• South Lake Tahoe had the highest gas price in California, at $3.99 per gallon, according to AAA’s monthly review of prices throughout the state.

• The 25th annual Santa Paws Benefit is Dec. 3 from 11am-4pm. The website has more info.

• Barton Auxiliary blood drive is Dec. 5 from 11am-6pm at the South Lake Tahoe library (1000 Rufus Allen Blvd.).

• Three South Lake Tahoe residents competed in the Nov. 6 New York City Marathon — Sherry Lindner, Ann Fountain and Lisa Kern.

• North Lake Tahoe Visitors Bureau, a marketing cooperative between the Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau and the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, was selected by Smart Meetings magazine as one of its Platinum Choice award-winning organizations, while Meetings & Conventions magazine recognized the group with its Gold Award.

To help the Lake Tahoe community stay healthy this season, Barton Health is providing free seasonal flu vaccines to children ages three to 18 residing in South Lake Tahoe on Nov. 19 from 1-5pm at Barton Family Medicine, 1090 Third St., South Lake Tahoe.

Anyone 19 and older may receive the flu vaccine for $20 and the pneumonia vaccine for $35. There is no appointment necessary to receive the vaccination(s); individuals will be treated on a walk-in-basis. Both vaccines are reimbursable for standard Medicare patients. Medicare HMOs cannot be billed.

Questions can be e-mailed to publicrelations@bartonhealth.org or call (530) 543.5615.

The Placer County Board of Supervisors is meeting at the Granlibakken Conference Center and Lodge in Tahoe City on Nov. 15 at 9:15am to discuss the Homewood Mountain Resort proposed project.

The County’s Community Development Resource Agency’s Planning Division will bring the project forward. Supervisors will be asked to consider a third-party appeal of the Planning Commission’s action to approve a conditional use permit, planned development permit and the vesting tentative subdivision map for the project.

The Homewood project agenda item is scheduled for 9:30am and is a public hearing.

Deputies of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics Team recently won top honors at the Northern Nevada SWAT Team competition in Washoe County.

Eight agencies competed in the event: Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Reno Police Department, Sparks Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Fallon Naval Air Station Security Forces, Washoe County Disaster Recovery Team, and Reno Tactical Emergency Medical Response Team.

The competition consisted of 21 events. The events are designed to test abilities in team organization, tactical skills, firearms proficiency and physical fitness all while negotiating various scenarios and courses of fire.

DCSO took first in the elite team category, consisting of a three-person team comprised of deputies Geoff Marshall, Rick Koontz Jr. and Marshall Flagg. It took this team just more than 2.5 hours to complete the course.

In the mixed team event, deputies Tyler Jones and Ryan Grant took third place.

In addition to winning the elite category, DCSO’s team had the best score and time during the firearms competition.

Bread & Broth’s 23 annual Thanksgiving feast is Nov. 21 from 4-5:30pm for anyone in need.

St. Theresa church is located at 1041 Lyons Ave. in South Lake Tahoe.

Bread & Broth's Turkey Day celebration is Nov. 21. Photo/LTN file

Roasted turkey is on the menu, as well as all the traditional side dishes.

In previous years, the volunteers have served as many as 500 people for this Thanksgiving meal. For many members of the community, this meal will be the only Thanksgiving dinner they will have.

Donations for the meal are needed, especially fresh cranberries, oranges, sausage, and canned fried onions. All food donations are accepted at the side door of Grace Hall on Nov. 18 from 9am-4pm. Money to buy food will also be accepted.

To find out how you can help Bread & Broth as a sponsor, donor or volunteer, contact Diane Weidinger at (775) 588.3993 or dianeweidinger@yahoo.com.

The Pacific Ranger District in the Eldorado National Forest has a new ranger — Richard Thornburgh.

He was selected to direct the day-to-day operations on the Pacific Ranger District, headquartered in Fresh Pond, three miles east of Pollock Pines. Thornburgh’s district includes the Crystal Basin, a portion of Desolation Wilderness, and part of the Rubicon Trail.

Thornburgh

Thornburgh comes to the Eldorado from the San Bernardino National Forest where he’s worked for the past five years. He starts the new job in January.

Heavenly Mountain Resort’s year-old Tamarack Lodge has received its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Tamarack Lodge is the first LEED-certified, on-mountain building at Lake Tahoe.

Heavenly worked with a LEED-certified commissioning engineer and design team to ensure the process was transparent and closely aligned with the U.S. Green Building Council’s recommendations. The project features native and adaptive plant species in re-vegetation and landscaping to reduce water consumption.

Heavenly's Tamarack Lodge is Lake Tahoe first on-mountain LEED building. Photo/LTN file

Fifty-six tons of construction waste were diverted from local landfills.

Ten percent of the total building materials were sourced from recycled materials.

Heavenly used low-emitting sealants and paints which kept the levels of volatile organic compounds well below recommended standards.

The Tamarack Lodge roof material was chosen carefully to reduce heat island effect, a term used to describe an area that concentrates heat leading to increased energy needs and green house gas emissions.

Many behind-the-scenes design features will allow for on-going energy and water savings making a lasting positive impact on the environment. ow-flush lavatories and other smart plumbing fixture designs will help Heavenly cut water consumption by 33 percent. Light timers and automatic control system will help reduce light pollution on the mountain and cut energy use in the future.

The Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Coordination Committee will host a free public forum on Nov. 16 from 5:30 to 7:30pm at the North Tahoe Events Center in Kings Beach.

Brief presentations will feature aquatic invasive species prevention, control and monitoring projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin and Truckee area.

The evening will begin with at 5pm with a 30-minute networking session and will conclude with a question and answer period.

In addition to summarizing activities and accomplishments in 2011, presenters will highlight future plans and opportunities for invasive species control and prevention efforts for Lake Tahoe and Truckee area water bodies.

Lake Tahoe and Truckee area residents and boaters are urged to attend and submit feedback regarding the future of the Truckee Boat Inspection Program, which is currently a voluntary program operated by the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, but may become a mandatory inspection program in the near future.

Tahoe Youth & Family Services received two grants from the Administration for Children and Families to support expanding services in Alpine County.

In October, TYFS began offering a 24-hour crisis line, shelter through host homes, counseling and case management services and outreach to Alpine County residents.

These grants allow TYFS to expand its program of supportive services for homeless, transient and high risk youth and their families that already exist in South Lake Tahoe and Douglas County to Alpine County.

TYFS is partnering with the Woodfords Indian Education Center, Alpine Women’s Center, Alpine County Probation Department, Koinonia, Alpine County Behavioral Health Department, Alpine County School District and the Child Abuse Prevention Council as we develop and implement these programs.

The Friends of the Veterans Monument will host the 7th annual Veterans Tribute in honor of the sacrifices and service of the men and women of the Armed Forces.

The Nov. 11 11am event is at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument, 360 Fair Lane, Placerville.