public health

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.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With more and more cases of COVID-19 being confirmed across the nation and more people traveling, the chances of employees at our favorite stores, businesses, and restaurants having the virus are also increasing.

Such was the case this past weekend at The Beacon Bar & Grill in South Lake Tahoe.

An employee showed up for work on Saturday, June 20, and informed management he was running a fever. They immediately sent the employee home. A COVID-19 test taken on Sunday confirmed he was positive for the virus on Tuesday.

STATELINE, Nev. - Harveys Lake Tahoe announced Monday that they will be resume their operations as a hotel and casino on Tuesday, June 30 at 10:00 a.m.

Upon reopening, the property will comply with directives from Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, the Nevada Gaming Control Board, and public health authorities. Subject to and in accordance with such directives, other amenities on-property, including ticketed live events, will reopen as appropriate based on customer demand.

Across the street, Harrah's Tahoe opened along with the other Stateline casinos on June 4.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County public health officials are reporting another four confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, all from the Lake Tahoe region.

All of the new cases are in the age group of 18-49 and are three males and one female. This brings the current number of confirmed cases to 125. With one new recovery, the active number of cases is 25.

There are no current hospitalizations but two suspected cases of COVID-19 are in the hospital.

229 more people have been tested, bringing that total to 8,669.

The year 2020 started out with the driest February on record in California since the 1850s, and this combined with warming temperatures and recent winds are resulting in quickly drying grass.

The increasing fire danger posed by dead grass and hotter, drier conditions

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The second virtual Town Hall meeting focusing on vacation home rentals (VHRs) in the El Dorado County portion of Lake Tahoe will be held on Wednesday, June 10 at 4:00 p.m. on Zoom.

Led by District 5 Supervisor Sue Novasel, she and staff will provide some background on VHRs regulations to date, review options for meeting the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency neighborhood compatibility Performance Review Standards, and review input received from the public, addressing questions and comments received.

Register in advance for the meeting here:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County public health officials announced two new confirmed cases in the county, bringing the total COVID-19 cases to 98. The new ones are both male, one from the Lake Tahoe region and the other from El Dorado Hills, one under the age of 17, one in the 18-49 age group.

70 more tests were given, with 6,527 now administered.

There were no new recoveries and no new hospitalizations.

There have been 42 cases in the Lake Tahoe area (including South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Strawberry, and Tahoma).

The Tahoe Chamber is holding another one of their weekly Virtual Town Hall meetings on Friday, June 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This week the Chamber's Executive Director will host the meeting with guests El Dorado County's Public Health Officer Dr. Nancy Williams and Chief Administrative Officer Don Ashton.

They will provide updates on the County's response to COVID-19 and the reopening of businesses, as well as answering questions from attendees.

Register in advance for this webinar: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hewKaHOTQxe2wJfzdkeWog

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.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barbershops and hair salons in El Dorado County and the rest of the state may now open as long as they have a safety plan in place. During California Governor Gavin Newsom's press conference Monday, he gave the green light to these two businesses as long as they follow the guidelines he and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) have published.

Following Newsom's announcement, El Dorado County Public Health Officer Dr. Nancy Williams issued a statement.

Whether you live here in Tahoe or can’t wait until it’s safe to visit, we’re all anxious for a return to normalcy. This time of year, that means getting boats on the Lake's beautiful blue waters - while ensuring that you, me and Lake Tahoe stay healthy. To Keep Tahoe Blue, we must protect it from harmful invasive species. Weeds, fish and other invasive organisms can cloud the Lake’s clear waters, encourage toxic algae blooms, and damage Tahoe’s ecological balance. In short, invasive species turn Tahoe green.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The City is excited about Memorial Day weekend but realize this one will be different than years past.

Property owners are now allowed to come to Tahoe, but visitors are still asked not to be here at this time.

“We love our visitors and recognize how much they contribute to this City and this economy,” said City Manager Joe Irvin, “We just know how important it is to get things open safely, and we all understand we are stronger together and safer apart right now.”

Ambiguity, uncertainty, and contradictions abound in this pandemic. Add time to the list of contradictions swirling around us. Morning and night sometimes seem a week apart. The first month of shelter‐in‐place dripped by for many of us. The second month was gone before we knew it. And now summer is fast approaching. We welcome the season because in ordinary times it can elevate our well‐being, but these are not ordinary times. With most of the attention and intensity now on reopening, the question that hangs in the balance is, are we ready? Is it the right time?

All passengers on Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) buses will be required to wear a face covering while on transit buses and in transit facilities starting Monday, May 18.

This new requirement is to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain and in line with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

All special events on City property through at least July 14 have been postponed, which includes the Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series.

Originally scheduled to begin on June 25, 2020, the upcoming season of Live at Lakeview is unknown.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The County's Public Health Department is reporting four new cases of COVID-19 in El Dorado County, two men, two women with one each in the areas of Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz; Diamond Springs/El Dorado; North County; and South County.

This brings the total number of cases to 60, with 50 recoveries and ten active cases. To date, 3,324 tests have been administered to residents with 131 of those new Tuesday.

Twenty people in the Lake Tahoe region of the county have tested positive. This region includes South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Kyburz, and Tahoma.

ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. - Alpine County is grateful to report that we still have only one resident with a laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 infection. That occurred in March, the person was not hospitalized, and has recovered. Surrounding counties continue to report either no change or a small increase in the number of cases (El Dorado – 56, with 20 in South Lake Tahoe, Douglas (NV) – 24, Calaveras – 13, Amador – 8, Tuolumne – 2, Mono - 32).

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Many South Lake Tahoe businesses will be able to open soon, but not until they have plans in place that comply with the State’s COVID-19 guidelines and the State approves and publishes the public health director's signed Variance Attestation and supporting documents.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Plans for the partial reopening of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County are in the works, with the Board of Supervisors voting on a plan during a special meeting Friday, May 8, starting at 8:30 a.m.

During a Special City Council meeting Wednesday, the council put their support behind what the county decides so all can be on the same page and not confuse residents and visitors with separate rules.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Council will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, May 6 at 9:00 a.m. with a single agenda item: Authorization of a letter signed by Mayor Jason Collin to California Governor Gavin Newsom to request approval for the City of South Lake Tahoe for its transition to Phase 2 of re-opening the County of El Dorado and City of South Lake Tahoe for individuals and businesses.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Since yesterday, the El Dorado County Public Health Department has reported three new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the county told to 47.

Health officials say just one of those cases in actually new, and the other two were listed in the Sacramento County figures. Their identification showed a P.O. Box in Sacramento, but they actually live in El Dorado Hills. Both have since recovered.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The current order restricting travel into the Lake Tahoe Basin has been extended by the El Dorado County Public Health Officer Dr. Nancy Williams.

Originally set to expire on April 30, the ban's extension begins at 12:01 a.m. May 1.

The ban is for all nonessential travel into the El Dorado County portion of the Lake Tahoe Basin from outside the basin. Dr. Williams will review the current situation with local health care professionals at least every 14 days.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - One layer of stay-at-home orders has been lifted for El Dorado County as its Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams, has lifted her stay-at-home directive effective April 30, the original date it was to be lifted when set on March 19.

This doesn't mean that South Lake Tahoe and the county are open for business though as the State's order is still in effect.

"We are requesting from the Governor that we [South Lake Tahoe] can move towards reopening in a phased approach with attention paid to his six guidelines," said South Lake Tahoe Mayor Jason Collin.

Approximately 1,800 residents in the Quad-County region who do not have any of the COVID-19 symptoms will be able to be tested for the virus starting May 4. The limited number of tests will be given by appointment only and those can be made starting Monday, April 27. About 150,000 people live in the Quad-County region so just over one-percent of residents without symptoms can get tested.