By Karoun Demirjian, Las Vegas Sun

Republican Sen. John Ensign won’t be trying to reclaim his U.S. Senate seat in 2012.

Ensign made the announcement today during a noon news conference at the Lloyd George Federal Courthouse in Las Vegas. He isn’t resigning his seat — simply not pursuing his re-election in 2012.

John Ensign

He said he came to the decision in the last week or so, adding that a Senate Ethics Committee investigation had “zero effect” on the decision not to seek re-election.

“I just came to the conclusion that I couldn’t put my family through this,” he said.

Ensign, whose name was once being tossed about for a presidential run, ran aground politically in 2009 when he announced he had an affair with Cynthia Hampton, a campaign aide whose husband, Doug Hampton, had been Ensign deputy chief of staff.

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Lake Tahoe Unified School District’s Instrumental Music Program presents “Bands In Concert” on March 9 at 7pm in the South Tahoe Middle School multipurpose room.

The program will feature 200 music students in grades 6-12.

It is free.

KidZone Museum is hosting an après ski fundraising event called “Bump ‘n Jump Ski Party” on March 12 from 7-11pm for adults only.

It will be at the Truckee Airport Hangar. The party will include live music, dancing, a costume contest, Wii games, and auction.

Tickets can be purchased online.

This 10th annual spring fundraising event supports the KidZone Museum’s Mission to inspire learning through creative play and discovery.

Hollywood Improv takes stage April 9 at MontBleu in Stateline. It’s a night to support academics.

Event attendees can plan on comedy improv entertainment, a wine wall, silent and live auctions, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, dancing, celebrity spoofing and more. Tickets start at $60 and guests can purchase an ‘A’ list table or VIP ticket online.

The event that starts at 6p is the Nevada Lake Schools’ biggest fundraiser.

Last year’s event raised almost $40,000 that was spent on laptops, athletic equipment, language software, library and audio books, printers, hard drives, engineering books, cultural arts assemblies,

science fair support, art supplies, culinary supplies and more.

For more information, contact Tara Addeo at (775) 230.5872 or lv2plan@aol.com

Windy and cold on slopes today.

Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

A celebration of life for Jim Tilley will be March 12 from 2-5pm at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center.

It will be an informal open house.

There will be light refreshments and memorabilia from Mr. Tilley’s life.

April 16: South Lake Tahoe Earth Day at Bijou Park, 10am-5pm.

Click on Earth Day for more information.

Nymph is a sweet little girl, weighing about 4 pounds. She really loves to cuddle and be carried.

She likes other well mannered dogs and cats, and she is house trained.

She just had her teeth cleaned.

Nymph is about 10 years young and would like a home without children younger than she is.

Nymph is spayed, microchipped, and vaccinated.

She 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.

Call (530) 573.7925 for directions, hours, and other information on adopting a pet.

For spay-neuter assistance for South Tahoe residents, go online.

– Susan Baumflek

• The annual Lake Tahoe Environmental Summit will be Aug. 16, hosted by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., at Homewood Mountain Resort.

• Nevada legislators are contemplating taxing bottled water.

• Five Breakaway from Cancer champions will be given special access to this year’s Amgen Tour of California race. Nominations are open until March 22. Five people — one each from the Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, Modesto, Paso Robles and Thousands Oaks-Westlake Village-Agoura Hills areas – will be chosen.

• Receive a free Keep Tahoe Bomb sticker by sending an email to promotions@snowbomb.com.

• Environmental Design + Construction magazine featured the construction projects at South Tahoe High School in a February article.

By Ed Fletcher, Sacramento Bee

Placer County Supervisor Kirk Uhler has struggled at times to win over voters in his own district. Now, his side job has him trying to win over Iowa lawmakers.

Uhler has quietly taken a job as vice president of government affairs for U.S. Digital Gaming, a Beverly-hills based company working to legalize and operate online poker. His focus has been persuading the Iowa Legislature to legalize online poker.

California is also in the early stages of considering legislation to legalize online gambling. Uhler has not been tasked with lobbying California legislators, but his boss was set to testify before a legislative committee this week.

In 1992 Placer County voters approved Measure A, making supervisors part time and slashing their pay from $84,000 to $30,000, with no benefits or retirement plan. They are among the lowest-paid county supervisors in the state.

While some may be uneasy over Uhler’s job, at least one political expert said that’s the way it is when elected officials are part-timers.

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