The Professional Disc Golf Association and the Tahoe Disc Golf Association are hosting the 2011 King of the Lake event July 15-17 at Tahoe Vista Regional Park, Zephyr Cove Park, Turtle Rock Park and Bijou Community Park.

The tournament is sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association as one of nine premier events in the 2011 PDGA National Tour Elite Series, presented by Vibram Golf Discs.

There will be 125 to 150 professional disc golfers competing in the tournament for an estimated total cash purse of $15,000.

The tournament format will have competitors playing four rounds, with a final round of nine holes on Sunday. The Pro lead group will begin final round play on July 17 between 1-2pm at Bijou Community Park in South Lake Tahoe. Admission is free and the first 100 spectators will receive a golf disc courtesy of Vibram.

A free disc golf clinic will be conducted July 14 at 5pm at Bijou Community Park.

For additional information, contact tournament director Russ Wey at (530) 542.3432.

Tahoe Derby Dames compete at Bijou Community Park in South Lake Tahoe starting at 5pm Aug. 20.

Squaw Valley saddles up again for Wild Wild West Weekend with a host of Western-themed events.

Wild Wild West Weekend offers adults and kids the opportunity to channel their inner-cowboys at the High Camp Corral. Pony rides, a petting zoo, authentic Western-style barbecues, and two days of live music are all part of the July 23-24 weekend.

For more information, call (530) 452.4000.

By Dan Hixman, Reno Gazette-Journal

You’re concerned that your 2012 Chevy Tahoe isn’t going to make it up to Squaw Valley this time.

It’s made it time and time again for a day on Squaw’s famed 1960 Olympic terrain or to Mt. Rose for the kids’ lessons. But it’s 10 years old now and has 140,000 miles on it. You were just happy to get to Mackay Stadium the other night so you could join tens of thousands in Reno and millions around the world who watched the opening ceremonies on TV.

You’ve sacrificed. Sure, you could have upgraded to a newer SUV. But the kids and their activities always came first.

One resort is no longer able to host an entire Olympics. Photo/LTN file

So, today you press on, fingers crossed. You have the tickets, and your children — whom you thought at one time might be Olympians themselves one day — are eager to see Lake Tahoe’s latest Winter Games superstar and maybe even get her autograph.

On this day, a February afternoon in 2022, tomorrow’s Julia Mancuso gushes with pride as she represents her country and her hometown.

This isn’t a dream. It’s all very real and very possible.

After multiple unfulfilled or truncated attempts dating back as far as the 1980s, Reno-Tahoe is in the hunt for the Games again. The pieces must rightly fall into place, but the Reno-Tahoe Winter Games Coalition’s interest in bidding for the 2022 Winter Games is a serious one.

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By Carlos Alcalá, Sacramento Bee

El Dorado County supervisors picked a map in June to form the basis of new supervisorial districts, but that decision has a hazy future.

Approved on a split 3-2 vote, that tentative map is facing second thoughts and growing discontent – especially from organized groups on the increasingly powerful west side of the county.

The map approved in June is not a final decision, said Mike Applegarth, a spokesman for the county.

However, he said, “it’s significantly narrowed.”

The supervisors looked at five possible options in April.

After that, county staff took input from public sessions and written comments to redraw districts.

The map they drew was probably the least radical of the options.

“I feel the supervisors are trying to keep as much of the old districts as possible,” said John Raslear, with the Four Seasons Civic League in El Dorado Hills.

To activists in El Dorado Hills, the old isn’t a good thing.

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By Kathryn Reed

While it might seem obvious the celebrities are on the golf course, they aren’t there 24/7.

Stop by the pro shop at Edgewood Tahoe between now and the final day of the American Century Celebrity tournament July 17 because they shop just like everyone else.

Edgewood Tahoe is not the only place to find celebrities this week in Tahoe. Photo/LTN

Hanging out at the host hotels – Harveys and Harrah’s — is another place to star gaze.

Party with Arty moves into the South Shore Room on Thursday for a free show. Last year was the first time this happened and it was a big hit, according to casino spokesman John Packer.

“(Charles) Barkley and other suspects got up on stage and sang and danced,” Packer said.

That all starts at 9pm.

Party with Arty will be at his usual Center Stage location in the Stateline casino tonight and Friday. All shows are free.

“It’s a good place to do celebrity sighting off the golf course,” Packer said.

By Kathryn Reed

Bridging the education divide is what a $230,000 grant awarded Lake Tahoe Community College is designed to do.

Tom Greene, vice president of Academic Affairs and Student Services, told the college board July 12 about the money that will be coming to the South Lake Tahoe school for the next five years.

The college will hire two employees for this coming school year. One will work at South Tahoe Middle School and the other at South Tahoe High School.

“It’s exactly the direction we need to go as a community,” Greene told the board.

He said Lake Tahoe Unified officials were in support of the college going after the grant. The idea is to reach 500 students to help them be ready for high school and then college.

“The grant is focused on low-income and first generation college students,” Greene said.

Greene anticipates many of those who qualify for the tutoring and specialized help will be Hispanic. College officials at the February strategic planning session identified the need to better reach the Hispanic community. The grant will help achieve that goal.

Parent involvement through workshops is another component of the grant.

Greene believes developing a stronger partnership with LTUSD will help everyone.

In other action:

• It was noted cash will continue to flow because the state passed its budget – which means no need to borrow money.

• This was President Kindred Murillo’s first meeting. She said, “I feel like I’m home.”

• The Aug. 23 board meeting has been canceled. In its place is the Aug. 19 board retreat.

• At a future meeting the board will be asked to develop a policy about alcohol on campus. Now it is allowed for instruction and at fundraisers. Those limitations may hamper the Snowball Festival the college and city officials are trying to plan.

• Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers is offering youths ages 11-15 a chance to learn about the sport through classroom and practical experience July 30-31. For information, call (530) 582.7720.

• Re/Max Realty Affiliates owner John Fisher bought the historic Adaven Hotel in Gardnerville. He plans to convert 11 upstairs rooms into office suites.

• Mark Estee of Truckee, who owns Moody’s and Burger Me, plans to open a restaurant in Reno in October. Campo will have pizza, homemade pasta and an in-house salumi program.

• Carson Tahoe Hospital made the top 20 list of most beautiful hospitals as judged by Soliant Health, a leading specialty healthcare staffing provider and part of Adecco Group.

• Specialty Sports Venture, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts, has acquired the assets of Outdoor Outlet, a Wisconsin-based company that owns and operates O2GearShop.com. Eighteen retail stores will be opening, including one at Northstar.

By Geralda Miller, Reno Gazette-Journal

Most people who go grocery shopping are baffled about what to buy for healthy living.

Karen Bain, a registered dietician and certified health and wellness coach for Saint Mary’s Health Plans, is trying to make the grocery shopping experience an educated one.

She leads monthly grocery store tours at Scolari’s locations in Reno and Sparks.

“We want to make sure that they sift through all the marketing hype and determine what’s valid and evidence based,” she said. “Is that the best choice? Are there better options? They are so confused.”

On a recent weekday, Bain led a small group around the store, providing helpful tips along the way.

The No. 1 rule for healthy shopping is to try to stay on the perimeter, which is where fresh produce, dairy, meats and fish are located. That’s where Bain spent most of the hourlong tour.

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By John Hoeffel, Los Angeles Times

Marijuana has been approved by California, many other states and the nation’s capital to treat a range of illnesses, but in a decision announced Friday the federal government ruled that it has no accepted medical use and should remain classified as a highly dangerous drug like heroin.

The decision comes almost nine years after medical marijuana supporters asked the government to reclassify cannabis to take into account a growing body of worldwide research that shows its effectiveness in treating certain diseases, such as glaucoma and multiple sclerosis.

Advocates for the medical use of the drug criticized the ruling but were elated that the Obama administration has finally acted, which allows them to appeal to the federal courts. The decision to deny the request was made by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and comes less than two months after advocates asked the U.S. Court of Appeals to force the administration to respond to their petition.

“We have foiled the government’s strategy of delay, and we can now go head-to-head on the merits,” said Joe Elford, the chief counsel for Americans for Safe Access and the lead attorney on the lawsuit.

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