An icy welcome to 2015 in South Lake Tahoe. Photo/Kathryn Reed

By Kathryn Reed

With power tools in hand, a couple sculptors turned a block of ice into 2015 New Year artwork.

As one whacked away at the 4, the other chiseled the 5. The crowd erupted as the finished piece signaled the celebration of a new year was about to get into high gear.

That block of ice was symbolic of the night – icy cold. But the bitter cold temperatures were not about to keep away the throngs of New Year’s Eve revelers who showed up at Heavenly Village to ring in 2015.

Now in its fourth year, Heavenly Holidays is a free event put on by Heavenly Mountain Resort and Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority.

Wes Quave entertains hundreds of people New Year’s Eve. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Musicians are performing on a stage close to the size of SnowGlobe, with fire dancers and other acts filling in. Wes Quave was the main draw; singing mostly covers of other artists much to the delight of those in the crowd who were dancing and singing.

“We all were dancing when we got here,” Andreina Jeffery, 21, of Clovis told Lake Tahoe News.

She was in town with her parents, two siblings and both sets of grandparents. They had researched interesting things to do on New Year’s Eve and chose South Lake Tahoe.

It’s hard to find another place that has a gondola car decked out with lights that descends from the mountain as a symbol of the New Year. This is a definite family event – with the age span ranging from those who needed to be carried to those who needed assistance walking.

The decorated Heavenly gondola is illuminated by the fireworks. Photo/Denise Haerr

With the celebration culminating at 9pm, it also makes it easier to stay up for everything.

Two-year-old Shailee Palmer was taken by the ladies on stilts. She couldn’t stop staring at them.

Steve Haerr of South Lake Tahoe was enjoying the festivities with a group of friends for the third year. The energy of the event is what he likes most.

Shailee Palmer, 2, of Chico is mesmerized by the super tall woman. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Laura and Gwyn Amason of Bakersfield have been coming to Tahoe for 14 years – before kids were part of the group dynamic. The youngsters were looking forward to the fireworks, which were shot off from the top of the parking garage just after the gondola came down. They like having something family-friendly to do on New Year’s Eve, knowing the adults can always venture to the casinos.

A variety of things are going on all at once throughout the village – from free photos, to face painting (with some boys opting for tattoo looking art on their arms), to fireworks. Ice sculptures are throughout the village.

Warmth is found at the fire pit at Gunbarrel restaurant.

Restaurants were doing a brisk business, with many people sitting by fire pits drinking something to warm their insides. Despite the mercury being in the teens, people were also lining up at Cold Stone Creamery. Next door at Heavens Little Cafe it was hot drinks that were in high demand.

For those who were a little under dressed, Shirt Off My Back was selling gloves, hoodies and beanies. It was also one of the shops that allowed people to take refuge from the cold.

Even after the fireworks finale the music kept going, the vibe of the New Year was electric and freezing at the same time, even though technically 2015 was still three hours away.

By Nancy Gibson

The New Year brings big changes for me personally and for the Forest Service in Lake Tahoe. After 37 years with the agency, I’m looking forward to retirement and handing over the reins at the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to a new forest supervisor.

I’m grateful for steady basin leadership that has enhanced relationships making them stronger. Days of past tensions between conflicting interests have passed. Today, local agencies work closely together on solutions that protect our communities and our environment.

Nancy Gibson

I’m proud of contributions this agency has made to Lake Tahoe restoration. The Forest Service has made ecological restoration its top priority nationwide, and nowhere is this more evident than Lake Tahoe. Our projects not only repair past damage, they increase resilience of our lands to future impacts, such as climate change and catastrophic wildfire.

We’ve been fortunate to have dedicated funding from sales of federal land in Southern Nevada. One of the challenges my replacement and our partners face is identifying funding to complete important work that remains.

During my time here, we completed planning for the massive South Shore fuel reduction project. We are now three years into forest thinning and prescribed fire on South Shore that reduces the risk of severe wildfire and increases forest health. We’ve completed initial forest thinning around much of the lake, complementing the work of California and Nevada state agencies, local fire districts and individual homeowners.

We’re midway through a major project with the California Tahoe Conservancy that will restore a stretch of the Upper Truckee River. The project will reduce sediment that harms Lake Tahoe’s clarity, encourage return of meadow vegetation and improve habitat for fish and wildlife. Once completed, it will stand alongside other successful stream and meadow restoration projects, such as Cookhouse Meadow, Blackwood Creek, and Cold Creek/High Meadows.

We’ve helped build bike paths and trails, enhance water quality at our recreation sites, provide outdoor education experiences for young people, and educate and entertain our 5.7 million visitors.

In the next few months we will complete our Forest Plan revision; a culmination of eight years of effort and analysis made stronger through public involvement. The revision sets a solid foundation for the next 15-20 years of National Forest management in the Basin.

In my last few days as forest supervisor, the work hasn’t slowed. I’ve signed a decision to return former manmade Incline Lake to wetlands. Another project that will take ecological restoration in the basin to the next level, through tree-thinning and prescribed fire operations in six impaired meadows, is moving forward for public comment.

In retirement, I’ll be enjoying the home my husband and I built here in South Lake Tahoe and playing outdoors on beaches and trails I’ve worked to protect. I’ll do so knowing I’ve left the future of the basin in the capable hands of my former employees, dedicated partners, and the next supervisor of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. I hope to see you out there.

Nancy Gibson’s last day as forest supervisor of Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is Jan. 3, 2015.

To the community,

As time goes by, and the older I get, it is truly rewarding to look back and reminisce over the many wonderful California Tahoe Conservancy projects that we have accomplished in Lake Tahoe.

I attribute our major successes to the outstanding Conservancy staff. Their knowledge, energy, and motivation make my tenure on this board very worthwhile.

I have always been very proud to say I am a member of the California Tahoe Conservancy. Although 29 years have come and gone, we still have a very bright future at Lake Tahoe.

I hope you will take a look at the Conservancy’s 2014 Report to learn more about this year’s highlights. Thank you for your continued support. Wishing you happy holidays and a wonderful 2015.

Sincerely,

Larry Sevison, chair of the California Tahoe Conservancy

• South Lake Tahoe snowplows are deployed when 3 inches of snow have accumulated. When snow conditions, snowplows have the right of way on streets and vehicles left unattended in the streets are subject to citation and/or tow.

• There will be a blood drive Feb. 2 from noon-6pm at Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel in South Lake Tahoe.

• Sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease is the subject of a free lecture on Feb. 12 from 6-7pm at Lake Tahoe Community College. David Young with Barton cardiology is the speaker.

• January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard month. Go online to find out about deals on the North Shore.

• Lone Eagle Grill at the Hyatt in Incline Village is celebrating its 20th anniversary on Jan. 10.

Nevada Department of Agriculture officials are recommending bird owners in Nevada adopt extra healthy hygiene practices after avian bird influenza was found in Oregon and Washington.

While health risks to humans are low, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is warning people to avoid contact with sick or dead poultry or wildlife.

Nevada State Veterinarian Michael Greenlee said the highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza virus has been found in birds in various parts of the world but has not been shown to cause any human infection.

If contact occurs, wash hands with soap and water, and change clothing before having any contact with healthy domestic poultry and birds.

Poultry and poultry products, including wild game birds, are safe to eat as long as proper handling and cooking guidelines are followed, Greenlee said.

Call USDA at 866.536.7593 if there is concern about sick or dying birds.

The low tonight at the SnowGlobe music festival is expected to be 1 degree. Photo Copyright 2014 Carolyn E. Wright

By Kathryn Reed

Two SnowGlobe attendees were found unconscious and suffering from hypothermia Tuesday night near a dumpster at Lake Tahoe Hard Rock.

“The security at Hard Rock did a great job knowing what was going on around the property. They found her by a dumpster and the kid had crawled up on one of the vehicles. Both were unconscious when they were found,” Eric Guevin, spokesman for Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, told Lake Tahoe News. “They are very lucky to be alive. If they had not been found, for certain they would be demised.”

He said they had been imbibing alcohol, drugs or both. They were taken to Barton Memorial Hospital.

Temperatures were in the teens most of Dec. 30, dropping below zero with the wind chill.

Guevin said when the two were revived they told paramedics they had been at SnowGlobe, the three-day music festival at the ball fields adjacent to Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe. They also had the wristband all concertgoers must wear and were dressed as though they had been there, Guevin added.

They were found about 9pm.

(Earlier in the evening a Hard Rock security officer was taken to Barton for a non-work related medical emergency.)

Two years ago 19-year-old Alyssa Byrne of Petaluma died of hypothermia after leaving SnowGlobe. Her body was found in a snowbank off Pioneer Trail near Al Tahoe Boulevard.

Members of her family are at this year’s three-day concert, which ends tonight. They are promoting the Always Buddy Program. The slogan is: “I promise to never let myself or anyone I love leave an unfamiliar place without a buddy system.”

Guevin also stressed the importance of friends staying together and letting people know when you will be returning so if you are overdue, authorities can be notified.

South Lake Tahoe Police Chief Brian Uhler told Lake Tahoe News there have been minor violations involving drugs and alcohol at the concert, but nothing significant.

Concert promoters went from a staff of 70 security officers to more than 100 this year. Part of the reason is to be better prepared for any situation, but also because more people are attending. The first year about 9,000 people showed up each night, while this year the projection was for 15,000 attendees each of the three nights.

The city received two noise complaints the first night and four the next. The loud thumping of the bass is the problem.

One person near the venue told Lake Tahoe News, “The sustained noise/bass just wears on you. If I had this noise issue with a neighbor, I could contact the police and have the noise level reduced.”

South Lake Tahoe City Manager Nancy Kerry told Lake Tahoe News the decibel level is within the range of what the contract calls for.

Lack of snow has the sound traveling farther and the wind also carries it.

The city has made a concerted effort to make sure people are dressing appropriately. In years past lots of flesh could be seen, while this year people are more bundled up to handle the bitter cold. Lodging properties have been diligently telling concertgoers to dress for the elements.

“Start warm, stay warm” is the message on electronic signs that have been strategically placed in town.

This year’s event is over at 1am Jan. 1, with fireworks being the finale.

A person is airlifted to Renown Medical Center on Dec. 31. Photo/Dave Zaski

Two people were injured Wednesday morning in a single-vehicle accident on the West Shore.

Icy roads are an issue at different areas of the basin, especially where it is shady. The Dec. 31 accident occurred on Highway 89 near Michael Street.

CareFlight landed at Tahoe City Golf Course to transport one person to Renown Medical Center in Reno, while the other victim was taken to Tahoe Forest Hospital.

Names of the injured have not been released.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Pamela Shaw-Miller

An amazingly gifted and creative artist-designer has left this earth after inspiring all with her wisdom, courage and love.

Pamela Shaw-Miller died Dec. 11, 2014. She was 53.

A resident of South Lake Tahoe and formerly of Glendale, her family and many friends will miss her greatly. She died at home after being diagnosed with lung cancer, not associated with smoking, in August.

Beautiful Pam was inquisitive from childhood, with a creative and artistic mind and above-average intellect. She was born Pamela Louise Shaw at Glendale Memorial Hospital on April 12, 1961, to Jim and Lili Shaw.

After two months they moved from Highland Park and lived in Glassell Park where she attended Toland Way Elementary School from age 4. She bypassed a grade upon moving to Glendale in 1972 where she attended Wilson Jr. High, and graduated from Glendale High in 1977 at barely age 16.

During this time Pam became an accomplished classical pianist and always loved music and dance. The Beatles were a favorite group; she could sing all the lyrics and had a beautiful singing voice.

An early lover of old movies, her favorite entertainer was Fred Astaire, whom she later met. As a mature youngster she enjoyed many fantastic world-class rock concerts, and visits to Las Vegas where she would see and meet many entertainers through then celebrity-friend Connie Stevens.

Pam briefly relocated with friends to Colorado following school, but subsequently returned to Los Angeles. After working a variety of jobs and considering a career in sound engineering/recording, she married Howard Phillippe. Together they ran a commercial painting business for several years, until Pam took a career change to manage several retail stores (in Glendale, Beverly Hills, Oxnard, and Bay area) and later dissolved the marriage.

Pam met husband Alan at a party in Hollywood. They married in 1987, moved from the big city to Humboldt County, and obtained their degrees from Humboldt State University in 1992; both with top honors.

This North Coast area further nurtured Pam’s life-long love of the ocean. Many new friends were made during this period and Pam’s artistic talents were developed, producing many novel and unique art works (drawings, paintings, sculptures), leather masks, and fabric creations. Later Pam would use her artistic and business talents in support of her various entrepreneurial and community activities.

Following university and a move to South Lake Tahoe, Pam became self-employed in interior decorating and art-related businesses. She also became very interested in gardening and this continued to the end of her life.

Pam was politically active and environmentally conscious, and spent many days hiking with friends in the Sierra high country, taking nature walks by Lake Tahoe, and developing photography skills.

She belonged to the local chapter of the National League of American Pen Women. She conducted volunteer fundraising for the local Humane Society and loved animals of all types, especially her two cats, Buddy and Lloyd. Pam held no religious beliefs, but served for many years as treasurer for the Lake Tahoe Unitarian Universalist fellowship until it disbanded.

Pam’s substantial group of close friends attests to her giving nature and kind heart. Pam’s passing is truly a great loss to us all; she was often the social glue and instigator. She believed in keeping old friends and collecting new ones. Pam loved to laugh and entertain friends, celebrate special events, and make people feel special. She loved quality things, good food and drink, great music, beautiful surroundings, and people. If she were here, she would say, “That thing you’ve been putting off … just do it!”

Dad James Shaw preceded her in death.

Pam is survived by her husband Alan Miller, mom Lillian Shaw, and sister Carla Shaw.

There will be a celebration of life in Glendale on Jan. 3. Call 818.244.0093 for details. There will be a celebration of life in South Lake Tahoe on Jan. 18. Call 530.542.0243 for details.

Donations to your local humane society or the Caring Bridge website are suggested in lieu of flowers.

By Matthew Basso, Huffington Post

2014 is coming to a close, so inevitably the chatter of new year’s resolutions is getting louder. It’s great to start goal setting and structuring a program to make sure you’re successful early; however, it’s equally important to take note of what has and hasn’t worked for your health and fitness goals this year.

Regardless of whether you want to make a massive change for the better or carry on with the fitness success you’ve managed to accumulate, you’ll want to take stock of your behavioral patterns to determine which are beneficial to keep and which need to be dropped.

Before I make suggestions to my clients about nutritional, physical, or mental changes to make, I experiment with myself. It allows me to articulate the disciplinary challenges and positive changes that new habits can bring to ones life. Additionally, it helps them move closer to their goals faster as I’ve already ruled out the things that are a waste of time.

This year I personally was able to surpass some personal fitness goals and help several clients do the same. The life changes you make to create a healthy lifestyle aren’t always the obvious ones. Small triggers can initiate massive focused action.

Read the whole story

By Associated Press

A report shows Nevada ranks near the bottom for volunteer service in the nation.

The report from the Corporation for National and Community Service, released last week, ranks Nevada’s volunteer rate 49th among the 50 states and Washington, D.C.

It shows that 20.3 percent of Nevada residents volunteered in 2013 compared with the national average of 25.4 percent.

Nevada only ranks ahead of New York and Louisiana.

For the ninth straight year, Utah topped the list as 44.6 percent of its residents volunteered in 2013.

Las Vegas ranks 47th among 51 large cities at 18.9 percent, while Reno ranks 67th among 75 mid-size cities at 21.6 percent.

The report is based on information from a monthly survey of 60,000 households done by the U.S. Census Bureau.