To the community,

Tahoe Valley School’s Performing Arts Program would like to thank Tiffany Carter and Marcia Sarosik for the instruction and direction with the first Tahoe Valley Performance of “Red Riding Hood.”

Along with the assistance from Ethan Niven and Emery Mulligan, 60 students studied acting, singing and dancing with the final performance of “Red Riding Hood” being performed to a packed house on April 8.

Students will continue developing their performance skills until June, with a final “Mini-Glee style” performance.

A special thank you to the Lake Tahoe Education Foundation for its generous support of Tahoe Valley’s Performing Arts Program, which will continue again next year with performing arts being integrated into the regular curriculum as well as with the on-going after school program.

Mark Romagnolo, principal TVES

By Kathryn Reed

Maria Barrows-Crist was planning a victory party for Friday afternoon. The judge denied anyone a party. Instead, he asked both sides in the South Lake Tahoe day care battle to file more briefs.

June is the soonest a decision will be rendered, unless El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Steve Bailey works over Memorial Day weekend.

Maria Barrows-Crist with attorney Mike McLaughlin after court April 23.

The state Department of Social Services has been trying to put Barrows-Crist’s Kindertown out of business since last summer.

Mike McLaughlin, who is representing Barrows-Crist, said after the 90-minute hearing on Friday that he doesn’t believe the court will shutter Kindertown for one violation.

Although multiple allegations have brought against Barrows-Crist, the three that dominated the discussion April 23 were whether any employee was under the influence of alcohol or drugs while supervising children; the nickel-size burn on a child from spilled soup; and a peanut product given to a child with a known allergy to the nut.

Everyone agrees the child was given the peanut product even though the necessary precautions and warnings were in place. McLaughlin does not believe that incident alone is reason enough to close the center.

Brenda Ray, deputy attorney general with the state Department of Justice, kept up her mantra that she’s been preaching that if Kindertown stays open, there is the strong likelihood a child will be seriously injured or die.

Despite the 8-month-long court fight, Kindertown’s enrollment is increasing. She has 93 children, whereas in February she had 83. However, in September she was at 120.

Tears filled Barrows-Crist’s eyes as the judge said to file the briefs by May 21, with rebuttals to him by May 28.

“I thought there would be a celebration today,” she said.

By Jeff Delong, Reno Gazette-Journal

Continuing April storms have helped maintain the mountain snowpack and bolstered the region’s water supplies for summer.

On April 1, which federal hydrologists typically consider the end of the snow season, the Tahoe-Truckee snowpack was about 90 percent of average, the fourth straight subpar winter.

But subsequent storms boosted the snowpack to normal or above normal levels for the first time since the 2005-06 winter.

“All year, we were lagging. Then we had that jump,” said Gary Barbato, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Reno. “The snowpack is average.”

Read the whole story

By Kathryn Reed

The South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission met Friday morning to discuss revising the proposed redevelopment area known as Project Area 2.

There was little discussion. The feeling was that if the area from Al Tahoe Boulevard to Harrison Avenue were not included, the businesses along there would be shortchanged.

The council at a meeting earlier this month had voted to leapfrog the redevelopment area. Policy required the matter go back to the commissioners.

The planning commissioners voted 5-0 against the council’s idea. Included in the motion was to exclude the five parcels El Dorado County believes belong to them and not the city.

Redevelopment Director Gene Palazzo gave the presentation.

No one from the public spoke.

The issue goes back to the City Council on May 4. It will be on the agenda for 10am.

Wondering what to do with your electronic waste?

This weekend e-waste is being recycled at South Tahoe Middle School.

Click on waste to learn more.

The Poverty to Prosperity forum scheduled for April 28 at Embassy Suites in South Lake Tahoe has been rescheduled for the fall due to unforeseen circumstances.

Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation’s annual Celebration of Education is May 20 at the grand Construction, Arts and Transportation Academy at South Tahoe High School. The public is invited.

The reception will begin at 5:30pm in honor of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District retirees, plus preview tours of the new building.

Food will be served by the culinary arts students of STHS.

Entertainment will include the Blue Ribbon Choir from STHS and the Tahoe Belles from STMS, both conducted by Paul Kushner, plus other musicians from the district’s bands and orchestras. There also will be a student art exhibit.

Tickets are $25 and must be purchased by May 12. They are available online.

Spring has returned to Lake Tahoe. It’s a bluebird day. Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

Eccentric billionaire George Whittell is most famous in the Lake Tahoe area for his eclectic Whittell Estate along Tahoe’s East Shore. What many people don’t know is Whittell also pioneered the first neighborhood at Incline Village – a neighborhood that predates the community. This tucked-away part of Incline is on the lakeshore along the historic Pine Cone Circle.

One of the original properties on Pine Cone Circle has been put on the market. Though the original character of the home still exists on this private lakefront property, the home has been completely renovated and decorated by renowned interior designer Catherine MacFee.

MacFee’s attention to detail has created the feel of a well-loved family vacation compound. The home’s complete renovation included the restoration of the original log ceiling and an authentic granite stone fireplace. However, the custom crafted curved staircase, built-in cabinetry, luxuriously appointed double master suites, separate bunk house and gourmet kitchen are modern upgrades.

MacFee pulled together all the elements of a home, from cushioned window seats filled to the brim with interesting throw pillows to a hand painted linen cabinet to a one-of-a-kind antique carved wooden sink vanity.

According to a California Home + Design article, MacFee studied cabins as far as the Adirondacks to develop a sense of old lodge style, and then updated the look with sophistication. From tribal rugs to exposed beam ceilings, the cabin is a study in that combination of elegance and rusticity that has defined Tahoe interiors for more than a century.

The home was originally constructed to take full advantage of its lakefront setting, with windows positioned for lake views in every room. MacFee took further advantage of the home’s setting by adding a number of outdoor living spaces to the home. There is an expansive outdoor dining and entertaining area that links to a quartzite stone path that meanders down to the boulder-strewn shoreline. Another deck with a fire pit and meditation circle sits steps from the water’s edge.

Low stonewalls that line walkways and pine needle covered grounds provide a Carmel-like feel to the well-kept enclave.

It was built in 1951, with an extensive remodel and expansion in 1992. Dubbed Villa Lake Tahoe, the 3,400-square-foot home is situated on nearly a half an acre and includes 100 feet of lake frontage. Two buoys are included with the property as well as access to an adjacent pier. A private sandy beach for use by Pine Cone Circle residents only is just steps away from the property. The home at 1655 Pine Cone Circle is listed at $8.79 million.

For more information, contact Karin Baker or Kerry Donovan at 866.831.8999 or email kbaker@chaseinternational.com or kdonovan@chaseinternational.com.

• Jamba Juice is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a 2-for-1 deal through April 25. The South Lake Tahoe location is in the Village Center. Print a coupon here.

• Kathy Strain at Lake Tahoe Community College is one of six employees in the state named employee of the year in the Community College System.

• Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this month offered a $50,000 reward at the request of Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan to help solve the death of Dennis Palmer. The 33-year-old’s body was found Aug. 20, 1987, in a mineshaft on his property in Amador County.

• Caltrans will make $521 million in improvements this construction season in Interstate 80 between Colfax and the Nevada state line.

• Annika Sorenstam, who has a house in Incline Village, is offering golf-fitness-nutrition packages through Ritz-Carlton Destination Clubs. The one at Northstar is July 27-29. For more information, call (407) 206.6278 or visit the website.