2nd annual South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center Bowl-A-Thon is April 17 from 5-7pm.

Bowl to raise funds for local Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) during Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Adults and children over 12 are invited to participate. No bowling skills are required. All you need is the willingness and enthusiasm to raise money. Team registration ends April 9.

Create and sign up your team of six bowlers by contacting Sarah Sanchez at (530) 544.2118.

By USSA

CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland — Olympic Champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Olympic silver medalist Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) left their mark on Switzerland, going 2-3 in an Audi FIS World Cup super G on Sunday. Switzerland’s Dominique Gisin won the race, marking the third World Cup win of her career.

The women racing in Switzerland had to face off against random gusts of strong wind that plagued the race in the Swiss Alps. According to Women’s Alpine Head Coach Jim Tracy, had it not been for the conditions Vonn could have shaved even more time off her run.

With the finish, Vonn now has a 245 point lead over Austria’s Maria Riesch in the race for the World Cup overall title with only the four events of World Cup Finals left.

Vonn had already clinched the Audi FIS World Cup super G title before the Olympics.

The day marked the first time Mancuso has appeared on the podium of a World Cup in two years. According to her, it’s good to have the momentum from the Olympics to carry her through the season.

“It was nice. I’ve been skiing well since the Olympics, so it’s nice to go and do it in the World Cup, especially in super G. I’m just psyched to be able to put everything together in one run,” Mancuso said.

Tracy couldn’t have been happier to see Mancuso finish so strongly.

“This was great. I think it was a great result for her. It was so great to see her podium. It’s a great way to end the regular World Cup season,” Tracy said.

Now, with the team heading to Garmisch for World Cup finals March 9-14, Mancuso is hoping to seal up a few more podiums before the season’s end.

“Skiing is going well and I think the snow conditions in Garmisch will be good for me too, it’s a little more spring-like. I’m looking to finish the season with podiums,” Mancuso said. “I just want to go out there and ski, and I’m feeling really good about my skiing so it makes a big difference just standing in the start gate and enjoying the whole process of it.”

The women qualifying for the U.S. at World Cup Finals will be Vonn, Mancuso, Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO), Stacy Cook (Mammoth Mountain. CO) and Sarah Schleper (Vail, CO). Vonn and Mancuso can race all disciplines, Cook and McKennis will race downhill and Schleper will compete in the giant slalom and slalom.

Crans Montana, Switzerland Women’s Super G

1. Dominique Gisin, Switzerland, 1:24.14

2. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:24.29

3. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, CA, 1:24.52

4. Nadia Styger, Switzerland, 1:24.56

5. Ingrid Jacquemod, France, 1:24.74

–

31. Stacey Cook, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 1:26.12

32. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 1:26.20

33. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 1:26.24

37. Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT, 1:26.61

# # #

By USSA

INAWASHIRO, Japan — Olympic bronze medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) took to the podium again Sunday, notching a third place in Japan during a World Cup dual moguls competition riddled with heavy fog and delays. The men’s event was canceled.

“It’s been crazy all week. We haven’t been able to see while we’re training. Today we got up there at 9:45 and weren’t able to ski until 2:30,” Bahrke said. “But I just put down the best podium I could and I got third.”

For Bahrke, who plans to retire following this season, to be able to succeed on such a challenging course on her last competition in Japan was a reward.

“This course, I have always had so much respect for it because it is the hardest course on tour. I think I podiumed here once,” Bahrke said. “To be here for the last time in my career here in Japan and to have a podium is cool. I brought a little bit of that Olympic spirit here.”

Bahrke was third on the course in Japan during a moguls competition in 2001.

The World Cup was won by Japan’s Aiko Uemura, who had the fastest run of the day. Canada’s silver medalist in the sport, Jennifer Heil, took second place while Bahrke went head-to-head with teammate Heather McPhie (Bozeman, MT), who landed in fourth.

According to U.S. Moguls Coach Garth Hagar, Bahrke and McPhie were forced to sit in the start gate for over an hour, awaiting the fog to clear the course. Given the warmer temperature, fog and the technicality of the course itself, Hagar said it was an accomplishment for Bahrke to ace her run – her first completion of the course since landing in Japan.

“This is the mot challenging course due to the steepness and changing conditions,” Hagar said. “Shannon said she was happy to ski her first top to bottom for her contest run.”

Other U.S. women skied notably well with Eliza Outtrim (Steamboat Springs, CO) landing 11th and Laurel Shanley (Squaw Valley, CA) finishing 14th.

The men’s competition was looking strong for the U.S. with Olympic bronze medalist Bryon Wilson (Butte, MT) sitting in second when, with only 15 skiers left to complete the competition, officials were forced to cancel the competition due to foggy conditions.

The men, along with the women, will have another shot at competing on the World Cup when freestyle moguls heads to Are, Sweden on March 12. The series wraps up the following weekend in Spain.

Freestyle World Cup Inawashiro, Japan, March 7, Dual Moguls

Women

1. Aiko Uemura, Japan, 23.00

2. Jennifer Heil, Canada, 22.73

3. Shannon Bahrke, Tahoe City, CA, 22.20

4. Heather McPhie, Bozeman, MT, 21.45

5. Margarita Marbler, Austria, 20.84

–

11. Eliza Outtrim, Steamboat Springs, CO, 18.33

14. Laurel Shanley, Squaw Valley, CA, 17.00

It’s going to be a great day to be on the slopes of Lake Tahoe. Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

To Lake Tahoe News readers,

New parents often refer to the age of their baby in months, not years.

I’m no different. Lake Tahoe News, my baby, is 6-months-old today.

Running LTN is in some ways like raising a child. It takes time, patience, advice from others and a willingness to admit when you are wrong.

I want to take this time to thank all of you readers, contributors, news tip providers and financial supporters — be it in the form of advertising or making a donation. I could not do this alone.

I want you to feel connected to Lake Tahoe News. I want you to be part of it. I look forward to all of you being here to help nurture Lake Tahoe News as it continues to grow.

Thank you for your support,

Kathryn Reed, LTN publisher

By Susan Wood

With the new concessionaire opting out, it’s back to square one for the seemingly endless circle of political debate over who will run the general store and marina at Fallen Leaf Lake.

Rick Firkins, a caterer with a business based in Albuquerque and home in Christmas Valley, sent the Community Services District board a letter of resignation less than a month after the panel selected him to run the hub of the mountain village outside South Lake Tahoe.

The issue has divided the community, consumed hours in meetings during the last year, led to threats and ousted John and Ruth Rich after 14 years because of an impasse in contract negotiations.

When the board selected Firkins as the concessionaire, the Rich family said they plan to focus on other personal matters and Firkins was preparing for upgrades at the lakefront store and cafe. That vision was short lived when he learned the turmoil he was about to enter.

“I have concluded that the Fallen Leaf venture would cause irreparable damage to my business, my family and most probably, my sanity,” Firkins wrote, adding: “It has become clear to me that my ability to succeed in this endeavor has been irrevocably compromised by those who have essentially dragged my name through the mud with their vicious emails.”

The sentiment resembled former board President Dana Clark’s letter of resignation in January because he said he has chosen to invest his time in “positive events.”

Firkins continued: “Good burgers, (barbecue) and ice cream will not fix the vicious divide in the Fallen Leaf community, and the air out there is too toxic for my taste.”

(Click letter to read the full text.)

CSD Board President Mike Kraft expressed disappointment in Firkins decision.

“Unfortunately, his letter has a familiar ring,” Kraft said an email to community members, referring to tumultuous environment created between the Rich family supporters and others who want to make a change.

Kraft went on to solidify the board’s commitment to finding a new concessionaire. The matter will be discussed in upcoming meetings. One is scheduled for later this month. Those interested in the job may submit a letter to pmiller@fallenleaflakecsd.org, the address of the clerk of the board.

Mike Doyle

Dr. Mike Doyle has become a patient. The Lake Tahoe Unified School District board member broke his ankle skiing at Heavenly. He is hobbling around on crutches.

America’s Most Beautiful summer bike ride in Lake Tahoe sold-out March 1.

South Tahoe Public Utility District board is not going to bring the question of term limits to the voters, but it may ask ratepayers their thoughts about the issue in a survey.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Nevada Division of State Parks.

Assemblyman Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, received a 100 percent pro-jobs rating from the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation’s leading advocate for small businesses and job creation.

Lights on Ski Run Boulevard will be replaced this summer with LED bulbs funded by a $130,000 California Energy Commission grant. Extra bulbs, so to speak, will be used in South Lake Tahoe city offices.

A slot player at Lakeside Inn and Casino in Stateline won more than $6,600 this month.

By Kathryn Reed

It’s not quite the same as giving birth at home, but the improvements to the birthing center at Barton Memorial Hospital make it seem less sterile and more comforting.

A $200,000 donation by Ethelmae Haldan and matching funds from the South Lake Tahoe hospital transformed the eight-room facility into a more welcoming center.

Gone are the typical blah linoleum floors. In its place is faux wood flooring. Dated, torn and worn wallpaper has been replaced with fresh paint. Window treatments and dividing curtains in the rooms are new. Bathrooms have been overhauled so the fiberglass showers are gone and tile has been installed. Bathtubs have been added to a couple of the rooms.

Impermeable counters are almost everywhere. Gone are the turquoise Formica countertops. Cupboards are new, too.

Pictures still need to be put back on the walls, with some new artwork possible.

The overhaul started in September 2008 and was completed in February. The unit never shutdown so it took a while to finish the project because only one room could be off-limits at a time.

Most of what was replaced was 15 years old and considered more than well used.

Several of the nurses weighed-in with what they thought would be good for the unit that handles an average of 500 births a year. About 20 percent of new moms are from the Carson Valley.

Glass at the nurses' station adds privacy.

Things like having a salon chair installed in the lactation consulting room allows nurses to save their back muscles by lowering and raising the chair with the new mom in it instead of having to stoop.

Barton has been offering lactation education since 2007 after some of the staff became certified.

Rocking chairs in the rooms are now more functional for moms to nurse in. The seat is higher off the ground and the arms are wider. Just another item the nurses picked.

The department has 15 full-time registered nurses, a full-time unit coordinator, a part-time clerk, a full-time director and three who work per diem.

Pat Okacz, one of the nurses, designed the department’s logo. It is placed at the nurses’ station in the main hallway.

“We didn’t have the glass before. It adds a lot more privacy,” Peggy Wright, director of the Barton Family Birthing Center, said. “It’s much quieter. We are a small department built around a central court.”

Behind the glass staff can have more private phone conversations, be a bit more secluded when entering data into the computers and have a little separation from the foot traffic in the hall.

The nursery did not get remodeled. It doesn’t get the use like the birthing rooms do. Still, Wright would like to modernize it one day.

Peggy Wright, director of Barton's birthing center, shows off a warming unit. Photos/Kathryn Reed

A warmer for newborns is in each room. The Barton Foundation donated two of them at a cost of $16,000 and $18,000, respectively. Jaundice babies and preemies use them the most. The newer ones weigh the babies, allow for warming lights to be turned on without sterilization issues and allow for medical staff to do everything they need even if the infant is hooked up to other apparatuses.

Though new moms might prefer sleep to television, the new flat screen monitors come with built-in DVD players. Movies about car seat safety, breast feeding and what to expect when the little one gets home are shown.

Comfort for dads was also considered. The old reclining chairs they slept in are gone. In their place is what looks like a normal couch. With a little manipulation the bottom flips over and turns into a twin bed.

“Dads tell us the mattress is quite good,” Wright said.

Wireless was already in the hospital so sending pictures of the newborn to family and friends can be instantaneous from laptops.

South Shore’s Relay For Life Kickoff Concert is April 3 at MontBleu.

Returning to help celebrate the fight against cancer is Mike E and Afroflow, who put on a all ages show at last year’s kickoff.

Joining them this year will be Lavish Green which played for at last year’s Relay. A band from Fresno, 40 Watt Hype, will also play.

Doors open at 3:30pm for sign ups and a meet-and-greet with the musicians and the show begins at 6:30pm.

Click here to sign up for this year’s Relay for Life.

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care’s training seminar is May 22-23.

Learn to be a trained wildlife care volunteer by taking the class. The class taught by LTWC founder and Executive Director Cheryl Millham covers diets, feeding techniques, housing, first aid, capture and transportation, anatomy and examination.

For more information, click on LTWC.