A man accused of raping a woman in Truckee last month was charged this week.

Douglas Scott Thomas, 25, of San Diego was apprehended in Boise, Idaho. He was booked into Nevada County jail on Dec. 14. The jail lists his job as a firefighter.

As of Dec. 15 he remained in custody, with bail set at $100,000.

The incident occurred Nov. 14. The crime reportedly occurred when the victim was unconscious. She told officers about the crime that day.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

South Lake Tahoe crews at a Dec. 14 structure fire. Photo/Provided

Residents of a fourplex in the 700 block of Merced Avenue in South Lake Tahoe sustained minor injuries Wednesday from a fire in their unit.

The couple had escaped unharmed but then went inside to retrieve a pet and belongings. 

Four people were displaced.

The fire started in the bottom unit. Damage is estimated at $400,000.

The cause of the Dec. 14 blaze is under investigation.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times
 
A low gargle echoes against granite cliffs and resounds in the wooded canyons.

Each pull of a starter handle and squeeze of a throttle is punctuated by the crack of splintering wood as another dead tree falls in a forest that’s changing all too rapidly.
 
Estimates by the U.S. Forest Service put the number of dead trees in California forests at 102 million, broad swaths that officials call a wildfire and public safety risk. Declaring a state of emergency last fall when the count stood at 40 million, Gov. Jerry Brown ordered state agencies to clear the hazards.

“There is a Gold Rush for those of us who are willing to bust ass,” says Niles Kant, who charges $1,700 a day for his services.

Read the whole story

By Benjamin Spillman, Reno Gazette-Journal

Mark Amodei

A Congressman who served as the Nevada campaign chairman for President-elect Donald Trump said it was a mistake for the Trump transition team to ask questions that seemed to target employees who worked on climate change issues.

In an interview Wednesday, Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, said a questionnaire circulated at the Department of Energy suggests the incoming administration is putting the politics of climate change ahead of the issue of confronting it.

Both Amodei and Alan Gertler, vice president for research and chief science officer for Desert Research Institute, said data-driven research is critical to sound decisions on climate.

Read the whole story

Tara Dawn Johnson

Updated 3:28pm:

A 46-year-old South Lake Tahoe woman who had been reported missing was found safe on Thursday, as was her dog.

A caregiver for Tara Dawn Johnson reported that Johnson left her apartment near Bonanza Avenue and F Street at about 10:30pm Dec. 14. Johnson was with her black and white Chihuahua Bert.

She was discovered walking in the area of Highway 50 and Al Tahoe Boulevard on the afternoon of Dec. 15.

“She was wet with the rain and cold, but otherwise seemed healthy. Johnson explained she had walked away of her own accord and found shelter on her own last night. There appears to have been no foul play involved in this case,” police officers said in a press release.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

The National Weather Service is predicting the Truckee River to get close to moderate flood stage from the storm that is hitting the area today and tonight.

Truckee has sand bags available for local residents. They may be picked up at 11473 Donner Pass Road (Fire Station 92) and at Stockrest Springs by the U.S. Forest Service.

It is advised to not drive through areas that are flooded, and watch for downed trees and power lines from predicted high winds.

The annual gala for South Tahoe High School’s Performing Arts Boosters Association is Dec. 17.

It is at 5:30pm, before the “White Christmas” performance at the school.

This is an event for the entire. 

Holiday cookies and treats will be provided by local bakeries.  Santa will be there for the kids.

Cost is $25 for adults and $15  of kids. Contact kkrolicki@msn.com for tickets.

By Jill Sanford, Moonshine Ink

“I travel and ski with guys all year round, so it’s amazing when I get to experience the mountain with a posse of women. There’s this female energy and support that’s so powerful. I push myself more when I see other girls out there challenging themselves and shedding some of the self-doubt that comes with skiing with guys.”

Pro skier Michelle Parker isn’t alone in this sentiment. Women who are involved in winter sports are gravitating toward female-only organizations like the SAFE AS avalanche clinics, Tahoe Backcountry Women, and SheJumps; places where they can find the support and energy of female companionship.

“The general trend is for women to feel more comfortable speaking up in an all-women’s group,” said local sports psychologist Robb Gaffney. “There could be cases in which a woman feels more comfortable disclosing a difficult issue to a man or to a group of men, especially if the group is safe and non-judgmental, as opposed to sharing the same information with a woman who could be perceived as an intimidating figure. But yes, in general, there is likely safety through similarity, and same-gender groups offer that.”

Read the story

Expect delays on Highway 89 near Emerald Bay this morning.

High winds have caused a utility line to droop. Caltrans says the northbound lane is closed and there is no estimated time when it will reopen.

The line is near Cascade Road on the South Shore. This is where the Emerald Fire burned earlier this fall.

Other road related issues for Dec. 15 include chain controls being in effect on Highway 88 near Kirkwood, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A winter storm warning remains in effect for the Lake Tahoe Basin above 7,000 feet from 10am Thursday through 4am Friday. High winds are going to an issue for much of today.

Flooding along the Truckee River is possible. Authorities warn that 6 inches of water can knock a person down and 2 feet of water can sweep a car away.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

·       Live Violence Free in South Lake Tahoe accepts donations from 8am-4pm on Wednesdays. Clothing and food are needed.

·       Zephyr Cove Library will be hosting a cookie decorating event on Dec. 22 from 3:30-4:30pm. Children will frost and decorate snowman sugar cookies while listening to stories, and they will be invited to take part in a candy cane hunt and other wintery games. 

·       Barbara Bannar will be at the helm of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District board for another year, while Angela Swanson will be clerk.

·       Karen Borges is now president of the Lake Tahoe Community College board.

·       Marc Arroues is interim director of Tahoe Turning Point.