"A bittersweet moment": South Lake Tahoe officially declares COVID-19 emergency over
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — South Lake Tahoe was hit hard with COVID-19 cases, and sharing a border with Nevada led to confusion about regulations and an increase in case count. With no major hospital, the area struggled to control the virus. However, this week, South Lake Tahoe finally declared its COVID-19 emergency over.
"The COVID-19 pandemic was a real shock," said South Lake Tahoe Mayor Devin Middlebrook.
The mayor explained that keeping case counts low wasn't easy.
"Being on a border between two states always brings confusion between differing state laws and regulations," he said.
The tourist town worked to contain COVID, but it borders Nevada where, despite a pandemic, casinos were packed and life continued as normal.
"We couldn't stop people traveling on a U.S. interstate from California to Nevada to do whatever they wanted to do," Middlebrook said.
While the pandemic closed doors, tourism took a hit.
"Being a tourist economy, our economic engine ground to a halt," the mayor said.
Chicken In A Barrel BBQ owner Don Havard said they're just trying to make it through the year. So the city stepped up offering refunds to businesses like Havard's for outdoor setups.
"If we get that paid for by the city, that gives us hope we can make it through," Havard said.
As COVID-19 finally calmed, the challenges didn't end for South Lake Tahoe.
"If a pandemic wasn't enough, we had a catastrophic wildfire. Through all of that, our community has stepped up and weathered the storm," Middlebrook said.
Now, the city that is recognized nationwide for its effort in fighting COVID-19 has finally caught a break this week as the city council has officially voted to end the COVID-19 emergency.
"It was definitely a bittersweet moment. It is also a light at the end of the tunnel for our local community members. We are a resilient bunch," Middlebrook said.