Twenty-eight South Shore nonprofits will share $85,000 from funds raised during the annual celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority in partnership with NBC Sports and American Century Investments had already handed out $60,000 during tournament week to area high schools, Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe and others.

Local cancer support programs involving the Barton Foundation and the South Lake Tahoe Cancer League received $13,000 each. Tahoe Youth & Family Services and the Lake Tahoe Boys & Girls Club each received $8,000. Christmas Cheer and Live Violence Free each got $5,000. Grants of $4,000 went to Bijou PTA, Kahle Community Center and Tahoe Arts Project. Programs receiving $500-$3,500 include Lake Tahoe Education Foundation, Whittell Boosters, Assistance League, Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Community College, Suicide Prevention Network, Food Bank of El Dorado County, Tahoe Community Food Pantry, South Tahoe High School Performing Arts Booster Association, Carmel Senior Living/Kelly Ridge, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, El Dorado County Search and Rescue, Leadership Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, Tahoe Douglas Rotary, Tahoe Magic Inc., Tahoe Senior Plaza, and Lake Tahoe Shining Stars.

The 25th annual American Century Championship will be July 15-20.

Bill Kingman, from left, Dave Wakeman, Betty Mitchell, Patty Olson, Tom Celio and Margie Daum                                  Photo/Denise Haerr

By Kathryn Reed

CAMP RICHARDSON – For an area that judges its residents based on the number of years they’ve lived here, the six panelists who retold stories Tuesday night of days gone by more than passed the test of being a local.

Bill Kingman, Dave Wakeman, Betty Mitchell, Patty Olson, Tom Celio and Margie Daum regaled more than 70 people who crammed together at the Camp Richardson Lodge. The six spoke of the infamous winter of 1951-52, how the Lake Valley schoolhouse was where T.J. Maxx is now, two-lane dirt roads, cattle drives through the middle of town and more.

South Lake Tahoe in some ways was about 100 years behind some parts of the country when it came to infrastructure in the 1950s. The city wasn’t incorporated until 1965. Before then people said they were from one of five areas like Bijou or Lake Valley or Al Tahoe. Dirt roads were not unusual. And few people lived year-round in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Many in the audience had their own stories to tell. After all, from a show of hands about two dozen of them have lived here for more than 40 years.

Kingman started his journey to Tahoe in the 1940s with his parents, and then moved to the South Shore permanently in 1961. He has been a disc jockey and chief engineer at every Lake Tahoe radio station. Today he writes the “Then and Now” feature for Lake Tahoe News each Sunday and broadcasts the fireworks show for KRLT.

He brought old black and white photos to share with the crowd – including cows on Highway 50 in front of the old Harrahs Club.

Kingman spoke of Highway 50 not becoming four lanes until 1957. The Y really was a Y until 1961-62 when Lake Tahoe Boulevard was extended.

Wakeman, a 1959 graduate of South Tahoe High School, grew up in what is now Alpina Café on Emerald Bay Road.

He said the Camp Rich area used to be a busy community. There was a fish hatchery near Taylor Creek. From there people would walk to the lodge to play cards and drink.

A house used to sit down the road from the lodge. It’s now a vacant lot used for parking. But Wakeman remembers it being where the telephone operator lived and worked. There were 20 party lines. If someone wasn’t home, the operator took a message.

No building department existed at the time – well, one did in Placerville, but no one bothered to come to the lake to see what was being built.

Wakeman remembers buildings collapsing after the snow melted from the record-setting winter of 1951-52. The snow held them up during the winter, but with the thaw they came down. He said the 149¾ inches that fell in 72 hours on Donner Summit still holds the record for snowfall in the United States. And that was just one of many storms that winter.

The one snowplow broke that winter. Tahoe was cut off from the rest of the world when it came to traveling by vehicle.

Daum was about 13 in that monster winter. She remembers people going to the Olsons’ store to get red Kool-Aid and Jell-O that they used to make an X in the meadow so the plow part could be air dropped.

“Just like the Angora Fire, the community pulled together. Everyone helped everyone,” Daum said.

Olson said with the winter being not long after the end of World War II, people knew how to deal with rationing and hard times.

The house she lives in today is 165 years old. It used to be Young’s Market.

She and her husband were instrumental in getting Barton Memorial Hospital built. To do so, the community had to raise $400,000. The Barton’s gave the land, Harrah’s gave $24,000 and others donated what they could.

While Mitchell didn’t move here until 1958, she remembers plenty of trying times – like the summer of 1960. A fire on the North Shore cut power to this end of the lake. It meant no showers. And the weather was cold, so dipping into Lake Tahoe was not happening.

She was a substitute teacher at the Lake Valley school, which went up to grade four. There was only one teacher, which Mitchell said was awkward at times.

Mitchell is credited with starting the Lake Tahoe Historical Society.

While Celio’s family’s roots run the deepest of the six (150 years ago they created what is now Meyers), he is the newest permanent resident of the basin. He took over the old family ranch three years ago. But he spent the better part of each summer at the ranch, spending much of his time on cattle drives.

The Lake Tahoe Historical Society, which coordinated the event, hopes to have a similar gathering in the spring with different speakers. The Nov. 12 event was videotaped, with copies of the DVDs available for purchase at the Lake Tahoe Museum starting Dec. 5.

By Erin Berger, Outside

We know that a good sweat session can do wonders for your mood, but new research is showing that it can go much farther than that.

Building on previous studies suggesting that exercise could benefit those suffering from depression, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have suggested a precise aerobic and resistance exercise regimen for people with major depressive disorder. Following this exercise “prescription” could have anti-depressive effects comparable to medication for some patients.

“All treatments for depression are good but not perfect,” Madhukar Trivedi, a doctor and one of the authors of the study, says. “There still remains a huge need for novel treatments.” A slew of studies say that exercise could be a good additional option for people already on an antidepressant, who might be feeling better but not completely well.

Trivedi and doctor Chad Rethorst wanted to take a more rigorous look at that suggestion. They based their conclusions on existing studies of exercise as part of treatment for patients diagnosed with mild to moderate forms of MDD. That is, patients who exhibit the “most devastating dysfunction associated with the disease.” That includes difficulty with personal relationships and loss of appetite, as well as high rates of suicide.

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A gentle breeze has Old Glory swaying during the South Lake Tahoe Veterans Day ceremony. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Under partly sunny skies, the mood was somber as nearly 100 people gathered in South Lake Tahoe to honor veterans from near and afar.

Before the ceremony Monday morning, members of the local Moose Lodge placed 445 flags at Happy Homestead Cemetery to honor those who have served and since passed on.

Traditional words of sacrifice, honor and respect rang through the speeches given by those who have served, as well as local politicians who spoke.

Many in attendance at the American Legion carried small U.S. flags as symbols of their loyalty and gratitude for those who have served in the military.

Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra will be honoring female veterans at the Nov. 14 7:30am meeting at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center.

 — Lake Tahoe News staff report

Believe it or not, Cheerio and Chex are from the same litter. Their mother is an Italian Greyhound, and their father is a Border terrier.

They are 11 months old, and both weigh about 10 pounds and need to gain some weight.

Cheerio looks like a purebred Italian Greyhound, while Chex has the body of a Greyhound with the wiry fur and head of a terrier. Both are nice little dogs with long legs who are a bit nervous in the shelter. They would love to go home soon, either together or separately.

Cheerio and Chex are spayed/neutered, microchipped, 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 online or check out the 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 Jeremy Miller

“Thor: The Dark World” is the newest installment in the Marvel Studios franchise, and it doesn’t disappoint.

The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Christopher Eccleston, and the great Anthony Hopkins. The gang’s all here.

Ages and ages before the rule of Odin (Hopkins), there was a civilization known as Dark Elves. They possess the weapon Aether, which turns everything in its path into darkness. Their leader Malekith (Eccleston) was plotting to turn the lights off universe-wide using the Aether. Odin’s father showed up and put the kibosh on that idea, backed by thousands of Asgardian warriors.

Malekith flees, planning on seeking revenge. The all-powerful Aether cannot be destroyed so the Asgardians decide to hide it in a place that could never be found. But let’s be real, if that were the case, we wouldn’t have a story.

Jane (Portman) is back on Earth, waiting Thor (Hemsworth), as it’s been two years since she’s seen him. She stumbles across an anomaly that sucks her through a wormhole type thing and suddenly she’s face-to-face with the Aether. It works its way into her body, and bam. She’s back on Earth.

Meanwhile, Thor and his crew have been stomping all around the nine realms restoring peace throughout. Upon his return, he meets up with Heimdall, the mysterious and ultra-masculine badass that protects the gates to Asgard and keeps watch over the nine realms. He looks for Jane to give Thor his weekly update, but can’t see her. This gives Thor the perfect excuse to break his father’s rule on visitation to Earth. He beams down right as the wormhole spits Jane back to Earth. They reunite and it’s as hopelessly romantic as you could imagine.

However, he quickly discovers that she’s got something going on other than hormones. He decides to take her back to Asgard to check it out. Odin doesn’t like that one bit, and discovers that she’s full of Aether.

This awakens Malekith and he immediately attacks Asgard trying to retake his Aether and continue his plot to darken the universe. From here the battle spans from Asgard to Earth, and it’s high-octane action from that point until the credits role.

It comes as no surprise (if you’ve seen the trailers) that Thor enlists the help of his brother Loki (Hiddleston) who’s been in timeout in the dungeon since what took place in New York in “The Avengers”.

The story was exceptionally well arranged; it was perfectly written to keep you entertained until the very end. Not to mention, what’s a Marvel movie without the perfectly placed humor? Every character got a chance to be a little funny, and it was timed perfectly in between epic battle scenes.

The film’s director, Alan Taylor, came from television directing, and you would have never guessed. The action sequences held true to the Marvel franchise, they were just as epic and awe-inspiring as those in “The Avengers”. I really expected an overabundance of cheese between Thor and Jane, but they did a pretty good job of keeping it mellow while at the same time giving enough to satisfy the inner sap in all of us.

The film’s crescendo was amazing. It was loud, explosive, epic and full of character driven emotion. It was everything you’d want to see in a super hero movie and as far as sequels are concerned, it’s my favorite Marvel sequel thus far.

Why the close to perfect but not quite perfect rating you ask? Wellmhere’s the deal. The plot was perfect – not too simple, not over the top – until the end. Jane and the gang play a little too much of a role in saving Earth (again) that almost lost me. Other than that, it’s a very well rounded experience. Go see it; it’s the kind of movie that reminded me why I love going to the movies as much as I do.

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

David Foster, international artist and sculptor specializing in traditional and contemporary fine art applications, will share his life in the little Tuscan town of Pietrasanta, Italy, as he follows in the footsteps of Michelangelo.

Foster, who taught at Lake Tahoe Community College for 32 years before retiring in 2008, will present a slideshow with images of the studios in which he works, the marble mountains his pieces come from, as well as the entire cultural experience of la vita Italiana.

As a practicing and exhibiting artist, Foster produces bronze and marble sculpture. Since 2001, he has emphasized marble carving in Pietrasanta, Italy, and at his Lake Tahoe studio.

The Dec. 10 6pm event is sponsored by Friends of the Library It is free and open to all. The library is at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

For more info, call (530) 573.3185.

By Kathryn Reed

In another week there are going to be a whole lot of aching bodies on the South Shore. That’s because certified massage therapist Rosemary Manning is retiring after 30 years in the business – all of which were spent tending to bodies in South Lake Tahoe.

“She has radar in her fingertips” is how longtime client Virginia Glenn describes Manning. “She knows when to dig deep and when not to. I’m going to miss her thumbs and elbows in my muscles.”

Glenn, like hundreds of others, isn’t quite sure whose hands they’ll trust next.

Manning doesn’t know how many clients she has worked on through the years, but many have been with her for decades. And it’s a local clientele. She would only work on visitors if they came via a referral from someone she knew.

Rosemary Manning is retiring after 30 years as a massage therapist in South Lake Tahoe. Photo/Provided

Manning didn’t set out to be a massage therapist. She was getting her master’s degree in clinical psychology to be a marriage counselor when she met Gil Ralston who owned a massage school in Carson City. He mentioned a workshop he was offering. She went. And soon she was on her way to being a massage therapist.

“I’ve always been interested in the mind-body connection,” Manning told Lake Tahoe News. “I believe most illnesses and injuries have an emotional component to them. This allowed me entry into hands-on work with people.”

Manning finished her master’s, and while she never became a counselor, in some ways a massage therapist does more than body work. It’s about listening to what the client says as well as what their body says.

“I think that Rosemary has that intuition. She knows what you emotionally need and what you physically need,” client Melissa Bornstein said. “Maybe it’s a gift others don’t have. They go through the motions. She has an inner sense.”

Many of her clients have become friends outside of the office. She has watched young women become moms, and has seen clients go through all the good and bad that life brings.

“You are so intimate with clients. You know so much about them. I will miss that trust,” Manning said.

“I’m not suggesting massage is medical, but so many times when you go see a medical professional they have not read our chart, they don’t know who we are. When a client walks in they are the only thing matters for that hour or 90 minutes. They are my world.”

She asks if they are still being bothered by an ailment they had at the last visit, how vacation was, inquires about family.

“I want them to feel listened to and taken care,” Manning said. It’s all part of tying the mind, body and spirit together.

“When I work I can visualize tissues in my brain. It’s like sculpting. I can see what I want to achieve. It’s like an art form,” Manning said.

She has seen quite a few changes in her three decades as a massage therapist. Twice Manning worked with a group of massage therapists to rewrite the South Lake Tahoe ordinance for practitioners.

“I’ve seen (massage) become more accepted by the general population and by the medical community,” Manning said.

Before becoming a massage therapist Manning worked for Voluntary Action Center as the executive director. She surprised quite a few people when she left that job to work in a casino as a massage therapist.

She started at what was Caesars Tahoe, then went to a chiropractor’s office before opening a practice with another therapist. For the past 16 years she has been the sole proprietor of Tahoe Health Touch on Emerald Bay Road.

There was a time when she did six or seven massages five days a week. In the past couple years she has cut back the days and hours.

“After 30 years, it’s hard on the body,” Manning said. “You are standing, you have to use body mechanics. I’m fortunate I don’t have carpal tunnel. That’s what a lot of massage therapists get. There’s a lot of pushing, heavy work … it can affect your neck and your back.”

The 61-year-old said she just knew now was the time to walk away from massage.

Manning intends to continue her emotional freedom technique work, which uses tapping on pressure points and conversation to assist with fears, grief and other issues clients may have.

She will also have time for scrapbooking, drinking wine, cross country skiing and reading.

Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is putting on the seventh annual production of Handel’s Messiah with performances in five locations including a special opening concert in the St. Gall Catholic Church in Gardnerville.

Messiah was first performed in Dublin, Ireland, on March 23, 1742, and was conducted by its composer. It continues to be a masterpiece that has left audiences in awe for 273 years.

The TOCCATA production is a celebration of the holidays and includes not only favorite selections from Messiah Parts One and Three, but also seasonal carols that the audience will be most welcome to join in singing.

The first performance is Dec. 6 at 7pm at St. Gall Church in Gardnerville (1343 Centerville Lane/ 775.782.2852), where TOCCATA will be joined by the local community singers.

The next two performances are Dec. 11 a 7pm at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Incline Village and the first classical concert to be performed in the new Grace Church Sanctuary on Dec. 13 at 7pm (1220 Robb Drive, Reno/775.747.9000).

The final two presentations will be Dec. 15 at 3pm at St. Theresa Catholic Church, (1041 Lyons Ave., South Lake Tahoe/530.544.3533)and Dec. 18 at 7pm in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (501 California Ave., Reno/775. 329.0696).

The Messiah series marks the completion of TOCCATA’s eighth season.

Joining the TOCCATA Orchestra and Chorus for this production are soloists Joy Strotz, Anna Helwing and Jennifir Tibben, sopranos; Stephanie Dixon and Maryanne Ashley, mezzo soprano, Chris Nelson and Albert Lee, tenors, and Stuart Duke and Ryan Ashley, baritones. The TOCCATA Children’s Chorus from South Lake Tahoe, directed by Bonnie Turnball, will perform at three of the concerts. The TOCCATA Chamber Orchestra features Louis Steptoe as concertmaster; David Brock, Tracy Beaver and Nick Haines as continuo; and Mark Lord, William van Meter and Dawyne Hollenbach on Baroque trumpets.

All performances will be conducted by maestro James Rawie.

Tickets are available at the door or online. General admission to all concerts is $25 adults, $20 seniors, $5 students aged 19 to 23 with valid ID. Preferred seating is $35 and $15 for youth/students. A grant from the two local foundations, allows all youth under 19 years of age to be admitted free to all regular season concerts in 2013.

By Erin Toner, NPR

We tweet. We text. We email. But how often do we really write anymore? Not much, if you look at the business of selling pens — or “fine writing instruments,” as shop owners call them. With their writing tools becoming obsolete, pen stores have folded, including a century-old shop in New York.

But despite the tech-heavy trends, a few old fashioned pen stores are still holding on.

Walking into Daly’s Pen Shop in Milwaukee, Wis., is like leaping back in time. Ninety-year-old, custom-made wood storage cabinets line the walls, antique ink bottles lurk on the shelves, and Sinatra songs serenade customers as they walk in.

The pens range from the Japanese Pilot Namiki pens — retractable fountain pens that range from $150 to $300 — to the Waterford pens, as in Waterford Crystal.

Daly’s owner, Brad Bodart, points out classic Cross Rollerball pens for $40, and fancy Montblanc fountain pens that sell for $1,000. He says that whatever the price point, a good pen completes the package.

Daly’s Pen Shop in Milwaukee, Wis., opened in 1924. While other pen stores have closed across the nation, this place has kept its doors open.

“You have a nice pair of shoes, you have a nice belt, you have a nice handbag and you have a nice pen,” Bodart says. “Nothing bothers us more than seeing a business person pull a Bic out of their pocket.”

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