Bread & Broth had four additional volunteers from the Rotaract Club of Lake Tahoe Community College this month.

Rotaract Club Secretary Otto Hsiao, Commissioner of Public Relations Erika Mendoza, Vice President Michelle McNicol, President Alexandra Aguila and LTCC President and Club Adviser Paul Killpatrick helped serve meals and also donated $250 to sponsor the evening.

Rotaract is an international program for adults ages 18-30 who want to make a difference. Founded in 1968 by Rotary International, an association of clubs made up of service-minded business and professional leaders, there are now more than 7,300 Rotary club sponsored Rotaract with some 170,000 members – known as Rotaractors – in over 150 countries.

Bread & Broth is reaching out to businesses throughout the area to sponsor a Monday meal any time during the year. A $250 sponsorship covers the cost of food and beverages for the approximately 100 folks who visit each Monday evening.

For more information about Bread & Broth and sponsorship availability, contact Connie Blue (530) 544.4945 ormidwest2tahoe@yahoo.com.

By Ron Trujillo, Sacramento Business Journal

Sacramento-area home prices are climbing off the mat, increasing 12.4 percent from the bottom reached in April 2009, according to a report released Monday.

The four-county region — arguably one of the hardest hit, with an abundance of foreclosures and 35 percent-plus home price declines — had a median-home price of $188,100 in April, compared to the so-called “trough” price of $167,340 a year ago, according to the California Association of Realtors.

However, much of the price increase last month came from Sacramento County, easily the most affected by the downturn, with numerous communities, such as Elk Grove and North Natomas, reporting 50 percent price drops in some neighborhoods.

The Sacramento region had the smallest price increase from the “bottom” of the market in the state, with 40 percent-plus gains in San Francisco and Santa Clara County leading the way.

Read the whole story

A team of exceptional athletes, many of whom are wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans representing all military branches, depart from the Golden Gate Bridge on May 22 for World T.E.A.M. Sports’ inaugural bike trek across America called Sea to Shining Sea.

The goal of Sea to Shining Sea is to honor the courage of our service men and women, recognize the strength of the American spirit and challenge perceptions of how we view athletes. The ride will conclude in Virginia Beach on July 24.

Spanning 63 days and 4,000 miles, the cyclists will test their physical limits and inspire people, disabled or not, to live active and enriched lives. The group will cycle through deserts, mountain passes and historical landmarks providing dramatic proof that disabled Americans can lead productive lives and accomplish feats most people only dream about. Several riders have specially-designed bikes that make it possible for them to participate.

The riders will travel from Kirkwood to South Lake Tahoe on May 26. They will have a water stop in Sorensen’s, lunch in Meyers and end their day in South Lake Tahoe followed by a day of rest. On May 27, the riders will enjoy the sights of Lake Tahoe with a lunch at Riva Grill and boat ride on the Tahoe Queen. South Lake Tahoe State Farm Agent Erik Watada and Tahoe City State Farm Agent Roxanne Duffield are serving as community coordinators for the ride.

For more information and to follow Sea to Shining Sea, click here.

By Kathryn Reed

A $6.8 million water quality and erosion control project along Kingsbury Grade will mean minor delays for people traveling along the route that links Stateline and the Carson Valley.

Crews from El Camino Construction Company out of Las Vegas will not be onsite May 28-June 1 so Memorial Day weekend traffic will not be impeded.

Expect delays when traveling on Kingsbury Grade this summer. Photo/Kathryn Reed

This is the second year of the two-year project. It is scheduled to be finished in October.

The money is coming from the feds and Nevada Department of Transportation coffers.

Curbs, gutters, retaining walls, drainage improvements – they are all part of the plan.

Lane restrictions may delay travel for 10-15 minutes. All the work is being done on the lake side of Highway 207. Construction will be from Highway 50 to Daggett Summit.

A “Fundinner/Fundraiser” will be at El Papagayo in Meyers on June 15 from 4-7pm.

The money raised is for Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School’s physical education program.

A $10 ticket gets you two tostadas and a drink.

Tickets will be available for purchase from PTA parents or at El Papagayo that night.

The Bare Bones Open Mic nights offer a creative stage for musicians, writers, comedians and other performing artists of all ages.

The entertainment takes place at the Valhalla Grand Hall stage on the South Shore starting at 7pm on May 25, June 29 and Aug. 17. There’s a variety of music, comedy, and spoken word and the event is free of charge.

Andrea Wexelblatt of Tahoe Writers Works on an Open Mic Night. Photo/Provided

Tahoe Writers Works is a group of writers, poets and other individuals who are interested in the craft of writing. Once a month they venture out to the Valhalla site to raise money to support the club. Wine and snacks are available at the event and small donations are appreciated.

Bare Bones Open Mic Nights are offered as part of the annual Valhalla Arts, Music and Theatre Festival. The festival continues through Sept. 30.

For more information, call (530) 541.4975 or click here.

Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra’s Student Scholarship Breakfast on May 27 at 7:30am.

It will at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center on Lake Tahoe Boulevard.

• Two important public hearings are scheduled for this week. On May 26 beginning at 9:30am at The Chateau in Incline Village, there will be a public hearing on land use policies proposed as part of the Regional Plan update before the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Governing Board. On May 27 at 9:30am at the North Tahoe Conference Center in Kings Beach a public briefing will be conducted on the Homewood Mountain Resort project.

• The League to Save Lake Tahoe and Friends of Tahoe Vista have settled their lawsuit against the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Placer County over the Cerulean Estates by Wyndham. The luxury timeshare project on the old Sandy Beach campground will be significantly modified, including reducing the amount of legal coverage on the site.

• UNR was awarded a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop and operate the National Geothermal Institute.

• Charter Communications is changing where viewers in South Lake Tahoe will find 13 channels – like CNN and ESPN – on June 22 or later.

• Mike and Gary Hayes have renamed the Tradewinds restaurant in Kings Beach The Grid Bar and Grill. It will open in late June after renovations are completed.

• Bob Taylor has been named executive director of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival.

Two-time Olympic freestyle medalist Shannon Bahrke will be the guest of honor at the inaugural Tails in Tahoe weekend June 5-6.

The two-day event will include a host of pet-related activities aimed at raising awareness about animal well-being and funds for the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe. Events will be in Tahoe City and the River Ranch Lodge.

Bahrke, a native of Tahoe City who most recently won a bronze medal at the Vancouver Olympics, is an avid animal lover and will be honored with a homecoming celebration by the North Tahoe/Truckee community.

“I am truly honored and humbled to have a homecoming in my honor,” Bahrke, a 1998 graduate of North Lake Tahoe High School, said in a press release. “I come from such a wonderfully supportive community and I am so excited to share my Olympic success with everyone. I certainly was the one who stood at the top of the course and skied, but what I don’t think people realize is every person from Tahoe has had a hand in getting me there. Helping animals is one of my passions and to be able to do this while I’m back home is amazing.”

The weekend kicks off on June 5 with the K-9 Encounters Pet Expo at the Boatworks Mall Green in Tahoe City. Activities will include Humane Society pet adoptions, a dog wash, a Kids Pet Art Show, the North Tahoe Frisbee Fetch Championships, an agility demonstration by the Ready 2 Run Agility Club, an “Ask a Trainer” session by Ace K-9 Academy, the Strut Your Stuff with Your Mutt Fashion Show and the Hometown Hero presentation to Shannon Bahrke. Live music and an outdoor BBQ will complement the afternoon activities, which run from noon-3pm.

On June 6, the River Ranch Lodge hosts the Seventh Annual Truckee Duckee Derbee and the Dogz in Dudz Contest on its outdoor deck. The rubber duck races are called the “most unpredictable two minutes in Tahoe,” as the rubber duckies must negotiate the fickle currents and eddies of the Truckee River. Cost to sponsor a duck is $10 and the top five ducks are awarded a portion of the overall pot.

The Dogz in Dudz Contest precedes the Derbee and prizes will be awarded to the most stylish and creative canines. There is no cost to enter the contest. All canine companions are encouraged to wear their favorite K-9 T-shirts (think Black Dog, Big Dog, Naughty Dawg). A special prize will be awarded to the crowd favorite.

Live music, a huge raffle and an outdoor barbecue add to the festivities.

Bahrke, who has two canine companions, will serve as the head judge for Dogz in Dudz Contest.

The TDD pre-race party starts at 2pm with live music and registration for Dogz in Dudz. The costume contest will start at 3pm followed by the TDD at 4pm.

For more information and pet-friendly accommodations go to gotahoenorth.com or call (530) 581.0181.

By Kathryn Reed

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said his May revise did not take away money form K-12 districts. But it’s a lie.

At Tuesday’s Lake Tahoe Unified School District board meeting, CFO Deb Yates will explain how another $160,000 in cuts is coming to the district for 2010-11.

It’s more of the funny math Sacramento likes to use as well as twisting the language a bit to confuse people.

The governor’s budget calls for reducing the per pupil allocation by 3.85 percent on undeficited revenue. Part of the change from what Schwarzenegger had said previously is going from a flat reduction of $201 per pupil to the percentage. And the key word in his proposal is “undeficited”.

The state should be sending LTUSD $6,376 per student for the next school year. Instead, the amount is budgeted at $5,185.

The May revise is taking the 3.85 percent off the $6,376 – an amount that in reality doesn’t exist. That cut is $160,000 just for LTUSD. Add a few zeros to get the statewide take-away to K-12 education.

“I have no doubt education coalitions will fight that vigorously,” Yates told Lake Tahoe News. “We were hoping for better, obviously.”

At the May 25 6pm board meeting at the district office in South Lake Tahoe, Yates will tell the board that reserves is the logical place to dip into for the latest state take-away. She plans to give a more detailed budget update at the June 8 meeting.

Yates said education fared better than other areas in the budget, but she isn’t sure how much more the state could cut. She was at a meeting on May 20 in Sacramento with peers to discuss the ramifications.

It’s likely the May revise will look nothing like what the governor came out with. Although a state budget is supposed to be adopted by June 30, that hasn’t happened in years.

With it being an election year, it’s likely more creative financing will be found to solve the $20 billion state budget deficit instead of real answers.

“They have gone about as far as they can go without completely decimating the system,” Yates said of lawmakers and the K-12 system. “At the end of the day the kids are the ones who suffer.”

The California School Boards Association and Association of California School Administrations, to get lawmakers to revisit how education is funded, filed a lawsuit last week against the state.

Secretary of Education Bonnie Reiss on Thursday issued the following response, “The governor will oppose this lawsuit and believes the state will prevail. The funding of public education in California has long been and continues to be a top priority of California, even in bad economic and budget times. We will continue to fight to keep education a budget priority as well as fight for the other reforms essential to ensuring a great education for all our students regardless of where they live or their race or economic background.”