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Larry Lukins passed away on November 25, 2020. He was born February 22, 1944 to Melvin and Hazel Lukins of South Lake Tahoe. Larry was the third generation of Lukins’ raised in South Lake Tahoe.

Larry was always proud of growing up in “old Tahoe” and loved to share stories of the good ole days. As a child growing up in South Lake Tahoe, Larry and his brother Danny spent much of their time working on and building airplanes, cars and boats.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It is looking more like a white Christmas for the Lake Tahoe Basin as a Winter Storm Watch is now in effect from late Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. A stormy pattern is taking shape as another Pacific storms look to impact the Sierra and western Nevada into early next week.

Heavy snow is possible with this first storm and total snow accumulations of 3 to 8
inches are possible with 1 foot or more above 7000 feet. Exposed Sierra ridge winds could gust to 85 mph or higher.

A South Lake Tahoe woman has become the 11th resident of El Dorado County to die from COVID-19. Elda Yadira Dueñas passed away at Barton Memorial Hospital on December 16, 2020.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officers announced 465 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since Thursday. Of those, 118 are in El Dorado Hills, 97 in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, 87 in Greater Placerville, 29 in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, 20 in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz, 27 in North County, 7 in South County, 76 in Lake Tahoe region. Four of these cases are awaiting address confirmation, leaving the pending address confirmation count at 49.

While most students across the country have been learning online this fall because of the coronavirus, a group of students at Western Nevada College (WNC) took advantage of an exciting hands-on scientific learning opportunity earlier this month.

Students and science professors gathered at Jack C. Davis Observatory’s parking lot early in the morning and sent a helium-filled balloon nearly 17 miles into the stratosphere to record high-altitude data, then retrieved the balloon’s payload, which included instruments and sensors, in a cow pasture a few towns away in Minden.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For over eight years Sandi Cole has been operating Simple Bliss Vegan Cafe is South Lake Tahoe inside the Swiss Chalet Village. Her homemade specialties have been treating customers to much-loved flavors and dishes, from handcrafted drinks to desserts.

Simple Bliss now has a new look and design, one that will work through the pandemic with take-out orders only to a time when all can once again sit down and enjoy a meal at a restaurant.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officers announced 121 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, 14 are in El Dorado Hills, 2 in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, 39 in Greater Placerville, 15 in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, 15 in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz, 9 in North County, 4 in South County, 43 in Lake Tahoe region. 61 of the previously reported cases awaiting address confirmation have been assigned, leaving the pending address confirmation count at 45.

With the holidays already upon us, one thing is certain this year – the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on millions of Californians, causing us to rethink so much of our daily lives, including reprioritizing family time and our mental health. The holiday season may add more challenges to parents who are balancing career, teacher and caregiver duties, as well as dealing with unanticipated illness, burnout and unemployment. Each of these challenges, for some of us, can make the season feel like the added pressures are insurmountable.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The new Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Deputy Forest Supervisor Danelle D. Harrison is our guest columnist and looks back, and ahead, to the health of Lake Tahoe

Looking Back

December is a special time of year when our thoughts turn to family and friends, and communities come together to celebrate the season. It also marks the end of the year. And what a year it was. Together, we experienced unprecedented events including a record-breaking wildland fire year in the Pacific Southwest Region.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) had a busy weekend with the arrest of three people in two separate investigations.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Winter Weather Advisory for the Lake Tahoe Basin expires at 4:00 a.m. Monday with most of the precipitation winding down by then other than a few lingering showers through 10:00 a.m. It`s unlikely to be snowing for the Monday morning commute, however, roads may still have snow and ice present.

As we prepare to say goodbye (and maybe even good riddance) to 2020, the end of the year brings several holidays. Whether celebrating Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, Boxing Day, Kwanza, and of course, New Year’s Eve, remember that indoor holiday gatherings with others not in your immediate household can put you, your community, and those you care about at risk. As challenging as it is, staying home for the holidays is your best way to protect yourself and loved ones, and help slow the spread of COVID-19 in a time when healthcare and essential workers critically need that support.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officers announced 126 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, 14 are in El Dorado Hills, 22 in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, 31 in Greater Placerville, 2 in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, 17 in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz, 6 in North County, -1 in South County, 23 in Lake Tahoe region. There are 12 of the new cases awaiting address confirmation, and the pending address confirmation count is now 105.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Flatstick Pub Norcal will be adding a second California location in South Lake Tahoe at 4101 Lake Tahoe Boulevard between Ace High Saloon & Smokehouse and the Big Vista Clothing Store in the Zalanta, across from Heavenly Village.

Flatstick Pub is a community focused craft brew pub with challenging mini-golf and other mini-golf inspired games. The company's flagship location is in Downtown Sacramento.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There hasn't been much precipitation over California and the Sierra since summer but approaching weather systems may change that.

A series of systems through the weekend will break down the persistent dry pattern, with the first bringing increased winds late Thursday afternoon into Thursday night with fire danger concerns for portions of Mono County. Rain and snow chances arrive Friday night and Saturday with a second round Sunday. Another period of gusty winds is looking likely for Sunday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) Reno.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officers announced 173 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. This includes the approximate 200 positive cases that needed to be assigned to a region. Of those, 37 are in El Dorado Hills, 22 in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, 34 in Greater Placerville, 5 in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, 3 in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz, 5 in North County, 0 in South County, 51 in Lake Tahoe region. There are 16 of the new cases awaiting address confirmation, and the pending address confirmation count is now 90.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado Public Health is working to reduce the backlog in positive results from the weekend and believes that the case count published today, 12/7/2020, is an undercount of at least 150 cases. The state database shows the weekend new case count could much higher. Each day we post the figures released by El Dorado County health officials,

Eric Michael Berg tragically and unexpectedly passed on Sunday, November 29, 2020 at the age of 32. The severity and duration of his addiction to alcohol was almost entirely hidden from his friends and family. He passed just hours before family intended to bring him to a medical detoxification facility.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials say another 87 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, 32 are in El Dorado Hills, 23 in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, 14 in Greater Placerville, 1 in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, 3 in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz, 2 in North County, 3 in South County, 11 in Lake Tahoe region. There are two less awaiting address confirmation, awaiting address confirmation for 8.

One of those new cases, seven are under the age of 18, 46 are aged 18-49, 20 are aged 50-64, and 14 aged 65 or older.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) announced late Wednesday that they will be staying on distance learning until at least January 8, 2021.

Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the area, District officials said they are concerned for the health and safety of staff and students. With Winter Break starting December 21 they said the likelihood of a significant decrease in community spread before then. School will not be in session until January 4.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials say another 35 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, 15 are in El Dorado Hills, 4 in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, 1 in Greater Placerville, 2 in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, 1 in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz, 13 in Lake Tahoe region. There is one less awaiting address confirmation, awaiting address confirmation for 12.

One of those new cases, one is under the age of 18, 26 are aged 18-49, seven are aged 50-64, and one aged 65 or older.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Now that Small Business Saturday has come and gone, and there is still plenty of holiday shopping ahead during the month of December, South Tahoe Now has a proposition for local businesses.

Send us a few sentences of what makes you unique and what you offer for sale whether its jewelry, food, clothing, dog treats, experiences (and the list continues). What are your hours and do you have any special sales coming up? What is your address or website?

Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) members will continue prescribed fire operations this week in the Lake Tahoe Basin, weather and conditions permitting. California State Parks and Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District are scheduled to burn hand piles on the east and west shores. Smoke may be visible.

Project Name: Sugar Pine Point State Park
Responsible Agency: California State Parks
West of Hwy 89, along S Fire Rd and Campground Rd
Burn Type: Hand Piles. Total Acreage: 20.00
Planned Ignition: 11/30/2020 - 12/18/2020
Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 3 weeks

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials say another 185 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, 58 are in El Dorado Hills, 32 in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, 11 in North County, 11 in Greater Placerville, nine in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, 13 in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz, four in South County, 51 in Lake Tahoe region. There four less awaiting address confirmation (total still awaiting address confirmation is 14).

One of those new cases, 17 are under the age of 18, 96 are aged 18-49, 40 are aged 50-64, and 32 aged 65 or older.