Santa is coming to Lake Tahoe Holidays on Dec. 5 from 2-5pm.

The event is sponsored by the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce,  hosted by and held at Lake Tahoe Holidays Gift Store located at 4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd., No. 29 in the Village Center in South Lake Tahoe.

Fine Art Cakes will provide an array of fresh baked holiday goodies.

Bring your camera and capture that special moment as your kids share their wish lists with Santa. This event is free.

For more information, call (530) 542.5060 or southtahoechamberofcommerce@gmail.com or JoAnn Conner at (530) 544.7412.

It’s another glorious day in Lake Tahoe. Kirkwood will open on Friday, Sierra on Satruday and a multi-day storm is expected to arrive Sunday. For the details on what’s going on today, click on the ski report brought to Lake Tahoe News by Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

Publisher’s note: This is an editorial published by the Las Vegas Review Journal on Nov. 28. The Nevada lieutenant cover is a resident of Stateline.

The criminal case against Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki has been pretty odd from the get-go.

Mr. Krolicki had been rising in Republican party ranks, advancing from state treasurer to lieutenant governor, with well publicized plans to challenge U.S. Sen. Harry Reid in 2010 … when Democratic Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto decided to indict Mr. Krolicki on charges of mishandling state funds.

Ms. Cortez Masto’s indictment, handed down a year ago, alleges Mr. Krolicki misappropriated and falsified accounts involving the Nevada College Savings Program.

Read the whole story

By Kathryn Reed

It wasn’t about setting records – though others did that. This particular Sunday was about personal achievement.

Sisters Rene Brejc, 45, of Christmas Valley and Martine Milton, 46, of Reno completed the Ford Ironman Arizona in Tempe.

Martine Milton and Rene Brejc with finisher medals from their first Ironman. Photo/Provided

“Because it was my first Ironman my goal was to finish,” Brejc said. The course is closed after 17 hours.

Brejc finished the mega triathlon in 14 hours, 27 minutes. Her sister, who had to stop for two hours because of dehydration, crossed the finish line after a little more than 16 hours.

They didn’t care that the finishers had broken course records and were probably at home showered and relaxing while they still swam, cycled and ran. Neither of the winners had to contend with a broken bone.

Brejc broke one of her little toes 10 days before the Nov. 22 race so she didn’t run during that time. Her doctor told her she wouldn’t make it any worse by participating in the tri; it would just test her pain tolerance.

“I cut a hole in the shoe where the pinky toe is so I was able to run,” Brejc said.

Training began a year ago. An uncle who was 50 when he did his first Ironman inspired her to begin her quest.

“I would say the other big thing for me is I have a 9 and 12 year old. For my kids I wanted to show them if you put your mind to something that seems really hard, you can make it happen,” Brejc said.

They were on-hand to watch their mom compete, as were Brejc’s husband and parents. Brejc said the Tempe Ironman is great for spectators because the cycling and running events are multiple loops.

Last summer she participated in the Donner triathlon as part of her training.

“I had never swam with a bunch of people in wetsuits. I kind of freaked out,” Brejc said of the North Shore event. “I knew I had to overcome being able to swim in green mucky water with 2,400 people.”

She said that was the biggest obstacle she had to overcome – feeling a bit claustrophobic in the water.

In the winter months training involved skate skiing and back country skiing. Much of her swimming was done at the South Lake Tahoe recreation complex. In the summer she was in Lake Tahoe off Baldwin Beach.

After the Arizona event she said that one Ironman was enough. Ten days later and she is talking about doing an Ironman in Idaho in 2011.

It wasn’t about setting records – though others did that. This particular Sunday was about personal achievement.

Sisters Rene Brejc, 45, of South Lake Tahoe and Martine Milton, 46, of Reno completed the Ford Ironman Arizona in Tempe.

“Because it was my first Ironman my goal was to finish,” Brejc said. The course is closed after 17 hours.

Brejc finished the mega triathlon in 14 hours, 27 minutes. Her sister, who had to stop for two hours because of dehydration, crossed the finish line after a little more than 16 hours.

They didn’t care that the finishers had broken course records and were probably at home showered and relaxing while they still swam, cycled and ran. Neither of the winners had to contend with a broken bone.

Brejc broke one of her little toes 10 days before the Nov. 22 race so she didn’t run during that time. Her doctor told her she wouldn’t make it any worse by participating in the tri; it would just test her pain tolerance.

“I cut a hole in the shoe where the pinky toe is so I was able to run,” Brejc said.

Training began a year ago. An uncle who was 50 when he did his first Ironman inspired her to begin her quest.

“I would say the other big thing for me is I have a 9 and 12 year old. For my kids I wanted to show them if you put your mind to something that seems really hard, you can make it happen,” Brejc said.

They were on-hand to watch their mom compete, as were Brejc’s husband and parents. Brejc said the Tempe Ironman is great for spectators because the cycling and running events are multiple loops.

Last summer she participated in the Donner triathlon as part of her training.

“I had never swam with a bunch of people in wetsuits. I kind of freaked out,” Brejc said of the North Shore event. “I knew I had to overcome being able to swim in green mucky water with 2,400 people.”

She said that was the biggest obstacle she had to overcome – feeling a bit claustrophobic in the water.

In the winter months training involved skate skiing and back country skiing. Much of her swimming was done at the South Lake Tahoe recreation complex. In the summer she was in Lake Tahoe off Baldwin Beach.

After the Arizona event she said that one Ironman was enough. Ten days later and she is talking about doing an Ironman in Idaho in 2011.

By Tracy Owen Chapman

STATELINE — Two dozen students from Whittell High School were transported to another part of the world during Enrichment Day at Kahle Community Center.

Tibet Day special guests included Ven. Lama Sarpo and local photojournalist Rick Gunn.

Ven. Lama Sarpo talks to Whittell High students. Photo/Melanie Foerscher

Melanie Foerschler of www.noteablebowls.com contributed to the event’s success, along with another local, Chris Sullivan, who showed the movie “Everest A Climb for Hope” which is about the expedition Chris and Mike Sullivan went on in 1991 when they traveled from Kathmandu into Tibet to attempt Everest from the Tibetan side.

Enrichment Fridays were created by parents who wanted to give Whittell students something to do other than hang out at home now that the 7-12 school is off on Fridays. These special days are usually once a month, with the last one being Nov. 20.

Tibet Day was filled with cultural enlightenment as the students learned Torma art and Tibetan language from Lama Sarpo. Sarpo was born in the Golok region of northeast Tibet.

Sarpo currently resides in South Lake Tahoe. After receiving a monastic education and becoming a fully ordained monk, he was forced into exile in 2005. He continued his Buddhist studies in Dharamsala, India, where he had the rare opportunity to receive teachings from the Dalai Lama.

In October 2008, Sarpo arrived in the United States and is in the process of learning English. He offers bimonthly ritual ceremonies for those interested in attending. For more information, email Tibet_Tahoe@yahoo.com.

Gunn’s slides from China and Tibet are from his three-year bike trip around the world. The Tibet part of his trip was about halfway into his travels. He spent three months in that region. The students learned about his interactions with the people of Tibet, food and geography.

Students also learned to play ancient Singing Bowls, taught by Foerschler.

There was plenty of time for student questions and reflection about Tibetan culture.

Tracy Owen Chapman is a parent.

By Kathryn Reed

Northern California residential customers of Sierra Pacific Power will notice their electric meters spinning faster this month thanks to a 7.75 percent rate increase that took effect Dec. 1.

Most bills will go up by $5.49 a month to $81.65. This is based on using 650 kilowatt-hours of electricity.

This is the first general rate increase in three years. On Sept. 1, 2008, NorCal customers received a 15.2 percent rate decrease.

The increase is to offset the $47.5 million Sierra Pacific put toward infrastructure improvements. The increase will bring in an additional $5.5 million to the power company’s coffers.

Sierra Pacific Power Company is a subsidiary of NV Energy Inc., which primarily serves the Lake Tahoe area of California. In April, NV Energy announced it was selling its California electric distribution and generation assets to California Pacific Electric Company, a newly formed company jointly owned by Algonquin Power Income Fund and Emera Inc. Following state and federal regulatory approvals, the companies expect the transaction to close sometime in 2010.

What this means for rates is not known.

By Kathryn Reed

It will be a busy first week in office when the directors of the South Tahoe Association of Realtors take office Jan. 1.

They must appoint a president and vice president because the incoming leaders who were elected to the positions (both ran unopposed) resigned before they took office.

Mike Phillips resigned before taking office as president of STAR.

Mike Phillips, who was to be president, told Lake Tahoe News, “I need to pull my reins in and focus on my family and business. Sometimes you have to put yourself first.”

He said the time commitment would not allow him to do the job adequately. Phillips added that he has enjoyed his time as an officer (he was president-elect this past year) and that he intends to stay involved.

In a statement given to the association, Jill Stanton-Bricker who was to be vice president, said, “After long and serious consideration of how I can best serve the South Tahoe Association of Realtors, I am stepping down from the 2010 vice president position. I will focus my efforts as Local Governmental Relations chairperson.“

The next president and vice president could be one of the eight directors or any member of the organization. Two of the sitting directors – Davey Pavia and Theresa Sours – have been president before and therefore might be able to step into the positions easier than someone who has not had a leadership role.

STAR finalized the vote counting for the directors positions on Dec. 1. A second vote was needed because a glitch with the fax machine the first time didn’t allow for all the votes to be counted.

All 97 ballots – 10 more submitted than the first time – were legible. The four incoming directors are Pamela Francis, Judith Hanson, Michael Mulligan and Kathy Southern.

Amanda Adams is president-elect and Jill Teakell secretary-treasurer.

The installation dinner is Jan. 8 at Edgewood Tahoe – a primary reason the eight board members need to pick leaders in the first week.

By Ray Hagar, Reno Gazette-Journal

The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority laid off seven full-time employees Tuesday as part of nearly $1 million in budget cuts, resulting from the continued recession of the local and national economies, RSCVA officials said.

The layoffs and budget cuts were anticipated since RSCVA officials said two weeks ago that it would have to fill a projected $1.6 million deficit for the current fiscal year.

Falling room taxes from a soft summer season are the major component of the RSCVA’s current budget problem, according to RSCVA documents. The RSCVA saw declines of more than $6.6 million in room tax revenues, or a drop of 11 percent, in the traditionally strong months of June, July and August when compared to the same months of 2008.

Read the whole story

From the gang at Sierra-at-Tahoe:

Here’s the skinny folks: we are now shooting for a Saturday opening, if Mother Nature cooperates. We are hoping for colder temperatures and will keep updating throughout the week. Our website is always the best place to get firsthand information. You know we depend on the weather, so do a dance under the full moon tonight to bring the weekend storm in.

Unity at the Lake New Year’s Burning Bowl Ceremony (as part of our regular Sunday Celebration Service) – Tahoe Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Tahoe.

Meditation Dec. 27 at 9am, service begins at 10am. J

oin us for this ceremony as we release that which we choose not to bring into the New Year.

Refreshments and fellowship follow.

For more info, call (530) 544.2266 or visit www.unityatthelake.org