pandemic

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Just as many other cities around the country have done, the City of South Lake Tahoe is partnering with local residents to act as volunteer ambassadors to reach out to the community and visitors about the importance of safety during the pandemic.

“We have said the entire time to do everything you can to stay safe, so Tahoe can stay open,” said City Manager Joe Irvin, “This ambassador program is about making sure people wear a mask, wash their hands, and do their part to make sure visitors and residents alike stay healthy during this crisis.”

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - – El Dorado County today announced the first COVID-19 related death of a resident.

“This morning we received the very sad news that a male over 65 years of age died yesterday of complications from COVID-19,” said County Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends during this very difficult time.”

The man was a resident of the Lake Tahoe region. No further information is being released at this time.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The popular farm-to-fork festival, Sample the Sierra, is moving to a digital format this year due to the current pandemic.

The 11st annual event will still include a variety of food-related entertainment typically found at Sample the Sierra, including cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, musical performances, giveaways, and shopping. Instead of only having these things during the day of the traditional in-person event, this year's will be spread out throughout August and September (a more detailed schedule is coming later).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council approved unanimously at their meeting Tuesday to send what is being called the "South Lake Tahoe Fire Protection, Emergency Response, City Services Measure" to the ballot in November.

If voters approve the measure, a one-percent sales tax increase will be added in the City of South Lake Tahoe to all taxable purchases to meet funding shortfalls, according to the City.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The California Fire Foundation and Sysco joined forces to help communities impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, and South Lake Tahoe was recently a beneficiary.

The two groups gifted over $5,000 in relief efforts to the South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center for food for the families they serve.

This non-profit organization provides basic needs services, educational opportunities, family advocacy and bilingual counseling for children and adults in the South Lake Tahoe region.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe (HSTT) has been providing increased support to the South Lake Tahoe community, distributing hundreds of pounds of cat and dog food along with numerous other services.

The food distribution from when HSTT shut down to the public due to COVID are as follows:

Dry dog food: 1719 lbs total ~ 171 lbs a week
Dry cat food: 178 lbs total ~ 18 lbs a week
Canned dog food: 636 cans ~ 64 cans a week
Canned cat food: 467 cans ~ 47 cans a week
Cat litter: 130 lbs total ~ 13 lbs a week

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases and a significant increase in visitation to the Lake Tahoe Basin over the last few weeks, the City of South Lake Tahoe has made the decision to close its boat ramp at El Dorado Beach to re-assess their operations there.

“The priority of the safety of our residents, visitors, and staff always comes first,” said South Lake Tahoe City Manager Joe Irvin, “While we’d like to keep them open, this move is being taken out of an abundance of caution.”

UPDATE 7:335 p.m.: Douglas County officials say the Numbers Fire has now reached 18,000 acres and is 0% contained. The recommended evacuations for the Bodie Flats and Pineview areas have been lifted. Only residents are allowed to these areas. Please drive safely, watch for emergency vehicles, and be ready for possible future instructions in an ever-changing situation.

Multiple local, state, and federal agencies continue to work on containing the fire using dozers, hand crews, and aircraft.

Independence Day has a long tradition of bringing family and friends together from near and far to enjoy many of the things that make us uniquely American. Along with all of the freedoms we enjoy we share a strong national conscience. Part of that conscience is accepting responsibility for fulfilling, as individuals,
our civic duties. In these times of pandemic, perhaps our most important civic duty is to ensure the health and safety and wellbeing of ourselves, our families and our community.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - It will be different at the American Century Championship at Edgewood next week with no fans allowed, but what won't be different is the philanthropic focus of the tournament.

The 15th annual Tahoe Bike Challenge began June 1st for a month of biking excitement throughout Lake Tahoe. To date, participants have already logged over 39,000 miles and almost 3,800 trips. This has resulted in 1,685 pounds CO2 not released into the air through car rides.

If you haven't already joined, there's still time to register at lovetoride.net/tahoe. Looking for a team to join? Join the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition team.

With its decision last week, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a real sense of relief and a bit of a reprieve to approximately 800,000 DREAMers in America, including 200,000 in California alone. When the justices sided with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, ruling that the way the Trump administration rescinded the program in 2017 was unlawful, it was a big victory for immigrant communities and their many allies.

Tahoe Magic wants to thank the hundreds of donors who have contributed during this COVID-19 crisis. We have received $236,893 to date in donations since mid-March and, in turn, we have helped more than 300 families, about 1500 individuals, with assistance totaling $204,094. We are spending your contributions almost as quickly as we are getting them. Every donation has gone directly back into the South Lake Tahoe community to support those needing help with basics: shelter, food and utilities.

STATELINE, Nev. - In a continued effort to maintain essential transit services and prioritize the safety of transit operators and passengers, the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) is notifying the public that it anticipates periodic frequency reductions for fixed-route services due to COVID-19 staffing challenges. TTD will also limit the number of passengers on paratransit buses to comply with social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic started,
the South Tahoe Public Utility District Board of Directors approved waiving late fees for water and sewer bills due at the end of June.

“We recognize that some in our community are financially struggling,” says Randy Vogelgesang, Board President. “Waiving late fees for bills due during COVID-19 provides customers some relief.”

Customers with questions or those facing hardships are encouraged to contact the District at (530) 544-6474 to find out about various services and payment options available.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Dr. James Tarwater will be bringing his 54-year career in education to a close this month as he passes the torch to the new Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) superintendent June 30.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are two locally owned and operated radio stations, KRLT FM and KOWL AM, that have served the Lake Tahoe area for 60 years (AM was first, then FM came 40 years ago).

General Manager and Owner Steve Harness took out a note with investors to buy the station from Cherry Creek Radio five years ago. On June 30, 2020, a $100,000 balloon payment on that note is due. While the stations' monthly overhead has stayed the same during the pandemic, their revenue has dropped by roughly 80 percent.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Tahoe Home Connection (TaHoCo) is a community-based organization working to generate new rentals in South Lake Tahoe by working with second home owners. They have launched a new website to help local workers easily find housing on the South Shore.

It is estimated that 58 percent of homes in South Lake Tahoe are owned by second homeowners and 78 percent of these sit vacant for much of the year. Many of the second homeowners rent out their homes on both long-term and short-term basis, or leave for their own personal use.

There were no new cases of COVID-19 in El Dorado County Wednesday and the total number of cases for the county since the pandemic started is 111. There were no new recoveries but the hospitalized patient was released.

To date, there have been 87 recoveries, leaving 24 active cases at this time.

An additional 199 people were able to be tested since Tuesday, bringing the total of tests to 7,368.

There have been 52 cases in the Lake Tahoe area (including South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Strawberry, and Tahoma).

Pollock Pines, Camino, Kyburz - 2 (Zip codes 95726, 95720, 95709)

It’s difficult to find the right words. Even now, a week after the on-camera murder of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by police officers, and all of the fallout felt nationwide, I’m still trying to understand the world, how to respond as a community leader, and how to explain it to my kids. All of the frustration, sadness, and outrage — it all seems so familiar since we’ve all been witness to these acts before, all seen and read and heard about cases of unarmed black people and other people of color killed in police custody when it was clearly avoidable.

Friday evening brought thunderclaps and patchy showers to Lake Tahoe, adding to the flow of streams and rivers the following day as 40 participants collected water quality samples across Tahoe’s South Shore as part of Snapshot Day. This citizen science water quality monitoring event takes place every May and provides a moment-in-time look at the water quality and environmental health of the Tahoe-Truckee watershed.

On Friday May 29, 2019, El Dorado Chief Administrative Officer Don Ashton
released his Fiscal Year 2020-21 Recommended Budget to the Board of Supervisors. The total recommended budget is approximately $647.7 million, which is $87.3 million less than the Fiscal Year 2019-20 budget, a copy of which can be accessed here.

Interested in creating a personal physical challenge goal while also supporting the amazing Lake Tahoe/Truckee Community? Then the Tahoe Together Remote 19-miler June 22 - 28 is just the event for you! You can run, bike, hike, kayak, belay, or a combination of any or all....19 miles at one time in one day or spread it out during the week-long event. This is a remote event...do it wherever you live – in Truckee, in Tahoe, the Bay Area, Reno or Sacramento – if you love Lake Tahoe – from anywhere!

When a pandemic hits the best practice is one of consideration. Learn more about how Lake Tahoe Yoga is adjusting to the changes brought on by Covid-19.

Hands Off
One of the best parts of sharing the practice at Lake Tahoe Yoga is receiving physical adjustments. All of the teachers trained at the Lake Tahoe Yoga School learn how to provide supportive and effective adjustments that help you to either deepen or develop awareness during your practice.