Alex Boyar, a 2008 graduate of South Tahoe High School, was in Sacramento this week making some noise about students’ rights along with hundreds of other college students.

Boyar is president of Associated Students Inc. at Sonoma State. He is politically active, which includes being an advocate for students’ and gay rights. At STHS he was instrumental in creating Ally and being a voice for gay students.

Alex Boyar with friends marching at the state capitol. Photos/Provided

Alex Boyar and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom joke about their hair.

While in the state capital he ran into Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom – who shares Boyar’s interests.

Boyar will graduate in May with a bachelor’s in business, with a concentration in finance. He has applied for two fellowship programs – one at the state capitol and the other with the Human Rights Campaign. He has already gone through the Panetta Institute for Public Policy.

 — Lake Tahoe News staff report

Kids-Parents Night Out at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center is March 9 form 6-10pm.

This is for grades K-8.

The $20 fee includes pizza dinner, swimming, games and a movie. Call (530) 542.6056 to register.

The Next Kids Night Out is March 23.

A benefit to raise money to protect Washoe Meadows State Park will be March 12 from 4-9pm at Lake Tahoe Pizza Company.

Fifteen percent of sale will go to the Save the Park Fund.

Tahoe Cool Water will provide the music. There will also be a cash-only silent auction.

Lake Tahoe Pizza Company is at 1168 Highway 50, South Lake Tahoe.

For more information, email washoemeadowsinfo@yahoo.com.

Bridging the Digital Divide is a free 30-minute individual training sessions for many popular digital devices including laptops, tablets, eReaders and smart phones.

Classes are at the South Lake Tahoe branch library, 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd. Call (530) 573.3185 to make an appointment.

• Stardust Lodge will be before the South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission on March 8 at 3pm at Lake Tahoe Airport requesting its sign be grandfathered in under the “unique sign” designation.

• Tracy Rhine, 39, of El Dorado has been appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown as deputy director of Legislative and Policy Review for the California Department of Consumer Affairs. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $103,008.

• Preschool Storytime at the South Lake Tahoe library is every Friday through April 27 at 11am. This is 30 minutes of stories, games and crafts suitable for ages 3-5.

• Zildjian S. Borromeo, a 2010 graduate of South Tahoe High School, was recently promoted to Navy seaman apprentice.

• A Massage at Tahoe has a new website.

• Organizers of the almost 30-year-old Lake Tahoe Music Festival are no longer going to put on the event because of competition from other events and financial concerns.

Placer County has proposed developing a biomass power generation facility near the Eastern Regional Material Recovery Facility at Cabin Creek. The proposed biomass power generation facility would be located on county-owned land off Highway 89 between Squaw Valley and Truckee.

A meeting to discuss the project is set for March 13 from 9am-1pm at 305 Squaw Valley Road, Olympic Valley, First Floor Community Room.

For more information, call (530) 745.3011 or email bstorey@placer.ca.gov.

Tahoe Writers Works will host a reading from the fifth volume of the annual literary journal “EDGE” at 88 Cups Coffee in Minden on March 10 at 1pm.

Select contributors will be on hand to sign the journal.

“EDGE” is an award-winning literary journal published each year by Tahoe Writers Works. It features provocative fiction, poetry, essays, and art, from artists both local and global.

Tahoe Writers Works is a nonprofit organization based. Each year, the group organizes events to create a stronger

literary and arts community, including Bare Bones Open Mic and Murder Mystery Theater at Valhalla.

For more information, go online.

Tahoe Regional Young Professionals’ development and education speaker series kicks off March 15 with Alfred Knotts, principal planner-project manager for the Tahoe Transportation District.

Knotts will present plans associated with the Highway 50 South Shore Community Revitalization Project, a proposed plan that would wipe-out a long-established neighborhood in South Lake Tahoe and in its place put a state highway.

This is locally known as the loop road project.

The idea is to make the Stateline area more pedestrian friendly for tourists, turning the current highway into a city street and the city streets locals use to bypass the casino corridor into the highway, with highway going behind Harrah’s and MontBleu.

Knotts will explain how proponents believe the project will provide safety and environmental improvements, economic vitality, and enhance the community and visitor experience with reduced congestion.

The meeting is from 6-9pm at the Lake Tahoe Airport’s Flight Deck Restaurant and Bar.

For more information, email TahoeTRYP@gmail.com.

The Alcohol and Drug Programs of the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency is reminding residents that help is available for people who may be struggling with gambling issues.

March 4–10 is National Problem Gambling Awareness Week.

“Gamblers often don’t realize they have a problem, Christy White, supervising health education coordinator with ADP, said in a press release. “What starts out as an occasional, fun activity can slowly become a compulsive addiction … one that drains the person of their time, resources and relationships and can lead to other problems such as substance abuse and depression. Getting help is the key to breaking the cycle.”

Warning signs of problem gambling include:

Losing time from work due to gambling;

Repeatedly promising to stop gambling, yet returning to it again and again;

Borrowing money to gamble or to pay gambling debts;

Lying to cover up gambling activity;

Suffering from feelings of remorse or depression due to gambling;

Gambling until the last dollar is gone.

The California Office of Problem Gambling Helpline offers free, confidential help over the phone at 800.426.2537. The helpline is open 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays.

Callers to the helpline can receive over-the-phone counseling, referral to a treatment therapist, and information about resources such as Gamblers Anonymous, and other help.

U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will resume prescribed fire operations on Kingsbury Grade near Andria Drive on March 6.

The size of the operation will depend on the condition of the area. Crews may continue operations through the week and possibly through the weekend, weather and conditions permitting.

Residents and visitors can expect to see smoke from this prescribed fire project area and smoke may be visible on Kingsbury Grade. The Forest Service strives to minimize the impacts of smoke on local communities. Smoke-sensitive residents should consider staying indoors and keeping doors, windows and outside vents closed. To directly receive prescribed fire updates, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us.