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Tension is high. Palms are sweaty. Beer is in the cooler and everyone in the room is armed with printed materials and pens. Weeks of studying, plotting and planning has all been in preparation for this one big moment. A barren banner spread along one wall with 8 empty columns is about to be marked upon over the next 4 hours.

The headers on each column are now filled in with the names Cheeseheads, Rabid, Go Deep, Rebel Dogs, Midgets Punching Clowns, Wide Right, Tahokies and East Coast Connection.

This folks is the beginning of a Fantasy Football Draft.

Former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore said, in his speech to scientists, elected officials, environmentalists, business leaders, fire department officials, students and others in the audience of the 2013 Lake Tahoe Summit, that what we’ve learned at Tahoe can help inform the rest of the world to protect their resources and communities.

The Friends of the Library are excited to present Christie Rassuchine (Higman) and Robyn Lindner, two authors who grew up in Tahoe. They will be reading from their new book. The story is about a group of elementary school students who form their own club and deal with bullying, acceptance, and what it feels like to be the new kid at school. The characters in the story are in third grade, but the book appeals to kids throughout elementary school.

This is a free, fun event and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Book sale and signing to follow.

Location

CAL FIRE PIO Berlant, @CALFIRE_PIO - California Statewide Fire Summary: Nearly 8,000 firefighters remain on the frontlines as nearly a dozen major wildfires continue to burn. Yesterday, CAL FIRE crews contained the Swedes Fire that burned in Butte County, just as a new fire ignited on the Fort Hunter Liggett Military Installation.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Aug. 1-6.

Sandboxes have come a long way. A new interactive, augmented-reality exhibit brings watersheds to life at the University of California, Davis' Tahoe Science Center in Incline Village, Nev.

Participants run their hands through real sand, forming mountains, lakes and rivers, while a 3-D camera and digital projector allowusers to create virtual topography in real time, make it "rain" and watch where the water flows.

FREE music on the beach July 25 with the electronic funk stylings of Vokab Kompany. Live at Lakeview features local vendors, food vendors, a beer garden, FREE bike valet, and great vibes! Parking is limited; with off-site locations available at the SLT Recreation Center (1601 Rufus Allen Blvd.) Bike or hike! Thursdays from 4:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Join Dr. Sally Rogers, UC Davis MIND Institute, for a presentation on the latest findings on effects of intervention on the youngest children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on Thursday, August 22 at the Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences.

This lecture will discuss the need for intervention models for younger and younger children being identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and the effects of interventions that focus on this age group.

Date: Thursday, August 22, 2013
Time: No-host bar opens 5:30 p.m. Presentation begins 6 p.m.

Neo-noir, avant-garde duo La Fin Absolute du Monde have released their third E.P. titled 'Descend,' featuring their first collaborations with outside producers, and are touring California and the Northwest this Summer, beginning in South Lake Tahoe on Friday, July 19 at Whiskey Dicks.

The duo wrapped up their first U.K. tour in support of 'Descend' in April where they traversed the U.K. on buses and public transportation, and are now beginning the Summer leg of their 2013 U.S. tour.

Location

Delight your senses at the fourth Annual Sample the Sierra, South Lake Tahoe’s only farm-to-fork festival, Labor Day weekend.

Sample the Sierra brings together local chefs, farmers, and winemakers in an irresistible tasting trifecta. To complement the infusion of flavors, a marketplace will feature local artists and artisans showcasing everything from handmade soaps to jewelry, alpaca apparel to fine art. Live music will entertain all and allows festivalgoers a chance to experience the truly unique talent that the Sierra Nevada boasts.

The Lake Tahoe Outreach Collaborative is launching a survey to find out what the public thinks are the most important things people can do to help protect Lake Tahoe. The survey results will be used to inform the creation of a new Environmental Stewardship Messaging campaign for the Tahoe region. The survey takes five minutes to complete and can be found online here.

Van Sessions sensation Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers will open for the Steve Miller Band at the Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena June 22 at Harveys Lake Tahoe.

Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers arrived to international recognition with the viral 2012 video for their "Van Session" cover of Hall and Oates "I Can't Go For That." The video features the band, in their van, performing the song on travel-sized instruments. This particular session has garnered over 2 million hits and the Van Sessions have 2.5 million hits overall.

The Wild West returns to Virginia City on Friday, July 12th. See the early days of Nevada through the eyes of Eilley Bowers – famous “Queen of the Comstock” and Julia Bulette – Virginia City’s most beloved “working girl”. With their dislike for one another, the comedy and the drama will unfold for you on the stage of Virginia City’s Historic Piper’s Opera House.

The Lake Tahoe Community College Theatre Arts Department is excited to present the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, “RENT,” with book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson.

Performances are June 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 at 8:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees on June 16 and 23 at 2:00 p.m. Set in New York City’s East Village, "RENT" follows the lives of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians as they struggle to survive and create in Manhattan’s Lower East Side during the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, and under the shadow of the AIDS epidemic.

Median price of homes sold continues to increase

The median sales prices for homes sold in April of 2013 rose 48% from April of 2012 to $334,500. When analyzing the figures in more detail, you see some interesting things.

Top Bay Area alt-folk band, The New Thoreaus, are set to make their South Lake Tahoe debut at The Divided Sky on Saturday, June 8.

Tahoe Regional Young Professionals will launch its ongoing scholarship/continuing educational program by offering one qualified member the opportunity to take part in Leadership Lake Tahoe for the 2013-14 term, valued at $900.

TRYP’s Continuing Education: The mission of TahoeChamber.org Leadership Lake Tahoe is to identify and develop current and future leaders through a comprehensive professional development program designed to increase knowledge and awareness of the issues and challenges facing the South Shore of Lake Tahoe.

When looking at the entire state of California the average price of a home for sale is $307,600. In Nevada you have a huge spectrum of home values due to the diversity of cities, therefore the average sales price is only $145,400.

Fifteen students from San Diego State University will forego the typical spring break of beaches and relaxation to teach thousands of children in a small mountain community how to save energy and save the environment.

Members of the student organization CALPIRG Energy Service Corps will travel to South Lake Tahoe, Calif., from March 31 through April 5 to spread the word on energy savings.

Location

Join the Theatre Arts Department at Lake Tahoe Community College for a night of laughter and off-the-wall comedy provided by the department’s own improvisation group, Random Acts of Improv.

The corporation that owns Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe – Hotel & Ski Resort announced today that as of April 1 the hotel will be operating as an independent property with a new management company. PHR Management, Inc., an affiliate of Ken Corporation, LTD., the Japan-based ownership group, will assume management of the hotel. Max Saito, vice president of PHR, said the company will retain the hotel’s 220 employees.

The City of South Lake Tahoe received an Award of Excellence from the California Park and Recreation Society for Lakeview Commons at El Dorado Beach. The City’s recognition in the category of Park Planning will be honored at the 2013 California and Pacific Southwest Recreation and Park Training Conference, held in San Jose March 6-8.

ATLANTA - It turns out this year's flu shot is doing a startlingly dismal job of protecting senior citizens, the most vulnerable age group.The vaccine is proving only 9 percent effective in people ...

A silent predator emblematic of the Nevada wilderness is at the center of a political debate that has split top levels of state government.On one side is a Gardnerville-based sportsmen group, Ne...