schools

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - El Dorado County today declared a public health emergency to ensure appropriate resources and funding are available to the County in its response to novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).

In today’s world, our own voice is the strongest it has EVER been. You can reach so many people through social media. Unfortunately, very few of us use this platform to do something bigger than ourselves. We post our opinions but don’t act upon them to make changes. And that’s where Natalia and Alex Dodov stray from the rest of us. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, they use their opportunities and energy to help kids learn about avalanche safety solutions.

Seeing The Dodov Foundation In Action

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A new nonprofit organization based on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe has been formed to help high school seniors apply for colleges by picking up the application fees.

The CAPP Fund was opened in 2020 with a goal of increasing access to higher education by helping high school seniors at both South Tahoe High School and George Whittell High School with the costs of a four-year college application. Each application costs between $60 and $100 and the costs can add up when seeking the college(s) of their choice.

With over half of the school year completed, the talk at preschool pickup lately amongst the parents has been kindergarten – a big transition that seems like the official beginning of your child’s school career. Living in Nevada and working locally in town, parents have the ability to choose between any of the South Lake Tahoe public schools or our local district school in Zephyr Cove.

The 20th Annual Snowshoe Thompson Ski & Snowshoe Celebration returns once again to the Sierra on Saturday, March 7 at 9:00 am, at the Lake Tahoe Golf Course in South Lake Tahoe.

Snow or no snow, event activities begin with a guided tour starting at 9:30 am with Norwegian native and longboard ski expert Nina MacLeod, who will also give a longboard ski demonstration if sufficient snow is present. Attendees should bring their own snowshoes and cross country skis.

After a gangbuster start to the winter season, a lot of us in Tahoe are wondering where all the snow has gone. Sitting here at the end of February with snowpack numbers dwindling, snow lovers are chomping at the bit, waiting to see the storm track shift back our way.

Still, the mountains have been buzzing with activity as skiers and snowboarders race to the mountains to enjoy what natural snow we’ve received and are ever thankful for the assist from local resorts’ snowmaking operations.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Vail Resorts EpicPromise has selected 76 local nonprofits in the Lake Tahoe area to receive one of their 2019-20 community grants, totaling $2.8 million in grant support.

Heavenly Mountain Resort and Kirkwood recently held a breakfast to honor the recipients. The followed with a similar celebration at Northstar, the third area Vail resort.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Melissa Berry, AP Psychology and US History teacher at South Lake Tahoe High School was selected to receive one of the five 2019 Carlston Family Foundation Outstanding Teachers of America Awards.

In November, Ms. Berry received a $15,000 cash award at the Carlston Family Foundation’s 17th Annual Awards Ceremony in Mill Valley, Calif. During Tuesday's Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) board meeting, she received an additional $5,000 grant for South Lake Tahoe High School.

6:50 p.m. update: US50 is back open but SR89 at Emerald Bay remains closed as does SR88 just west of Kirkwood.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A winter storm is currently delivering heavy snow and creating unsafe road conditions in the Lake Tahoe Basin. There are several updates to roads and schools for Thursday at 5:00 p.m.:

Due to numerous spinouts, traffic on US50 is being held at Twin Bridges. Crews are also in the region performing avalanche control.

SR89 at Emerald Bay is closed due to unsafe conditions. No estimated time of reopening.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Former California State Senator Ted Gaines will be in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday, January 9 to discuss the proposed amendment to Proposition 13 that will remove commercial properties from their property tax protection and tax them on market value and not purchase price.

Gaines is a member of the California Board of Equalization for the 1st district. He will be speaking during the monthly meeting of the South Lake Tahoe Lodging Association and the public is invited.

The meeting will be held at the LTVA meeting space at 169 US-50 Stateline, Nev. 9:30 a.m.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - The Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) recently concluded a month-long fundraiser to raise money for the Suicide Prevention Network (SPN).

#NoShaveNovember raised just over $3,672 for the nonprofit that provides families and individuals with support and education within the community.

Involved with the judging was Trish Hamilton who lost her son Dalton Warswick to suicide in September of this year. Dalton had attended both Whittell and Douglas High Schools.

All Douglas County schools will be on a delayed start on Monday, December 2. Schools at both the lake and in the valley will start 90 minutes later than normally scheduled.

Western Nevada College in Carson City, including the Child Development Center. The campus will open at 11:00 a.m. All classes before that time are canceled. Jump Start students taking classes at a high school should refer to the high school for closure/delay information. The Fallon campus will open at 8 a.m.

At this time no other schools have announced delays.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With vaping a growing problem in local schools, the South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition (DFC) recently held an anti-vaping, anti-drug poster contest at the high school.

Six South Tahoe High School students were recognized last week for their creativity and artwork, and three of the entries will be used in an anti-vaping campaign to draw awareness to the growing problem not only in South Lake Tahoe but across the globe.

The awards went to:

1st place: Madison DialTuttle - $200
2nd place: Alexandra Otomo - $100
3rd place: Aeris Wright - $50

STATELINE, Nev. - Currently, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners meet once a month at Lake Tahoe, but if Commissioner John Engels gets his way, this week's meeting will be their last at the Lake Tahoe Visitor's Authority (LTVA) building.

They have been meeting at the lake on the third Thursday of the month, but Engel's presentation will suggest this meeting take place in Minden just as their other three monthly meetings do.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Tahoe Arts Project will be the beneficiary of Azul Latin Kitchen's Tacos for TAP on Monday, December 2 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

There will be an "All You Can Eat Taco Bar," live music, a silent auction and a performance by the Marcia Sarosik Dancers. All of this for just $15 for each adult and $5 for kids under 12.

Tickets will be sold at the door.

Azul Latin Kitchen is located at the intersection of Heavenly Village Way and Lake Tahoe Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe.

Chautauqua characters Snowshoe Thompson, Lillian Virgin and Anna Harris return to Genoa on Saturday, November 23 at 5:00 pm, at the Genoa Town Hall.

This Chautauqua event features Genoa residents of the past. Chautauquans include Steve Hale as Snowshoe Thompson, the legendary “Mailman of the Sierra”, Kim Harris as Lillian Virgin, the originator of the Genoa Candy Dance and DebiLynn Smith as Anna Harris, early Genoa pioneer business owner.

Location

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - A call into "SafeVoice" about 10:00 p.m. Tuesday night outlined a specific threat to faculty and students at Douglas High School in Minden involving the use of a firearm. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) quickly responded, leading to the arrest of one juvenile for allegedly making threats against the school.

The SafeVoice Coordinator from the Nevada Division of Investigations and the DCSO resource officers worked together to quickly identify the juvenile(s) involved.

It's been one heck of a summer in terms of driving around town. Between Echo Summit and the Meyers roundabout, the horrible accident at Elks Club, US50 through town and then the construction at Stateline that caused delays back to Zephyr Cove in mid-September. Luckily, the Stateline issue was quickly remedied, the highway at Elks Club seems mostly repaired, and the Meyers roundabout turned out great.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Community College's Women's Soccer team is on top of the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 NJCAA poll for Division III for the fourth consecutive week. On September 25 they rose to the top spot of the list and haven't left since then.

Fresno City College is currently in the second spot, a team they tied during a September 20 match-up, 1-1. The team the women lost too in last year's state final, Santiago Canyon College, dropped to the twelfth-ranked team.

Placer County has purchased the 11-acre Nahas property near Tahoe City for $3.42 million. They are working with housing developer partner Related-Pacific Companies to develop conceptual options for a potential mixed-use commercial and achievable housing project on the site.

While the purchase represents a step forward in bringing more achievable housing to North Lake Tahoe, development concepts for the site are still in early stages and no project proposal has yet been brought forward for formal consideration or approval.

ROUND HILL, Nev. - Every Labor Day, the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District (TDFPD) holds a pancake breakfast to support local students in their quest for higher education, and in particular in the field of public service.

They serve Douglas County at Lake Tahoe from the top of Kingsbury Grade to the top of Spooner Summit. This year they chose to invest in the Douglas High School graduating class of 2019 and awarded Alexa Moss with their annual scholarship.

Many of their employees and retirees reside in the valley and have raised their families there.

It was a beautiful September day in South Lake Tahoe, as students, who have encountered challenges and temporarily reside at the South Lake Tahoe Juvenile Treatment Center (SLTJTC), received an extraordinary experience from dedicated volunteers and the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Program. The El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) administers SLTJTC’s academic program and partnered with El Dorado County Probation to provide this day of learning to teach students about the animals, potential careers and social skills.

El Dorado County Office of Education’s (EDCOE) Communications Director, Dina Gentry has been awarded the prestigious “35 Under 35” Award the National School Public Relations Association.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There continue to be harsh words aimed at Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Superintendent Dr. James Tarwater over his handling of the fire, reconstruction and now repopulation of Sierra House Elementary.