In The News – Invasive New Zealand Mudsnails Discovered & News Briefs from MoonShine Ink
September 22, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally Published by MoonShine Ink 9/22 -9/28/2023, Written by MoonShine Ink Staff
LAKE TAHOE: Divers monitoring Lake Tahoe have discovered invasive New Zealand mudsnails in areas off the South Shore, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD) announced on Sept. 21. This is the first time the species has been detected in the Tahoe Basin.
The Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Program includes comprehensive monitoring of Lake Tahoe for aquatic invaders. Contract divers with Marine Taxonomic Services surveying invasive weeds on the South Shore discovered tiny snails on the bottom of the lake nearly a half mile offshore from the mouth of the Upper Truckee River. Consultation with experts and a DNA lab analysis confirmed the species is New Zealand mudsnail, an aquatic invasive species (AIS) that has been detected in nearby waterways including the Lower Truckee River downstream from Lake Tahoe near Reno. No other AIS, such as the destructive quagga and zebra mussel, have been detected, according to the agencies.
One of the chief joys in my life is to go fly fishing with my Marine Corps buddy, Marlboro Man. Craig Fellin runs a successful Montana outfitters resort, the Big Hole Lodge, with his son, Wade. Craig will walk the banks of the Wise on the day before we arrive and kick over logs to see what’s hatching. Once we arrive, we get to watch him tie a fly, perhaps a Wooly Bugger, that no self-respecting trout can refuse.
Fly fishing is not a sport, to my mind it is an art, and Marlboro Man is the Rembrandt of the Wise. His son, Wade, being the Picasso of the Big Hole. And then along comes the Zombie Trout, the brown trout that has been blinded by pollution, and can no longer see the Wooly Bugger.
First question: If a trout can no longer see his next meal, how is he going to find his next mate during mating season? Imagine the stress the Zombie trout is dealing with, for stress is just as hard on fish as it is on you and me. I can hear a female trout now as she is approached by a Zombie trout, “Oh, here comes that Zombie again, he is kinda cute, but my mother tells me he would not be a good catch. And besides, how on earth are we going to feed the kids if he can’t see a Wooly Bugger? It beats my time!”
So what makes a trout a Zombie? Well, number one, cows don’t really care where they poop, even if they’re standing next to a sacred Montana river. So, we have the well-worn western expression, “Never drink downstream from the herd.”
Number two, I never knew there was oxygen in water, but I found out firsthand that there is not nearly enough oxygen in water to sustain me while underwater, as I came very near drowning in the finding out of that singular fact. However, there is just enough oxygen in Montana rivers for fish to breathe, don’t ask me how, yet that oxygen level is dropping drastically. So when a Zombie trout can’t see, and he can’t mate, and he can’t breathe, what’s a Zombie trout to do?
Well that’s the very question the Fellin’s and other concerned Montana citizens are asking as a nonprofit called, “Save Wild Trout.” They are presently asking Governor Gianforte to create a task force to study and stem the sudden hemorrhaging of Montana rivers.
Our waters are warming, our world is roasting, and unless we do some really smart things really fast, I’m afraid you and I are going to be two-legged Zombies, finding it ever more difficult to eat, to mate, and to breathe. The very thought provokes me to buy an electric car, a self-driving one, and get off the grid. Some people tell me I’m already off the grid, but I take it as a compliment, and continue in my blasé ways…
In The News – Lake Tahoe Fall prescribed fire program may begin next week
September 21, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune on 09/20/2023, Submitted
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev.– The Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team fall prescribed fire program may begin as early as Monday, Sep. 25, 2023. If conditions and weather are favorable, California State Parks is scheduled to conduct understory burning on approximately 80 acres over the next three weeks in Burton Creek and Sugar Pine Point state parks and the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit may begin burning piles near Fallen Leaf Lake. Smoke will be present.
For the current air quality index, visit AirNow and view the prescribed fire map with project details at Tahoe Living With Fire.
Historically, low-intensity wildfires ignited by lightning or native peoples routinely burned through fire-adapted ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada. These low-intensity fires burned at low temperatures and moved slowly across the ground removing forest debris such as pinecones, needles, limbs, dead and downed trees, and ladder fuels.
The Local Lens – Rumors to Rest and a Busy Incline Weekend…
September 20, 2023 | Linda Offerdahl
The Ghost of Twain…that is, McAvoy Layne as Mark Twain, haunted the outdoor amphitheater at St. Patrick’s Church one last time on Monday. However, if you see him jogging through town, it’s probably not a ghost unless it’s on Halloween. McAvoy has had a home in Incline Village and has been entertaining locals and visitors for 35 years. His final performance is at the Piper Opera House in Virginia City on September 30. Thank you, Mac! By the way, that amphitheater is one of the best-kept secrets in Incline. It is a chapel too, and is available for weddings, nonprofit events, or anything else that does well outside on a nice Tahoe day or evening. St. Pat’s also has a back deck and lower patio on its main church building that can also be used for events.
Rumors abound about the Incline Plaza. I am here to lay those rumors to rest. No, the building is not being torn down to build luxury condos. Owner Gary Kasden tells me that a new European-style restaurant called La Loca is going into the FredRick’s space. The space where The Local bar is located is looking for a tenant. Gary explained that his vision for that building is services like Luxe Nails, Bridget Giroux Design, Incline Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine, Move Mountains, and Open Mortgage are on the upper level, while the lower level is geared toward restaurants, like our beloved Bite and Drink Coffee Do Stuff. Berkshire Hathaway is an anchor business on the ground level too. Oh, and just maybe that building will get a facelift down the road, something we would all like to see on many of the buildings on our “Main Street”, aka Tahoe Boulevard.
TONIGHT…
There are no less than five events tonight on a Wednesday! Bowl Incline and Alibi (both locations) have fun stuff. If you are looking for a job, or just curious about Natural Grocer, the community room at Incline Library is your destination. If you grew up with comic books, you need to go to the Lake Tahoe School’s speaker night and learn why kids(still!) love graphic novels. They don’t call them comic books anymore. I probably oversimplified this, so please go and set me straight. It’s in the new Bobcat Treehouse Library Media Center.
COMING UP THIS WEEKEND…
Golf tournaments…the annual Incline Village Hospital Auxiliary tournament on Saturday and a new event on Sunday to support Highlander Pride. If golf is not your thing, grab a garbage bag from IVGID and help clean up our Village and the East Shore. Saturday also brings an all-new event to Incline, the Incline Wine and Food event is high-end wine tasting in support of Boys and Girls Club and Incline Middle School. I can drink to that!
NEXT WEEK….
A big shout out to Bowl Incline for still supporting the victims of the Maui fire. Get a discount to eat spam “for a cause.” Who’s ever heard of OLLI? The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute brings adult education to Incline Village, courtesy of UNR@Lake Tahoe. For once, it’s something during the day! Come to the Prim Library next Tuesday at 10 am to learn from the Sanford Center for
Aging.
Find all of the details on the IVCBA.org calendar. Like the Local Lens? Like the SnapShot? Show your support by becoming a Community Supporter for $50. Find the Join button at the bottom of each page of the website.
North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation to Host Community Sukkot Festival Sunday, October 1
Experience the joy of Sukkot with friends, family, and your community in a joyful and festive atmosphere at the North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation’s Brisket and Brews Sukkot Fall Festival.
Experience delicious food, beer, a farmer’s market, live music, and kids’ activities at the North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation | 7000 Latone Avenue, Tahoe Vista, CA from 11am – 3pm on Sunday, October 1.
Temple members will serve traditional Jewish-style beef brisket and Challah bread along with tasty side dishes. Each admission includes a plate of food and a commemorative pint glass + one beer pour for the adults and a reusable water pouch for the kids. There will be live reggae music, kid’s activities including face painting and lawn games, and a farmers’ market.
Learn about the Jewish Fall holiday of Sukkot which celebrates and gives thanks for the bounty of the earth and meet the members of the North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation.
Tickets are on sale now! Advance tickets are $25 adults and $10 for kids \ $35 and $10 at the door.
In The News – The Ghost of Mark Twain takes a final bow: McAvoy Layne’s final performance is set for Piper’s Opera House on Sept. 30
September 19, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in The Reno News and Review 9/13/2023, Written by John Barrette
McAvoy Layne points to a large photograph on his living room wall to illustrate a story about his son’s view of his dad’s 35-year career as the Ghost of Mark Twain.
Years ago, Layne presented his son, a San Francisco 49ers fan, with a note from Jerry Rice, the team’s star wide receiver. The slip of paper had been inserted beneath the glass of a large photo of 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The younger Layne showed off the keepsake to a friend, who studied the photo above it and asked if the bearded man was Rice. “No, that’s Frederick Douglass,” his son replied. “He’s dead. All my dad’s heroes are dead.”
The scores of portraits that peer from the walls of Layne’s Incline Village home confirm that he does have a close connection to the 19th century. Some photos and artwork portray members of Mark Twain’s family and other contemporaries—but most of the portraits are of Twain, never smiling, captured with cameras and artists’ brushes throughout his life.
In The News – Great Sierra River Cleanup to host volunteer opportunities around the Basin
September 19, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in The Tahoe Daily Tribune 9/13/2023, Staff Submitted
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The Sierra Nevada Alliance and various host sites throughout the Sierra Nevada are hosting the Great Sierra River Cleanup on Saturday, September 23, 2023.
GSRC is a Sierra-wide watershed cleanup event coordinated by Sierra Nevada Alliance in collaboration with California’s Coastal Cleanup Day.
Last year, 249 volunteers removed 5,711 pieces of trash from 98 miles of Sierra Nevada waterways. SNA is looking to expand their efforts to make an even greater impact.
NTCA sponsors events that promote and manage visitation and collaborates with event organizations to achieve economic health, community vitality and environmental sustainability to benefit our residents, businesses and visitors.
This month, enjoy a Big Blue Adventure by signing up for the Sierra Charger e-mountain bike race, XTERRA Lake Tahoe, XTERRA Lake Tahoe 5K and 10K, the Lederhosen 5K at Tahoe City Oktoberfest, or the Great Trail Race. View September Races >
September 23: Tahoe City Oktoberfest
Join the lakeside Oktoberfest celebration at the Gatekeeper’s Museum in Tahoe City on September 23 from 12-5 PM. Enjoy craft beer, delicious food, pumpkin painting, balloon twisting, face painting, craft vendors, and more. Get Tickets >
September 30: Oktoberfest in the Village at Palisades Tahoe
This annual event offers authentic German food and beer, live entertainment including Bavarian music and dance, popular Oktoberfest Games and plenty of family fun. Get Tickets >
October 7-8: Made in Tahoe
Made in Tahoe celebrates all things local. The Village at Palisades Tahoe will host offerings made in or inspired by the Lake Tahoe Basin and Truckee areas. Discover, explore, and experience our rich community of talented creators while enjoying local food and beer. Learn More >
Community members are invited to learn more about hiring opportunities and the company, September 19-20, 2023
LAKEWOOD, Colo., Sept. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Natural Grocers®, the leading family-operated organic and natural grocery retailer in the U.S., is pleased to announce the planned opening of a new store in Incline Village, NV this winter. The store will be located at 873 Tahoe Blvd, Incline Village, NV 89451. Natural Grocers warmly invites residents of Incline Village and the surrounding communities to attend a special Hiring Event or a Meet & Greet event, September 19 and 20, 2023. Both events will give attendees the opportunity to learn more about the Company’s history, founding principles and future employment opportunities.
Natural Grocers will host two different events at separate locations: the first in Truckee, CA, on the morning of September 19th, and the second in Incline Village, on the evening of September 20th.
EVENT INFORMATION
Natural Grocers will host two different events at separate locations: the first in Truckee, CA, the morning of September 19, and the second in Incline Village, on the evening of September 20.
Truckee Hiring Event
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 19th, 10:00 AM– 4:00 PM
Location: SpringHill Suites Truckee
Address: 10640 East Jibboom Street, Truckee, CA 96161
“We are excited to be opening a new store in the picturesque, active city of Incline Village,” said Cameron Elder, Recruiter for Natural Grocers. “We’ve had community requests to open a store at this location for years. We look forward to serving the members of this community with our world-class customer service in the friendly and welcoming shopping environment we’re known for. Join us at one of our upcoming Community Meet & Greets to learn more about our stores, our passion for health and sustainable practices, and to ask us questions. We look forward to meeting our future customers and Crew members.”
Applicants interested in employment opportunities, can apply for consideration at www.careers-naturalgrocers.icims.com or by texting ‘GROW’ to 97211.i
COMPANY CULTURE & BENEFITS
Just like its dedication to its customers and community, Natural Grocers has a history of caring for Colorado communities and employees since it was established in 1955. Headquartered in Lakewood, CO, the Company employs about 1,600 Natural Grocers good4u® Crew members throughout its home state.
As part of the company’s Five Founding Principles, Natural Grocers supports all employees by offering:
Competitive pay, including the exclusive Natural Grocers Vitamin Bucks program, which provides their “Crew” (what Natural Grocers calls their employees) an extra $1-per-hour worked of in-store credit.
Birthday bonus pay: equal to one day’s pay, which originated from founder Margaret Isely’s tradition of celebrating the birthdays of all employees by preparing lunch for them. Once the company became larger, her children, the current executives of the company, implemented the policy of providing each employee with a full day’s pay on their birthday to say, “thank you for choosing to work with us.”
Company-wide store discounts and credits of up to 30 percent on all Natural Grocers’ products, provide employees with substantial savings on high-quality groceries and supplements to help them retain more of the dollars they earn.
Natural Grocers also offers comprehensive benefits packages to the more than 80 percent of its full-time employees, including medical, dental and vision insurance; flexible spending and health savings accounts; short- and long-term disability and life insurance; a 401K savings plan; generous paid time off; and extensive free nutrition education programs.
Natural Grocers offers 100-percent organic produce, 100-percent free-range eggs, 100-percent pasture-based dairy, GMO-free prepackaged bulk products, groceries that don’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives and prioritizes humanely raised meats produced without antibiotics, hormones or other growth promoters.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE: NGVC) is an expanding specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries, body care products, and dietary supplements. The products sold by Natural Grocers must meet strict quality guidelines and may not contain artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners, or partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils. The Company sells only USDA-certified organic produce and exclusively pasture-raised, non-confinement dairy products, and free-range eggs. Natural Grocers’ flexible smaller-store format allows it to offer affordable prices in a shopper-friendly, clean, and convenient retail environment. The Company also provides extensive free science-based Nutrition Education programs to help customers make informed health and nutrition choices. The Company, founded in 1955, has 164 stores in 21 states. Visit www.NaturalGrocers.com for more information and store locations.
i Natural Grocers respects your privacy and will not share your information with anyone. Message and data rates may apply. See naturalgrocers.com/privacy for its Privacy Policy and naturalgrocers.com/terms for terms of use. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
