Douglas preparing for New Year’s Eve

The New Year’s Eve before the Coronavirus outbreak was the last time more than 5,000 people celebrated in the streets of Stateline.

Last year, a record winter storm that arrived on New Year’s Eve and a miles long traffic jam as Californians attempted to escape Lake Tahoe after Christmas kept the celebration so low key, there wasn’t anything to report.

But with less than an inch of snow forecast for the three-day New Year’s weekend in Stateline, there’s a possibility the annual New Year’s Eve celebration will see more people.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has seen too many New Years with crowds of up to 20,000 people not to prepare for a big turnout.

For decades, the Sheriff’s Office had to close Highway 50 in order to keep celebrants safe, but the last time that happened was in 2020, just before the arrival of the pandemic.

“A high volume of attendees is anticipated for New Year’s Eve events taking place in the casino corridor of South Lake Tahoe,” county officials said. “Expect delays along Highway 50 due to increased pedestrians. The speed limit of 25 mph within the casino corridor will be strictly enforced. Plan ahead to allow possible delays and remember drinking and driving is never acceptable.”

With at least some snow at Stateline, driving conditions over Echo Summit and Donner Pass could be slick, so visitors should be prepared for winter driving conditions.

Road reports and current conditions are available at nvroads.com, tune in to AM radio 1610, or check online at weather.gov.

The Sheriff’s Office isn’t going enforcement on New Year’s alone with several agencies lending a hand, including the Nevada State Police, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, and California Highway Patrol—will be providing support throughout the holiday weekend. Other supporting agencies include the Douglas County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Douglas County Communications Center, Tahoe-Douglas Fire Department, Cal-Trans, and Nevada Department of Transportation.

“The goal of the Sheriff’s Office is to protect life and property while ensuring safety for the public and law enforcement officers,” officials said. “While celebrating the New Year, we remind the public of behaviors that will not be tolerated by law enforcement including acts of excessive rowdiness, fighting, throwing projectiles, vandalism, theft, narcotic violations, severe public drunkenness, possession of or discharge of fireworks, minors consuming or possessing alcohol, or any other act that disrupts the goal of achieving a safe environment for all.”

It's New Year’s Eve and people will be imbibing. Cans and bottles are banned in public by county code in Stateline between Sunday and Monday to keep them from being missiles that might hurt someone. The casinos will be serving drinks in plastic cups. If you’ve been drinking, there will be lots of cops on the road looking for impaired drivers.

“Be responsible and maintain safe alternatives to driving including designating a sober driver, taking a cab, or use a ride-share app,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Residents are asking anyone who sees an impaired driver to call 9-1-1.

The curfew for those under the age of 18 is midnight and minors wandering about might be cited. That’s also likely for those under the age of 21 who have or are under the influence of intoxicants.

For more information, visit the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office at sheriff.douglascountynv.gov or call 775-782-9900.