LABOR DAY WEEKEND means the Village Ski Loft is having its giant sale! It used to be a big tent in the lower parking lot, but this year it will be smaller tents in their own upper parking lot. Same great deals! In the lower parking lot, the Pet Station has a fun fundraiser. It’s a Doggie Wash! Instead of getting your car washed, bring your dog! It benefits local animal shelters like Wylie Animal Rescue Foundation. Don’t have a dog? WARF will have a few on hand that need adopting. There’s a doggie food drive that day. Not to worry if you forget. Great deals on pet food and other supplies inside the Pet Station too! The place to be Labor Day Weekend…800 Tahoe Blvd., on the corner with Northwood. 

The ROTARY DUCK DROP has become an annual Labor Day tradition. Remember when you bought those ducks outside of Raleys on the 4^th of July weekend? They are going for a ride, from the top of the fire engine ladder, on Monday, September 5 at the Village Green from 9-10:30 a.m. (You can still purchase ducks at Incline Cleaners!)

Summer winding down usually means good deals for the locals. The Sierra Cloud has specials, especially if you can get a group together to listen to Mr. Tahoe, Darin Talbot one last time. The end of summer means the concerts on Incline Beach are about over. Thank you, Incline Spirits! The last Wednesday concert is tonight and there are just two more Friday nights left. Getting to one of those concerts is still on my summer bucket list. I better get there this week!

The opening of school is old news, but the back-to-school nights are all coming up in a week. If you are a parent, don’t miss it! Check with your school for the exact day and time. 

What is NEW news, is that the St. Clare Montessori School moved to Incline from Tahoe Vista! Its 35 pre-K – 8^th grade students are housed in St. Francis of Assis Catholic Church and St. Patrick’s Episcopalian Church. By the way, the Village Church has its Christian Pre-school with beloved teacher Cindy Ligget as well as a “pod” for older students. I love the way our faith-based communities are partnering on education!

An ECONOMIC SUMMIT called Envision Tahoe is an annual event hosted by regional agency Tahoe Prosperity Center. This is one of those gatherings where business and community leaders meet to discuss the common issues that face everyone: how to diversify the economy, maintain (and house!) our workforce. We all share the common goal of transitioning the tourism industry to destination management and sustainability to better care for the Lake and the environment. Register for Envision Tahoe on September 7 at Granlibakken at tahoeprosperity.org.

THANK YOU, PARASOL TAHOE, for awarding $250,000 to local charities! Many of them are housed right here in Incline Village.

REVITALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT I hope you have all noticed the growth and new activity around our communities. The IVCBA vision is one of thriving communities and this usually means improvements in our infrastructure and buildings. Washoe County and its Transportation Study, with action plans soon to be recommended, will set the stage for redevelopment and revitalization activity. IVCBA is organizing a Main Street program, along with Washoe County and IVGID, to help with planning. We have seen active projects around town, most noticeably the Natural Grocer construction site on Tahoe Blvd.  This week, the new owners of the Biltmore are unveiling their revitalization plans with the community through a series of small group meetings. They have been very well received. The Nine 47 condominium project is undergoing hearings and the approval process. Although I hear the outcry about the desire for workforce housing, these two projects represent a need (IMO, new housing is needed at all income levels) and an investment in the future of our community.  Workforce Housing must start with Washoe County because it is not feasible under the current economic conditions. These kinds of questions and lack of local decision-making have led to the latest attempt at governance, the City of Incline. Watch for upcoming petitions to get this question on a ballot, the first step in having meaningful conversations about what having our own City would mean. Information at cityofinclinevillage.com. Thanks, Todd Lowe and the Village League to Save Incline Assets.

BACK TO SCHOOL ALREADY?  Yep. Watch your speed in the school zones.  Our schools have an amazing staff, beginning with the principals, Tierney Cahill at Incline High School, Kari Michael at Incline Middle School, John Stern at Incline Elementary, and Headmaster Bob Graves at the Lake Tahoe School. 

The schools get lots of support from our community. The Incline Village Realtors Stuff The Bus every August with school supplies for each school. Incline Education Fund collaborated with AAUW to fund the UNR Dean’s Future Scholars mentorship program this summer (it’s a camp for Incline Middle School students to help them succeed in school and prepare them for college). And watch for exciting news on all IEF’s literacy projects this year. The first effort is a collaborative one with both local Rotary groups to revamp the Incline Middle School library. 

I want to give a big shout-out to former principal Leslie Hermann and powerhouse Denise Menzies. They both give freely of their time getting “first generation” high school students into college. Leslie founded and runs the Boys and Girls Club Boot Camp to help incoming seniors write their essay and other essentials for those college apps. 

MORE SUMMER FUNDRAISERS

Two events at stunning lakefront estates on Sunday, August 28 support our students. AAUW’s garden party at the “Oasis” raises money for their annual scholarship fund. AAUW also has an online silent auction throughout August. Diamond Peak Ski Education Foundation’s Après’ Après’ is an all-out, full-on fundraiser, complete with dinner, music, and an auction. This is a first-time event! If you missed out on the tickets (Darolyn, I will come begging this week, hoping there’s a cancellation), donate to DPSEF online. 

THE BEACHES

Back to school means the beaches are less crowded. If you have been avoiding them due to all those social media complaints about crowds, time to check them out again! Mid-week, of course. I spent a delightful afternoon swimming at Incline Beach yesterday. Plenty of parking. My choice of picnic tables was one in the shade! Even for a Minnesotan like me, that water is cold (but not really). It felt so refreshing! Did I mention how well the IVGID beaches are maintained, under the leadership of Sheila Leijon and Steve Phillips and his grounds crew? They are the unsung heroes of IVGID Parks and Recreation. They are low profile and so competent.

HEART OF GOLD…I’m not talking about the many wonderful philanthropists in Incline. I’m talking about the amazing melons from Fallon. They can ONLY be found at the Farmers Market in Incline Village.  Despite school starting this week, summer is not over! The Farmer’s Market is still open every Thursday in the Incline Library parking lot on Alder. It’s the next best thing to Village Market that used to be in Village Center. Owner Ron Stanger always carried those HOG melons, heirloom tomatoes, and fresh berries, the flavors of summer. The Farmer’s Market is also a great source of seafood from Alaska and meats from Nevada farms. And yes, we miss Village Meats and Eric and Danielle Halstead especially in the summertime.

TAHOE FOOD HUB keeps that farmer’s market vibe going all year long. This is a very entrepreneurial nonprofit, working and educating farmers and the public on best practices to renew our land. Order online (no minimum) and they deliver your order to John and Ashley Brimm’s Mountain High Sandwich Company in the Country Club Center.

VOLUNTEERS

UNR at Lake Tahoe is gearing up for its Tahoe Forum with Sir Richard Branson and Guy Harvey on Friday, September 18. This is an outstanding opportunity for Incline residents. They are looking for volunteers that day. Contact Dianneseverance@unr.edu.

BOWL INCLINE…Fall leagues are forming! Get your team together!

NEVADA JANE: GUS’ BBQ has a new name and concept. It’s a “Tahoe Eatery”!

LET’S TALK TURKEY…says Sierra Community House. They need donations NOW in order to supply an estimated 700 turkeys at Thanksgiving. They are one of many local nonprofits that need your help earlier this year. Rotary has a Food Drive for the Gospel Mission: drop off non-perishables at the Rec Center lobby.  August is a time for FUN and fundraising with Tahoe Family Solutions…Shabby Chic on August 23 and PEO’s Taste of Incline on August 25.  I’m probably forgetting something, so check the calendar, regularly, at IVCBA.org!

MY SUMMER VACATION… in Minnesota was great. Lots of family, lots of hot humid weather. Glad to be back in Incline! Even I am having trouble keeping up with all the nonprofit and cultural events. The 2022 Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor is still going strong. DON’T miss the Monday night concert series at Sand Harbor. Yes, I do have FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). I am probably the only one who is missing the Queen concert on the 15^th because I forgot to get tickets on time. Yikes!

I am crossing several things off my summer bucket list this weekend…

• It’s Mama Mia for me on Friday night! Yes, I will be wearing 80’s attire, but not the pink Tina Turner wig I wore at the RJO concert. 
• Swimming in Lake Tahoe and the Burnt Cedar pool with my grandnephew Elliott
• Renting a boat from Action Water Sports to have brunch at Garwoods
• Golfing too! 

Looking for a place to walk without the hassle of parking at the East Shore Trail? Try the Earth Walk, thanks to Jacquie Chandler of Sustainable Tahoe. The Earth Walk starts behind the Visitor Center (check out the Washoe shelter that looks like a tepee first)  through the forest that loops around the IVGID Tennis Center. And who knew they have a gazillion tennis courts back there, for Pickle Ball too!  Did I mention the frisbee golf course that goes through this beautiful part of our Village? The bicycle pump park and the bocce ball court by the Rec Center are good reasons to park at the Rec Center and just stay outside. 

DID YOU KNOW there’s a magic show at the Hyatt? Alex Ramon, from Magic Castle in LA, has a show on Saturdays at 6pm. It’s a teaser for his late show at Harrah’s where he has the venue to really show off his talent.

NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS: IVGID is holding a series of meetings around proposed projects such as the effluent storage tank, the dog park, bike park, and the Rec Center expansion on August 16. IVGID does have calendars on their website, so does IVCBA. But if it’s community meetings you are looking for, go to IVCB Community 1^st website. They have a definitive list of meetings related to government and agencies. Thank you Sara Schmitz and Diane Heirschberg!

I’m off to Raleys to stock up for my family coming this weekend!