·       BlueGo is offering free rides on routes 50 and 53 on the South Shore from Dec. 24-Jan. 1. For more info, go online. 

·       El Dorado County Board of Supervisors is having a special meeting on Dec. 28 at 10am in Placerville to consider accepting a $57.14 million loan from the USDA to build a public safety facility. The interest rate will be 2 3/8 percent.

·       The Minden Library is showing “The Jungle Book” (rated PG) on Jan. 7 at 2pm. The movie and popcorn are free. The library is located at 1625 Library Lane. 

·       AAA expects to rescue more than 980,000 motorists over the 11-day holiday travel period, with the primary reasons being dead batteries, flat tires and lockouts.

·       Squaw Valley’s upper mountain has potable water; with operations in full service.

This holiday season, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows will offer a pilot intra-valley transit program in partnership with the app-based transportation provider Chariot.

It will be available Dec. 23-Jan. 4.

Chariot’s mobile app will allow people to book rides for on-demand and fixed-route services within the Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows neighborhoods, using new 14-passenger Ford Transit vehicles equipped with ski and snowboard racks.

Shuttles will pick up passengers along fixed 15-20 minute routes between 8-10am and 3-5pm. From 10am-3pm, Chariot will provide custom resort-to-doorstep rides within the Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows neighborhoods, in addition to fixed routes. Resort-to-doorstep rides can be booked via Chariot’s mobile app.

Starting Jan. 9 Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School will begin taking names for the fall 2017 line-up of kindergartners.

Parents of students who will turn 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2017, may fill out a “Kindergarten Enrollment Request Form” at the school office or online. This a lottery. Forms are due at the end of March.

The transitional kinder program at Tahoe Valley School is available for those who turn 5 after Sept. 1.

For more info, email mtruszewski@ltusd.org.

·       The Crossing in South Lake Tahoe is gradually filling up with new tenants. Besides Sierra-at-Tahoe, expect Lake Tahoe AleWorX Taproom & Pizzeria, Elevate Wellness Center, and Omni yoga plan to have storefronts.

·       The 24-year-old Bookshelf bookstore in Truckee is closing Dec. 29. However, the town won’t be without a bookstore for long. In the spring, Bug’s plans to open on Church Street.

·       Dirt Nasty plus Speaker Child and B3 the Shark will be at Whiskey Dicks in South Lake Tahoe on Dec. 28. Doors open at 9pm. Must be 21. Tickets are $20 that night.

·       South Lake Tahoe Windjammers Yacht Club has new officers: Kurt Rasmussen, commodore; Shari Young, vice commodore; David Young, rear commodore; Diane Martin, secretary; and Dale Herman, treasurer.

·       Delta Air Lines’ Reno-Atlanta route resumed this week. There will be three flights a week through Jan. 3. Then it will be Saturdays only through March.

·       Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe’s 35th annual Mid-Winter Beach Party Crab Feed is Jan. 27 starting at 6pm at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. Tickets are $40 each. For more info, call 530.541.5900.

·       +Impact School and Tahoe Expedition Academy, fully accredited independent pre-K-8 and 9-12 schools in Lake Tahoe, have raised $10 million in partnership with the Martis Valley Education Fund. If the schools raise another $1 million, it will receive a $5.5 million matching grant to complete Phase 1 of its flagship campus in Martis Valley, which is set to open next fall.

·       Jim Lawrence is now chair of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board and Bill Yeates is vice chair.

·       On Dec. 15 at 8:30am a wind gust of 106 mph was recorded by National Weather Service in Reno at Slide Mountain.

·       Lakeside living is now available in Kings Beach with the completion of Tahoe Beachfront residences. The complex includes 10 condos.

Fritz Wenck

·       The board room at Lake Tahoe Community College will be named after Fritz Wenck, who retired this month after being the longest serving board member. He was there from day one. There will be a celebration in late January.

·       Here are the El-Dorado-Tahoe and Sierra roadwork schedules from Caltrans for the week.

·       Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Garden Valley, presented the Congressional Silver Medal to Tifany Wong, a student in El Dorado Union High School District. She was awarded for her extensive volunteer service, personal development, physical fitness, and exploration.

·       Dec. 19 is expected to be the busiest day of the year for the U.S. Postal Service. More than 611 million pieces of mail are expected to be mailed that day. More than 5 million people nationwide are expected to visit a post office on Monday – which is twice the normal number.

·       The Loft in South Lake Tahoe will see 2016 vanish and 2017 appear with two New Year’s Eve celebrations. For details, go online. 

·       El Dorado County issued a warning saying travel on the Rubicon Trail is not advised the next few days because of the weather.

·       Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board were presented with a 2016 Regional Forester Honor award for their work, dedication, and commitment to conserving and restoring natural resources for present and future generations.

·       KKFT 99.1-FM, broadcasting out of Carson City, will be airing “America Outdoors Radio” on Saturday mornings between 5 and 6.

·       Sam Slack is now vice president and general manager of Ridge Tahoe.

·       President Obama on Dec. 16 signed the federal water act that includes the $415 million Lake Tahoe Restoration Act.

The National Weather Service is predicting the Truckee River to get close to moderate flood stage from the storm that is hitting the area today and tonight.

Truckee has sand bags available for local residents. They may be picked up at 11473 Donner Pass Road (Fire Station 92) and at Stockrest Springs by the U.S. Forest Service.

It is advised to not drive through areas that are flooded, and watch for downed trees and power lines from predicted high winds.

·       Live Violence Free in South Lake Tahoe accepts donations from 8am-4pm on Wednesdays. Clothing and food are needed.

·       Zephyr Cove Library will be hosting a cookie decorating event on Dec. 22 from 3:30-4:30pm. Children will frost and decorate snowman sugar cookies while listening to stories, and they will be invited to take part in a candy cane hunt and other wintery games. 

·       Barbara Bannar will be at the helm of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District board for another year, while Angela Swanson will be clerk.

·       Karen Borges is now president of the Lake Tahoe Community College board.

·       Marc Arroues is interim director of Tahoe Turning Point.

·       Tahoe Transportation District has pushed back the release date of the environmental documents related to the loop road to January at the earliest.

·      South Tahoe Refuse Company’s 1.59 percent rate increase will be voted on Dec. 15 by the Douglas County commissioners.

·       Christmas tree permits in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit are gone. The agency sold approximately 4,500 permits this year.

·       The Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe’s 2017 calendar is available for sale online and in stores. 

·       The Dec. 15 tree mortality community meeting in Grizzly Flats has been canceled.