Expand SEO knowledge with none of the hassle at the April 18 Level UP workshop put on by the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce.

This workshop will feature discussion on SEO tactics, increasing visibility in search engine results and essential website and content strategies. Workshop facilitators are Dan Keenan, graphic designer and owner of Hatchback Creative, and
Kathleen Hood, digital technology consultant at Local Boost Service.

The cost for each Level UP workshop is $10 for chamber members and $20 for non-chamber members. This workshop is a “lunch and learn” style so bring your “brown bag” lunch.

The workshop is at the chamber office in Stateline.

By Andrew Harnik, AP

RENO — Gov. Brian Sandoval opposes President Trump’s current proposal to send thousands of National Guard members to the U.S.-Mexico border to help federal officials fight illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Sandoval’s press secretary Mary-Sarah Kinner said in an email to the Associated Press on Friday that Sandoval doesn’t believe the current proposal would be “an appropriate use of the Nevada National Guard.”

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·      Truckee residents Rick and Nancy Holliday, founders and owners of Holliday Development, have donated an apartment in downtown Truckee to the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe. The house, to be called the Holliday House, will be rented to HSTT for $1 per year. In turn, Tahoe Getaways will manage the rental pro bono, with all proceedings going to the Humane Society.

·      Thousands of communities across the United States, including Truckee, will participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration National Drug Take Back day scheduled for April 28 from 10am-2pm.

·      The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Corps is offering an emergency preparedness and response training academy beginning April 12. To sign up for training, call Michael Perry at 775.325.6928 or email mperry@washoecounty.us. For more information, go online.

·      Glazed and Confuzed Tahoe Donut is now located inside Tahoe Beach Retreat in South Lake Tahoe.

·      Zephyr Cove Library will be closing at noon April 13 for a special event to honor library volunteers.

Tahoe Regional Young Professionals has two networking mixers for the month of April. A South Shore networking mixer will take place on April 11, and there will be a North Shore mixer on April 17.

All members of the community are invited to attend these events, regardless of age. Although membership is encouraged and available for purchase at events, it is not required.

Artemis by the Lake will host the TRYP South Shore April networking mixer from 6-9pm, and will include one free drink and complimentary appetizers for attendees.

The TRYP North Shore April networking mixer will be hosted by Gar Woods Grill and Pier located in Carnelian Bay. The mixer will take place from 5:30-8:30pm and will include one free drink and appetizers for attendees.

The cost of the mixers is free for members and only $10 for non-members. Attendees will have the opportunity to socialize with other professionals and expand their network.

Not a TRYP member yet? Sign up at any of the events in person, or by email at TahoeTRYP@gmail.com. Annual membership is $45.

Lake Tahoe Humane Society is accepting applications to join its board.

An informational meet and greet for prospective board members is scheduled at the agency’s office (884 Emerald Bay Road) on April 7, 5-6pm.

A second meeting will be on April 9, 5-6pm. The meetings will include an overview of the Humane Society’s mission, history, and board responsibilities. The agency is particularly interested in recruiting board members with experience in finance, human resources, real estate, the law, fundraising, special event planning, and animal rights advocacy.

Request an application by emailing lthumanesocietyboard@gmail.com. Applications must be emailed by April 20.

By Matt Weiser, Water Deeply

Many Americans may not realize it, but rivers throughout the West are increasingly under siege. The threats are not as apparent as they once were in the era of big dam building, which makes them that much more troubling. Climate change, land development and catastrophic forest fires are the big concerns today. These are relatively slow-moving threats, but no less transformative.

Water development is still a player. Colorado, Utah and California are all entertaining big new dam proposals. All three states are also pondering major pipelines to divert river flows, even as those flows diminish due to persistent drought and a warming climate.

A new report by the Center for American Progress helps put all this in perspective. The report, produced in partnership with Conservation Science Partners, found that 49 percent of all river miles in Western states have been modified from their original condition, either by changes in flow or adjacent land development. High-elevation headwaters have not been spared, with 35 percent disturbed by some form of development. The report includes an interactive map that illuminates conditions on thousands of western rivers.

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Join Alpenglow Sports, Klean Kanteen, and Keep Tahoe Blue are putting on an Earth Day celebration at Sunnyside restaurant in Tahoe City.

Plastic straws will not be allowed. Instead, Klean Kanteen will give away reusable stainless steel straws in a focused effort to keep Tahoe straw-less.

More than 500 million straws are used each day in the United States. That’s enough straws to wrap around the Earth 2.5 times every day.

The event is April 22 at 4pm.

By Melinda Myers

Summer means time spent gardening and relaxing with friends.  And just like the kitchen in winter, the patio or deck tends to be the gathering spot when the weather turns warm.

Get the most from this space with a bit of preseason planning and decorating. Select functional and beautiful furnishings to create a special spot for you, family and friends to enjoy whenever the weather allows.

First, sketch out the space and measure the dimensions of all furnishings you are considering, making sure they will fit.  Allow extra space for people to pull chairs in and out from the table and navigate around furnishings, preferably 3 to 4 feet.

Raised beds and multipurpose potting benches can add beauty and functionality to a patio or deck. Photo/Gardener’s Supply Company

Next, select a table that fits the space and provides ample serving space.  An extension table allows you to expand your surface if a few more folks drop by.  A round folding table provides space for guests, and it can be stashed against the wall when workspace is needed.

Small- and large-space gardeners will enjoy the benefits of elevated gardens with built-in trellises. These maximize growing space even on a small deck or patio and bring the garden to the party. Look for self-watering planters and especially those with wheels so you can easily move them out of the way of a family gathering or closer to the kitchen for easy harvesting.

Include a multifunctional piece like a potting bench. Look for a versatile and well-built, furniture-quality piece that complements other furnishings and can be used as a serving surface when entertaining. Consider features like a faucet for washing and watering that drains into a bucket or the ground, as well as hooks for hanging tools and baskets and space for storage.

Bring nature to your door and mask unwanted background noise with the soothing sound of water. Wall-mounted and container fountains add the sound and motion of water to even the smallest patios and decks. Watch for colorful winged visitors stopping by for a sip.

Extend your enjoyment into the evening with pleasing outdoor lighting. Make sure the light is deflected and not shining directly into visitors’ eyes. Downward facing overhead lights brighten large areas. Use them to illuminate key spaces such as those used for cooking. Strands of lights on structures, ribs of an umbrella or the underside of a bar provide a festive touch.

Use tabletop lighting to create a more intimate mood. Outdoor flameless candles add warmth to your space while a solar lantern adds charm. Look for a style that complements your outdoor décor.

Add pathway lighting to direct guests to the patio or on a stroll through the garden. Solar lighting allows flexibility and eliminates the need for trenching wires to a power source. Think beyond traditional pathway and railing lighting. Strategically placed upward lighting of structures and plants or downward lighting hung from above can also provide needed illumination.

Whatever the size of your patio or deck you can create an inviting outdoor space for gardening and entertaining. Just invest a bit of time planning and shopping for attractive and functional furnishings. Then sit back and relax in your newly decorated space.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including “Small Space Gardening.” She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally syndicated “Melinda’s Garden Moment” TV and radio segments.

Electric vehicle drivers can celebrate Earth Day while taking a poker run around Lake Tahoe on April 21.

TahoeAlternativeFuels.com is hosting the free activity from 11am-5pm as part of its ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the ease and accessibility of driving plug-in electric vehicles in the Tahoe-Truckee region. Drivers of any electric vehicle are invited to participate.

Registration and the first card of the poker run will take place at the Tahoe Truckee Earth Day Celebration at the Village at Squaw Valley, in the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency booth at 11am. Then it’s off to downtown Truckee for the second stop at the train depot’s charging lot.

Participants will traverse the East Shore of Lake Tahoe to their next stop at the Coachman Hotel in South Lake Tahoe.

Up next, the poker run’s fourth stop will be at one of Lake Tahoe’s newest fast-charge stations, the EVGO station is located in the Raley’s Shopping Center Aisle 1 gas station at the Y in South Lake Tahoe.

The last leg of the drive will take participants up the West Shore before arriving at the Resort at Squaw Creek for the final card of the poker run.

Views are the reason to hike or snowshoe to the ridge above Echo Lake. Photo/Kathryn Reed

By Kathryn Reed

A short jaunt up to the ridge above Echo Lake was a much needed reminder of just how gorgeous this area is. Sometimes it’s easy to take the beauty of Lake Tahoe for granted when one is immersed in daily life.

It’s been such a strange snow season that last Sunday was the first time I snowshoed all winter, um spring.

Stripped down to short sleeves – two of the five on the outing were in shorts – it was a glorious day. Not a cloud was in the sky. A cool breeze greeted us as we hiked farther on the ridge.

It’s amazing how in less than 1½ miles we had a spectacular view of what seemed like the entire basin. Mostly, though, it was the South Shore that spilled forth. At that elevation it was a good reminder of how we really do live in a forest and not a concrete jungle.

Leilani, Donna and Sue make their way up the trail. Photo/Kathryn Reed

On this particular day the road to Echo Lake was wide, matted down and easy to walk without snowshoes. Two in our group had been there just a couple weeks before when it was a different world because of the fresh snow; with snow a couple feet deep and much more of a workout.

We passed by the frozen lake, crossed the dam and headed up to get to the point where we’d get that view. Others, though, had stopped to play on Lower Echo Lake – cross country skiing and skate skiing.

Once across the dam we all had our snowshoes on.

We opted to head toward Flagpole Peak (elevation 8,363 feet) a bit. From the point we turned around we could look down on some of the devices used for avalanche control above Highway 50.

It’s the 360-degree views that make this such a great jaunt. And it’s relatively easy, and at just less than 3½ miles round trip, it should be done every year.

Besides seeing Lake Tahoe in the distance, there are iconic peaks like Freel and Becker scratching the sky.

A frozen Echo Lake with Becker Peak above it and skate skiers on it. Photo/Kathryn Reed

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Getting there from South Lake Tahoe:

Go west on Highway 50 to the top of Echo Summit. A short way down, turn right on Johnson Pass Road. Follow the road to the Sno-Park area. (Pass required and must be purchased before arrival.) Cross road and begin trek on road to Echo Lake.