• The Meyers office of the California Highway Patrol is having a recruitment seminar Sept. 24 from 5:30-7:30pm at 2063 Hopi Ave.

• OneJustice’s Justice Bus Project is partnering with the South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center to host a free legal clinic for individuals interested in applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or renewing their DACA. Attorneys will also be able to assist with some immigration issues. The meeting is Nov. 1 from 1-5pm at Lake Tahoe Community College’s board room.

• There will be a free legal aid fair on Oct. 18 from 9am-4pm at the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St., Carson City. Attorneys will be available to talk about general civil law, family law, bankruptcy and more.

• More than 40 volunteers with the League to Save Lake Tahoe’s Stewards of Stormwater program marked 180 drains over several days in August and September in the Tahoe Keys, making it the first neighborhood at Tahoe to mark all its drains.

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

• The South Tahoe Chamber and the Lake Tahoe Community College are co-hosting an educational forum featuring candidates on the ballot for positions affecting the California side of the South Shore. The forum is Oct. 9 starting at 5pm in the college’s board room.

• Caltrans will begin the first structure lift of the Raise80 project Sept. 23. The overpass structure at Magra Road in west Placer County is the first structure to be lifted. During the overnight lift process, all I-80 traffic in both directions will be detoured around the project to the Highway 20-49 corridor, which is a 56-mile route.

• Martha Stewart has selected Rescued Wine from Truckee as a finalist in the 2014 American Made Awards in the recycled/crafts category.

• Sierra Nevada College is presenting a screening of “Coming Home”, a film by Tahoe’s Martin Rubio. It is about riding in Lake Tahoe and features SNC alumni. It is Sept. 25 at 7:30pm. It will be at the Patterson Law at the college. Bring blankets. It is free.

• Lake Tahoe Community College has canceled the Sept. 23 meeting. There will be a special meeting Oct. 7 at 6:15.

In the 1950s this was known at Bijou Pier. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society

Connolly Beach always has been a prime attraction on the South Shore for locals and tourists. Notice the water level.

After incorporating in 1965, the city of South Lake Tahoe has retained maintenance, access and free public use of this beach fronting what we knew since the 1970s as the Timber Cove Lodge. (It was recently sold and renamed Beach Retreat & Spa).

Timber Cove Pier is private. Photo/Bill Kingman

Extending from public Connolly Beach is a 700-foot long private pier — the longest pier on Lake Tahoe today. It is still commonly referred to by locals as the Timber Cove Pier. Note how low the water level is today.

While the pier is private, the beach is public — despite what the hotel tells people. All the posted signage indicating “Connolly Beach” and “public” have recently disappeared. The new convention building project by “Beach Retreat” on Bal Bijou Road has closed the public driveway. One must “trespass” now via their Highway 50 private entry.

The public access issue was brought up at the Sept.9  City Council meeting and staff said they are working with the owners to ensure public access is maintained.

— Bill Kingman

Sections of highways 28, 89 and 267 will be closed Sunday as thousands of athletes compete in Ironman Lake Tahoe.

More than 2,500 athletes are registered to compete in the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run at more than 6,000 feet above sea level.

Race officials will decide that morning if the event is a-go based on the air quality from the King Fire.

Highway 28 is scheduled to be closed in both directions from Fox Street to the junction with Highway 267 from 5:30-9:30am.

Northbound Highway 89 will be closed from Fairway Drive in Tahoe City to Squaw Valley Road from 7am-5:30pm and southbound Highway 267 will be closed from Northstar Boulevard to Kingswood/Commonwealth Drive in Kings Beach from 7:30am-4pm.

The Interstate 80 eastbound off-ramp to Highway 89/267 (Exit 188B) and the Highway 89 on-ramp to westbound I-80 will be closed from 6:30am-3:30pm.

Several residential street intersections with highways 28 and 267 in Kings Beach also will be closed. The CHP will be conducting traffic control at all closure locations.

• The Virginia & Truckee Railroad will once again offer service to the North Pole onboard the Polar Express train starting Nov. 21. To purchase tickets, call 775.291.0208.

•Amarjeet Benipal is now director of Caltrans District 3, which covers Lake Tahoe.

• Granlibakken Resort in Tahoe City is hosting the annual Lake Tahoe Women’s Wellness Weekend Nov. 8-9. For more info, email shawnalee@granlibakken.com.

• Hetch Hetchy restored? Is it possible? What are the obstacles and benefits? Robert Hanna, great-great-grandson of John Muir, and guests will discuss these topics Oct. 4 at 7pm. The free talk is sponsored by Lake of the Sky Outfitters and Tahoe Area Sierra Club. It will be at Unity at the Lake, 1195 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

• High Fives Foundation hosted its 6th annual Bocce Tournament at the Truckee River Winery on Sept.14 and raised approximately $10,000.

Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe’s 44th annual food and wine tasting is Nov. 7 at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe from 6-9:30pm.

About 25 wineries will be pouring, while approximately 20 South Shore restaurants will be serving food samples.

Money from the event goes back into the community through educational scholarships, youth activity sponsorships and grants to organizations such as the Live Violence Free, Tahoe Youth & Family Services and Lake Tahoe Boys & Girls Club.

Flamenco guitarist Julian Martin will be performing. There will also be a “dress to impress contest”.

Tickets for the Food & Wine event are $65 each and may be purchased from a SISLT member or online.

• South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce is hosting an informational forum on Lake Tahoe Community College’s Measure F on Sept. 24 at 5:30pm in the college board room.
• Sierra Nevada College and North Lake Tahoe Bonanza are hosting two sessions featuring the candidates for the Incline Village General Improvement District board of trustees. The events are Sept. 23 and Oct. 22 from 7-9pm in Room 139/141 on the college campus.
• This document provides info on Ironman traffic congestion expectations this weekend.
• Team Tahoe is a nonprofit corporation with the mission of developing and promoting programs and best practices that encourage healthy and sustainable communities, environments and economies in the Tahoe area and elsewhere. Team Tahoe’soperating principle is: People + Planet + Profit. For more info, email TeamTahoe@aol.com.
• Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is now on Facebook. The page is hosted through a partnership with the National Forest Foundation.

The 25th annual Lake in the Sky Air Show at Lake Tahoe Airport is Sept. 20.

This year’s show which will include: aerial performances, two World War II aircraft, CalSTAR, tons of planes, music, K-9 demo, beer garden and more.

Youth ages 8 through 17 will have a chance to take to the skies on Sept. 21 as Experimental Aircraft Associatio Chapter 1073 of Truckee hosts a Young Eagles Flight Rally. Registration will occur at the air show.

Gates open to the public on Saturday at 8 am. Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 10am. The aerial performances will begin right after and run until 4 pm.

Admission is free this year.

• The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe’s inaugural Epicurean Weekend is Oct. 3-5.

• The Great Nevada ShakeOut is a coordinated “drop, cover and hold on” exercise on Oct. 16 at 10:16am. Last year more than 560,000 Nevadans participated. To register as an individual, business, school or government agency or organization, go online.

• This 33rd annual Tahoe Rim Trail Association meeting is Oct. 8 at 8pm at the top of Heavenly Mountain Resort’s tram. Cost is $30/individual, $55/couple. It includes the tram ride, light hors d’oeuvres, silent auction, state of the trail address, and a brief award ceremony. Register online.

• The 18th annual Bud Davis Memorial Abalone Dinner benefitting Tahoe Cross Country is Sept. 29 at Wolfdale’s in Tahoe City. For reservations, call 530.583.6700. Tickets are $95.

• The 36th annual Freakers Ball is Oct. 25 at 8pm at MontBleu in Stateline. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 the week of the event. They are available through Ticketmaster.com or call 888.829.7630.

El Dorado County will host a grant development program informational meeting Sept. 29, 6pm at 2850 Fairlane Court, Building C, Placerville.

All county nonprofits are invited to attend. Seating is limited and additional meetings can be arranged if needed to accommodate all interested organizations.

The county has contracted with Grant Management Associates to assist local organizations with grant funding identification, grant writing and grant administration. There is no charge to the organization for this assistance or for the informational meeting.

For additional information, call 530.621.5595.