government.

South Lake Tahoe Charter Communications customers have been unable to watch Sacramento NBC affiliate KCRA since June 8, 2018, but area residents along with City and County government are continuing the fight to get them back on the local line-up.

Charter pulled the station because they already carry a local NBC channel, KRNV out of Reno and are not required to carry two. They are only required to carry stations based on a region's Designated Market Area (DMA). South Lake Tahoe is in the Reno DMA, not the Sacramento.

A Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) agreement between the California Tahoe Conservancy and U.S. Forest Service is in the works that would allow the Conservancy to begin maintaining and restoring USFS urban lots in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

There are less than 2,200 urban lots that can fall into this agreement, most of which are less than one-acre and located near lots the Conservancy already owns and maintains.

Everyone knows what goes downhill, but the South Tahoe Public Utility District knows how to recycle it into 381,000 kilowatts of electricity per year. A recent feature article by the Association of California Water Agencies pointed out that STPUD is one of only a handful of utility districts in the entire world that can claim 100% reuse of wastewater and bio solids. Here’s how. We use centrifuges instead of the usual pollution causing burners. That allows us to make fertilizer for ranch land.

The U.S. Forest Service held a grand opening ceremony at the newly remodeled and reconfigured Round Hill Pines Resort on Monday, officially welcoming the public to their new beachside facilities.

Just like Lake Tahoe, those visiting the Dominican Republic expect to see the beautiful blues shades of the water. Instead, beachgoers this week were greeted by tons of trash floating on top of the ocean, barely moving around with the motion of the waves due to the massive volume.

Parley for the Oceans released a video of what they are calling a "world's largest garbage emergency," showing tons of mostly plastic trash, something that happens every time it rains in the Caribbean country.

There will be a kitten adoption day at Michael Hohl Honda in Carson City on Saturday, July 28 from 12:00 pm. to 4:00 p.m.

Each kitten is certified and pre-owned. Catmandu, a non-profit cat adoption sanctuary in Carson City, is partnering with the Honda dealership to help homeless and rescued kittens find their "FUR"ever homes.

I felt it was important to make as many people aware of scam and psychological horror that was perpetrated on my wife just a few days ago.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After an extensive nationwide search for the perfect candidate to fill Lake Tahoe Community College’s (LTCC) first-ever, full-time, tenure-track faculty position in Wilderness Education and Outdoor Leadership, LTCC is pleased to announce the hiring of Dr. Clinton Culp, an avid outdoorsman.

There’s Magic in the Air at the 2018 El Dorado County Fair, being held in Placerville June 14 to 17. Don’t miss this annual tradition!

The fair is packed full of events including concerts, food, carnival, barns full of livestock, Home Depot workshop for kids, gardening displays, contests for everything from textiles to wine, and much more. Find daily schedule HERE.

El Dorado County Elections official are still counting some 23,000 "Vote By Mail" ballots that were either sent in close to election day, or dropped off at polling places Tuesday.

This isn't an abnormal number but one that often catches many by surprise.

During those late counts of ballots in 2014, the final two candidates for the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors for Area 5 changed from election day, sending Sue Novasel and Kenny Curtzwiler to the November election. As of Tuesday, the same two appear to be headed to November's ballot.

The California primary is on Tuesday, June 5, and a lot of decisions are facing voters in South Lake Tahoe both at the county and district level, as well as at the state level.

California changed their primary system ten years ago for the top offices and now it is the two candidates with the most votes on Tuesday that will head to the November elections, no matter which party they belong to. Prior to this system it would be the top democrat and top republican that would face off.

UPDATE 5/22 8:35 a.m.: El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel has arranged for a call between the County, City and Charter Cable people this Friday. "We need KCRA for South Tahoe (it’s a public safety issue in my opinion) She, along with others, remember when Charter tried to discontinue California services in 2008.

* * *
News that KCRA will be soon be removed from the Charter Communications lineup for South Lake Tahoe is not being taken well by many locals.

Washoe County officially opened its doors Friday, May 18, 2018, to the new Incline Village Community Center.

From board meetings to board games and several fun-filled activities in-between, the new Washoe County Incline Village Community Center, located at 855 Alder Ave., will be a place for seniors to socialize, be productive and share ideas. Targeted to seniors in need, the social spaces in the center will host senior and community activities in Incline Village, removing isolation and service access barriers that directly affect quality of life for those populations.

There are four people running for El Dorado County Supervisor for the 5th District on June 5: Incumbent Sue Novasel and challengers Kenny Curtzwiler, Norma Santiago and Jeffrey Spencer. The 5th District covers Pollock Pines to South Lake Tahoe and Tahoma.

South Tahoe Now asked each candidate the same questions, and here are all of their answers, exactly as they were presented to us.

Sue Novasel
Occupation: El Dorado County Supervisor – District V
Past political history:
2015 – Present: County Supervisor, District V

El Dorado County has filed a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors for creating the opioid epidemic in El Dorado County, joining a consortium of 30 California counties to do so. The County has retained the national law firm of Baron & Budd and a joint venture of law firms to represent its interests, seeking an abatement remedy in addition to legal damages for taxpayer money spent providing social resources in response to the crisis.

South Lake Tahoe Mayor Wendy David has announced the focus of the next several of her monthly community chats held at the SLT Senior Center.

On May 16, the "Let's Have a Conversation" will have special guests Caltrans Distict 3 Public Information Officer Steve Nelson and Stan Hill, project manager for the Sierra Boulevard Complete Streets Project. They'll be talking about the roadwork projects for this season within the City of South Lake Tahoe.

Everyone is welcome to join in. The chat is from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and the Senior Center is located at 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

We can always count on either Supervisors Novasel or Ranalli starting off each VHR public meeting discussing VHR’s with the reminder that VHR’s are an allowed use for single family dwellings under TRPA’s land use Ordinances. They have attempted to make us believe the word of God (TRPA) has set this in stone, and that we should all now work together to allow these nuisance businesses to coexist in our neighborhoods.

We recently received talking points from a local public relation firm relating to how we could handle the adverse publicity which occurred due to the CBS morning show about the draconian VHR ordinance and subsequent $1000 fine enforcements. We, as property managers and owners, have been requesting support from the Chamber of Commerce, LTVA, and the Lodging Association in helping us fight the selfish attitudes of some locals regarding their entitlement to Lake Tahoe without visitors to their neighborhoods.

The last few months have been some of the most difficult for our City Council, for our City and for our community. Similar to the national conversation, with immediate access to social media in many forms, controversial opinion pieces go immediately out to the public, even before the accused have an opportunity to hear the allegations. Soon after, public comment and “opinion” on the opinion begins with little interest in whether there is truth.

Over the years I was employed by the City of South Lake Tahoe, I had the privilege to work with many fine City employees, far too many to mention in one letter. I found that most employees cared a lot about their community and wanted to be given the chance to do the best job possible for all residents of South Lake Tahoe. They take their public employment seriously, and they just need the support and help from management and elected City officials. They are committed to the public service.

(Note: The location inside Harrah's Tahoe has changed, see below)

Every year, men, women and children get their heads shaved to raise funds to fight childhood cancer. This year, a new sponsor for the event has come forward, LuLu Hair Design, and there will be a new venue, Harrah's Lake Tahoe.

Dianna Souza, the owner, and her staff at LuLu's wanted to keep this popular fundraiser going, so put together the event quickly and are looking for support, and participants, from the community.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Last October, California experienced a series of devastating wildfires that destroyed property and took lives. In a four month period the State endured fires and floods from San Diego to Mendocino that destroyed over 11,000 homes and commercial structures and killed 64 Californians. Local Government fire and rescue personnel and equipment comprised up to 80 percent available resources for mutual aid throughout the State. The City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Department along with other fire agencies around the basin engaged in these critical fire fights.

(The following was send to the SLT Mayor and City Council members and South Tahoe Now)

Dear Honorable Mayor David and Council Members:

I am writing as a follow-up to my email communication of March 6, 2018 regarding the regulation of cannabis within the City limits.

I once again applaud the City Council for studying the issue carefully. It is an important issue and the decision on it will impact the type of community we become well into the future.

Recommendation:

The old Bijou Post Office on Sandy Way in South Lake Tahoe may soon be home to new El Dorado County offices. This property is across the street from their current government center at the corner of Takela Drive and Lake Tahoe Boulevard.

During the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, March 13, 2018, there will be a vote on the agenda item regarding purchase of the property for $1,250,000. Supervisor Sue Novasel said they have been putting money aside to be used in an El Dorado Center Campus in South Lake Tahoe. The project includes a major remodel of both buildings.