Bureau of Land Management fire restrictions for El Dorado, Amador, Sacramento, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa counties went into effect Jan. 10. They will remain in place as long as dry conditions exist.

Campfires and barbecues are limited to designated fire rings in designated campgrounds. Portable stoves with gas, jellied petroleum or pressured liquid fuel are authorized with a valid campfire permit.

Other restrictions include:

• Operation of tools powered by internal combustion engines off established roads or trails.

• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, or at a designated developed recreation site, or other designated areas.

• Motorized vehicles off established roads or trails.

• Shooting using incendiary, tracer, steel core or armor piercing ammunition.

• Fireworks, including the “safe and sane” variety.

For more info, call (916) 941.3101.

By Hudson Sangree, Sacramento Bee

The historic, storybook Rainbow Lodge, made from native granite and heavy timber, fell on hard times in recent years after its prior owners defaulted on their loan and a court-appointed receiver took over. In late December, the venerable inn near Donner Summit was purchased out of receivership by a family from Rocklin, which plans to reopen it in February and restore some of its century-old grandeur.

The lodge, with its steeply pitched green-metal roof and stone walls, sits on the banks of the South Yuba River, not far from Interstate 80 in Soda Springs. For many years, cross country skiers warmed up there with a drink, a hot meal and a soft bed after long days on the trails. A pair of skis hang over its knotty-pine bar beneath thick wooden rafters. Historic photographs of the snow-covered lodge and trans-Sierra railroad adorn its walls. Threadbare carpet, tattered curtains and dated floral bedspreads detract from its rugged mountain charm. The worn items will be the first to be replaced, Mitchell said.

The 33-room lodge was originally built as a stagecoach stop in the 1800s. It was converted to a tavern in the 1920s and became a popular spot for gambling and fishing, said Craig Mitchell, who bought the lodge with his wife and parents and will oversee day-to-day operations.

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Popeye

Popeye is a big, happy 4-year-old boy. He loves kids and other dogs, and probably weighs around 80 pounds.

Popeye is a Bullmastiff and Boxer mix who will do well in just about any active household.

Popeye is neutered, microchipped, tested for heartworm, and vaccinated.

He is at the El Dorado County Animal Services shelter in Meyers, along with many other dogs and cats who are waiting for their new homes.

Go online to see photos and descriptions of all pets at the shelter.

Call (530) 573.7925 for directions, hours, and other information on adopting a pet.

For spay-neuter assistance for South Tahoe residents, go online.

— Karen Kuentz

To the community,

On Dec. 28, Coldwell Banker Select Real Estate in Zephyr Cove decided to give back to the pets in the community by hosting a Holiday Pet Food Drive, yielding big results.

Leading up to that date, close to 600 pounds of dog and cat food were donated to pets in need. In addition, many pet toys and other items were donated, on top of $170 in cash.

Coldwell Banker Select in Zephyr Cove wanted to help those who have no voice and that is why we held the 2013 Pet Food Drive at our office in town benefiting Douglas County Animal Care and Services

Gregory Cremeans, Coldwell Banker Select agent

By Jeremy Miller

“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is the newest film from director Ben Stiller who also stars in it. It’s based on the short story by James Thurber.

Co-starring we have Kristen Wiig, Jon Daly, Kathryn Hahn, Sean Penn and Adam Scott.

Walter (Stiller) is a lowly photo processor for Life magazine. He creates fantastical daydreams to escape the sad life he lives daily. The dreams center around his love interest Cheryl (Wiig) who’s his quirky co-worker. In the dreams he plays the hero, sex appeal, and courageous adventurer he wishes he were. He slips off into his daydreams randomly and often during conversation, opening him up to mockery and rather harsh teasing from those around him.

The magazine is shutting its doors to the world of print and begins a switch to digital headed by Ted Hendricks (Scott) the antagonist of the film. He’s a ruthless corporate cliché who sets his crosshairs on Walter from the get go.

Walter receives a package from photographer and deified badass Sean O’Connell containing his latest pictures for the magazine. Said to be included is frame 25, the greatest picture Sean has ever taken; the problem is that it’s not there.

With heavy pressure from Ted, and a bit of a push from Cheryl, Walter decides to embark on a journey in the real world that is far more climactic and daring than any of his fantasies trying to track down the elusive Sean O’Connell and retrieve the missing frame. He travels across the world, always in the shadow of Sean’s footsteps, and along the way, and rather inadvertently, transforms into the hero of his daydreams.

The movie overall was very uplifting and the music matched the emotional tone of the film, which I think really added to its emotional power. The extremely dramatic nature of Walter’s fantasies was really something. There was one scene that particularly caught my attention in which Kristen Wiig performs a version of Bowie’s Major Tom and the entire scene was absolutely serene. It had me smiling ear to ear and cheering aloud, along with 80 percent of the audience.

I give it a three because there were a few times it almost lost me. I remember thinking, “OK, OK I get it, let’s move forward” but like I said, that only happened a few times. Its PG rating should give away that it’s very subtle and at times a little fluffy. Ben Stiller really nails it in front of and behind the camera. I also thought it was particularly entertaining how he made himself go from puny, pathetic and repulsively boring to super model status as the film progressed. If I were directing myself, I would too! His performance was extremely charming, and the film overall was a huge achievement visually.

Sean Penn, who shows up for 10 seconds (it seems like) somehow manages to steal the show and absolutely knocked it out of the park. Kristen Wiig really outdid herself as well. You fall in love with her character almost instantly. The sequencing of the film was fluent and smooth. The plot moves exactly as you want to, and where you want it. The ending was an explosive crescendo that left me perfectly satisfied. Minus the few hiccups of temporary boredom, I loved it.

Overall, it was a fun movie and I recommend it to those whose imagination runs wild like mine.

South Lake Tahoe resident Jeremy Miller has more movie reviews online.

South Tahoe Little League is looking for players.

Sign ups are:

Jan. 13 from 5-7pm at Kahle Community Center;

Jan. 31 from 5-7pm at South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena;

Feb. 10 from 5-7pm at Kahle Community Center;

Feb. 26 from 5-7pm at South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena.

It’s also possible to register online.

Little League offers five divisions of baseball for girls and boys ages 4½ (as of April 30) to 12. Player must not turn 13 before May 1.

For more info, contact Leianna Daley at STNLL2014@gmail.com.

By Natalie Cullen, AP

CARSON CITY — Nevada’s largest casinos, still climbing out of the recession, suffered a combined net loss of $1.35 billion in 2013, marking the fifth straight year without an overall profit, state regulators reported Friday.

But there was some positive news in the annual abstract report released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which looks at the total revenue of casinos that gross more than $1 million in gambling revenue.

The total revenue of the 263 casinos included in this year’s report rose for the third consecutive year, to $23 billion. That’s an increase of 0.4 percent, or $99.2 million, from 2012.

While the casinos’ losses grew by 11.2 percent or $136 million, a control board analyst said much of that was tied to increased expenses.

“For the state, an increase in revenue was primarily driven by gambling,” said Mike Lawton, senior analyst with the control board. “But due to an increase in expenses, the net loss for the state increased.”

Total revenue is the money patrons spent on gambling, rooms, food, beverage and entertainment.

Net income or loss is what casinos retain after expenses have been paid, but before deductions for federal income taxes and accounting for extraordinary expenses.

On the Las Vegas Strip, Nevada’s gambling mecca of posh resorts, the losses narrowed, and for the first time since 2007, the growth of gambling revenue outpaced the growth from other aspects such as hotel rooms, food, beverages and entertainment.

The Strip’s gambling revenue of $5.7 billion was up 3.5 percent from 2012, while the Strip’s total revenue of $15.5 billion rose 1.7 percent. It’s the 15th straight year in which Strip gambling revenue made up less than half of all revenue, a trend indicative of a tourism market where visitors come for other recreational activities besides gambling.

“It’s a positive for the Strip,” Lawton said. “Revenues increased and the net loss decreased.”

Statewide, the large casinos’ $10.4 billion in gambling revenue rose 1.1 percent and accounted for 45 percent of total revenue, the second lowest percentage ever recorded.

Nevada casinos haven’t posted a net profit since 2008, when profits totaled $721 million. The bottom fell out a year later as the recession put a chokehold on the economy. Casinos in 2009 had a loss of nearly $6.8 billion.

Before the current string of yearly losses, the only other net loss recorded by Nevada casinos was in fiscal year 2002, after the Sept. 11 attacks.

The 263 casinos included in this year’s report paid $804 million in gambling taxes and fees.

Most of the casinos are in Clark County, which includes the Las Vegas Strip. The 150 Clark County casinos included in the report had a combined net loss of $1.3 billion on total revenue of $20.6 billion.

Elsewhere in the state, Washoe County casinos reported a profit of $719,000, while the 18 casinos in Elko County had $42.7 million in combined net income. Five casinos on the south shore of Lake Tahoe had a net loss of $90 million, while the Carson Valley Area that encompasses Carson City and parts of Douglas county netted $7 million.

National Geographic’s new TV show “The Legend of Mick Dodge” will be shown Jan. 14 at 7pm at Tunnel Creek Café in Incline Village.

Following the 30-minute episode will be live call-in with Dodge. The conversation will continue among those who turn out.

The showing is free.

Dodge and Incline Village resident Jacquie Chandler created a movement called the Earthgym. Movements designed by the two inspired many other people to step outside into the EARTHgym and share a quest for fitness, freedom and a personal, respectful relationship with the Earth.

By USSA

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. – David Wise (Reno) clinched a nomination to the first U.S. Freeskiing Olympic team Sunday with his victory in the snowy halfpipe final at the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix presented by the North Face at Breckenridge.

Adverse weather forced officials to reschedule the halfpipe final twice, but the competition commenced Sunday despite heavy snow. Canadian skier Mike Riddle landed second, with French freeskier Kevin Rolland stealing the third podium spot from X Games legend Simon Dumont (Bethel, Maine).

An impressive roster of U.S. skiers made the 16-man final, including rookies Alex Ferreira (Aspen) and Lyman Currier (Boulder, Colo.), who finished eighth and 10th, as well as Broby Leeds (Vail) and Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, Colo.), in 14th and 15th.

Sunday’s final also marked the end of the FIS World Cup tour for halfpipe skiing. Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, Colo.) took second in the World Cup halfpipe overall standings based on cumulative points earned throughout the tour.

Canadian Justin Dorey claimed the FIS World Cup halfpipe title and the crystal globe while teammate Mike Riddle finished third.

Wise’s Winning run: Double cork 1260, rightside 900, leftside 900, rightside 720, switch 720, alley-oop flatspin 540

“I’m so happy we got the event off. It’s never a good thing to take a qualifier and turn it into a final, so I think all the riders had that mentality,” Wise said. “Now the pressure is off I can work on my runs a little more and maybe work on some things I still need to hone in for Sochi.”

By USSA

VALLNORD, Andorra -– Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, Vt.) closed out the Olympic selection period for snowboardcross with a third-place finish in the FIS Snowboard World Cup Sunday in Vallnord.

It was Jacobellis’s second podium of the debut World Cup weekend at the Andorran resort, where Czech rider Eva Samkova took the victory Sunday.

Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, Mich.) led the U.S. men in eighth, while Omar Visintin of Italy took the men’s victory.

Four U.S. women finished in the top 20, including Jackie Hernandez (Londonderry, Vt.) in 12th, Callan Chythlook-Sifsof (Girdwood, Alaska) 15th and Faye Gulini (Salt Lake City) 16th.

Veteran rider Shaun Palmer (South Lake Tahoe), aiming for another shot at the Olympics after missing a spot on the 2010 team due to a late injury, finished 17th.

Alex Tuttle (Stratton, Maine) rode into 23rd while two-time Olympic champion Seth Wescott (Sugarloaf, Maine) finished 31st in a
 valiant comeback attempt after a March knee injury.

Trevor Jacob (Mammoth), Alex Deibold (Manchester Center, Vt.), Nate Holland (Squaw Valley) and Jacobellis have each scored a top-four finish, making them eligible for Olympic team nomination. Full team nominations will be announced later in January.