G. Love & Special Sauce at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe on April 16 at 7:45pm. Opening act is Belle Brigade at 7pm.

Must be at least 21 to attend.

Tickets are $29.50.

For more South Shore Room information, show times, ticket prices and reservations, call 800.786.8208.

Righteous Brother Bill Medley will be at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe on Feb. 19 at 7:30pm.

Tickets are $38.50.

For more South Shore Room information, show times, ticket prices and reservations, call 800.786.8208.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe on Jan. 29 at 7:30pm.

Tickets are $35.

For more South Shore Room information, show times, ticket prices and reservations, call 800.786.8208.

By U.S. Ski Team

PANORAMA, British Columbia – Mikaela Shiffrin of Vail led a string of five U.S. podiums in the final NorAm races in Panorama on Thursday. Anna Marno of Steamboat Springs and Kiley Staples of Park City were second and third in the women’s giant slalom, while Colby Granstrom of Lake Stevens, Wash., and Nick Daniels of Tahoe City were second and third in the men’s slalom.

In the men’s slalom race, Norway’s Jonathan Nordbotten was the fastest to cross the finish line in 1:37.33.

The NorAm series will move to Sunday River, Maine, for men’s giant slalom and slalom races and to Val St. Come for two women’s slalom events Jan. 3-4.

The storm has arrived and is going to become more intense as the day goes on. It’s possibly going to be one long powder day.

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

Updated: Dec. 17 at 8:10am.

By Kathryn Reed

Snow – it’s going to be the forecast for at least the next three days.

Slick conditions caused a single-vehicle rollover accident on Highway 50 at Glenbrook on Friday morning. No one was injured in the Ford Expedition with California plates, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol.

Commuters over Spooner Summit into Carson City on Dec. 17 report visibility being sketchy at times and slick roads.

The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a winter storm warning from noon today to 4pm Sunday.

Sunsets like this one at Cave Rock on Dec. 16 may not happen for a few days based on the forecast. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Rain and snow are expected to be part of the mix at lake level, which has prompted flooding concerns. The ground is already saturated, prompting sump pumps to come on in high water table areas like the Tahoe Keys and Tahoe Island on the South Shore. These pumps usually aren’t triggered until the spring run-off.

One to 2 feet of white stuff is being called for at the lake, while elevations above 7,000 feet could see 3 to 6 feet by the time the system leaves the region.

As seems to be the norm, wind will be part of the storm. Gusts could hit 70mph at lower elevations, with ridges being whipped at 100mph.

Roads in and around the Lake Tahoe Basin are likely to be a mess and have restrictions. Check out the road conditions via the state icons on Lake Tahoe News’ home page.

When traveling in the mountains it’s always a good idea to carry a shovel, flashlight, water, food, blankets and warm clothing.

At home, be sure the cupboards are stocked, flashlights work and candles are at the ready.

The gift that gives twice is a donation in someone’s name to Tahoe Youth & Family Services. Gift cards come in minimum donations of $20, but are not limited to that amount.

For more information, contact Julie Franklin at (775) 782.4202, ext. 3 or email Julie@tahoeyouth.org.

By Kathryn Reed

Deb Yates, chief financial officer with Lake Tahoe Unified School District, gave an update on the budget — and it wasn’t as bleak as usual.

The local bottom line has improved since the budget was approved in June. There is an increase of $3.6 million – mostly from the federal Title 1 dollars, stimulus money, and the federal Jobs Bill Act. The latter ($700,000) could be used to stave off lay-offs in the spring.

With the state budget in disarray, it’s unknown what the impact will be to local districts. Yates said she is hearing the state deficit is likely to be $30 billion by the time lawmakers begin working on the 2011-12 budget.

The state has been changing how it calculates average daily attendance dollars, cost of living adjustments, if Proposition 98 will be adhered to and other snatching of the purse strings that makes it difficult for K-12 and community colleges to make definitive plans.

The district has been operating with a $1 million deficit that has been filled with one-time money.

Without knowing what the state will do, the board is not going to spend the “extra” money. It may not be a “surplus” in a few months.

In other action Dec. 14:

• Wendy David will serve as president for another year. Sue Novasel is the clerk.

• Joy Curry, Jody Boles, Rick Angelocci and Ginger Nicolay-Davis were appointed to the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee, with Patrick Martin, Mike Berg and David Kelly re-appointed.

• The first reading to adopt the school calendars for 2011-12 and 2012-13 took place. The final vote is scheduled for Jan. 11. Like this school year, classes will begin before Labor Day. It was noted by the board that calendars are based on student needs.

To the community,

Big thanks to all our generous community members who adopted children in the South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center’s Adopt-A-Family program this Christmas.

Because of your spirit of giving and giving back, many needy families will have a Christmas this year.

Happy Holidays to you and your family.

Julie Lowe

By Kathryn Reed

For many people this is the one time of year when there is something in the mail besides bills and unwanted solicitations.

It’s also the time of year when anyone and everyone associated with U.S. Postal Service barely has time to take a break.

Mail keeps coming even in the snow and with the house number covered. Photo/Kathryn Reed

“It’s a fun time of year – giving cards and presents,” Donna Bobeda, a carrier in South Lake Tahoe, told Lake Tahoe News as she delivered mail this week.

It’s taking her about an hour longer these days to do her route because of the extra volume of mail.

Even though the Postal Service is seeing a reduction in the amount of mail being sent because of email and other mailing options, people still like to communicate at the holidays the old-fashioned way – with a handwritten note.

South Lake Tahoe Postmaster Toni Passot said Dec. 13 was extremely busy at all the South Shore locations, but it’s Dec. 20 that is expected to be the busiest mailing day of the year. The USPS anticipates 801 million pieces of mail will be processed Monday.

Passot is not allowed to hire extra staff for the extra work, but just about everyone is getting more hours.

“We are bringing in all the troops,” Passot said for Dec. 20.

Bobeda has noticed larger packages being sent this year.

“I think more people are ordering online,” Bobeda said.

She and other carriers often finish their route, go back to the main office and there is another truckload of parcels to deliver. This means out they go – twice in a day this time of year.

But not everything in the mailbox is supposed to be delivered. Bobeda said every now and then a plate of cookies is in the box as a thank you for the work she has done. After all, even if the snowplow doesn’t come or school is canceled, the mail keeps being delivered.

During the holidays the Postal Service processes an average of 661 million pieces of mail. This compares to an average of 559 million pieces the rest of the year.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas the USPS delivers about 15.8 billion cards, letters and packages. The agency has been doing this for 235 years.

For people hoping to have letters delivered by Christmas, it’s recommended to have them in the mail by Dec. 20.