El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health Division is offering back-to-school immunizations for eligible children beginning school this fall.

Public health can provide all childhood vaccinations required for school entry, as well as vaccinations that are recommended to keep children healthy.

Schools are required to verify each child’s immunization record to make sure all shots and boosters are completed before entry to kindergarten and seventh grade. Kindergartners need a total of five DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), four polio, three hepatitis B, two MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and one varicella (chickenpox) shot. In addition, since a new California law was signed in 2010, students entering seventh grade will need to show proof of the Tdap vaccine before starting school.

Parents who do not have a health care provider and wish to have their child vaccinated through a scheduled appointment at Public Health may call 530.573.3155 in South Lake Tahoe or 530.621.6100 in Placerville. Any child on Medi-Cal, or who is uninsured, is eligible for Public Health’s immunization services. A $10 administrative fee is charged per shot, though no child will be refused a vaccination due to inability to pay.

Parents are asked to bring their child’s immunization record.

Local outdoor enthusiast and Opal Ultra Nightclub’s disc jockey David Aaron had a devastating parachute landing accident June 22.

Aaron sustained multiple injuries, including injury to his spinal cord and broken back, for which he needed eight vertebrae fused. He is diagnosed as an “incomplete paraplegic” and recovering at Renown Rehabilitation Center in Reno, where he could stay for another six to 10 weeks. Then he will need to continue physical therapy and rehabilitation.

A benefit auction on Aug. 20 at 6pm at MontBleu will help raise funds for medical bills and living expenses.

This event will feature performances by disc jockeys Chris English, Kennan, Rick Gee, DJ Mark Twyman, Half-Track, and MoFunk. The event will feature a live charity auction, silent auctions, raffle prizes, dance floor, and Red Bull bar. All proceeds, including beverage sales, will be donated to Aaron.

The event producers are looking for items for our silent auctions, live auction, raffles, as well as liquor to stock the bar.

Cash/check donations can be accepted at Bank of America under David Aaron Benefit Fund No. 3250-2946-3866 or mailed to 1165 Kulow St., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 c/o David Aaron.

For more information, email DavidAaronBenefit@yahoo.com.

Bona Fide Books awards annually the Melissa Lanitis Gregory Poetry Prize for an unpublished collection of poems.

The winner will receive publication, 10 copies, a $500 cash award, and a reading at Lake Tahoe.

Submissions are being taken until Aug. 31.

For more info, go online.

James

Tulip

James and Tulip are best friends who need to be adopted together.

James is a pug-chihuahua mix. Tulip is a chihuahua-dashchund mix. They play all day long; they like tug of war, chase, and hide and seek. They are both house trained if they get outside often enough. They love to cuddle and sunbathe.

A kind person paid part of their adoption fees, so their fee is $160 to take both of them home. They are good with children, and other dogs and cats. They have been at the shelter since May and would really like to find a family.

James and Tulip are spayed-neutered, microchipped, tested for heart worm, and vaccinated. They are 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

Lady Gaga in one of her less elaborate outfits. Photos/Kim Wyatt

By Kim Wyatt

STATELINE – Entering the Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys on Aug. 2, I was greeted by statuesque geishas, wigs in every color of the rainbow, and a phalanx of tutus, tails and spiked brassieres—clearly this wasn’t a Creedence concert. At Lady Gaga’s Tahoe debut, a diverse gender-bending crowd posed and pranced for 3½ hours, the aisles between the rows acting as catwalks, with audacious self-expression at every turn.

“Who needs opening acts with a pre-concert show like this?” said my friend Jan.

Lady Gaga’s “ArtRave: The Artpop Ball” is her latest tour for her third album “Artpop,” released last year. Although most of Gaga’s set was from “ArtPop,” songs from her previous releases like “Born This Way,” added gravitas to the evening. Fourteen dancers added a charged, racy element, and her five-piece band provided solid musicianship — the sum was a visual and sound explosion.

Self-expression was the story of the night Aug. 2 at Harveys.

Was it art? Not sure. But it was a lot of fun.

Prior to the show, rumors circulated about Gaga’s appearance poolside earlier in the day, ticket prices reaching hundreds of dollars and the enormous number of freight trucks that transport her stage. Some compared set lists, and even noted that opening band Babymetal had changed the order of their set — these were Gaga’s hardcore fans, coined “Little Monsters,” but there were plenty of others feeling the love.

Babymetal kicked off the show, priming the crowd. Although I didn’t understand a word they were singing, the ponytailed Japanese girl group was adorably raucous while making a hash of their songs. With manga and kabuki stylings, the cheerful metal band was feast for the eyes if not the ears.

DJ Lady Starlight leveled out the vibe with a techno beat, which went on a little too long, long enough to make me feel as though I had two competing hearts, or had possibly turned into a puma. Wearing a loose Laura Ashley-style dress, Starlight too defied expectations — you can be anything you want to be at a Lady Gaga concert, even a middle-aged lady in a grandma dress.

Finally, Lady Gaga took the stage in a gold-sequined butterfly leotard anchored by a huge Jeff Koons blue gazing ball on her chest, and held our attention for just more than 90 minutes. Seven costume changes and 20 songs later, the show ended abruptly with the lovely final track from ArtPop “Gypsy.”

In turns cool, frenetic or psychedelic, the cave-like set looked like the bar from Star Wars if it were made from a Frosty ice cream machine, just slightly hallucinatory, and Gaga occasionally played a piano tucked in what looked like a giant bed of crystals.

Costume changes set the tone for the songs to follow, with Gaga going from high fashion to Harajuku. Hardly anyone sat during the first third of the set. Songs mostly from “ArtPop,” and the Barbarella-eqsue swagger during “Venus” blew the roof off. Those dancing in the audience stopped to watch the spectacle of Gaga strapping a Gibson Flying V over her clamshell bra and little else. Here, her voice first rose above the spectacle, clear and strong and true. This was followed by “Partynauseous”– the back-up dancers in Dr. Seussian spaceship getups — and Gaga sauntering out in an enormous polka-dotted squid bustle to play a seahorse-shaped keytar. (Have I seen that before? No.)

Although an extremely polished and clearly expensive show — the lighting and video was fantastic — there was a disconnect after Gaga took the piano with the chanteusey “Dope,” leading into her hit “Born This Way.”

Lady Gaga did not disappoint with her multiple costume changes.

“Stay with me little monsters,” Gaga said, as if she knew.

Until then, the crowd was on its feet. The solemnity of Gaga’s speech about social justice turned into a request to help fund the Born This Way Foundation, “to foster a more accepting society, where differences are embraced and individuality is celebrated.” Many stopped to text donations, and then paused for Gaga’s extended piano play. The concert lost steam again after that. Soon after came, ironically, the most lackluster number of the evening, “Sexxx Dreams,” a rehash of tired sex tropes, in latex, no less.

The finale “Gypsy,” showcased Gaga’s vocals, piano, and songwriting skills. Although we had just witnessed a spectacle, here she stripped it down and her Little Monsters fist pumped until the end

Despite a few glitches, one thing was clear: People are desperate to be their true selves, and Gaga has created a family. There was a sincerity to this crowd that is sweet and surprising. They aren’t just dressing up; they are laying it all on the line. But here, everyone agrees you look fabulous.

In the end, Lady Gaga’s legacy will be not only her songwriting and catchy tunes — it will be those who have found sanctuary in her words, and under her sequined wing. And about “ArtRave: The Artpop Ball” — is it an attempt to merge high and low, art and pop? Is the tour just an expensive rave? Or freedom of expression that’s a bargain at any price?

Who cares? Let’s dance!

By Michael Doyle, McClatchy Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Granite Bay, now has a law to his name.

It’s pretty modest. But when President Obama recently signed a McClintock bill transferring federal land to an Indian tribe in California’s El Dorado County, it was a milestone of sorts.

The one-page bill transferring 40.8 acres to the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians marked McClintock’s reaching the White House finish line. More often, the 58-year-old conservative is a voice in opposition, decrying a government gone bad. It’s a distinctive approach, strictly principled and at times, some say, uncompromising.

“I think you’ll find colleagues that like me, and colleagues that don’t like me,” McClintock said in an interview, “but they’ll always know where I stand.”

Presently in his sixth year in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing a sprawling and mountainous district that spans 10 California counties, McClintock does sometimes stand apart. He belongs to the House majority. He’s also a natural dissenter, shaped by years in the legislative minority.

The resulting tension is between governance and ideals, between deal-making and holding firm. It’s a balancing act, for which McClintock gets both praise and criticism.

“There’s no question that he’s a conservative,” said Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. “And when he gets engaged and really tackles an issue, there’s no one better than him. I think he’s a good member.”

Critics, including some within his own party, counter that McClintock sticks to his guns to the detriment of legislating.

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9/11 Memorial pools are on the footprint of the Twin Towers. Photos/Kathryn Reed

By Kathryn Reed

NEW YORK – Voices overlap. Memories of Sept. 11, 2001, echo through the chamber. The chaos, the uncertainty, the fear, the loss.

“Regardless of where you were, you were there at that moment,” says one person.

The 9/11 Memorial Museum that opened in May is a collection of stories from that day going forward of the carnage, the rescue, the rebuilding – and of those responsible for the destruction.

Hearing what people experienced is so much more powerful than just reading the volumes of material provided.

Visual reminders of that day are everywhere. Steel tridents salvaged from the facade of the North Tower loom overhead as visitors descend into the museum.

The first overlook is almost like being at a construction site. In the center is the Last Column. This was the final steel beam removed from Ground Zero after the nine months of excavation ended. It weighs 58 tons and is 36-feet tall. Then there is the slurry wall.

It wasn’t just buildings that collapsed that September morning, but thousands of lives were lost and even more were changed forever. The museum, most of which is 70 feet below ground, will be a lasting testament to this country’s ability to overcome such a tragedy.

In hushed tones masses of people are wandering through the multilevel museum. At times it is overwhelming – the words, the images, the artifacts. Graphic details are not spared.

The shell of Ladder Company 3’s truck shows that first responders had no idea they were entering their tomb as they ascended the stairs of the North Tower. All 11 died when the tower collapsed.

Video shows people jumping from the burning towers. Quotes are on a wall.

“You felt compelled to watch out of respect to them. They were ending their life without a choice and to turn away from them would have been wrong.”

Louisa Griffith-Jones, Lower Manhattan resident

The personal items can give visitors goose bumps. They make the human carnage real, whether it’s items from a wallet, shoes or glasses.

Then there are the handmade postings of people missing. Most died. And some of those remains are behind a wall within the museum.

A room with walls of photos of those who died is chilling. It’s possible to find out more about them so they aren’t just a name or face.

The 9/11 Memorial, which is outside, opened on the 10-year anniversary of the attack. The two pools, each with 30-foot waterfalls, are on the footprint of the Twin Towers.

Etched into the side are the names of the nearly 3,000 people who died, as well as those killed in the 1993 World Trade Center attack. One says, “Rahma Salie and her unborn child.” Roses have been left next to names.

Nearby is the Survivor Tree. It was salvaged from the ruins, a testament to how resilient New York is.

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder (Click on photos to enlarge.)

By Cindy Krischer Goodman, Miami Herald

As the temperature rises and the day lengthens, summer slowdown creeps into almost every workplace. But this summer, a growing number of professionals are strategically using the downtime to rebalance.

Experts estimate that when vacation mindset seeps into offices during summer, productivity slips by as much as 20 percent. Rather than give in, some professionals are tackling to-do lists, researching new projects and brainstorming fresh ideas — activities that get ignored during busier times.

Duree Ross looks at the sluggish season as a time to rethink processes at work and home. After she sent her two children to sleep-away camp last week, she took a deep breath and began strategizing how she will break out time from her daily life — chauffeuring kids, spending time with her her husband — to build her Fort Lauderdale public relations/events firm.

“My husband and I are going to Colorado and we are going to spend time together like before we had kids. We haven’t had that in 11 years,” she said. When she returns, Ross will focus her attention on aspects of her business that usually get ignored during busier times, such as updating her bio and website, and retooling marketing materials. “This is an opportunity to refresh in all aspects of my life.”

Some professionals are using summer months to sharpen skills. Barrett Wolf, director of office leasing at Turnberry Associates in Aventura, has hired a business coach and enrolled in Florida International University’s Summer of Well-being course to work on his mental strength — activities he can’t fit in during the rest of the year. “Normally, I’m 24/7. I’m using the slower months of summer to create a vision in my head for what I want for fall,” he said.

A former professional tennis player, Wolf now leases office buildings, restaurant space and aviation hangars. He is meeting twice a week with his performance coach to mentally prepare for stressful situations ahead, such as bringing a complicated negotiation to a positive conclusion. “With my new skills, I will be able to attack every scenario head on.”

Miami business coach Marlene Green says summer is for big-picture thinking about moving forward in your career and personal life. It’s a natural fit, she finds. “The heat alone makes you slow down and take inventory.”

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By Jeremy Miller

“Lucy” is the latest from writer/director Luc Besson (“The Family”, “The Fifth Element”) starring Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, and Min-sik Choi.

Lucy (Johansson) is an American girl caught on the wrong side of a deal in Japan. What starts as a menial delivery of goods to the upper echelon of the Japanese mafia suddenly turns to harboring the latest in synthetic street drugs inside her stomach. Upon arrival she’s held in captivity and a disgruntled mob employee takes his day out on her, rupturing the bag inside. The drugs leak out in mass amounts and begin to unlock the potential of her mind on a gradient, ultimately hitting 100 percent.

The Miller Meter — 21/2 out of 5

Simultaneously Professor Norman (Freeman) is giving an eager crowd a breakdown of what exactly would take place should someone tap into a higher percentage of their brain power than 10 percent. He breaks it down on a gradient as to what the mind is capable of as the higher percentages are reached, and supplies some awesome video clips in the background so we really get it. As he narrates with the all-too-famous narrative voice of his, we see Lucy slowly fading further from her human self and closer toward an overly powerful being of unsaid potential.

She decides that with her new evolved abilities she’s going to seek vengeance on those who put her in this pickle. She quickly discovers her abilities to control radio waves, electricity, and eventually matter. As she taps into higher percentages of brain function, she decides that she better let someone in on her little secret, so she calls the professor and showboats a bit until he believes her.

As she taps into more abilities she loses more of her persona, more of her humanity slips away and her end game moves further from vengeance and more toward how she will survive and pass on all that she’s learned.

Great premise, but it sounds familiar. Oh, that’s right! Neil Burger did this same thing in 2011 but with Bradley Cooper and called it “Limitless”.

Lucy was fun at times, and engaging no doubt. The action scenes were short and simple, and fell short of what I would expect from a real life combination of all the Marvel heroes in a femme fatal like Scarlett Jo. The effects were as abstract as one could imagine given that no one really knows what would happen should someone use 100 percent of their brain. It tapped into all kinds of theological and spiritual themes, subtly, which was nice. I enjoyed exploring the thoughts and the “what ifs?” of it all, but felt like the film didn’t give nearly as much as it could have.

“Limitless” was just so much more fun.

Scarlett was as impressive as she usually is. I don’t think she’s terrible by any means, I just think that a role with minimal dialogue suited her well. Morgan Freeman brought some heat, but he played the same role he’s played a thousand times so don’t expect any Oscar noms for either of them.

With a run time of 89 minutes, it’s definitely not a waste of time, or money. I wasn’t blown away, but I enjoyed myself. The biggest bad indicator was that rather than talking about the film I had just seen it made me want to watch its older, more entertaining antecedent with my pal Brad Cooper. But hey, it’s still worth a watch.

South Lake Tahoe resident Jeremy Miller has more movie reviews online.

The former Lake Tahoe home of billionaire Larry Ellison . Photo/Eric Jarvis

By Candace Taylor, Wall Street Journal

Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison has sold one of his Glenbrook properties for $20.35 million, according to public records.

The sale closed in mid-July and names the buyer as a California-based entity called Residential Property Mgmt LLC.

The property is one of three parcels Ellison had listed together for $28.5 million in 2013 with Jennie Fairchild of Chase International. It contains a 9,242-square foot main house, which Ellison spent three years remodeling, with six bedrooms, eight full baths and one half bath. There is a soundproof screening room, a gym, a billiard room, a library and a sauna. Also on the property is a 1,326-square-foot, two-bedroom, three-bath guest house.

The other two parcels — including a roughly 3,000-square-foot lakefront house and an adjoining vacant lot — are still on the market, priced at $4.15 million, Fairchild said in an email. She declined to discuss the details of the sale.

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