Members of Eric Hellberg’s Lake Tahoe Community Rock Ensemble class will be hosting a benefit concert Dec. 9 at 7pm at the Lake Tahoe Community College Duke Theater.

In addition to class members, special guest Coherence will be performing.

All proceeds from the event benefit the programs and services of the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. Admission is $5. Ticket and raffle tickets are available from Rock Ensemble members, at the Boys & Girls Club and at the door.

For more information, call (530) 542.0838.

The South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority will meet Dec. 5 at 1pm at Lake Tahoe Airport.

The board expects to establish the process and schedule for seeking applicants for the Bicycle Trail and Fields Advisory Committees required by Measure R.

The JPA will also consider potential refinancing of the existing JPA bond and the retention of a financial advisor and bond counsel for that process.

On Dec. 9 at 6pm Meyers will have its inaugural tree lighting in the Divided Sky/Downtown Café parking lot.

The event is free and open to the public.

The tree will be wrapped in 7,000 warm white lights, and attendees may enjoy hot chocolate, popcorn and entertainment.

For more information on attending or on how to donate to the event, contact Rene Brejc of the Meyers Business Group at (530) 577.7111.

• The Ritz-Carlton at Northstar was picked by readers of Conde Nast Traveler as on of the top 10 resorts in the world.

• South Tahoe Refuse residential customers are asked to set out canned and packaged foods in a bag next to their trash can on the regular refuse collection day the week of Dec. 5-9. The goods will be collected by marked STR trucks and distributed to community programs.

• State Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, received an A grade for the fifth year in a row from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association for the 2011 legislative session. Gaines earned the highest score (96.8 percent) out of the 40 Senate members and was one of only six Senators to earn an A.

• Virginia Fah won a season pass to Heavenly Mountain Resort for attending four of Barton’s wellness lectures this year.

• Nevada Department of Transportation is taking survey about cycling as it develops a statewide bicycle plan. California residents may respond, too. Deadline to take survey is Dec. 6.

Publisher’s note: Lake Tahoe News is looking for gift ideas that are less than $20. Find out how to make a suggestion.

The holidays are an extra special time to help those pets who are less fortunate than your own. Sadly, hundreds of homeless dogs and cats in our community will spend their holidays alone, without a loving family to care for them. The Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe will do everything it can to brighten their days, but nothing beats a real home and a real family.

More than 70 homeless dogs and cats are waiting at HSTT for their new forever homes.

HSTT is also in desperate need of a new shelter. The current kennel, which HSTT shares in a partnership with the Truckee, only accommodates eight dogs and 30 cats; however, at times there are upward of 30 dogs and 80 cats in need of shelter.

A donation of any amount will support the continuation of programs such as rescue and adoptions, pet assisted therapy, community spay and neuter and humane education. And, of course, adopting a homeless pet during the holiday season is always a wonderful option. HSTT has countless animals of all shapes, sizes, breeds, ages and temperaments.

To meet adoptable dogs and cats, go to HSTT’s Adoption Day, every Saturday from noon to 2pm at the Truckee Animal Kennel, or call (530) 581.3199 to schedule an appointment.

To learn more about how you can donate to the capital campaign, call (530) 587.5948 or go online.

— Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews are scheduled to resume prescribed fire operations on the south side of the intersection of Pioneer Trail and Highway 50 in Meyers Nov. 30, weather permitting.

Operations consist of approximately 1 to 2 acres and may continue through the week.

Residents and visitors can expect to see smoke from this prescribed fire project area. Smoke may be visible near the intersection of Pioneer Trail and Highway 50. 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. Forest Service staff will post road signs around areas affected by prescribed fire, and update the local fire information line at (530) 543-2600, ext. 6.

For the second year in a row, Alpine Smith Inc. of South Lake Tahoe joins the SnowCare for Troops Program, a community based program to provide free snow removal services for military families with a spouse or family member serving in the armed forces.

Alpine Smith is offering free snow removal to three active military families and is urging other interested military families to register for participation in the SnowCare for Troops program by calling (530) 541.0250.

• The Sierra Nevada Chapter of the Public Relations Society of recently handed out a slew of awards. Weidinger Public Relations in Stateline received the Award of Excellence in special events with a budget of more than $25,000 for Golf the High Sierra Media Tour, Award of Excellence in ongoing programs with budget of more than $25,000 for American Century Championship — Tahoe Celebrity Golf, and Award of Excellence in overall campaigns with a budget of more than $25,000 for Amgen Tour of California.

• Of the 104 RCDs in California, Placer County Resource Conservation District is in the top four, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

• If you don’t know an F-stop from a stop sign, a six-week class starting Dec. 1 in South Lake Tahoe may be the answer. For more information, call (530) 544.9336.

• The Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort is giving away helmets to kids every Saturday in January.

• Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park has reopened. But another storm could close it again.

• Occupy South Lake Tahoe is meeting at the Raley’s at the Y on Dec. 1 at noon.

Help create magic for families in need by attending the Coyote Grill in the Round Hill Plaza on Dec. 1between 5 and 10pm.

Coyote Grill will be serving its famous $1 bowl of chili, with 20 percent of the profits that evening going back to Tahoe Magic.

Since 1992, Tahoe Magic has been helping families in crisis all year long, working with agencies in our community that identify and recommend families with children that need help. The need is always greater as the holiday season nears. Join us at the Coyote Grill and we can bring magic to families that could really us it this year.

Publisher’s note: Lake Tahoe News is looking for gift ideas that are less than $20. Find out how to make a suggestion.

The Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe has two ways that you can impact the lives of many young people in our community this holiday season. The first is our Holiday Angel program. As a Holiday Angel, you have the opportunity to make a young person’s holiday a little brighter by purchasing a special gift (not to exceed $30) for them.

For information about the program, contact Matt Sampson at msampson@bgclt.org.

The second way is to make a donation in honor of a special person this holiday. The recipient will receive a certificate that a donation in their honor was made by you to the Boys & Girls Club, and you will receive a letter acknowledging your donation with our tax ID number.

For additional information or to make a donation, email khouser@bgclt.org.

As the holidays near, we are reminded every day how important our club, programs and services are to our members and families. More than 200 of the 750 registered members ages 5-18 attend our two sites every day after school. We thank you South Lake Tahoe for being a part of the “village” that our children need to grow up knowing there are so many people who care about them. To find out more about these and other programs, services, and initiatives of the Boys & Girls Club go online, phone (530) 542.0838 or drop by 1100 Lyons Ave., South Lake Tahoe.

— Karen Houser