Everything in this area seems to be named after Christopher “Kit” Carson, from Carson City and the Carson River, to the Carson Pass and Carson Valley. Join a park ranger at Mormon Station State Historic Park to find out why.

The life and adventures of this frontier legend who left a lasting mark on Northern Nevada will be revealed.

This event is free and all ages are welcome.

It is April 9 at 6pm inside the wagon shed at Mormon Station State Historic Park, 2307 Main St., Genoa.

The 54th annual Firefighters Ball at MontBleu Resort is April 8.

A common misconception is that the firefighter’s ball is just for Lake Valley firefighters. It is not. This fundraising event is open to everyone 21 years of age or older.

Vokab Kompany is the band. There will be dancing, a photo booth, and giveaways.

Proceeds from the ball will help fund community programs such as the South Tahoe Middle School Drug Store Project, South Tahoe High School’s Every 15 Minutes Program, elementary school fire safety with the Life and Safety Trailer, and Fire Fest. The Lake Valley Volunteer Firefighter’s Association also awards a local high school graduate with a scholarship to the Lake Tahoe Basin Fire Academy run through the Lake Tahoe Community College. Additionally donations are made to the Pacific Fire Fighter’s Burn Institute, South Tahoe High School Sober Grad Night, Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra and more.

Money also goes toward providing community CPR and public awareness programs in fire safety, defensible space, and emergency medical services.

Discounted tickets are available online at or at Lake Valley Fire Station 7. Firefighters receive free admission with department ID. Two for one entrée specials will also be offered at the following restaurants: Echo at Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel, Scusa, Nepheles and Teps Villa Roma. Also, use group code “LVFD79” for $79 Suite Rates at Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel the night of the ball.

By USSA

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) has selected Squaw Valley as the proposed site of an Audi FIS Ski World Cup in 2017. U.S. Ski Team officials are supporting the return of World Cup ski racing to the Olympic venue of Squaw Valley for the first time since 1969.

The USSA is submitting Squaw Valley as a candidate for a March 2017 World Cup that would bring Olympic champions Julia Mancuso, Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin to Squaw Valley for a giant slalom and slalom. The International Ski Federation will make its final decision on the 2016-17 calendar this June at the FIS Congress meeting in Cancun.

Squaw Valley was selected by the USSA as a candidate based on its strong history of managing large events and the rich heritage of alpine ski racing in the area. The proposed event would be March 10-11, 2017, with Squaw Valley a stop for the tour between the Olympic test events in PyeongChang, South Korea, and Aspen.

“Squaw Valley represents another opportunity for us to highlight stars like Julia Mancuso, Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin to our American audience on the eve of the Aspen World Cup Finals here in the USA,” said USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “Squaw Valley has always been a strong partner and has a rich history in alpine ski racing. The kids who will be exposed to these world class stars are the future generation of Olympic champions.”

The proposal is for Squaw Valley to hold the races on its Red Dog run in the shadow of the fabled KT-22 peak. The venue was the host for the 2013 and 2014 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships, attracting large crowds of kids who came to see their favorite ski racing stars.

“It is an honor to be chosen by our national governing body to play host to an Audi FIS Ski World Cup, particularly when one considers the many great mountains around the world that seek to play host to a FIS World Cup event,” said Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows President and CEO Andy Wirth. “Being selected by the USSA speaks favorably toward Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows’ ski racing heritage, our world class staff and our community and mountains. We look forward to continuing work on our bid with U.S. Ski Team and the International Ski Federation staff and truly hope for a successful outcome at the June FIS meetings.”

Built on the legacy of the 1960 Winter Olympics hosted at Squaw Valley, the resort has since reared celebrated athletes such as Jonny Moseley, Julia Mancuso, Travis Ganong, Marco Sullivan, JT Holmes, Michelle Parker, Cody Townsend, Jeremy Jones, Ralph Backstrom, Nate Holland, and Errol Kerr.

“Part of growing up in Squaw Valley is its legacy of developing world class athletes and playing host to world class events like the 1960 Olympics,” said Olympic champion and Squaw Valley native Julia Mancuso. “America has always had great ski champions, but they are often overshadowed by the vast number of European venues. Bringing the World Cup to Squaw Valley will build more awareness of the World Cup tour in the America. As an Olympian, I appreciate that Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has been so proactive about supporting our athletes and the U.S. Ski Team.”

By Emily Benson, Mercury News

WATSONVILLE — A historic 2014 law requiring water agencies across California to replenish the state’s imperiled aquifers created a new problem: Many local officials just weren’t sure how to do it.

But this winter’s abundant rains are triggering a flood of experiments that have turned the state’s agricultural regions into aquifer-recharge laboratories.

Farmers in Modesto inundated an almond orchard with the city’s stormwater. Water managers in and around Fresno have more than 20 new groundwater recharge projects in the works. On the Central Coast, researchers in the Pajaro Valley are carefully designing percolation basins to capture rainfall before it gushes out into the Pacific.

For decades, water has been sucked from aquifers faster than nature can replenish it — and the drought has only intensified the thirst for groundwater. Scientists agree that it will be decades before a future governor can declare California’s groundwater problems solved.

Read the whole story

UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center will host Ellen Zagory, director of public horticulture for the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, on April 7.

She will talk about how to support the local ecosystem and insect pollinators like native bees and butterflies. Gardens must attract crucial pollinators and conserve water in order to thrive.

Registration for this event is required. The program will begin at 6pm, with refreshments and no-host bar from 5:30-6pm at 291 Country Club Drive in Incline Village.

Seating is open at 5:30pm to guests who have pre-registered, open seating starts at 5:50pm. Cost is $5.

Together with California Skateparks, Woodward Tahoe will break ground this spring on Sierra Skatepark — a concrete skatepark at the outdoor Woodward Tahoe campus.

It will utilize the natural terrain, while providing street obstacles designed to enhance the course with its elements and features. The park is scheduled to open the first week of summer camp on June 12.

“The idea behind this park was to keep the unique, natural beauty of the terrain and bring in some urban street obstacles that are themed to match the environment,” skateboarder and Woodward brand manager Neal Hendrix said in a statement. “We didn’t want to come in and just tear down a bunch of trees and build a park that looked and felt like everything else. The way that this park flows through the trees is really unique and we think it’s going to make an amazing setting.”

Woodward Tahoe offers summer camp, daily drop-in sessions, and Ride with Woodward programs throughout the year. Woodward Tahoe features The Bunker, a 33,000 square foot indoor facility with trampolines, satellite ramps, foam pits and an indoor concrete skatepark.

A monarch butterfly on a tithonia blossom. Photo/Melinda Myers LLC

By Melinda Myers

Whether planting a garden, enjoying the beauty of your landscape or sitting down to a delicious meal, you have bees, butterflies and other pollinators to thank. These essential members of our ecosystem are responsible for much of the food and beauty we enjoy each day.

Unfortunately pesticides and habitat loss are threatening their existence.  There is something you can do to help.  Turn your garden, backyard or balcony into a pollinator’s habitat.

Plant a variety of flowering plants that provide nectar and pollen throughout the season. Planting masses of natives, herbs and other pollinator favorites like sedum, zinnias, alyssum, cosmos, and columbine will attract these beauties to your landscape. Include a variety of day and night blooming flowers in a variety of colors and shapes to support the widest range of pollinators. But don’t let a lack of space dissuade you; even a window box of flowers can help.

Keep your plants healthy and blooming with proper care. Match the plants to the growing conditions, provide needed water and fertilize with an organic nitrogen fertilizer when needed. You’ll promote slow steady plant growth that is less susceptible to drought and pests. Plus the slow release low nitrogen won’t interfere with flowering which is essential to the health and well being of our pollinators.

Supplement pollinators’ diets with a bit of rotten fruit. And be sure to provide trees, shrubs, parsley, dill and other plants that caterpillars, grubs and the immature stage of other pollinators prefer to feed upon. Put away the pesticides and tolerate a few holes in the leaves of their favorite plants.  With a diversity of plants you can easily overlook the temporary leaf damage. Plus, this is a small price to pay for all the benefits they bring to the garden.

Provide pollinators with shelter from predators and the weather.  Include a variety of trees, shrubs and perennials. Leave patches of open soil for ground nesting bees and some leaf litter to shelter some butterflies, bumblebees and other pollinating insects. Supplement natural shelter with commercial or homemade nesting boxes. You’ll find do-it-yourself plans on the internet from various educational sources.

Puddles, fountains, birdbaths and even a damp sponge can provide needed water. Include water features with sloping sides or add a few stones to create easier access. Or sink a shallow container of sand in the ground. Keep it damp and add a pinch of sea salt for the butterflies and bees.

Maximize your efforts by teaming up with your neighbors. Together you can create a larger more diverse habitat that provides pollinators with the resources they need to thrive.

Your efforts will be rewarded with greater harvests, beautiful flowers and colorful birds and butterflies visiting your garden.

Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author and columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written more than 20 gardening books.

Bear

Bear is a German shepherd-Alaskan Malamute mix who is about2 years old. He is a very nice big boy who loves to play with toys.

Bear is neutered, microchipped, tested for heart worm, and vaccinated. He is at the El Dorado County Animal Services shelter in Meyers, along with many other dogs and cats who are waiting for their new homes. Go to the Tahoe animal shelter’s Facebook page to see photos and descriptions of all pets at the shelter.

Call 530,573.7925 for directions, hours, and other information on adopting a pet.

For spay-neuter assistance for South Tahoe residents, go online.

— Karen Kuentz

By Kathryn Reed

By the time students in the class of 2019 graduate from South Tahoe High School they may have earned 9½ units from Lake Tahoe Community College.

Even more are possible, and it’s not just freshmen who are eligible.

The first block is available through the Get Focused, Stay Focused program that was introduced this year. It is a program designed to get students to think about their lives for the next 10 years. At each grade level it will be revised.

Three main questions are addressed:

·      Who am I? – This is supposed to become a personal mission statement.

·      What do I want in life? – Work, family, and standard of living are addressed.

·      How do I get there? – Education, training and income level are part of the answer.

“It’s about self-discovery and making it happen,” Virginia Berry, LTCC dean of Career Tech Education, said.

She was part of group that gave the college and Lake Tahoe Unified School District boards an update on the program as well as what is going on with the broader dual-enrollment initiative. The two boards had a joint meeting on March 22.

Lake Tahoe Community College and Lake Tahoe Unified School District boards meet March 22. Photo/LTN

The Get Focused, Stay Focused program is expanding to adult education, foster youth, and tribal education in Douglas County.

“It’s highly researched based. When they finish they have an education plan online,” Bob Grant with LTUSD said. “Counselors can look at it and direct students toward certain classes.”

The first dual enrollment class being offered outside of Get Focused, Stay Focused is in the digital media arts sector.

Dual enrollment means STHS students are getting LTCC credit for a class they take at the high school. It means the curriculum at the high school is equivalent to the college’s, and that LTCC students may take a similar class at their school.

The goal is to expand the dual enrollment offerings into culinary arts, sports medicine and dental hygiene. These are all disciplines both institutions currently offer.

The benefit to students is they will enter college with credits and therefore likely to be able to take more advanced classes from the get-go and then they can possibly graduate in four years. It also allows LTCC to count these students as though they were on campus, which helps the college to get state funding.

While dual enrollment is available where applicable to all STHS students, not all take advantage of the opportunity. In large part this has to do with LTCC having to ask residency questions and LTUSD does not.

“I’m impressed with the dual enrollment. It’s doing the right thing for the kids,” Barbara Bannar, LTUSD board president, said.

To the community,

Once a year, the Filipino community comes together to host a Filipino themed meal that is thoroughly enjoyed by every diner who attends their Bread & Broth sponsorship dinner. Normally the Monday evening dinners are prepared by the B&B volunteer cooks.  However, due to their wonderful cooking skills and the amazing Filipino cuisine they prepare, the Filipino sponsor volunteers were in charge of the cooking for their March 21 Adopt a Day dinner.

The word from the folks who attended the dinner was that the food was plentiful, delicious and a wonderful way to share their Filipino culture. The menu for the evening included honey mustard chicken, sweet and sour pork ribs, stir fry green beans, Filipino style chow mein, steamed rice and popsicles for dessert. It definitely was a wonderful feast lovingly prepared and served by members of the Filipino community.

“The Filipino community would like to express our gratitude for giving us once again the wonderful experience of hosting an Adopt A Day of Nourishment,” wrote Mila Seal.  “An experience that always gives each and every member of the Filipino community the feeling of fulfillment and appreciation of life.”

Bread & Broth would like to thank the wonderful Filipino community members who were involved in every aspect of putting their meal together. They were a generous, fun loving and caring group and Bread & Broth always looks forward with great anticipation to their annual sponsorship.

To partner with B&B as a donor or sponsor, contact me at 530.542.2876 or carolsgerard@aol.com.

Carol Gerard, Bread & Broth