Tales of a creature in Lake Tahoe have been around for centuries, and sightings have continued into modern day. Find out what really lurks in the blue alpine waters in the final Conversing with Creatures lecture.

In the 1980s, Lake Tahoe resident Bob McCormick coined the name Tahoe Tessie. He is also the author of two children’s books that feature the adventures of Tahoe Tessie, and continues to research Lake Tahoe and its mysteries. He will visit the May Museum to give a detailed presentation on his findings.

After a Q&A he will be available for a book sale and signing.

The lecture is June 1 at 4pm at Wilbur D. May Museum, Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St., Reno

The cost is $5.

For more info, call (775) 785.5961.

• Tahoe Donner Equestrian Center is offering guided trail rides Thursday through Monday, as well as daily pony rides for children ages 2-6. The center opens June 15.

• Parasol Foundation is having an open house June 20 from 4:30-7pm at its offices at 948 Incline Way, Incline Village. For more info, call (775) 298.0184.

• A Lake Tahoe ski resort employee with the first name of Diogo (no last name given) is one of 25 men competing on “The Bachelorette” starting May 27.

• The Nevada System of Higher Education was awarded a $20 million grant for green energy research from the National Science Foundation.

• Meyers-based publishing house Bona Fide Books has signed its first novelist, Ann Gelder. “Bigfoot and the Baby” will be released in spring 2014.

For the past 25 years, in more than 2,000 performances from Leningrad University in Russia to Piper’s Opera House in Virginia City, McAvoy Layne has been preeminent in preserving the wit & wisdom of “The Wild Humorist of the Pacific Slope,” Mark Twain.

Now Mark Twain is coming to the Truckee River Winery tasting room.

On May 18 from 5-6pm The Wit & Wisdom of Mark Twain will be performed by Layne. Socializing and wine tasting with Layne will follow.

Tickets are $20. Call (530) 587.4626 to reserve a spot.

The winery is at 11467 Brockway Road, Truckee.

The Thunderbird is occasionally seen on Lake Tahoe. Photo/LTN file

Having raised $260,000 to date, the nonprofit Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society needs only $40,000 to begin restoration of the Whittell Waterfalls at Lake Tahoe’s Castle-in-the-Sky: the Thunderbird Lodge.

The Preservation Society’s final push is a for an exclusive evening of fine dining at Thunderbird Lodge, including an elegant cocktail cruise on the 55-foot mahogany speedboat Thunderbird.

Tickets are $100 and must be purchased by June 30. Two winning tickets will be drawn July 1.

A minimum of 100 tickets must be sold for the drawing to take place. No more than 400 entries will be permitted.

They winners may each invite five friends for a “Secrets of the Castle Tour” followed by an East Shore cocktail cruise, and then a three-course dinner on the terrace with wine pairings.

Go online or call (775) 832.8752 to make a donation and purchase raffle tickets.

Wildflower photographer Roger Rosenberger will present an evening devoted to the upcoming wildflower season.

He will review the beauty of native wildflowers and talk about the best way to enjoy wildflower hiking in the coming months.

Friends of the Library is sponsoring the June 18, 6pm event at the South Lake Tahoe library, 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd.

For questions, email Tahoe.Programs@gmail.com or call (530) 573.3185.

AAA Carson City will honor rescue and emergency personnel May 17.

Carson City Sheriff’s Department expects to bring its K9 unit. The fire department will also bring an engine. United Blood Services will also be there.

As a bonus, anyone who gets a home or vehicle quote will receive an Ace’s baseball cap. Archie, the Reno team’s mascot, will be on hand to make sure it’s fitted correctly.

The event is slated for 11am to 3pm at 2901 S. Carson St. (between the Super 8 motel and Dodge dealership off Highway 395 on the south end of town). Food and drink will be provided.

For more information, call (775) 888.6400.

Label GMO Nevada will take part in the March Against Monsanto in Reno on May 25.

While there will be protests worldwide that day, the one in Reno is the closest one to the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Label GMO Nevada founder Kiki Corbin said in a statement, “We’re pleased to sponsor this important event in our community. We encourage people of all ages to participate in this peaceful march. Bring signs, wear costumes or a green shirt.”

The Reno event will start at the Liberty Street side of the Bruce Thompson Federal Building at 400 S. Virginia St. at 10 am. At 11am — the same time events will take place all over the country — marchers will then proceed to the Reno City Plaza at First Street and Virginia Street to hear several brief speeches and partake in a rally for labeling GMOs.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin selling fuel wood permits at the South Shore office May 20 at the North Shore office May 22.

Permits cost $20 per cord, with a two-cord minimum purchase and a limit of 10 cords per household.

Permits have specific conditions and complete information is provided when the permit is issued. Maps to designated cutting areas are provided and must be in your possession along with the valid permit.

The permit is for collection of “down-dead” wood up to a 30-inch maximum diameter in designated fuel wood areas within the Lake Tahoe Basin. “Down-dead” means the tree is down on the ground and dead, rather than dead and standing.

For more information, call (530) 543.2694 or (775) 831.0914.

• A free, informal concert on May 17 will honor Lake Tahoe Unified School District music teachers JJ Clause and Linda Kurek who are retiring. It begins at 5pm at South Tahoe High School.

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

• TAMBA’s first South Tahoe trail day of the season is May 19. Meet at the Oneidas Street parking area at 9am to ride in together.

• Does Tahoe need something like this?:

South Lake Tahoe’s Parks and Recreation Department’s inaugural Spring into Summer event is June 1 from 10am-2pm.

This event is free.

It allows families to tour the recreation swim complex, meet the recreation partners and sign up for programs such as the South Tahoe Adventure Recreation Camps and meet camp leaders and enjoy refreshments.

Attendees of the event will receive a one day use pass.

The Parks and Recreation Swim Complex is located at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd.

For more information, call (530) 542.6056.