·      Azul’s $10 enchilada buffet is a fundraiser for Tahoe Youth & Family Services. It will be Dec. 12 from 5-9pm at the South Lake Tahoe restaurant.

·      Bakery staff elves at Harrah’s and Harveys Lake Tahoe have created two gingerbread wonderland displays in the lobbies of each hotel by using 1,000 pounds of fresh gingerbread dough, 1,200 gingerbread cutouts, 1,200 sugary tiles and shingles, 180 pounds of royal icing, 300 candy canes, 40 pounds of candy, and 32 pounds of dark chocolates.

·      The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has selected 39 projects to receive $39.7 million funding from its Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Proposition 1) funds. The lone regional project is for meadow restoration in the Truckee and American River Watersheds ($632,098 to Truckee River Watershed Council).

·       Owners of the Crossing in South Lake Tahoe, California Tahoe Conservancy, city of South Lake Tahoe and Vail Resorts are working on a workforce housing agreement for the property at 2070 Lake Tahoe Blvd. CTC owns it. It’s adjacent to the Crossing.

·      Curbside tree collection in Incline Village is Jan. 8-12. Trees must be cut into 3-foot segments and not have decorations. Full trees may be taken to Preston Field from Dec. 22-Jan. 29.

·       Dharma Love in the Swiss Chalet Village in South Lake Tahoe now sells books published by Meyers’ Bona Fide Books.

·      South Shore author Jennifer Quashnick will be launching her third book in her Mountaingirl Mysteries series, “Sierra Nevada Dangerous Developments,” on Dec. 16, 4-5:30pm at the American Legion in South Lake Tahoe.

·      Here are the El Dorado-Tahoe and Sierra roadwork schedules for the coming week.

·      The El Dorado Trail on the West Slope will be closed for maintenance on Dec. 13 from 8am-5pm from Forni Road to Weber Creek Bridge and on Dec. 14 from 8am-5pm from Weber Creek Bridge to Missouri Flat Road.

·      Diamond Peak plans to open Dec. 14.

·      Brooke Laine is now chair of the California Tahoe Conservancy board and Lynn Suter is vice chair.

·      West Shore Cafe’s annual tree lighting is Dec. 15. Dinner will be served from 5-8pm, with the evening including live music, caroling by the Tahoe Truckee School of Music, tree lighting on the pier, and holiday ornament making for kids. Guests who bring a new, unwrapped toy valued at $25 will receive 10 percent off their check.

·      Evan’s restaurant in South Lake Tahoe has just joined the elite ranks of the “DiRoNA” (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) recognized establishments. It is the only restaurant in the Tahoe-Truckee area to earn this recognition.

·      The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is looking for volunteers from January through March to assist with Winter Trek and Ski with a Ranger conservation education programs at Heavenly Mountain Resort. For more information, contact Reanna Suela at rsuela@fs.fed.us for Winter Trek, or Jaclyn Tain at jtain@fs.fed.us for Ski with a Ranger.

·      A segment of Truckee’s Trout Creek Trail will be closed Dec. 8-12, 7am-5pm to repair damage from last winter.

·      Charles Schwab is opening a branch on Donner Pass Road in Truckee.

The Zephyr Cove Library will be hosting a game day on the third Saturday of every month. 

Play a variety of board and card games provided by the library, or bring your own collection of tabletop games to challenge other participants. 

The first game day will be Dec. 16.  The meeting room will be set up with tables and available from 9am-5pm.

This is sponsored by the Friends of the Douglas County Public Library.

The Zephyr Cove Library is located at 233 Warrior Way.

Liberty Utilities will host a free solar for homeowners and small businesses workshop on Dec. 19 in South Lake Tahoe.

Officials will provide information on solar energy as well as the company’s solar incentive program.

It will be from 6:30-7:30pm in the library on Rufus Allen Boulevard.

Utility representatives will be available to discuss various aspects of installing and using solar energy for residential and small business facilities. Anyone may attend, but only Liberty Utilities customers are eligible to apply for the program, which provides cash incentives to offset the cost of installing solar panels. Schools within Liberty’s service territory are also eligible.

·      There will be fundraiser Dec. 9 for Tina Pearce, who was in a horrific car accident this fall. It will be at 7pm at Divided Sky in Meyers. A donation of $10 will be collected at the door.

·      Douglas County is hosting a public workshop concerning the Waterloo Lane Reconstruction Project. It will be Dec. 14 from 5:30-6:30pm at the Douglas County Community Center in Minden in the Ceramics Room.

·       The South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority is seeking applicants for the Bicycle Advisory Committee. There are three open positions for two-year terms. Deadline to apply is Jan. 19 at 5pm. For an application, call 530.542.6003 or email eapalazzo@cityofslt.us.

·       Daron Rahlves of Truckee, one of the most decorated male downhill skiers in U.S. history, had a portion of the notorious Birds of Prey in Beaver Creek, Colo., named after him this month. A section just below the Brink is now called Rahlves’ Roll.

·      Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort opens Dec. 8.

·      Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel in South Lake Tahoe earned top honors from the California Hotel & Lodging Association for its guest relations program.

·      Sierra College, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District and Community Collaborative of Tahoe Truckee are asking people to take this adult education and strong workforce development survey. The deadline to take it is Dec. 15.

·      Sierra Business Council is seeking input for an economic development survey that occurs every five years for Nevada, Placer, El Dorado and Sierra counties. This survey will inform economic strategies for these counties. The survey ends Dec. 15.

·      In the USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Contest Tahoe Donner was voted No. 2 for best cross country ski resort in the U.S. and Canada.

·      Black Cabin Coffee is now open on Pioneer Trail in South Lake Tahoe.

Donner Memorial State Park’s Visitor Center is having a family-friendly holiday open house on Dec. 16.

There will be live performances by Truckee’s Richard Blair, storytelling, arts and crafts, Wagons Ho! Junior Ranger programs, guided history walks, scavenger hunts, as well as store specials and free gift wrapping. Free holiday cookies and hot drinks will be provided by our volunteers.

This free event is from noon-5:30pm, after which Jordan Fisher-Smith will read from his award-winning book “Engineering Eden.”

Parking fees will apply.

While fire can heat a home and provide comfort, it is also be an extremely destructive force. 

That is why it is important to let ash cool and then dispose of it in a safe manner. The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District has partnered with Kingsbury Hardware to provide ash cans to the homeowners of the district. This program is available free of charge to residents of the district who use a wood burning appliance to heat their homes.

To obtain a free ash can, ho log online, then under Prevention print out an ash can voucher. Vouchers are also available at Station 23 in Round Hill across from Safeway. Completed vouchers can be exchanged for an ash can at Kingsbury Hardware while supplies last.

Full ash cans can be dumped at TDFPD Station No. 23, on Elks Point Road in the rear parking lot in a bright red dumpster.

·      Lake Tahoe Community College’s women’s soccer team finished No. 10 in the nation in the final poll of the season.

·      Registration opens Jan. 16 for Tahoe Rim Trail Association’s youth backcountry camps. Three trips are available for youth ages 12-17 to discover Tahoe’s backcountry and learn valuable navigation skills, wilderness survival, leadership, and more. Go online for more info.

·      The Zephyr Cove library will be showing “The Polar Express” (rated G) on Dec. 20 at 3:30pm. The movie will be shown on a big screen in the meeting room. Hot chocolate and popcorn will be provided. 

·      El Dorado County is conducting an economic survey. This survey is scheduled to end Dec. 7 at 1:30pm.