After a winter without a concessionaire, Spooner Lake has someone offering a few toys to play with.

Nevada Division of State Parks awarded the contract to Aramark, the same group that operates the two paddle-wheelers at Lake Tahoe and Zephyr Cove Resort.

Aramark started renting bikes, the cabin, and opened a food and beverage station with a small amenities outlet at the first of the month.

Max Jones had operated the concession for 27 years.

Spooner Summit bike rentals are located on the east shore of Lake Tahoe at Spooner Lake and service a major trailhead for the Flume Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail.

The longest annual charity bicycle ride in the world, the Livestrong Texas 4000 team, will be rolling through South Lake Tahoe on June 19.

This is 19 days after departing from Austin, Texas. Anchorage is the final destination of the 70-day journey.

Sixty-nine undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Texas at Austin are pedaling in support of the fight against cancer. Along their journey, riders will volunteer at community events that contribute in the fight against cancer and visit with cancer survivors, patients, caregivers, and family members to make educational presentations about cancer prevention and early detection. They also use this time to offer hope, encouragement and share their personal stories to cancer fighters of all ages and to those who have been affected by the disease.

This is the 10th year of the ride.

To learn more about the Livestrong Texas 4000 team, to make a donation or read the riders’ blogs, go online.

Fire restrictions in the western half of Eldorado National Forest begin June 17.

Campfires and charcoal barbecues will be restricted to designated recreation sites and other fire related activities will be prohibited until the end of fire season. Forest conditions are expected to continue drying and the entire Eldorado National Forest may be under fire restrictions by July 1.

A map showing the fire restriction zones, and a list of exempted areas are online.

By Dennis Shanahan, Fox 40

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care is rehabilitating a bear cub that was found near Meeks Bay last Thursday.

The cub’s mother was found dead Thursday north of Meeks Bay. The cub was found up a tree nearby; he wouldn’t come down.

Saturday, rescuers from the Bear League were able to get him out of the tree, taking him to the South Shore facility.

He looks to be healthy, weighing in at 17 pounds. Both Fish and Wildlife officials and veterinarians have checked the cub out and have deemed that he can be rehabilitated.

The cub will be kept for about a year, with LTWC noting that they will keep human contact with him to a minimum. He’ll be eating food that he would normally catch in the wild.

South Lake Tahoe sunset. Photo/Toogee Sielsch

Sunsets in the Lake Tahoe Basin have been exceptionally picturesque the last few nights.

This photo was taken by Toogee Sielsch on Trout Creek below Lake Tahoe Community College.

With no thunderstorms in the forecast to bring in interesting clouds, Mother Nature’s artistry may not be on display tonight.

In the last 72 hours, 0.07 inches of rain was recorded at Lake Tahoe Airport

A lake wind advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service in Reno for Tahoe from 1-8pm today. Wind is in the forecast for Wednesday, too. Temps will be in the low 70s to high 60s in the basin for much of the week.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

The 10th annual Lake Tahoe Historical Society garden tour is July 27 from 10am-4pm.

It will feature some of the nine most beautiful gardens of the past nine years.

Barton Memorial Hospital is a partner this year. The hospital’s gardens, fountains and wood sculptures in front and back of the building will also be on display because Barton is hosting the refreshments.

Tickets ($25) go on sale July 1 at the museum (3058 Lake Tahoe Blvd. South Lake Tahoe) and at Aspen Hollow, Nels, Sunbasin and Tahoe Outdoor Living.

Lightning strikes in the Tahoe National Forest on June 9.

Lightning lit up much of the sky throughout Northern California on Sunday.

There were 2,871 strikes detected within the state, 526 on the National Forests in California, and 65 on the Tahoe National Forest.

Three small fires in the Tahoe National Forest resulted from the June 9 lightning. All are controlled or in mop-up stage.

More thunderstorms are expected today.

By Examainer

A sizable patch of snow visible from nearby Interstate 80 may appear to be just winter leftovers to passing motorists.

But for skiers and snowboarders, the snow represents one more day of shredding. Boreal Mountain Resort will open for one final day of operations on June 15 for skiers and snowboarders to enjoy a lift-accessed terrain park.

This marks the fourth summer in a row Boreal has offered this unique experience for the public.

Boreal will spin the Castle Peak Quad from 10am to 2pm, providing access to Woodward Tahoe’s on-snow summer terrain park.

The Woodward Tahoe terrain park, normally reserved only for the snowboard and ski campers of Woodward Tahoe, will be made available for the public to experience.

“This is a great opportunity to show off the great summer park Woodward Tahoe is providing for campers,” said Jon Slaughter, Boreal & Woodward Tahoe marketing director. “We’ve been moving snow since early spring to build Tahoe’s only summer terrain park.”

Lift tickets will be available for purchase for $25 for all ages. Riders with an anytime 2013-14 Boreal season pass may access the terrain park for free.

By Lauren Thomaselli

Summer is fast approaching and the school bell has only a few more rings before school is out for summer. If you are local or a visiting family with children between the ages of 5 and 16, the city of South Lake Tahoe Recreation Programs offer a unique and memorable experience.

Authentic Tahoe adventure is the theme of STAR Camp — South Tahoe Adventure Recreation. The newly designed STAR Camp programs provide an active, healthy, and safe environment for youth to learn and play at an affordable price.

The unique Tahoe adventure recreation concept represents why most residents live here and why most visitors vacation here. The recreation department has embraced this concept through STAR Camp. For 10 weeks from June 12-Aug. 23, STAR Camp will be guiding kids on new adventures daily. The camp motto is “no child left inside.”

Every week the youth program aligns with an adventure theme such as “Wild West,” “Outdoor Fun/Survival” and “Junior Olympics.” STAR Teen Camp is reserved for a higher level of adventure that satisfies the teen-age appetite for excitement. Teen themes encourage learning, adventure, and nature through activities such as orienteering, hiking, parasailing, and standup paddling.

STAR Camp is made possible through recreation partnerships with local businesses and nonprofit organizations to jointly plan, finance, and coordinate shared services to provide a quality experience at an affordable price. STAR Camp is a drop-in program for K-8 priced at $25 per day or $100 per week. STAR Teen Camp is a multiday program scheduled Monday through Wednesday and prices vary from $125 to $225 for all three days depending on the activity planned.

Safety and quality of camper experience is ensured through maintaining a ratio of one leader for every 10 campers. Additionally, STAR Camp leaders are experienced in outdoor education and leadership. Learn more about STAR staff by viewing a short bio and photo online. Reservations are recommended by calling (530) 542.6056.

STAR Camp aligns with our commitment to the California Parks and Recreation Society pledge “Parks Make Life Better.” The pledge is a promise to offer recreation programs that provide access to the serenity and inspiration of nature, spaces and places for play and exercise, opportunities for directed and organized recreation, positive alternatives for youth and activities that support social connections, and human development.

Stop by the Recreation and Swim Complex at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd., to meet our staff and learn more about how STAR Camp can enrich your child’s life this summer.

Lauren Thomaselli is the South Lake Tahoe recreation manager.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has free firewood permits for the Luther Pass Overflow Campground on Highway 89 for collection through June 30.

Permits are available at the forest supervisor’s office in South Lake Tahoe.

The free-use permit has specific conditions and complete information with map is provided when the permit is issued. The permit is for collection of “down-dead” wood or firewood that is piled in slash piles from previous forest thinning. “Down-dead” means the tree is down on the ground and dead, rather than dead and standing. Cutting any standing tree, whether dead or green, is not allowed.

No off-road travel is allowed and permit holders must comply with all permit conditions.

Campers are advised that firewood gathering activities, including chain saw use and trucks hauling firewood, will occur in and around the campground area through the end of the month.

For more information, call (530) 543.2694.