South Tahoe Public Utility District is organizing a board candidate forum for Oct. 8 at 6pm in the district board room.

The forum is open to the public and is an opportunity for the community to come and hear statements from each of the five candidates running for a seat in November.

Chris Cefalu is running unopposed. Andy Chapman and Duane Wallace are vying for the same seat; and Jim Jones and Shane Romsos are after the same seat.

Each candidate will be allowed three minutes to give an opening statement, answer questions posed by the audience and then provide a two minute closing statement.

The district is located at 1275 Meadow Crest Drive, South Lake Tahoe.

El Dorado County Connections-One Stop has programs and services to help individuals return to work.

Through the Dislocated Worker Program, unemployed and underemployed residents who are unlikely to return to their previous industry or occupation can receive assistance. Displaced homemakers and self-employed individuals may also qualify. Applicants do not need to be low income to qualify.

Free services provided through the Dislocated Worker Program include:  paid on-the-job training opportunities, job search assistance and career assessment and exploration, work readiness training, such as interview skills and resume preparation, information and support accessing college and technical schools, and money for certain vocational school or technical school training or related expenses.

To apply for the Dislocated Worker Program, individuals must be 18 years of age or older. Additional eligibility criteria may apply.

The Dislocated Worker Program is operated at 3368 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe and 3047 Briw Road in Placerville. Office hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. For more information, call 530.573.4330 in South Lake Tahoe or 530.642.4850 in Placerville.

Got drugs? National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is Sept. 27.

South Lake Tahoe police officers will be collecting prescription drugs from 10am-2pm in the Safeway parking lot on Johnson Boulevard and Highway 50.

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

• “Last Weekend”, the film shot at Lake Tahoe and now in movie theaters, was also shot at Barton Memorial Hospital. This trailer shows a brief clip inside the South Lake Tahoe hospital.

• Diamond Peak Ski Resort season pass holders will receive bonus days at Boreal Mountain Resort and June Mountain Ski Area in addition to Homewood Mountain Resort and Red Lodge Mountain.

•California Conservation Corps in Meyers is having an open house Oct. 1 from 10am-2pm.

• Placer County has overhauled its website.

• Kyle Mohagen is principal of Kings Beach Elementary and Greg Wohlman is our principal of Sierra Continuation High School, Coldstream Alternative, and Educational Options in Truckee.

Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority has $48,000 from the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament to give to local nonprofits.

The LTVA in partnership with NBC Sports and American Century Investments will provide funding for programs that help make a difference in the community.

Groups must meet 501(c)3 certified nonprofit guidelines, provide an outline of their mission, describe how the donation will be used, and indicate impact in the community. The application may be downloaded. The deadline is Oct. 3. Recipients will be announced Nov. 3, with checks presented at the LTVA meeting Nov. 13 at 3pm.

An additional $67,200 was previously provided through on-site volunteer and other efforts to area high schools, Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe Booster Club, Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, and the Gene Upshaw Scholarship, among others.

The Nevada Recycles program has partnered with Las Vegas Sands Corp. to support a statewide recycled art contest to increase Nevadans’ awareness and interest in recycling.

Entrants must be Nevada residents and projects must be composed of used recyclable materials.

Submission of entry form and photos of artwork are due Oct.  31.

Prizes will be awarded for grades K-5, 6-8, 9-12 and adult.

Materials that can be used include, but are not limited to: tires, electronics, appliances, plastic bags,
bottles, batteries and aluminum cans. Fastening materials may include tape, glue and/or string.

Winners will be announced prior to America Recycles Day, Nov. 15.

More information is available online.

Your Prenatal Roadmap: Facts Revealed, Myths Dispelled is the title of the Oct. 1 Barton wellness lecture.

From 6-7pm Kenneth Spielvogel, a doctor with BartonWomen’s Health, will about health and nutrition, as well as exercise recommendations. Pregnancy myths will be dispelled and questions will be answered.

The free lecture is in the board room at Lake Tahoe Community College.

For more info, call 530.543.5537.

• To celebrate the rehabilitation completed this summer, the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Joint Powers Authority Bicycle Advisory Committee invites the community to a celebratory bike ride Sept. 19 at noon. Meet at the Rubicon Trailhead off Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Rubicon Trail at the end of Rubicon Trail and Mackinaw.

• The board of trustees of Tahoe Truckee Unified School District voted to approve a three-year agreement with the Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe to bring a before and after school program to Truckee.

• Jimmy’s Restaurant at the Landing Resort & Spa in South Lake Tahoe and the Rafters at Sierra Nevada Resort & Spa in Mammoth Lakes received the 2014 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for their wine selections.

• Alpine County Harvest Health Fair is Oct. 4 form 10am-2pm at Turtle Rock Park, Markleeville.

• Caltrans and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife remind motorists to remain alert for wildlife near roadways during Watch Out for Wildlife Week, which runs through Sept. 21.

Six meetings are scheduled this fall to address concerns of Douglas County School District parents at the lake.

The study group was the idea of the superintendent and approved by the board this summer.

The three main topics are:

• What should/could the format and course offerings look like if Whittell stays approximately the same size? (There are about 200 students in grades 7-12.)

• What should/could the format and course offerings look like if Whittell grows in enrollment?

• What should/could the format and course offerings look like if the lake schools decline in enrollment – to 350 or less for grades K-12.

Meetings are from 4:30-6:30pm at Whittell High School on Sept. 23, Oct. 7, Oct. 21 Nov. 4, Dec. 2, and Dec. 11.

Applications to be on the committee are being accepted until noon Sept. 18. Contact Superintendent Lisa Noonan at 775.782.5134. Meetings will be open to the public.

Placer County is co-sponsoring free medication take-back events in and around the county on Sept. 27 from 10am-2pm at 10 locations in the western area of the county, and one at Lake Tahoe.

The Tahoe-area event will be at the former fire station above Commons Beach, 300 North Lake Blvd., Tahoe City from 9am-1pm.

No sharps will be accepted and pills need to be emptied from bottles into plastic bag and sealed at all locations. Liquids should be left in their original bottles.