The season of giving continues this month as Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce hosts its annual charity mixer at Riva Grill on Jan. 15 at 5:30pm. Proceeds go to Christmas Cheer and Bread & Broth.

As many food banks are depleted after the holidays, this event helps replenish supplies for the South Shore community. Guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to receive additional raffle tickets. Guests receive five additional raffle tickets for every bag of non-perishable food items they bring to the event.

The cost is $20 for members and $30 for non-members. Guests receive one drink ticket and five raffle tickets with admission. Tickets are available online or by calling 775.588.1728.

Caltrans is resuming the Raise80 project which is increasing the vertical clearance of nine freeway overcrossings on Interstate 80 in south Placer County.

The Brace Road Overcrossing lift date and I-80 closures are scheduled for Jan. 27 and Jan. 28 from 11pm to 5am. During the lift process, all I-80 traffic in both directions will be detoured around the project. Motorists can expect an eight-mile detour.

The Brace Road Overcrossing in Placer County is the third structure to be lifted. The Brace Road overcrossing will also be closed from Jan. 25-Feb. 9.

The nine overpass structures being raised on I-80 are between Magra Road and Loomis in Placer County.

There will be a special swearing in ceremony for Sue Novasel on Jan. 8. Novasel is Lake Tahoe’s representative to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors.

El Dorado County Superior Judge Suzanne Kingsbury will conduct the ceremony in her chambers at 11am.

The courthouse is at 1354 Johnson Blvd., South Lake Tahoe. Kingsbury’s courtroom is upstairs.

• Laure Penny has been hired as the clerk to the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Penny replaces Lorraine Kabat who retired last year.

• Citizens for Sensible Development in El Dorado Hills in partnership with Save Our County has filed a petition with the El Dorado County Superior Court to reverse Board of Supervisors’ approval of the El Dorado Hills Town Center Apartments.

• Here are the roadwork schedules for Caltrans for the week for El Dorado-Tahoe and Sierra.

• Tahoe Regional Young Professionals is having a mixer Jan. 14 from 6:30-9:30pm at the Tavern at Tahoe Beach Retreat in South Lake Tahoe.

• Golden 1 Credit Union gave $2,500 to the Food Bank of El Dorado County.

• Ian Magary will talk about diabetes and the military on Feb. 3 during the monthly support group meeting at 5:30pm in the board room at Barton Memorial Hospital. For more info, call 530.543.5581.

• Lake Tahoe Preschool is having an open house Jan. 9 from 1-3pm. Lake Tahoe Preschool will be serving children age 2-6 who are potty trained. The school is at 1081 Lyons Ave., South Lake Tahoe. For more info, go online.

• Nick Carr, author of “The Shallows”, will be at the Resort at Squaw Creek on Jan. 15. Cocktail hour is at 5:30pm, the event at 6:30pm. For tickets and more info, go online.

Did you ever wonder why South Lake Tahoe doesn’t have a First Street?

It did until the early 1960s when First Street was renamed Tahoe Keys Boulevard.

The corner sign read: “Tahoe Keys … left turn … drive to the beach.”The building sign said: “Tahoe Keys Rentals … daily, weekly, monthly.”

Tahoe Keys Boulevard and Highway 50 circa 1964. Photo/Private Collection

The photo above pre-dates today’s electric traffic signal at the corner and shows the overhead wires circa 1964 along Highway 50. The gas station at far-right was a Hancock (now a 76 after many reincarnations), and distant beyond it (just left of the dark telephone pole) was the Outdoorsman (now the Grocery Outlet).

Tahoe Keys Boulevard today. Photo/Bill Kingman

Today, Tahoe Keys Boulevard has marked turn lanes with electric traffic and pedestrian signage. All Highway 50 wiring has been placed underground, as has most of the wiring along Tahoe Keys Boulevard. Notice how the trees have flourished.

— Bill Kingman

• Lake Tahoe Humane Society on Jan. 15 moves into new offices on Emerald Bay Road in South Lake Tahoe next to Brothers Bar.

• Truckee Donner Public Utility District customers may track their water use online.

• L’Atelier Hair Studio, owned by Michelle Langmayer and Shelly McMillin, just opened in Round Hill.

• Heidi Hill Drum and Bev Ducey of the Tahoe Prosperity Center will talk about what that organization is up to on Jan. 20 at 6pm at the South Lake Tahoe library.

• Incline Village General Improvement District Community Appreciation Week starts Jan. 5. Go online for more info.

Two doctors affiliated with Barton Health will be talking about low back pain prevention and treatment.

The free lecture is Jan. 15 from 6-7pm at Lake Tahoe Community College’s board room.

Alison Ganong with Tahoe Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and Mike Fry of Tahoe Fracture and Orthopedic Clinic will discuss non-surgical vs. surgical treatments.

James Hansen, former director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, is the keynote speaker at Operation Sierra Storm on Jan. 8 at Harveys in Stateline.

Hansen’s presentation will include his take on assuring real progress on climate — whether and how an international climate accord can achieve intergenerational and global justice.

His testimony on climate change to congressional committees in the 1980s helped raise broad awareness of the global warming issue. He was designated by Time magazine in 2006 as one of the 100 most influential people on Earth.

Bernice Notenboom, climate journalist, science writer will also share her latest excursions of the North Pole and discuss her film “The Arctic March” that is soon to be released.

Notenboom will talk from 7:45-9am and Hansen from 9:15-10:30am; both in the Cabaret Theatre.

Lake Tahoe Community College is seeking people to serve on an independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee for Measure F, the facilities bond that passed in November.

The committee oversees the expenditure of the $55 million bond, and acts to ensure the funds are spent in the fashion outlined in the bond resolution. The citizens’ oversight committee is a requirement in the bond language.

The COC will consist of at least seven members who serve for a term of two years without compensation, and for no more than two consecutive terms. The committee will include: a member active in a business organization representing the local business community; a member active in a senior citizens’ organization; a member active in a bona fide taxpayers’ organization; and a member who is a currently enrolled LTCC student active in a student club or organization, such as student government.

Those interested in becoming COC members should have some experience with reading and understanding basic financial reports. The COC must meet at least once a year and inform the public about the college’s bond revenue expenditures, and to report on the efficiency of those expenditures.

To apply, go online. For more info, call 530.541.4660, ext. 210.