The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District has purchased new vehicle extrication tools through grant funds awarded to the fire district through the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety’s Zero Fatalities Program.

The Zero Fatalities Program utilizes the Nevada Strategic Highway Safety Plan to educate citizens and increase awareness regarding safe driving practices in an effort to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on all Nevada public roads.

The $19,389 grant paid for four new vehicle extrication tools that have twice the cutting power as the tools they replaced — for example 120,000 pounds vs. 60,000 pounds.

All front line responders have received training on the new tools and they are in service on the first out apparatus.

Harrah’s, Harveys Lake Tahoe and Harrah’s Reno are installing state-of-the-art electric vehicle charging stations at all three hotel casino properties.

There will be eight stations at Harrah’s Reno and another eight stations at the Stateline properties.

The deployment of EV charging stations at its establishments is designed to encourage cleaner transportation and the broader use of renewable energy. Access to the charging stations is free to the public.

The charging stations are supplied by Schneider Electric’s EVlink, a technology which allows guests a convenient way to charge electric vehicles. The EVlink is a clean and simple design, with a LCD screen that displays instructions, status and usage information offering an exceptional charging experience. It is ChargePoint network enabled, and delivers a robust, reliable network giving users real-time notifications from the EVlink station during charging.

• Mark Twain is coming to the Truckee Winery tasting room. McAvoy Layne will be at the winery Aug. 16 from 5:30-7:30pm. Tickets are $20. Call (530) 587.4626 to reserve a spot.

• World renowned artist Michael Godard will visit Wyland Galleries in South Lake Tahoe on Aug. 10 from 6-10pm.

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• Learn about how best to landscape for your yard at free talk on Aug. 12 at 5:30pm at Lake Tahoe Community College’s demonstration garden.

• There is a meeting Aug. 13 from 7-8:30am at the Truckee airport about the Squaw Valley specific plan and the potential of Olympic Valley incorporating.

A reunion for those who worked or played at the Del Webb Sahara Tahoe, High Sierra, and Horizon casinos will be Aug. 24.

Opened originally in 1965 as Del Webb’s Sahara Tahoe, this property used to bring in top-notch performers like Elvis Presley.

It was rebranded in 1983 with a Western theme, the property changed names and became the Del Webb’s High Sierra Hotel.

In 1990 it became a Columbia Sussex property and was rebranded as the Horizon Casino Resort.

Anyone who was a former executive, employee, customer, or fan is invited to the reunion. The $20 tickets are available at the door, and include a dinner buffet and entertainment. A cash bar will be available. Bring old photos, T-shirts, souvenirs, and memorabilia to share.

The event will be at the pool at the Horizon from 4-8pm.

• MontBleu casino in Stateline will fire up the vats and get the stew pots steaming Aug. 24 with the inaugural Boil ‘n Fry Day Festival featuring crayfish from Lake Tahoe.

• Labor Day weekend fireworks on the South Shore are that Sunday starting at 8:30pm.

• Long-time environmental advocate Warner Chabot has joined the Tahoe Fund board.

• Jazzercise and Harveys are sponsoring two one-hour free Jazzersie events. One is Aug. 12, the other Aug. 14; both at 6:30pm at the outdoor concert venue.

• The bus company – Standard Parking – that made a gay couple sit in the back of the bus is the same firm that used to run the South Lake Tahoe parking garage.

The Village at Squaw Valley is paying tribute to man and woman’s best friend with the 4th annual Peaks and Paws Festival on Aug. 24-25.

Dogs and their people can enjoy two stages of live bluegrass, 15 wineries, beer from Lagunitas, pet themed art, and activities and outings specially designed for furry friends.

All of the proceeds from the festival will benefit the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe.

The festival is from 11am-6pm, with beer available until 8pm.

The Truckee Police Department is launching a new canine unit featuring a black Labrador narcotics detection dog.

The department is in the process of selecting a dog and needs to have a name ready when the time comes. And the public is being asked to help name the new officer.

Submit ideas to the Truckee Police Department at the front counter (10183 Truckee Airport Road), or email name submissions to TPD canine handler Andrew Holbrook at aholbrook@townoftruckee.com, with “Dog Tag” in the subject line.

With the assistance of the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and others, an unnamed peak on the North Shore has been renamed Gold Star Peak in honor of soldiers from the area who died in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

There will be a ceremony to dedicate the peak on Sept. 6 at 11am at Lakeview Commons.

Gold Star Peak is between Mount Watson and Martis Peak. The peak’s name, Gold Star, comes from the Gold Star lapel pin that was established by an act of Congress in 1947 to identify next of kin of service members killed in combat.

Gold Star Peak will honor Pfc. Brandon Williams, Sgt. Tim Smith and Spc. Garrett Fant.

A bronze memorial plaque commemorating Gold Star Peak will be unveiled at the ceremony in South Lake Tahoe.

• The seasonal dog ban at the Upper Truckee Marsh – aka Barton Meadow – is over.

• There will be a public hearing before the Truckee Planning Commission on Aug. 20 at 6pm about the Tahoe Donner Association marina facility improvement project. The meeting is at council chambers, 10183 Truckee Airport Road.

• Sunset magazine’s August issue has a spread on Tahoe – talking to three “experts”. But two of them are from Truckee. Someone should tell Sunset that Truckee is not in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

• Check out Jack Durst’s recap of Hot August Night’s in South Lake Tahoe:

The Nevada Division of Forestry is seeking applications for the State Fire Assistance grant program. About $1 million from the National Fire Plan will be available for projects statewide.

The purpose of this funding is to mitigate risk of wildfires in wildland urban interface areas. Funds can be used for costs associated with implementing on-the-ground hazardous fuels reduction projects, information and education relating to wildland urban interface

issues and homeowner and community action projects. Projects must be implemented on state and/or private lands located in Nevada. Projects on federal lands are not eligible.

Applications must be submitted on the approved form available on the Nevada Division of Forestry website. The site also contains a detailed description of the criteria and instructions for eligibility and the scoring criteria that will be used to rank applications.

Applications must be received no later than 5pm Aug. 23. For more information, call (775) 684.2511.