• Douglas County commissioners voted unanimously this month to support a bill in the Legislature that would have Nevada no longer be part of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

• On May 4, Bona Fide Books of Meyers will launch its first publication, “Permanent Vacation: Twenty Writers on Work and Life in Our National Parks” with a reading at Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe at 7pm.

• A meeting about the El Dorado Beach to Ski Run Boulevard bike trail will be April 18 from 6-8pm at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

• April 20 from 5:30-6:30pm is a meeting about South Lake Tahoe’s Sierra Tract erosion control project in City Council chambers at the airport.

• Kirkwood Mountain Resort has closed the backside for the season.

If you have a background in journalism, Lake Tahoe News would like to hear from you. Send five writing samples, a resume and letter outlining why you want to write for LTN to info@LakeTahoeNews.net.

The Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee is accepting public comment on capital projects and science themes that have been recommended for funding to help restore the Lake Tahoe Basin ecosystem, using Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act Round 12 funds.

Twenty-five project proposals were received, addressing federal vision focus areas: watershed and habitat improvement, forest health and air quality and transportation.

Proposed Round 12 science themes are: forest health, watershed, water quality and habitat restoration, air quality and integrating science.

The Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee is made up of representatives of an array of constituencies concerned with the environmental and economic health of the Lake Tahoe region. One key role of LTFAC is to facilitate the integration and coordination of appropriate federal programs and funds to help achieve the goals of the Lake Tahoe Basin Environmental Improvement Program.

A list of projects may be viewed online.

The public may comment until May 9. Comments may be submitted by email to: comments-pacificsouthwest-ltbmu@fs.fed.us, or by regular mail to Linda Lind, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.

LTFAC will review and discuss comments at its next meeting and develop final funding recommendations.

A fun and fast-paced workshop that will teach the leading energy medicine method, Emotional Freedom Technique, is slated for April 20 starting at 8:30am.

It is easy to learn, and one can use it any time to alleviate stressful emotions. Workshop will include handouts and PowerPoint demonstration.

The workshop setting is the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber conference room, 169 Highway 50, Stateline. It will be taught by mind-body therapist Rosemary Manning, a chamber member.

The cost is $12 for chamber members and $20 to non-members.

The registration deadline is noon April 19.

To register, go online.

• El Dorado County will host a public meeting to receive input on a proposed bike trail alongside Lake Tahoe Boulevard southwest of the Y. The forum starts at 6pm on April 29 at the South Lake Tahoe City Council Chambers, 1901 Airport Road. For more information, go online.

• May 3 is the date of the election to choose the state representative for District 4, which includes the California side of the basin. Polls will open at 7am and close at 8pm. The last day to register to vote is April 18. Sample and vote-by-mail ballots have gone out this week.

• Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and other Nevada Commission on Tourism officials honored industry professionals from around the state last week, presenting the annual Volunteer Tourism Awards for exceptional achievement at the 21st annual Rural Roundup tourism conference. Representing the Reno – Tahoe Territory is Gordon Horsley, business development manager for Amador Stage Lines in Reno.

• The Lake Tahoe Historial Society will kick into spring with featured speaker Margie Daum on April 26 at Camp Richardson Resort at its annual meeting starting at 7pm. The museum is scheduled to open May 15 to welcome Amgen visitors. Nine days later, historian Frank Tortorich and Kim Copel will tell Pony Express stories.

• U.S. Census Bureau employees will begin the first wave of data collection for the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation from about 53,000 households across the country.

• Also from the U.S. Census, a report called the “Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Fluctuations in the U.S. Income Distribution: 2004-2007” divides the nation’s 106 million households into quintiles of 21.3 million based on income and compares their characteristics and their movements between and within the quintiles.

Earth Day Tahoe is scheduled for April 16 at Bijou Community Park on Al Tahoe Boulevard. Hours are set from 10am to 5pm.

The event designed to raise environmental awareness for our planet will feature music by the Bison Bluegrass Band and Bandit, a circus, children’s parade, along with booths, refreshments, a raffle and a zero-waste demonstration.

For more information, visit www.southtahoeearthday.org.

• The Lake Valley Fire Department recently hosted the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Officiers de Sapeurs-Pompiers, as in the National Academy of French Fire Officers, for a presentation on the Angora Fire by Chief Jeff Michael.

• Lake Valley would like to remind residents to remove snow from gas meters and ensure they’re working properly — especially with the heavy snow of this year’s winter. If there’s a hissing sound or smell of rotten eggs, leave the area immediately and call 911.

• E. Clement Shute Jr., 71, of Alameda has been appointed to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. He is a founding partner of Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP, where he has represented numerous environmental organizations, including the TRPA since 1980.

• A PetStay program will be introduced this spring at Harveys Lake Tahoe and Harrah’s Reno hotels, with rooms featuring pet treats, a mat, as well as food and water dishes. Dog walking maps will be on hand.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Explorers won in several categories at the Central Valley Explorer Competition in Tulare a few weeks ago.

After months of training in preparation for the event, the Explorer Scouts demonstrated their competency and professionalism as they performed in several scheduled events. Explorer competitors consisted of Explorer Cmdr. Joey Acker, Explorer Sgt. Jose Silva, Explorers Allison Roberts, Hector Vasquez and Vanessa Perez.

Under the supervision of Officer Rebecca Inman, the SLTPD Explorer Scout coordinator, these young people competed in 13 events against approximately 275 explorers from police and sheriff’s departments from all over California and Nevada.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Explorers brought home trophies in eight of the 13 events. Among them were:

1.Vehicle Search, first place.

2. Crime Scene Investigation, first place.

3. Explorer Ride-A-Long skills, second place.

4. Oral Board Examination, second place.

5. Written Police Officer’s POST Entry Exam, second place (with a score of 97 percent)

6. Physical Agility Tests, one second and one fifth place.

• Prescription drugs in the household may get in the wrong hands or prompt abuse. For that, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department has agreed to take back unwanted pharmaceuticals on April 30 from 9am to 1pm in the Safeway parking lot at 1020 Johnson Blvd.

•The South Lake Tahoe Police Department would like to remind motorists to be aware of parking in spaces designated for the disabled. The current fine for unlawfully parking in properly marked handicapped space in the city is $450.

• The Tahoe Choir will present music from Broadway shows on May 6, 7 and 8 in the Duke Theatre of the Lake Tahoe Community College. Concerts start at 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday with a matinee showing slated for 2pm. For more information, visit www.Tahoechoir.org.

• The Markleeville Plein Air event is planned for June 21 through June 25 inviting spectators to watch 12 artists paint Markleeville and other areas of Alpine County. A collector reception is slated for June 25 at 2pm. All artwork is available at the Markleeville Art Gallery, 14841 Highway 89. Information can be obtained by calling (530) 694.ARTS or visiting www.markleevilleartgallery.com.

• A Historical Haunted Walking Tour is slated for Oct. 20 and 21 starting from Moody’s Bistro & Lounge, 10007 Bridge St. in Truckee. Walk to the most historic and fascinating haunts in town. Visit www.truckeehistorytour.org or call (530) 305.4231

• The second annual Sample the Sierra festival has been confirmed for the afternoon of Sept. 4 on Ski Run Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe. The event features regional artisans, music, food, beer and wine and represents one in a slate of activities planned for Labor Day weekend, including a fireworks show. For more information, visit www.samplethesierra.com or call (775) 588.1728 or info@tahoechamber.org.

• The Lake Tahoe Basin Wildfire Awareness Week is planned for May 28 through June 5. The theme this year is “Get Defensive: We’re Counting on You!” The focus of the week will be to promote community based defensible space activities. Fire agencies, fire safe chapters and local organizations will collaborate to hold community cleanup days including offering free chipping and pine needle pick ups and hosting neighborhood meetings and educational activities. Check the Living with Fire website at www.livingwithfire.info/tahoe to find out about events.

• The Tahoe Rim Trail Association and Sierra Nevada Journeys are organizing backcountry camps starting in July. The programs offer opportunities for teenagers to develop backcountry skills. The dates are: July 6-8, July 28-30 for session 1; July 24-26, Aug. 14-16 for session 2. Interested parties may register at www.sierranevadajourneys.org.

• The Tahoe Maritime Museum is putting on a summer launch party on May 28 from 5-8pm. Refreshments will be served.

• Bethany Drysdale, who has promoted Nevada’s tourism attractions for more than five years for the Nevada Commission on Tourism, will head the public relations department starting April 23, Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki announced. Drysdale has served as the public relations specialist for NCOT for six years. She replaces Chris Chrystal, who is retiring as manager April 22, after a 48-year career in news reporting and public relations that included 13 years with NCOT.