Beer, bargains, books and more are all part of South Lake Tahoe Library’s fundraiser on Aug. 23.

The Friends of the Library will be hosting A Toast to Die For: An Evening of Mystery. It is at the library from 4-7pm.

There will be hearty appetizers, beer, wine, a silent auction, music and games. In addition, there will be readings and book sales by local mystery book authors.

Tickets are $45 and available at the South Lake Tahoe Library, 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd. For more info, call 530.573.3185.

The California Highway Patrol office in Meyers will be hosting a child passenger safety seat clinic on Aug. 19 from 8am-noon.

There will be a second clinic on Aug. 29 from 2-6pm.

Trained professionals will inspect the seats for free. There will also be free car seats for those who qualify.

The office is at 2063 Hopi Ave.

An El Dorado County man on Aug. 18 pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to embezzle money from his former employer.

According to court documents, Jeffrey Lamson, 51, of El Dorado Hills embezzled more than $400,000 between 2009 and 2011 from a company located in Placer and Sacramento counties while he served as controller. Lamson used company funds to make unauthorized payments to himself and others and made payments to a fictitious vendor, controlled by Lamson, for services that were never performed.

Lamson is not in custody. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 24. Lamson faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss caused by the fraud.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Officer Scott Crevelli and Rici are partners on the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. Photo/Tracy Franklin

Lisa Maloff paid for Rici, SLTPD’s newest dog, along with Officer Scott Crevelli to be trained as his handler. Photo/Tracy Franklin

Lisa Maloff knows what it is like to have a police K9 stop a suspect in his tracks.

The South Lake Tahoe resident on Tuesday talked about her experience with a would-be robber who was apprehended with the help of a police dog. She was at the Aug. 18 City Council meeting to be recognized for the contribution she made to the local police department.

Her donation paid for Ricci, a 22-month-old Belgian Malinois, to join the department. The contribution also covers the cost of the dog’s training, a new K9 vehicle, veterinary bills, food, maintenance and continued K9 handler training for a year. Officer Scott Crevelli is Ricci’s handler.

“The K9 program saves lives. I’m so glad our program is healthy,” Mayor Hal Cole said.

Maloff was able see how her money was spent during a demonstration at the airport. Officers set up a scenario where the police dogs had to find a “suspect”.

Also at the meeting, Maloff presented the South Lake Tahoe Police Canine Association with a check for $25,000 to buy a bulletproof vest and jacket for Ricci.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

There will be a live bat presentation at Taylor Creek Visitors Center on Aug. 21 at 8pm.

Learn about the importance of bats in the ecosystem, such as keeping those pesky mosquitoes populations down.

The bats will be projected onto a large screen so people can see there delicate structures. All bats are certified as non-releasable by California Department of Fish & Wildlife and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Injury precludes them from surviving in the wild.

NorCal Bats strive to teach the environmental benefits of bats and put to flight the fears and myths that lead to destruction of roosts and colonies.

Taylor Creek Visitor Center is located approximately three miles north of South Lake Tahoe on the lakeside of Highway 89.

The $5 donation benefits the Tahoe Heritage Foundation.

Two Douglas County sheriff’s vehicles were damaged Monday in a pursuit of a suspected drunken driver.

Deputes on Monday about 5:13pm responded to a reported DUI on a red Dodge pickup. The vehicle was located and stopped in the parking lot of Lampe Park where deputies began a DUI investigation. Deputies said the driver, 56 year old Michael Clifford Stewart, started his vehicle and drove away from them.

Michael Clifford Stewart

Stewart allegedly rammed his vehicle that was behind him and continued to elude deputies. He then reportedly turned east onto Highway 88 and then made a U-turn to travel west. As he made the U-turn, Stewart rammed a patrol vehicle a second time.

However, this time Stewart’s vehicle was blocked. He was removed from his vehicle and placed into custody on charges of felony DUI, assault with a deadly weapon, felony eluding, expired registration and destruction of property.

One of the deputies was treated for a minor injury.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

The paddleboarder who went missing last week in South Lake Tahoe has been located.

Zbigniew “Zibi” Moryn called officers this morning to confirm he was safe. He is traveling to several areas of the United States and is currently in Missouri.

Moryn, who is from Poland, told officers a personal watercraft wake combined with strong winds knocked him off the board.  The wind quickly carried his board away from him, which had his lifejacket and GoPro camera on it. He believed it was safer to swim to shore. He returned the oar to South Tahoe Standup Paddle at El Dorado Beach.

The board was found by a boater about one-half mile offshore from Timber Cove Marina on Aug. 12 about 4:45pm.

It was the company that alerted officers to the board being found without a person.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Lisa M. Krieger, San Jose Mercury News 

The rush to save water is claiming legions of unintended casualties — California’s trees.

Specimens that have stood tall and strong for decades are stressed and dying because of the drought, as Californians turn off spigots to comply with Gov. Jerry Brown’s mandatory conservation measures.

All over the state — in yards, on median strips and along freeways — ghostly sheaves of brown leaves will be an enduring symbol of the drought, long after winter rains resume. Their loss will reduce habitat, shade and property values, experts say.

So many trees are dying in the fourth year of this historic drought that some cities have begun delivering truckloads of water in an effort to save them.

Read the whole story

Primal Quest starts Wednesday or Thursday on the South Shore. The endurance racers do not know the start date or time, or where they are going for more than 450 miles.

This nonstop, unsupported race attracts adventurers from as far away as New Zealand.

Before the race begins, participants receive a sparse schedule and comprehensive packing list. Course details, including the start time, are selectively released as the event progresses. Coed teams of four will have to use advanced navigation skills to determine their route while trekking, mountain biking, flat water paddling, river paddling, ascending and rappelling, and caving.

Barton Health has donated all the supplies and will offer medical expertise throughout the course. Approximately 35 doctors, nurses, and medical personnel from across the United States are volunteering to provide care 24 hours a day.

Participants must carry their own food and gear. At each transition area, teams may seek medical attention and collect personal supply caches and equipment. The racers do not know the number of transitions or where they are located.

Eleven teams will be participating in the event.  The first teams are expected to finish in four days and the course closes on the ninth day.

With races such as the Western States 100 Endurance Run, Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs, and Tahoe 200, Lake Tahoe is a hotbed for trail running.

However, it is also safe to say that trail running can be hard on the body and lead to injuries. The right footwear can make a huge difference in keeping the stress down on a runner’s body.

Hoka One One and Altra Running will be at Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City for a two-part trail running demo weekend on Aug. 22-23.

While the event is free, a credit card is required to demo shoes. The event is designed for participants to pick-up shoes, take them to their favorite trailhead, and put them to the test. Shoes will be available to demo from 9am-3pm.

For more info, call 530.583.6917.