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It’s Responsible Pet Owners Month so I wanted to share my top ten things you need to do to be a responsible pet owner.

1) Being a responsible pet owner starts before you even get a pet. Make sure you pick a breed that fits with your lifestyle. Do you live in an apartment? If so I wouldn’t rush out and get a Great Dane. Always consider adopting from a shelter, there are so many animals looking for their forever homes. If you must go with a breeder make sure they are reputable!

Through a new educational program spearheaded by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and other basin partners, Lake Tahoe Unified School District students are taking full advantage of winter to learn about avalanche safety, winter animal survival and the science of snowmaking.

Over 60 women, men and children took their message to Heavenly Village on Valentine's Day as part of an international campaign to end violence against women. For the past several weeks, those community members have been rehearsing the dance routine they performed in front of a crowd near the gondola.

Organizer Hillary Wilson Huff is already planning the 2017 event and said that anyone interested can email her at sltflashmob@gmail.com to get more information.

An investigation into the sales of drugs surrounding the murder of Dennis Wright, Jr. in South Lake Tahoe last month led the El Dorado County Sheriff SWAT team to Georgetown, Calif., on February 2, 2016 where they arrested 33-year-old Teveraz Lopez on drug charges.

Two separate investigations are currently ongoing surrounding the death of Wright, both a homicide investigation and a narcotics investigation according to EDSO Lt. Jim Byers.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county.

The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at press time and the story will be updated when provided.

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12:50 a.m. - Obstruction of Justice - Lake Tahoe Blvd - 41-YEAR-OLD MALE AND 38-YEAR-OLD FEMALE ARRESTED FOR DELAYING AN OFFICER IN THE COURSE OF HIS DUTIES.

It was 174 years ago, on Valentine's Day in 1844, when John C. Frémont and Charles Preuss “discovered” Lake Tahoe as they were making the first crossing across the Sierra Nevada in winter. The pair had been hired by Congress to explore the Colombia River region to the Pacific Ocean with famous scouts Kit Carson and Thomas Fitzpatrick.

Students in Class 10 of the Lake Tahoe Basin Fire Academy are shaving their heads to raise money to find cures for childhood cancers during the annual St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraiser on March 5 at Heavenly Mountain Resort, and they are seeking the community's support.

St. Baldrick's is a volunteer-powered charity that shows solidarity with young cancer patients through annual head-shaving events around the world that raise awareness and money for cancer research.

Just 12 days ago the Sierra Snow Water Equivalent was 130 percent of average. Today, that number has fallen to 100 percent.

Temperatures have above normal all week, with clear and sunny skies contributing to a snowpack loss of four to six inches on average at the Lake Tahoe area snow sensor stations.

There are seven scheduled prescribed fire operations in the Lake Tahoe Basin this week in the areas of Logan Shoals Vista Point, Camp Galilee, Angora Creek burn area, Round Hill, Shakespeare Rock and the Spring Creek area.

At the Logan Creek Overlook there are 15 acres of hand piles being burned, with an ignition date of February 16 and will continue as conditions allow. Smoke should travel in a north to northeast direction.

State Route 49 (El Dorado County) from the Coloma School House to Mt. Murphy Road: Motorists can expect one-way traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for utility work.

U.S. Highway 50 (El Dorado County) from Upper Truckee Road to Transit Way in South Lake Tahoe: Eastbound and westbound motorists can expect alternating lane closures from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday for survey work.

With the massive traffic jam created by travelers trying to get out of South Lake Tahoe during the snowstorm January 31, several options have been discussed to prevent a repeat, especially with a large holiday crowd this weekend.

In their first six weeks of operation, the Tahoe Warm Room had over 60 different people usig their overnight facilities to stay out of the cold weather. Two families also stopped by to get a one-time voucher for a motel room. Over 100 volunteers have already been trained to work at the warm room.

The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless opened the doors of the Warm Room on Friday, December 18, 2015. They have 20 cots with blankets, hot drinks and clothing for their guests.

The westbound, lakeside Cave Rock tunnel entrance will get a makeover this summer, one that will stop rocks from falling onto Highway 50, add lighting to the inside of the tunnel as well as adding water quality improvements.

Devin Cartwright, Supervisor with the Nevada Department of Transportation's Roadway Design Division, spoke to the South Lake Tahoe Lodging Association Thursday, giving them a overview of the project that will bring with it one lane of traffic in each direction, causing some traffic delays, 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week from May to October, 2016.

Mountain Resort Television reporter Nicole Marsel discusses a flash mob happening this Sunday (Valentines Day) in awareness of violence against women, backcountry snowcat adventures offered at a local mountain resort, and gives a reminder about the nearing submission date for The Dream Life Vide Awards.

Tahoe Toastmasters, the local chapter of Toastmasters International, meets every 2nd, 4th, and 5th Monday at 6:30 PM in the STPUD Boardroom. We provides a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth. Toastmasters is where leaders are made.

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Tahoe Toastmasters, the local chapter of Toastmasters International, provides a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership sills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth. Toastmasters is where leaders are made.

Nevada Senators Harry Reid and Dean Heller have announced that Katherine "Kate" Krolicki has been chosen to be one of 104 student delegates who will be attending the 54th annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) in Washington, D.C.

"I never thought it'd happen," Krolick said of her being selected. "It's right up my alley and I am so excited to go back to Washington."

The Whittell High School senior has worked in Washington, D.C. twice, once as page for Senator Reid in 2014, and as Senator Heller's intern in 2015.

A 52-year-old man from South Lake Tahoe was hit by a car after attempting to cross Highway 50 near the intersection with Heavenly Village Way on Tuesday, February 9. The unidentified man was not in a crosswalk and was crossing the street when traffic had a green light.

A 69-year-old Carson City man had just passed through the intersection when he struck the pedestrian.

The South Lake Tahoe Police and Fire departments both responded after getting a 911 call of a pedestrian versus vehicle accident at 8:26 p.m.

Local birders, Bob and Jenny Sweatt, spent the entire year of 2015 searching the basin for as many species of birds as they could find through Tahoe Institute for Natural Science's competition entitled "Tahoe Big Year". The Big Year celebrates the hundreds of bird species that make the Tahoe region their home all year-round, during summer or winter, or while passing through to other destinations. The Sweatts documented their award-winning discoveries with amazing photographs.

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Curator Mark Jensen returns to share more stories from Carson Valley's historic Dangberg Home Ranch. Just down the hill but centuries away, the family and its influence is incredibly interesting, and Jensen will tell some tales using the park's historic artifacts, photographs and documents. Join the Friends of the Library in partnership with the Lake Tahoe Historical Society for a multimedia history lesson. Free and open to all.

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The following is the ski, snowboard and weather report for Wednesday, February 10, 2016 for South Lake Tahoe brought to you by Lake Tahoe SkiBum.

Weather - South Lake Tahoe will have a high today of 56 and a low tonight of 29. Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.

Join Tahoe Toastmasters as they compete for the Toastmasters International Speech Contest. Learn how to enhance your skills through Toastmasters. We provide a supportive and positive experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.

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Mark Zlendick, the former El Dorado County sheriff's deputy who was arrested in May, 2015 on drug charges, pleaded guilty to one charge of drug trafficking Tuesday, February 9.

The South Lake Tahoe Pet of the Week is Samson, a one-year-old Shar Pei mix. He likes other dogs and has lived with children.

Samson is housetrained and very sweet. He prefers a home with another dog since he came into the shelter with two other dogs when his owner became homeless.

Don’t forget all animals come spayed or neutered, with all vaccinations and a microchip!

Come visit Van out at The El Dorado County Animal Services, 530-573-7925. For Spay-Neuter services and other support, call the Lake Tahoe Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at 530-542-2857.