·       Since 2001, more than 300,000 Christmas trees have been recycled throughout Nevada.

·       Placer County Public Health Officer Robert Oldham has been appointed to California’s Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee.

·       Douglas County Library in Zephyr Cove will be close Jan. 1.  The library will resume its regular schedule Jan. 2 at 9am.

·       Tahoe Maritime Museum is having an open house Dec. 28 from 3-5pm in Tahoe City. RSVP to info@tahoemaritime.org.

There will be two public workshops and scoping meetings early next year regarding the Kings Beach State Recreation Area General Plan Revision and Kings Beach Pier Reconstruction Project

The first is at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach on Jan. 12 from 6-8:30pm.

A second scoping meeting will be before the TRPA Advisory Planning Commission at TRPA’s offices in Stateline on Feb. 10 beginning at 9:30am.

·       BlueGo is offering free rides on some routes from now until Jan. 3. For more info, go online.

·       South Lake Tahoe clears the class 1 bike paths when 3 or more inches of snow have fallen. In an effort to evaluate the costs for the services, the city is asking people to take this survey.

·       Disabled Sports USA Far West, a nonprofit organization providing specialized sports instruction for people with physical, sensory and intellectual challenges has changed its name to Achieve Tahoe.

·      East West Resorts based in the Vail Valley is now East West Destination Hospitality. In Lake Tahoe, the company offers a variety of North Lake Tahoe vacation rentals, including luxury residences in the Village at Northstar and at Old Greenwood.

·      Natasha Shue, publisher of the Tahoe Daily Tribune, is leaving in January to work in Barton Health’s marketing department.

·      The children’s memorial is South Lake Tahoe is decorated for the holidays.

·      Truckee is offering free curbside pickup of Christmas trees form Jan. 11-15. Trees must be cut into 3-foot segments and be clean of all decorations including tinsel, flocking, lights, stands, and nails.

·      Here is the Sierra roadwork schedule from Caltrans for the week.

·       Tahoe City and North Tahoe public utility districts are considering forming one district.

·       Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care now has three cubs. The latest bear arrived Dec. 18 after his mom was hit by a car near Fresno and had to be euthanized.

South Lake Tahoe is missing a street — Laurel Avenue.

The Thunderbird Lodge was prominent on Laurel Avenue in the 1960s. Photo/South Lake Tahoe

The Thunderbird Motel stood at 4123 Laurel Avenue near the state line.

Laurel Avenue ran diagonally between Friday Avenue, where the yellow X is, and Stateline Avenue, at about mid-Harveys. Photo/Google

The remains of the Thunderbird at 4123 Laurel Ave. on April 19, 2007. Photo/Bill Kingman

In 2007, the Chateau project called for the removed of all buildings on Laurel Avenue and the avenue itself. At that time the development was to be two hotels, a convention center, retail and open space. At more than $400 million it was to be the most expensive development project in the history of South Lake Tahoe. That was pre-bankruptcy.

The X marks where Laurel Avenue was.  Photo/Google/April 2015

Renamed Zalanta, one of the hotels is under construction. Photo/Bill Kingman

The last Laurel Avenue street sign. Photo/Bill Kingman

The final vestige of Laurel Avenue — its street sign — was removed in November 2015.

— Bill Kingman

·       Truckee is offering free transit on New Year’s Eve. For more info, go online.

·       IVGID will have curbside Christmas tree recycling Jan. 4-8. Trees must be cut into 3-foot or smaller sections.

·       There will be a court hearing Jan. 22 about the California fire tax. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is asking for the judge’s approval of the class notice. The hearing is in Sacramento Superior Court, 720 9th St., Sacramento at 10am.

·       El Dorado County has updated budget information about special districts. Information is online.

·       International accreditation was awarded to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Science Division’s Breath Alcohol Section.

A series of free business planning workshops, for eligible businesses with five or fewer employees (including business owner), will begin in El Dorado County starting the week of Jan. 21.

Qualifying start-up and existing small businesses may attend the workshops at no cost. Businesses must be located in the unincorporated area of El Dorado County and not exceed the following income limits for the following household sizes: one person, $40,050; two people, $45,800; three people, $51,500; four people, $57,200; five people, $61,800; and six people, $66,400.

This seven-week workshop series will provide participants with critical information to help their business grow and thrive. Topics include a wide range of technical assistance areas including writing a business plan, managing business finances, branding and marketing, and access to capital.

In addition to the workshop series, participants will be encouraged to take advantage of free and confidential one-on-one business consulting through the Sierra Small Business Development Center.

Space is limited at the workshop series and pre-registration is required. To enroll, contact Emily Kornhauser at 530.582-.5022 orEkornhauser@sierrabusiness.org.

·       Sierra-at-Tahoe’s avi dogs will be at the Solstice Plaza from 2-4pm on Dec. 19.

·       The SnowSport Safety Foundation has ranked area ski resorts for safety. The results are online.

·       Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District is sharing this video about Christmas tree fires.

·       Lisa Carbonell, an obgyn, has joined Barton Women’s Health.

·      The Douglas County Community Services Foundation is trying to raise money for Douglas County Community and Senior Center by auctioning a 1967 Mustang. The highest and final bid takes the vehicle home Dec. 31. To place a bid, call 775.782.9829.

·       Truckee Fire Protection District is hosting a community meeting Jan. 14 to discuss the wildfire protection plan. It will be from 6-9pm at the Truckee Town Hall.

·      The California controller has update the Government Compensation in California website to include 2014 self-reported data for cities and counties. The data covers 602,377 positions and more than $36 billion in wages in 2014 for 54 counties and 468 cities.

·      Truckee Police Department is asking residents to take this community survey.

·       Phil Horan has been appointed to the Incline Village General Improvement District seat that was vacated by Bill Devine.

·       Consumer finance site NerdWallet has released the second edition of its report, “Best Places for Young Families in Northern California,” and out of 202 places, Truckee ranked 23.

The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department is accepting applications for the next session of STAT: South Tahoe Action Teams.

This program is for community members to be trained by the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department as responders during times of crisis.

Curriculum will include nine hours of instruction taught by members of the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department.  Applicants will be expected to commit their time and will be called upon in times of natural disaster, large scale emergencies and times of need in the South Lake Tahoe area.

STAT team members to be well versed in command structure, emergency first aid, lifting/moving techniques, use of extinguishers, flood safety and building collapse.

Classes are Wednesdays from 6-9pm, Jan. 13, 20, 27.

Applications are available online and are due Jan. 6.