On Jan. 6, the Slowrollers Bike Club is hosting the annual “After Christmas Christmas Party” to benefit local friend and skier Darren Johnson. Johnson was caught in an avalanche backcountry skiing near Kirkwood on Nov. 28.

The path took him over a rock cliff, and while amazingly he didn’t have any injuries from the neck down, he sustained massive head trauma. After being airlifted to Reno, surgery added a metal plate to his head, another under his left eye, which he’d almost lost. After 10 days in ICU, Johnson remained hospitalized for another 20 days and is now in a rehab unit in Las Vegas for two to three months.Despite all that trauma, he has no brain loss, but the left side of his face has extensive nerve damage.

DJ, as he’s known to friends, is an experienced backcountry skier and has skied all along the Sierra with childhood pal, Glen Plake, among others. Growing up in South Lake Tahoe with Plake, the two were featured in several Greg Stump ski films in the 1980s.

The benefit is at Mo’s Place from 6-9pm, 3600 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe.

There will be a place to make donations at the door, along with raffle and auction items.

For those who can’t make the event, an account has been set up for Darren at Bank of the West, under the name of Andy Kaufer.

Northern Nevada farmers have discovered that hoop houses can extend the growing season and increase profitability for their operations. However, little training has been available locally for this innovative method.

In response, Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute will offer a low-cost hoop house construction workshop. The daylong event is Jan. 14 from 9am-5pm at 171 Campbell Lane, at the Yerington Paiute Indian Reservation.

Cost is $35 if registered by Jan. 7 or $45 if registered after Jan. 7.Lunch is included, and seating is limited.

The workshop will feature classroom instruction and physical construction of a hoop house, using a popular design developed by Utah State University Extension. The USU hoop house, also known as a high tunnel, is constructed primarily of PVC tubing, precut rebar, greenhouse plastic and 2-by-4s.

Featured speaker is Dan Drost, USU Extension vegetable specialist and a leading researcher/educator on high tunnel production. He co-authored the construction manual for the USU hoop house and has built dozens of hoop houses at workshops in Utah and other western states.

The Yerington Paiute Tribe will host the workshop and provide construction materials for the structure, which will be used as a pilot project to show farmers and residents how hoop houses extend the growing season and protect crops. Cooperative Extension Indian Programs will provide resources and follow-up assistance on hoop house production as needed.

For workshop registration or details, contact Ann Louhela at (775) 351.2551 or email louhelaa@wnc.edu.

South Lake Tahoe AAUW will welcome members, guests and the public as the group examines geotourism and a sustainable Tahoe at the Jan. 8 meeting at 10am in the Aspen Room at Lake Tahoe Community College.

Two guest speakers will be featured. Susanne Stone, author of “Lake Tahoe, A Guidebook with a Point of View”, is a long time local who wrote her guidebook well before the word “geotourism” was popularized. Stone will talk about her book and why she wrote it.

Jacquie Chandler, executive director of Sustainable Tahoe, one of the pioneers of the geotourism movement, will speak on how this aspect of tourism can help build a durable economy and enhance local pride while also preserving authentic features of a special area.

At this meeting, a $4 optional brunch will be available as well as complimentary beverages. For more information or to reserve a spot, call (530) 541.2799 or email slocumsrus@msn.com by Jan. 6.

Orthopedic surgeon Terry Orr and physical therapist Chris Proctor will give a presentation about injury prevetnion, surgical options and sport specific conditioning on Jan. 26 from 6:30-7:30pm.

The lecture will be at Lake Tahoe Community College, Aspen Room, in South Lake Tahoe.

It is free and open to the public.

For more information, call (530) 543.5656.

Organizers of the Genoa Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival are putting the final touches on the lineup for the event’s second year — May 5-8.

Headliners committed to appear include award-winning poet Paul Zarzyski and multiple entertainer of the year winner Dave Stamey, along with Belinda Gail, Wylie & the Wild West, David John & the Comstock Cowboys, Doris Daley, Sourdough Slim and more favorites.

Alongside the entertainers, attendees will find a packed schedule of workshops and several galleries of fine western art, a Native American Center, cowboy dinners and dances and opportunities to shop for Western clothing, collectibles, jewelry and tack. There’s even a Trail Ride, with its own barbecue dinner and concert on Saturday and a special Mother’s Day Brunch and Concert offering on Sunday.

The Genoa Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival is a blend of setting, heritage and Western culture and entertainment.

Nestled at the base of the Sierra Nevada in Northern Nevada’s Carson Valley, historic Genoa, Nevada’s oldest settlement, is the site of the first ranch in Nevada and still has working cattle ranches literally steps from the town. From its 19th century beginnings, cowboys and ranching have shared work, words and music here.

Find all the festival information online.

Writing Escape Workshop: A three-hour workshop on a weekend from 10am to 1pm in downtown Truckee.

Play with language and meaning in several writing prompts, generate new material, explore craft, and inspire ourselves to develop a consistent writing practice. Each workshop is different and involves much writing.

For all levels of experience and any genre.

It costs $35 each or $60 for two. The workshops are Jan. 23, March 13 and May 14.

For more info and to sign up, contact Karen Terrey at tangledrootswriting@gmail.com or (530) 386.3901.

Monday Night Writing Workshop: A fun supportive and committed writing group that meets for six Monday nights from 6:30-8pm in downtown Truckee.

Generate new material, explore craft techniques to develop work, provide feedback, learn ways to inspire ourselves to write consistently and playfully, and write a lot.

This workshop will help you develop work in progress as well as create new work. Productive for all levels of experience and any genre. $90.

Next six-week session: Jan. 10-Feb. 14.

For more info and to sign up, contact Karen Terrey at tangledrootswriting@gmail.com or call (530) 386.3901.

Tour de California — Amgen’s multi-day cycling race — starts in South Lake Tahoe May 15, finishing at Northstar-at-Tahoe.

For more information, go online.

New Year’s Eve Celebration Dinner at Après Wine Company is Dec. 31 starting at 9pm and lasting to?

A special menu has been designed to ring in the New Year. The bubbles will be flowing freely all night with champagne toasts at 10pm, 11pm and midnight.

Cost is $159 per couple; $85 singles. Seating is limited. For menu and to RSVP, call (530) 544.9463.

G. Love & Special Sauce at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe on April 16 at 7:45pm. Opening act is Belle Brigade at 7pm.

Must be at least 21 to attend.

Tickets are $29.50.

For more South Shore Room information, show times, ticket prices and reservations, call 800.786.8208.