• The Douglas County Public Library in Minden and Zephyr Cove will close Dec. 24 at 5pm and reopen Dec. 26.

• Tahoe Regional Planning Agency offices will be closed starting Dec. 24 and will reopen Jan. 5.

• Tahoe Youth & Family Services night of giving is Dec. 17-18.

• Soroptimist International South Lake Tahoe community grant applications are due Dec. 15.

• Stefanie Toutolmin, a preschool teacher at the now shuttered St. Theresa School in South Lake Tahoe, is reopening the preschool.

Today there is a ski resort called White Hills operating in Canada. Back in Tahoe history, there was a White Hills Ski Resort at the junction of highways 50 and 28 atop Spooner Summit.

White Hills Ski Resort, circa 1950. Photo/Private Collection

It lasted only six years, starting modestly in 1946. By 1950 it included a chairlift and a T-bar.

But the overwhelming snowfall of 1952 was White Hills Ski Resort’s last gasp. With access to the Lake Tahoe Basin having been shut off for nearly a month, the resort ceased operating that year.

Remnants of the resort are near the U.S. Forest Service fire station on Spooner Summit. Photo/Bill Kingman

There is barely a trace of its ski run today.

— Bill Kingman

• Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care is looking for a home for twin ferrets that are less than 1 year old. People must live in Nevada because California doesn’t allow residents to own ferrets. For more info, call 530.577.2273.

• A coyote was hit and killed by a car at Pioneer Trail and Glenwood Avenue in South Lake Tahoe this week. About 30 minutes later a 300-pound bear was hit by three cars on Highway 89 near the standup paddle shop.

• Rubicon Trail in El Dorado County is closed until further notice.

• Tahoe Standup Paddle offers these tips for being on the water in winter.

• Tahoe Science Center will be closed Dec. 24-Jan. 5.

South Lake Tahoe is looking for people to be on a variety of commissions.

The appointments are for two-year stints.

Two people are need for the Airport Land Use Commission. Applicants must have an expertise in aviation by way of education, training, business, experience, vocation, or avocation, have acquired and possesses particular knowledge of, and familiarity with, the function, operation, and role of airports, or is an elected official of a local agency which owns or operates an airport. This commission meets on an as needed basis.

Seven members are needed for the Building/ADA Board of Appeals. Applicants must be: a plumbing contractor; a heating and ventilating contractor; an electrical engineer; a general building contractor experienced in residential and commercial construction; an architect or engineer. Each shall have a valid California license and shall have a minimum of five years experience in their field. Also two members will be appointed who are physically handicapped. Applicants must reside within the Tahoe basin portion of El Dorado County. This commission meets on an as needed basis.

Five people are needed to serve on the Parks & Recreation Commission. Applicants must reside within the Tahoe basin portion of El Dorado County. The commission meets at least quarterly.

Five people are being sought for the Planning Commission. Applicants must reside within the city limits. The Planning Commission meets monthly assuming there is business to conduct.

Applications may be obtained at the City Clerk’s Office at 1901 Airport Road, South Lake Tahoe between 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday. Applications can also be downloaded from the city’s website. They are due Dec. 19 at 5pm.

The City Council will be making the appointments Jan. 20.

For more info, contact Suzie Alessi at 530.542.6004.

The Public Health Division of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency is offering the flu vaccine by appointment.

The seasonal influenza vaccine is available through Public Health for only $10 per vaccination. No one will be turned away due to inability to pay. To schedule a vaccination appointment, call 530.573.3155 in South Lake Tahoe or 530.621.6100 in Placerville.

People at high risk for serious complications from the flu, and their close contacts, are especially encouraged to be vaccinated. High-risk individuals include children younger than age 5, adults age 65 and older, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions (asthma and other lung disease, diabetes, neurological conditions, and heart disease), people who are morbidly obese, healthcare personnel and those living with or caring for persons at high risk of severe influenza-related complications. Individuals must be at least 6 months of age to receive the influenza vaccine.

• South Lake Tahoe employees donated nonperishable food items and raised more than $200 for Christmas Cheer.

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

• BlueGo’s California routes 50 and 53 will be free from Dec. 20-Jan.4.

• Following a full interior and exterior renovation, Cal Neva in Crystal Bay will reopen on Dec. 12, 2015, which would have been the 100th birthday of longtime guest and one-time owner Frank Sinatra.

• Alpine Meadows is open.

Fire — it’s a controlled burn on Spooner Summit. Photo Copyright 2014 Carolyn E. Wright

• The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association named the Squaw Valley-Alpine Meadows Ski Team a gold certified club – the highest recognition a ski and snowboard club can receive from USSA.

• The Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation gave the League to Save Lake Tahoe $35,000 to support its land-use planning program. The foundation also bolstered its named endowment at the League with a $200,000 donation.

• Barbara Bannar is now president of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District board and Larry Green is clerk.

• A celebration of life for Michael Donahoe will be Jan. 10 at 2pm at Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center, 660 Highway 50, Zephyr Cove. Parking is limited, so RSVP to Hillary at bittmanbliss@att.net or call 530.577.7135.

• Sho Kashima of Stateline has been named a member of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team’s moguls squad for the 2015 season.

• HowMuchWillitSnow.com was developed by David Pomeroy to show snowfall forecasts in inches for cities and ski resorts for a seven-day period.

• Borges Sleigh Rides is operating out of Sand Harbor State Park now through Jan. 3. Sleighs are equipped with wheels when there is no snow. For more information and reservations, go online or call 775.588.2953.

• The California Tahoe Conservancy’s Dec. 11 board meeting has been canceled because of weather.

• A petition is circulating to get Placer County supervisors to remove the Lake Tahoe Basin portion of Martis Valley West from the larger development project.

South Lake Tahoe has sand bags available at no cost year-round at 1160 Rufus Allen Blvd., next to Campground by the Lake.

To pick up sand bags, proceed through the gate and drive to the back of the lot. At the back of the lot is a large sand mound, shovels and bags. Residents fill their own bags, with a 10-bag limit per visit.

Access to sand bags is available Monday-Friday 7:30am-4pm.

Northstar handed out checks to 28 local nonprofits for the 2014-15 through Vail Resorts’ EpicPromise initiative.

EpicPromise is the company’s way to support the communities surrounding each resort, encouraging environmental betterment, volunteerism and charitable giving among resort stakeholders.

Neither the total amount nor individual dollar amounts were disclosed.

Recipients include: Adventure Risk Challenge, Arts for the Schools, Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Nevada County, Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe, Disabled Sports USA Far West, Excellence in Education Foundation, Far West Nordic Ski Education Association, Girls on the Run-Sierra, Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, North Lake Tahoe Truckee Leadership Program, Project MANA, Sagehen Outdoor Education Program, Sierra Avalanche Center, Slow Food USA Inc., SOS Outreach, Sugar Pine Foundation, Tahoe Food Hub, Tahoe Forest Health Foundation, Tahoe Fund, Tahoe Institute for Natural Science, Tahoe SAFE Alliance, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Sierra Watershed Educational Partnerships, Truckee Community Christmas, Truckee Donner Land Trust, Truckee River Watershed Council, and Truckee Trails Foundation.