By Kathryn Reed

When Martin Hewlett walks into the City Council chambers this morning he won’t be relegated to the back of the room. He will be at the big table at the front of the room.

Hewlett is acting police chief for South Lake Tahoe for the indefinite future. His first day on the job was to oversee the New Year’s Eve chaos.

Martin Hewlett

“I told the commanders to not burn down the city on my first day,” Hewlett was able to joke days afterward since nothing newsworthy happened that night.

Hewlett took over for Terry Daniels who retired.

Hewlett, who prefers to be called captain and not interim chief, has been with the department since 1993. He worked his way from an officer to sergeant to lieutenant to captain, a position he has had for almost three years.

He has been in patrol, detectives and on the SWAT team.

Before coming to Tahoe, Hewlett was with Escondido Police Department for almost 10 years and with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for a year.

“Overall, I don’t plan to make significant changes that will affect anyone,” Hewlett said. “I don’t think it would be fair to the next person.”

He isn’t sure if he’ll apply to be police chief. It isn’t something he was aspiring to be.

“I will know better in the next few months after experiencing (the job). I will keep my options open,” Hewlett said.

For now, Hewlett is captain and interim police chief, with some duties being spread to the lieutenants and sergeants.

City Manager Dave Jinkens is responsible for hiring the next police chief. The city manager hires all department heads accept for the city attorney.

Jinkens expects to have the selection process in place in the next 30 to 60 days. Historically, the city has not used an outside recruiting firm to hire department heads. Jinkens believes this will be the case for the next chief as well.

“I don’t think there will be a sense of urgency to do this since the council decided we needed an interim chief to realize the cost savings,” Mayor Kathay Lovell said. “We are not trying to fill it today.”

The position needs to be vacant for at least six months to be able to realize the benefits of the cost containment plan the council approved late last year.

It’s possible Jinkens won’t be the one to actually hire the next police chief, but to merely start the process. His contract expires in the summer. He has not indicated if he wants an extension. The council is divided over wanting to keep him employed.

At today’s council meeting several employees who took early buyouts will be honored. Some of them have served for more than 20 years.

The meeting begins at 9am at Lake Tahoe Airport.

By Cy Ryan, Las Vegas Sun

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Supreme Court has ruled that a Las Vegas man does not have a constitutional right to parole.

Michael Anselmo, now 57, was sentenced in 1972 to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the death of college student Trudy Hiler, who was stabbed 18 times. She and Anselmo both worked during the summer at a casino at North Lake Tahoe.

Read the whole story

Peggy Fleming, the 1968 Olympic figure skating champion, and husband Greg Jenkins will be at the Resort at Squaw Creek on Jan. 15 to promote their Fleming Jenkins Vineyards & Winery of Los Gatos

A “Skate and Taste” is from 4 to 5:15pm at the resort’s ice rink for $20.

A four-course dinner at Six Peaks Grille is from 5-10pm fro $95.

From 5 to 10 p.m., the resort’s Six Peaks Grille is offering a four-course dinner in the main dining room, three courses of which are paired with Fleming Jenkins wines. Cost: $95 plus tax and tip. Reservations/details: 530-581-6621.

Fleming and Jenkins will  host to a six-course chef’s table dinner in Six Peaks’ private dining room at 7:30pm at a cost of $250.

Call (530) 581.6621 for information or to make a reservation.

Intermediate and advanced freestyle skiers and boarders can showcase their most awesome tricks in a jam-style format at the Burton Jiblet Stop at Diamond Peak in Incline Village on Jan. 16 to win cash and other prizes in the open division.

Registration is 9am in the base lodge.

Intermediate and advanced freestyle skiers and boarders can showcase their most awesome tricks in a jam-style format at the Burton Jiblet Stop at Diamond Peak in Incline Village on Jan. 16 to win cash and other prizes in the open division.

Registration is 9am in the base lodge.

Todd Offenbacher’s “Searching the Void: A Humorous Look at the Vertical World” will be shown Jan. 13, 7 p.m., at Bar One in Olympic Plaza in Squaw Valley. This event is free.

El Dorado County Public Health is having free H1N1 flu vaccination walk-in clinics for the general public this month.

The vaccine will be administered subject to availability.

The H1N1 vaccination walk-in clinics are every Wednesday in January from 1-4pm p.m. to 4 p.m. at 1360 Johnson Blvd., Ste. 103, South Lake Tahoe.

Appointments are also available for the H1N1 flu vaccination on Mondays and Fridays. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (530) 573.3155.

The U.S. Census Bureau needs people in South Lake Tahoe to collect data.

Hiring may begin as soon as the end of January, with training starting in February. Jobs will be part time, temporary, and with pay starting at $15 per hour.

Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

Applicants are required to take a test to determine eligibility for employment. Testing continues through March.

Apply here or call 866-861-2010.

Free Cosmic Crystal Readings at the Rainbow Bridge at Squaw on Feb. 28 fom 1-3pm.

The weather pattern is changing — supposedly. Fog, though, is still here — so much so that the Tahoe Queen has canceled today’s trips. A storm is supposed to roll in later this week. Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.