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 on Oct. 14from 5:30 to 7:30pm, South Lake Tahoe Senior Center, 3050 Highway 50, South Lake Tahoe 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? Contact the Family Caregiver Support Program at (530) 621.6151.

• A final decision on whether to allow bear hunting in Nevada in the spring and fall is expected to be decided by the state Department of Wildlife in December.

• Charter Communications is changing the TV lineup again. Customers on the South Shore in El Dorado and Douglas counties can expect the changes to begin Nov. 1.

• October’s National Arts and Humanities Month is the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation. For ideas about getting involved, visit the official site.

• Four out of five positions are up this November on the KGID board. Meet the candidates Oct. 12 at 5:30pm at the Eagles Nest (inside of Perennial Vacation Resort), 472 Needle Peak Road, Stateline.

• South Lake Tahoe City Council candidate Claire Fortier is having a series of meet and greets: Oct. 8 7:30am, Tahoe Java, Swiss Chalet Village; Oct. 15, 7:30am, Hot Gossip Espresso Bar, Bijou Center; Oct. 22 7:30am, Red Hut, Ski Run Center, Oct. 29 7:30am, Alpen Sierra Coffee Company, Lake Tahoe Boulevard.

• A formal announcement of South Lake Tahoe’s next police chief is a few weeks off, according to City Manager Tony O’Rourke. Potential candidates are still undergoing background checks and results will not be in until about Oct. 14.

As Tahoe transitions into fall, a local photographer is offering people the opportunity to not only capture gorgeous images of their families for those upcoming holiday cards, but also support a few charitable causes.

Brandi Schlagel will be donating the proceeds from her mini-photo sessions on Oct. 17 at Fallen Leaf Lake to Dolphin and Christmas Cheer.

Click on flyer for all the information on how to proceed if you are interested.

U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews expect to conduct prescribed fire operations in the Andria Drive area off Kingsbury Grade beginning Oct. 7.

The project could continue through Oct. 9if favorable weather conditions persist, with the goal of completing ten acres.

State and local fire management agencies may also be conducting prescribed fire work during this period

Residents and travelers can expect to see smoke from prescribed fire project areas.

• Click here for Barton Health’s flu clinics.

• California Conservation Corps hopes to have the foundation in on the Meyers overhaul by Oct. 15. Finding the pool for the old hotel in a spot it wasn’t supposed to be has caused delays. The whole project is supposed to be done by January 2012, with the buildings done a year from now.

• Friday Night Lights returns to South Tahoe High on Oct. 8. The plan is to one-day install permanent lights on the football field. This will be discussed at the Oct. 12 Lake Tahoe Unified School District board meeting.

• Learn from the experts at IMBA during a weekend-long trail building and maintenance workshop Oct. 15-17. This free workshop will teach mountain bike enthusiasts methods to build sustainable single-track trails. Everyone is welcome – call the Kirkwood Bike Park guys at (209) 258.7233 for additional details.

• The Postal Regulatory Commission denied the Postal Service’s request to increase the price of a stamp from 44 to 46 cents.

Lake Valley firefighters took home the honor of Hose Lay Champions at the annual Fire Fest at Lake Tahoe Airport on Sunday.

They beat out last year’s champs — CalFire.

Lake Valley firefighters practice extrication exercises at Fire Fest. Photo/Leona Allen

It was a blustery day for the annual event, but that didn’t keep away the throngs of people who wanted to learn about all things fire related and see how the men and women do their jobs.

The Martis Fund awarded the Truckee River Weed Warrior Program a multi-year funding grant to create a website data base, educate the community and establish invasive weed prevention guidelines.

In the first year, the program’s goal is to promote awareness by creating an online database and smart-phone application, which will allow for citizens to send in photos of potential weeds. When positively identified, the photo will be posted with GPS coordinates on the online map. Once the invasive weeds are located weed pulls will be organized.

“Invasive weeds are a serious threat to the ecological health of Martis Valley,” David Welch, president of The Martis Fund, said in a press release. “We appreciate the opportunity to support a great grassroots effort to protect the natural resources of our region.”

Education is a large part of the program. In addition to information on the website the program is providing an invasive weed guidebook and will organize weed walks for community members to familiarize themselves with the invasive species.

The warriors are also concerned about prevention. Many groups such as home owners associations and businesses that are landscaping are unaware of planting non-invasive plants and seeds. The program will be working to put guidelines in place to educate these groups and individuals about desirable plants.

To learn more about the Truckee River Weed Warrior Program please contact Beth Christman at the Truckee River Watershed Council (530) 550.8760.

The Martis Fund supports programs to secure open space, promote habitat restoration, and create workforce housing in the Martis Valley region. It was established in 2006 as a collaborative project of DMB/Highlands Group, Mountain Area Preservation Foundation, and Sierra Watch. For more info, visit www.martisfund.org.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Department is sponsoring a Crime Prevention Conference for all multi-family housing property managers, manufactured housing managers, hotel- motel managers, rental housing owners and managers including vacation rental property managers and RV- campground managers.

It is designed to help “Keep Illegal Activity out of Rental Properties”.

The free conference on the South Shore is Oct. 11 from 8am-5pm.

The Crime Free Programs were developed in 1992 by Tim Zehring, retired 22-year veteran of the Mesa Arizona Police Department.

RSVP by Oct. 9 t0 Melanie Raulston-Arnold at LakesideProperties-CFMHP@msn.com or call (775) 588.2988.

• Chris Hawken will be the interim director of the South Lake Tahoe Parks & Recreation Department now that Gary Moore has retired. A national search is going on for a permanent replacement.

• Another magazine is out of publication as of this fall – Skiing.

• Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course plans to stay open through Oct. 31.

• Fred Findlen has taken over as general manager of Hyatt Lake Tahoe in Incline.

• A hearing on the Boulder Bay project in Crystal Bay has been rescheduled by Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board to Nov. 17 at The Chateau in Incline. The Advisory Planning Commission will discuss it on Nov. 10.

• The Rev. Ben DeLeon at St. Theresa Catholic Church will bless all pets on Oct. 4 at 5:30pm at the South Tahoe church as part of celebrating the birthday of St. Francis, patron saint of animals.

Bread & Broth, a non-denominational ministry that prepares and serves meals twice a week at St. Theresa Church and Lake Tahoe Community Presbyterian Church, has several volunteer opportunities available.

Volunteers are needed for food preparation, food service, and clean-up. If you have some spare time on Monday or Friday afternoons and would like to volunteer with the Bread & Broth, attend the Bread & Broth Orientation Meeting, and Food Safety Class on Oct. 11 from 6-7pm in Grace Hall of St. Theresa Church on the corner of Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Lyons Avenue in South Lake Tahoe (1041 Lyons Ave).

Those interested in helping prepare and serve food will need to attend the food safety and sanitation class immediately following the orientation meeting that evening (7:15-8:30pm).

In addition, Bread & Broth is seeking individuals interested in helping with food pick-up at local grocery and retail stores, quarterly kitchen cleaning, food distribution on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, fund raising efforts, and communications support.

For more information on these opportunities, contact Diane Weidinger at (775)588.3993 or dianeweidinger@yahoo.com.

Bread & Broth is an all-volunteer program to feed the hungry in the South Lake Tahoe community. A hot, well-balanced meal is provided once a week at no charge to anyone who comes through the doors. Bread & Broth includes volunteers of all faiths and nationalities, and meals are served without regard to religion, race, age, or financial situation. More information is available online.