Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is accepting nominations for Lake Spirit Awards.

The awards honor people making progress protecting Lake Tahoe. In addition to nominations for exemplary citizens, nominations are also open in the agency representative/environmental scientist category. A North Shore and South Shore winner in each category will be selected.

Nominations may be submitted online through March 14. Award winners will be recognized by the TRPA Governing Board and at the South Tahoe Earth Day.

For additional information, contact Devin Middlebrook at 775.589.5230 or dmiddlebrook@trpa.org.

Tristan Batten

Harvest Davidson

Two people have been arrested in connection with the murder of an Amador County man that occurred Jan. 30 in the parking lot of the Beverly Lodge in South Lake Tahoe.

Tristan Batten, 18, was arrested Feb. 16 in Vallejo and Harvest Davidson, 20, was apprehended Feb. 17 in Sacramento. Both face one count of murder.

South Lake Tahoe officers said they believe more people are connected to the killing of Dennis Wright Jr., 40. The gun used to kill Wright has not been found.

Wright and his girlfriend Kendra Ghiorso, 45, of Amador County were selling marijuana from their vehicle, officers said, with 100 pounds being confiscated the night of the shooting.

The getaway vehicle was located in the Bay Area.

Anyone who has information about the case is asked to call the police department at 530.542.6100 or Secret Witness at 530.541.6800.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

There was no vehicular damage from the fallen tree in Zephyr Cove. Photo/Keith Cooney

A tree was blocking Highway 50 in Zephyr Cove at Warrior Way for a short while Wednesday afternoon.

No vehicles were damaged, according to a Tahoe Douglas fire spokeswoman.

It fell about 3pm Feb. 17. The basin is under a high wind advisory for much of Wednesday.

Crews from the fire station at that corner removed the 40-foot tree.

The conifer was blocking both westbound lanes and part of the east bound lanes. All lanes were expected to be open by 3:30pm.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

A 77-year-old skier sustained fatal injuries Tuesday after hitting a tree at Heavenly Mountain Resort.

Kathryn Strangman of Madison, Wis., was on the Nevada side about noon Feb. 16 when the accident occurred.

Douglas County sheriff’s deputies said an autopsy will be conducted as well as an investigation into the death.

Resort officials would only say that she was on an intermediate trail.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

UC Davis TERC is expanding its Science Expo program to South Lake Tahoe.

With funding from Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe, students in Lake Tahoe Unified School District will be able to participate March 30-April 1 at Lake Tahoe Community College. The expo will also be at the UC Davis Tahoe Science Center in Incline Village from March 14-18.

Volunteers are needed at both locations. No science experience is required. To sign up for a shift, go online.

The Science Expo experience is designed to guide third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students through hands-on scientific investigations and experiments. This year’s theme is Physical Science with topics including: Energy, Forces and Motion, and Properties of Matter.

For more info, contact Emily Frey at efrey@ucdavis.edu or 775.881.7560, ext. 7474.

By Benjamin Spillman, Reno Gazette-Journal

Sharpshooters firing shotguns from a helicopter killed 24 bighorn sheep on Sunday and Monday in an unprecedented attempt to contain an outbreak of pneumonia in the herd.

According to the Nevada Department of Wildlife it’s the first time wildlife managers in the state have taken such drastic measures to prevent the spread of pneumonia among bighorn sheep.

“This is truly an unfortunate measure,” said Nevada Department of Wildlife Director Tony Wasley in a written statement. “But as the extent of this disease event has become clearer to us, we have determined that it is the proper and responsible course of action.”

Read the whole story

·       Country sensation Keith Urban has added a second Lake Tahoe show on July 27. He will also be at Harveys on the outdoor stage on July 29.

·       Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation wants input about workforce-affordable housing. This survey is for employers and this one is for employees.

·       Salary information for California teachers and staff has been updated online.

·       Tahoe Transportation District has agreed to take over the South Shore bus system, BlueGo, when the contract with the current operator expires at the end of May.

·      To receive a free smoke alarm from the American Red Cross of Northern Nevada call 202.716.9418.

By Amy Westervelt, Wall Street Journal

Scientists and doctors seeking to unravel some of the mysteries behind the deadliest form of breast cancer have put out a call to patients diagnosed with the disease: Please send us your DNA.

These researchers are creating a national database of patients’ blood and tumor samples, along with their medical records, to better understand what triggers metastatic, or stage IV, breast cancer and how it might be stopped.

Led by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a nonprofit academic research institution focused on accelerating the understanding and treatment of disease, the ambitious Metastatic Breast Cancer Project is part of a broader effort to shine a spotlight on a type of cancer that many activists say has gotten short shrift. While prevention and early detection of breast cancer has grown immensely in recent decades, thanks to 30 years of pink-ribbon campaigns, the number of women dying from metastatic breast cancer has remained steady at about 40,000 annually since the 1970s.

“We’re asking for a redistribution of research funding for breast cancer that’s revenue-neutral,” says Kelly Shanahan, a South Lake Tahoe obstetrician diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer two years ago, and who met with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein last year. “It can make a huge difference.”

Read the whole story

High winds are causing problems in Truckee on Feb. 17. Photo/Truckee Police Department

Wind has knocked down trees and power lines Truckee.

Zermatt Drive and Jeffrey Way are closed as crews clean up the mess Wednesday morning. There is no estimated time when they will reopen.

Residents are being reminded to not move power lines.

A high wind advisory is in effect for the Lake Tahoe Basin and Truckee areas on Feb. 17 through 10pm.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By USSA

HAFJELL, Norway – Sixteen-year-old Keely Cashman (Squaw Valley) grabbed 15th place Tuesday in the giant slalom at the Youth Olympic Winter Games.

The giant slalom podium featured Switzerland’s Melanie Meillard finishing first, with Germany’s Katrin Hirtl-Stanggassinger finishing second and Switzerland’s Aline Danioth rounding out the podium in third.

“Snow was bullet proof and it was an excellent race,” said women’s NTG head coach Thomas Erhard. “Great learning experience for her at a major Championship.”

One of the top skiers in the world in her age group, Cashman also finished 10th in the super G on Saturday. Onward and upward, Cashman will now look ahead to Thursday’s slalom.

On Monday, the athletes of the Youth Olympic Games received a visit from a very special guest, Youth Olympic Games Ambassador Lindsey Vonn (Vail). When the all-time winningest female alpine ski racer is not busy winning Audi FIS Ski World Cups – her win tally is now 76 – she enjoys spending time off the mountain helping to inspire and encourage the next generation of champions.

Vonn’s advice for athletes included everything from encouraging athletes to enjoy the entire Games experience to finding a hero to inspire them. Of course, she also advised athletes to get a dog, as Vonn just purchased her third puppy, a King Charles Cavalier named Lucy.

Modeled after the Olympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games debuted its winter event in 2012 at Innsbruck, Austria. Held every four years, the Youth Olympic Winter Games feature more than 1,100 athletes aged 15 to 18, from around the world.