Weather permitting, U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews expect to conduct prescribed fire operations north of Zephyr Cove in the Skyland area on June 10.

Operations are expected to take place on the east side of Highway 50 and will last through the day.

Forest Service staff will post road signs around the areas affected by the prescribed fire, send email notifications, and update the local fire information line at 530.543.2600, ext. 6. To receive prescribed fire notifications, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us.

By Matt Weiser, Sacramento Bee

The wolf known as OR7 who roamed California for more than a year is now raising pups just over the state line in Oregon, wildlife officials have confirmed.

The news greatly increases the odds that gray wolves eventually will repopulate the Golden State. It comes on the same day that the California Fish and Game Commission, meeting in Fortuna on Wednesday, voted 3-1 to protect wolves under the state Endangered Species Act.

In a field visit to OR7’s location in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest on Monday, biologists observed two pups and photographed them peeking out of a log. Officials at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said it is “likely” there are more pups, because wolves typically produce four to six in a litter.

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Lake Tahoe Community College’s soccer coaches are putting on separate weeklong camps for boys and girls in July.

Each camp will focus on individual and team skills, including — passing, dribbling, shooting and heading. Additionally, kids will benefit by developing core strength and cardiovascular fitness. Kids will learn field strategy and team tactical awareness.

Kids in the full day camps will also learn and experience the following: nutrition, weight training, beach time, video analysis, leadership and more.

The girls camp is July 14-18 and boys camp is July 21-25.

The 6 and younger camp is $125 and is from 9am-noon; ages 7-10 is from 9am-4pm and $199; ages 11-14 is from 9am-4pm and costs $199; 15 and older is from 9am-4pm and costs $199.

To register, call 530.541.4660, ext. 717.

By Kathryn Reed

STATELINE – Players having fun and interacting with the gallery – that’s some of what sets watching Tahoe’s celebrity golf tournament apart from the PGA or LPGA.

At least that’s how two-time American Century Championship winner Jack Wagner sees it.

He was in town June 3 playing a round at Edgewood Tahoe before the July 15-20 tournament. Wagner, along with John Elway, Mike Eruzione and Jim McMahon are the only four to have played each year. This marks the 25th year of the event.

“This is our Masters/U.S. Open,” Wagner said during a lunch at the golf course’s restaurant. “It’s real golf and there is a lot of fun golf.”

While the actor-musician last won the tournament in 2011, this year he’s favored to win it with 7:1 odds.

Who has the best odds is Annika Sorenstam at 2:1. Sorenstam, who has a second home in Incline Village, is thought of as the best women’s golfer of all time. She retired in 2008 after having won 72 LPGA tournaments, including 10 majors and 18 other international tournaments.

Wagner’s first preference of a playing partner would be his late father. But his celebrity choice is Sorenstam.

Jack Wagner talks June 3 about what it will be like to play with Annika Sorenstam in Tahoe’s celebrity golf tournament. Photo/Kathryn Reed

“I would want to watch her rhythm, her tempo and say ‘nice shot’,” Wagner said.

“She has a great chance of winning. I think she will elevate everyone’s game.”

He doesn’t take any issue with a former professional golfer being in the draw. Plus, she is going to be teeing off from the same markers as the guys in the field. Wagner also said Sorenstam is probably “rusty” so that could help the guys.

Besides his club tournament, the ACC is now the only tournament he plays.

“This tournament is the foundation of so many friendships,” Wagner said.

A group of seven or so guys would take golfing trips together. While those days are gone, Wagner said, “This is where we rekindle our friendships.”

He said they don’t spend time in the casinos, but instead spend the bulk of their time at Edgewood Tahoe.

But that’s not to say he hasn’t gambled. There was the first year when he went from the blackjack table to having to tee off.

By Elle Metz, Outside

You’re lying in bed, and you suddenly start worrying. It could be about anything. Or nothing. Maybe it’s just a sinking feeling in your chest, with no thoughts at all—until that old, familiar darkness descends, beckoning the doubts back in again. Then your heart rate quickens as your mind whirs with worst-case scenarios. Tightness creeps into your neck and shoulders, but you’re too busy worrying to notice.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. While stressing doesn’t necessarily make you diagnosable, it does mean you’re anxious, probably tired, and possibly less likely to be at your physical best. In addition, we often don’t realize the extent to which everyday stress can compromise performance.

Even if you don’t recognize its physical manifestations, your anxiety is burning up energy stores and motivation levels you could be using to train. When your brain detects and responds to a threat, it leads to the release of adrenaline, says psychologist Richard Zinbarg, who heads up Northwestern University’s Anxiety Lab. In the short term, this gives the body a boost of strength and energy. But when it persists, it leaves the body drained. While the exact impact varies from person to person and is difficult to quantify, the effect is major.

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Fire restrictions are now in effect within the Tahoe National Forest.

This means:

• No open fires, campfires or charcoal fires are allowed outside of designated areas even with a valid California campfire permit, except within the oven at Wheeler Sheep Camp. Lanterns and portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed with a valid California campfire permit.
• No possessing or using any kind of fireworks or other pyrotechnic device, including explosives.
• No smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or designated recreation site.
• Internal combustion engines are restricted to National Forest system roads, routes, trails, and areas as identified on the Tahoe National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map (including the Prosser Pits Developed Off-Highway Vehicle Area). Motorized cross-country travel between roads, routes, trails, and areas is prohibited.

Questions about fire restrictions, call 530.265.4531.

By AP

For the first time in its 25-year history, the favorite to win the annual celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe is a golfer.

Annika Sorenstam is listed at 2-1 atop the odds posted Monday at Harrah’s/Harveys Lake Tahoe Race & Sports Book.

Defending champ and four-time winner Billy Joe Tolliver is at 9-2, followed by eight-time champ Rick Rhoden at 5-1.

The ex-pitcher Rhoden has played on the senior tour, but it’s the first time any longtime golf pro has competed at the American Century Celebrity Championship at Edgewood. The tournament uses a modified Stableford system that puts a premium on birdies and eagles.

Sorenstam will play from the same tees as the guys in July. It’s been 11 years since she played with the men on the PGA Tour at Colonial.

Wildflowers in Washoe Meadows State Park. Photos/Kathryn Reed

By Kathryn Reed

MEYERS – Wildflower season in Lake Tahoe is going to be a bit unusual this year because of the drought. There is less of everything now compared to this time last year.

Lisa Berry with the California Native Plant Society on June 1 led two dozen people on an excursion to find wildflowers in Washoe Meadows State Park. And while there were plenty to see, it was better with an experienced guide because some of them are so tiny the average person would just walk on by.

But two flowers that might be more prolific because of the drought are death camas and Sierra wall flowers, according to Berry. She added, that this area is already in midseason when it comes to wildflowers.

Lisa Berry shows the various aspects of a flower.

Some people were rather serious during the three-hour trek as they took copious notes and a multitude of photos. Others admitted to having guidebooks they didn’t find useful, while some said they identify flowers by nothing more than color.

“All of these wildflowers do not like a controlled environment,” Berry told the group. This means they want freedom to grow and not to be given water like one does to flowers at their home.

Sunday was also a lesson in anatomy as Berry went over the different parts of a flower that went well beyond flower, stem and petal. Berry talked about the long stock starwort having “a superior ovary.” There are four main parts of a flower’s anatomy — pistils, stamens, petals, and sepals. Those are all important so they can reproduce.

Nuttall’s larkspur is one of the taller flowers with its deep lavender petals. This is the most common larkspur.

Suzanne Stone uses a discovery scope to better see small flowers.

For some of the smaller flowers Berry passed around a discovery scope which magnifies the image. The anatomy is much easier to understand this way.

Wild strawberries are tucked just off the trail and about 12 free from where a distinct bear paw print has been left in the mud. And while this fruit, which is part of the rose family, is edible by humans, usually critters get to them before people ever can.

The hike is also a lesson in the importance of vernal pools – like the one that sits in front of the old Celio barn in one of the meadows, as well as fens that filter out sediment.

Some of the other flowers along the walk included graceful phlox, paintbrushes, star lily, cinquefoil, ladies tresses, dwarf monkey flower and pussypaws.

Washoe Meadows Community organized the free excursion.

“We like to get people to know about the park,” Lynne Paulson with the community group told Lake Tahoe News.

Washoe Meadows Community is fighting California State Parks over its desire to move part of Lake Tahoe Golf Course into the park area. Berry said it would be a mistake to encroach on this area with its wild flora.

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Notes:

• Lisa Berry is teaching Wildflower Hikes at Lake Tahoe Community College in July. The course number is WLD-137C.

• The Lake Tahoe chapter of the California Native Plant Society is online.

• More info about Washoe Meadows Community is online.

By Paul Rauber, Sierra

A major study by the League of American Bicyclists finds that the most likely type of fatal bicycle crash is “motorist overtaking bicycle” — that is, being struck from behind.

Such collisions account for 40 percent of cyclist fatalities — far more than the T-bone (10 percent), head-on (8 percent), or right hook (6 percent).

The most likely reason is that the driver was texting/Web browsing/eating/talking on the phone: 42 percent of drivers involved in fatal collisions with cyclists (in cases where driver behavior was noted) were “reported to be operating their vehicle in a careless or inattentive manner.”

The League of American Bicyclists researched as many of the 726 cyclist deaths in 2012 as they could, mostly through reports from newspapers, TV, and blogs; they were able to find information in three quarters of the cases.

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Zephyr Cove Tennis Club is hosting tennis mixers on the first Wednesday of each month.

The dates are June 4, July 2, Aug. 6 and Sept. 3. Play starts at 5:30pm. The doubles mixer is for adult players of all abilities.

The Hump Day Mixers are $10 for club members, $15 for non-members, and $5 for spectators (meal only). It includes a barbecue, raffle prizes, and lots of tennis. Memberships will be sold at the event.

Participants are encouraged to bring a side dish or dessert, as well as beverage of choice that does not come in a glass container. No advance sign-up is required.

For more information about Zephyr Cove Tennis Club, go online.

The courts are on Warrior Way off Highway 50 in Zephyr Cove.