Jenna is a gentle, affectionate 18-month-old pit bull mix.

She is house trained and has good manners. She likes to play with other dogs, but she would probably be best as the only dog in her new household as she likes to have her people all to herself.

She walks very nicely on her leash, and would learn more good behavior in training classes.

Jenna is spayed, microchipped, and vaccinated. She 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.

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 Geralda Miller, Reno Gazette-Journal

Bill Hecht is an architect of sound.

He’s a jazz pianist who entertained audiences for years with the Harrah’s Reno house band and now plays with the Reno Jazz Orchestra.

He’s the composer of slot machine music.

For 10 years, he sang baritone with the Reno Philharmonic Chorus. Now, he plays piano and sings with his church choir. During the Christmas holidays, he strolled with the Great Basin Carolers at Squaw Valley USA and Northstar California.

“It’s been about music for a long time now,” the 58-year-old said.

Hecht has improvised in life as easily as he manipulates the chords in a Duke Ellington or Count Basie piece.

“After the melody is stated, you do an improvisation that respects the chords that fit with the melody,” he said. “That’s the only real boundary.”

Hecht’s mother sat him down at the piano at age 6, and he was on his way to mastery.

“She got me the greatest teachers in the Bay Area,” he said. “My classical teacher was trained at Julliard. He had a great feel for working with kids.”

At 14, he switched from classical to jazz. Although formal instruction was important, he got the real taste of jazz when his mother took him to the hot clubs to see many of the greats. He remembers seeing Dave Brubeck, Errol Garner, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock.

“I think it was the Both/And club where she took me to see Miles Davis, not realizing I wouldn’t be able to get into that club being a minor,” he said. “But Tony Williams, the drummer, was also a minor, so she got me in. I’m a big Herbie fan. When I saw him with Miles, I was hooked.”

With a father who was a physicist and a mother who was a psychologist, Hecht said he attempted classes at the University of California, Berkley but eventually dropped out to tour the country with a band.

In the mid-1970s, the band had a gig on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, and Hecht said he fell in love with the area’s beauty.

“I ended up in Lake Tahoe because, of all the places that we went, that was the most beautiful,” he said. “At the time I thought, ‘Well, I’ll never live in Reno.'”

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By Kathryn Reed

It took me more than seven years to finally open “McCoy’s Marines: Darkside to Baghdad”. Then it took me a week to read the 304-page hardcover (which is in paperback now).

I couldn’t read this book by John Koopman when it came out in 2004 because I was inundated with news about the war in Iraq. And more personally, my nephew is in the Army. He served two stints in Iraq.

While the war was and is personal for so many people on a much deeper level than it is for me, I just couldn’t spend my leisure time reading about it.

Then something hit me earlier this month. It was a report on the TV news about the number of journalists killed in the Iraq conflict – about how more died in this war than any other. In large part it has to do with the number of journalists who were in the Mideast compared to other wars.

Then with the U.S. pullout from Iraq it seemed like now would be a good time to tackle the book.

(My nephew is still in the Army; now with Special Forces, so the danger continues.)

A friend and former colleague wrote the book. We worked together at the San Francisco Examiner (when it was a real paper) and the San Francisco Chronicle.

“McCoy’s Marines” is about Koopman’s time spent as an embedded reporter with the Marines. I know I have a skewed view – I know the editors he writes about, I have met his wife and son. And part of me always wanted to be a war reporter, so this let me live the experience vicariously though my friend.

Even though I have some personal connections to the book, I would still recommend it to anyone who wants to get a glimpse into the world of what it’s like for a reporter traveling with a military unit during war.

Despite the title, it’s Koopman’s story much more than it is Lt. Gen. Bryan McCoy’s. What this account does that news stories didn’t do was put a human element on the war. It shows some of the fears the men and women in uniform had.

Interspersed are emails from people in the United States reaching out to Koopman in an attempt to make contact with their loved one whom he is traveling. Most of the emails are heartfelt, while some attacked Koopman. I thought including them brought a broader perspective to what goes on during war.

Koopman is still in the Bay Area, now working as a freelance writer.

To events in February are geared toward educators — in the formal or informal sense — who are interested in science education, environmental education or are seeking new activities.

A completely revised, updated, and expanded Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide was released last fall. This major revision of the 15-year-old original guide began three years ago. It was driven by emerging water issues, new scientific discoveries and breakthroughs, changing educational priorities and reform, and the availability of information technology and social connectivity.

The new Project WET program that is emerging encompasses not only the new guide but also a Web portal, expanded resources and networking opportunities.

The first meeting to learn about is Feb. 9 from 10am-4pm at Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences, 291 Country Club Drive, Incline Village.

The second meeting is Feb. 16 from 10am-4pm at the U.S. Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe.

There is no cost for Project WET Guide 2.0 for California educators. The cost is $25 for participants who do not offer programs in California.

Optional lunch costs $6-$10. Cash only.

For more information and/or to register,contact: Dana Olsen, TRCD, (530) 543.1501, ext. 120, dolson@tahoercd.org to register for the Incline event; or Megan Dee, USFS, (530) 543.2618, mldee@fs.fed.us for the South Shore event.

Registration closes Feb. 3.

By Mandy Kendall

So, it’s another New Year. A lot of us will make resolutions, and a lot of us will break them. Maybe it’s because we make such high demands on ourselves when there is already so much going on that we get overwhelmed.

During my time as a chiropractor in England I learned that if I wanted to help my patients make lasting changes to their lifestyle, they were far more successful when we made changes in do-able chunks. I liked to call them Qwik-es. They were “quick” and “easy” things to do, and were usually practiced for a week, as that’s pretty do-able in most peoples busy lives.

Mandy Kendall

The idea being that after a week, if you noticed a positive change from doing something that really hadn’t taken up much of your time, then there was a good chance you might carry on doing it. Then it becomes a habit and, you never know, you might even be inclined to try another one.

I used to start new patients on something as simple as drinking water. Yes, I know everyone is always droning on about drinking water, but there really are good reasons for all that nagging. Honest! Our bodies are roughly 65 percent water and we use a lot everyday just being alive so we need “topping up”.

For instance a 5 percent decrease in our optimal hydration can result in up to 20 percent lower brain function. Our kidneys are important filters in our bodies, and like any filter, if they are not rinsed through with good clean water, they can get “clogged” and will be much less efficient.

Soft tissues need water to protect our joints and organs, especially the springy shock absorbing discs in between the bones in our spine. Our body’s solid waste material requires moisture to be eliminated from our bodies. If there’s not enough to flush it through, it just sits in our intestines (enough said I think). Water is also a great weight loss kick-starter and when skin is properly hydrated wrinkles get plumped out from the inside too.

So, how much do we need per day? Well you could do very well going with the generally accepted 8 x 8 fluid ounces a day (and this really should be plain water, not coffee or sodas). However, if you want to get serious, you should take into account your size, activity and where you live. Someone weighing 200 pounds needs more water than someone at 100 pounds.

A good way to estimate this is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day. So, if you’re 150 pounds, this means you need the equivalent of 75 ounces of water, or about 8 cups. An active body needs more water than an inactive body and being up at altitude also requires more hydration.

If you find it hard to keep track, a very basic guide to your hydration level is the color of your urine. If it is pretty much clear, then you are probably hydrated enough. If it looks more like iced tea, you need to drink less iced tea and more water.

So, maybe you’re thinking, “OK, I guess I should be drinking a bit more water, but I just get so busy I forget.” Here are a few Qwik-e tips to help you out.

Start the day with a big glass of water – Your body will need topping up after a good few hours without, and it will help move things along if you find you’re a bit constipated too.

If your day centers on a desk, fill up a large bottle first thing to keep track of how much you are drinking. If you are moving around all day you could set an hourly reminder to pop up on your phone or watch to prompt a drink.

Use hunger pangs as a signal to drink – quite often we think we’re hungry when we are actually dehydrated. If you are still hungry five minutes after a glass of water, then at least you know it really is hunger.

Feeling tired? Can’t concentrate? Chances are you are dehydrated, so grab a glass of water and have a quick walk or stretch before you decide to get another coffee or soda.

Not quite sure how much water different sized containers hold? Measure 8 fluid ounces at home and see how many mouthfuls it takes to drink it. You can then use that as your measuring guide no matter what size container it is.

So give it a try, you might surprise yourself how much better you feel.

Until next time!

Mandy Kendall operates Health Connective in South Lake Tahoe. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an email at healthconnective@gmail.com, visit us on Facebook, or keep an eye out on Lake Tahoe News for regular Qwik-e tips on how to make healthy changes one Quick and Easy step at a time.

Every year 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country honor one of their own outstanding teens with the prestigious honor of Youth of the Year to represent their local club.

The six finalists for the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe are: Alejandro Aguirre, Michael Bergsten, Jade Burghard, Aria D’Aintree, Angela Rheault, and Owen Slater. All six were selected using the National Boys & Girls Club of America criteria of sound character, leadership, and willingness to serve.

These are the qualities that make a Youth of the Year. They are also some of the most important qualities young people need to realize their full potential.

On Jan. 18 the winner will be announced at the club’s monthly Family Chili Dinner Night. Josh Kornbeck, Youth of the Year 2011, will be making the announcement.

The public is invited to this free event that takes place at the club’s main site at 1100 Lyons Ave., South Lake Tahoe.

To learn more about the Boys & Girls Club, go online.

Publisher’s note: Four seniors from South Tahoe High School were honored as Young Women of Distinction on Jan. 11 by Soroptimist International South Lake Tahoe. The following is what their principal had to say about each young woman at the lunch.

By Ivone Larson

Jocelyn DeLeon: As a calculus student in Mr. [Dave] Mason’s class, Jocelyn DeLeon states, “It may be hard to believe, but math is actually fun! It is the best feeling ever when you do a long and hard problem and at the end you get the answer right.” With a remarkable 4.0 gpa, her passion for school goes far beyond mathematics.

Hannah Green, from left, Willow Nelson, Jocelyn DeLeon, and Alana Mosca. Photo/Provided

As an AVID student since the seventh grade, Jocelyn has been actively involved in academics, extra-curricular activities and community service. Her outstanding academic record has earned her numerous ski passes at Sierra-at-Tahoe, a President’s Award at South Tahoe Middle School, several Golden State Student awards, and was the winner of the Soroptimist’s Ann Frank 8th Grade Write Off.

She participated in cheerleading, competing at the state level in Las Vegas, ran track and field, and though she has never taken dance lessons, is trying something new this year by performing with the STHS Dance Team. In her spare time, Jocelyn volunteers at Barton Skilled Nursing Facility, volunteers for the Forest Service and currently serves as Generation Green vice president.

In her sophomore year, Jocelyn had the opportunity to go to a small village near Guadalajara, Mexico, for a month with a family friend. Seeing how little the people had and how they lived was life changing. She says, “I got to see where my family is from and I learned to appreciate all I have because my family has worked so hard to be where we are today.”

Jocelyn has taken the initiative two years in a row to attend the Women in Engineering Awareness Day sponsored by the Society of Women Engineers, as she plans to major in math or engineering and minor in Spanish. Jocelyn has applied to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly Pomona, San Diego State, Sonoma State, and Santa Clara University, but Saint Mary’s College of California is her first choice due to its small class size, high value of community service, and Catholic affiliation.

Jocelyn would like to honor her mother because, as a single parent working at Barton Hospital in housekeeping, she has done so much for her brother and herself. She is the definition of a hardworking, loving, caring, and responsible human being.

She says, “My mom has shown me how to be strong and inspired me to do well in school, so that I can someday live a better life than what she did. My main goal is to work hard to make my family proud.”

Jocelyn hopes to pursue a career that she truly enjoys and to be able to help out her family financially. She is extremely proud to be the first generation to go to college.

Sue Channel, her AVID teacher, says of her, “Jocelyn is an extraordinary young woman who is determined to succeed. She manages rigorous AP and honors courses all while staying calm, gracious, maintaining a sense of humor and a close network of friends. I love the way she is so positive about the important things in her life: her family, her friends, her achievements. It is a pleasure to have her in class.”

Jocelyn, not only are you the pride of your family, you have made your teachers, your school and your community proud. We wish you the best in all your future endeavors and look forward to seeing you inspiring the next generation to pursue their dreams of higher education.

Hannah Green: Hannah Green’s mom has influenced her life greatly by providing her the opportunity to spend her summers in Japan with her grandparents. Her love for Asian life and culture is apparent in her pursuit of the Japanese language and culture, as well as her visits to other Asian countries, including Korea and China. Hannah has applied to UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Davis, but her first choice is UC Berkeley where she plans to major in math and Japanese, a passion she gained from parents who are instructors in those subject areas at Lake Tahoe Community College. She hopes to use her studies to become a translator and interpreter for an engineering company.

Hannah has been very active while attending South Tahoe High School and has participated in Friday Night Live, National Honor Society, tennis, and track. She has been on the Honor Roll, is an AP Scholar, and made the All State Academic team for tennis. With a 4.5 GPA, she has a very promising future. Her favorite class is mathematics, and the reason her father is not able to attend today is that he will be her linear algebra teacher and the class begins any moment.

Hannah spends her free time either singing soprano, having sung with the Blue Ribbon Choir, connecting with friends online, or reading in Japanese. She is especially fond of “Manga”, a type of Japanese comic. She hopes to someday reside in Tokyo where she can use her academic talents, as well as spend time shopping in the world-renowned Harajuku Station area.

Bridey Heidel, one of Hannah’s favorite teachers, says of her, “Hannah Green is an exceptionally sweet, young woman. She has poise, manners, and an absolute sense of who she is; in fact, I cannot imagine Hannah compromising herself in any situation. Although reticent to speak in front of others, I know that with her friends she is charismatic and from what I hear, could even be called hyper — which is a bit unbelievable — but I think this is because she and her friends share a love of all things Japanese, particularly the make-up and fashion of Harajuku girls. If you can get Hannah talking on this subject, she suddenly becomes anime herself — her eyes widen, her conversation quickens, and she is truly in her comfort zone. It is not often that our quieter students receive such accolades, so I was thrilled to hear that Hannah Green is being celebrated by the Soroptimist. She is deserving of great applause, and I join you as she receives it.”

Hanna, although you are considered to be quiet and reserved, your accomplishments speak very loudly for you. On behalf of our community, best wishes in reaching your dreams and domo arigato!

Alana Mosca: This young woman’s goal in 10 years is to be in a career helping people as an OB or ICU nurse. Alana Mosca doesn’t feel a need to stay close to home, which is evident in the list of schools to which she has applied, including Westminster, University of Portland, University of New England, University of Arizona, and has already been accepted to Northern Arizona University and her first choice, Gonzaga.

Alana keeps busy by working at both Raley’s and the Beacon Bar & Grill, playing club volleyball and playing on the South Tahoe High School volleyball team. She was the captain of her volleyball team in her junior year, volunteers for beach clean up, and assisted with the Soroptimist fundraising event for volleyball.

Although English is her favorite subject, she has gained national fame for her extraordinary photography skills taking first place in the Congressional Art Competition. Currently, her photograph hangs in Washington, D.C., for all to see.

Alana closely connects with two individuals in her life. First and foremost, her mother for always being there for her no matter what and feels she wouldn’t be anything without her, and second, Girlfriend, her yellow Lab. Girlfriend, who has been Alana’s companion since second grade, is her confidant and companion. Alana declares she doesn’t know how she will live without her Lab in college. Well, it looks like she will need to teach Girlfriend how to Skype so they can stay in touch.

Frank Kovac, her English teacher, states, “Alana exudes confidence in herself and compassion for others. I have seen her in many different arenas: playing volleyball with intense competitiveness and focus, at the scorer’s table correcting game officials, and in the classroom leading — yes, leading — high-level discussions. I have also seen Alana interact with adults and peers demonstrating a sincere caring and love for others. She is a tremendous human being, and one Aldous Huxley would be proud to call an Alpha!”

Alana, with your incredible talents and your caring personality, you exemplify the change we all want to see in this “Brave New World!”

Willow Nelson: Willow Nelson loves science, especially advanced placement biology, as genetics fascinate her. She has applied to various top schools but hopes to go attend UC Berkeley or UC Santa Cruz. With a 4.22 gpa, any top school would be lucky to have her as a student. Although unsure of the specific science path at the university, she is considering majoring in entomology, natural medicine, or marine biology. She aspires to study abroad in hopes to research the impact of oil spills on marine life, or discover how a bug’s life cycle affects its surrounding environment.

Willow enjoys learning, as evidenced by her numerous hobbies and interests, including pencil drawing, scratchboard, playing the flute, playing soccer, and most of all, losing herself in a good book. She is a member of the Generation Green Club and has been a member of the National Honor Society for over three years. In her spare time, she tutors, babysits and volunteers for the Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. Willow has been named athlete of the season, made first team defender for girls’ soccer this year, and made the Nevada All State Academic Team in her freshman, sophomore, junior years and is optimistic she will be honored this year also. Having played since just 4 years old, Willow hopes to continue playing soccer throughout college.

Willow claims, “I am a hard worker and will stop at nothing to achieve my dreams.”

Willow attributes her successes to her mother and father who made every effort to give her and her brothers the best life possible. Her mom’s influence on her life has been great, as she had to drop out of school to support herself, yet she has achieved and succeeded at the highest level. Not only did her mother raise her children while going to school, she is now working on her master’s degree and hopes to graduate the same time Willow does. Congratulations on working on your educational goals together!

Math teacher Nancy Dalton states, “As a genuinely caring and compassionate person, Willow is a delight to teach. She manages her demanding rigorous schedule with her athletic endeavors quite remarkably while maintaining her positive attitude and respectful behavior. Her determination, coupled with her dedication in every facet of her life, shows through in all her activities both in and out of the classroom. She is a role model to her peers and leads by quiet example. She is quite deserving of this recognition as she truly is a Young Woman of Distinction.”

With its green rolling hills, Ireland is calling Willow to her shores. As a future keeper of our environment, I can’t imagine a better place for Willow to spend her years, and am grateful to know the future of our world is in such capable hands.

Thomas “Tommy” M. Hoey, 40, died on Jan. 6, 2012.

He was born in New Brunswick, N.J., on June 11, 1971, to Thomas P. Hoey and Margaret Byrne.

Tommy was employed by Heavenly Mountain Resort and as a snowmobile guide at Zephyr Cove Resort before moving back to New Jersey where he worked for Efinger Sporting Goods in Bound Brook.

He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed wind surfing, fishing, hiking, hunting, camping, skiing, and snowmobiling.

Tommy was a devoted father, a loving son, a dear brother, and a loving uncle who was a kind, caring, generous person, and will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Tommy is survived by his loving daughter, Riley of Lake Tahoe; his devoted parents, Thomas Hoey of Lebanon, N.J. and Margaret Byrne of Amesbury, Mass.; a dear brother, Jan (Christine) Gaweda of Limerick, Pa; two loving sisters, Erin (Bill) Williams of Greenland, N.H., and Meghan (Mike) Gecek of Washington, N.J.; his best friend, Dee Henry; and several wonderful nieces and nephews.

A celebration of his life was Jan. 10 and memorial Mass on Jan. 11.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to a scholarship fund for Riley Hoey through Peapack Gladstone Bank, 619 East Main St., Bridgewater, N.J. 08807, c/o Denise Parella.

On Feb. 4, Bona Fide Books will host a reception for Kit Night and her collection “New Work, Old Friends, Live Jazz” at Bona Fide HQ in Meyers from 5:30-7:30pm.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments and entertainment will be provided.

Night is an oil painter living in South Lake Tahoe.

Night’s work will be on display at Bona Fide Books Feb. 2-29.

Bona Fide HQ is located at 1069 Magua St., No. 4, behind the Getaway Café in Meyers.

For more information, contact Kim Wyatt at editor@bonafidebooks.com or go online.

By Rima Suqi, New York Times

Shaun White, the professional snowboarder and skateboarder, and his brother, Jesse, have designed boards and performance clothing and gear for Burton, and what they call “off-mountain” clothing for Target, for more than three years.

Last month, Target introduced his latest creative endeavor: the Shaun White home collection, a line of bedding, lighting and home accessories inspired by skating, snowboarding, travel, music and art.

Although he is only 25, the two-time Olympic gold medalist who is affiliated with Northstar in Truckee has already owned three homes. But while his tastes may have matured since he bought the first one, the youthful energy of skate and snow culture is still evident in his home furnishings.

Tell me about the house you owned that was featured on “MTV Teen Cribs.”

I bought that home when I was 16. I was in high school in a different area, we went in and were like, “I’m making a good living and I want to pursue my schooling, but I can’t under these conditions” — in the sense that I wasn’t around and I needed extra help to get my work done. So I bought that home, which was in a different school district with a charter school that was more understanding of my situation. It was right on the beach, so I could go surf every day, and closer to the skate park, which I thought was awesome.

That’s awfully young to own your own house.

It was with my family. I mean, I’m 16, I don’t want to live alone. Everybody moved in and settled down, and nobody wanted to leave because it was so great. I still have that house. It’s one of those places I’ll never get rid of, and my family is still in that area.

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