A society ought to be judged on how it treats its young, its seniors and its veterans.

Every year South Lake Tahoe honors its veterans on Nov. 11 – much like what is going on elsewhere in the country on this Veterans Day. For this, we should be proud as a community.

The ceremony is on Highway 50 at the American Legion at 11am – so stop by or honk as you pass by.

Unfortunately, though, it’s one of those traditions that seems to draw the same familiar faces. Yes, this is a workday for many. Still, others aren’t into things like this. But think about the time these men and women have given to protecting our country. Don’t they deserve 30 or 60 minutes of your time?

No matter the reason you won’t attend this or some other celebration honoring all the men and women who have served in the Armed Services, pause for a moment. Think about what it would be like if this all volunteer military were not there.

What if you had to serve a year or two? Many countries make it a mandate. Could you handle it? How would it affect your life? Your outlook on the world?

For a moment forget about the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Forget about the past – the Vietnams, World Wars and other battles.

Veterans Day isn’t about being pro military or anti-military, it’s not about being for or against any war. It’s not about thinking the United States should play big brother to the rest of the world or not.

It’s about people. It’s about people willing to do the work most of us would never want to do, let alone be capable of doing.

The Coast Guard churns the waters of Lake Tahoe. National Guard units are in Reno and Sacramento. Fallon Naval Air Station is to the east of Tahoe, while Travis Air Force Base is to the west.

Our law enforcement units are filled with men and women who have served in the military.

Men and women in uniform surround us.

Next time you see one of them, say thank you.

Publisher’s note: The following is from the May 1973 Lake Tahoe Historical Society newsletter.

The following letter was sent by our Forestry Service Committee chairman, Barbara Smith, May 3, 1973. If you feel as Barbara does, please send a letter on this matter to Mr. Schmidt.

Dear Mr. Schmidt,

Lake Tahoe Historical Society

We of the Lake Tahoe Historical Society are gratified to learn that funds are now available for an historical evaluation of the Richardson, Valhalla, McGonagle, Pope, and Fallen Leaf Lake areas. Our concern had been that destructive tendencies were afoot without proper consideration of historical value. That danger has now, hopefully, been allayed.

One other item has given us concern. The “estates” have been without a caretaker for some time now, and attrition in the form of vandalism and winter weather damage has been alarming. We would urge that you employ your good offices in an effort to acquire the funds and bureaucratic approval for caretaking facilities in that area.

If this group can be of any assistance in these matters please do not hesitate to call upon us.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Barbara Smith, vice president

By Susan Skorupa, Reno Gazette-Journal

More than a hundred years of Reno history, stories of the Comstock Lode and a big white bear fill up three new books by local authors.

“Remembering Reno” (Trade Paper Press, $16.95 paperback) is filled with nearly 130 historic photos of Reno and the surrounding area.

The pictorial excursion begins with the days of Lake’s Crossing and progresses through subsequent booms, mineral and otherwise, into the 1970s.

Compiled by Donnelyn Curtis, head of Special Collections and of Research Collections & Services at the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries, “Remembering Reno” brings to life about 110 years of history.

The purpose, Curtis said in the book’s preface, is to “let photographs speak for themselves in presenting the history of Reno, with minimal interpretation.”

So, we see floods, celebratory parades, merchants and gamblers, family life, work life and many of the other elements that have made up Reno since its birth.

Read the whole story

By Matt Weiser, Sacramento Bee

The defeat of Proposition 21 on Nov. 2 means California State Parks will continue to experience partial closures, reduced maintenance and dwindling ranger patrols.

The measure failed by a 16-point margin, a spread that surprised many park advocates. It would have imposed a mandatory $18 annual vehicle license fee while giving vehicle owners free day use at all 278 state parks.

Only 10 of California’s 52 counties leaned in favor of the measure. Just two were outside the San Francisco Bay Area: Yolo and Alpine.

Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation, chief sponsor of the measure, held out hope that parks funding might improve with a new governor in office next year.

“We’re going to have to regroup, no question about that,” she said. “This park system didn’t get any less important because of the vote (last week).”

Read the whole story

By Kathryn Reed

With snow on the ground and a chill in the air, the sun peaked through to shine a ray of light on those gathered for the somber occasion – the dedication of the memorial honoring South Lake Tahoe’s children who have died in combat.

Pfc. Brandon Williams, 21, died in October 2006 and Sgt. Tim Smith, 25, in April 2008.

A memorial honoring South Tahoe's youth who died in combat. Photos/Kathryn Reed

The memorial is on the same plot of land along Highway 50 where the children’s memorial is.

The plaque on the large granite boulder reads, “This memorial is dedicated to all from our community who gave their lives and have served our country from all branches of service. We thank you for your sacrifice and you can rest assured that we will support your families and friends. You have served as an example to all Americans by giving of yourself to the ideals of freedom which is the basis on which our country was founded. May you rest in peace and forever remain in our hearts and in our prayers.”

It was Patty Smith, the mother of Sgt. Smith, who in August suggested a special place in town be set aside for the children in the community who died in combat. Mayor Kathay Lovell promised to have it done by Veterans Day. The dedication came one day before that deadline.

Smith, who quietly sat with son Tommy in the front row, spoke briefly – admitting to having visited the memorial several times before the Nov. 10 dedication.

Brad Williams, the father of Pfc. Williams, was out of town. On his behalf his brother, Brian, spoke about the legacy these young men have left behind.

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Tahoe Community Church has been in operation for 26 years and is again distributing a Thanksgiving dinner bag to those in need on Nov. 23 from 3-4:30pm.

The church is a half mile up Kingsbury Grade at the corner of Kingsbury Grade and Daggett Way.

The dinner bag includes a turkey and the fixings to go with it for families to prepare their own Thanksgiving meal. The fixings include stuffing, potatoes, gravy, canned yams, cranberry sauce, rolls, and more.

Last year the church served more than 550 people from California and Nevada. This distribution is first come, first served, but there hasn’t been a year when they’ve run out of Thanksgiving dinners.

As always, it is a challenge to provide this large amount of food to those in need, and donations are welcome. To help, bring any of the items listed above to Tahoe Community Church on Nov. 16-1, from 9-4pm.

For more information, call Tahoe Community Church at (775) 588.5860.

More votes have been counted affecting the South Lake Tahoe City Council, but not who the three finalists are.

As of Nov. 9 at 2pm:

• Claire Fortier, 1,778 votes, 17.04 percent

• Tom Davis, 1,530 votes, 14.66 percent

• Angela Swanson, 1,330 votes, 12.75 percent

• Alice Jones, 1,203 votes, 11.53 percent

• Joy Curry, 1,193 votes, 11.43 percent

• Elizabeth Hallen, 1,083 votes, 10.38 percent

• Steve Cubby, 1,072 votes, 10.27 percent

• Adrian Gooch, 612 votes, 5.87 percent

• Georg May, 267 votes, 2.56 percent

• Doug Cichowicz, 135 votes, 1.29 percent.

Measure E, the city initiative to change the business license fee, was defeated by 50 votes.

– Kathryn Reed

By Cy Ryan, Las Vegas Sun

CARSON CITY – Baccarat and sports betting helped Las Vegas Strip casinos register $580.5 million in gross win in September, a 2.8 percent increase over a year ago.

“The baccarat win kept us where we had positives,” said Michael Lawton, senior research analyst for the Nevada Gaming Board, which issued its monthly report Wednesday. Without baccarat, the win at Strip casinos would have been down 3.2 percent.

The board reported, however, that downtown Las Vegas casinos suffered their 28th consecutive month of lower win figures, down 3.9 percent from a year ago. Gaming win is calculated before taxes and business expenses.

The board said statewide win was $917.8 million, an increase of 0.73 percent. Lawton said this was the first time since September and October 2007 the state has reported an increase in gross win for two consecutive months.

Read the whole story

By Steve Green, Las Vegas Sun

Las Vegas-based Tropicana Entertainment Inc. today said it earned $1.5 million in the third quarter, despite the deterioration of the Lake Tahoe and Laughlin markets in Nevada where it has three hotel-casinos.

The company, which emerged this year from the Tropicana Entertainment Holdings LLC bankruptcy, posted net quarterly revenue of $177.9 million. It’s controlled by investor Carl Icahn.

There are no comparable numbers for the 2009 third quarter at the corporate level. The Tropicana Las Vegas hotel-casino was also spun out of the bankruptcy to unaffiliated investors and is not part of Tropicana Entertainment.

Tropicana Entertainment includes the Atlantic City Tropicana; Casino Aztar in Evansville, Ind.; Belle of Baton Rouge in Louisiana; Bayou Caddy’s Jubilee in Greenville, Miss.; Lighthouse Point in Greenville; and Horizon Vicksburg in Vicksburg, Miss.

Its properties in Laughlin are the Tropicana and the River Palms; while its Lake Tahoe property is the MontBleu Casino Resort & Spa.

Read the whole story

Action snowsport photography and video from around the world highlight the 15th annual In The Mood, a free benefit event for the Tahoe Forest Cancer Center on Dec. 1 at 6pm at Resort at Squaw Creek.

The evening’s program will showcase the talents of the biggest names in adventure photography, video, and filmmaking including acclaimed filmmakers Scott Gaffney, Tom Day, Mike and Dave Hatchett, and Brad Holmes. Nationally recognized photographers include Keoki Flagg, Dave Norehad, Court Leve and Hank deVre.

A highlight of this year’s event is a tribute to the event’s co-founder, Robert “Fro” Frohlich, who passed away in October after a long fight with cancer.

A huge raffle with hundreds of prizes is a focal point of the night’s festivities. Grand prizes include a Squaw Valley adult season pass, heli-ski trips, gear and more. Other prizes include local resort day tickets, snowcat and heli-skiing adventures, ski and snowboard equipment, lodging packages, gift certificates and hard and soft outdoor retail items.

Raffle tickets may be purchased at the door before and throughout the event. All proceeds benefit the Tahoe Forest Cancer Center and the Truckee Community Christmas program.

Led by Medical Director Laurence Heifetz, the Tahoe Forest Cancer Center, located in Truckee, is committed to providing the highest quality cancer treatment and care to patients. The center strives to offer the most appropriate and current cancer diagnostic and therapeutic modalities in an honest, supportive, respectful and compassionate manner. The center is associated with the UC Davis Health System and the Tahoe Forest Hospital Foundation charitable organization.

As it was for the first In The Mood 15 year’s ago, guests are encouraged to donate a can of food at the door to support Truckee Community Christmas Inc., a nonprofit association that feeds the less fortunate over the holidays.

All ages are welcome. There is no admission charge. The doors open at 6pm and the show begins shortly thereafter. A no-host bar will be available.

The evening is co-emceed by local TV personalities Todd Offenbacher and Eric T. Brandt. The Resort at Squaw Creek will host a post-event party beginning at 9pm in Sandy’s Pub.

In The Mood is a Snowtribe Production. The event is supported by numerous partners and contributors including the Resort at Squaw Creek, Squaw Valley USA, Points North Heli ­ Adventures Inc., Pacific Crest Heli Guides, Tahoe Dave’s Skis and Boards, Snowbomb.com, Tahoe TV, and Swank Audio/Visual.

In the spirit of a free community event, In The Mood is supported and produced entirely by volunteers and the generosity of local and regional businesses and merchants. Raffle prize donations are welcomed.

For more information about the event, contact Eric Brandt at (530) 583.4206 or eric@tahoetv.com. For raffle donations, contact Meg deVre at (530) 525.6281.