The Great Bike Ride is the annual kick-off event each May in support of Bike Month. The bike ride begins at noon May 1 in the breezeway of Building A at the El Dorado County Government Center.

Bring a bicycle and a helmet. T-shirts will be given to all participants.

Participants will ride along the El Dorado Trail from Forni Road to the Weber Creek Bridge or Missouri Flat Road.

If you plan to participate and want a complimentary lunch from Friends of the El Dorado Trail – RSVP no later than April 27 to Joni Rice at jrice@edctc.org.

Register online and log miles in support of Million Mile May. This year’s cycling goal for the Sacramento Region is 1.5 million miles.  National Bike to Work Day is May 18.

The 5th annual Tour of Carson City Bike Ride & BBQ is May 6 starting at 9:30am.

The route tours around the perimeter of Carson City for a moderately paced 27 to 30 mile bike ride.

Lunch will be provided and all are welcome.

This is a free event. Donations are being accepted to support Muscle Powered of Carson City, which promotes a more bike friendly community.

Call (775) 267.5053 for information.

The South Lake Tahoe pool has reopened now that the dome issue has been resolved.

No other regularly scheduled activities at the Recreation Complex were impacted.

For more information, call (530) 542.6056.

By USA Today

World Cup and Olympic champion skier, owes more than $1.7 million in delinquent federal taxes, according to a Detroit News report.

Vonn, who has several high-profile sponsors including Red Bull, Under Armour, Procter and Gamble and Rolex among others, has been going through a divorce from Thomas Vonn, who also served as her coach.

The Detroit News, citing public records, reported that the IRS filed a $1,705,437 tax lien against Lindsey and Thomas Vonn on April 2 in Nevada.

In an email, Vonn told the News that she’s going to pay up. “It is no secret that my last year off the mountain has been filled with many personal challenges. This matter was only recently brought to my attention, and I took immediate and deliberate steps to remedy the situation.”

Read the whole story

To the community,

In honor of the Month of the Young Child, Choices for Children hosts an annual provider breakfast honoring our community’s childcare providers for the services they provide to families and children throughout the year.

The Early Care & Education field will come together on April 28 at the Lake Tahoe Golf Course. This year’s exciting topic: “Sticky Adventures! Implementing Sensory Experiences in the Curriculum”, is possible through the collaboration of the Children’s Cabinet agency whose trainers have volunteered their time to come present to 90 childcare providers. The highlight of the event revolves around the opportunity to connect with adults working in the same field, encountering the same joys and challenges and hearing the importance creating sensory opportunities in the early years.

CfC would like to extend a special thank you to Penny Williams, Yvette Ruiz and Audrey Branch for sharing their expertise with our childcare community and to the following businesses for their generous donations which made CFC Annual Child Care Professionals Appreciation Breakfast very special:

Thran’s Flowers, MontBleu, Harvey’s/Harrah’s, Horizon Casino, Sierra Athletic Club, Stonefly, Overland Meat Co., Grassroots, Pier Sun Tanning, Carson Valley Swim Center, Rose Petal, Lake Tahoe Golf Course, Sorensen’s Resort, Ernie’s Coffee Shop, Passaretti’s Italian Restaurant, Wolfgang Puck, GoodFellas Pizza, Dog Wash of Tahoe, Embassy Suites, Side Street Boutique, Freshies, Blue Dog Pizza, Fasta Pasta, Element Spa, Perfectly Polished, Hollywood Theaters, The Paradise Beauty Supply/Salon, and Heavenly Village Cinema.

Your generous support to professionals who provide childcare for our community’s children and the children of families visiting Lake Tahoe is greatly appreciated.

Nadine T-Davis, CfC resource coordinator

Carson City’s history is explored and theatrically relived in the seasonal Ghost Walking Tours which begin May 26 at 1pm.

Hear about lingering spirits of the past, haunted and paranormal stories. This is a spirit lead, guided walking tour of the downtown district’s historic homes.

It is a 90-minute guided walking tour.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and kids 4 and under are free. Tickets are available by calling (775) 687.7410.

Some of the stops along the tour include the Bliss Mansion, Brewery Arts Center, Ferris Mansion, and Rinckel Mansion.

• The Community Observatory is putting on a night sky tour April 28 in Placerville. Click on the flyer for details.

• The 2012 Waterman’s Paddle for Humanity will consist of five events this year, including Lake Tahoe on July 7. For more information including dates, locations and registration, go online.

• In its March issue, Sunset magazine calls Independence Lake north of Truckee the “best lake”.

• Here is the Sierra and El Dorado-Tahoe roadwork schedules for Caltrans for this week.

• The 18th annual Kirkwood Banked Slalom on April 21 is open to skiers, snowboarders and snowskaters of all abilities ages 5 and up. It’s also Passholder Appreciation Day with free barbecue lunch and wine tasting in the Village Plaza.

Bob is such a cutie. He’s a young poodle with a fashionable white goatee.

Only about 15 pounds, Bob is a sweet little boy who likes lots of attention. We don’t often have fluffy lap dogs, and Bob is a very friendly, affectionate one who won’t leave your side.

Bob is neutered, microchipped, 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 online to see photos and description 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

California and Nevada have primary elections in June. Golden State voters will go to the polls June 5 and Silver State voters on June 12.

A few local issues are on the ballots, with more to be determined Nov. 6.

The date to register to vote looms and is different in each county.

Because of redistricting, El Dorado County is no longer in the 4th and 10th Assembly Districts. Part of the county is now in the 5th and 6th Assembly Districts, of which there will be an election for both seats.

Voters will also be asked to select a Republican candidate for president, U.S. Senator, congressman and state senator.

At the local level on the June ballot in El Dorado County are:

• Three vying for Superior Court judge – Joseph Hoffman, Curt Stracener and Steve Valentine.

• County supervisor District 1 candidates are John Knight and Ron Mikulaco.

• County supervisor District 2 candidates are Ray Nutting and George Turnboo.

• County supervisor District 3 candidates are Allen Amaro, Richard Barb, A.L. Hamilton, Cathy Nerwinski, Sue Taylor and Brian Veerkamp.

• Measure B to change the business license fees in South Lake Tahoe.

In Placer County, many of the state and federal office openings are the same, though some of the districts are different.

At the local level on the June ballot in Placer County are:

• County supervisor District 3 candidates are Jim Holmes and Robert Grigas.

• County supervisor District 4 candidates are Kirk Uhler and Pam Tobin.

• County supervisor District 5 candidates are Jennifer Montgomery, Mark Wright, Jerry Johnson, Richard Johnson, and Gary Johnson.

• Measure F continues the transient occupancy tax in North Lake Tahoe to fund tourism and recreation specific initiatives.

Some of the Douglas County issues in June:

• Tahoe Justice of the Peace Richard Glasson faces no opposition.

• Running for county commission District 5 seat are Dianne Humble, Michael Olson and Barry Penzel.

• School board member Cindy Trigg is running unopposed.

• Four people are running for Assembly District 39: Kelly Kite, Gary Schmidt, David Schumann and Jim Wheeler.

Nevada voters will also be asked to elect a U.S. senator.

 — Lake Tahoe News staff report

On May 16, Sierra Front Wildland Fire Cooperators will host a regional wildland fire unified command sand table exercise at East Fork Fire Station 12, located at 3620 North Sunridge Drive, Carson City.

The event is designed to exercise inter-agency involvement during a large-scale disaster utilizing the federally mandated National Incident Management System. The event will put senior ranking fire and law enforcement personnel in a position to manage a simulated large-scale wildland fire.

The exercise is designed to provide overall incident management skills to key staff operating within the Incident Command System.

Numerous public safety agencies will participate in the event from all over the Sierra Front Cooperators, including personnel from East Fork Fire and Paramedic District,

Tahoe Douglas Fire District, Carson City Fire Department, US Forest Service, US Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Division of Forestry, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Sierra Fire Protection District, Reno Fire Department, Sparks Fire Department, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, numerous public utility companies as well as county officials and agencies.

The planned scenario will simulate a lightning strike brush fire that starts along the Sierra Front and challenges local responders to manage the incident. Throughout the evolution of the exercise, there may be other weather events, further expanding the complexity of the incident.