The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority and South Tahoe Refuse and Recycling are teaming up to make giving to Christmas Cheer easier than ever.

The LTVA’s Drive and Drop for Christmas Cheer takes place Dec. 7-12 from 9am-5pm. Drive through the visitor center parking lot at 3066 Highway 50, South Lake Tahoe, and drop donations of food or toys into the bins provided by South Tahoe Refuse.

South Tahoe Refuse is also having a community food and toy drive Dec. 7-11. Leave canned/packaged food or toys curbside on your regular collection day, or drop off at STR, 2140 Ruth Ave., during business hours.

Christmas Cheer feeds more than 450 families all year.

Minden was founded in 1906 on Dangberg Ranch property by Heinrich Friedrich Dangberg Jr., who named it after a town in Germany near his father’s birthplace.

Looking west down Esmeralda Avenue in 1935 in Minden. Photo/Courtesy of Francisco’s

The white columns barely visible at the far end of the street (between the trees) front the Douglas County offices.

Minden retains its small-town feel. Photo/Bill Kingman

Built 105 years ago in 1910, “The Heidlberg” (as spelled on its outdoor plaque) building has been a saloon/bar, card parlor, soda fountain, grocery store, and several restaurants, including Francisco’s Mexican today. The three-story block building across at left is the CVIC Hall.

Gardnerville was established in 1879. While Gardner Mountain at the South Shore is named after lumberman Matthew C. Gardner, former Nevada State Archivist Guy Rocha clarifies how the nearby town of Gardnerville actually got its name in this article.

An event in Gardnerville in 1900 at the “S” curve on the main road. Photo/Douglas County

That same building still stands today. It is Frontier Antiques. Photo/Bill Kingman

— Bill Kingman

·       The trial for Gilbert Wetenkamp, who is accused of killing a bear on the South Shore in July, is scheduled to start Jan. 8 in El Dorado County Superior Court.

·       NCE, a civil and environmental engineering firm headquartered in Reno with regional offices located throughout California, received the PSMJ 2015 circle of excellence award.

·       South Tahoe High School students Kylee Lyons, Jackson Kuzmik, Allee Zaccor, Georgillis Ortega and Ryan Newberger were accepted into the Western International Band Clinic Honor Band.

·       Here are the El Dorado-Tahoe and Sierra roadwork schedules from Caltrans for next week.

·      On Aug. 15, Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call. On Dec. 8, the Nevada Department of Transportation will ceremonially dedicate the approximately nine-mile Carson City Freeway in the deputy’s name.

·      South Lake Tahoe Library’s Winter Extravaganza is Dec. 12 from 10am-noon, 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd. Creation stations will be set up with fun, easy to make, seasonal decorations suitable for all ages. Santa Claus is scheduled to drop by.

·      Lake Tahoe Unified School District’s fourth-graders will be using the city pool through Dec. 17. The pool will be closed to the public between 11:15am and 12:15pm.

·       Have a drink and a snack at Cafe Spice in Truckee while meeting and mingling with fellow slow food-minded friends. This is an opportunity to meet people involved in the slow food movement in Truckee-Tahoe. Tickets for the Dec. 10, 5pm gathering are $10 for a bite and a beverage. Cafe Spice is at 11421 Deerfield Drive.

·      In honor of its 50th anniversary, South Lake Tahoe created a commemorative 123-page book. It is available for purchase at City Hall (1901 Airport Road) for $25.

·       Royal Gorge cross country ski area is open.

Douglas County Public Library is putting on a Winter Break Lego Building Challenge at the Zephyr Cove and Minden libraries between Dec. 14 and Jan. 2.

Prizes will be awarded to the first and second place winner in each age category. Children and adults may participate; one entry per person.  Children younger than 4 must use Duplo bricks. Winners will be announced Jan. 13.

The Lego Building Challenge is sponsored by the Friends of Douglas County Public Library.

Complete rules and entry forms are available online.

There will be a discussion Dec. 16 titled Uniting Tahoe’s Communities: Addressing Prosperity for Tahoe’s Residents.

It is free from noon-1:30pm in the Aspen Room at Lake Tahoe Community College

Heidi Hill Drum with the Tahoe Prosperity Center, Jesse Walker of New Economics & Advisory, and B Gorman with Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce will be the speakers.

They will delve into: What does a prosperous Tahoe look like? What does prosperity mean? How can we measure it? The Tahoe Prosperity Center mission is uniting Tahoe’s communities to strengthen regional prosperity. How does government, businesses and communities fit into that goal? What can we do to ensure Tahoe’s residents are prosperous?

Light up a Life is hosted by Barton Health’s Hospice staff to honor family members and friends who have died.

Light up a Life is a non-denominational ceremony. It will be Dec. 17 at 6pm in the North Room at Edgewood Tahoe.

Hospice staff will share readings and a remembrance message. Attendees will have the opportunity to reflect and acknowledge those who have passed. The event will culminate with the lighting of tree decorated with photo ornaments honoring individuals lost in the past year.

Hospice staff will read out loud any honorees’ names provided prior to the event.

For more information or to share an honoree, call 530.543.5592 or email tbruess@bartonhealth.org.

·      The Tahoe Rim Trail Association has added transit info to its website.

·       Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s draft Active Transportation Plan will be released for a 30-day public comment period on Jan. 15.

·      Jan Garcia has been hired as human resources director at Lake Tahoe Hard Rock.

·       Sierra Nevada College’s annual winter concert is Dec. 3-5, 7 each night at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Incline Village. Cost is $20.

·       Check out this video to learn about frostbite.

Kathryn Reed, Lake Tahoe News publisher, will be on Austin Sass’ “The High Sierra Report” to discuss the top five local stories of 2015.

The program will air on Lake Tahoe TV (available to Charter Cable customers) on Wednesdays throughout December at 1:30pm, 4:30pm and 7:30pm.

The El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency, Area Agency on Aging, in partnership with the Commission on Aging, is conducting a needs assessment survey of older adults in the community. This survey, Aging – Empowering New Horizons, will help identify needs and challenges faced by current and future seniors.

The survey results will also help the Area Agency on Aging in the planning process for senior services in El Dorado County that are part of the area plan submitted to the State.

Those who complete the survey will be asked about their experiences accessing services and resources in the county, problems or challenges they have faced related to aging or retiring in the community, demographic and other information. The online survey will run through Jan. 5.