California Highway Patrol is offering a second class winter driving class on Dec. 15.

The class is at South Tahoe High School’s library from 6-8pm.

Space is limited. Contact Officer Jeff Gartner at (530) 577.1001 to reserve a spot.

Curtis Fong, the Guy from Lake Tahoe, has been busy gathering all the stats for today’s ski report. Dress warm — that’s his advice.

Letter to the Publisher,

On Nov.17, 2009, City Manager David Jinkens struck out. Here are the three strikes.

One: The City Council by a 4-0 vote rejected the CM’s request to send the finance officer to a conference at a cost of over $700. Mainly because the CM had violated policy. He approved the trip, paying for it, before it received approval from the council. That’s upside down.

Two: By a vote of a 2-2 tie, the CM cannot hire outside professional services which, had it passed, meant the CM could at $30,000 a pop hire without seeking council approval.

Three: The CM recommended using street paving CIP money to back fill for any short falls in money coming form the CTC for drainage projects. The council voted to use reserve funds. The vote was 4-0.

By striking out the CM should resign. That’s especially true when the Johnny Poland case is thrown into the mix.

Also, I believe the CM did not bargain with the police and fire employees in good faith. For instance, fire was willing to forego a 2% wage increase for a year, which is in the current contract. The CM never shared that with the council. He stacks it the way he wants it. He doesn’t keep good faith with the council. That is way over the line. He should go before he is able to continue striking out. The CM has become a loser.

By the way, the city has a $40 million reserve. What’s it for?

Bill Crawford, South Lake Tahoe City Council member

By Kathryn Reed

Gobble, gobble, gobble might be what turkeys do, but it was what kindergartners at Sierra House were doing, too.

With Indian and turkey hats made of construction paper, and faces showing determination not to spill, the youngsters went from room to room filling their plates with turkey, corn bread, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

Sierra House students load up their plates. Photo/Kathryn Reed

This progressive feast has been going on for a few years at this South Lake Tahoe elementary school. Each of the Preppie K and kindergarten classes cook a dish that day at school. Only the turkey is cooked off-site by adults. When the feast is ready, they go from room to room loading up on edibles before returning to their classroom to indulge in the feast.

“I don’t want any of that,” one boy said. The adult in the room said saying, “No, thank you” is the proper way to respond to not wanting something. He corrected himself.

Manners were a large part of the lesson on this Thursday before the real Thanksgiving– even if the kids didn’t know it.

Pam Matteucci made sure none of her kids started eating until everyone was seated. Those seated first were to sit quietly with their hands in their laps. Before digging in they had to say “Happy Thanksgiving” to the person seated next to them.

Brandon Leavens enjoys his Thanksgiving feast. Photo/Kathryn Reed

“I like the turkey and popcorn. I like the popcorn because it’s salted,” Holly McLaughlin said. “I like the turkey because it’s meaty and juicy and I like meat.”

Brandon Leavens had no problem finishing his pie. He said it was really good and that his mom doesn’t make pumpkin pie. Max Szajner had his pie done before anything else on his plate

And like many adult Thanksgiving plates, some of the cranberry sauce was left behind.

“It shows the spirit of Thanksgiving Day because the Native Americans and pilgrims share their food,” explained Alison Riegel, one of the teachers.

The teaching of Thanksgiving was more than just a one-day lesson plan. Place mats were made in preparation for the meal; they were laminated so they could be reused. Necklaces that the kids wore were strung with colored macaroni. Hats were created. Classrooms were decorated.

Songs about turkeys were sung – something about “gobble, gobble don’t eat me.” But no one took it literally.

Opening day at Northstar. Photo/Provided

With three ski resorts opening this past Saturday in Lake Tahoe — Northstar, Squaw and Heavenly — isn’t it time to learn what is going on within the industry? Listen tonight at 6 as Julie Maurer, vice president of marketing for Booth Creek Resorts, gives an insider’s view on the industry as a whole. She will be on KTHO FM-96.1/AM-590 as well as www.kthoradio.com.

Thanksgiving is going to be even more special for one South Lake Tahoe couple this year.

It will be their first holiday in their own home — one they own.

Through a state grant the city dispenses the couple qualified for $140,000. This supplemented the $130,000 conventional loan they had secured.

The Goralskis moved into the house in the state streets area on Nov. 19.

Since 1995, South Lake Tahoe residents have received $4.1 million through the State HOME Program. The Goralskis are the city’s 54th recipient.

“Most community members qualify for one or more of our housing programs,” said Nancy Kerry, with the city’s Housing Department, told Lake Tahoe News. “In this city because our average income is so low most people do qualify, if not for the first time home buyer, we have a moderate income program.”

By Cheryl Murakami

People are looking for green when it comes to lodging — especially Californians and those traveling to the state.

Kelly May of the California Green Lodging Program was one of several speakers at this month’s Green Lodging Workshop.

May told the nearly 50 people in attendance about the state’s program which was developed by the California Integrated Waste Management Board to provide travelers a green option for their lodging needs. The California Green Lodging Program recognizes that environmentally aware travelers seek to patronize businesses that reduce pollution, waste, water usage and energy consumption. The program is operated by the Department of General Services as part of the State Travel program. State employees are encouraged to explore green lodging options when on state business.

May gave the following reasons to choose a green hotel:

Average-sized hotels purchase more products in one week than 100 families do in a year. These hotels want at least 50 percent of those purchases to be environmentally preferable products.

Waste generation can be as high as 30 pounds per room per day; as much as 80 percent of these materials can be recycled.

Hospitality industry spends $3.7 billion a year on energy. Electricity use accounts for 60-70 percent of the utility costs of a typical hotel. Green hotels introduce consumers to energy-efficient products and practices that will reduce energy consumption, therefore lowering energy costs.

Two percent of California’s food waste comes from the hotel and lodging industry (112,000 tons per year). This food waste can be composted and/or donated to charities.

Typical hotels use 218 gallons of water per day per occupied room. Water-efficient fixtures can reduce water and sewer bills by 25-30 percent.

The Nov. 17 seminar was the second in a series of sustainability workshops presented by the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce, Green Business Cooperative. The workshop series was created to further the goal of the Green Business Cooperative to establish the Lake Tahoe Basin as an environmental business powerhouse and world sustainability leader.

David Hansen, director of engineering for Embassy Suites South Lake Tahoe, hosted and moderated the event.

Four presenters discussed how lodging properties could make their operations and properties more sustainable. Speakers provided advice on how to discover simple measures that can be implemented at a lodging property for little or no cost, to make your organization more green.

Christopher Minnes, general manager of 968 Park Hotel in South Lake Tahoe, familiarized attendees with the characteristics of a green lodging property and offered advise on how to be a greener hotel today at little or no cost. Minnes defined green tourism as aiming for quality, not quantity and suggested that green tourism measures success not only by the number of visitors, but also by the length of their stay, how money is spent, and the quality of the experience.

968 Park Hotel and Embassy Suites are California Green Lodging program certified hotels. There are 200 hotels in the program and another 100 waiting to be certified. The California Green Lodging program provides a database of certified green lodging properties throughout the state at: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/EPP/greenlodging/.

Rick West of NuTek International talked about ozone laundry systems. An ozone laundry system reduces hot water usage by 95 percent, cuts total water usage by 30-40 percent, reduces drying times by 30-60 percent, requires no softeners and improves linen life by 20 percent. An ozone laundry system substantially cuts energy usage and reduces gas and utility costs.

Chuck Smith of Genesis Solar suggested that a shift has occurred in public awareness making green practices or sustainability increasingly consumer driven. Smith discussed alternative energy systems for lodging and commercial properties and offered valuable resources on rebate and incentive programs that could substantially reduce a projects cost.

For more information on the Green Business Cooperative, go to www.tahoechamber.org. Click on the Green Business logo on the home page or call (775) 588.1728. The workshops are free and open to anyone.

Cheryl Murakami is a member of the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce, Green Business Cooperative.

On Dec. 5 at 5pm the Tahoe Figure Skating Club will be performing to holiday music. The Lake Tahoe Elementary Choir will be performing also.
The free event is at the  South Tahoe Ice Arena.

MC Hammer at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Jan. 9, 7:30pm. Tickets are $40 plus tax.

For more information, go to www.southshoreroom.com.

Chubby Checker at Harrah’s Tahoe Jan. 30, 7:30pm. Tickets are $40.

For more South Shore Room information, call 800-786-8208 or purchase tickets online at www.SouthShoreRoom.com.