The City of South Lake Tahoe's Director of Finance, Christine Vuletich, has resigned to take a position in Douglas County, where she will serve as the assistant county manager/chief financial officer. Her last day is Feb. 17.
Vuletich, who was hired in October 2004 as the director of finance, has been responsible for the overall operation and oversight of the city's finance department, and has served as primary financial advisor to the city council and city manager.

Spent some time skiing at Heavenly Mountain Resort the other day and the snow was fine, though pretty hard at 9 a.m. but softening as the sun at Lake Tahoe came into play. Couldn't help noticing how many skiers are still using the old rotary shoulder turn yet skiing on modern, shaped skis. That's a waste of energy.
On shaped skis keep the body facing down the fall line, letting the edges do the turn. That's what today's skis are all about. The deep sidecut makes the skis turn when you put the edges in. Gotta keep the hands out front, which incidentally is crucial in avoiding ACL injury.

The action-thriller film "The Grey," currently on view at the Fandango Galaxy theaters in Carson City, is a stark story of men in wilderness and their efforts to survive.

(Press Release) On the heels of its most successful year, MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa at Lake Tahoe continues its popular top-contemporary entertainment with the addition of Sublime with Rome and special guest Everlast; George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic; and comedian Rob Schneider.

CARSON CITY – Reno Republican Assemblyman Pat Hickey was unanimously elected today to be the new GOP Assembly Caucus Leader.

The former minority Leader, Pete Goicoechea, R-Eureka, stepped down because of his intention to run for the Nevada State Senate in District 19.

Assembly Republicans currently hold 16 seats in the 42-member Assembly, while Democrats control 26 seats.

Hickey, who represents District 25 in Reno, returned to the Assembly in 2010 after an absence of several years.

The snow forecast to hit the Lake Tahoe region during the next few days is expected to give the Tahoe Fund's Plate for Powder program a boost along with Sierra ski resorts and businesses. Drivers who purchase a California or Nevada Tahoe vehicle license plate will receive two free ski lift or Nordic tickets to the resort of their choice. New Tahoe plates cost $50 in California and $61 in Nevada.

The New Year has always been the perfect time to reflect and look ahead with a fresh perspective. As the primary wellness provider for the South Lake Tahoe area, I would like to address questions you may have about the future of healthcare and what Barton Health has planned for 2012 and beyond.

UPDATE: 9:15PM: A 23-year-old Bay Area man who died on Saturday after slipping on ice and plunging about 150 feet near Cascade Falls, has been identified by family members as Michael James Machell of El Cerrito, Calif.

Expected strong winds to arrive on Sunday has the U.S. Forest Service asking Lake Tahoe fire agencies to be on alert for forest fires in the basin.
The wind, combined with virtually no snow or rain since November, has already pushed the fire danger level back to high. The Forest Service urges the public to use caution with activities that could start a fire.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has approved a project that will reduce wildfire risk to communities on Lake Tahoe's South Shore and restore the health of the area's forests. The South Shore Fuel Reduction and Healthy Forest Restoration Project will thin trees and brush on more than 10,000 acres of national forest system land from the Nevada state line to Cascade Lake.

If you like to fish in the State of Nevada, you might be interested in entering the 2012 Ormsby Sportsmen’s Association (OSA) fishing contest. This annual contest is inexpensive, you can have fun fishing during the year and you might even win some nice cash, just before Christmas. If you’re interested, here is all kinds of information on that contest:

Nevada’s nonrestricted gaming licensees reported a total “gaming win” of $880,141,207 for the month of November 2011. This amounts to a 7.06 percent increase compared to November 2010, when licensees reported a gaming win of $822,097,967. For the fiscal year (July 1, 2011 through November 30, 2011), gaming win has increased 1.09 percent.

See full report below:

CARSON CITY – Nevada’s major casinos saw total revenues increase to $22 billion last fiscal year, but the 256 properties reported a net loss of just under $4 billion, the Gaming Control Board reported today.

It was the third year of losses in a row. The only other loss since records have been kept came in 2002.

The report, called the Nevada Gaming Abstract, analyzes those casino properties grossing $1 million or more in gaming revenue for the year ending June 30, 2011.

The Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation will kick-off the 12th Annual Kinder Kup Race Series at Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Shore Lake Tahoe, on Sunday, January 22, from 8am to 2pm. Open to all skiers and snowboarders age six and under, the Kinder Kup series is designed to introduce young athletes to competition in a friendly environment. No previous race experience necessary and all abilities are welcome. Entry is $20 and includes a World Cup only competitor lift ticket if needed.

It’s the very first part of January and this is a good time for all of us to make some personal resolutions for the year 2012. Most importantly, remember that if you do make any resolutions, be sure to follow through with what you resolve to do in this new year. I have a number of things I would like to accomplish this year, so without any further ado, here are my resolutions:

The Nevada Highway Patrol has released the following information regarding the Highway 50 accident near Stateline at Lake Tahoe early Sunday morning that claimed the life of a 21-year-old Walnut Creek man after being struck by a California Highway Patrol vehicle. The accident happened between Lake Village and Elks Point Road and was reported at 12:44 a.m. Sunday morning, said NHP Trooper Chuck Allen. The pedestrian, whose identity has not been released pending notification of family, died at the scene of the accident.

UPDATED 11:30AM: A 21-year-old Walnut Creek, Calif. man was struck and killed by a California Highway Patrol vehicle early Sunday morning, New Year's Day, on Highway 50 near Stateline at Lake Tahoe, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol.
The accident happened between Lake Village and Elks Point Road and was reported around 12:40 a.m. Sunday morning, said NHP Troopers Mike Edgell and Chuck Allen. The pedestrian, whose identity has not been released pending notification of family, died at the scene of the accident.

UPDATE 6:30PM: Fire officials have reduced the amount of acres having burned on the east side of Carson City. Tonight officials report 300 acres have been consumed so far in the Laurel Fire burning on BLM land off of Deer Run Road. While no structures are threatened at this time, there is no estimate of containment.

Diamond Peak Ski Resort on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe is the home mountain for a January 7-8, 2012, ski camp hosted by legendary skier Wayne Wong.

The camp begins with an evening “meet and greet” at Village Ski Loft in Incline Village on January 6 and then continues with two full days of on snow instruction at Diamond Peak.

The Nevada 2011 rifle hunting season for buck mule deer is currently open in Big Game Management Area Nos. 194-196 (The area is west of U.S. 395, between U.S. 50 to Lake Tahoe and I-80 to California), and it will remain open through January 1, 2012.
One of the safest places at this time of the year in Area Nos. 194-196 for a buck mule deer and especially so for a trophy buck is in the residential area of Carson City’s west side.
On Monday, December 26, a trophy buck was photographed enjoying the peace and quiet of a backyard, while in the company of some does.

Eighty-two inches of snow has hit the ground at Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort on Mount Charlestson since October, with most of that coming the first 18 days of this month. The resort boasts a solid 50-inch base.

Meanwhile, the Mt. Rose ski area between Reno and Lake Tahoe has seen total snowfall of between 21 and 24 inches since the season began -- and all of that fell in November. The base is an anemic 12 to 18 inches, according to a Reno-based travel website.
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The U.S. Forest Service and organizers of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month are working together to promote and recognize the event at Lake Tahoe and elsewhere, highlighting the health benefits of winter outdoor activity.

Northstar California did up things well Tuesday (name change, used to be "at-Tahoe") by officially opening its new multimillion dollar Zephyr lodge at the top of Zephyr lift and a new chairlift, the Promised Land Express. The new quad chair services two new trails. This completes a spending program of $30 million on upgrades, trails and support activities at the Lake Tahoe resort.

The new Red Hut is now open on South Carson Stret, in the old Woody's diner location. The original Red Hut opened in South Lake Tahoe in 1959. They have since added three more locations on the South Shore, and this is their fire restaurant outside of Tahoe.

"The Red Hut Cafe offers its Carson Valley clientele the same menu and hospitality that made the small family operated restaurant chain a living legend at Lake Tahoe for over 50 years," according to the restaurant's website.