Art Studio Opens in Kings Beach
Blue Wolf Studios opened in Kings Beach on June 6, with a soft opening July 3. Co-owners Amanda Dabel and Anthony Marrone wanted a space where they could showcase budding artists and locally-made art. Dabel, a 2013 Sierra Nevada College graduate, specifically wanted a retail and work space to sell the work of current and former SNC art students. The shop features glass and clay works, terrariums, jewelry, candles, and body scrubs by five artists. Demo days will be held throughout the summer and Dabel says the studio is looking to add more artists. Info: Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 8520 Brook Ln., Kings Beach, bluewolftahoe@gmail.com ~ Kara Fox/Moonshine Ink
Best of Tahoe Chefs Raises $170,000 for Cancer Center
The 16th annual Best of Tahoe Chefs was held May 17 at the Ritz-Carlton. More than 300 guests attended, raising $170,000 for the Gene Upshaw Tahoe Forest Cancer Center patient and family programs. The Best of Tahoe Chefs event has raised more than $1 million since 2009. The center’s free programs address the social, psychological, emotional, and functional needs before, during, and after the course of treatment. Info: tahoecancercenter.com
Jack Connell Appointed Executive Chef at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn
The PlumpJack Group recently announced the appointment of Jack Connell to the position of executive chef at PlumpJack Cafe & Bar located at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn. A veteran in the culinary industry, Connell takes the place of the restaurant’s longtime executive chef, Ben “Wyatt” Dufresne, who relocated out of the Tahoe area for his wife’s career in emergency medicine. Connell is a familiar face at PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn as he most recently served as the restaurant’s chef de cuisine. Connell will focus on a seasonal, New American culinary approach utilizing modern techniques. He works with local farms to source ingredients and also adheres to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program, selecting sustainable and responsibly raised seafood. Info: plumpjacksquawvalleyinn.com
HeyChef! Welcomes New Faces
Vanessa Dodds has joined HeyChef! as sous chef. She will be working alongside HeyChef!’s cofounder and executive chef Grog Verbeck. Krystal Huck has joined the HeyChef! team as the new office manager. She will head up customer service and event operations for the company’s Truckee office, which provides placement services for more than 70 food and beverage professionals to homeowners and vacationers. HeyChef!, a Truckee-based private chef and kitchen staffing company, places private chefs, servers, shoppers, bartenders, and baristas in homes for dining experiences and parties. Info: (877) 4-HeyChef, heychef.com
Non-Stop Service from Reno to Boise Begins in November
Reno-Tahoe International Airport will offer daily nonstop service to Boise, Idaho on Alaska Airlines beginning Nov. 5. Non-stop service to Boise was previously offered on Southwest Airlines but ended in January 2012. For three years, the staff at Reno-Tahoe has worked diligently to bring the popular service back. Horizon Air, Alaska’s sister carrier, will fly the route with a 76-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft. The Boise route also offers connectivity to another popular market, Spokane, Wash. To inaugurate the new service, Alaska is offering introductory one-way fares as low as $79 on flights between Boise and Reno. Info: renoairport.com
Barton Health Offers New Perks for Patients
Barton Health in South Lake Tahoe has launched two new billing services: a price estimator tool and a reduced MRI cost structure. The new price estimator tool gives patients an estimated cost for a planned surgery or medical imaging service at Barton Memorial Hospital. It allows patients to financially plan for a procedure and simplify their billing process by knowing their estimated costs prior to a procedure. Additionally, Barton Health lowered outpatient MRI costs, allowing patients to save money and receive quality imaging. Info: bartonhealth.org/medicalimaging
