Our ex-mayor Gavin Newsom proved that he could bring the prestigious America's Cup to San Francisco — even in the face of vociferous opposition. Now, in his new capacity as lieutenant governor, Newsom is taking on the bigger task of courting the Olympic Winter Games to Northern California. 
 
The California Winter Games Committee, formed earlier this year, announced last week that the lieutenant governor will lead

the effort — serving along with cochairs California Senators Darryl

Steinberg and Ted Gaines. Together the high-profile politicians will work to bring the Olympics to the Lake Tahoe region as soon as 2022.

Of course, in the world's imagination, California is the land of surfing and sunbathing, not ice skating and skiing. Yet Baby Boomers will remember that Squaw Valley in Northern California  hosted the Winter Games in 1960.