Thaleia Georgiades will teach people how to add drama and interest to artworks through changing a person’s point of view.

This event will be part of the Tahoe Art League’s monthly meeting on March 11 at 6pm at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center. It is free and open to the public.

Georgiades has lived in California for more than 30 years. Her passion is to spend as much time as possible exploring and painting the landscape; especially the Sierra mountain regions. Her home and studio are located just below the crest of the High Sierra. Whenever possible she packs on foot or horseback into the high country to camp, paint, photograph, fish and explore, but she also loves to travel and paint throughout the Western states.

Although she is experienced in many different media she currently works almost exclusively with pastel, which is a dry form of pure pigment (not chalk).

The students of South Tahoe High School will present “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with a Tahoe twist this month.

Under the direction of Nannette Niven, the cast of 20, including Bjorn Hedqvist, Stephanie Hernandez, Zoe Greco, Tyler Martin, Steve Huerta, Zane Brady, Hunter Turney and Jered Stowell, is destined to make people laugh.

Performances are March 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 7pm, and March 15 at 2pm in the high school’s TADA Theatre. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and $5 for students under the age of 18 and are available through the ASB office or online.

For anyone interested in learning about the show, a free informative prologue will be given by the English Department prior to the performances in the TADA Screening Room at 6:15pm. All donations will benefit the ALLY club.

A gala fundraiser will precede the March 20 performance from 5:30-7pm. Tickets are $30 for the gala only; $40 for the gala plus a show ticket; $50 for the above plus a bonus gift; and $75 for all this plus a reserved seat in the theater. Only 100 tickets are available for the gala, and may be reserved by contacting sthspaba@gmail.com or pabakelly@hotmail.com.

Appetizers and “mocktails” by the STHS culinary students will be served.

By Charlie Zaharoff, Outdoor

Why did Marriott, a top-three global hotel chain with no particular emphasis on the adventure-travel niche, just partner with GoPro to let guests borrow Hero4 cameras at 18 of their Caribbean and Latin American locations?

“It’s low-hanging fruit,” says Daniel Kelsay, GoPro’s Resort and Camp marketing manager. “Marriott’s guests have always taken videos, and they love to share them, but Marriott could never harness it. It’s basically free marketing.”

As Kelsay says, it’s about social media, or, in other words, free customer-generated advertising. Marriot wants guests to upload images to their Facebook and Instagram accounts using the #TravelBrilliantly handle. No surprise there. Plenty of hotels encourage their guests to upload their photos using specific hashtags. And Marriott’s partnership with a camera company to facilitate that makes sense, too.

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By Kathryn Reed

Lake Tahoe is no ordinary forest. And Jeff Marsolais wouldn’t have it any other way.

The 40-year-old is now at the helm of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. As forest supervisor he is responsible for managing the 191,000 acres that surround the lake itself. This encompasses about 80 percent of the land in the basin.

This is small by national forest standards. However, with its encompassing two states, being in the heart of one of the most regulated areas of the country, and the economic-environmental tug-of-war being a constant struggle, he has his work cut out for him. Plus, with the powers that be – at least on the South Shore – on the recreation bandwagon, that will impact the forest system.

Jeff Marsolais, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit forest supervisor, is eager to tackle the issues ahead. Photo/Provided

Recreation, according to Marsolais, is one of the key issues facing LTBMU.

“It impacts resources and infrastructure as a whole,” he told Lake Tahoe News. “It is one of the most densely used national forests in the nation.”

With 5.7 million visits a year, LTBMU is already overused.

“What does sustainable recreation mean? We need to have that dialogue,” Marsolais said.

Public lands can hold only so many people. Parking then becomes an issue at recreation sites.

“We need to look at ways to protect sensitive resources and provide access,” Marsolais said.

He said staff is working on a conceptual recreation plan for the South Shore.

Having been the assistant forest supervisor since 2011, Marsolais is intimately familiar with the issues concerning the area. He has worked on seven forests since the mid-1990s. Before that he was employed by the Bureau of Land Management. Had he not been chosen to replace Nancy Gibson, who retired in January, Marsolais said he was planning to stay in Tahoe – he’s that committed. (The permanent deputy director for LTBMU has not been named.)

Marsolais spent nine months last year on assignment with another forest, which he said has allowed him to bring a fresh perspective to local issues.

Immediate things Marsolais wants to cross off his to-do list include getting Heavenly Mountain Resort’s Epic Discovery project going, finalizing the Forest Plan, and inserting himself into collaborative discussions about the basin whether they are about fire, cap and trade, or how to fund projects going forward now that the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act money is gone.

Collaboration, he said, is critical to get things done. Marsolais was not here for the 2007 Angora Fire when collaboration seemed to be a foreign word to most of the powers that be. That devastating fire that reduced 254 houses to ash eventually brought people together to work on issues for the greater good instead of being obstructionists. That collaboration is getting stronger and something that Marsolais embraces.

Marsolais is also excited to have the science community in the basin.

“We have to listen to the science community even if it doesn’t support the beliefs we have in all cases,” Marsolais said.

He praised the local Forest Service staff for their knowledge – some of whom are the best in their respective fields.

Paying attention to sensitive species and forest health are at the top of his list of concerns.

“We need big strategies to protect the resources,” Marsolais said.

But it’s not all about work for Marsolais. He is not happy to just be sitting behind his desk at headquarters in South Lake Tahoe. He is an avid fisherman. Fly and ocean fishing are his passion. He refused to disclose where he specifically likes to go.

“I go back to the Inyo forest where I came from. There are secret haunts I like to visit,” Marsolais said. The trout he lands is the reason he goes back there year after year.

With his family he likes to go camping and hiking. Downhill and cross country skiing are other activities he enjoys, though doing so has been limited lately because of the conditions. At home, it’s gardening that Marsolais enjoys. But he admits he wishes he had his grandmother’s green thumb because she could grow anything.

For now he is tasked with ensuring the public lands are fertile for everyone — people, animals and flora.

“At the end of the day it is the responsibility of the forest supervisor to look broadly at the issues and concerns to determine where to be personally engaged in the decisions that can make a key difference,” Marsolais said.

By Jackie Burrell, Bay Area News Group

There’s something distinctly different about Reno these days.

Oh, the neon arch still proclaims this the biggest little city in the world, and you’ll still find weary gamblers plying the slots. But the city is suddenly alive with new distilleries and craft breweries, grain-to-glass bars, farm-to-fork restaurants and a buzzy arts scene.

And the newest downtown lodging is an eco-friendly, nonsmoking, nongambling boutique hotel. Instead of a casino, the Whitney Peak Hotel has a gigantic bouldering gym, and its edifice holds the world’s tallest climbing wall — so intrepid guests can gaze down at the “Biggest Little City” arch next door from 164 feet. We got dizzy just looking up.

In fact, that dazed, delighted feeling lasted all weekend as we suddenly realized — Reno has farms? And a buzzy arts scene? And a glitzy hotel sans slots and smokes? And that’s not all?

How awesome is it to arrive in a place you thought you knew and discover you were delightfully wrong? We ponder the question as we stroll the galleries of the Nevada Museum of Art, just a few blocks from the Truckee River, which bisects the city. Built in 2003, the museum’s striking four-story building is a huge black mass with cantilevered edges and curves wrapped in crimped, charcoal-hued zinc, its lines echoing Nevada’s Black Rock formation. Inside, the exhibits are eclectic, fascinating and thought-provoking. We gaze at paintings and works from the museum’s permanent collections and check out a watershed sculpture exhibit, an amazingly bizarre taxidermied art exhibit and rooms filled with watercolors and sketches of coral reef destruction in the South Pacific.

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The Lexus GX460 is worth the price. Photos/Larry Weitzman

By Larry Weitzman

Most motorheads know that the majority of Lexuses are clean sheet of paper designs. However, there are a couple of SUVs that are heavily revised versions of a Toyota chassised vehicles, the LX570 tested recently and the GX460 tested here.

Starting with the 4Runner chassis, the GX460 begins its recreation. Its body is completely different, as well as its powertrain. About the only shared mechanical feature is the center differential ratio and even that unit may have some differences. Otherwise about the only shared dimension is the midsized wheelbase of 109.8 inches.

Specifications
Price $39,000 to about $42,000 (Trail Premium)
Engine
4.6L DOHC 32 valve V-8 301 hp @ 5,500 rpm
327 lbs.-ft. of torque @ 3,500 rpm
Transmission
Six speed electronically controlled automatic
Transfer case (switchable locking)
Full time AWD with low range (2.566 reduction) Center locking differential
Configuration
Longitudinal mounted front engine, all wheel drive
Dimensions
Wheelbase 109.8 inches
Length 192.1 inches
Width 74.2 inches
Height 73.8 inches (with roof rack)
Ground clearance 8.1 inches
Weight 5,340 (4X4 Trail) pounds
GVWR 6,600 pounds
Weight distribution (f/r) 52/48 percent
Track (f/r) 62.4/62.4 inches
Steering lock to lock 3.0 turns
Turning circle 41.4 feet
Fuel capacity 23 gallons
Cargo capacity 64.7 cubic feet
Wheels 18X7.5 inches
Tires P265/60X18
Tow capacity 6,500 pounds
Coefficient of drag 0.35
Performance
0-60 6.99 seconds
50-70 3.91 seconds
50-70 uphill 5.66 seconds
Top speed Who cares? It will cruise effortlessly, quietly and smoothly well above all legal speed limits in the United States. But it is electronically limited to 110 mph.
Fuel economy
EPA rated 15/20/17 mpg city/highway/combined. Expect 18 mpg in rural country driving and 23.0 mpg on the highway at legal speeds

While the 4Runner may have rugged, squared off defined muscle, the Lexus receives its le finesse treatment of sophisticated creases, smooth window lines, and more subtle lean muscle that combines with the Lexus theme grille treatment and signature. Length is 192.1 inches, while its breath is 74.2 inches. It stands 73.8 inches tall.

With the down size from the gargantuan LX570 to which the GX shares little if anything, comes a smaller version of the 5.7L V-8 engine. The 4.6L DOHC 32 valve V-8 punches out 301 hp at a low 5,500 rpm plus 329 pounds of twist also at a low 3,500 rpm meaning that at peak torque rpm you are producing 220 hp. That’s strong for a 4.6L engine. By comparison, the 4Runner with its 4.0L 270 hp V-6 makes much less twist (278 pounds) at a much higher rpm (4,400). And while the 4Runner weighs in at nearly 600 pounds less, the GX460 has a bit better acceleration while giving up almost nothing in fuel economy. And then there is the intrinsic feel of a V-8, nothing is smoother and the torque curve feels bottomless. And V-8s have a sound that is the sweetest music in motordom. You just can’t get that from a V-6 or inline four. The only thing close is a flat six.

Perhaps part of the extra performance is due to the GX’s six speed auto cog swapper compared to the 4Runners auto five speeder, but whatever the reason the GX will git‘er done with 0-60 mph runs of 6.99 seconds. Passing performance is excellent as well with a 50-70 mph level simulated pass just taking 3.92 seconds and an uphill run requiring 5.66 seconds. By comparison the 4Runner numbers while still very good are 7.78, 3.98 and 5.78 seconds respectively. The only significant difference is in the 0-60 mph run. That demonstrates the importance of more tranny speeds.

Now here is where it gets interesting, fuel economy. The Lexus weighs significantly more and has a larger, more powerful engine with two more cylinders, yet it returns essentially the same fuel economy with more performance. Yes, the EPA rates it lower than the 4Runner at 15/20/17 mpg city/highway/combined but it returned 18.1 mpg overall and at 70 mph on a level highway in a two-way run the GX achieved 23.0 mpg. Coefficient of drag is a low, for an SUV, 0.35. The 4Runner’s numbers were 18.5 mpg and 23.5 mpg. Almost identical. The GX turns a silent 1,750 rpm at 70 mph. That is sweet. Even sweeter is the mammoth 23-gallon fuel tank.

In the suspenders department, the front set up is state-of-the-art double wishbone, coils and a stab bar but out back in the Luxury model test vehicle is an adaptive variable set up (still using a highly articulating solid axle) with adjustable height control on the rear set up. Steering is a power rack with three turns lock-to-lock. Turning circle is a bit wide at 41 feet. On center feel is perfect and it does the twisties with good cornering power and here’s why. Track is a wide 62.4 inches and its 18 x 7.5 inch alloys are shod with wide 265/60 series tires.

When pushing the GX in tight twisties it was easy to get the Vehicle Stability Control to intervene and with it switched off its flat attitude would allow for easy rotation around the center point of the vehicle. You might find the steering a bit heavy, but it has good feedback. Turn-in is reasonably crisp considering the series 60 tires. There are a lot of comparisons reported here between the GX and the $runner. This is one area where there is little comparison. The GX is at a whole other level.

Ride quality is superb. While it is firm, it absorbs bumps and dips beautifully while muting all road imperfections perfectly, just like its bigger brother the LX. The ride also feels better damped than the 4Runner. It has an incredibly solid feel made more apparent by how quiet the ride and interior is. Wind, road, engine and tire noise are obliterated. Even makes the optional Mark Levinson sound system maintain its concert hall quality.

Braking is by four wheel ventilated discs and it shares the same braking system with the 4Runner and it stopped in the same 44 feet while carrying 600 pounds more avoir du pois. Of course it has every braking acronym in the book as well as all the traction and handling acronyms. In addition GX has controls for ride height, hill descent and more. It is amazing. LED low beam headlights turn night into day and ten airbags should also float your boat.

Handling is superb.

Semi-aniline leather will cuddle and comfort you and all materials are of the best quality. Lexus has left nothing out to create an air of sublime quality. Its interior is large with limousine proportions for five with two somewhat adequate seats in the third row. GX has complete and extremely clear instrumentation with all the bells and whistles. It doesn’t get any better. Everything has an exquisite, luxury touch like armrests, door paneling and center console.

The price of admission is not cheap with a starting price for the Luxury edition of $60,715, plus $910 for the boat from Japan. This vehicle’s only option was the $1,145 Mark Levinson premium sound system. That’s it. But when you look at plain Jane compact cars costing $20k plus, maybe it’s not that high. You get what you pay for and with the Lexus GX. It’s a lot of quality and luxury, never mind its outstanding all around performance and features.

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.

Outdoor music – it’s becoming the norm on the South Shore.

On the same day the South Lake Tahoe City Council entered a five-year deal with OnCourse Events to continue the Live at Lakeview concert series, Lake Tahoe Hard Rock announced it would be converting its back parking lot into a temporary outdoor concert amphitheater that will seat up to 7,500 people. The Stateline casino will host six to eight shows starting in June and conclude on Labor Day weekend. No acts have been disclosed.

The same goes for Live at Lakeview.

The free Thursday concerts at Lakeview Commons started in 2012, and have grown in popularity each year.

New this year is that instead of being considered a sponsor of the event, the city will be a partner. This is reflected in the nearly $40,000 worth of contributions – some cash, mostly in-kind – the city is providing to make this a signature event.

Rob Giustina, owner of OnCourse Events, had a difficult time answering pointed questions about finances. Still, the city opted to grant a one-year boost in cash from $2,500 to $5,000 to compensate for the late start in being able to book acts.

A point of dispute in previous years was who owned the rights to the name Live at Lakeview. It was agreed March 3 that this is the intellectual property of OnCourse Events.

OnCourse, which has operated the concert series from the get-go, was the only business to respond to the request for proposals. The 10 concerts will start June 25 and conclude Aug. 27. They run from 4:30-9pm.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Chris Macias, Sacramento Bee

The rant from Mr. Pink in the 1992 flick “Reservoir Dogs” was delivered like a salvo against the service industry:

“… This tipping automatically, it’s for the birds,” said Mr. Pink (played by Steve Buscemi) before paying a breakfast tab with his gangster crew. “As far as I’m concerned, they’re just doing their job.”

Back then, Pink’s words seemed like a penny-pincher’s rationale. But fast-forward two decades, and a tipless restaurant world that Mr. Pink craved looks closer to becoming a reality.

A movement around Northern California, and the San Francisco Bay Area in particular, is shifting away from the time-honored practice of tipping servers to simply adding a service charge to the bill. Gratuity has long been included in the bill at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Yountville’s The French Laundry, and recently become the norm at such Bay Area restaurants as Comal and Trou Normand. In Sacramento, The Kitchen has traditionally tacked on a service charge in lieu of tipping.

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Lynn Hill, widely regarded as one of the best climbers of all time, will talk March 12 at 7pm at Squaw Valley’s Olympic Village Lodge.

Her show, “Climbing Free: My Life in the Vertical World” documents her four-decade rock career, from her humble beginnings with Yosemite’s “Stone Masters” to defining the modern era of free climbing with her free ascent of The Nose on El Capitan.

Now in its ninth year, the Alpenglow Sports Winter Film Series has become a staple seasonal event for North Tahoe’s skiing and climbing community. This is the final installment for this season.

All shows are free and raffle prizes are used to raise funds for local nonprofit organizations. Tahoe Food Hub is the beneficiary for Hill’s show on March 12.

Publisher’s note: March 3, 2015, marks 100 years of the U.S. Navy Reserve.

By Dana Ayers

In addition to his dental practice and involvement with his local Catholic church, Lt. Tim Durkin of South Lake Tahoe also serves our nation as a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve attached to Navy Operational Support Center Reno.

Durkin, a Bay Area native, graduated from Woodside High School in 1971 and enlisted in the Navy one year later. He served as a radioman for four years before separating from service to attend dental school and start a family.

Lt. Tim Durkin

“Looking back, it was a mistake to leave,” said Durkin, now 61. “When the opportunity was presented to apply for the Navy Reserves several years ago, I jumped at the chance. The Navy was good to me in my early years and I wanted to give something back. My skill as a dentist gives me that opportunity. I am hoping to deploy overseas to relieve a young officer with a family.”

The Navy provided numerous opportunities for Durkin, from his first ride in an airplane, to introducing him to his wife who was working for the Navy when they met 38 years ago. Durkin was also able to finance part of his dental education through the GI bill and purchase his first home using a VA loan, all due to his service. Durkin continues to gain opportunities as a reservist.

“The Navy Reserve has enriched my life with fellowship and a purpose beyond myself,” said Durkin. “I use the leadership training I am receiving daily with my employees, and hopefully they will tell you I’m becoming a better employer.”

Durkin also touted the Reserve’s commitment to physical and mental health, adding, “I am in better shape both physically and mentally than I have ever been, and I’m 61 years old.”

Vice Admiral Braun, chief of the Navy Reserve, is proud to lead such a talented and dedicated group of Sailors.

“The commitment of our talented Sailors to the Navy, their shipmates and their community is truly inspirational,” said Braun. “Their continued dedicated service in support of the Navy, Marine Corps and Joint Force lends credence to our motto: ‘Ready Now. Anytime, Anywhere’.”

Dana Ayers is an ensign in the Navy.

—–

Note: The Navy Reserve contributed 84 percent of the Navy manpower during World War II. Since 9/11, more than 70,000 Navy Reserve sailors have been mobilized and deployed to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, including more than 8,000 who have done a second combat tour. Today, at least 20,000 Navy Reserve sailors, or about one-third of the Navy’s Reserve component, is providing fully integrated global operational support to the fleet and combatant commanders.