wildlife

As we welcome in 2016, the City of South Lake Tahoe would like to reflect on the accomplishments of 2015. The following is a summary of accomplishments during 2015.

Strategic Priority: Fiscal Sustainability
The most important issue facing cities and local agencies is continued steadfast attention to the budget, both short term and long term fiscal impacts.
· FY 15/16 budget adopted on time and without use of alternative revenues (3rd consecutive year).
· Adopted 5-year Financial Forecast and 5-Year Capital Investment Plan.

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care welcomed a new house guest for the winter, one-year-old China.

China is a 40 pound male bear cub who just arrived from China Peak, near Huntington Lake, outside of Fresno. LTWC names the cubs that come to their center after the region they come from.

The first year cub's mother had to be euthanized after receiving irreparable damage after being hit by a car. China will be living at LTWC for the remainder of the winter with two other cubs that came from Sequoia.

Joy Barney has dedicated her life to connecting youth to the land. In the process she has touched many lives, so it comes as no surprise that winning a national award for her, is all about inspiring others.

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.

11/29

10:15 p.m. - Possession of Controlled Substance - Thunderbird Cr - A 29-YEAR-OLD MALE SUSPECT WAS CITED FOR POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.

11/30

Joy Barney was recently honored for her dedication to the U.S. Forest Service's educational programs in the Lake Tahoe basin.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) Conservation Education Program Specialist was awarded the Gifford Pinchot Pacific Southwest Region Interpreter and Conservation Educator of the Year Award. Named in honor of the first Chief of the Forest Service, the annual award is a national honor given to Forest Service employees for achievement in environmental interpretation and conservation education.

"Every Kid in a Park" is a program offered by the U.S. Forest Service to all fourth grade students in the country.

It is very easy to be part of the free program. First step is to log onto www.everykidinapark.gov and get a free pass.

President Barack Obama created Every Kid in a Park so fourth graders and their families could discover our wildlife, resources, and history for free!

All participants are also eligible to cut down a free Christmas Tree in Lake Tahoe.

Last year, it was the "Bear Selfie" craze that showed how people can disrespect nature. This year, the issue can be known as "Tree Tagging."

A ground breaking ceremony at Edgewood Tahoe brought out community and political leaders, all wanting the celebrate their new project, the Lodge at Edgewood Tahoe.

Rain brought the ceremony indoors, but spirits weren't dampened as people speaking at the ceremony highlighted the major impacts the new project on the state line will make on South Shore's economic and community revitalization, as well as important environmental and recreational enhancements in the area.

During the 2014 Kokanee salmon run at Taylor Creek, spectators left pathways at the popular U.S. Forest Service Visitor Center in South Lake Tahoe to approach bears in search of a selfie photo with a bear. Not only was this dangerous for the human, it was dangerous for the bear and USFS threatened to close the area to the public.

Thousands flock to the Sierra Nevada every fall to watch the color changes of the aspen trees along with the annual upstream migration of the Kokanee Salmon in Taylor Creek to lay their eggs and complete their life cycle.

The bright yellows, oranges and reds of the aspen are emblematic of fall in Lake Tahoe, but this year that will not happen in the typical fashion that people have become accustomed to.

In a stroll through many of the aspen groves on the South Shore it looks like fall has already happened with dried leaves leaving the branches and making their way to the forest floor.

Top experts in the Western United States’ fight against aquatic invasive species are gathering at Lake Tahoe this week as the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency hosts the annual conference of the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species September 2-4.

The Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species includes representatives from state, federal, and tribal agencies as well as from many academic and nonprofit entities. It was formed by a provision in the National Invasive Species Act of 1996.

For the second time in a week the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has had to euthanize a black bear that was found near homes.

The bear was trapped overnight in the Kingsbury Area of Douglas County, and was put down because it was a danger to the public.

A problem-causing black bear that wildlife officials said was becoming increasingly dangerous was killed Tuesday in Incline Village.

The bear, a 9-year-old, 450-pound male, was captured Monday night or early Tuesday morning, tranquilized and subsequently euthanized with drugs, said Chris Healy, spokesman for the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

The bear was determined to be the same one that had been raiding trash, breaking into cars and knocking over fences in the area and was killed as a threat to public safety, Healy said.

As people move into bear country the bears learn that people has tasty food, even if its not exactly what they should be eating. They also learn that people leave this tasty food out where they can easily find it, in trash cans in front of homes and in big dumpsters at restaurants, motels and timeshares.

More than 10,000 acres of scenic meadows, forests and trout streams in the Sierra Nevada 10 miles west of Lake Tahoe have been preserved in a deal in which environmentalists hope to prove that thinning out overgrown forests can increase California's water supply.

The Northern Sierra Partnership, an environmental group based in Palo Alto and founded by longtime Silicon Valley leaders Jim and Becky Morgan, joined with the Nature Conservancy and the American River Conservancy to buy the land for $10.1 million from Simorg West Forests, a timber company based in Atlanta.

Scientists have found a way to put some of the 51,000 pounds of harvested fish to good use at the same time they are ridding Lake Tahoe of invasive species.

In the first three years of a cooperative pilot program between the University of Nevada Reno and California Fish and Wildlife, unwanted fish have been donated to needy families.

July 17-Aug 23 Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival: "Romeo and Juliet" @ Sand Harbor
July 29-Aug 02 Shayla Rivera / Pete Banachowski @ Improv at Harvey's
July 31-Aug 16 Lake Tahoe Summerfest classical music series @ Sierra Nevada College
July 31-Aug 01 Lisa Marie Johnston @ Moodys Bistro
Coburn Station @ Bar of America
August 01 Three Dog Night @ Montbleu
Robert Cray @ Harrah's
Forget the Roses @ Hard Rock Hotel
Drought Relief @ Heavenly Village
DJ Rick Gee / DJ Rockwell @ Peek Tahoe
Daze on the Green @ Cabo Wabo
JKC Band @ Steamers
Darren Senn @ 968 Park Hotel

South Lake Tahoe's only wildlife rescue and rehab center, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, opens their doors to the public just once a year, and Sunday, August 2 is that day.

Visit their facility and see the wildlife currently under their care through closed circuit monitors. LTWC volunteers will be on hand to guide visitors through the wildlife rehab center, explaining what is in each cage and the story behind each animal. The open house will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

LTWC brand clothing will be on sale, as well as renderings of the new facility which will open in the Spring of 2017.

Sherry Guzzi from Sierra Wildlife Coalition will be presenting “The Beavers of Taylor Creek” at Taylor Creek Visitor Center on Friday July 31st at 8:30 p.m. This event is open to the public and admission is a five-dollar donation to the Tahoe Heritage Foundation.

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.

7/12
6:50 a.m. - Vacation Rental Noise - Susquehanna Drive - TRASH AT A VACATION RENTAL LEFT OUT AND ACCESSIBLE TO WILDLIFE. ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT VHR LOCAL CONTACT WENT
UNANSWERED. VIOLATION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE.

Tom and Cheryl Millham have been operating Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care (LTWC) out of their home since 1978. Since then, they've treated over 22,000 animals, released over 14,000 rehabilitated animals back into the wild, have a volunteer crew of 2,000 people, and train 50 to 100 new volunteers annually.

A 78-year old man has been identified as the person responsible for killing a bear found off Pioneer Trail in South Lake Tahoe on Friday, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Janice Mackey, Information Officer for the agency, told South Tahoe Now that the bear who died was responsible for several South Lake Tahoe residential break ins that had been reported multiple times. "The break-ins caused a lot of documented damage," said Mackey.

The Nevada Department of Transportation will reduce State Route 28 eastbound entering the Incline Village Gateway Roundabout from two to one lane in an effort to further enhance traffic safety.

It may seem like lyrics from the Five Man Electrical Band: Sign, sign, everywhere a sign; Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind' Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Everyone wants to enjoy the South Lake Tahoe area on the 4th of July holiday weekend. In order to keep everyone safe there are rules and regulations in place to do so.

1. Portable Charcoal Grills Prohibited on All Forest Service Beaches. You can use the limited number of Forest Service provided grills.
2. Campfires are not permitted on National Forest beaches or in the general forest.