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Have you noticed hazy skies around Lake Tahoe today? No, there are no fires nearby but the Air Quality Index (AQI) is showing a "moderate" range.

There are two fires southwest of Yosemite near Mariposa, but winds are most likely not strong enough to carry that smoke into the Tahoe Basin and Northern Nevada. The Spring Fire started Sunday afternoon and has now burned 60 acres. Nearby the four-day old Ben Fire is 95 percent contained.

The 2017 Silver State Art Festival ~ September 23 & 24, 2017
Come and enjoy the beautiful artistry of Gourds, Basketry, Woodworking and Fine Art at our indoor festival. 19 different classes will be offered for a hands-on learning experience. Join us for a great weekend of art! Fuji Exhibit Hall www.NevadaGourdSociety.org

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Two new laws start on Nevada roadways July 1. The "Move Over" Law geared towards protecting Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) workers takes effect as does the Left Lane Law.

Left Lane Law now state that drivers in the fast lane who are holding back traffic behind them can be cited. Violations for being the slow driver in the fast lane will now be a misdemeanor with a first-time $50 fine. The fine would be $100 for a second offense within seven years. Fine number three would be $250.

The City of South Lake Tahoe is pleased to announce the appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of the Mitigated Negative Declaration of the Bijou Park Creek Marketplace (former Knights Inn) project has been withdrawn. The City appreciates the Appellant’s admission of the project’s benefits to the environment and her disclaim of the appeal.

A Concord, California man enjoying a kayak ride on the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe had a near miss with tragedy Saturday after his kayak flipped, catching him in some bushes.

The community is invited to meet artist Erin Whitman when she visits Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) June 8-9. The school's Art Department welcomes the visiting artist for two days of events, including lecture about her work and artistic inspirations on Thursday, June 8 at 6 p.m. in LTCC’s Board Room. Whitman is also hosting a hands-on demonstration of her work on Friday, June 9 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Room F101, located in the Fine Arts building. These events, sponsored by the LTCC Foundation and the LTCC Art Club, are free and open to the public.

Lake Valley Volunteer Firefighter’s Association held its 55th annual Fire Fighters Ball on March 10, 2017. The Ball was given a new theme this year as the fire fighters hosted a sold out elegant event at the Edgewood Tahoe which included fine dining, a presentation by Lake Valley FD Honor Guard, auctioning of firefighters skills such as yard cleanup, car detailing to name a few, an ongoing silent auction packed with dozens of items that were so generously donated to Lake Valley by our community and live music and dancing.

South Lake Tahoe, Calif. — The smash-hit musical Godspell hits the stage at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) this summer, and auditions are now slated for March 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the Duke Theatre.

Performances of Gdspell take place June 16-25, 2017.

They are looking for actors of all ages and ethnic backgrounds for this award-winning musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin) and book by John Michael Tebelak.

Placerville resident Jeffrey Scott Davis, 59 has been charged on six counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud along with Glen Michael Martinka, 67, of Phoenix, Arizona.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment after Davis and Martinka allegedly conspired to embezzle approximately $218,000 from an organic food company by submitting false invoices between December 2008 and April 2012.

South Lake Tahoe, Calif. - The January 7, 2017 storm that hit the Sierra Nevada and brought with it over 5 inches of rain before several feet of snow, also brought along some records, too.

During this storm event the Tahoe Resource Conservaton District (TRCD) Stormwater Monitoring Program measured the highest flows ever recorded at all eight of their monitoring locations since monitoring began in 2013. The Tahoe Valley site, located off Tahoe Keys Blvd., measured 1.5 million cubic feet of flow, nearly 90 percent of the flow that was observed throughout the whole 2016 water year!

The annual 'Ability Bash" fundraiser at Squaw Valley on January 28 will wrap up a week-long Military Sports Camp for disabled veterans. The event will honor the veterans as well as the participants with disabilities who work with Achieve Tahoe throughout the year.

Achieve Tahoe is a provider of winter and summer adaptive sports instruction at all ability levels for adults and children with disabilities. The Ability Bash will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the resort's conference center.

Former South Lake Tahoe Fire Captain Mark McLeod Wygant, 46, pleaded guilty in federal court today to transportation of child pornography.

Following an FBI and SLT Police Department investigation, Wygant was a
arrested on Jan. 29 2015 and has been in custody ever since. He had been immediately placed on administration leave but resigned just days after his arrest.

"I am pleased that Mr. Wygant plead guilty to his crime and the punishment will now in the hands of the criminal justice system," said SLT Fire Chief Jeff Meston.

What many knew as Passaretti's for over 30 years in South Lake Tahoe has been transformed into "The Lake House," not only a fine dining restaurant in a beautiful, extensively remodeled place, but also home to Lake Tahoe Catering.

Aiming for a goal of understated perfection, new owners Jeff and Misty Sparrow created an ambiance of concrete and chandeliers, wood and art, all in an attempt to bridge the gap between fancy and casual.

11/12 update: The Vikings' road to state has ended in Las Vegas. The boys from South Tahoe High suffered a crushing blow with a loss to Desert Pines, 56-7 in the 3A State semifinals.

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For the first time in 25 years, the South Tahoe High football team is headed to the Nevada Division 3A State football championship games in Las Vegas this weekend. The Vikings are coming off a victory over rival Truckee to head to Vegas as the number two seed from Northern Nevada.

The 28-20 win over Truckee sends South Tahoe to their first appearance at the state playoffs since 1991.

The public is invited to a ribbon cutting ceremony that will celebrate the completion of the Sierra Tract Phase 3-4 of their erosion control project on Friday, October 28 at 10:30 a.m. on the corner of Palmira Ave. and River Dr.

An underground low impact stormwater system has been created to treat runoff and remove pollution (primarily fine sediment) from developed roadways, commercial, and residential land uses that discharge directly into the Upper Truckee River and
eventually Lake Tahoe.

A major restoration project of the Upper Truckee River channel and surrounding meadows is about to be completed, three years and $7 million later. Known as Reach 5, the U.S. Forest Service project is improving the river channel stability and aquatic habitat along 1.2 miles of the river adjacent to the Lake Tahoe Airport.

Another goal of the project is to restore surface and subsurface channel connectivity to 120 acres of floodplain, increasing deposition of fine sediments and nutrient uptake on the floodplains as well as raising the ground water levels in the meadow.

Contractors State License Board (CSLB) investigators working with investigators from the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office cited ten men posing as licensed contractors during a recent sting operation.

Four of the individuals caught are Nevada residents, and the other six are South Lake Tahoe locals.

Posing as homeowners, investigators invited suspected unlicensed contractors to place bids on home improvement projects for a single-family home near the Tahoe Paradise Golf Course. Suspects placed bids ranging from $1,150 for interior painting to $6,000 for tile installation.

Three new art exhibits will be featured at Lake Tahoe Community College this fall and they will be celebrated with a free artist reception from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m on Thursday, September 29. Meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments with fellow art lovers.

Briant Benson, 59, of El Dorado Hills, pleaded guilty today to tax evasion after failing to file tax returns or pay any personal income tax to the IRS, despite receiving at least $2 million dollars in income.

In operation in South Lake Tahoe since 1964, Tahoe Asphalt Inc. will replace their aging equipment this fall, some as old 63-years-old.

The batch plant, the only one of its kind in the Lake Tahoe Basin, was recently granted approval for their renovations by the South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission after a series of public meetings. Located on Industrial Avenue, it predates most buildings west of the "Y", but a few neighbors were concerned about the plant and what it does to the environment.

Despite near average rainfall in much of Northern California this past winter, 60 percent of the state remains in severe or extreme drought. Groundwater basins and many reservoirs are badly depleted as the state’s drought grinds into a fifth year. Those living in, and visiting, South Lake Tahoe, have enjoyed higher water levels to view, boat and recreate in.

In just over a week, the eyes of sports fans will be on Lake Tahoe as the 27th annual American Century Golf Championship opens at Edgewood Tahoe. The field of 86 celebrities from sports, television, music, stage, screen, politics, Nascar, and the US Marine Corps are all headed to the South Shore July 19-24 to play.

"The golfers anticipate getting the invitation letter to play," said Former NFL Head Coach and ESPN Analyst Herm Edwards. "We get excited at that moment."

Tens of thousands of people will be enjoying the Lights on the Lake fireworks show over Lake Tahoe Monday, most of them unaware of the hundreds of hours of work put into their enjoyment.

"We love out job," said Zambelli Fireworks Western Region Project Manager John Hagan. "We can use explosives to make people happy."

Zambelli is the company hired to produce the 25 minute pyrotechnic show over Lake Tahoe on July 4, starting at 9:45 p.m.

Nothing is normal about the new Coachman Hotel in South Lake Tahoe, and that suites management just fine.

Gone is the stuffy front desk. Gone are plastic outdoor furniture and generic beds. What takes their place are locally made wooden furniture, fire pits, a bar that doubles as the check-in counter, and books, games and s'mores to make guests feel like they're just hanging out in someone's home.