• The annual rural fire fee is automatically going up by $2.33 per property to adjust for inflation.

• South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County and Placer County have submitted revised Storm Water Management Plans to Lahontan Regional Water Control Board. They are online. Submit comments to Bob Larsen at RLarsen@waterboards.ca.gov by 5pm Jan. 3.

• The Donner Pass Road Pedestrian Improvement Project in Truckee has been selected to receive $1.5 million in funding from the Highway Safety Improvement Program that is administered by Caltrans. This project includes sidewalks and improved pedestrian crossings along Donner Pass Road between Frates Lane and the Interstate 80 off ramp at the western end of the project.

• Melody Easton had been hired as coordinator for the South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition.

• The Bicycle Advisory Committee of the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority will meet Dec. 6 from 9-11am in the upstairs conference room at Lake Tahoe Airport.

Alpine Animal Hospital has arranged to take photos of people’s dog or cat with Santa.

All funds raised go to the Animal Coalition of Tahoe. The suggested donation is $5.

Santa will be at the South Lake Tahoe vet clinic from 4-6pm on Dec. 4, 7, 11 and 12.

Alpine is located at 921 Emerald Bay Road, just north of the Y.

For more info, call (530) 541.4040.

• Zephyr Cove Lodge Restaurant has been renovated, as has the menu. In November it was named Best Restaurant at the 47th annual Soroptimist Food and Wine Tasting.

• On-the-books occupancy for mountain travel in the Western United States from November through April is up 8.7 percent compared to the same time last year and revenues are up 14 percent, according to Denver-based DestiMetrics.

• Among the San Francisco Chronicle’s top 100 U.S. wines are: Skinner El Dorado Viognier 2011, Four Fields El Dorado Grenache 2011, Holly’s Hill Petit Patriarche El Dorado Red 2010, Forlorn Hope San Hercumer delle Frecce Amador County Barbera 2011, and Turley Wine Cellars Judge Bell Amador County Zinfandel 2011.

• The feature length film “Branded” is being filmed at Strawberry Lodge. The cast includes: Jeremy London, Jason London, Susan Duerden and Burton Perez.

• South Tahoe High grad Jerod Haase is making a name for himself in the world of college basketball coaches. Check out the results of this game.

For the 13th year, Live Violence Free is organizing an opportunity for community members and businesses to come together to provide happier holidays for local survivors of violence.

Last year the community helped hundreds of individuals who were working with Live Violence Free.

There are many ways to help, including:

• Choose one of the ornaments from the “Giving Tree” to either adopt a child or make a donation toward the Gift of Hope Program to support the center’s shelter.

• The agency’s programs have yearlong needs. A contribution of gift cards for clothing, diapers, and non-perishable food items will help ensure programs support survivors through their journey toward healing.

• Make a special end-of-the-year tax deductible donation toward Live Violence Free to support comprehensive and trusted programs and services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

• Donate time as a volunteer working directly with survivors of violence, educating our community about violence, assisting with fundraising events, or by providing administrative support to our advocates.

The deadline to adopt a child is Dec. 6th and the deadline to turn in gifts is Dec. 11 by 4pm.

Live Violence Free is located at 2941 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

For more info, contact Christina at (530) 544.2118, ext. 7650 or czepeda@liveviolencefree.org.

Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority is setting up a “drive and drop” for Christmas Cheer.

People may drive through the parking lot at 3066 Highway 50, South Lake Tahoe, and drop donations into the bins provided by South Tahoe Refuse. Bins will be available Dec. 9-14 from 9am–5pm.

Christmas Cheer feeds families every month. The need for wholesome meals is even more important to those with children who are out of school at the holidays.

For information, call (530) 541.5255.

• To ensure holiday mail and packages are delivered on time, the Postal Service recommends the following deadlines: Dec. 2 priority mail international; Dec. 10 APO/FPO military priority mail and first-class mail; Dec. 20 first-class mail; Dec. 21 priority mail; and Dec. 23 priority mail express.

• The Herbert Bail Orchestra will be at the Crystal Bay Club on Dec. 6 at 10pm. The show is free, but only those 21 and older will be admitted.

• Food Network’s “Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives” featured the 10 best burger places in the country. Burger Me in Truckee made the list.

• If you want to know where South Lake Tahoe’s plow drivers are, follow them online.

• The Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce board meets Dec. 19 from 8-9:30am at Inn by the Lake in South Lake Tahoe.

Fire lookout in the 1930s. Photo/USFS

The U.S. Forest Service photo from about 1932 is of the Zephyr Point fire lookout.

The fire look out today. Photo/Lee Vestal

The photo below is from the same angle today.

Among the changes in the surroundings is the added cellular telephone site tower and equipment, left of the building near the tree. Interestingly, while some cell sites are disguised as trees in forested areas (such as on Pioneer Trail near Susquehanna), this one is not.

— Bill Kingman

• Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce’s Winter Wine Walk is Dec. 12 from 5:30-7:30pm at the Shops at Heavenly Village. Tickets are $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Buy tickets online.

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

• On Dec. 14 there will be a full moon ski and snowshoe tour with dinner at Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center. For more info, call (530) 587.9494.

• El Dorado County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 10 is expected to consider temporarily reducing building permit fees by 25 percent for projects including garages, granny flats, decks, additions and remodels. The fees would be effective 60 days later. The meeting is at 9am in Placerville.

• Liesl Kenney has been hired at Heavenly Mountain Resort at the PR coordinator.

Deadlines are approaching to get mail to people serving in the armed forced overseas.

The general deadlines for Christmas delivery of APO/FPO and overseas military mail are:

Dec. 3 -– Priority mail and first-class letters destined for APO 093.

Dec. 10 — Priority mail and first-class letters to all other APO/FPO/AA/AE destinations.

Dec. 17 — Priority mail express to all APO/FPO/AA/AE destinations (not available for APO 093).

The Postal Service offers a $2 per box discount on its largest flat-rate box for mail destined to APO/FPO/DPO (Air/Army Post Office, Fleet Post Office, Diplomatic Post Office) destinations worldwide. The cost is $14.85 and features the “if it fits, it ships” one-price feature.

The Postal Service also offers a free Military Mail Care Kit that can be sent to your home. The kit contains priority mail flat rate boxes, tape, address labels, and customs forms. To order the kit, call 800.610.8734.

South Lake Tahoe firefighters are getting the Christmas truck ready to roll.

The truck leaves Station 2 at 5pm each night and will stop at 8pm. The truck locations are subject to change due to bad weather or an emergency. The truck will also be at the Light Up Lake Tahoe even at the Y on Dec 7. at 7pm with Santa Claus.