North Lake Tahoe Resort Association has $9,000 available for special events taking place in the North Lake Tahoe region of Placer County.

Most individual grants will fall within the $500 to $2,500 range.

All grant money is slated for marketing and public relations efforts to promote events in the region. Preference will be given to events which encourage overnight stays.

The deadline to apply is April 16.

After initial review, select applicants will be asked to give a five-minute presentation on April 25. The presentation to the Board of Directors for approval will be May 7 and funding notification will occur May 8.

For a copy of the application and more information contact Judy Laverty at 530.581.8702 or Judy@GoTahoeNorth.com.

The track at Echo Summit in 1968. Photo/Les Wright

The track at STMS today. Photo/Google Earth

The 1968 Summer Olympics (the XIX Olympiad) were in October in Mexico City, 7,350 feet above sea level.

To prepare our athletes for that high altitude, a training track was built at Echo Summit because that elevation is similar to Mexico City.

According to Wikipedia, “… this was the first Olympics to use a synthetic all-weather surface for track and field events; the ‘Tartan’ surface was originally developed by 3M for horse racing, but didn’t catch on. The tracks at previous Olympics were conventional cinder.”

The Tartan track was moved from Echo Summit to South Tahoe Middle School a year later. The original surface eventually wore out and has been replaced.

— Bill Kingman

Nearly three dozen employers will be at Harrah’s Convention Center in Stateline on March 18 looking for workers.

They represent more than 2,000 positions available for full- or part-time work in the area, according to organizers.

The event is from 4-7pm.

There will another job fair March 25 from 4-7pm at Squaw Valley Olympic Inn Conference Center.

Freedom From Smoking is a smoking cessation program from American Lung Association. It helps people develop a plan of action that leads to quitting day.

There will be eight sessions starting April 3 from 7:30-930pm at Barton University, 1111 Emerald Bay Road, Classroom 101, South Lake Tahoe. Cost is $75.

To register, call Gina Morros at 530.543.5882.

As Californians plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Traffic Safety, and California Highway Patrol encourage motorists to plan ahead and designate a sober driver, or arrange for a safe and sober ride home.

The St. Patrick’s Day California Avoid DUI Task Force Enforcement Campaign is March 16-17. As part of the campaign, law enforcement throughout the state will be cracking down on anyone caught impaired behind the wheel.

Last year on St. Patrick’s Day, the CHP made more than 430 arrests statewide for DUI, which is a 28 percent increase from 2012. NHTSA reports that more than 269 people have been killed nationwide in collisions involving drunk drivers during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday from 2007 to 2011.

AAA’s Carson City branch, which serves the South Shore of Lake Tahoe, is hosting a spring fling at its office on March 20 — the first day of spring.

Refreshments will be served, while games and prizes will be offered throughout the day.

Office hours are 8:30am-5:30pm. The office is at 2901 South Carson St., Carson City.

Members and non-members are invited.

Carson City’s new branch manager, Haldon Johnson, will be available for questions, as will the staff

Call 775.888.6400 for more information.

Douglas County Public Library is participating in the In-N-Out Burger Cover to Cover Club reading program through April 12.

Children ages 4-12 are eligible to receive certificates for a free In-N-Out hamburger or cheeseburger by reading books. Both branches of the library are participating in the program.

Children must fill out a file card at the library to enroll in the program. Readers will earn an Achievement Award redeemable for an In-N-Out hamburger for every five books read at their reading level. Each participating child may earn up to three award certificates. Children too young to read on their own may have a parent read to them.

• Karen Staeheli, owner of Naked Fish in South Lake Tahoe, is opening a second restaurant in San Luis Obispo.

• Yonder Mountain String Band will be at MontBleu in Stateline on April 3 at 8pm. Opening is the Brothers Comatose. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 the day of the show – 888.829.7630.

• Truckee’s Dragonfly Restaurant and Sushi Bar is closing this month and in its place will be a meat and seafood restaurant run by two Cottonwood Restaurant bartenders.

• On May 21, Sierra Front Wildland Fire Cooperators will host a regional wildland fire sand table exercise at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Gardnerville.

• The Nevada Taxpayers Association awarded Douglas County its Cashman Good Government Award for the county’s innovative budget solutions.

Tahoe Derby Dames is having a pancake breakfast fundraiser March 23 from 8am-noon.

The Dames are the local roller derby team that competes at Bijou Community Park in South Lake Tahoe.

The breakfast is at the American Legion, 2748 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for kids.

Anyone interested in being involved with the league, skating or non-skating, go online.

Nevada County Treasurer and Tax Collector Tina Vernon will be setting up office in the Truckee area to serve residents during peak property tax season.

Second tax installments are due no later than April 10, 2014.

The seasonal office will be located at the Truckee Sheriff Substation at 10879 Donner Pass Road, Suite A. The tax collector will be available April 7-9 from 9am to 4pm, and is encouraging residents to pay their property taxes, ask questions, or to just say “hello”.

Payments can also be made by mail, postmarked no later than April 10 and sent to P.O. Box 128, Nevada City, CA 95959-0128.