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The South Lake Tahoe community is aware of Christmas Cheer, and how they serve those in the area by providing food and other necessities all year long. What the community may not be aware of is how students at Mt. Tallac High School came to help the non-profit agency this Christmas season.

Bob Lear, a board member of Christmas Cheer, approached Mt. Tallac Principal Holly Greenough when he was concerned of how the agency would be able to supply all they need to the community after the loss of one of their big donors.

The holiday travel week may not have started out as many hoped it would as a storm hit Lake Tahoe on Monday, stranding many travelers for hours. I was one of those stranded between Kyburz and South Lake Tahoe on Highway 50, making the 1.5 hour drive from Cameron Park in 8.5 hours.

This caught me off guard since I've been driving the mountain roads for the past 36 years and my four-wheel drive car with snow tires has been very steady and dependable. I normally don't drive the mountain passes when a storm is headed our way, but I had to pick my daughter up from the San Francisco Airport.

It's been 50 years since the City of South Lake Tahoe was formed, and a commemorative 123 page book was created to chronicle that first half-century.

The book is titled “A Small Town with a Big View” and is available for purchase at City Hall located at 1901 Airport Road. The cost of the book is $25.00 and they accept checks and cash, no credit cards.

The chapters of the book include; A City is Born, Laying the Foundation, Getting Creative, Welcome to South Lake Tahoe, Collaboration is Key, A Vision Realized, and Looking to the Future.

The following is the ski, snowboard and weather report for Tuesday, December 22, 2015 for South Lake Tahoe brought to you by Lake Tahoe SkiBum.

9:20 a.m. Update: Both Sierra and Kirkwood are closed and Heavenly has open: Boulder and Stagecoach in Nevada. The Tram, Gunbarrel, Patsy's, Groove, First Ride, and Powderbowl Express in California. They are evaluating all lift operations this morning due to wind. The Gondola is on wind hold as of 9:20 am.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a person of interest in a burglary at the Sprint Store, 3790 N Hwy 395, Carson City, NV next to Trader Joes.

Author William Morgan will share his newest book "Morgan's Tahoe". This intriguing book is a memoir of his time with the U.S. Forest Service at Lake Tahoe and, later, of his experiences as Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) during one of the most tumultuous times in that Agency's existence. It has been said that Morgan's ideas resolved many of the long standing issues at Tahoe and led eventually to a spirit of cooperation among the various interest groups that survives to this day.

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A winter storm warning has been issued for the Lake Tahoe basin from 10 a.m. Monday to 10 a.m. Tuesday. Periods of heavy snow will begin Monday morning with accumulations 18"-36" above 7,000 feet. Snow accumulations below 7,000 feet will vary with 4"-12" expected. Snow levels will start at 6,000 feet Monday morning, rising to 7,000 feet by the Tuesday morning. The heavier precipitation is expected Tuesday.

The incoming storm will have winds with it as well, 10-25 mph with gusts to 40 mph in the morning Monday, tapering down by afternoon.

The Loft opened on December 16 in South Lake Tahoe, offering the area's first indoor year-round live theater which also includes a lounge and Italian dining room.

Designed by PR Entertainment, the $1 million complex features 107-seats, a separate dining area serving authentic Italian cuisine, bar and upscale lounge, all on the top floor of Heavenly Village above the movie theater.

Magic and illusion fans will appreciate "Magic Fusion," The Loft's show staring Tony Clark, winner of the coveted Magician of the Year award and numerous television appearances.

Update: A South Lake Tahoe man, 28 year old Nicholas Bridges, ducked under the out of bound ropes and skied out of bounds at Heavenly Ski Resort on December 19.

At 4:33 p.m., the Douglas County Sheriff's Office received a call that Bridges' friend couldn't find him after trying to find for over two hours.

Members of the Douglas County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team began a coordinated search of the potential area. At approximately 8:10 p.m., Bridges was able to call dispatch and alert them as to his wearabouts.

Bridges was issued a citation for skiing out of bounds.

In a move that will save the city money as well as increase staffing, South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue added 12 new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) specialists to their staff on December 14.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue is now the only fire department in the Tahoe basin to have three firefighters on each engine at all times and two EMS specialists in the ambulance.

We've seen them walking along the streets, sleeping in the forests or hanging outside of an all night market. The faces of South Lake Tahoe's homeless. Winter can be brutal on the homeless in town with below freezing temperatures, snow covered paths and no place to keep warm.

That is, until today.

The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless opened the doors of their new Warm Room on Friday, ready to take in their first visitors at 7:00 p.m. It is a safe and warm place for people over 18, getting them out of physically harmful conditions.

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care welcomed a new house guest for the winter, one-year-old China.

China is a 40 pound male bear cub who just arrived from China Peak, near Huntington Lake, outside of Fresno. LTWC names the cubs that come to their center after the region they come from.

The first year cub's mother had to be euthanized after receiving irreparable damage after being hit by a car. China will be living at LTWC for the remainder of the winter with two other cubs that came from Sequoia.

Some elves visited the South Lake Tahoe Children's Memorial tree for the third straight year, leaving behind signs of Christmas with stockings and garland.

The memorial was created 24 years ago when tragedy struct our community when South Tahoe High students Rory Hrbacek, Sandy Haynes, and Casey Wells died in an accident on Pioneer Trail.

Just seventeen days ago, Joel Suenkel was leading troops in Wiesbaden, Germany as an Army Colonel. The 30 year veteran of serving in the Armed Forces wrapped up his career when he retired on December 1. Just five days later he was in South Lake Tahoe in his new position as Deputy Forest Supervisor of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of the US Forest Service.

His first day on the job happened to be his new employer's annual Christmas party. Suenkel spent that evening meeting his new co-workers

The Douglas County Community Services Foundation (DCCSF) is offering the public a chance to bid on this candy apple red 1967 Mustang beauty. All proceeds will go directly to the Douglas County Community and Senior Center. Your dreams will come true when you open the hood and see the holy grail of classic cars knowing it could be in your garage with the winning bid.

The Mountain Democrat Editorial Friday December 11, 2015 titled “Total recall a total waste of time” on page A5 is far below the minimum standards of an honest newspaper. The article uses accusations of gossip, vague personal attacks, and sneering degradation of “some of the people” to dismiss the serious issues plaguing our County government.

The business of second chances is everyone’s business. Choose your path!

Dear League To Save Lake Tahoe and the Humane Society,

First of all, I want to say thank you on behalf of the students at Mt. Tallac High School and to tell you we appreciate all of you for your hard work. Without you it would be difficult to earn lab science credits. I think everything you guys do for Tahoe is great!

The following is the ski, snowboard and weather report for Wednesday, December 16, 2015 for South Lake Tahoe.

Weather - South Lake Tahoe will have a high of 41 and a low of 27. Today: A slight chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

By school day, he's the leader on the hill at South Tahoe High School, but by night, he's leading the field of American custom builders of monoskis.

"He" is Chad Houck, second year principal at STHS. Houck was recently featured in his second Warren Miller ski movie, this time in "Chasing Shadows." His first Miller highlight was in 2006 when his monoskiing was in "Off the Grid."

Recent storms have left enough snow for the Nordic Ski Center at Lake Tahoe Community College to open with seven kilometers of groomed and diverse trails around the 164 acre campus.

Cross country and skate skiers can enjoy the breathtaking views and great exercise right in the heard of South Lake Tahoe.

The LTCC CONNECT Community Education program manages the center with a number of affordable passes for the entire season or for single day use.

The Blue Go buses that run along the two main routes through South Lake Tahoe will be free from December 19 through January 3.

Routes 50 and 53 will be free for all riders. All other routes will operate under normal fares.

For more information on routes, visit their website here.

The Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe is holding their 34th annual Mid-Winter Beach Party Crab Feed on Friday, January 29 at 6:00 p.m. at Harrah's Convention Center.

This popular event is just $40 per person and will feature tables full of the tasty crustaceans as well as a silent auction and live music by A CLass Act.

Beach Attire is highly encouraged.

Tickets are limited and are expected to sell out. Reserved Tables are also available.

What does a Prosperous Tahoe look like? What does prosperity mean? How can we measure it? The Tahoe Prosperity Center (TPC) mission is uniting Tahoe's communities to strengthen regional prosperity. How do our governments, businesses and communities fit into that goal? What can we do to ensure Tahoe's residents are prosperous?

A mellow, down to earth, tree-talking yoga enthusiast, Jamie Anderson is not your average Olympic gold medalist. But when you observe the 25-year-old snowboarding phenom in her hometown of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., everything snaps into focus.