Christine Ann Alper

Christine Ann Alper passed gently, peacefully and with grace in her sleep in the early morning hours of May 4 following a recurrence of cancer. The disease affected her, but in no way defined her. Her husband, Charles Whitten, was by her side. She was 58 years old.

All who knew Chris were touched by her love, her kindness, her delight in family, friends, and the simple joy of everyday life. Born in Allentown, Pa., in the beautiful Lehigh Valley, she moved with her family to San Diego in 1974, where she attended college. She began her longstanding love of the beach and the ocean – a love that continued to grow all throughout her life. Since she was young, Chris had a strong interest in science, quantum physics and the metaphysical world. Though she never felt a connection to a particular organized religion, she always was deeply inspired and moved by nature and its beauty. Among her spiritual interests have been Native American studies, Eastern philosophy and the psychology of positive thought.  She always had a yearning to know the mysteries of the universe and explore higher consciousness. Her quest had been to seek and learn, and then share it with others.  She embraced the Buddhist philosophy of kindness and compassion for others and the Native American idea of the interconnection of all life.

Christine and her first husband, Don Schortmann, moved to the Lake Tahoe area in 1979. They brought two beautiful children, Christopher and Zack, into the world. They founded Redwood Printing. Chris worked for many years at Shehadi Toyota dealership and then Cardinale Way Toyota in South Lake Tahoe. She and her sister, Maxine, created meditation CDs. In 2013 she achieved a dream of concentrating on spiritual work and opened Rejuvenate Sauna.

She is survived by her husband, Charles Whitten; sisters Maxine Alper of South Lake Tahoe and Beverly Alper-Chaney of Silt, Colo.; brothers Matthew Alper of Doylestown, Pa., Michael Alper of Las Vegas, Marc Alper of South Lake Tahoe; son Zack Schortmann and girlfriend Kass Green of South Lake Tahoe, son Christopher Schortmann and daughter-in-law Angela (Marielos) Schortmann of South Lake Tahoe; and her beloved grandson, Isaiah Schortmann; and numerous uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews.

As you attune to the angels that are surrounding Chris, see her filled with the presence of her true soul – radiant, nestled in the loving heart of the creator.

Thank you for your love, prayers and support. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such loving friends. We will miss her every day.

The family will be holding a vigil at 2247 Winnemucca Court (off Winnemucca Avenue) on May 8 from 6-8 pm and a final open house on May 9 from 2-8 pm with a memorial ceremony at 4pm.

Famed Mark Twain impressionist McAvoy Layne will bring the Tahoe Tales of the legendary writer and humorist to Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel in South Lake Tahoe on May 23.

Internationally known as the ghost of Mark Twain, Layne will bring Twain’s local area lore, half-truths and embellishments to light.

For nearly three decades and more than 4,000 performances Layne has been preeminent in preserving the wit and wisdom of Twain.

Doors open at 6:30pm, the performance at 7pm. Seating  is limited to 50, with tickets costing $20. Call 530.543.2113.

Tintabulations, a community handbell ensemble from Reno, is putting on a concert in South Lake Tahoe on June 7.

Their concert series entitled How The West Was Rung is an homage to the ensemble’s home state of Nevada in celebration of its sesquicentennial. Classical, jazz and pop tunes are all part of the concert, as well as original works for bells written by some of the nation’s foremost handbell composers.

Performing on 120 bells and chimes, the 15 musicians that comprise Tintabulations prove that bell ringing is not just a holiday tradition.

The free concert starts at 2pm at Hope Lutheran Church, 930 Julie Lane, South Lake Tahoe.

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month and  as such South Lake Tahoe has proclaimed May 10-16 Mental Health Awareness Week.

Throughout the week, local health service providers and agencies from the Mental Health Cooperative will raise mental health awareness through films, stories and events. South Shore residents, families, and visitors are encouraged to show support and participate in the following ways:

• Open house and movie at El Dorado County Mental Health’s South Lake Tahoe wellness center (1900 Lake Tahoe Blvd.) on Ma 13 from 6-8pm. The open house at the Wellness Center will include refreshments and door prizes, and a chance to meet with mental health employees. Special activities include a showing of the film “Each Mind Matters”, featuring Californians living with mental health issues, and a reading from the book “Regular and Decaf”, focusing on schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder. The event is free and open to the public.
• Police Station’s Open House and Peace Office Memorial Week Awards Ceremony on May 14 at 2pm. Children are welcome. There will be displays and officers will talk about the K9 and SWAT units. There will also be a mental health awareness booth with posters, resources, buttons, and the week’s events.

Additional event information and community resources are available online.
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The 2015 Camry looks the same, but it’s the performance that is worth noting. Photos/Larry Weitzman

By Larry Weitzman

While Toyota claims the 2015 Camry is an all new ride, examination of the specs shows us that its wheelbase remains the same (109.3 inches), as is the width (71.7 inches), to the tenth of an inch. Even the body retains the same almost identical shape with the biggest change coming in a new front facia. The window line, while looking different because of an appliqué to the rear of the rear window, is almost the same. Even if you compare this edition to a 2007 Camry, the resemblance would be striking.

There are improvements that need to be discussed as minor changes can make a huge difference. I have always like the shape of the Camry since 2007 and this model continues with its elegant, stately styling, except for the new front end. The new almost full width black grille overpowers its otherwise great lines. A close look shows a design that is not dissimilar to the Lexus L’Finnesse theme, but enlarged. It is the only negative. Length is a mid-size 191 inches.

Specifications
Price (base including transportation) SE $24,115 to over $30 large for a loaded V-6
Engines
2.5L, DOHC 16 valve inline four 178 hp @ 6,000 rpm
170 lbs.-ft. of torque @ 4,100 rpm
3.5L DOHC, 24 valve V-6 268 hp @ 6,200 rpm
248 lbs.-ft. of torque @ 4,700 rpm
Transmissions
Six speed automatic
Configuration
Transverse front engine/front wheel drive
Dimensions
Wheelbase 109.3 inches
90.9 inches
Width 71.7 inches
Height 57.9 inches
Track (f/r) 62.4/62.0 inches
Ground clearance 6.1 inches
Weight 3,480 pounds
Tow capacity 1,000 pounds
Passenger volume 102.7 cubic feet
Trunk capacity 15.4 cubic feet
Fuel capacity 17.0
Steering lock to lock 2.85 turns
Turning circle 36.7 feet
Wheel sizes 7.5X18 inches alloy
Tires 225/45X18
Co efficient of drag 0.28
Performance
0-60 mph 5.35 seconds
50-70 mph 2.67 seconds
50-70 mph uphill 3.53 seconds
Top speed Do you think that any of the prior 8.5 or so million Camry buyers in the United States really care? But without intervention electronic or otherwise even the four cylinder should top out at close to 130 mph (but not with me in the car).
Fuel economy EPA rated at 21/31/25 mpg city/highway/combined. Expect to achieve 25 mpg in overall driving and 33 mpg plus on the highway at legal speeds.

Engines also remain the same since the 2010 model with a choice of two, either a DOHC, 16 valve, 2.5L inline four cylinder making 178 hp at 6,000 rpm along with 170 pounds of twist at 4,100 rpm or as was my test ride, the very potent 24 valve, DOHC 3.5L V-6, the same V-6 that powered the Lexus IS 350 and so many other Lexus models. In Camry form it makes slightly less power at 268 hp at 6,200 rpm and 248 hp which incidentally is exactly the same rating for the 2010 model. Power is sent to the front wheels only via a six-speed cog swapper.

Now here is where it gets good, really good. This V-6 Camry can scamper to 60 mph from a stop in a world class 5.35 seconds. It wasn’t just one time, but five times. Passing times also reflect this world-class performance with 50-70 mph acceleration runs taking just 2.67 seconds on level roads and only 3.53 seconds up a 6 percent grade. These numbers rival automobiles cost two and three times the price. This Camry V-6 is amazingly quick. Is there any negative to this quickness? A small one in low speed full throttle acceleration situations, significant torque steer. It’s not unique to the Camry V-6 as torque steer plagues most any front-wheel drive high performance car.

And it does all this while averaging 25 mpg overall. EPA rates the Camry V-6 at 21/31/25 mpg city/highway/combined, but it does a bit better on the highway indicating 33.4 mpg at a constant 70 mph on a level highway.  When you consider the performance, the Camry V-6 is remarkably efficient. Camry’s 17-gallon fuel tank means 500 miles nonstop is a piece of cake, barring human limitations. Coefficient of drag is a very low 0.28.

Another surprise is the Camry V-6’s sporty handling. With the V-6 and in the SE/XSE models you get upgraded sport tuned gas filled shocks and coils plus strut tower and trunk mounted braces.  It all works quite well. During a three mile sprint down one of my favorite twisty roads I was following a Honda S2000 who thought he was going to show the Camry what the S2000 was all about. For the next three miles I stayed on his butt mimicking his every move. When we stopped at the stop sign he couldn’t believe that a Camry could stay with him (in a less difficult straighter section of road, the Camry’s power might have overwhelmed him). While speeds rarely touched 60 mph and the driving was perhaps at seven-tenths, the Camry V-6 can be a fun car in the twisties. Turning circle is a tight 36.7 feet.

Adding to its credentials is a quick electric power steering rack that goes lock to lock in 2.85 turns,  a wide track of 62 inches front and rear plus 18X7.5 inch alloys shod with 225/45 series tires and solid stab bars at both ends.

Camrys are usually known for ride comfort and quiet and this one certainly fits that model. It rides very smoothly as you would expect, plus it is extremely quiet. The engine spins a low 1,950 rpm at 70 mph.

Safety in the Camry starts with what Toyota calls its Star Safety System that includes an enhanced vehicle stability control (EVSC), traction control (TRAC), ABS, EBD, BA and Smart Stop Technology SST). Plenty of alphabet soup there. Braking is excellent with four wheel discs (front ventilated) arresting forward progress in 40 feet from 40 mph. Also standard are 10 airbags including side impact airbags for the rear seat.  LED headlights are very good with broad, flat and deep coverage.

With the XSE comes an upgraded near luxury interior and seats of leather and Ultrasuede that are sublime with both power and heat. My rides had charcoal materials done with a contrasting sporty red stitching on the doors, seats, and dash, very sporty. Instrumentation is complete with tach, speedo and trip computer.

Radio and climate are controlled through a multimedia screen at least for the radio system while HVAC are still controlled by convenient knobs and buttons; small favors. At least there is no mouse to deal with. Of course it has the connectivity of an interstellar space station.

Rear seating is voluminous and when the volume is combined with the large trunk capacity of the 15 plus cubic foot trunk, Camry falls just a cubic foot short of the EPA large car definition.

While pricing for a base model, 178 hp, four cylinder LE starts at around $20 large, my XSE V-6 tester hammers you a bit at $31,370, plus $825 for the train/truck from Georgetown, Ky. When you add in the blind spot/cross traffic alert system ($500), the JBL sound system ($805), technology package that includes lane departure alert, radar cruise and auto high beam plus the obligatory floor mats of $225 and a couple of other small items you are out the door in a full boat Camry for a bit more than $35K. It’s big money, but it I love what it did for me.

Larry Weitzman has been into cars since he was 5 years old. At 8 he could recite from memory the hp of every car made in the U.S. He has put in thousands of laps on racetracks all over the Western United States.

By Deb Hopewell, Outside

Buying something we want but don’t necessarily need brings an undeniable rush. Our overflowing closets, attics, and garages testify to the powerful allure of new toys and gadgets. But what do you think would bring more happiness in the long run: that new curved-screen HDTV or an African safari?

According to studies over the past 10 years that still keep popping up in the headlines, it’s human nature to equate happiness with tangible stuff. After all, why spend your hard-earned money on a two-week trip to Bhutan when that designer living room set you bought instead will be around for years, reminding you day after day of its fabulousness?

Because all those awesome objects will never make you a happy person. The human mind has a perverse knack for ceasing to appreciate things it’s constantly exposed to—even pricey things like electronics, clothing, furniture, wedding rings, you name it. On the other hand, even the anticipation of an experience, whether it’s going to a concert, fishing with friends, or planning a bucket-list trip, contributes to the overall happiness associated with the actual event. Even years later, being able to casually mention that you once went skydiving in Spain wears much better than name-dropping your car or television in a conversation. Bottom line: While a trip lasts only a set amount of days, its effect on your happiness lasts a lifetime. It’s a case of the cliché actually being true.

Read the whole story

Thirty percent of those diagnosed with early stage breast cancer will develop metastatic disease. Big cancer organizations dedicate on average 2 percent of the money raised to metastatic breast cancer research.

Kelly Shanahan, a South Lake Tahoe gynecologist who is living with metastatic breast cancer, in bringing METAvivor to town May 19 as part of the Sea to Sea for MBC awareness and fundraising event.

METAvivor is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support for women and men with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and funding research to transition MBC from a terminal illness to a controlled, chronic condition. At this point, however, metastatic breast cancer is a terminal disease.

METAvivor is the only organization that solely funds MBC research through a scientific peer-review process. One hundred percent of all donations and fundraiser proceeds go to MBC research grants.

The May 19 event is a chance to learn about this disease that will claim the lives of 108 women and men every day.

The event will be at Shanahan’s office, 1154 Emerald Bay Road, South Lake Tahoe, from 5-7pm. RSVP to stage4kelly@outlook.com.

The recent warm weather provides the ideal time for people to do spring cleaning.

Douglas County code enforcement personnel are reminding the public to follow the basic code requirements for their properties. Officers will be out enforcing the rules.

Here are somethings they will be looking for:

•           Garbage – Store garbage in proper trash receptacles and remove from property on a weekly basis.

•           Junk — Store it in your garage or in your rear yard screened with a 6-foot solid fence. Never keep it in the front yard or driveway.

•           Unregistered or junk vehicles (abandoned vehicles) – Douglas County considers any unregistered and/or inoperable vehicle to be abandoned whether it is on private property or not. Store them in a garage or in a rear yard with a 6-foot solid fence.

•           Dead grass and weeds (noxious vegetation) – Keep your yard mowed below 10 inches. Remove all dead vegetation from your property, including trees. In a dry year this can also be considered a fire hazard.

Some other things to do to keep a neighborhood looking nice:

•           Maintain landscaping, including pruning vegetation away from sidewalks and keeping yards free from piles of debris which can harbor rodents and other vermin.

•           Repair broken fences, windows, doors, siding and roofs. Recent wind storms caused some severe property damage which must be addressed by property owners.

•           Remove garbage cans from the curb as soon as possible after pick up. Store them out of sight.

•           Get to know your neighbors. If they are elderly or need help, lend them a helping hand.

Should you have any questions about the code or would like to speak to someone regarding code enforcement, contact Patrick Kieva at 775.782.6214 or pkieva@co.douglas.nv.us.

TOCCATA — Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus — will kick off its 10th Summer MusicFest with Going For Baroque-Summer Solstice. This is a tribute to the classical and Baroque masters.

The series will feature guest flutist Josue Casillas, among many other soloists. Works of Vivaldi, Teleman and J.S. Bach will be featured. “Papa” Bach’s well known Cantata BWV 9, Es ist das Heil, will be performed by the Toccata Chamber Chorus, with vocal soloists Joy Strotz and Anna Helwing, soprano, and Stuart Duke, baritone.

The series runs from June 17-23.

All concert series will be performed at venues in Reno, Incline Village, South Lake Tahoe and Carson.  Maestro James Rawie will conduct all performances. Programs are subject to change. Call 775.313.9697 or go online for programs, times, venues, and price information.

Mishka

Mishka is a 6-year-old German shepherd and he is a big fluffy lovable boy.

Like most German shepherds, he is smart, loyal, and somewhat independent. He was found as a stray and his people never looked for him.

Mishka 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 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