By Phillip Marcelo, AP

BOSTON — Massachusetts is set to launch this week a first-in-the-nation system allowing slot players to limit their bets, following months of planning and some pushback from the gambling industry.

The goal is to prevent casual players from going down the destructive path of addiction, said Marlene Warner, executive director of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling, which is helping administer the new feature along with the state Gaming Commission. It isn’t necessarily meant to address those with serious gambling problems, she said.

“It’s truly a prevention tool,” Warner said. “We want people to keep gambling in a way that’s healthy and safe for them, so that it doesn’t rise to that problematic level.”

The “Play My Way” system is being piloted at Plainridge Park, the slots parlor and harness racing track in Plainville and the only operating casino in Massachusetts so far.

If successful, the system may be imposed by the gambling commission at two other state-regulated casinos still in development: Wynn’s Boston-area resort and MGM’s Springfield one.

The federally recognized Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, which is building a resort casino on sovereign land in Taunton, says it’s also reviewing “Play My Way,” but declined to say last week whether it would commit to implementing anything similar when its First Light casino opens in part in 2017.

Massachusetts casino operators and the Washington-based American Gaming Association initially voiced reservations about the planned system, arguing such bet limiting or “play management” programs have not proven effective in Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden and other countries where they’ve been tried.

But American Gaming Association spokesman Christopher Moyer said “productive conversations” with the state gambling commission has allayed most of the association’s concerns.

“Any responsible gaming tool should be targeted to assist the small minority of players that may confront irresponsible play without harming the entertainment experience for nearly all players who enjoy our entertainment experience responsibly,” he said. “We’re optimistic this tool will help to achieve this goal.”

Bet limiting systems are distinct from so-called “self-exclusion” policies in place at Plainridge Park and most U.S. casinos that bar enrolled gamblers from betting at casinos outright.

Warner said the Massachusetts system, which is similar to one also in development in the Canadian province of British Columbia, also is not as draconian as those imposed elsewhere.

“Play My Way” is voluntary and is only being offered initially to players signed up with the casino’s reward card program.

Gamblers would never be cut off from betting. By enrolling, they simply receive regular, onscreen notifications as they approach or reach their limit. They also can change their betting ceiling or unenroll at any time.

“It’s just a tool to make that person aware of what’s happening and the decisions they’re making.” Warner said.

South Lake Tahoe Friends of the Library in partnership with Lake Tahoe Historical Society is bringing award-winning author Cheryl Anne Stapp to town.

Stapp’s newest book is “The Stagecoach in Northern California: Rough Rides, Gold Camps, and Daring Drivers”.

She lives with her husband in Sacramento and volunteers as a docent at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park. Stapp has written about the history that surrounds her in “Disaster & Triumph: Sacramento Women, Gold Rush Through the Civil War” and “Sacramento Chronicles: A Golden Past”.

She will be reading from her books and giving a talk on July 23 at 3pm. The free event is at the library on Rufus Allen Boulevard. Books will be available for sale and signing.

Douglas County Public Library will be showing five movies geared toward adults (rated PG to PG-13) on selected Wednesdays throughout the summer.

All showings begin at 3pm, with free popcorn and beverages provided.

Scheduled showings include:

·         June 15:  “Hail, Caesar!” – starring George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson (PG-13)

·         June 29:  “The Monuments Men” – starring Matt Damon and George Clooney (PG-13)

·         July 20:  “The Hundred-Foot Journey” – starring Helen Mirren (PG)

·         Aug. 3:  “Captain Phillips” – starring Tom Hanks (PG-13)

·         Aug. 17:  “The Intern” – starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway (PG-13).

The Minden Library is located at 1625 Library Lane. For more information, call 775.782.9841.

Davey “Doc” Wiser and Denise Sloan Smart are veterans on the annual Wagon Train. Photo/Projections Photography

By Denise Sloan Smart

Who inspires you to do crazy things? Such as riding on an annual wagon train for 30 years.

First would be my 4-H teacher who gave me a love of sewing at the age of 9, plus an incredible high school history teacher. Then my dad, who allowed me to drive alone 45 minutes each way every Saturday for a year into San Francisco at the age of 16 to a fashion design college. Years later, a crazy guy named Davey “Doc” Wiser mentored me on re-living American history in authentic attire to honor our California heritage.

At an early age, I began collecting and re-creating vintage clothing that ranges from the 1840s to the 1920s. Wearing any of the elaborate garments, you’ll find me volunteering at living history events and demonstrations from Great Gatsby to Gold Rush Days to Wagon Trains. I also demonstrate the delicate art of silk ribbon embroidery that was used as adornment on pillows, clothing and accessories of all manners, a craft that was immensely popular from the early 1800s to the late 1920s. I make all of my authentic 1800s garments.

It was the Highway 50 Wagon Train that gave me “gold fever” 30 years ago, when I was an editor at the Tahoe Daily Tribune.

I was on assignment to write about the 37th annual Highway 50 Wagon Train. I rode with Wiser and never stopped.

For the first couple of years it was a work assignment that usually stopped about the time the train rolled into Strawberry Lodge’s meadow for the halfway layover day, and I’d go back to work. By the third year I used my vacation days to ride the whole trip and the next thing I knew I volunteered to help the club with marketing and publicity.

I was honored as Highway 50 Wagon Train Queen in 1997.

A friend and former Highway 50 board member, Lynn Friesen, gave me an original 1850s dress that had some tiny stitching under the bustle. When I was in the process of constructing a pattern from the dress to make one for me, I did some searching and found there was a tiny pocket for a derringer hidden under the many layers of fabric. That was pretty exciting.

Getting involved in Highway 50 Wagon Train 30 years ago turned out to be a perfect combination of my love of history, historical clothing and sewing skills, and the desire to bring interesting, family friendly events to Lake Tahoe.

Those of us who possess a deep passion for Wagon Train keep this on the road for future generations so they will never lose our pioneer heritage.

Many of the Highway 50 pioneers and mountain men inspired me to keep coming back, but none more than Wiser. I’m so blessed to have been mentored and trained by him. He taught me that this “moving living history event” deserved total respect from start to finish. Once we leave home for Wagon Train, until the day it’s over we never change out of authentic attire, no matter what. You will never catch either of us in modern anything.

After riding together for so many decades, people ask, “Are Davey and Denise married?”

I always answer, “Of course, but not to each other.” However, we did create “The Firm of Smart & Wiser”.

Even though this is my 30th year on Highway 50 Wagon Train, it’s not old hat. Every year is just as exciting as the first. It’s not always pure fun, but it’s always an adventure.

—–

Notes:

• More info about Wagon Train is available online.

Historian and author Frank X. Mullen will present his program In the Footsteps of the Donner Party in a free presentation at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on June 4 at 10am.

Mullen, author of “The Donner Party Chronicles: A Day-By-Day Account of a Doomed Wagon Train”, takes audiences on the trail of pioneers in a presentation that features artifacts and reproductions of items used by 1840s travelers.

He teaches journalism at UNR, lectures about the history of the Silver State, and regularly performs in the Nevada Humanities Chautauqua program and other Chautauqua venues nationwide.

This is an outdoor event. Bring a comfortable camp chair. Shaded seating area is available. No dogs allowed.

By Joan Patterson, Las Vegas Review-Journal

So, you can’t remember what you had for dinner last night, your knees ache and after years of perfect vision there is now a collection of snazzy drugstore reading glasses stashed all over the house.

Congratulations, it’s only going to get better. Really.

In their book, “Lighter as We Go: Virtues, Character Strengths and Aging” (Oxford University Press, 2015), authors Mindy Greenstein and Jimmie Holland point to some of the latest research showing an increase in reported well-being as we age. One significant finding is a pattern that emerges called the U-bend.

In a nutshell, feelings of satisfaction are high in early adulthood such as the 20s, then start to curve downward and hit rock bottom in middle age, around the late 40s to early 50s. Then, despite all those preconceptions about growing older, well-being actually starts to curve upward and keeps rising into at least the eighth decade.

Read the whole story

A memorial service for Bob Rockwell, aka Old Long Skiis, will be June 11 at 1pm at the Lake Tahoe History Museum complex in front of the 147-year-old Osgood Toll House.

Bob Rockwell

The longtime South Lake Tahoe resident died Nov. 3.

Because of Rockwell’s lifelong passion for history, his memorial service will also be a fundraiser to restore the tollhouse.

During the memorial, the plans created by Keith Klein will be unveiled. There will be free cabin and museum tours and maps to the historic walking tour of Al Tahoe will be available.

Refreshments will be served and the doors to the toll house will be open for a peek inside.

For those unable to make it, but would like to make a donation in Rockwell’s name to the Osgood Toll House project, send a check to Lake Tahoe Historical Society, PO Box 18501, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96151.

In its inaugural year, the warm room at South Lake Tahoe was considered a success by those affiliated with it.

Highlights from this season:

• 102 nights
• 107 different guests
• Provided 1,820 shelter bed nights
• Averaged 18 guests per night
• 1,600 volunteer hours
• Trained 100 volunteers
• Scheduled 32 guest social work appointments
• Scheduled 28 case management follow-up appointments.

Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless is a California non­profit formed by local resi­dents working together to end homelessness on the South Shore. The warm room is the core of its operations.

Caltrans is scheduled to install memorial highway signs to honor longtime El Dorado County resident and rancher Gene Chappie in recognition of his four decades of service representing the citizens of the county and state.

The Eugene “Gene” Chappie Memorial Highway signs will be installed along Highway 193 in Cool the week of June 13.

There will be a reception to honor Chappie on June 18 at 10am at Pilot Hill Grange, 1701 Highway 193 in Cool.

Chappie dedicated his life to serving his country, his county and the American people. In 1941, after graduating from high school, Chappie joined the Army and was promoted to the rank of captain while serving in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He would again serve his country during the Korean War. After the Korean War, Chappie returned to the family ranch in Cool.

In 1950, Gov. Earl Warren appointed Chappie to the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors. Chappie represented the residents until his election to the California  Assembly in 1964. As an assemblyman, Chappie represented the residents of the 6th and 3 rd Assembly Districts until his election to the House of Representatives in 1980. As a congressman, Chappie represented the residents of the 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts until his retirement in 1986, allowing him to return full-time to the family’s ranch in Cool.

Kara

Kara is an 18-month old German shepherd-border collie mix who is very skinny right now. She is a very sweet dog with many shepherd traits, including that she is very smart, but she has had little training and will do best with some classes.

She is good with dogs, cats and kids. Kara has beautiful smooth fur despite being underweight and will make a wonderful pet.

Kara is spayed, microchipped, tested for heart worm, and vaccinated. She is at the El Dorado County Animal Services shelter in Meyers, along with many other dogs and cats who are waiting for their new homes. Go to the Tahoe animal shelter’s Facebook page to see photos and descriptions of all pets at the shelter.

Call 530573.7925 for directions, hours, and other information on adopting a pet.

For spay-neuter assistance for South Tahoe residents, go online.

— Karen Kuentz