If you’ve wanted to try backpacking but weren’t quite sure how to get started, then join the TRTA for Backpacking 101.

Led by seasoned guides and Snowcamping 101 instructors Wayne McClelland and Jordan Summers, this class will go over all the basics of backpacking from what to bring and how to pack to choosing a campsite and cooking your meals.

The two will guide participants to Gray Lake on a 5-mile hike with 2,000 feet of elevation gain. You must be able to hike 5+ miles per day at elevation with a 20-30 pound backpack. Participants must provide their gear, food and clothing.

Backpacking 101 is designed to equip you with the confidence to plan a safe backpacking trip. This course will start in the classroom, but then you practice the skills you just learned in an overnight experience. Specifically, your guides/instructors will cover: trip planning; packing; basic orientation skills; bear awareness; campsite selection and set-up; cooking hints and demonstrations; principals of Leave No Trace.

Dates: July 11-12.

Cost: Suggested $60 donation.

For more information, and for prerequisites for this course, call (775) 298.0238 or email programs@tahoerimtrail.org.

The Douglas County Public Library in Zephyr Cove is sponsoring a special summer reading program on June 25 at 1:30pm.

Children ages 6 and up will build a water bottle rocket and launch it. Awards will be given for the highest flyer, farthest flight and coolest design.

Bring two 2-liter plastic bottles and three small personal-size water bottles clean and dry with labels removed for rocket building. Sign up by June 24 to participate.

The Douglas County Public Library is located at 233 Warrior Way in Zephyr Cove. For more information, call (775) 588.6411 or visit douglas.lib.nv.us.

Father’s Day-Summer Solstice hike June 20 sponsored by the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.

Hike Description: After an extended winter, summer has arrived. There is much to celebrate; warmer weather, Lake Tahoe excursions, family vacations and adventures.

Hike toward Mt. Rose, stopping for lunch at Galena Falls, and then continuing to loop back to the trailhead.

Children over 10 years of age only and no dogs on this hike.

For more information or to sign-up for this hike call the TRTA office at (775) 298.0238 or email programs@tahoerimtrail.org.

To supporters,

We did it. The first part’s over and with all your help, support and confidence, we made it to the top. Words can’t express how honored we are right now. We’ve had a long road so far and we are already making plans for the general in November.

With late absentee ballots still out there, we are on top with 25.26 percent.The closest competitor came in at 23.09 percent.

John D'Agostini

We just wanted to take a minute to thank all of you again.

John and Janine D’Agostini

Plein Air event on June 13 from 9am-noon at Sand Harbor. Plein Air leader is Dave Russo.

Questions? Contact Sue Stevenson at (530) 577.5394 or (530) 307.8560, or Donna Reid at (530) 542.1016 or email pleinair@talart.org.

By Kathryn Reed

Life at Kindertown Day Care was briefly out of whack this morning when what sounded like an explosion in the attic forced the evacuation and fire personnel to scour the area.

Brad Piazzo, division chief with the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, said everything looked fine when they arrived.

“We couldn’t tell quite what happened,” Piazzo said. “We secured the heater and then cleared.”

Nixon’s Heating and Plumbing came out as well to see what might have been the cause. The hot water heater had been disconnected Tuesday in anticipation of a new being installed, but that is not believed to have been the cause of the noise.

Kindertown owner Maria Barrows-Crist said the she heard an explosion that literally shock her and caused the lights to flicker.

The center was evacuated briefly, but everything is back to normal now.

By Cy Ryan, Las Vegas Sun

CARSON CITY – After two consecutive months of gains, the gambling win at casinos on the Las Vegas Strip fell slightly in April, but baccarat play and roulette registered strong increases.

The state Gaming Control Board reported today the 41 casinos on the Strip won $437.2 million, off 0.93 percent compared to April 2009 when the win dropped by 15.8 percent.

Statewide, the 329 casinos won $810.4 million, down 5.7 percent from a year ago. It was the second-lowest month in the past year. Only October 2009, with an $800.4 million win, was lower.

April is traditionally a “soft month,” says Frank Streshley, chief of tax and licensing for the board. Casinos don’t schedule a lot of events around Easter, he said. But it was “softer than expected,” he added.

Read the whole story

By Mark Harden, Denver Business Journal

More skier visits and higher ticket prices helped lift profits for Vail Resorts Inc. in its latest quarter.

The Broomfield-based ski resort and lodgings operator and real estate company (NYSE: MTN) reported results Wednesday for the quarter ending April 30, which it regards as its fiscal third quarter.

Skier visits were up at Heavenly Mountain Resort this winter. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Net income attributable to the company for the quarter was $72.8 million, or $1.98 cents a share, up 18.1 percent from $61.6 million, or $1.68 cents a share, a year earlier. Those earnings topped analysts’ expectations of $1.83 a share, Thomson Reuters reported.

Read the whole story

By Kristi Buffo

Animals, people and the planet are all connected.

So says Karla Majewski, creator of Planet Animal. She will be at the El Dorado County Fair in Placerville June 17-20.

Majewski, who lives with her family and more than 200 exotic animals on 4 acres in Southern California, says “discovery and exploration” await fairgoers as they venture into Planet Animal — designed to be a fun and educational exhibit where everyone can safely see and touch exotic animals from around the world, such as monkeys, parrots, sloths, kinjajous, snakes, alligators and many more.

It's not just farm animals that will be at the El Dorado County Fair. Photo/Provided

“A large 3D Earth suspended from above and flags from many countries greet you as you enter Planet Animal, says Majewski, “creating the feeling that you’re entering one big wide world where plants and animals and humans are all connected.”

Planet Animal is all about bringing people closer together.

There will be two shows daily.

Bucky Walters plays at Divided Sky in Meyers on June 12 at 10pm.