Here are some conversation starters from around the globe and within your local community to add to your social toolkit.

Regional News:

• There’s some anticipation this week in CA for what the governor called last week “a substantial number of counties” could possibly move into the red tier – he has typically saved his announcements for Tuesdays, but the general consensus for the counties around Tahoe is probably not this week – I think there’s a good chance the trends point us that way maybe next week.

• Fresh off what I think most people would call a very successful weekend of NHL hockey in Tahoe, I saw a lot of response to the article that talked about the present that the NHL left behind…a used Zamboni!

• On a much sadder note, an apartment complex caught fire in South Lake Tahoe yesterday claiming the life of one person – the fire department rescued several victims and were ale to limit the fire to 4 apartments, so luckily it wasn’t worse

• On the weather front, looks like more of the same through the end of the week and month – my truck said 50 degrees outside yesterday, it was gorgeous…Not sure if we’ll hit that high again this week, but looks to be close with some lows at night into the teens – I saw one snowflake toward the end of next week, but that’s way too far out to excited about – but we’ll see.

• One side note, our Mutt Madness photo bracket will begin March 1 – 2 separate contests for the north and south shores, but almost 500 submissions!

Nation and World News:

• Apple will introduce 217 new emojis in its next iOS update, 14.5. These include a heart on fire, exhaling face, and gender options for the people with beards. Also included in this update is a vaccine-friendly syringe emoji, and support for couples with a mix of skin tones

• England’s Jasmine Harrison, 21, becomes youngest woman to row solo across an ocean. 70 days, 3 hours and 48 minutes 3,000 miles across Atlantic Ocean. The first attempt ever was a pair of Norwegians who successfully rowed from Manhattan to France in 1896. Since then there have been about 900 attempts – Only two-thirds have been successful.

• Avalanches have killed at least 30 people in the U.S. this winter, the most in years. The Pacific Northwest is on high alert for more this season. 23 last year was the total last year and 27 is the average.

• Walmart (America’s largest private employer) is raising wages for 425K workers, bumping its employee average to ~$15/hour (up from $14). But it’s keeping its starting wage at $11. Of course this announcement is on the heels of record sales of $152B last quarter, as we stocked up on groceries and goodies. In 2020, Walmart filled 7X more online orders than in 2019

• Final Note: Snowiest place in America ever: Mt. Baker 98-99 winter = 1,140” of snow or 95 feet! Snowiest state on average per day: