Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe and the South Lake Tahoe branch of the American Association for University Women are partnering with Aston Lakeland Village to bring an original play about women’s contribution to U.S. history to the South Tahoe High School theater on Oct. 12 at 7pm.

“We Did It For You! – Women’s Journey Through History” written by Thea Iberall, poet, playwright and neuroscientist, is a musical tour through the journey that women have taken to get rights in the United States, starting with the struggle women had in the 17th century Puritan Revolution through to 21st century empowered women politicians.

The play focuses on the stories of a few bold women throughout history who believe they deserve more than being treated as minors and extensions of men. It features characters who not only struggled to obtain their rights, but made contributions that were overlooked in many history books.

Iberall brings a Southern California-based performing troupe of nine women to South Lake Tahoe for three performances; two assembly performances for South Tahoe High School students during the day Oct. 11 and one public performance the night of Oct. 12. Fifty tickets to the evening performance have been offered to Whittell High School students.

In addition, Iberall will speak to a joint meeting of SISLT and AAUW members and their guests about her experiences writing and producing the work at a lunch presentation at noon on Oct. 12 at Harrah’s.

Tickets for the public performance $10 and are available online or through Soroptimist and AAUW group members. Proceeds from the performance will benefit S Club, a student community service club sponsored by SISLT.

The U. S. Forest Service today responded to two wildland fires.

The first was Friday morning near D.L. Bliss State Park.

Forest Service wildland firefighters, along with CalFire and Meek’s Bay Fire Protection District kept it to one-tenth of an acre.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

In the afternoon, three Redding smokejumpers parachuted in to respond to a 45 by 40 foot fire near Dick’s Lake in the Desolation Wilderness.

The cause of the Dick’s Fire is under investigation.

Smoke visible in the Lake Tahoe Basin is likely from the Long Fire in the Eldorado National Forest.

By Anjeanette Damon, Las Vegas Sun

When times are tight, the cry for consolidated — read, cheaper — government services grows louder.

Witness North Las Vegas, on the brink of receivership, studying whether to consolidate everything from after-school programs to fire inspection services with Las Vegas.

Most recently, the two cities signed an agreement to consolidate their fire-training operations.

But consolidation isn’t always a panacea for cash-strapped governments.

In fact, in what may be a cautionary tale for Southern Nevada governments exploring consolidation, Washoe County is working to free itself from a contract with Reno to provide fire-protection services.

Instead of saving the county money, commissioners say the opposite is occurring.

“We just can’t afford to maintain the agreement that we currently have with the city of Reno,” Washoe County Commissioner John Breternitz said.

The two fire departments aren’t technically consolidated. Rather, for the past 10 years, the county has contracted with Reno to provide fire protection services.

Read the whole story

Caltrans paving operations are expected to cause delays Sept. 24 from noon-8pm on Highway 28.

Expect eastbound and westbound lane closures from National Avenue to the junction of highway 267 and 28.

This paving is part of a 9.4 mile $46 million environmental improvement project from Lake Tahoe State Park to Highway 28 and Chipmunk Street to the California-Nevada state in North Lake Tahoe.

The Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation in Incline Village is looking for 15 entities which would each receive $1,000.

The idea is to help nonprofits in the Lake Tahoe Basin before the holiday season.

Go online to apply. The deadline is Oct. 14. Grants will be announced within a month of the deadline.

By Steve Timko, Reno Gazette-Journal

The National Transportation Safety Board confirms some of the air frame to Jimmy Leeward’s P-51 separated at the Reno National Championship Air Races as his airplane crashed.

The NTSB reports 10 fatalities on the ground and the death of the pilot and said 74 people were injured during the crash last Friday at the Reno-Stead Airport. It reports 66 of the injuries were serious.

The NTSB this morning released its preliminary report on the crash.

Read the whole story

The South Lake Tahoe City Council has canceled its special budget meeting set for Sept. 27 because of all the comments and questions raised at and since the Sept. 15 meeting.

A special meeting will still be conducted Tuesday – but at 4pm. This is to pass a 31-day interim budget because the fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Here is a copy of the Sept. 27 agenda.

The 2011-12 budget is tentatively set to be passed Oct. 11 at 6pm.

Run with the salmon at Taylor Creek on a trail run in the colorful aspen groves at Fallen Leaf Lake.

The half marathon is Oct. 2 at 9am,Tadpole Trot kids run at 9:15am, and the 5K and 10K begin at 10am.

Save $5 by registering before Sept. 30, at Race360.com or on the Tahoe Mountain Milers website.

All Kokanee Trail Run proceeds are donated to Tahoe Heritage Foundation to support local school environmental programs. The event is put on by the Tahoe Mountain Milers Running club in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Camp Richardson Resort.

For more info or to volunteer, contact Renee or Mark Gorevin at (530) 318.0516.

On Oct. 7 at 7 pm Lake Tahoe Community College will host a reading by Jason Schossler, winner of the 2010 Melissa Lanitis Gregory Poetry Prize. The reading will launch the release of “Mud Cakes,” Schossler’s first poetry collection.

The event, part of the LTCC Writers’ Series, will take place in the library of the South Lake Tahoe college. It is free and open to the public.

“Mud Cakes” is an examination of growing up in Middle America at a time when spiritual guidance comes from Luke Skywalker and KISS. Schossler’s collection shows how one boy uses modern mythology to navigate the deterioration of his family.

“We received fabulous submissions,” Kim Wyatt, owner and publisher of Bona Fide Books, said in a press release, “but I found myself returning to the little boy in these poems.”

Bona Fide received more than 100 submissions.

Local artist Melissa Gregory, who died in 2009, inspired Wyatt to start a small press, and the prize is given in her honor. The annual award includes publication, $500, and a reading at Lake Tahoe.

While in the area, Schossler will also conduct workshops for students at South Tahoe High School and Wooster High School in Reno.

Schossler is the recipient of the Edwin Markham Poetry Prize and the 2010 Emerging Writer award from Grist. His poetry has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and he has fellowships from the Ragdale Foundation, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Oberpfälzer Künstlerhaus. He lives in Philadelphia, where he teaches writing at Temple University.

“Mud Cakes” will be available online through Bona Fide Books and Amazon starting Oct. 7.

By Kathryn Reed

A $2 million grant will allow South Lake Tahoe to continue with its program to remove lead paint from dwellings in the city limits.

South Tahoe was one of five communities this month to be awarded money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The others are San Francisco, Pomona, Alameda County and Fresno.

The money is expected to arrive in January.

The Reno Avenue house without lead paint.

A house on Reno Avenue before the paint overhaul. Photos/Provided

The city received $1.5 million in January 2010. One reason South Tahoe qualifies for the grants is 85 percent of the homes were built before 1980, which means most are likely to have lead in either the exterior or interior paint.

Accomplishments with the first round of money include:

• Nearly $170,000 has been spent on construction with local contractors

• 31 completed projects

• 13 projects in progress

• 141 homes inspected for potential lead paint hazards

• 93 contractors trained in lead safe practices

• 8 contractors completed extensive supervisor training and are now able to bid on these projects.

It is anticipated by Tracy Franklin, who coordinates the program for South Lake Tahoe, that the second round of funding will remediate 126 homes. Renters can also qualify, along with apartments, duplexes and single family residences.

First preference is given to people who have children, and everyone must meet financial criteria.

For more information, go online for call Franklin at (530) 542.6093.