·      Placer County continues to hold the top spot among California counties for quality of life, according to results from the ninth annual County Health Rankings.

·      The Aviation Roundup at the Minden-Tahoe Airport returns Oct. 13-14 with showcase performances by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

·      The creators of the AlertTahoe mountaintop fire camera network, the Nevada Seismological Lab, received the CENIC 2018 Innovations in Networking Award for Experimental Applications. The award is in recognition of their work to bring advanced information technology and telecommunications to help firefighting managers in their efforts to prevent and contain California and Nevada wildfires.

·      South Lake Tahoe Fire Department is sponsoring a community blood drive at Fire Station 3 located at 2101 Lake Tahoe Blvd. on March 26 from 9am to 1pm. Bring a photo ID and eat and drink before donating. For more information, contact Capt. Kim George at 530.307.9596.

·      April 1 is the deadline to apply for the Kevin Murnane Scholarship. For more info, go online.

El Dorado County District Attorneys Office is partnering with Lyft to encourage local residents to use safe rides to reduce impaired driving during this St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

On March 16 and March 17, Lyft will provide discounted rides in the greater Sacramento area, including El Dorado and Placer counties. New users can enter the code 2018RIDESAFE in the app for $10 off the first two rides, and existing users may claim 10 percent off one ride with the code RIDESAFEELDORADO.

Impaired driving remains a serious problem throughout the state and in El Dorado County, which was fourth worst in total fatal and injury collisions in 2015, according to the DA. In California, there were 17,390 injury collisions involving alcohol in 2015. That same year, there were 122 alcohol-involved injuries or fatalities in El Dorado County.

·      Truckee’s electeds approved a Raley’s grocery store to be built at Soaring Way and Highway 267.

·      Tahoe Truckee Unified will be hosting two parent meetings to discuss school safety. The first is March 28 at 5:30pm at Truckee High, then the following night at the same time at North Tahoe High.

·      Zephyr Cove Library is hosting an after school movie program on March 28 at 4pm. “A Bug’s Life” (rated G) will be shown on a big screen in the meeting room. The movie and popcorn are free.

·      Tahoe Donner’s Lodge Restaurant & Pub was recognized by OpenTable as a 2018 Diners’ Choice winner for the fifth consecutive year. The Lodge was voted among the highest restaurants in North Lake Tahoe in the following categories: Best Value, Best Service, Best Ambiance, Best Food and Best Overall.

While the public makes plans to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the California Highway Patrol is preparing to keep the roadways free of impaired drivers.

Last year on St. Patrick’s Day, the CHP made 148 driving under the influence arrests. Three people were killed and 66 people were injured as a result of DUI collisions.

The CHP recommends these steps to avoid impaired driving:

• Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver or have an alternate transportation plan before you go out to drink.
• If you are hosting a party, serve plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages. Stop serving alcohol a few hours before the end of the party.
• If you see a friend who is too drunk to drive, take their keys and call them a cab or ride-share, or give them a ride home.
• If you see a suspected impaired driver, call 911. Your phone call may save someone’s life.

·      Lake Valley Fire Protection District will be hosting its 3rd annual Community Easter Egg Hunt on April 1 at 10am at Tahoe Paradise Park in Meyers. There will be 10,000 eggs. Find golden eggs to win a prize. Call 530.577.3737 for more information.

·      There will be a blood drive at Whittell High School on March 20 from 8:30am-2pm in the gym. Sign up online.

·       “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” will be staged at South Tahoe High School on March 23-25 and March 29-31. The Sunday show is at 2pm, the rest are at 7pm. Tickets are available online.

·      Bob Leri, superintendent of Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, will give the state of the district address on March 20, 5:30pm at Olympic Village Lodge in Squaw Valley.

·      Tahoe Fund and Tahoe Water Suppliers Association raised $52,000 for the Tahoe Resource Conservation District to purchase at least 150 bottom barriers, and other necessary supplies, for the control of aquatic invasive species at Lake Tahoe. 

Liberty Utilities will host a free solar for homeowners and small businesses workshop next month to provide information on solar energy as well as its solar incentive program.

Th workshop will be April 5 from 6-7pm at BaseCamp Conference Center in Olympic Valley.

Utility representatives will be available to discuss various aspects of installing and using solar energy for residential and small business facilities. Anyone may attend, but only Liberty Utilities customers are eligible to apply for the utility’s solar program. The program provides cash incentives to offset the cost of installing solar panels. Schools within Liberty’s service territory are also eligible.

Representatives will also discuss energy efficiency options available through Liberty Utilities, including free energy audits to identify ways homeowners and businesses can save on energy use and costs.

·      South Lake Tahoe is asking people to take this survey about changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.

·      To help teachers and parents teach healthy habits to children before age 5, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension recently launched the Healthy Kids Resource Center website.

·      The Grouch plus Pure Powers and ZP Ratik, and DJ Van Gloryus have been rescheduled for March 30 at Whiskey Dicks in South Lake Tahoe. Doors open at 9pm. Must be 21 to attend. Tickets are $25.

·      The Truckee Planning Commission on March 27 will hear the draft cannabis regulations at 6pm at the town hall.

·      The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors on March 13 are expected to vote whether to add Barton Health to the Cal-Tahoe board of directors, which oversees the ambulance service on the South Shore.

·      The Diamond Peak Uphill/Downhill Dash is being expanded into a full weekend of fun, March 30-April 1. Race to the top of the mountain using whatever human-powered method you prefer: skins, snowshoes, running shoes, etc. Then ski, snowboard, snowshoe, or run back down to the finish line. For those of a less competitive nature, a recreational course will be available.

·      The 13th annual Tahoe Symphony Orchestra Winter Fest starts March 25. For details, go online.

·      Lake Tahoe Historical Society’s fireside chat speaker is Jan Loverin who will talk about A Brief History of Underwear. The event is March 13 at 7pm at the lodge at Camp Richardson. It is free for members, $3 for others.

·      Lake Tahoe Unified School District’s board of education on March 13 is expected to approve a 1 percent raise for all district employees retroactive to July 1, 2017.

Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a nine-day trip to northern Italy starting Oct. 15.

The trip is $3,399 if booked by March 31. 

Details will be presented at an informational session on April 3 from 5:30-7pm at the chamber office in Stateline. Attendees will hear from travel expert Oliver Bergeron with CI Destinations, while enjoying a complimentary glass of wine.

To attend the meeting, register online. The website is also where more information about the trip is located.

Participants do not have to be chamber members.

·      Former El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Steve Bailey has responded to allegations of misconduct. Here are his answers.

·      Sara Colborn is now principal of Truckee Elementary School.    

·      The Zephyr Cove Library is hosting a movie program on March 17 at 2pm. “Matilda” (rated PG) will be shown on a big screen in the meeting room. The movie and popcorn are free.

·      University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Nevada section of the Society for Range Management are accepting applications for the Nevada Youth Range Camp on June 17-23. Applications must be submitted by April 27. For more info and to apply, go online.

·      Here is the El Dorado-Tahoe roadwork schedule from Caltrans for the week.