In The News: Residents and visitors invited to ‘heal the land’ at 26th Annual Tahoe Forest Stewardship Days event
September 11, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune 9/11/2023, Member Submitted
LAKE TAHOE, Nev./Calif., – Each year since 1997, the League to Save Lake Tahoe has rallied hundreds of volunteers to revitalize forests, meadows, marshes and streams damaged by natural disasters, development from decades past, and agriculture.
This fall’s Tahoe Forest Stewardship Days event will focus on restoring an area impacted by the disastrous 2021 Caldor Fire, along with a popular beach on the Lake’s south shore.
Hands-on ecosystem restoration activities take place on Saturday, September 16.
The public is invited to come get their hands dirty, sweat a little, and leave feeling satisfied that they helped Keep Tahoe Blue. Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome.
In The News: Arts For The Schools reopens as Fox Cultural Hall
September 9, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Sierra Sun 9/09/2023, Written by Justin Scacco
KINGS BEACH, Calif. — After 40 years of operating in the area as Arts For The Schools, the nonprofit is now shifting to a different name — Fox Cultural Hall.
The Fox Cultural Hall, located at 8707 North Lake Boulevard in Kings Beach, reopened in March after four years of work and will now provide performance and arts space to the area’s schools and communities. The hall will be home to an array of programming such as visual arts, performing arts, live performances, classes, special events, and more.
“Operating under our new name Fox Cultural Hall, we have an expanded mission as arts presenter, educator, engager, and community partner; reflecting our long-standing dream to build a home for the arts,” said the nonprofit in a news release. “From the birth of our organization in 1984, beginning as the sole performing arts presenter in the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee region, we have worked tirelessly to promote the arts in North Lake Tahoe.”
In The News: Washoe County Sheriff’s Office to host community picnic, preparing to move back to substation
September 8, 2023 | Miranda Jacobson
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune 9/07/2023, Written by Miranda Jacobson
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is thrilled to invite the community to their annual Incline Community Picnic from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Ridgeline Ball Fields at Incline Middle School.
Community members are welcome to come enjoy free food at the picnic which will include hot dogs and hamburgers, while visiting with the WCSO and their special teams, including the mounted horse unit, the motors unit, the K9 unit, the RAVEN helicopter, the Marine 9 and crew members, the bomb squad, and more.
In addition, valuable resources in the community will be available to speak with, including the Child ID services, the Incline Village General Improvement District, Tahoe Family Solutions, TART, Sustainable Tahoe, Pet Network and WARF, and many more.
Over the years I’ve contented myself by collecting poignant quotes that I thought might shed some light upon a long and winding road toward old age. Today I opened that file and was astonished to discover it had grown to thirty pages in length. So I thought for fun I might like to select my ten favorite non-Twainian quotes, and share them with you here in this fine family journal…
The first comes to us from Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” Thank you, Mr. Emerson.
Number two comes from a man who lived for a hundred years, George Burns: “Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving taxicabs and cutting hair.” We miss you, George.
Number three is a lasting proverb from Mexico: “Eyes that see do not grow old.”
Number four comes from the pen of Luciano de Crescenzo: “We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly embracing each other.” For number five we call on Oscar Wilde: “The future is what artists are. Art is what makes the life of each citizen a sacrament and not a speculation.”
Number six flows from the founder of our nation, George Washington: “To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.” As an aside, Mark Twain proffered, “George Washington could not tell a lie. I can but choose not to.”
Number seven is a welcome to the world from Kurt Vonnegut; “Hello, babies, welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies -God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.” Vonnegut, as you know, loved Mark Twain.
Number eight goes to Florence Kennedy, who told it like it is: “The biggest sin is sitting on your ass.”
For number nine we call on Henry David Thoreau: “A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” Should you happen to live near Tahoe or Donner Lake, you might want to add: “Amen.”
Finally at number ten we return to Mr. Emerson, who reminds us, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
But I see I am running out of space and am only on page ten of thirty pages of my favorite quotes, so I shall have to continue this chronicle next week…
Written by Community Member Bethany Drysdale | Sep 6, 2023
Our region is prone to the potential of disasters including wildfires, floods, and earthquakes. September is National Preparedness Month, and Washoe County, City of Reno, City of Sparks, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, and REMSA Health remind residents to be prepared in case a disaster strikes. We all have a role to play when it comes to an emergency incident.
STAY INFORMED
Local public and first responder agencies encourage residents to sign up for Code Red, a reverse 9-1-1 system that will notify citizens of emergency and evacuation information. Recently, Washoe County Emergency Management enhanced emergency notifications with Perimeter, a new mapping software that allows first responders to enter incident locations and draw a perimeter around evacuation zones or map road closures, and instantly share with the public.
Traditional means of notification remain important today, such as the Emergency Alert System (EAS), a national warning system allowing authorized officials to broadcast emergency alerts and warning messages to the public via cable, satellite, or broadcast television, and both AM/FM and satellite radio.
Additionally, public agencies rely on our local media partners to report timely emergency information. Check all types of media – internet, newspapers, radio, TV – for local information and updates. Regional governments and first responder organizations in the Truckee Meadows have made it a priority to disseminate timely and important emergency information through social media and other digital means.
If conditions warrant and are safe, as a last resort, first responders may travel through neighborhoods with sirens and may go door to door to notify residents of imminent evacuations and other important messages.
EVACUATIONS
Citizens have responsibilities in an emergency. It is important to remember that if you are asked to evacuate, you have minutes, not hours. You must heed the calls of first responders and go! First responders often have little time to follow up and ensure nearby residents evacuate once announcements are made to leave their homes and neighborhoods.
Know your escape route(s) and all options available to exit your community. Prepare ahead of time a plan of how you will leave, and where you will go, and practice.
It is important to prepare for a power outage. Know how to open your automatic garage door or entry gate should the power fail. Have flashlights with fresh batteries on hand. Stay calm. Prepare to be self-sufficient for at least three days.
Preparation for natural disasters concept
This may mean providing for your own shelter, first aid, food, water, and sanitation. It is also critical to ensure you have prescription medications on hand. Make plans with your family and friends in case you’re not together during an emergency. Discuss how you’ll contact each other, where you’ll meet, and what you’ll do in different situations. Participate in practice drills with loved ones.
If you have neighbors with disabilities or elderly, hard of hearing, or sight impaired, reach out and help them become informed and prepared.
Have a plan in place for pets. If local officials ask you to evacuate, that means your pet should evacuate too. If you leave your pets behind, they may end up lost, injured, or worse.
Being prepared can reduce fear, anxiety, and losses that accompany disasters. Communities, families, and individuals should know what to do in the event of a wildfire, powerful storm or other catastrophic events that disrupt our daily lives. They should be ready to evacuate their homes, take refuge in public shelters or have other accommodations planned, and know how to care for their basic medical needs.
In The News – Washoe County Commissioners raise STR fees, discuss work to be done for the program
September 6, 2023 | Miranda Jacobson
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune 8/31/2023, Written by Miranda Jacobson
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— The Washoe County Board of Commissioners voted to increase fees related to short-term rentals in the county after it was revealed that Washoe County tax payers are currently subsidizing the STR program.
Standards and regulations were established for STRs in the county in 2021 after a two-plus year public interaction process. These standards address quality of life impacts, occupancy, safety, and other aspects of STRs that seemed to cause problems in local communities.
The initial fees that were set were based on future projections and “guesstimates,” leading to the expectation that staff would need to reassess the fees after the program was established. Issues that were identified with the program currently include the program being understaffed, meaning it does not operate at maximum efficiency, leading to delays in processing and responses. Additionally, Planning and Building Division Director Kelly Mullen explained during her presentation that general taxpayer dollars have been heavily subsidizing the STR program.
Originally Published in The Sierra Sun 9/01/2023, Written by Kayla Anderson
While the pandemic changed the way that some restaurants and bars do business now, there are still several places around the Tahoe basin that offer patrons some of their most popular food and drinks at amazing prices near the end of the workday. Here are some of the best midweek (and sometimes weekend) après-activities food and beverage deals around the lake that invite you to come eat, drink, and be happy:
Incline Village
Glasses Wine Bar
On Tuesdays-Fridays from 3pm-6pm, head over to Glasses Wine Bar on 760 Mays Boulevard #8 to get 15% off all wine, including the ones you can pour yourself out of the various wine dispensers. Sit at the bar and you can also try four wines for just $15. Ladies can get 20% off wine selections on Thursdays all day long, and Glasses opens at 3 p.m.
No matter how it felt last weekend, fall is not officially here until September 21! I am not a weather expert, but 35 years of living in Incline tells me that we are likely to have another cold spell in September with snow, and then it will just be a nice warm fall through October. How’s that for a forecast looking through my rose-colored glasses?
I must give kudos to NDOT, Washoe County, and the crews working literally night and day on our roads. There are SO many improvements…have you noticed the more accessible sidewalks? I plan to remind Commissioner Hill that she budgeted money for more sidewalk snow removal this year. Not that it necessarily makes them safe to walk on, especially if we have another big snow year. Not making any predictions…but I am optimistic that the potholes will not return in such a bad way as they did this year. I replaced 3 tires on my 2013 Lexus sedan last winter due to potholes. I LOVE that car, but my husband tells me I can’t keep driving through snow banks higher than my car.
We have an IVCBA BizBuz Mixer next Tuesday at Raley’s Center! This is a good old-fashioned gathering in the parking lot next to Umpqua Bank, starting at 4:30 pm. With Umpqua as the main host, T’s Rotisserie is catering. Mountain Hardware, Raley’s, The Potlatch, and Gail Krolick from Alpine Realty are also participating. This is a chance to meet up with other locals, some old friends…and make some new ones.
Back to School Nights…it’s a big week. If you are a parent, show up! You will be amazed at the dedication and high quality of the teaching staff.
New Principal, Dan Lediard welcomes 2 new additions to IMS:
Robert Riley – librarian & computer science teacher
Crystal Preciado-Ramierez- CLS
IMS falls sports teams (Cross Country and Girls Basketball) have started their seasons and Homework Club is in full swing, meeting M-Th right after school.
Incline High School is excited to announce that they are now offering on-site College Counseling!
Seniors will have first dibs (for obvious reasons) at access to services during their first period ADVISORY.
Watch this column for more detailed information next week.
Hispanic Parent Night is TODAY, Wednesday, 9/6 at 6 p.m. in the Duffield Theater
Back to School night was a great success! There was a huge turnout as parents got to meet their students’ teachers and lots of school spirit was on display.
Don’t forget to join the BOOSTERS -if you haven’t already- so that you can attend any/all sporting events for free! https://inclineboosters.com/join-us/
Football, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball, Cross country, Girls Golf, and Cheer are all in full swing. Check out the IHS website for game schedules. Volunteers are always needed to help at the games.
Join the community for a one-mile, paved road hikes to the Crystal Bay lookout site that usually include a spectacular sunset and ensuing moonrise. The outing includes transportation, wine, cheese, and snacks provided by IVGID Senior Programs. Sign up and enjoy the views, friends, refreshments, and fun!
Participants are encouraged to wear warm clothing and bring a flashlight. If you would like to participate, but are unable to hike either or both ways, you may ride in the van to join the group at the top and enjoy the views and the fun!
Details
Who: Seniors 55+ (Adults 21+ welcome)
Times: Meet at the Recreation Center at 5:45 p.m. for check-in and be ready for a 6:00 p.m. departure.
