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Nevada County Public Safety Articles



Image caption: California traffic deaths dropped by 12 percent in the first three months of 2023, but road fatalities remain at crisis levels.
Death on the Roads: Traffic Fatality Crisis Far From Over

As the COVID pandemic eased, so did the epidemic of death on the road. Somewhat. But the ongoing crisis of traffic fatalities remains at high levels with early numbers form 2023 appearing to top 4,000 in California.

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Palisades Tahoe: ‘Strange vibes’ day after deadly avalanche

OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. – Vic DeMaio sits in his après chair in the Palisades Tahoe parking lot, warming up next to a propane powered fire and points to the opened trunk, "right here, I have my full-on airbag that I …

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Search ensues following morning avalanche at Palisades Tahoe; both sides of mountain closed

PALISADES TAHOE RESORT, Calif. – Palisades Patrol and Mountain Operations Team is currently conducting a search following an avalanche that occurred around 9:30 a.m. The avalanche impacted the Palisades side of the resort above the GS Gulley area of KT-22.

Sierra Sun logo LOCAL NEWS
Smokey Bear turns 80 in 2024

Smokey on Airplane Cowling 1950 (USDA Forest Service image)

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
CHP highlights new traffic safety laws for 2024

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – As we head into the new year, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is educating the public on traffic safety laws that were passed during this year's legislative session and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. The laws referenced below …

Tahoe Guide logo LOCAL NEWS
Avy savvy: Avalanche training essential for backcountry sports

Class on snowpack observation | Sean McAlindin
Are you thinking of heading into the backcountry this winter? If so, you should take an avalanche safety course approved by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) or attend a …

Tahoe Guide logo LOCAL NEWS
Backcountry ski guide released

Light Tours of Tahoe
“Light Tours of Tahoe, California + Nevada” has been released detailing 64 backcountry routes in the Tahoe region by guide and avalanche educator Richard Bothwell. The guidebook is accessible to a range of skiers and riders …

Tahoe Guide logo LOCAL NEWS
Winter Preparedness Guide: Winter Driving Tips

Driving in the winter in the mountains presents its own challenges unique to the Tahoe Sierra from knowing how to drive in snowy conditions, when to put chains on your cars and when to stay home, and what to carry …

Tahoe Guide logo LOCAL NEWS
Winter Preparedness Guide: Prepare Your Home for Winter

Courtesy NOAA
Getting your home prepared for winter weather will save you thousands in repairs from broken water pipes and fires by following a few simple tips from FEMA, American Red Cross and Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team. This is …

Sierra Sun logo LOCAL NEWS
Forest Service issues new food, refuse storage Order

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – To help keep Tahoe bears wild, the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has issued a new Forest Order that requires the proper storage of food and refuse (garbage) on all National Forest System …

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Debate on Tahoe forest health best practices continue on cusp of timber mill opening

Over the last century, scientists, environmentalists, the U.S. Forest Service, the government, ecologists, firefighters, and Indigenous people have all had different opinions about best logging and forest management practices. Whether that's to help mitigate fire risk, create construction materials, or …

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Liberty Utilities working to prevent wildfires through multiple mitigation efforts

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.— In an effort to combat wildfires in the region and upgrade systems to top-notch safety standards, Liberty Utilities has unveiled their Wildfire Mitigation and Vegetation Management Plan in the Tahoe/Sierra region. 

Sierra Sun logo LOCAL NEWS
Northstar Community Service District GM announces retirement; Mike Geary to be appointed Assistant GM

NORTHSTAR, Calif. – After two decades of dedicated service to the Northstar Community Services District, General Manager Mike Staudenmayer has announced his retirement effective in December 2024. Staudenmayer made this announcement during the NCSD's monthly Board Meeting, marking the end …

Image caption: How does social media affect the minds and well-being of children? According to California and other states, not well.
California Sues Meta For Damaging Kids’ Mental Health

California and 32 other states are suing Instagram’s parent company, Meta, saying that their apps are damaging to children. Is there evidence for those claims? Here’s why social media is under attack.

Image caption: A ban on assault weapons is just one of 107 California gun control laws.
California Gun Control Laws and Mass Shootings

California has more gun laws than any other state. Here's how it took a series of mass shootings to make the state the toughest in the country on guns.

Image caption: A terrifying incident in which a Cruise car dragged a pedestrian who had been hit by a different car led the DMV to take the cars off the road.
State DMV and CPUC Both Pull Self-Driving Cruise Taxis From Road

A recent incident in San Francisco spurred the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission to suspend the licenses for Cruise’s driverless cars.

Sierra Sun logo LOCAL NEWS
First chain control of the season in effect on I-80

TRUCKEE, Calif. – Chain controls are in effect on Interstate 80 from the Donner Lake Interchange to Kingvale in both directions. "Roads are extremely slick, so slow down and increase your following distance," a Facebook...

Image caption: New law represents departure from long-standing mental health treatment practices in California.
Californians’ Mental Health: Newsom Signs Law to Overhaul System

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature mental health policies allow the involuntary treatment of more Californians with severe mental illnesses. Some fear the new laws will infringe on the civil liberties of people confined against their will.

Image caption: Truckee saw its share of the 2022-2023 snowpocalyse, as seen at this downtown coffee shop on Donner Pass Road.
Disaster Prep: Alerts, Maps and Apps

When disaster strikes, you’ll need to have these information resources available on your smartphone.

Image caption: Gov. Newsom this week signed a law creating a new 11 percent excise tax on gun manufacturers and retailers.
Gun Manufacturers Fear Days Are Numbered in California

Gov. Newsom just signed a tax on firearms and ammunition, among other new gun control laws. California’s remaining gun manufacturers wonder if they have a future.

Featured

A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained
What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.
States have expansive powers to protect the health of the general public.
The State’s Broad Power to Protect Public Health, Explained
Since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states have possessed broad authority to protect public health.
California will soon be getting a new hotline number as an alternative to 911 for mental health crises.
988, the New Mental Health Emergency Number, Explained
Here's the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained
Areas that the county overlooks can form their own local governments.
How Not to Feel the Burn
These groups help residents preserve their property, health and life.
Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era
As climate change causes more extreme and unusual weather, we need a new set of terms to describe the various phenomena
Though it’s the most famous, the San Andreas Fault is just one of more than 500 active faults in California.
Battening Down for the Big One
Making it through the earthquake is easy—the hard part comes later.
Many of Robert Kerbeck’s neighbors in Malibu Park lost their homes in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which left behind lots where only chimneys still stood.
Give Your Home a Fighting Chance
Wildfires are larger, more frequent, and more ferocious—so be prepared.
Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners
The state tries persuading insurance companies to cover homes in fire zones.
With CERT training, volunteers can learn firefighting skills.
Emergency Teamwork
With CERT training, ordinary civilians can play critical roles in protecting their communities.
View of the flooded San Lorenzo River Park Benchlands in Santa Cruz, California on New Year's Eve 2022.
Communicating During Disaster and Crisis
Recent lessons learned over days of local disaster.
Truckee saw its share of the 2022-2023 snowpocalyse, as seen at this downtown coffee shop on Donner Pass Road.
Disaster Prep: Alerts, Maps and Apps
Keep these online resources handy in case of floods, fires, quakes and other disasters
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