Help the less fortunate this holiday season by supporting the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe’s Pet Pantry Program.

The economic downturn continues to affect some Truckee-Tahoe residents and their pets, forcing some families to give up their beloved companions due to financial hardship. To help prevent this, the HSTT has implemented the Pet Pantry Program.

Under the slogan “Give what you can, take what you need,” the nonprofit collects pet food and distributes it to needy families with pets in the Truckee-Tahoe area. Extra pet food or donations can be dropped off at collection barrels in Truckee at Safeway, Pet Station and Scraps Dog Bakery.

Anyone in need of pet food should contact HSTT at (530) 587.5948.

Lake Tahoe News has a variety of advertising options for all sizes of businesses.

The rates are staying the same for 2011 – meaning reasonable and affordable. The longer you sign up for, the less expensive it is.

Everyone has a limited number of advertising dollars. That’s why it is important to spend them wisely and effectively. Look at where you are putting your money now. What is the return on investment? When a customer comes in, do you know how they found out about your business?

Internet is the most common answer. (The phonebook is obsolete. It’s all about Internet searches.) But how did they get to your website?

If the URL for your business is not on websites that are being crawled by search engines, you might as well be advertising in print, which gives you no connection to the masses.

What Lake Tahoe News has is content that is changing daily. This is exactly the kind of site search engines are looking for. This is important because it means every time the search engine is probing LTN, it is hitting every URL on the site. For advertisers, this means two hits – once with the display ad and again with the directory listing. These hits then propel your business’ listing to the top of the pack when customers are doing Google searches and the like.

Clicking on a display ad brings readers-customers to your website. This allows you to provide much more information than any print ad ever could.

If you are ready to get started, contact Lisa Huard at (530) 318.5356.

Going to the top of the page allows you to access all the ad rates and sizes of ads. Click on the word “advertise” and then download the price sheet.

Publisher’s note: Lake Tahoe News is looking for ideas for gifts that cost less than $20 to share with readers. Read this for details.

2011 calendars of the Sierra Nevada by Dirk Yuricich are only $12 each. There are 13 images in the calendar, including Lake Tahoe and the Eastern Sierra. Plus, giving this calendar supports a South Shore photographer. The 2011 calendar may be seen on Yuricich’s website.

Yuricich also has boxes of 10 assorted notecards for $20 a box. There are 17 different sets of Lake Tahoe notecards: Tahoe in Winter, Tahoe Sunsets, Fallen Leaf Lake, Tahoe East Shore, Tahoe Trees in Snow, to name a few. There are also more than 50 notecard sets of cities and countries around the world; you can give a gift of 10 images of Italy, Paris, Croatia, Germany, Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, and more.

Calendars and notecards are available at Dirk Yuricich Photography Gallery/Studio at 171 Shady Lane on Kingsbury Grade in Stateline. It’s best to call to confirm when the gallery/studio is open.

The Family Resource Center in South Lake Tahoe is seeking community members to adopt kids from age 4 months through 16 years old for Christmas.

This year the need is dire. Kids are asking not for electronics or toys, but warm clothes. There are 26 boys and 22 girls still needing adopting.

Contact the FRC at (530) 542.0740.

Caregiving is a difficult and often challenging role that one can undertake, and taking the opportunity to share information and feel connected to others who are providing care is a vital step to perform this task to the best of your ability. Take the opportunity Dec. 9 from 5:30 to 7:30pm at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center (3050 Highway 50) to become connected and rejuvenated at your local support group.

Refreshments will be served. Free respite care is available to qualified caregivers. Pre-authorization is required for respite services. Questions? Call (530) 621.6151.

• Carl Ribaudo, who runs Strategic Marketing Group in South Lake Tahoe, has been appointed to serve a four-year term on the Tahoe Resource Conservation District board.

• The December issue of Sunset magazine has a blurb about the Spooner cabins being a great peaceful get-away.

• El Dorado County Board of Supervisors is having a public hearing Dec. 14 at 10am in Placerville to consider raising fees on Animal Services. If it passes, the fees go up Jan. 1.

• The Boulder Bay project hearing before the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board has been delayed again by the applicant. This means the December Advisory Planning Commission meeting is canceled and the Governing Board meeting will be one day only, Dec. 15.

• Squaw Valley has hired Heath Nielsen as vice president of Commercial and Hospitality Operations and Monty Waugh will be chief financial officer.

• Choices for Children has supplies for families who need them. For more details, click on supplies.

The Spanish Connection Parents Club at Zephyr Cove Elementary School had a celebration of winter on Dec. 2.

Hula hoops are part of the fun. Photo/Tracy Owen Chapman

The event was designed for all families to participate in games, smashing of pinatas, music, dancing and eating traditional Mexican pastries, tamales and beverages.

The IRS has money to give away — $164.6 million.

This money is the total of refund checks that were undeliverable.

Go online under the “Where’s My Refund?” to see if you are owed money. You will be asked for your Social Security number, filing status and amount of refund shown on your 2009 return. Or call 800.829.1954 to check on your status.

The IRS does not contact taxpayers by email.

Publisher’s note: Lake Tahoe News is looking for ideas for gifts that cost less than $20 to share with readers. Read this for details.

You’ll find a large number of great books for adults and young people under $20 in the Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum shop at 3058 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

It is open Dec. 11-18 from 11am-3pm.

For more information, call (530) 541.5458.

The North Lake Tahoe Resort Association is accepting applications for five seats on its Marketing Committee. Four of the seats will serve a two-year term, January 2011 to December 2013, and one open seat will be appointed to serve the final year of a two-year term to end December 2012.

The NLTRA Marketing Committee is made up of four board members, eight appointed community members and a Placer County CEO representative. Lay members are selected based on their relevant marketing experience, geographic area and industry representation. The NLTRA board of directors will appointment the new Marketing Committee members at the January meeting.

Individuals for consideration need to submit a letter of interest and qualifications to NLTRA Tourism Director Andy Chapman by Dec. 27 by 5pm via email, Andy@PureTahoeNorth.com, or by mail at Attention: Marketing Committee Application, P.O. Box 5459, Tahoe City, CA 96145.

The NLTRA operates the North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce and the Tahoe North Convention and Visitors Bureau, and is a partner with the Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau in the North Lake Tahoe Marketing Cooperative. The NLTRA also serves as a partner with Placer County and other public agencies in the development and funding of infrastructure, transit and community mobility projects designed to enhance tourism and community quality of life for the benefit of all in the North Lake Tahoe region.