·      WalletHub ranked Nevada the second best state for a road trip.

·      Classical music scores from the hit PBS TV-series “Downtown Abbey,” Hollywood classics “Sense and Sensibility,” and the Hitchcock masterpiece “Psycho” along with flamenco and dance-inspired symphonies will highlight the second weekend of Lake Tahoe SummerFest. Ana Vidović, premier classical guitarist of her generation, along with Jeremy McCoy, a critically acclaimed double bass player with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, are the guest artists Aug. 7-9.

·       The Granite Chief Wilderness Protection League had created a website and Facebook page to bring awareness to what the proposed Squaw Valley-Alpine gondola would mean to the Granite Chief Wilderness area.

·      SMC Contracting and Lake Tahoe Hard Rock have agreed to mediation regarding payment for the work done at the Stateline hotel-casino. Talks are scheduled for August.

·      Me and Bobby McGee will be at the Boathouse Theatre on the South Shore on July 15 at 7:30pm. For more info, go online.

National Football League hall of famer Steve Young and former head coach and current ESPN analyst Herm Edwards will be addressing the Tahoe Douglas and South Lake Tahoe rotary clubs during the second annual Breakfast with Celebrities.

The July 15 event is at MontBleu in Stateline.

In addition to socializing, Young and Edwards will be fielding questions from those in attendance.

Tickets are $30 and include breakfast. They may be purchased online.

Lake Tahoe Historical Society is hosting a fireside chat with Roberta Mason and Tom Davis on July 15.

The free talk will be at Lake Tahoe Airport beginning at 7pm.

Mason will be talking about higher education and Davis about entertainers who have visited the South Shore. Mason last year retired from the Lake Tahoe Community College board. She was an original member and was instrumental in getting the college built. Davis is on the City Council. He many years working in the Stateline casinos.

For more information, call 530.541.5458.

The Nevada Department of Transportation will reduce Highway 28 eastbound entering the Incline Village roundabout from two to one lane in an effort to enhance safety.

Currently, two travel lanes are in place on Highway 28 east entering the roundabout intersection with Mount Rose Highway. Beginning July 14, temporary pavement markings will be placed to reduce the eastbound highway to one lane. The traffic configuration will be evaluated and, if effective, could be delineated with permanent roadway striping in the future.

“Traffic roundabouts such as this can be instrumental in reducing severe crashes and helping keep traffic flowing through an intersection,” NDOT District Engineer Thor Dyson said in a statement. “But, we continue to see signs of speeding or unsafe merging into the roundabout. Traffic safety and mobility are our top priorities. For safety, the reduced lanes will be tested as a way to slow speeds and help keep drivers in the roundabout safe and mobile.”

NDOT, in partnership with the Tahoe Transportation District, constructed the $2.4 million roundabout in 2012.

In October 2014, Then & Now highlighted Jack Van Sickle’s Crescent V Ranch near Stateline. Since then, I’ve come across remarkable photos of how fast areas like that can change.

An aerial view of South Lake Tahoe in 1940. Photo/U.S. Geological Survey

As early as 1940, the T-bone meeting of today’s Park Avenue at Highway 50 existed (just below center in the photo), as did the Pioneer Trail off-shoot seen to the right. The large blank area above Highway 50 was Jack Van Sickle’s Crescent V Ranch.

Development in South Lake Tahoe in the 1950s started changing the look of the area. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society

Ten years later, that junction shows the historic Cecil’s Market facing what is now Tahoe Tom’s gas station, the round-roof quonset hut Lakeside Theatre to the right, as well as the original Tahoe Drive-In Theatre seen in snow on Van Sickle’s spread. Its entrance driveway became more of Park Avenue in the Crescent V Shopping Center.

The Park Avenue area of South Lake Tahoe in 2015. Photo/Google Earth

Today, Park Avenue above Highway 50 is renamed Heavenly Village Way and the Crescent V Center named after Jack Van Sickle’s ranch in 1962 now is named the Village Center.

Near Covina in 1940. Photo/Ed Crook collection

Near Covina in 1959. Photo/Ed Crook collection

For comparison, see how quickly development occurred in Southern California within only 19 years — 1940-1959 — near Covina.

— Bill Kingman

·      For more info about what to do when it floods, go online.

·      Water has been shut off at the outdoor showers and rinse stations at California State Parks in a quest to save 18 million gallons of water a year.

·       The IVGID board of trustees will discuss Diamond Peak’s future on July 15 at 6pm at the Chateau in Incline Village.

·       The EPA is adding Topaz Lake along the California-Nevada board to a list of impaired waters based on high mercury levels in fish.

·       Richard Steadman, former orthopedist at Barton Health, has been inducted into the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s Hall of Fame.

The annual Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care open house is Aug. 2 from 10am-4pm.

There is no admission charge, but donations are gratefully accepted.

Also, LTWC signature wear will be on sale.

LTWC is at 1485 Cherry Hills Circle, South Lake Tahoe.

Truckee’s  Social Host Liability Ordinance took effect July 9. It aims to reduce underage drinking and substance abuse.

In 2014, the Truckee Tahoe Unified School District administered the California Healthy Kids Survey and found that the alcohol and marijuana use rates for our local students were  8 to 13 percent higher than the California average. The Social Host Liability Ordinance prohibits anyone from hosting, or allowing, a party/gathering to be hosted upon public or private party where those younger than 21 are using or consuming alcohol, marijuana, or controlled substances.

If a violation occurs, the host will receive an administrative citation and fine.

To report an event where underage drinking may be occurring, call 530.550.2320.

The 30th annual Great Gatsby Festival is Aug. 8-9 at the Tallac Historic Site on the South Shore.

This free annual event includes living history tours, vendors selling vintage clothing and jewelry, jazzy music, speakeasy, silent auction, food and more.

That Sunday from 2-4pm is the Great Gatsby Tea & Fashion Show on the lawn of Valhalla. This year’s fashion show theme is Grit & Glamor, portraying historic characters of the 1930s from movie stars to working women. Reservations required – call 530.544.7383. Tickets are $65.

The clothing exhibit will be in the Twin Cabins of the Pope Estate.

The event is from 10am-4pm each day.

CASA El Dorado is hosting a free concert at Lakeview Commons in South Lake Tahoe on Aug. 14 from 4:30-8pm.

The CASA fundraiser will feature two local bands: Howlen Wynd and Strange Weather.

There will be local vendors, a beer and wine garden, a live/silent auction, raffle prizes and more.

For more information, contact Alexis Foley at 530.573.3093 or alexis@casaeldorado.org.