Theatre of Arts Discipline (TOAD) will present “Steel Magnolias” at the Carson Valley Arts Council’s Copeland Cultural Arts Center ArtBar in Minden on May 20 and 21 at 7pm and on May 22 at 2pm.

The original stage play, written by Robert Harling, is the moving story of a close-knit circle of friends whose lives come together at a beauty parlor in modern-day Louisiana.

Directed by Rich Garrett, TOAD’s production features young adults from the Carson Valley area – starring Justine Cawthorne as Shelby, Emily Tuggle as M’Lynn, Brynn Garrett as Truvy, Victoria Martin as Annelle, Ashley Barrett as Ouiser, and Brittney Kinsey as Clairee.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students/seniors. Purchase tickets by calling (775) 219.3577 or by emailing toadinc@gmail.com.

Although tickets are available at the door, it is advisable to purchase early since seating is limited.

Chevys restaurant in South Lake Tahoe will donate 25 percent of a portion of its proceeds to Tahoe Arts Project on May 21 from 11am to 11pm.

Guests must provide a coupon in order for TAP to receive the donation. Coupons can be picked up at the Lake Tahoe Unified School District Education Center at 1021 Al Tahoe Blvd. or call Tahoe Arts Project at (530) 542.3632.

All proceeds will support TAP’s mission of bringing professional performing arts into the schools and community of South Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe is tops among travelers for the second year in a row, so say the users of TripAdvisor, who ranked Lake Tahoe the No. 2 U.S. destination for the 2010 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Destinations Awards. Lake Tahoe was also ranked No. 8 in the country for Outdoor and Adventure.

“TripAdvisor is considered the world’s largest travel community,” Andy Chapman of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association said in a press release. “To be ranked as a preferred destination in the country is an absolute honor, especially since this distinction comes from those that know Lake Tahoe the best, having experienced our product firsthand – the travelers.”

Lake Tahoe continues to be a top destination. Photo/Kathryn Reed

TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards are based on the real and unbiased reviews and opinions from travelers on TripAdvisor.com. The winners were determined by a combination of travelers’ destination comments, favorite places and overall destination popularity on TripAdvisor.

Lake Tahoe faced stiff local competition as one of the top five favorites in the U.S., with San Francisco taking the No. 1 spot and San Diego coming in at No. 3.

Coined “A Sunday run you’ll never forget,” the Lake Tahoe Marathon will bring about 3,000 racers to Lake Tahoe Sept. 22-26 to run the 26.2 miles down the West Shore, along with a host of other events.

In addition to the event’s popular marathon (Sept. 26 starting in Tahoe City), runners and walkers may choose from the Tahoe Triple, three marathons in three consecutive days (starting Friday); 20-Mile Power Walk and Run, a non-competitive event (Sunday); 72-Miler (Saturday); 3-Day Triathlon (starting Friday); Marathon Relays for two- and five-person teams (Sunday); Half Marathon (Sunday); 10K, starting at Emerald Bay’s Inspiration Point and 99 percent downhill (Sunday); 5K (Sunday); 35- or 72-Mile Bike Races (Saturday); Kayaking and Swimming events (Friday); A La Carte Marathons (Friday and Saturday); free Kids Fun Run (Saturday); Race Directors Fun Run (Wednesday) and Speed Golf, run one of the Lake Tahoe’s most scenic golf courses playing with three clubs (Thursday).

New this year is the Tahoe Double Dare, two laps around the lake in opposite directions (a special one-time only event); half mile, 1-mile and 2.5-mile swims and the Triple or A La Care Marathons, with different finishers medals for each of the three different marathons (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).

For more information or to register (fees vary for events), call (530) 544.7095 or visit the Lake Tahoe Marathon website at www.laketahoemarathon.com. The website is also home to a course map and profile, event descriptions and 2009 race results.

The 18th annual Truckee Home & Building Show and Regional Green Building Symposium is May 29-30 from 10am-5pm at Truckee High School. The school is located at 11725 Donner Pass Road in Truckee.

The cost is $6.

For more information, go to truckeehomeshow.com or call (530) 587.3477.

As the Taste of Tahoe featured restaurant this week, Sushi Pier will donate a portion of sales through May 22 to South Lake Tahoe Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society.

Sushi Pier welcomes people to visit Tahoe’s newest sushi restaurant for all-you-can-eat sushi and 2-for-1 drink specials from 2-6pm to support the fight against cancer.

Sushi Pier is at 177 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Stateline.

Click here for more details, a schedule of events and a list of the generous business, media and restaurant sponsors.

• The El Dorado County Fair in Placerville is June 17-20.

• Wells Fargo has donated $10,000 to help support education for children of fallen Nevada public safety personnel.

• Faulkner Architects, established in Truckee in 1998 with a second office in Berkeley since 2007, was awarded the 2009 Lafayette Environmental Award of Excellence: Green Award.

• Fitch credit rating agency upgraded the credit rating of South Tahoe Public Utility District from an AA to an AA+.

• Find out what is going on at Explore Tahoe by clicking Explore.

• Rex Norman retired from the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of the Forest Service in April. Instead of talking about fire and other issues, he is working on his other interest – art.

By Rebekah Rast, Fresno Bee

When you buy a head of lettuce at the grocery store in the next couple of months, you might notice a higher price tag at checkout.

This isn’t the first time the cost of lettuce has increased. In late 2009, in a supermarket in Queens, New York, a customer noticed a head of iceberg lettuce went from 89 cents one month to $2.49 the next, according to an article in the New York Daily News. Why?

The article attributes the shortage of lettuce to a cold front in California. The real reason, according to Sarah Woolf of California’s Westlands Water District, is that lettuce production in California has been cut in half due to lack of water reaching the Valley.

Read the whole story

Think of the most generous person you know because the Barton Foundation is seeking nominations for the second annual Spirit of Philanthropy Award.

This award recognizes an outstanding individual, family, couple, or foundation who has demonstrated extraordinary dedication to the health of the South Lake Tahoe community, and to Barton Health in particular, through their good works and/or financial generosity.

The honoree will also have demonstrated exceptional civic and charitable responsibility and inspired others to philanthropic achievement. This award is for a living person, so if a foundation is proposed there should be at least one living founder.

Nominees must reside in, have a second home in, or have previously lived in South Lake Tahoe and continue to have a connection to the community. Visit www.bartonhealth.org/philanthropy for a nomination form. Nominations are due by July 31.

The selection committee meets in August to review all nominations. Once the selection has been made, it goes to the board of directors and board of trustees for final approval.

The Philanthropy Luncheon is set for Nov. 5 at Riva Grill when they will recognize the Spirit Award recipients.

The Foundations Health Grants will be celebrated and distributed that day as well. Call (530) 543.5909 for reservations or more information.

By Kathryn Reed

Census workers will be out in force in Lake Tahoe this month because the number of people who returned forms by mail is lacking.

Throughout South Lake Tahoe 40 percent of the forms were returned. From Ski Run Boulevard to the state line that figure drops to 28 percent. That area of town has a number of Hispanic residents. People here illegally may be fearful of being turned in.

However, the U.S. Census Bureau keeps all information private, assuming any incriminating information is even obtained. In fact, Census workers can be fined $250,000 or jailed for five years if they share information with another government entity or the police.

The reason all towns want an accurate Census count is that money from the federal government for certain services is based on population. Political boundaries are also drawn based on the numbers that are gathered every 10 years. Money goes toward education, adult education, job training, and other programs.

For Californians, any federal assistance may be even more critical in the near term. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday called for closing the $20 billion deficit with cuts to most social service programs.

“Aside from possibly losing out on federal funding, California is also in danger of losing a congressional seat because of low Census participation. The speculation as of now is that the seat will likely come from Northern California. We are about to lose a voice to fight for our rights, which is completely unacceptable,” Patty Diazm from Services, Immigrants Rights and Education Network, said in a statement.

The Census Bureau stopped receiving mailed responses at the end of April. Households that did not return their forms can expect to receive a visit from an enumerator this month. An enumerator is a Census Bureau worker who goes door-to-door to help households fill out the forms.

The enumerators will have official U.S. Census Bureau badges and may contact the households of those who did not fill out their Census forms up to six times.

The final count for the mail back response rate is: 72 percent nationally, 71 percent in California and Nevada in 69 percent.

The five counties in the Lake Tahoe Basin came in at: El Dorado 64 percent, Douglas 72 percent, Carson City 79 percent; Washoe 74 percent; and Placer 70 percent.

Nevada County, which includes Truckee, had 67 percent participation. Alpine County had 22 percent.

For more information, click here.