El Dorado County departments of Human Services and Probation and the El Dorado County Child Abuse Prevention Council are engaging in a system-wide county self-assessment process as part of an ongoing effort to ensure every child in El Dorado County lives in a safe, stable, permanent home, nurtured by healthy families and strong communities.

The CSA requires each county examine its strengths and needs, from prevention through the continuum of care, including reviews of the current levels of performance, procedural and systemic practices, and available resources. The county seeks assistance with this assessment from community and prevention partners.

Residents can provide input at one of the following meetings:

* Oct. 10 in South Lake Tahoe from 1-2:30pm at the Lake Tahoe Collaborative Meeting (location still to be determined);

* Oct. 13 in Placerville from 10am-noon in the EDCOE Conference Room B-2.

• El Dorado County supervisors were surprised to learn the sheriff’s department has a helicopter. Check out this report by KCRA-TV.

• The Kids Fishing Derby at Tahoe Paradise Park’s Lake Baron is Sept. 18 starting at 7am.

• Bay to Bliss trail race is Sept. 18. The 7.5-mile race starts at Emerald Bay’s Eagle Point and ends at D.L. Bliss State Park. Cost is $40 per person. Go online for more info.

• The Congressional Field Hearing in Sacramento by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands is Sept. 19 at 10am. The purpose of this hearing is to address U.S. Forest Service policies.

• Tahoe Truckee Unified School District is one of seven districts in California selected by Stanford University to participate in an English Language Learner Leadership Network funded by the Cowell Foundation.

• A bear hunt protest is scheduled today from 5:30-7pm in Incline Village. For more information, click on bear rally.

The North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce and the Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Sierra Human Resources Association are offering an Immigration Compliance Workshop on Sept. 22 from 8:30-11am at the Village at Squaw Valley, Mountain Stream Conference Room, 1750 Village East Road, Olympic Valley.

In this workshop, attendees will learn about Form I-9 eligibility verification “best practices” and immigration-related record-keeping requirements, including Form I-9 Do’s and Don’ts, how to create a LCA Public Access File required for employees on an H-1B visa, how to properly document a leave of absence, how to record a bona fide termination when terminating a foreign national employee and how to deal with an audit. The speaker is Gali Schaham Gordon, who practices immigration law in San Francisco where she represents both corporate and individual clients.

Registration is $60 for SHRA and chamber members and $70 for non-members. Seating is limited.

To register and for more information about the workshop, call Laura Moriarty of SHRA at (530) 573.0224 or North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce Manager Kym Fabel at (530) 581.8764.

As part of its Chamber EDucation program, the North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Sierra Economic Development Corporation is hosting a beginner “Internet Marketing – The Superhighway to Success & The Road” class Sept. 21 from noon to 2pm at the Tahoe City Public Utility District Boardroom, 221 Fairway Drive, Tahoe City.

Deadline to register is Sept. 16.

In this beginner class, attendee will learn how to get top rankings on Google, how to pick the right keywords for their business, along with free tools that will improve their business and assist them in tracking website visitors.

The cost is $65/person and participants need to bring their lunch. To register, call the Sierra Economic Development Corporation at (530) 823.4703 or email info@sedcorp.biz.

This class will also be repeated Oct. 4 in Kings Beach at the North Tahoe Event Center.

As part of its Chamber EDucation program, the North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Sierra Economic Development Corporation is hosting “How to Start a Business” Workshop on Sept. 23 from noon to 1:30pm at the Tahoe City Public Utility District Boardroom, 221 Fairway Drive, Tahoe City.

Deadline to register is Sept. 19.

This workshop, taught by Brent Smith of the Sierra Economic Development Corporation, will assist attendees in minimizing their risks and walk them through the steps in the business start-up process. They’ll also learn about free resources.

The cost is $55/person and participants need to bring their lunch. To register, call the Sierra Economic Development Corporation at (530) 823.4703 or email info@sedcorp.biz.

This class will also be repeated Oct. 13 in Tahoe Vista at Mourelatos Lakeshore Resort.

• Camp Richardson’s annual Oktoberfest is a two-day event on the South Shore. The Oct. 1-2 fun includes beer, arts-crafts for sale, German dancing, pumpkin patch and more.

• Expect traffic controls in the Stateline area on Sept. 18 between 7-11:30am for the Iron Girl triathlon.

• Skate the Lake brings in money for cancer research.

• More than 3,000 attendees took part in the 26th annual Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival last weekend, with Six Peaks Grille getting top honors from the industry judges and PlumpJack Café taking home the People’s Choice award. Go online for a complete list of winners.

• The 10th annual Village Oktoberfest at Squaw Valley is Oct. 1 from 2-6pm. Tickets are $10 and include a half liter glass and one beer with additional beers at $5 each.

• Today at 3:15pm and repeated at 6:15pm, Darrell Wayne interviews Ben “Coach’ Wade, aka The Dragonslayer. Wade is back for the third time on “Survivor.” He now coaches in Susanville and comes to Tahoe when he can. The interview can be heard on KTHO radio FM-96.1.

Artown is looking for a regional artist to design the 2012 festival poster. The selected artist will receive $3,000 and their final work will be used for the Artown 2012 festival poster and serve as creative inspiration for all marketing materials including the website, magazine, advertising and mobile app.

Regional is defined to include the Lake Tahoe area and the following Nevada counties: Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, Storey, Churchill, Pershing, Washoe, Humboldt, Lander, Eureka, Elko and White Pine.

Deadline is Nov. 4.

For more information, call (775) 322.1538 or email office@renoisartown.com.

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is having an open house Sept. 29 from 4-7pm at 128 Market St. on Lower Kingsbury Grade in Stateline.

The event will include live music, free food, activities for kids, and info-tours of TRPA programs and initiatives.

TRPA will also be announcing the winners of the Lake Spirit Award honoring people making progress maintaining the clarity, splendor, and beauty of Lake Tahoe.

To nominate someone, complete the nomination form by Sept. 19.

CASA El Dorado is hosting two FBI agents to talk about human trafficking.

The talk by Special Agent Minerva Shelton and Victim Specialist Janice Dean is Sept. 22 from noon to 1:30pm at Department 3 of the El Dorado County Superior Court in South Lake Tahoe.

RSVP by Sept. 20 to Amanda@casaeldorado.org or call (530) 573.3072.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Department swore in two deputies this week – Steve Miller and Sean Thaler.

Deputies Miller and Thaler were hired to backfill two positions recently vacated as a result of Deputies Seth Russell and Ignacio Gonzales being recalled to active duty with the Army National Guard. Russell and Gonzales will deploy to Afghanistan.

Douglas County Undersheriff Paul Howell, from left, Deputy Sean Thaler, Deputy Steve Miller and Sheriff Ron Pierini at the swearing-in ceremony. Photo/Provided

Miller and Thaler will now undergo a rigorous 12-week jail training program to provide them the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their duties as jail deputies.

Miller was raised in the San Ramon area. With the U.S. Marine Corps, he was deployed with the 3rd Marine Recon to Iraq for combat duties.

Thaler was raised in Douglas County and is the son of former Douglas County Investigator Steve Thaler. He served as an officer with the Air Force.