WAR coming to South Lake
Saturday, Oct. 4, at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe’s South Shore Room
WAR brings their eclectic blend of jazz, blues, funk reggae and rock to the intimate environs of the South Shore Room at Harrah’s Saturday, October 4, 2008. WAR plays up a unique Afro-Cuban, Jazz-Funk with several hit songs including “Why Can’t We Be Friends” and “Low Rider” and string of many others. Most have been sampled or covered by newer artists including Offspring’s remix of “Low Rider” entitled “Pretty Fly For A White Boy,” Tupac’s “Young Black Maile (”Where Was You At”) assisting them in producing their own unique musical expressions while retaining the past. WAR’s timeless melodies are still being heard on multi-formatted radio stations around the country. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 plus fees; call (800) 786-8208 or visit www.southshoreroom.com.

Read Tim Parson's story on WAR here.


Zero Down channels English metal sound
Saturday, Oct. 4, at Whiskey Dick’s in South Lake Tahoe
A metal band from Seattle channels English metal virtuosity and velocity and blends it with a jigger of revival hellfire from Tennessee.

“I think because of our sound, we usually get a good crossover because of young people who are discovering that sound … and older people who are reliving it,” said Zero Down guitarist Lenny Burnett, who traces his roots to Knoxville and his metal revival band’s to Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead and Thin Lizzy in the ‘70s and ‘80s. “It’s pretty much been our love as far as the metal bands and the hard rock bands we grew up loving.”

At any rate, Zero Down sounds like the kind of metal band that can keep up with the Athiarchists and American Made Disaster, the two fast and furious punk bands opening Saturday, Oct. 4, at Whiskey Dick’s.

Read Dan Thomas’ full story here.


Kokanee Salmon Festival & Oktoberfest
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5, at the Lake Tahoe Visitor Center at Taylor Creek
Adult males develop a humped back and a heavy hooked jaw, equipping them for the inevitable battles over both mates and territory, and both sexes turn from their usual silver/blue color to a brilliant red. Then, en masse, they make a mad dash to their mating grounds, displaying their colors to attract a mate, then battling to protect the small patch of gravel where they make their nests. And so, another spring break in Palm Springs comes to an end …

No, wait. Sorry. We meant to say it’s time once again for the 18th annual Kokanee Salmon Festival. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4-5, at the Lake Tahoe Visitor Center at Taylor Creek, just north of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89. So once again, throngs will gather to honor the wily salmon, enjoy salmon-related entertainment, participate in long-distance runs and observe the natural wonder that is the salmon migration in Taylor Creek.

On Sunday, Oct. 5, the Tahoe Mountain Milers and Sagebrush Stompers running clubs will present the Kokanee Trail Runs. The half-marathon, which was canceled last year because of the Angora fire, is back and will start at 9 a.m. The children’s half-mile Tadpole Trot will start at 9:15 a.m. Afterward, adults are invited to compete in the 5 and10-kilometer trail runs starting at 10 am. All runs will start at the Taylor Creek Snowpark parking lot. Race day registration begins at 8 am. Registration and early packets will be available at the Camp Richardson Oktoberfest on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

This year, more all-day Saturday and Sunday family activities will be available, including a scavenger hunt, tug-of-war, hula-hoop contest, three-legged race, gymnastics and dance performances, face-painting, a bounce house and various arts and crafts vendors.

Click here to read the full story by the Lake Tahoe Action.


Sierra Ballet Theatre Company opens season
Saturday, Oct. 4, in the MontBleu theater
The Sierra Ballet Theatre Company opens its third season with a program of two ballets and a showcase of multiple dance styles at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in the MontBleu theater. The show includes the contemporary ballet “Rachmaninoff” and children’s ballet “Madeline” based on Ludwig Bemelmans’ book “Madeline’s Rescue.” Also in the program is “Love and Loss,” a showcase of jazz styles with techno, country, hip-hop and pop music. The Sierra Ballet Theatre Company is an outlet for serious dancers who want to learn new ballet and jazz choreography at a professional level and who want more performing opportunities throughout the dance season. For ticket information, call the MontBleu theater at (775) 588-3515.

Click here to read the full story.


Fishing at Heenan Lake is a limited-time experience
Through October, 2008
Heenan Lake, a 130-acre Alpine County reservoir about seven miles southeast of Markleeville on Highway 89, is the site of a Lahontan cutthroat trout hatchery operated by the California Department of Fish and Game. The lake, at an elevation of 7,000 feet, is open to the public for catch-and-release fishing only through the end of October. Fishing is restricted to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from sunrise to sunset. Anglers also are restricted to lures and flies with barbless hooks. Float tubes, canoes and small boats are allowed on the lake, but motors are restricted to electric only.

Click here for a photo gallery from a Heenan Lake fishing trip.

Fall weather makes for good fishing
The sure signs of fall are upon us as we celebrate the autumnal equinox this week. Fall has arrived whether we are ready or not. Another fantasy football season, shorter days, cooler temperatures and the changing colors are all sure signs of fall. This is arguably the best time of the year if you are a fisherman. Fish can sense the changing season in the cooling water temperatures. For many fish, the annual spawning ritual is beginning. Others feed voraciously knowing that a harsh winter could be ahead of them.

The cooler day and night temperatures are cooling the waters so that fish can once again become more active for spawning and feeding. In lakes the fish will move into the shallows, making them a much easier target for shore fishermen. The fish that had once sought the cooler waters in the deeper regions of the lake during the warm summer are now returning to the shallows to begin actively feeding. In rivers, it is the same story. Cooler water makes it much more comfortable for fish to access the entire river. The cooler water supports higher oxygen levels that are reduced when the water temperatures exceeds 64 degrees. Fish seek out the comfort of springs, deeper pools or highly oxygenated pockets of water during the summer.

Click here to read more of Bruce Ajari’s tips for fall fishing.