gifts

As the traditional giving season approaches, there is one important item to add to your to do list: Create a holiday budget. Before the gift shopping and wrapping begins, take control of your wallet through financial preparation. Remember, you can avoid the credit card crunch and the dangerous pitfall of borrowing against your company's retirement savings plan or IRAs.

Here's how to establish a holiday wish list and spending budget:

The Lake Tahoe Humane Society and Golden Bear Events are collaborating to make the holidays easier for pets and their "people."

During the Winter Bazaar and Health Fair at Inn by the Lake on Saturday, November 12, Golden Bear Events will be accepting donations of pet food and new pet toys to be given to the Lake Tahoe Humane Society. All who donate will receive a free drawing ticket and you don't need to be present to win!

The event will be held on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and admission is free.

Golden Bear Events is holding their second annual Winter Bazaar and Health Fair will take place at the Inn by the Lake Events Center in South Lake Tahoe on Saturday, November 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Admission to the event is free, and each attendee will receive a free door prize ticket.

Vendors will offer a variety of specialty food, candles, home decor, jewelry, art, books, and other gift items for holiday gift giving or home decorating. Health tips and services will also be offered. Drawing prize tickets will be available for purchase for some amazing gifts baskets.

For her tenth birthday, Arial Carreau-Schultz anticipated presents just as any young lady would, except she wasn't getting them for herself.

During her birthday party on September 30, the young South Lake Tahoe resident and Tahoe Valley Elementary student asked for gifts to take to the animals at the El Dorado County Animal Shelter. All 25 children that attended fulfilled her wishes, leaving behind a huge bounty that she'll take to the shelter this weekend.

New, unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items are being collected at the American Legion Post 795 in South Lake Tahoe on Saturday, October 1, 2016, from noon until 5 p.m. at the Legion Hall at 2748 Lake Tahoe Boulevard.

All collected items will be distributed by Christmas Cheer to local children in need during the Christmas holiday.

An international paddleboard company, Jobe Sports, will be at Hidden Beach in Incline Village on Saturday, August 13 from noon to 2:00 p.m. They are offering a free paddleboarding event where rigid and inflatable paddleboards will be available for everyone to test out.

They'll also be giving away sponsored swag and gifts as well.

The Jobe Sports month-long tour started in San Diego in July and has made it to Lake Tahoe.

Check out #JobeSUP2thePeople and their website for more information on the tour stops: jobesports.com/sup2thepeople.

The South Tahoe Wooden Boat Classic returns to the Tahoe Keys Marina this weekend with a celebration of vintage raceboats. Featured will be industrialist Henry Kaiser, Jr.'s one-of-a-kind 1930 Gar Wood Hornet II and his 1955 Scooter Too with its huge and extremely rare 24-cylinder Allison engine. Both hydroplanes are racing legends. Also on display will be the 1913 Redskin, the 1950's movie star Hurricane IV and the all-aluminium experimental Shanty II.

The popular and long-time South Lake Tahoe business, the Cork & More, has sold. After almost 40 years of supplying wine, cheese, gifts and deli options to an adoring public, owners Jim and Kim Warlow have decided to retire. They were originally planning to close last Fall, but when potential buyers started to look into purchasing the store on Al Tahoe Blvd., the Warlows decided to hold off closure.

Escrow is expected to close around July 1 Jim said. After that, he's looking forward to enjoying Lake Tahoe's year round recreation from the slopes to the bike trails.

Supported by Angels, Center for Holistic Healing in South Lake Tahoe is holding their grand opening on Friday, April 22, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The new business offers customized and practical tools for health, wellness, and lifestyle transformation.

Their Grand Opening is an opportunity for the public to explore their highest and the owners say you will leave this event feeling empowered, inspired and supported. Stop by and discover what the essence of holistic healing is all about, and how it can be something that makes a positive difference in your life!

This is part two in a series of a look into Human Trafficking in South Lake Tahoe.

Human trafficking. Its not just a Third World problem, its not just a big city problem, and its not a poor or rich problem. There are millions around the world who are victims to human trafficking, a business that is estimated to be a $32 billion industry.

And its happening in our backyard.

The facts are sobering.

When the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Day, Rogelio Castañeda and a very pregnant Margarita García gave a New Year’s toast with a glass of champagne and a glass of apple cider, respectively. Three hours later, after a brief slumber, Margarita woke up in labor.

The couple headed to Barton Family Birthing Center and at 6:36 p.m. on January 1, Jeremy Nicolas Castañeda García was born. Jeremy weighed seven pounds, eleven ounces and was 20.5 inches long. He was named after Margarita’s mother Geremia, who passed away when Margarita was young.

he Washoe County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men today on charges of stealing gifts from generous citizens in the Galena Forest area. The two men have been identified as Sean Madigan, 51, and his son, Depaul Madigan, 22, both of Reno. They are accused of taking Christmas gifts homeowners generously left as a ‘thank you’ for waste services employees.

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the theft when several alert citizens called to report the suspicious activity. The homeowners were able to provide a vehicle description and a description of the subjects involved.

Dear Henry,

I want to get my 5 year old son a puppy for Christmas, what do you think, good idea or not?

Thanks,
Marvin

Dear Marvin,

The annual Barton Foundation Festival of Trees and Lights opened Wednesday at MontBleu with tree judging and the Senior Stroll.

The winners of the designer and school trees and wreath contests:

Designer Tree Category

Best Interpretation of Theme: No Place Like Home, by Cyndy Brown – Carlton

Most Elegant: Tantalizing Tango, by Belen Urrutia

Most “Out of the Box” (Creative): Steampunk Christmas, by Jeri Oishi & Enchanted Florist team

Best of Show: Tantalizing Tango, by Belen Urrutia

LTUSD Trees:

Lights, trees, action! Lake Tahoe community members and visitors are invited to celebrate the holiday season at the seventh annual Festival of Trees and Lights.

The family-friendly festival runs from December 2 through December 6 at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa. This year, all proceeds will support prevention programs and trauma services for Barton Hospital’s Level III Trauma Center.

The South Tahoe High Sober Grad Night Task Force would like to thank the following businesses and individuals who helped make our annual event for the graduating seniors such a success! The kids loved the evening and it couldn't have been made possible if you weren't a part of it.

The inaugural Winter Bazaar will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2015, at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event is open to the public and will feature stocking stuffers, gifts for Hanukkah and Christmas, and small prizes for attending. Food will be offered for sale by Seniors, Inc. The Senior Center is located at 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

Santa Paws is coming to town one day only, this Saturday, November 14.

The Lake Tahoe Humane Society's 29th annual Santa Paws will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tahoe Production House studios. Pets and family members get to pose with Santa Dog and have their photo taken by professional photographer Jen Schmidt. Bows and antlers for photos will be available.

Your 5 x 7 inch photo will be handed out at the event, no waiting needed. Digital copies are also available.

Get into the holiday spirit and support community health at the forty-fifth annual Holiday Faire on Sunday, November 8. Community members and visitors of all ages are encouraged to attend this merry event at St. Teresa Grace Hall.

Every year, Barton Auxiliary volunteers and employees from The Attic Thrift Store select their favorite holiday and winter donations to sell at the Holiday Faire. Items available for purchase include holiday decorations, jewelry, antiques and collectibles, purses, gifts, and winter wear.

Sam's Place Bar & Grill and the Cork & More, two iconic South Lake Tahoe businesses, surprised many with their news this week that they are ending their multi-decade runs on the South Shore.

For many, Sam's Place was where they went after work for pizza and a beer after work. Others enjoyed the pool, outdoor patio, sports on their televisions, slot machines or the camaraderie that comes with a neighborhood bar.

There is nothing quite like rich mahogany reflecting off the pure blue waters of Lake Tahoe, and there will be plenty of it to see as over 85 of the world's rarest wooden boats come to the Tahoe Keys Marina as part of the 8th Annual Wooden Boat Classic this weekend.

Each year, over 3,000 people walk through the boat slips, checking out the rare boats. There will be music, wine, food and vendors to enjoy as well. The Wooden Boat Classic brings together the fascinating and priceless history behind these elegant machines.

The Barton Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and Sacramento Blood Source would like to thank the local businesses who generously provided donations at the Auxiliary Blood Drive on Friday, May 1 at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center.

Give Where You Live! is a 24-hour giving challenge coordinated by the El Dorado Community Foundation. This year's day long giving day is Thursday, April 23, 2015.

“We have approximately 70 nonprofits participating in the event this year. Each nonprofit will have its own website presence to highlight a particular need or needs for which it is focusing giving dollars, as well as more information about the organization in general,” said Megan Buchanan, donor services coordinator at the foundation.

Long awaited BevMo! opened with much fanfare Friday morning to a large crowd in South Lake Tahoe. A line of an estimated 225 people formed in front of the store prior to the 9 a.m. ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony.

First in line was local resident Dayton Hirsch. "I didn't think I'd be first when I got here at 7:15 a.m.," Hirsch said. As he walked in the door he, and the next 499 people, all received a mini-soft sided cooler complete with a martini shaker, drink recipe book, cup and assorted BevMo! and vendor gifts.