Tahoe region to see quarter of a million visitors this Fourth of July weekend

Eric Rucker reports

THOSE EFFORTS FOR EVERYONE TOKEEP SAFE OR LOOKING LIKE ANACTION.IT'S THE TYPICAL 4TH OFJULY MASS MIGRATION TO THETAHOE AREA, THE CITY OF SOUTHLAKE TAHOE WILL QUADRUPLE INPOPULATION FOR THE NEXT FEWDAYS.IN THE AREA AS A WHOLE WILLSEE ABOUT A QUARTER OF AMILLION PEOPLE AND WHILE THOSEWHO LIVE UP HERE YEAR ROUNDARE VERY WELCOMING TOTOURISTS.

IT'S WHAT THESE OUTOF TOWNERS COULD POTENTIALLYBE BRINGING UP HERE THIS GOAROUND THAT HAS THOSE THATLIVE HERE NOT BEING A SOCIALAS THEY NORMALLY WOULD BE MOSTLOCALS THAT I'M TALKING TO AREHIDING RIGHT NOW.WE'RE HIDING SUE AND ANDYMCLOUGHLIN HAVE LIVED IN TIMEHO FOR DECADES.THEY'RE BOTH WELL AWARETHAT WITH OUR CURRENT PANDEMICTHIS INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKENDIS JUST DIFFERENT.AND WE HATE TO GIVE UP THISHOLIDAY TO THE TOURISTS, BUT ITHINK FOR THE SAFETY OF THETOWN WE'RE DOING IT.

THE FEARIS NOT KNOWING WHO OR HOW MANYVISITORS COULD HAVE THECORONAVIRUS OUR CAMERAS CAUGHTBUSY BEACHES AND CROWDEDSIDEWALKS SOME WEARING MASKSSOME NOT WERE REALLY WELLPREPARED FOR VISITORS, THAT'SWHAT WE DO UP HERE.

WE WANTPEOPLE TO COME AND HAVE AGREAT TIME COVID TOTALLYCHANGED THE PLAYING FIELDJESSE PATTERSON IS WITH KEEPTAHOE BLUE PATTERSON SAYS THEMAIN FOCUS DURING THE 4THHOLIDAY IS KEEPING VISITORTRASH OFF OF THE BEACHES ANDLAKES HOWEVER MANY OF THOSERESOURCES HAVE BEEN DISPERSEDBECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC NOWMORE THAN EVER PATTERSON SAYSPEOPLE NEED TO RESPECT THEIRNATURAL SURROUNDINGS SO WE'REASKING EVERYBODY TO BE A TAHOEBLUE GOOD OR JUST MEANS CLEANUP AFTER YOURSELF AN EVENBETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT.WHETHER IT'S SPREADINGGARBAGE OR A VIRUS LOCALS LIKELOUGHLIN'S ARE PLEADING FORPEOPLE TO SHOW RESPECT TO THEAREA AND ITS RESIDENTS WE HAVETO SOCIAL DISTANCE WHETHER WELIKE IT OR NOT THAT'S NOT THECHOICE.

WE HAVE TO SO WE NEEDTO LEAVE THESE PEOPLE WHERETHEY ARE AND THEY NEED TOLEAVE US ALONE AS WELL DANMCLAUGHLIN ALSO TELLING METHAT HE IS SEEN MORE AND MOREPEOPLE WHO NORMALLY JUST LIVEUP HERE PART TIME LIVING UPHERE FULL TIME AT LEASTTEMPORARILY FOR LAST 3 OR 4MONTHS.NOT WANTING TO GO BACK TOTHEIR HOMES IN BIGGER CITIESWHERE THEY COULD POSSIBLY MOREEASILY CONTRACT CORONAVIRUS IN