·       South Lake Tahoe is hosting a public meeting July 28 from 5:30-7:30pm for the community to review three initial design concepts for future improvements to Regan Beach. The meeting is at the Recreation and Swim Complex in the Gym located at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd.

·       Tahoe Donner teamed up with the Tahoe Donner 4 Wheelers Club to create the Sierra 4×4 Trails and Ales event this month. In total, $2,165 was raised for the Tahoe Donner Giving Fund.

·     The Lowell Fire is sending smoke into the Truckee area on Monday night. Experts recommend people. limit outdoor activities in smoky conditions. The fire poses no threat to Truckee.

·       Here is the El Dorado-Tahoeroadwork schedule from Caltrans for this week.

El Dorado County Senior Legal Services is hosting a series of legal seminars in South Lake Tahoe for seniors during September and October.

The seminar series, entitled Planning for the Future, will provide information about financial and health planning. Individuals may attend the series or just one class. Reservations are not required.

Each seminar session is free, although the county said it would accept donations. Legal services is part of El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency.

The seminar sessions will be held as follows:

• Estate Planning for Almost Everyone — Sept. 24 from 1:30-3pm at the Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. This training includes an overview of wills, trusts and probate. Learn how to plan for a transfer of your estate to your loved ones.
• You Have the Power: Powers of Attorney and Advanced Health Care Directives — Oct. 1 from 1:30-3pm at the Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd.. This training will help people learn the importance of advanced health care directives and powers of attorney documents, and how to prepare them.
• Long Term Planning for Long Term Care — Oct. 8 from 1:30-3pm at the Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. This training will include a frank discussion about the likelihood of needing long term care, types of care and how to pay for it. A look at both private and public options, including Medi-Cal eligibility and recovery.

For more information about the seminars or Senior Legal Services, call 530.621.6154.

Climate change, forests, and fire: what do current trends mean for resource management in the Sierra Nevada? is the topic of a talk by Hugh Safford on Aug. 4.

Safford is a regional ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service. He will summarize trends in climatic change from the past, present, and projected future, and discuss how these interact with wildfire and other disturbances and stressors to influence terrestrial ecosystems. Focus will be principally on vegetation, plant diversity, and a few key animal species, but effects on other factors like carbon, water, and soil will also be outlined. Safford will discuss implications of these trends for resource management in the Sierra Nevada.

The free talk is sponsored by Friends of the Library. The event at the South Lake Tahoe Library, 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd., starts at 6pm.

As vice president, Al Gore took time to stroll around the Taylor Creek Visitor Center and pause for an interview aside the Lake of the Sky Amphitheater stage.
Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society

In July 1997, President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore were at Lake Tahoe to launch what became the $1.7 billion environmental improvement program. VP Gore took time to stroll around the Taylor Creek Visitor Center and pause for an interview aside the Lake of the Sky Amphitheater stage.

Lake of the Sky Amphitheater on the South Shore. Photo/Bill Kingman

The amphitheater, which is owned and operated by the U.S. Forest Service, was remodeled about 10 years later. The single 1997 stage was in the area between the twin structures. Lake Tahoe Community College has had commencement ceremonies at this site.

— Bill Kingman

Through Sept. 16, residents and visitors may enter to win $500 cash and weekly prize packages at more than 25 participating Kings Beach retailers, restaurants and recreation outlets.

The We’re Open You Win Contest is North Tahoe Business Association’s way to encourage people to visit and spend money in the area.

Participants must fill out an entry form and put it in the contest box. Every Wednesday now through Sept. 16 a drawing will take place for a package valued at more than $100. All non-winning entries will qualify for the grand prize of $500 cash. For a list of participating contest locations and contest rules, go online.

Volunteers are being sought for El Dorado County’s Certified Long-Term Care Ombudsmen Program.

Ombudsmen are advocates who visit residents of long-term care facilities to ensure quality of life and quality care for the residents.

There are approximately 40 long-term care facilities in El Dorado County.

Ombudsman candidates are required to complete 36 hours of training at no cost. Training begins in October in Placerville. Those interested in becoming an Ombudsman, or receiving more information about the program, may call 530.621.6271.

·       Invasive Species Awareness Day at Grover Hot Springs State Park in Markleeville is July 29 from 10am-2pm. The Alpine/Upper Carson Cooperative Weed Management Group is hosting the event. There will be presentations, an introduction to the planned native demonstration garden, a weed pull in the meadow, and lunch. Bring gloves, sturdy shoes and water. For more info and to RSVP, contact Nicole Lutkemuller at awg.nicole@gmail.com or 530.694.2327.

·       Actor-stuntman Chris Gann will be in “The Chosen” and then TNT’s drama series “Agent X”. Gann is originally from Reno and got his start as a professional Jet Ski racer at Lake Tahoe.

·      The South Lake Tahoe Library will host the Fratello Marionettes on July 31. The free show starts at 3pm at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd in South Lake Tahoe.

·       State Sen. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado, is having a community coffee on Aug. 4 from 10-11am at Wild Cherries Coffee House in Truckee.

·       The inaugural Basque Fry is Aug. 15 from 11am-3pm at Corley Ranch in Gardnerville. A slew of Republicans will be at the event hosted by Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt. More info is on this flyer.

·       The Governing Board of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency on July 22 unanimously approved the Tahoe Valley Area Plan for South Lake Tahoe.

·       The Championship Golf Course in Incline Village has various demo days. The next is July 25. For more info, go online.

·       The 5th annual Aviation Roundup at the Minden airport is Aug. 22-23 featuring Air Force Thunderbirds, Team Rocket, Bill Stein, Kyle Franklin, Matt Younkin, Manfred Radius, and Dan Buchanan. Gates open at 10am.

·       The 8th annual Conservation Landscape Tour is Aug. 19 from 4:30-7:30pm. Check-in is at the demonstration garden at Lake Tahoe Community College starting at 4:15pm. The event is free. For more info, contact Sarah Bauwens at 530.543.1501, ext.126 or sbauwens@tahoercd.org.

·      South Lake Tahoe Library on July 24 will host the summer reading club performance Wild Things. The free show starts at 2pm at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd in South Lake Tahoe. Wild Things Inc. will bring a mix of wild animals and share with children a message of conservation and appreciation for wild animals.

Reflections of Life and Loss, Barton Hospice’s grief support group, has changed meeting dates and times.

People who have experienced the loss of a loved one or endured a significant, life-altering event are encouraged to attend. This group teaches attendees how to cope with certain situations and encourages emotional connections with others. It can improve a participant’s mood and decrease psychological distress.

The meeting times are the second and fourth Thursday of every month from noon-1:30pm at 2092 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 600, South Lake Tahoe.

For more info, contact Tina Bruess at 530.543.5592.

Students who want to apply for admission to the Lake Tahoe Basin Fire Academy at Lake Tahoe Community College for fall must attend a mandatory orientation meeting on Aug. 5 at 6pm in the college board room.

Based on student demand, there may be a random lottery for available seats in the fire academy. Students will not be eligible for the lottery unless they attend this orientation meeting.

Interested students must also complete certain prerequisites in order to be eligible.

The program is three academic quarters. At completions cadets have training hours necessary to apply for firefighter 1 certification through the California Fire Marshal’s Office. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for employment as a firefighter.

For more information, contact Leona Allen at 530.541.4660, ext. 554 or lallen@mail.ltcc.edu