SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – It’s another year of keeping Tahoe red, white and blue with the annual Fourth of July parade, celebrating the 250th anniversary of America’s nationhood. During the parade, Dina Ramaha-Pino officially announced her campaign for city council with a float.
Howie’s Morning Rush host Howie Nave and South Lake Tahoe Fire’s public information officer Sallie Ross served as the emcees of the parade, and the South Lake Tahoe Daughters of the American Revolution served as the grand marshals of the parade. Nave and Ross gave an acapella rendition of the national anthem from their post at Lakeview Avenue.
Local mainstays of the parade such as the American Legion Post 795 and their post commander Tom Milham, the Boys and Girls Club of America and the many firefighting entities of Lake Tahoe were joined by businesses and community groups, to raucous cheers and applause.
The parade lasted just about an hour, with colorful floats like a recreation of George Washington crossing the Delaware, Lake Tahoe Community College’s bus and coyote mascot, and a tongue-in-cheek “Conspiracy Theorists Unite” caravan decked out with aliens and mermaids, wrapped in aluminum foil.
While the parade was smaller than previous years, the theme of Celebrating 250 Years was in full display, with many people wishing America a happy birthday.
Current city council members made an appearance on a float as well. With three seats up for election this coming November, Dina Ramaha-Pino’s float officially launched her campaign alongside her “Dance for Democracy” float.
The winners for the best commercial, nonprofit and youth entries, classic auto and anything goes categories will be announced on the city’s Facebook page.
The “Conspiracy Theorists” had a tongue-in-cheek float of cars covered in aluminum foil. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The Tahoe Transportation District’s trolley was one sight to see during the Independence Day parade. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
A float for Revive IV with a stuffed bear getting an IV treatment. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
Dina Ramaha-Pino announced her campaign for city council during the parade. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The Boys and Girls Club float. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
City council members wave from the float at the July 4th parade. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – After the festivities of Independence Day, Clean Up The Lake and Station House Inn announced their partnership through the Stay With Purpose program. The fund raised over $30,000 for the organization to continue their work.
“Clean Up The Lake has a real tangible impact pulling out trash from the lake,” said Mitchell Murray, CEO of PlayPark Hospitality, which owns Station House Inn. “We think they do a really great job and are excited to support them in preserving the lake we all love.”
Clean Up The Lake’s volunteers picked up trash on the streets after July 4 celebrations.Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The Stay With Purpose program came about as part of founder Daniel Ramsey’s interest in giving back to communities through MOD Movement. Station House Inn piloted the program last year, raising about $1,000.
This year, they renewed the program again with a larger output. The program now earmarks $4 per every guest stay to give to nonprofits and organizations throughout the Tahoe region. The first funds went to the Boys and Girls Club of South Lake Tahoe, totaling about $10,000.
For Clean Up The Lake, Stay With Purpose raised $30,144 for Clean Up The Lake. The hope for the program is to partner with a different organization each quarter.
Station House Inn’s “Stay With Purpose” program funded Clean Up The Lake with over $30,000.Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
“This money will allow us to continue making the difference we really want to,” said Colin West, CEO of Clean Up The Lake. “We’re really excited to help them launch this off, especially for one of the busiest times of the year.”
West spoke to the cleanup volunteers, including the dive team who would be cleaning up just south of the fireworks barge near Nevada Beach. “You can see there’s a post-party trash scene out there. But we think this is an opportunity to turn the tide and show that through the Stay With Purpose program, tourists aren’t just a problem, they can be part of the solution.”
Volunteers on the street took 40-gallon trash bags to pick up beer cans, lost flip-flops, wrappers and cigarette butts, while the dive team headed out to their site (with a caution to not handle any fireworks in the lake that still contained explosives.)
“I traveled a lot, going to places like Bali and Thailand which have a lot of trash,” said West. “Tahoe on the surface might not seem like that, but literally and figuratively, we also are dealing with these issues.”
“It’s important to have that preservation and education, especially for our youth and the future who will be taking care of this place when we’re old and decrepit,” said West with a laugh. “Most importantly, I believe Tahoe still can be saved.”
Clean Up The Lake volunteer divers head out to the site near the fireworks launch to pick up trash.Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Healthcare in the Tahoe Basin, like many rural areas, can be challenging to navigate. With only a few hospitals in the area and a major move for Barton Hospital slated for the future, Tribune journalist Eli Ramos will be reporting on two articles through a grant from the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism.
Barton Hospital’s move and insurance
In 2024, California’s 2030 seismic regulations were part of what prompted Barton Hospital to consider a move to Nevada. While Barton’s healthcare already spans both sides of the state line, the campuses on the California side are not seismically retrofitted as the building was constructed in 1963 (and expanded in 1992.)
Other reasons for expansion include expanding facilities, the limited space at current facilities and the growing healthcare needs of the community.
The project included the consideration of a sub-healthcare district in Douglas County, Nevada. The new site for the hospital would be where Lakeside Inn and Casino previously stood. While the move has come with its concerns around the location and its height, the Tribune is currently interested in reporting on the impacts the move could have on Medicaid and Medi-Cal patients.
Previously, Barton has said that 90% of plans used by residents have a border provision that allows patients in California to receive care in Nevada, for example. But for those who use Medicaid or Medi-Cal, it may cause more issues, especially for outpatient care across state lines.
In November 2025, Barton paused their environmental impact statement, citing their partnership with Cleveland Clinic and updates to the hospital programming. Since then, the project has not provided any major updates on their webpages or additional information on the dual-campus project.
The Tribune is interested in hearing from people who use Medicaid or Medi-Cal to cover services at Barton Hospital, if they have had difficulty with receiving care because of their insurance and if they have received any information/understanding of how to deal with insurance exemptions.
LGBTQ+ healthcare
In rural communities, healthcare can be sparse—and even moreso for communities that need or want care that recognizes their identities and the different health risks that come with those identities.
LGBTQ+ healthcare outcomes are typically worse than those for cisgender and straight individuals, as they often have less access to healthcare providers who understand their needs and how to address them. It can be challenging to find resources around mental and behavioral health, gender-affirming care or even a provider who understands the medications that can prevent both getting and transmitting HIV.
In a recent Community Engagement and Behavioral Health Report sponsored by the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, LGBTQ+ residents reported higher incidences of poor mental health days, a need for mental health providers and higher rates of substance abuse.
Some people are also seeking healthcare outside of the Tahoe-Truckee area to find LGBTQ+ responsive healthcare. Telehealth options may feel more suited to addressing their needs, or they may drive long distances to find providers that are LGBTQ+ friendly – heading to Sacramento, Reno or even as far as San Francisco or Los Angeles.
The Tribune is interested in hearing from LGBTQ+ people in the Tahoe Basin who are pursuing healthcare that is responsive to their identities, especially those who feel they must leave the Tahoe-Truckee area to find healthcare and those seeking gender-affirming care.
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