had over 24,000 votes to count after election day, and they have now counted 16,919 of them. 1,655 of those were from the City of South Lake Tahoe and 2,907 for the Area 5 Supervisor district.

As a recap, here are the results on election night: http://southtahoenow.com/story/11/08/2018/over-24000-ballots-yet-be-counted-el-dorado-county

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It's been 44 years since Gene Wilder brought the character of Dr. Frankenstein to the Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein, along with Peter Boyle as the monster and Marty Feldman as Igor.

Now Young Frankenstein returns to the South Tahoe stage for a six-day run in their TADA Theater. Opening night was a sellout with two more days of full crowds, and they continue the production November 9-11.

With a narrow margin in the ballot measure concerning the future of vacation rentals in South Lake Tahoe, and other races still close, everyone is awaiting the release of more results from Tuesday's election.

You'll still have to wait a bit longer.

On Friday, November 9, El Dorado County Elections will post the next round of results, but it won't be the last as there are over 24,000 ballots yet to count.

13,372 mail-in ballots were dropped off at the polls
2,614 provisional ballots