The 8th annual Poker Run to benefit Austin’s House is Sept. 20.

All types of vehicles are welcome to join in the fun. Registration is from 9-10am in the parking lot at Century 21 Clark Properties located at 1674 Highway 395 in Minden.

The entry fee is $30 plus $20 for a second rider. The fee includes a prize for the best poker hand, barbecue lunch, limited edition ride pin, pink bandana and music by Trippin’ King Snakes.

The first stop for the 2014 Poker Run will be Nevada’s Oldest Thirst Parlor in Genoa. The next draw will take place at Jethro’s in the Gardnerville Ranchos. The caravan then heads south on Highway 88 to Markleeville and a stop at the Wolf Creek Restaurant & Bar. The run continues over Monitor Pass down to Topaz Lake for the fourth stop at Iggy & Squiggy’s Holbrook Junction Bar. The final stop is Heritage Park in Gardnerville where lunch will be served with live music. The Poker Run is approximately 81 miles and lasts about two hours.

For more info, call Danny Villalobos at 775.721.7111.

Austin’s House is the only emergency children’s shelter in rural Northern Nevada.

• Amber Monforte of South Lake Tahoe, who is a nurse at Barton Memorial Hospital, set a record for the fastest time by a woman to complete the Tahoe Rim Trail – 49:17 – from Sept. 5-7.

• Danette Winslow is St. Theresa Catholic Church’s director of Religious Education.

• Truckee is hosting a workshop-open house on Sept. 22 at 5:30pm regarding the housing element. The meeting will be at the town hall.

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

• Tahoe Choir rehearsals begin Sept. 16 for the December concerts. All are welcome, no auditions. Rehearsals are very Tuesday from 7-9:30pm at Lake Tahoe Community College, Room F120, South Lake Tahoe. Dues are $25 or enroll in Mus-141A.

There will be a Patriots Day ceremony Sept. 11 at 11am at the American Legion Post 795 in South Lake Tahoe.

The observance was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

South Lake Tahoe Police Chief Brian Uhler and Fire Chief Jeff Meston will be speaking.

Douglas County commissioners are having a public hearing Oct. 16 regarding water rates at the lake.

The increase in fees for Zephyr Water Utility District are in regards to monthly water rates, connection charges, private fire service charges and other fees.

The current water rates were established in 2010. New fees would be effective Nov. 1.

For more info, call 775.782.9989.

The 1pm meeting is at the transit center in Stateline.

• Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel in South Lake Tahoe has begun work on a $3 million project to add alpine mountain ambiance touches to its premium and balcony suites, lobby, banquet rooms and pool area in time for the holiday season. This follows an investment of $5 million in top to bottom renovations last April.

• The California Water Board has released this video about swale and rain gardens.

• The 2nd annual Tahoe-Regional Job Fair is Nov. 7 from 3:30-6:30pm at the North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach.

• Switchback PR + Marketing in Truckee is celebrating 15 years in business.

• Lake Tahoe Community College board of trustee’s is having a public hearing Sept. 9 at 6:15pm regarding the 2014-15 budget.

• On Aug. 23 the final phase of the Rim to Reno project, a spur trail to Mt. Houghton Summit, was completed.

• University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Living with Fire Program received $495,000 from the Nevada Bureau of Land Management to continue and enhance the current program.

• CVS this month pulled cigarettes from its shelves – a month sooner than originally planned.

• Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Danjel Bout, 41, of Cool as assistant director of response at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

• Mike’s Exxon on Kingsbury Grade is now a Chevron. Prices are the same.

A road used to run through this South Shore meadow. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society

Before there was an officially-routed and designated Highway 50 at South Shore, there were various unpaved other roads. One such road ran along the shoreline from Stateline toward Tahoe Valley in the early 1900s, part of which became today’s Lakeview Avenue.

It traversed the Upper Truckee marsh area where Mt. Tallac is visible behind Tahoe Mountain.

This is the same meadow in 2014. Photo/Bill Kingman

Remnants of the old bridge remain today. Photo/Bill Kingman

That long-gone road crossed the Upper Truckee River in mid-meadow and connected to what is today’s Washington Street (the Dunlap Ranch). The concrete and wood remnants of the bridge can be visited today via an easy and scenic walking trail starting at the Sunset Avenue cul de sac next to the river.

— Bill Kingman

South Lake Tahoe is accepting applications for the fall Citizens Academy.

The free academy will be on consecutive Wednesdays from 5:30-8pm beginning Oct. 8 through Nov. 12.

It is an interactive course designed to provide residents with an in-depth look into municipal government, as well as, information about the services and programs of the city. This course is open to all community members.

Academy participants will:

• Learn about city government operations and services.
• Participate in dialogue with city leaders, city staff and other civic-minded residents.
• See taxpayers’ investments at work.
• Expand their knowledge and become more informed on current and proposed projects within the city.
• Learn about opportunities to become more involved and help build a sustainable community.
• Receive first-hand information and have the chance to ask questions on any topic at the end of each session.

Participants are required to complete an application by Sept. 26 at 5pm. Applications and the course outline are online.

Businesses in El Dorado and Placer counties may apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The loans are for economic losses this year sustained because of the drought. Eligible businesses include: small nonfarm businesses, agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and most private, nonprofit organizations.

The deadline to apply is Sept. 23. Applicants are online.

Liberty Utilities will present a check for $17,085.85 to the Lake Tahoe Community College board on Sept. 9 at 6:15pm.

The check represents the total of all incentive rebates the college is eligible to receive based on energy efficiency improvements it has made since 2013.

Liberty Utilities offers an energy efficiency program to residential and commercial customers. The comprehensive Schools Program provides technical reviews to identify potential energy savings measures and provides schools with technical assistance to get projects implemented. The Schools Program, as well as other energy efficiency programs, are required and approved by the California Public Utilities Commission. The goal of the program is to help customers reduce their energy consumption which saves them money, as well as help the utility manage customer demand. Another benefit of energy efficiency programs is the positive impact it has upon the environment.

Since 2013, LTCC has implemented five  improvement projects utilizing energy efficiency lighting. These projects include lighting retrofits in the library, the gym and Child Development Center and exterior lighting upgrades in the parking lot and sculpture display in addition to other miscellaneous locations around campus. All projects resulted in total estimated savings of nearly 114,000 kwh per year — enough to provide electricity to nearly 16 California homes. The improvements will result in an annual energy savings to the college estimated at $12,412 in addition to the one-time rebate of $17,085.85.