Tahoe National Forest received 74 lightning strikes last evening with some scattered rain on the east side of the forest.

Weather forecasts show the potential for lightning and some rain throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin through Friday. The dry conditions and threat of lightning have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a fire warning for today.

Click on lightning to see where the strikes were in the Tahoe National Forest. Click on strikes to see where they were throughout California.

Assemblyman Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, is hosting a forum titled Angora: Three Years later on July 14 from 6:30-8pm at Lake Tahoe Airport.

He is scheduled to give a legislative update on the Blue Ribbon Fire Commission.

Gaines will take questions from the audience.

For more information, call (916) 774.4430.

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 July 8 from 5:30-7:30pm at the 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.

Contact the Family Caregiver Support Program at (530) 621.6151 if you have questions.

The South Lake Tahoe Senior Center is in need of volunteers to drive the van to transport senior citizens. The Senior Center transportation program operates with volunteers that transport senior citizens throughout the community to the Senior Center, local appointments, grocery store and other places.

Any interested individuals who can volunteer up to four hours one day a week are being sought as drivers.

The Senior Center is recruiting drivers with an acceptable DMV driving record. You need not be a senior to be a volunteer driver.

Contact the Senior Center if you have an interest in volunteering with this program. The South Lake Tahoe Senior Center is located at 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

For more information, call the Senior Center at (530) 542.6094.

Squaw Valley is slated to host the first SATELite Festival this September. This year’s SATELite Festival will unite adventurers, artists and consumers for film premiers, photo exhibits, cycling events, wine and dining experiences and live music.

The SATELite Festival comes to Squaw Valley Sept. 10-12

The weekend will include an array of activities including films and music, art and symposiums, and dinner and drinks all in support of conservation. The event is a community-based event celebrating the beauty of nature and the steps that all must take to preserve it. Participation in the festival is free, compliments of event sponsors and donors, and tickets to additional activities including dinners, concerts and symposiums will be all benefit SATELite’s 2010 cause.

For more information about the SATELite Festival and their 2010 environmental cause and sponsors click here.

Explore Tahoe An Urban Trailhead presents “Forests with a Future” on July 7 at 2pm.

This is a U.S. Forest Service film featuring protecting old-growth trees, wildlife and communities in the Sierra Nevada.

It is free.

Explore Tahoe is located at 4114 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

For more information, call (530) 542.4637.

• Bijou Bash is returning to South Lake Tahoe at the park by the same name on Sept. 11 from 11-4pm.

Miss Marcia's dancers perform at the 2009 Bijou Bash. Photo/Kathryn Reed

• In January 1936, Nevada Highways and Parks, known today as Nevada magazine, was introduced to travelers. In 2011, it will celebrate 75 years with a special issue. Visit nevadamagazine.com or call (775) 687. 0603 to order a limited-edition copy.

• Tani Pettit of North Tahoe High School in Tahoe City is the first place winner of Safeway’s “Taste of Moo-sic” art contest. She wins $5,000 for her school’s art department, plus $2,500 each for herself and her art teacher.

• Boreal Ski Resort’s Shred Fest is July 10 at 10am and July 11 at 2pm.

• Explore Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe is having a week of wildfire films starting July 5. Click on wildfire for more information.

• Jim EnEarl, who was first elected in 1994 to be justice of the peace for the East Fork Justice Court in Douglas County, is resigning effective Aug. 6.

Law enforcement agencies throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin will be beefing up patrol during the holiday weekend.

There will be a sobriety checkpoint from 8pm-1am today by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

Saturation patrols will be out Saturday-Monday. Extra DUI roving patrols will be assigned by police in South Lake Tahoe and Placerville. El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies will staff extra DUI units in the South Lake Tahoe to support that police department.

California Highway Patrol maximum enforcement period is from 6 tonight through midnight Monday.

Karen Rogers of Tahoe City had to abort her early morning attempt today to swim from the Farallon Islands to San Francisco because of rough seas. It is possible she will attempt the 30-mile feat in the Pacific Ocean again. She and her team say the window of opportunity is until  July 7.

Karen Rogers

Ken Curtzwiler has been organizing a crew of volunteers via his business K&K Services for the last 10 years to clean up South Lake Tahoe beaches after Fourth of July.

Volunteers are always needed. Meet at the El Dorado Beach parking lot at 6am to volunteer.

Curtzwiler provides the gloves.

It will definitely give participants a different view of Fourth of July in Lake Tahoe.