By Central Veterinary Associates

Winter can be tough on dogs and cats, but there are a number of safe and effective ways you can help them get through the cold season, an expert says.

“Sidewalks, driveways and steps are often coated with rock salt or ice-melt products that can prove irritating and drying to animals’ feet,” warns Greg Nelson, director of surgery and diagnostic imaging at Central Veterinary Associates in Valley Stream, N.Y.

“If they lick their toe pads to remove these substances, the salt or chemicals can also trigger stomach irritation or even more dangerous reactions,” he said.

He recommended keeping a spray bottle filled with water handy to spray your pet’s feet when they come indoors. Then quickly wipe their paws with a towel to remove any residue.

When the temperature falls below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, you should keep your pets mostly indoors, except to take them out for walks/exercise or to go to the bathroom.

“Outdoor dogs should have an insulated dog house, and be sure outdoor cats aren’t hiding in warm car engines before starting your car. Use plastic bowls for food and water outdoors, not metal,” Nelson said.

Antifreeze is sweet-tasting and deadly to pets. Clean up antifreeze spills immediately and watch for antifreeze leakage on your garage floor or driveway. If you get antifreeze on your shoes, take them off and clean them so that you don’t track the liquid indoors.

“Dry winter weather can leave animals’ nasal passages stuffy, and the same over-the-counter saline drops and sprays we use can safely be given to dogs and cats to ease breathing,” Nelson said.

“Regular Claritin [a quarter of a tablet for cats, up to a full tablet for dogs] also can provide relief for little sniffles. But never use the ‘D’ version of human antihistamines, which indicates the nasal decongestant phenylephirine,” an ingredient unsafe for cats and dogs, Nelson said.

If you can hear your pet breathe through its nose, exposing it to steam heat can also be an easy fix, he said. Rather than use room humidifiers — that steam can scald if pets get too close — bring your dog or cat into a closed bathroom while you run a hot shower, Nelson recommended.

Constipation or bowel irregularity can be a problem for dogs and cats, especially if they get less exercise during the winter. Canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) is a natural and safe laxative for pets. Use one teaspoon per day in cats and up to two tablespoons per day in large dogs to keep them regular, Nelson said.

People’s use of acetaminophen (Tylenol) increases during cold and flu season, but even small doses of the drug can be deadly to cats. Be sure not to leave acetaminophen tablets lying around. Do not give ibuprofen (Advil) or aspirin to pets unless it is prescribed by your veterinarian.

Be sure to check with your veterinarian before giving your pet any over-the-counter products meant for people, to confirm safety and dose information, Nelson added.

By Will Ripley and James Griffiths, CNN

It might be a long way from the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas or Macau, but old people’s homes may quickly be becoming a new frontier for gaming in Japan.

In one senior day care center in Yokohama — appropriately named after the aforementioned U.S. gambling mecca — elderly people play mahjong and baccarat as the chimes and pings of slot machines and pachinko fill the room.

“We believe this casino stimulates the brain and helps to prevent or suppress the development of dementia,” said Kaoru Mori, Chairman of Japan Elderly Care Service, which runs the “Las Vegas” center.

It’s no secret that old people love to gamble. Grey hairs are a common sight everywhere from the casino floors of Vegas to the mahjong parlors of Hong Kong.

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Stein Eriksen

By Emily Summers, Deer Valley

Stein Eriksen, the legendary alpine skier whose revolutionary technique and distinctive style made him a founder of modern skiing, passed away peacefully Dec. 27, 2015, at his home in Park City surrounded by family. He was 88.

As one of the most recognized names in the ski world, Stein Eriksen has been synonymous with skiing style and elegance for more than 60 years. The first alpine skier to win triple gold at a world championship, an Olympic Gold Medalist and ambassador and father of freestyle skiing, Stein Eriksen parlayed all that he knew and loved about the sport into an incredible career that spanned almost six decades and changed the face of alpine skiing worldwide.

The patriarch of elegant skiing, Eriksen successfully turned his passion for skiing into a lifetime career. His desire to develop an internationally-renowned luxury hotel, which now bears his name, is located mid-mountain at Deer Valley Resort, where he served as Director of Skiing for more than 35 years.

A native of Norway, Eriksen lived in the United States for the last six decades. Prior to joining Deer Valley Resort, he was involved in the development of the then Park City Ski Area, now Park City Mountain. Before Park City, Stein spent four years as director of skiing and ski school director at Snowmass, Colorado, and four years as ski school director at Sugarbush, Vermont. He also served as ski school director and owned his own sport shop in Aspen, Colorado. From 1956 to 1958, he was ski school director for Heavenly Mountain Resort, having previously served in the same position at Boyne Mountain, Mich., from 1954 to 1956.

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Chester

Chester is a 5-month-old puppy who is a handful. He is a big puppy, probably 40 pounds already, and he’s going to be a big adult. Our best guess is that he’s a mastiff-Fila Brasileiro mix.

Chester is very sweet and has all the typical puppy characteristics — lots of energy, loves to play, loves to see how sharp his teeth are, needs help with house training, etc. He will benefit from an owner who is experienced with larger dogs and who will take him to training classes as a puppy.

Chester 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

By Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times

The people most likely to refuse to have their children vaccinated tend to be white, well-educated and affluent, researchers report.

A study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Public Health used California state government data on “personal belief exemptions,” or opting out of vaccinations for nonmedical reasons. From 2007 to 2013, the rate of vaccine refusal for personal belief doubled, to 3.06 percent.

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Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus kicks off its 11th annual WinterFest with the “Brrroque Masters” concert series Jan. 3, 6, 8 and 10.

The concert series is dedicated to the memory of Mark Lord, TOCCATA’s principal trumpet player 2007-14.

The program opens with Mouret’s famous “Suite de Sinfonie” fanfare, which is better known as the “theme from Masterpiece Theater”, followed by Bach’s famed “Cantata No. 51, Jauchzet Gott en allen Landen,” a masterpiece for soprano Joy Strotz and baroque trumpeter Josh Dunlap. Bach’s “Concerto for Oboe D’Amore BWV 1055” will be performed by Nita Tune, and Vivaldi’s “Concerto for Flute RV 428 (The Goldfinch)” will be performed by Allison Smith. Concertmaster Jeffrey Lindhorst will be the featured soloist in Corelli’s “Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8”.

The concert finishes with Handel’s tour de force for soprano and trumpet, “Let the Bright Seraphim”, from the opera “Samson”.

The Jan. 6 concert will feature soprano Michelle Norris, Mark Lord’s daughter. Katie Lauder, harpsichordist, and Nick Haines, cello, perform as the continuo. Maestro James Rawie will conduct all performances.

The performances are Jan. 3, at 3:30pm at St. Theresa Church in South Lake Tahoe (1041 Lyons Ave.); Jan. 6 at 7pm at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Carson City (3597 N. Sunridge Drive); Jan. 8 at 7pm at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Incline Village (341 Village Blvd.); Jan. 10 at 3:30pm at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Reno (501 California Ave.).

Tickets are available at the door or online. General admission to all concerts is $25 adults, $20 seniors, $5 students aged 19 to 23. Preferred seating is $35 and $15 for youth/students. Youth under 19 years of age are admitted free, in non reserved seating, to most regular season concerts in 2016. All performances are supported by the Kling Family Foundation.

By Siobhan Starrs, AP

LONDON — Lindsay Mattick’s great-grandfather was on his way to fight in World War I when he bought a bear cub he named Winnie, inspiring author A.A. Milne to create the timeless character Winnie-the-Pooh. Now, Mattick has written a new children’s book chronicling the real-life story behind the bear.

Mattick, 37, wanted to tell her young son the peculiar tale and wrote “Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh.” The book was published in November — just weeks before the 90th anniversary on Thursday of the first time Milne used the name Winnie-the-Pooh in print.

“‘Finding Winnie’ is a story that I have had in my head for a long time,” Mattick told the Associated Press with a warm smile that reveals her passion for this very personal project. “I thought a picture book would be an amazing way to share my incredible family story with my child.”

The family history goes like this: Her great-grandfather, Lt. Harry Colebourn of Canada, bought an American black bear cub from a hunter while Colebourn was on his way to fight in World War I in 1914. Colebourn, a veterinarian, raised the female bear and named her after his home city, Winnipeg — or Winnie for short. He took Winnie on the long journey by train and ship to his training camp in England.

The story came to light in the late 1980s, when another regiment was incorrectly linked to the bear, which by then had been made famous by Milne’s classic childhood tales. Mattick’s grandfather wanted to set the record straight.

“He said, ‘No, actually that was my Dad’s bear, that was his pet,’ and at that point, he pulled out his father’s diaries and photographs from the war, and started to really share the story publicly,” Mattick said.

She is now retelling the story for a new generation. Taking inspiration from her family’s archive of photos of Colebourn and Winnie, Mattick teamed up with illustrator Sophie Blackall to create historically accurate drawings that capture the rare bond between the soldier and the bear cub.

But a war zone is no place for a pet. So when Colebourn was sent to the front lines in France, he left Winnie in the care of London Zoo.

Visitors quickly saw that this bear was unusually gentle and kind — qualities later reflected in Milne’s writings. Children were even allowed into her enclosure, something no zoo would consider today.

“She became a star attraction,” Mattick said. “She had a lot of visitors because of her very friendly and well-trained nature.”

Christopher Robin Milne, a young visitor who forged a friendship with the bear, loved her so much that he re-christened his own teddy Winnie-the-Pooh. The name “Pooh” comes from a swan also named by Christopher Robin.

The boy’s father, A.A. Milne, first published a story about a boy named Christopher Robin and his stuffed bear Winnie-the-Pooh in the London Evening News on Christmas Eve in 1925.

Winnie-the-Pooh was first published as a book in October 1926 and A.A. Milne wrote several other stories and poems about Christopher Robin and his bear’s adventures. The books and illustrations have been treasured by children — and their parents — for generations.

Colebourn survived the war. But, as he returned to Canada, he felt that Winnie was so settled at the zoo that he left her there, where she remained a favorite with visitors until her death in 1934.

Author Ellen Osborn (great-granddaughter of John Calhoun “Cock-eye” Johnson) will share her book “A Lovely & Comfortable Heritage Lost” at the South Lake Tahoe Library on Jan. 9.

She will provide a unique history of El Dorado County, beginning with the early days of the Gold Rush and the first conflicts with the Native American tribes of the region. Her book also traces the evolution of California’s Highway 50 from its beginning as the Native American trade trail that became a popular Gold Rush route and explains why it has come to be called one of the most storied and romantic roads in American history.

Most importantly, Osborn shares the story of the her great-grandfather and the world he lived in as emigrants poured into California, seeking promises of riches and following their own dreams of a new life.

The free talk at 1pm is presented in partnership between the Friends of the Library and Lake Tahoe Historical Society. Book sale and signing to follow. South Lake Tahoe Library is at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd.

By Kylie Mohr, NPR

You know the Christmas routine: decorate the tree, wrap gifts and leave out treats for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Marketers and Hollywood reinforce that cookie tradition for us year after year.

This year, in Reddi-Wip’s “I Am Not Your Dad” commercial, a father is caught by his son nibbling cookies. In The Santa Clause, a Tim Allen Santa tells a little girl that he can’t eat fattening treats and then returns the next year to find soymilk instead. Macaulay Culkin, as Kevin in Home Alone, leaves out milk and cookies without his parents around to prompt him.

Clint Black even wrote a Christmas song titled “Until Santa’s Gone (Milk And Cookies).”

But cowboy crooners aside, we got to wondering: How did cookies and milk come to be Santa’s refreshments of choice in the U.S., and around the world?

Read the whole story

By Joyce M. Rosenberg, AP

Cheap is the new chic for holiday gifts.

Jana Montero, who has in the past bought loved ones iPods and tablets for Christmas, has changed her attitude about gift giving: This holiday season, she’s grabbing candle sets and serving dishes that cost under $30 to give to family and friends.

Montero, who lives in New York and is saving to buy a home with her husband, said: “We want to make sure we’re conscious of what we’re spending.”

More holiday shoppers are expected to be like Montero this holiday season in the latest twist in a theme that has played out since the recession. For nearly a decade, shoppers have been more cautious and practical about their spending, doing more bargain shopping and hunting for deals. But recently, shoppers have taken that practice a step further.

They’re becoming more open to buying gifts that in the past might have been considered downright cheap. So, they’re not just looking for big discounts on extravagant, expensive designer and brand name goods; they’re starting out with the intention of getting less expensive items that they might not have considered buying as gifts in the past.

The number of people willing to buy gifts during this holiday shopping season for under $10 rose to 4 percent this year from 1 percent last year, according to a survey of 1,000 people by America’s Research Group, a firm that researches consumer behavior. Meanwhile, the number of people willing to spend between $26 and $35 fell to 18 percent from 22 percent.

Overall, people are expected to spend modestly more this holiday season. The National Retail Federation predicts holiday spending in November and December will be up 3.7 percent to $630.5 billion this year, slower than the 4.1 percent growth during the same period last year.

The shift in attitude toward cheap is partly rooted in economics, says Jeff Green, a retailing consultant based in Phoenix. Shoppers who vigilantly watched their budgets during the recession continue to feel the pressure of keeping tabs on what they’re spending even as the economy improves. “Even with the unemployment rate down, I don’t think people feel secure in their jobs,” he says.

But it’s also rooted in a change in consumer psychology. Some shoppers have become suspicious of retailers who continually slash prices, retail consultant Paco Underhill says. In other words, people are beginning to question whether they’re paying too much for the gifts that they’re buying, so now they’re starting out with the expectation that they’ll buy really cheap items.

“One of the deeply confusing elements to the consuming public is: What is the real cost of something?” he says.

For example, Stacy Roberts saw plenty of sales when she visited The Fashion Mall at Keystone in Indianapolis on Saturday, but she wasn’t impressed. She said shoppers need to start following the price of something they want to buy for the holidays a few months beforehand, so they can tell if the sales are truly a bargain.

“To me, deals are B.S.,” she says.

Adding to the mistrust of “deals,” some consumer marketing experts say, is the shedding of the stigma associated with buying smaller, less expensive gifts. People who spend less can be perceived as savvy shoppers, and also warmer and friendlier than someone who’s a conspicuous consumer, says Maura Scott, a marketing professor at Florida State University.

The growing willingness of holiday shoppers to spend less on gifts has made storeowners more conservative as they’ve stocked up for the holidays. Many have more lower-priced merchandise on their shelves to cater to the growing prevalence of cheap-gift buyers.

Toys R Us has bins throughout its stores that feature merchandise like race cars and stuffed animals for less than $10, and has a section called Dollar Shop with toys priced $1 to $5. Target stores have a section called Bullseye’s Playground with $5 and under items including toys and accessories for electronics.

Smaller retail shops also are stocking up on more inexpensive items.

Elizabeth Madsen’s inventory includes gift items $30 and under at her Poughkeepsie, New York, clothing shop. Madsen says customers want to buy at a boutique, but are cautious about what they spend. So her store has items like $10 key chains and $22 sachets. They’re selling well, even bringing in people who don’t usually shop in her store, Elizabeth Boutique.

“If you have price options for people from lower to higher, you’re going to have a better chance of grabbing the customer’s attention,” Madsen says.

Janae Melvin’s attitudes about spending on gifts have changed, in part because she and her husband are putting money aside for a home and a big family vacation next year. Melvin, who lives in Kansas City, Kansas, is looking for gifts that don’t cost as much as ones she gave in the past — ”not cheap junk, but items that have meaning or significance.”

Some of her children’s gifts will be toys — dolls and action figures — that cost under $10. They’re each getting a $25 membership in Sluggerrr’s Blue Crew, the Kansas City Royals’ children’s club, which includes a pullover, baseball cap and necklace when they join. For some of her family members, Melvin is buying $15 or $20 picture frames and inserting a family photo.

“It’s just not necessary to spend so much,” she says.

Anne D’Innocenzio in New York and Tom Murphy in Indianapolis contributed to this report.