The Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale is March 27 from 10am-3pm at the library at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

All proceeds benefit programs sponsored by Friends of the Library.

“Member Hour” is 9-10am. If you haven’t joined the Friends, you may do so that morning. Membership is $10 per year.

Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural resources Director Allen Biaggi will retire April 30 after more than 30 years of state service.

Biaggi is also chairman of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board. He will continue in that capacity until his term expires at the end of December.

Allen Biaggi at the August 2009 Environmental Summit. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Biaggi was appointed director in July 2004 by Gov. Kenny Guinn. His tenure in the position was continued under Gov. Jim Gibbons.

Previous to his appointment as director, he was the administrator of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, appointed by Gov. Bob Miller in 1998. Prior to that he served in various staff and management positions within the agency.

“I look forward to this new chapter in my life and the opportunities and challenges it brings,” Biaggi said in a press release. “I want to thank the three governors I have served under in appointed positions, Governors Miller, Guinn and Gibbons. I appreciate them for their trust, confidence and support.”

By Reno Gazette-Journal

Shannon Bahrke’s skiing career has come to a close.

The Reno native and Tahoe City resident was to compete in this weekend’s U.S. Freestyle Championships at Squaw Valley USA, which was to be her final competition before retirement, but

Shannon Bahrke

an injury suffered last week will keep her out, she said Monday.

Read the whole story

By USSA

LAKE PLACID — Three-time Olympic medalist Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) captured the 11th U.S. title of her career with a victory in the women’s giant slalom to close the 2010 Visa U.S. Alpine Championships at Whiteface Mountain Tuesday.

“I actually haven’t skied giant slalom since the Olympics, so it was nice to get back on my GS skis,” Mancuso said.

Mancuso was also the giant slalom champion in ’09, ’05, and ’03. With 11 titles, she now moves past U.S. great Andrea Mead Lawrence for the most titles of any American male or female, breaking a record that has stood for 55 years.

The weekend brought some closure to a season in which Mancuso had long worked hard.

“Coming back from a back injury I always had the goal of getting ready for the Olympics. Even going into last season it hurt. I wanted to keep trying. Just being able to see the reward of the plan paying off was really amazing,” Mancuso said.

Second place for the day went to Laurenne Ross (Klamath Falls, OR) who produced the fastest second run. Ross was also third in the super G and second in the combined at Whiteface.

Malin Hemmingson of Sweden was third followed by U.S. downhill champion Leanne Smith (Conway, NH).

The top U.S. junior was Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH) out of U.S. Development Team, though the fastest junior was Erin Mielzynski of Canada. J-2 Foreste Peterson (Berkeley, CA) of the Squaw Valley Ski Team was the next fastest U.S. junior followed by Abby Ghent (Edwards, CO) of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail.

2010 Visa U.S. Alpine Championships Lake Placid,March 22, Women’s Giant Slalom

1. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, CA, 2:07.52

2. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 2:08.11

3. Malin Hemmingsson, Sweden, 2:08.25

4. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 2:08.98

5. Megan McJames, Park City, UT, 2:09.17

To the community,

On behalf of Tahoe Youth & Family Services we’d like to remind all 6th-grade students on the South Shore and their families that they will be participating in The Drug Store Project on March 30.

Choices, What are Yours? is the day’s focus.

Together, 38 agencies and 180 volunteers will provide this reality-based drug prevention presentation during the school day.

For more information on the event,contact Lisa Huard at lhuard@ymail.com.

Lisa Huard, event coordinator

Chilly isn’t the word most people would use for Lake Tahoe this time of year. Freezing, ice cold, bitter, bone chilling — those are more common phrases.

Even though the first day of spring was unseasonably warm at Lake Tahoe, the water was its normal icy temperature. This didn’t stop a multitude of people from “plunging” into the lake at Zephyr Cove to raise money for Special Olympics Northern California & Nevada.

A successful plunge didn’t mean getting wet from head to toe. A dip of the big toe counted.

According to the organization’s website, more than $93,000 has been raised.

U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will conduct prescribed fire operations in Meeks Canyon on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe beginning March 23.

Operations are expected to continue through the week.

Residents and travelers can expect to see smoke from prescribed fire project areas. Be aware that other fire protection agencies, state and local, may also be conducting prescribed fire operations during this time.

Bring the sunglasses and short-sleeves — it’s definitely spring on the slopes. Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

Grammy winner Michael McDonald brings his instantly recognizable and smooth voice to the Lake Tahoe Music Festival’s final show.

McDonald performs at Northstar-At-Tahoe Resort Aug. 7 as part of the festival’s six-concert season taking place July 22–Aug. 7.

McDonald has been a fixture in American pop music for over three decades and continues to serenade fans with hits such as “I Keep Forgettin’,” Grammy-winning “Yah Mo B There” with James Ingram, and his No. 1 pop single “On My Own.” With past credits that include working side-by-side with Steely Dan, McDonald was also the voice of the Doobie Brothers, singing hits like “Takin’ In To The Streets,” “Minute By Minute,” and, the No. 1 single and Grammy-winning “What a Fool Believes.”

“Soul Speak,” McDonald’s latest album, is a compilation of his own interpretations of songs he loves and follows up on the exploration of Motown hits he recorded on the “Motown” and “Motown Two” albums. The song selections on “Soul Speak” range from the blue-eyed soul McDonald is known for with songs like “For Once in My Life,” “Walk on By” and “Love TKO” to more surprising selections including Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

Tickets are $37 for general admission and $60 preferred/ They go on sale April 1.

For more information about the Lake Tahoe Music Festival, log on to www.TahoeMusic.org or call (530) 583.3101.

Moody’s in Truckee, Baxter’s at Northstar and Six Peaks Grille at the Resort at Squaw Creek are the first three restaurants to sign on for the Sept. 5-12 Lake Tahoe Restaurant Week.

South Tahoe Middle School was selected as one of 14 middle schools in the state as a finalist for the California Activities Directors Association/ California Association of Student Leaders Outstanding Activities Program Award for 2009-10.

Nik Olivares of South Lake Tahoe is headed to nationals in slopestyle next month for his age group — 18-22 — after winning the event at Sierra-at-Tahoe on March 13.

David Hansen of Embassy Suites is one of the first recipients of the new CEO Light & Warmth awards for his sustainability efforts at the South Lake Tahoe hotel. He will be recognized at the Hilton Worldwide Global headquarters in Washington in March 2011.

Lake Tahoe Unified School District is looking for a photographer to sign a three-year contract. Click RFP for details.

Rep. Tom McClintock will conduct a constituent town hall meeting at South Tahoe High School on March 27 at 10am.