By Kathryn Reed

El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies are noticing an upturn in the number of reported ski and snowboard thefts from ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe area.

“People just decide not to use secure facilities. People, I think, this time of year get sloppy,” sheriff’s Lt. Les Lovell said.

Unlocked skis and snowboards are easy targets for thieves. Photo/Kathryn Reed

He equated it to putting 10 $100 bills in a snowbank. It’s probably not going to be there when you get back – just like that $1,000 board or pair of skis.

The department will be working with Sierra-at-Tahoe and Heavenly Mountain Resort to set up sting operations.

Sierra said it has reduced the number of ski and snowboard thefts every year for the last five years. The resort also prosecutes to the fullest extent of the law. Officials would not release specific numbers.

“We did not have any more incidents than is considered normal activity on a holiday weekend,” Kirstin Cattell, spokeswoman for Sierra, said of this last weekend. “A lot of people pick up the wrong rental board and don’t realize it. By the end of the weekend it all gets sorted out because people return it any ways.”

Heavenly officials did not respond to an inquiry about thefts at the South Lake Tahoe resort.

Lovell said for the past decade snowboards were the item of preference among thieves. He said lately, though, skis are rebounding as being desirable to snag.

Three years ago in Iraq , the lives of Bob Woodruff and his family changed forever when an improvised explosive device detonated near the armored vehicle in which Woodruff was traveling. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and nearly lost his life. The bomb’s devastation proved to be more than physical, however, and it had a life-changing impact on the entire Woodruff family.

The couple’s book, “In an Instant: A Family’s Journey of Love, Courage, and Healing,” documents their family’s journey to recovery following Woodruff’s roadside bomb injury. Lee Woodruff’s book “Perfectly Imperfect: A Life in Progress,” tackles the universal topics of life, such as friends and family.

The former ABC World News Tonight co-anchor and current foreign correspondent Woodruff and his wife, Lee Woodruff, spoke at Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation’s Queen of Hearts Women’s Fund lunch Feb. 17 at the Resort at Squaw Creek.

“(We) talk about our own family’s journey to heal and also how being able to give back helped in our own healing,” Lee Woodruff, a contributing editor for ABC’s “Good Morning America” and a freelance writer, said in a press release. “The Queen of Heart’s mission of philanthropy is near and dear to our own hearts.”

Bob Woodruff is back at work reporting for ABC News shows on a variety of international and national stories with his “Bob Woodruff Reports” unit. He has continued to cover stories that focus attention on the needs of veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The Woodruff family also established the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury and Remind.org to raise money for members of the military who need cognitive rehabilitiation and care following traumatic brain injuries while serving their country.

“We got lucky as a family with our own healing,” Lee Woodruff said. “We wanted to help those who served their country to heal with all of the resources we had.”

Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation Queen of Hearts Women’s Fund launched in February 2006. The goal was to identify 1,000 women to give a minimum of $1,000 and raise $1 million within one year. The group exceeded this goal and has raised $1.3 million to date. Queen of Hearts Women’s Fund is broad based in its funding interests making grants in nonprofit organizations ranging from arts, culture and public benefit to health and human services.

“The Laramie Project” is a docu-drama about the 1998 hate-crime murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student who was brutally beaten by two young men, tied to a fence, and left to die.

It will be performed at Lake Tahoe Community College’s Duke Theatre in March.

Writer-director Moisés Kaufman and actors of New York’s Tectonic Theatre Project journeyed to Laramie to interview townspeople about the horrific murder. After 400 hours of interviews, what emerges is an unusual and powerful theater piece focusing on the citizens of Laramie, how they were affected and ultimately changed by this act of brutality within their community.

Mature themes and content – may not be suitable for children under 15.

A series of events, including panel and post-show discussions, will be held in conjunction with this production, culminating in a Candlelight Vigil Against Hate following the final Saturday evening performance on March 20.

Performances: March 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 at 7:30pm, March 14 and 21 at 2pm.

West Coast Green Lodging Association conference at Embassy Suites in South Lake Tahoe.

Click here for more information.

The South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a Mixer at Explore Tahoe on Feb. 24 at 5:30pm.

Explore Tahoe is located at 4114 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in the Heavenly Village Transit Center (between Stateline Brewery and the Marriott) in South Lake Tahoe.

Explore Tahoe, a visitor and interpretive center, was opened to the public in July 2007 to enhance the existing building by combining a mass transportation hub with an outdoor recreational visitor’s center.

This Mixer is open to all businesses and the community at no charge. Parking validation is available at the Heavenly Village Parking Garage for carpools of two or more.

For more information, call (530) 542.5060.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee meets Feb. 23 from 9am-4pm at the Sierra Nevada College, Assembly Room 139, 999 Tahoe Blvd., Incline Village.

LTFAC will address issues related to federal activities at Lake Tahoe. Items on the agenda include:

The Tahoe Working Group (TWG) will present their Lake Tahoe Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) Round 11 recommendation for capital projects and science themes.

Discuss the status of re-chartering and member nominations for the next LTFAC two-year term.

Public Comment.

LTFAC consists of 20 members representing a broad array of constituencies.

By USSA

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -– Complications from a recent appendectomy will keep freestyle aerialist Dylan Ferguson (Amesbury, MA) from joining his Olympic teammates in Vancouver. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Wednesday announced that aerialist Scotty Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) will replace Ferguson. Bahrke is the brother of Shannon, who won bronze in Saturday’s women’s moguls.

“This is a great disappointment for Dylan, who had some of the Team’s strongest results in the selection process,” said USSA Vice President, Athletics Luke Bodensteiner. “At the same time, we’re happy to have an athlete of Scotty Bahrke’s caliber to replace him.”

Bahrke, 24, has six top-10 finishes including a sixth on the Olympic hill a year ago. His best result came in the huge Moscow World Cup in 2008, where he was fifth.

“I am obviously bummed that I will not be able to compete and have my Olympic dream come true,” said Ferguson from Park City, UT. “But if I am not able to compete, then I wouldn’t have anyone else besides my best friend Scotty compete in my place. I know his jumps will be awesome and I am supporting him one million percent as well as the rest of the team.”

Ferguson had appendicitis surgery on Feb. 3 and was expected to be cleared to travel with the team to Vancouver. But a subsequent infection prevented him from competing.

Bahrke was approved by the IOC as a replacement for Ferguson on Wednesday. He is already in Vancouver and is expected to begin training today or Thursday.

It is with great sorrow that Douglas County Sheriff Ron Pierini reports the passing of one of his finest officers, Capt. Mike Biaggini.

Capt. Biaggini passed away at approximately 6am Feb. 17. He was at his home in Gardnerville with family when he passed.

Mike Biaggini

Capt. Biaggini, 55, had been battling cancer for approximately eight years.

Capt. Biaggini began his career with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in 1981. During his 28 year career, he had worked in every capacity, and in every division, at the sheriff’s office.

During his tenure with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Capt. Biaggini served as commander of the Patrol, Investigations and Administration Divisions, Chief Deputy Coroner, Honor Guard Commander, Crisis Negotiation Team Supervisor, SWAT Sniper, Professional Standards Unit Leader, Lead Defensive Tactics Instructor, and supervisor of the Boat Patrol, Search and Rescue, Mounted Posse and Reserve Officer programs. Capt. Biaggini was a 1997 graduate of the FBI Academy.

Memorial services will be announced at a later date.

By Toledo Blade

WHISTLER, British Columbia — Lindsey Vonn lived up to expectations and won the Olympic downhill Wednesday, and childhood rival and American teammate Julia Mancuso took a surprise silver medal.

In a race characterized by several crashes — including one to Swedish standout Anja Paerson — Vonn’s bruised right shin proved not to be a hindrance as she sped down

Julia Mancuso

Franz’s Downhill in 1 minute, 44.19 seconds.

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By Stephanie Tavares, Las Vegas Sun

The Nevada Legislature is thinking of closing state parks as it considers how to patch an estimated $900 million budget gap, a move that would save a few million dollars while killing the economies of rural towns and stunting tourism efforts across the state, opponents of the idea say.

Gov. Jim Gibbons has suggested a 10 percent budget reduction for a number of agencies, including the State Parks Division. But the Interim Finance Committee could take that a step further. At its meeting in Las Vegas on Thursday, the committee is expected to consider following the lead of

Lake Tahoe State Park in Nevada

cash-strapped states such as California and Arizona, that have closed some or all of their state parks.

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