The Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Sierra Nevada Journeys, and the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science are partnering for the fifth annual Youth Backcountry Camp summer program.

Youth ages 12-17 may attend one of the three-, five- or six-day programs.

Year-after-year, these programs are an opportunity for local teens to make friends while learning about wilderness survival, navigation (map/compass and GPS), Leave No Trace wilderness ethics, local ecology and geology and backcountry cooking and nutrition. Participants will backpack approximately 5-7 miles per day and participate in a service learning project building or improving part of the Tahoe Rim Trail.

2012 Dates

YBCC2 (5-day) ages 14-17 – July 15–19 $299

YBCC3 (6-day) ages 14-17 – July 22–27 $350

YBCC (3-day) ages 12-15 – July 29–31 $199

Gear, food and transportation will be provided for all participants. All programs are instructed by experienced and well-trained staff from the TRTA, SNJ and TINS. Scholarships are available. To determine your eligibility,contact Tom at (775) 298.0238 or email programs@tahoerimtrail.org.

Online registration may be completed on the TRTA website. For more information call (775) 298.0238 or email Tom at programs@tahoerimtrail.org.

There will be a free e-waste recycling event in South Lake Tahoe on April 28-29.

The collection site will be at South Tahoe Middle School, located at 2940 Lake Tahoe Blvd., between 9am-3pm.

Items accepted include: audio/visual equipment, back-up batteries, car batteries, cell phones with or without battery, computer components, copiers, digital cameras, and more.

By Thomas Sowell

Random thoughts on the passing scene:

How long do politicians have to keep on promising heaven and delivering hell before people catch on, and stop getting swept away by rhetoric?

Why should being in a professional sport exempt anyone from prosecution for advocating deliberate violence? Recent revelations of such advocacy of violence by an NFL coach should lead to his banishment for life by the NFL, and criminal prosecution by the authorities. If you are serious about reducing violence, you have to be serious about punishing those who advocate it.

Thomas Sowell

Have you noticed that what modest economic improvements we have seen occurred during the much-lamented “gridlock” in Washington? Nor is this unusual. If you check back through history, doing nothing has a far better track record than that of politicians intervening in the economy.

With all the talk about people paying their “fair share” of income taxes, why do nearly half the people in this country pay no income taxes at all? Is that their “fair share”? Or is creating more recipients of government handouts, at no cost to themselves, simply a strategy to gain more votes?

Some people are puzzled by the fact that so much that is said and done by politicians seems remote from reality. But reality is not what gets politicians elected. Appearances, rhetoric and emotions are what get them elected. Reality is what the voters and taxpayers are left to deal with, as a result of electing them.

Instead of following the tired old formula of having politicians and bureaucrats give college commencement speeches, in which they say how superior it is to follow a career as politicians and bureaucrats — “public service” — why not invite someone like John Stossel to tell the graduates how much better it is to go into the private sector, supplying what people want, instead of imposing the government’s will on them?

In politics, few talents are as richly rewarded as the ability to convince parasites that they are victims. Welfare states on both sides of the Atlantic have discovered that largesse to losers does not reduce their hostility to society, but only increases it. Far from producing gratitude, generosity is seen as an admission of guilt, and the reparations as inadequate compensations for injustices — leading to worsening behavior by the recipients.

Some people say that taxes are the price we pay for civilization. But the runaway taxes of our time are the price we pay for being gullible.

Whatever the ideology or rhetoric of the political left, their agenda around the world has been preempting other people’s decisions and regimenting their lives.

People who believe in evolution in biology often believe in creationism in government. In other words, they believe that the universe and all the creatures in it could have evolved spontaneously, but that the economy is too complicated to operate without being directed by politicians.

The United States now has the dubious distinction of having the highest corporate tax rate in the world. And people wonder why American corporations are expanding overseas, providing jobs to foreigners. The left may get their jollies attacking “the rich,” but the real victims are other people, who want the jobs that are sent overseas to escape a hostile business climate at home.

Different people prefer different exercises. The Republicans’ favorite exercise is running for the hills. The Democrats’ favorite exercise is kicking the can down the road.

When politicians say, “spread the wealth,” translate that as “concentrate the power,” because that is the only way they can spread the wealth. And once they get the power concentrated, they can do anything else they want to, as people have discovered — often to their horror — in countries around the world.

In an old Western movie, John Wayne encounters a black man. Wayne tells him, “I don’t have a prejudiced bone in my body. I would shoot you as quick as I would shoot any white man.” That is what equality is supposed to mean.

Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute and author of “The Housing Boom and Bust”.

By Maura Judkis, Washington Post

Thomas Kinkade’s paintings of bucolic landscapes and light-filled cottages have been scooped up by collectors nationwide ever since the artist’s death more than a week ago. Kinkade galleries across the country report a surge in sales of originals and limited-edition reproductions as fans mourn the “Painter of Light’s” death.

But if you’re among the ranks of would-be Kinkade collectors looking for a piece of his art, there are a few things you should know about the market for his works.

Know the difference between originals and reproductions. Kinkade, who was from Placerville, painted original works, but many of the paintings you see in galleries and his online stores are factory-made reproductions that the artist has never touched. Though other artists have employed similar practices — Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons, for example — Kinkade was the subject of criticism for the prices he could command for these duplicate works. According to the Religion News Service, the Kinkade factory would produce more than 500 works a day.

Some of the reproductions get a touch-up from a “Master highlighter,” an artist who enhances the light by hand. Though these highlights were done “under the supervision of the artist,” they were not done by Kinkade himself.

Original Kinkade works sell in the tens to hundreds of thousands, but they’re rare. Even though they can also command prices in the thousands, most Kinkade works you encounter are reproductions.

Read the whole story

By Kathryn Reed

GENOA – No need to drive after checking in. Delicious food. Fun bar. Relaxing balcony and hot tub. History everywhere. Scenery spectacular.

Where did we find this walkable, bikeable community? Just over the hill in Genoa.

The Wild Rose Inn was our launching pad last weekend to celebrate Sue’s birthday. It was like we were in another world, even though we were so close to home.

The Wild Rose Inn in Genoa caters to those who want relaxation, good food and fun right out the door. Photos/Kathryn Reed

Having breakfast made for us each morning was a definite change. Sue Knight has been running the Wild Rose since 1998, though it has been open since 1989. I hope who ever buys it from her keeps it just the way it is with all the antiques, comfortable rooms, incredible guest service and yummy food.

Our first breakfast we share the table with a couple from the Santa Cruz area.

Each morning a bowl of fruit starts the meal. Coffee has been brewed earlier to get people moving. If it weren’t for the aromas wafting to our room, it would have been difficult to leave the tranquility.

My favorite was the eggs Benedict – vegetarian style. Ham is served on the side to Sue’s liking.

Plenty of food is served that lunch is not needed.

From our balcony off the Sierra View room we look up to the Sierra. Immediately below us is the expansive yard where a variety of trees are beginning to bud and a fenced area for Knight to grow veggies is off to the side.

With Genoa being the oldest town in Nevada, history is everywhere. It’s even on the grounds of Wild Rose. Elzy Knott’s headstone from 1859 is there. His father refused to have his son be buried in the Mormon cemetery. This used to be the Knott’s homestead.

While Genoa boasts of being the Silver State’s first settlement, Dayton begs to differ. In Genoa’s Mormon Station State Historic Park are eight panels about the history of the area. One delves into the dispute about which town is the oldest.

A large sculpture of Snowshoe Thompson is at the entrance of the park. He is the legendary Norwegian who traversed across the Sierra carrying the mail as he glided on the snow on long skis.

Even the bar in town is historical. The Genoa Bar is the state’s oldest watering hole. Willy Webb has owned it for the past 12 years.

The stories he tells.

A few years back the power went out on New Year’s Eve, snow was trucked down from Kingsbury Grade to ice the beer, the old oil lamp chandeliers illuminated the joint along with candles, and the town came together. Every Dec. 31 since then they’ve re-created the scene to turn back the clock a bit to the pre-electric era.

A buffalo chip from Harvey Gross’ place finally wound up in the trash after critters keep crawling from it and covering the liquor bottles.

Raquel Welch’s dust covered bra hangs in front of her picture. Bras used to hang everywhere. Now they are in a safe. The rule is if you take a look inside, you have to leave something behind. Because I didn’t know the rule until after Webb told me to look inside he let me slide this one time.

The only signed photograph of the original Nevada Supreme Court justices is on a wall in this bar.

Plenty of famous people have had a drink in this saloon – Presidents Ulysses S Grant and Teddy Roosevelt, Carol Lombard, Clark Gable, Lauren Bacall, Red Skelton, Willie Nelson, John Denver, and Johnny Cash to name a few.

Our first dinner is also in a house of history.

We drove there, though we didn’t need to. It’s hard to believe with La Ferme being around since 1998 neither of us had been there before. The restaurant run by Gilles LaGourge is in the 98-year-old guesthouse of the original Pink House that was built in 1884.

Though the structure is old, the food is much more contemporary. Sue keeps talking about the seven-hour pork shoulder that was so tender no knife was needed. My ravioli was delicious, with a light broth-like sauce instead of a traditional marinara or white sauce.

Another night we ate at the Genoa Station Bar and Grille, which opened last summer. Sue dives into the shepherd’s pie, while I enjoy the grilled salad.

The late morning activity on Saturday and Sunday is cycling. The first day we go about 13 miles toward Jack’s Valley. Cows and deer seem to be everywhere. A jackrabbit hops in the brush.

Having a lane to ride in is refreshing. Vehicles pull out so they never seem to be a threat. This part of the road is rough, though.

The next day we head toward Foothill Road for a 20-mile ride as we gradually get our cycling legs working after the winter hiatus. Ah, a smooth road with no cracks. More cows. More mountains to gaze up at.

Genoa might just be my new favorite place when I need to get out of Tahoe for a weekend.

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Information:

• Wild Rose Inn: website, (775) 782.5697

• La Ferme: website, (775) 783.1004

• Genoa Bar: website

• Genoa Station Bar and Grille: (775) 783.1599.

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a one-hour introductory presentation about the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program on April 24 at 1pm.

This free training is being offered to all local California and Nevada multi-family housing,

manufactured housing, vacation rental owners, managers, and property management companies.

The meeting is at 1625 8th St., Minden.

For more information, call (775) 782.9935.

The Truckee Tahoe Community Chorus is celebrating its 10th year with two concerts.

The first is April 21 at 7pm and the second is April 22 at 2pm. Both are at the Resort at Squaw Creek.

Tickets are $15 for adults. Children are free.

The program will include highlights of past concerts and includes a wide variety of styles: Broadway, light opera, pop, gospel, classical, and contemporary music.

The Diablo Valley Philharmonic Orchestra will accompany the chorus.

By Gus Thomson, Auburn Journal

More self-check-out machines, greater reliance on volunteers and a closer look at potential grants are some of the ways Placer County library is attempting to trim an expected deficit in the coming year.

The 11-library system has been hit hard by the drop in property values in Placer County, which play an important role in the amount of property tax payments it receives for everything from book purchases to librarian salaries to new computers.

The Placer County Board of Supervisors heard a report Tuesday from the County Executive Office library analyst Ronald Baker Sr. on the anticipated deficit in revenue the Library Services Department is facing and some of the ways it is dealing with the drop in funding.

Baker reported that over the past three years, property-tax dollars have decreased 10.5 percent – or $421,000 annually.

And property-tax revenue is projected to be flat for the coming 2012-13 fiscal year, Baker said.

“The situation frankly hasn’t improved in the last year,” Baker said. “We have wonderful facilities that communities care deeply about.”

Read the whole story

The Spring Mixer Tennis Tournament in Carson City is May 20.

This is more of a social event to meet and play tennis with people you may not know. People will be paired with different players to play doubles all day.

All ages are welcome. Entry fee is $10.

Send application request to carsontennisclubnv@gmail.com.

Eldorado National Forest dirt roads and trails will remain seasonally closed to motorized vehicle use until April 30.

“This is a difficult time of the year to predict exactly when we can lift the seasonal dirt road and trail closure,” Forest Supervisor Kathy Hardy said in a press release. “Our soil scientist is checking the condition of the roads and reporting back to me on a regular basis. I want to open the routes as soon as the weather forecast is favorable and the clay based roads can withstand the traffic.”

The Eldorado National Forest has been seasonally closed to wheeled motor vehicle travel on dirt roads and trails since Jan. 1. The routes are closed to prevent erosion, protect road beds, and maintain water quality. When the seasonal closure is lifted, it will be lifted for all dirt roads and trails in the Eldorado with the exception of the 42 routes recently closed by a court order and trails in the Rock Creek area near Georgetown. Rock Creek has its own site specific closure process.

Mormon Emigrant Trail remains closed to through traffic due to snow.