Christopher “Flip” Brandi printed Lake Tahoe News since the 1950s. It generally appeared Wednesdays, and later two days a week.

The offices and printing press eventually were in the block building now housing Verizon Wireless on Highway 50 near Tahoe Keys Boulevard (next to Steamer’s).

In a rear room of that building also were the audio facilities of KHVR-FM (“Heavenly Valley Radio”), 99.9, which survived barely a year in 1961, transmitting from Heavenly’s parking lot. Brandi held an interest in KHVR-FM along with Harrah’s engineer Jack Dumars. There were too few FM listeners (or FM radios) in 1961.

The Tahoe Daily Tribune also published two days a week in the early 1960s, always on days alternate of Brandi’s paper. It additionally sub-billed itself as the Tahoe Sierra Tribune. Chapman Wentworth was the publisher in 1963.

Usually we had one or the other local newspaper on four weekdays of each week.

Do you remember the Tahoe Chronicle weekly on Thursdays? It was started in 1963 at “Stateline, California” by Edwin B. Brown and William Dolan. The pictured masthead is dated Thursday, May 11, 1967.

My thanks to Bob Rockwell of South Lake Tahoe who loaned me these historic newspapers. I am scanning various memories from them for future sharing here on what has become our modern — and daily — local news source.

– Bill Kingman

• South Lake Tahoe City Attorney Tom Watson finally wrote the title and summary for the Tahoe4Tahoe group regarding repealing paid parking by South Lake Tahoe. Now signatures must be acquired before it goes on the ballot.

• Gov. Jerry Brown reappointed Carl Goff, 54, of Placerville to the California Apprenticeship Council.

• When Aspens, the low income housing in South Lake Tahoe opens, six units will be designated as specialty mental health, meant for those homeless, risk of homelessness, and mental health issues, including having a child with a mental illness.

• South Lake Tahoe’s Live Violence Free needs an executive director.

• Wendy David remains president of Lake Tahoe Unified’s school board for another year. Barbara Bannar is clerk of the board.

More than 25 law enforcement agencies in Nevada are participating in Joining Forces will be cruising the state’s roadways between now and Jan. 6.

Officers will be targeting impaired drivers who not only pose threats to themselves, but innocent passengers and other road users.

Officers said the holiday season continues to be the most hazardous period on the nation’s roadways for impaired driving. One reason is because of the number of holiday parties and celebrations.

Here are tips to keep the community safe:

• Consider a non-alcoholic party

• Designate sober drivers, not drivers who agree to drink less

• Hire licensed caterers trained to judge guests’ alcohol consumption

• Reserve a block of hotel rooms

• Plan a safe and sober way to return to your home before going out

• If you see a drunk driver, contact local police by calling NHP or 911

• If people you know are about to drive impaired, take their keys and help get them a ride with a sober driver.

Coldwell Banker Select in Zephyr Cove believes that pets should have a joyous holiday season. From now until Dec. 28, the company is hosting a food drive for animals at Douglas County Animal Care and Services.

Bring a donation of dry or canned wet dog or cat food to the office in Zephyr Cove, 188 Highway 50.

Brands such as Kirkland, Pedigree, Iams, Science Diet and Fancy Feast are preferred, but not required. Douglas County Animal Care will also accept tax deductible check donations.

For more info, call (775) 586.5200.

• Douglas County Library in Zephyr Cove will be closed Dec. 25. The library will resume its regular schedule on Dec. 26 at 9am.

• Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival (July 11-Aug. 24, 2014) will feature the romantic comedy “As You Like It” Tuesdays-Sundays.

• Jorge Perez, hematologist-oncologist and owner of Sierra Nevada Cancer Center, is expanding his services in South Lake Tahoe to include chemotherapy at 1154 Emerald Bay Road (Emerald Bay Center for Women’s Health).

• Tahoe Donner Downhill opens Dec. 14.

• Royal Gorge Cross Country is open.

• The recreation facilities JPA will be meeting Jan. 24 from 9-11am at Lake Tahoe Airport.

• The U.S. Postal Service is expecting Dec. 16 to be the busiest mailing day of the season and Dec. 19 the biggest delivery day.

• Afrolicious brings the funk for a one-night only dance party to celebrate the New Year at the Crystal Bay Club on Dec. 30. Show time is 10pm. The concert is free, but only open to those 21 and older.

• National Geographic calls Reno one of the top 10 Emerging Ski Towns.

Christie Rassuchine Higman and Robyn Lindner, two authors who grew up in Tahoe, will be reading from their newest book in their Crazy Club series, “The Crazy Club’s First Slumber Party”.

This story deals with overcoming homesickness through the help of friends.

Friends of the Library are putting on this free story time-pajama party at the South Lake Tahoe library on Dec. 21 at 1pm.

For more info, call (530) 573.3185.

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

• The South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority is seeking applicants to the Bicycle Trail and Fields advisory committees. The application deadline is 5pm Jan. 17. Pick up applications from the South Lake Tahoe City Clerk, 1901 Airport Road, or call (530) 542.6004 or (530) 542.6003 or email eapalazzo@cityofslt.us.

• South Tahoe Refuse will be picking up Christmas trees after Dec. 25. Trees must be no taller than 6 feet and all decoration removed.

• SnowGlobe, the three-day music fest in South Lake Tahoe, returns Dec. 29-31. The city’s complaint line is (530) 542.7429.

• Show a season pass from a Tahoe resort and receive a free drink at Lakeside Inn in Stateline between 4-7pm.

• Heavenly Holidays (Dec. 21-31) is a two-week festival at Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe. It culminates New Year’s Eve from 6-9pm with a concert, fire dancers, ice sculptors, and Gondola Drop to ring in the New York New Year.

• Vail Resorts earnings come out Dec. 9. Here’s what Motley Fool has to say.

• Golden State’s Warrior Girls have a 2014 calendar. It was all shot in Lake Tahoe.

• JoAnn Conner through her Golden Bear Events is putting on a Christmas Parade Dec. 14 at 3pm that will go from Ski Run Boulevard to the Y in South Lake Tahoe. For more info, call (530) 544.7412 or email jctahoewriter@hotmail.com.

Today the Cal-Neva is closed. Photo/Bill Kingman

Cal-Neva int the late 1930s. Photo/UNR Special Collections

The historic Cal-Neva Lodge straddles the North Shore state line on the promontory between Brockway, Calif., and Crystal Bay, Nev.

A postcard of the Cal-Neva pool in the 1950s.

The original lodge, built in 1926, was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt in 1937.

The state boundary line prominently dissects the main room (gaming only at one end) as well as the outdoor swimming pool.

Frank Sinatra owned the Cal-Neva in the early 1960s and he added a major showroom. Currently, the 219-room, 10-story hotel and 6,000-square-foot casino facility is closed for total renovation,

Cal-Neva in 1940. Photo/UNR Special Collections

including the Sinatra Showroom. The new owners plan to reopen in December 2014 on what would have been Frank Sinatra’s 99th birthday.

— Bill Kingman