UC Davis TERC is expanding its Science Expo program to South Lake Tahoe.

With funding from Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe, students in Lake Tahoe Unified School District will be able to participate March 30-April 1 at Lake Tahoe Community College. The expo will also be at the UC Davis Tahoe Science Center in Incline Village from March 14-18.

Volunteers are needed at both locations. No science experience is required. To sign up for a shift, go online.

The Science Expo experience is designed to guide third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students through hands-on scientific investigations and experiments. This year’s theme is Physical Science with topics including: Energy, Forces and Motion, and Properties of Matter.

For more info, contact Emily Frey at efrey@ucdavis.edu or 775.881.7560, ext. 7474.

By Amy Westervelt, Wall Street Journal

Scientists and doctors seeking to unravel some of the mysteries behind the deadliest form of breast cancer have put out a call to patients diagnosed with the disease: Please send us your DNA.

These researchers are creating a national database of patients’ blood and tumor samples, along with their medical records, to better understand what triggers metastatic, or stage IV, breast cancer and how it might be stopped.

Led by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a nonprofit academic research institution focused on accelerating the understanding and treatment of disease, the ambitious Metastatic Breast Cancer Project is part of a broader effort to shine a spotlight on a type of cancer that many activists say has gotten short shrift. While prevention and early detection of breast cancer has grown immensely in recent decades, thanks to 30 years of pink-ribbon campaigns, the number of women dying from metastatic breast cancer has remained steady at about 40,000 annually since the 1970s.

“We’re asking for a redistribution of research funding for breast cancer that’s revenue-neutral,” says Kelly Shanahan, a South Lake Tahoe obstetrician diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer two years ago, and who met with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein last year. “It can make a huge difference.”

Read the whole story

By Zak Dahlheimer, WJHG-TV

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Ari Ramos is on a journey.

One stretching more than 2,700 miles from Jacksonville, Fla., to her hometown of South Lake Tahoe raising awareness about obesity, and speaking to children about healthy lifestyles.

And even along the way, she said she’s run into some interesting questions.

For Ramos, she said obesity has been a battle she’s faced ever since she was a child.

Read the whole story

By Howie Nave

First off you can tell right from the start that every actor here loves being in a Coen Brothers movie. And can you blame them? The minds behind such gems as “The Big Lebowski,” “Fargo,” “Burn After Reading” and “Raising Arizona” brothers Ethan and Joel have once again restored my faith in Hollywood by making a movie that is an incredible send up of the movie making industry.

Set in Hollywood in 1951 “Hail, Caesar!” gives us a slice of what it was like when the studios were making movies like a Detroit assembly line factory turning out cars with studio owned actors as the parts to keep the dream machine of movie making running. Throw in a Communist subplot, twin Hollywood gossip columnists (both played brilliantly by Tilda Swinton) and studio fix-it man Eddie Mannix with a Catholic conscience (in one of Josh Brolin’s best roles ever) who’s also the in-house babysitter for Capitol Studios’ actors and you’ve got the ingredients to one of the funniest movies the Coen Brothers have made in a long time.

The cast of characters is incredible and includes Scarlett Johansson as the sweet and innocent swim-star sweetheart who off camera is a foul-mouthed, knocked up street gal who needs a husband to maintain her studio image of girl next door. And Channing Tatum as a song and dance man? I had no idea he had the moves and was so versatile. And George Clooney as the lead star of the movie within the movie, “Hail, Caesar!”, absolutely had the time of his life as the diva actor Baird Whitlock who not blows his lines during climatic moments but is easily swayed to believe that maybe the Russians aren’t so bad after all even after he’s kidnapped by the Commie bastards!

Clooney is no stranger to the Coen magic having appeared in two of their other off-the-wall flicks, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and “Intolerable Cruelty.” And leave it to the Coens to introduce a breakout star in the way of a young Alden Ehrenreich, who plays a singing cowboy star forced to be in a stuffy socialite movie (looking and sounding very uncomfortable) directed by a stuffy British director played by real life Brit Ralph Fiennes in a role he too looked like was relishing the part.

With all of the big name actors in “Hail, Caesar!” it’s Brolin’s character as Mannix that keeps the movie flowing throughout. He’s not only the soul of this flick, but the moral compass going to confessional daily to the point where his priest tells him that he doesn’t have to go to confessional every day. Since “Hail, Caesar!” is Mannix’s latest and biggest budgeted project that involves Jesus Christ he seeks out the advice from four religious leaders to make sure that Christ is being properly portrayed. Of course the rabbi (played by Robert Picardo) could really care less because Jesus isn’t his God (or son of God) since his peeps (the chosen people) don’t believe he’s the Messiah. Playing the Protestant clergyman is comedian/actor Allan Havey (AMC’s “Mad Men,” “The Office,” “The Informant!”) who’s actually Catholic but is such a convincing actor pulled off his Protestant role quite convincingly.

“Hail, Caesar!” has plenty of cameos to not only keep your attention span in “on” mode, but will make you think, “Was that Oscar winning actress Frances McDormand I just saw?” or Jonah Hill in a brief scene as the guy does what it takes to keep the studio’s actors on the straight and narrow. It’s a good ride throughout and clocks in at 1 hour, 45 minutes and is rated PG-13 for some suggestive content and smoking.

Howie Nave is host/emcee/manager of The Improv at Harveys. You can hear him Monday-Friday 6 to 10am on KRLT FM-93.9.

South Lake Tahoe friends Kelsey Adams, from left, Christina Wiseman and Christi Caden enjoy cocktails and conversation at The Loft.  Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

By Kathryn Reed

Whatever your plans were for tonight, you need to change them. Go to The Loft. Drink, eat, see the show – do all three or any combination. It’s that good.

Owner Paul Reder has redefined what going out in South Lake Tahoe is all about. There is nothing else like it in town or even across the state line.

It’s part bar, part lounge, part restaurant, part show room.

Jim McGowan and Naomi Chianese of Napa enjoy a drink at the bar. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

Energy oozes from The Loft – it’s intoxicating without ever having taken a sip of alcohol. People are relaxed on the comfortable couches, enjoying one of the many specialty cocktails as an electronic beat vibrates through the room.

While the music is hard to miss, it’s not so pronounced that dinner conversation is a problem.

Steampunk, rustic, modern, industrial – all words people used to describe the South Shore’s newest venue. Red, black and wood dominate the décor.

Lighting doubles as artwork. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

It took about $1 million to transform the vacant area in the Heavenly Village into what has already become a destination for locals and tourists.

“It’s so different from any place in Tahoe,” Kelsey Adams said as she enjoyed drinks with two friends from South Lake Tahoe. This was her eighth time to The Loft – and it’s only been open since December. “It feels classy, but it’s very comfortable. You don’t feel like you are in South Lake Tahoe when you come here.”

“The ambiance is magnificent,” her friend Christina Wiseman added.

They were there for Lipstick Thursday. Wear lipstick – no matter your gender – and the discounts start adding up. Most days of the week there is a special that involves discounts on food and beverages.

A mix of seating choices makes The Loft inviting. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

Jim McGowan and Naomi Chianese came up from Napa to experience The Loft. Sitting at the bar the two enjoy a drink. They rave about the grilled cheese dippers on the appetizer menu.

The liquor bottles are backlit in a yellow-orange light that casts a glow onto the area that allows bartender Nicky Lipovsky to see what she is doing.

Chef Lisa Devincenzi-Miller, who owns Capice in Round Hill, has created a menu at The Loft that embraces her family’s roots that go back to northern Italy. The food is rich, with butter being a dominant ingredient. It’s served hot, seasoned perfectly and delivered with quality service not often found at Tahoe restaurants.

The ravioli sampler is a great start to a delicious dinner. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

The menu is divided into Appetizers, Salad, Soup, Pasta, Risotto Bowls, and Kids. The ravioli sampler is worth splitting. It’s possible to get ones filled with cheese or sausage, then covered in butter and cheese, and/or marinara sauce. This sauce is better known as the chef’s prized gravy.

This gravy is what covered Bob’s lasagna.

“The pasta is perfect and that is hard to do. The chef knows what she is doing,” Bob said. Plus, he liked that it was not too cheesy and that there was plenty of meat.

The vegetable risotto is off-the-charts good, and definitely filling. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

This was one of the best risottos I’ve ever had. So often I’m left wondering where the vegetables are and if I just consumed a block of cheese. And while this was rich, there was also a lot to it. It would be easy to just order this and no starters and still be satisfied. A long grain is used, which is traditional for the region of Italy from which the chef hails.

The Bolognese came with the same spicy sausage that were in the ravioli, which Carolyn said was delicious.

Magician Joel Ward makes Landon’s $100 bill disappear and then reappear. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

A little magic

Reder has been bringing Fusion magic shows to the South Shore since 2003. He and Tony Clark are the producers of Magic Fusion. Clark was the first to perform in the 107-seat showroom. Now a mix of magicians will dazzle patrons.

It was built specifically to showcase slight-of-hand magic. The only place like it is in Hollywood at Magic Castle.

Reder, though, also wants it to be a venue for artists to unplug – where he creates an intimate experience for performer and guest. On other nights disc jockeys might spin tunes after the magic is done for a little after hours fun.

Author James Van Praagh is booked for the summer to give a talk. The Kinsey Sicks will be in town in July. A local version of Ted Talks is also planned.

Kaitlyn’s paper heart becomes a necklace at the hands of Joel Ward. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

On this particular night Joel Ward kept stunning the full house with trick after trick.

“When the magic is close, you feel more connected,” Ward tells Lake Tahoe News.

As a shy kid growing up in San Diego, magic was a way to interact with people. He kept practicing to the point it became a way to make a living.

To keep things fresh he is always trying new things so the material never gets stale. He admitted one of the bigger challenges to performing at Lake Tahoe is getting winded easily because of the elevation.

Magician Joel Ward is constantly entertaining the audience. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

The show is thrilling for all ages.

Audience participation is huge for Ward. He brings down a slew of volunteers to the stage; all who return to their seats bewildered and perplexed by what just happened.

Ward starts by doing some old school magic with birds and ropes.

Then he does unfamiliar tricks, ones that are more complex, that seem to defy logic. One hundred dollar bills seemed to go up in smoke and then reappear; a paper heart became a pendant on a necklace.

Liz from Indian Lake, N.Y., cut a New York Times article at a spot of her choice. She was told to memorize the last word. A prediction by Ward had already been sealed in a container that was hovering above the walkway. But when the paper was pulled it wasn’t Liz’s word. Ward then unbuttoned his shirt to show WRONG written across his chest. That was Liz’s word.

Paul Reder is the brains and inspiration behind The Loft. Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

Carolyn from Zephyr Cove willingly gave her diamond-sapphire wedding ring to Ward. She signed a tennis ball like Ward asked her to do. To her it looked like any of the other balls she regularly plays with. It wasn’t long before the ring and ball went “missing”. Then Ward presented the signed ball to Carolyn to inspect. With a knife he slit it open and the ring was inside.

At one point Ward donned an astronaut suit – including helmet. He was doing card tricks. Somehow the card in question ended up inside the mask.

Heads shook. The audience was confused and amazed all at the same time. And it just kept going on all night. Ward left the patrons wondering what they just saw.

For those who don’t go see the Magic Fusion show, other magicians like Bobby Hall wander the restaurant and bar area performing card and coin tricks.

—–

Bobby Hall entertains Tristen Lowman, 8, and Kaly Lowman, 7, of San Antonio, Texas, at their table before their dinner arrives.              Photo Copyright 2016 Carolyn E. Wright

Notes:

·      Open seven days a week from 4pm-2am.

·      Half price tickets are available to the Magic Fusion show for Lake Tahoe News readers. Details are online.

·      The Loft is located above the movie theater at Heavenly Village. It may be accessed from the third floor of the parking garage or on street level between the garage and movie theater.

By Michael Schaub, Los Angeles Times

If you imagine millennials are just young people entranced by their cellphones or tablet computers, you might want to think again. According to a new study, 92 percent of college students would rather do their reading the old-fashioned way, with pages and not pixels.

The finding comes from American University linguistics professor Naomi S. Baron, author of the book “Words Onscreen: The Fate of Reading in a Digital World.” Baron led a team that asked 300 college students in the United States, Slovakia, Japan and Germany how they preferred to read.

Physical books were the choice of 92 percent of the respondents, who selected paper over an array of electronic devices.

Read the whole story

By Pam Belluck, New York Times

The risk of developing dementia is decreasing for people with at least a high school education, according to an important study that suggests that changes in lifestyle and improvements in physical health can help prevent or delay cognitive decline.

The study, published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine, provides the strongest evidence to date that a more educated population and better cardiovascular health are contributing to a decline in new dementia cases over time, or at least helping more people stave off dementia for longer.

The findings have implications for health policy and research funding, and they suggest that the long-term cost of dementia care may not be as devastatingly expensive as policy makers had predicted, because more people will be able to live independently longer.

Read the whole story

The annual Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival is renowned for its collaboration with filmmakers from all corners of the globe, ranging from grassroots to professional.  The festival provides a fresh line-up of cutting-edge films.

Created in 2004 to highlight Winter Wildlands Alliance’s efforts to preserve and promote winter landscapes for human-powered users, the festival begins in Boise and includes showings in locations throughout the United States and Canada and now in Antarctica, Europe, Australia and Asia. Funds raised stay in local communities to support like-minded, human-powered recreation and conservation efforts and to raise awareness of winter management issues, avalanche training/safety and winter education programs.

For the Tahoe this is part of the Alpenglow Mountain Festival, a nine-day celebration of human-powered mountain sports. The screening benefits the Sierra Watershed Education Partnership, better known as SWEP. SWEP promotes environmental stewardship by connecting students to their community and local environment through comprehensive watershed education and service learning through the Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District.

This year’s program includes:

·       Winner of Best of Festival: “Japan by Van”, immerses viewers in the head-deep powder of the Shirakawa backcountry. A Sweetgrass Productions film.

·       Winner of Best of Grassroots Award, “Shared Lines”: The story of the Vermont Backcountry Alliance and their community. A short film by T-Bar Films.

·       Winner of Best Environmental Message Award, from filmmaker Kt Miller, “Shifting Ice”: An all-women team on a journey at the intersection of scientific exploration and, of course, grueling fun.

·       “The Weight of Winter”: Filmmaker Ben Sturgulewski brings us a ride to tune into, sit back, and enjoy.

·       “I Love Splitboarding”: A fresh way to play in the backcountry along with a fresh way of living. A film by Right on Brother opens up the world of splitboarding.

·       “55 Hours in Mexico”: In tribute to true weekend warriors, Joey, Karl, Thomas, and filmmaker Max Lowe take viewers on an adventure of 55 Hours, home to Mexico and back.

·       “Always Above Us:” A glimpse of the tremendous amount of sacrifice and hardship involved in the life of a climber. Sherpas Cinema follows Kris Erickson and Conrad Anker in a memoir for David Bridges and Alex Lowe.

·       “Connections”: The Dynafit team shares the story of the simple “low tech” design that changed the face of backcountry skiing.

·       “The Forecaster”: Expert Avalanche Forecaster Drew Hardesty leads by example, paying respect to the responsibility that comes with our backcountry freedom. From Spindle Productions.

The $10 tickets are available online.

Doors open at 6:30pm and the show begins at 7pm on Feb. 23 at Tahoe City’s Tahoe Art Haus Cinema.

Alan

Alan is a 3-year-old border collie mix who has loads of personality. He is smart, playful, and full of energy, and would love a family who will take him for lots of walks and maybe help him learn about agility.

Alan likes to play with toys and some dogs, but he’s a little too interested in cats.

Alan is neutered, microchipped, tested for heart worm, and vaccinated. He 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 530.573.7925 for directions, hours, and other information on adopting a pet. For spay-neuter assistance for South Tahoe residents, go online.

— Karen Kuentz

Bill Rock relishes his role of leading the largest ski resort in the United States. Photo/Provided

Publisher’s note: This is one in a series of stories about Park City, Utah.

By Kathryn Reed

Bill Rock is getting used to being the new guy, only this time it’s on a larger stage and in a much more public capacity.

He is the man Vail Resorts taps to be the leader when it acquires a significant property. In 2010 it was Northstar, and in 2014 Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons became his domain.

This, though, is the season where all eyes are on this Utah behemoth, which is now one resort known as Park City. With the Quicksilver gondola being launched in December, it links Park City with what was known as the Canyons. The Canyons was already part of the Broomfield, Colo.-based Vail Resorts’ portfolio before Park City was acquired.

At Northstar, Rock was overseeing a resort with 3,000 skiable acres. Park City has 7,300 acres.

The 47-year-old doesn’t like to talk about himself. But he’s a proven leader.

“Bill was instrumental in our integration of Northstar in 2010, including overseeing a $30 million capital program and building cultural and community engagement and alignment. He has an outstanding leadership track record and a deep understanding of how to elevate the guest experience in close collaboration with our employees that will benefit all of our stakeholders in the Park City community,” Rob Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts, said in a statement.

The gondola and mid-mountain lodge are new for the 2015-16 ski season. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Rock has been in the ski industry for more than 20 years. Building relationships is one of his hallmarks – with the community the resort is in as well as with his staff. He is also a man who knows how to increase the bottom line.

His approach in Utah has been much the same as it has been other places.

“The No. 1 thing is information,” Rock told Lake Tahoe News. He made it a priority to let people know what was going to change and how. He said it’s the only way to build trust. “I spent a lot of time in the community and with employees explaining what the big plans are, painting a vision.

“With something as complicated as what we are trying to do, it takes time,” Rock said of convincing people Vail Resorts has the community’s best interest at heart.

Less than a handful of people were let go with the merging of the resorts. Not everyone has their same job; some were promoted to the corporate office.

One of the biggest differences between his job in Truckee when Vail took over Northstar from Booth Creek compared to Park City is the publicity. Northstar is a bit isolated and not an integral part of Truckee. While the acquisition made headlines with Vail expanding its footprint in California, having bought Heavenly Mountain Resort in 2002, it was not controversial.

Just the opposite was true with Vail buying Park City. Powdr Corp., Park City’s former owner, forgot to renew its lease. Vail swooped in. The courts got involved, but in the end Vail prevailed.

“Here, Park City is in the heart of the community. There is a passionate feeling about the resort. There was controversy leading up to us arriving,” Rock acknowledged. “The best thing is the community is rallying around our company, and the fact we are part of the community and being very public about that.”

In one year Vail pumped $50 million into its Utah property, created the country’s largest ski area and took control of one of the nation’s premier ski hills.

He’s not afraid of Vail Resorts homogenizing the ski industry with its improvements. Tamarack (Heavenly), Zephyr (Northstar) and Miners Camp (Park City) are all the same design.

“Even though it’s the same shell they present differently at each site. The building is just one aspect of the overall experience. What differentiates the resorts is the overall experience,” Rock said. He doesn’t anticipate half naked women dancing at his mid-mountain lodge for après ski fun like there is on the South Shore.

Plus, the menus – other than the Epic Burger – are also different. Still, Rock said he wouldn’t be surprised if the lodge design is used other places. Then it’s up to each resort to embrace it to be their own. He’s doing that in ways that go beyond one building.

“It feels like the first year of a brand new resort and no one in our generation in the ski industry gets to do that anymore,” Rock said of Park City. “I’m trying to seize the moment and enjoy it.”