Originally Published in The Moonshine Ink 10/30/2023, Written by Moonshine Ink Staff.

INCLINE VILLAGE: An organized effort to recall Sara Schmitz and Matthew Dent, trustees for the Incline VIllage General Improvement District, has failed.

Of the required 1,801 valid signatures for each trustee, there were 1,726 for Dent and 1,687 for Schmitz, per the Nevada Secretary of State.

Schmitz and Dent declined to comment on the announcement.

Trish McKowen, who was part of the recall committee, told Moonshine Ink the final result was a surprise. She said they had collected 2,216 signatures for Schmitz and 2,140 for Dent, but that some were ultimately not recognized by Washoe County due to duplications, ineligible signatures, and the like. The committee is working with an attorney to understand what possibilities exist.

READ MORE >

Originally Published in The Moonshine Ink 10/12/2023, Written by Melissa Siig

The West Shore community’s uproar over plans to turn Homewood Mountain Resort into a private ski area has paid off  — JMA Ventures and Discovery Land Company announced they are no longer pursuing a private model, but instead plan to keep the ski area public while also selling lifetime memberships. They have further dropped plans to build the development in the mountain modern architectural style and instead reverted back to the Old Tahoe style as outlined in the 2011 master plan, once again ceding to community demands. However, Keep Homewood Public, a grassroots advocacy coalition formed earlier this year, remains wary of these promises until concrete assurances are in place that JMA and Discovery will follow through with plans to maintain public access to the mountain.

“The intent remains the same about updating Homewood’s infrastructure and creating a bed base at the mountain, but there has been an evolution,” said Ed Divita, partner at Discovery Land Company, which oversees sales, marketing, and operations of the new development. “We are taking into account feedback from the local community and TRPA [Tahoe Regional Planning Agency] and members of the design review committee.”

READ MORE >

Originally Published in The Sierra Sun 10/27/2023, Written by McAvoy Lane

The first thing I did on my first day of retirement was to toss my Mickey Mouse alarm clock out the window. Then I started pricing marimba’s, as I have a latent desire to make some music. Also I’m looking for books to learn Spanish because it is a beautiful language and I want to get closer to some of my interesting neighbors.

And too, because I have this computer chock full of photos of interesting people and places that I encountered during my 35 years of pretending to be Mark Twain, I’m starting an illustrated memoir, The Incredible Lightness of Being the Ghost of Mark Twain.

Just this morning I came across an early PINE NUTS photo that made me smile…

READ MORE >

Photo provided by The Bonanza

The rebranded Tahoe Guide has launched its next chapter as Tahoe and Truckee’s premier, and original, visitor guide with a new name and the launch of its new membership program – the Patron Circle. Tahoe Guide was previously known as Tahoe Weekly. 

“The name Tahoe Guide reflects who we are today and who we have been for the last several years more than the previous name,” said Hill.  

“The new name is fitting in many ways. It reflects our roots as the region’s original visitor guide and we are known as the music guide, the food guide, the arts guide, the outdoor guide and the sightseeing guide. We also publish “guides” throughout the year including our Family Fun, Downhill, Backcountry, Nordic, Golf, and Tahoe Music, Events & Festivals guides,” she said. 

Publisher/Owner & Editor In Chief Katherine E. Hill made the announcement in late-August as she approaches the 10-year anniversary of taking the helm of the beloved publication that has provided visitors and local with information about what to do in Tahoe and Truckee for more than 40 years. 

Hill is only the third owner of the publication that was founded on Feb. 18, 1982, by the late David Mogilefsky. She took over the reins of the magazine in November 2013. 

Readers can support the publication by donating to the new Patron Circle membership through the nonprofit News Revenue Hub at tahoeguide.fundjournalism.org.

“We employ local writers and staff to produce quality, well-researched articles to tell the stories of Tahoe from local artists and restaurants, to wildfire preparedness and public access to the backcountry, to local history and visitor impacts,” Hill added. 

“I hope our readers will support our continued work by joining our Patron Circle at tahoeguide.fundjournalism.org,” she said.

About Tahoe Guide

Tahoe Guide is published monthly Oct.-Nov. & Jan.-April, and twice a month May-Sept. & in December. It is distributed free at more than 300 locations in Tahoe and Truckee, and is also available at visitor centers in Sacramento, Reno, Auburn, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Carson City, Gardnerville, Markleeville, Graeagle, Portola, Sierraville and Loyalton. Visit YourTahoeGuide.com.

Contact:

Katherine E. Hill 

Publisher/Owner & Editor In Chief, Tahoe Guide 

publisher@yourtahoeguide.com

(530) 546-5995, ext. 102

YourTahoeGuide.com

@TahoeGuide

Originally Published in The Tahoe Daily Tribune 10/26/2023, Submitted

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.— The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office recently purchased six Recon E-Bikes which will be utilized in the Incline Village area beginning in the Spring of 2024.  

Of the six, two will be assigned to the Incline High School Resource Deputies and four will be assigned to Deputies working Incline Village patrol and special events.

“Implementing E-Bikes in a patrol capacity is the first by any law enforcement agency in Northern Nevada,” said Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam.  “The six bikes will help with traffic and code enforcement around Incline Village and allow deputies to patrol areas in Incline which have been previously difficult to reach, including beaches, areas around Sand Harbor and trailheads.”

READ MORE >

I’m deathly afraid of bedbugs myself, and even turned down a chance to compete in the 1964 Olympic Games because I could not face the possibility of a bedbug nibbling on my toenails in Tokyo on the night before the diving finals. If I had another opportunity to compete in the Paris Olympics this coming summer I would not go for the same reason. I’ve heard in Paris the little bloodsuckers do not stop at the toenail, but go for the whole toe, then beg for more. But help is on the way…

Apparently, Morocco has a surplus of cockroaches, and what do cockroaches love most in this world to eat? Right, bedbugs. So Morocco is offering to send Paris boxcars full of cockroaches, trainloads full of them, until all the bedbugs in Paris are entirely consumed by the voracious cockroaches.

So then you might want to ask, “What are those Parisians going to do with all those millions of cockroaches?” Well, who loves a cockroach for an appetizer more than a mongoose?  And Africa just happens to have an abundance of mongooses. I humbly suggest asking Africa to send as many mongooses as they can possibly spare. And if Africa will part with them, Bingo! No cockroaches in Paris for the Olympic Games.

But who wants a mongoose slithering between his sheets on the night before a 100-meter dash for Olympic Gold? I would suggest bringing in snakes, but when a snake confronts a mongoose, well, I’ve heard the snake always meets his maker. Yet even a slippery mongoose must have a predator, and yes, I’ve been advised by the first person I asked, it is the bird of prey, and who in God’s Green Acre harbors the most raptors? We do, the Great State of Nevada. We’ve got eagles, hawks, falcons, vultures, even a Great Horned Owl, who just craves dining on fresh mongoose, if he can find one. Our Nevada raptors might not recognize a mongoose if they saw one, but once they get used to examining their slithery moves, well, it’s goodbye mongooses.

Ultimately, who better to rescue Paris and eliminate the bedbugs? You guessed it, the Great State of Nevada.

Some people only think of Nevada as a place where the word “book” is a verb. Some who visit Nevada don’t know not to split their tens, and will take the “Under” on the National Anthem in the Super Bowl when everybody in Nevada knows if Chris Stapleton is scheduled to sing the Anthem, he’s going to hold that last note like a grudge, but then, our visitors learn, and they have a good time while they’re at it.”

Actually, when you think about it…it might make more sense to just ask the Great State of Nevada to host the 2024 Olympic Games. We have spectacular venues and great sportsbooks, and thanks to the high desert, we are totally free of the dreaded bedbug…

Audio: https://anchor.fm/mcavoy-layne

Written by Tia Rancort – Public Education/Information Officer NLTFPD 

As the colder temperatures and precipitation approach, it is time to prepare to winterize your surroundings and vehicles to stay safe and comfortable.

Here is a checklist to ensure you are well-prepared for the winter season:

Home Preparedness Tips:

• Test smoke alarms/carbon monoxide (CO) alarms regularly in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of your home.
• Keep flashlights, battery-powered lighting, and fresh batteries on hand.
• Turn off portable heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Schedule a professional inspection and servicing for your furnace.
• Have your chimney cleaned and inspected by a qualified professional to prevent chimney fires.
• Look out for your neighbors and offer assistance to those who may require help.
• Remind children to avoid downed wires and report them to the authorities.
• Keep a covered metal container for the disposal of cooled ashes. Residents may request a free ash can by filling out an application available at the Fire District Administration Office, 866 Oriole Way, Incline Village. Visit our website for more information on our Ash Can program.

Travel Tips:

• Keep emergency supplies in your vehicle, including a blanket, change of clothes, flashlight, food, and water.
• Ensure your cell phone is charged and carry it with you.
• Have an ice scraper and snow brush on hand.
• Maintain a full gas tank for emergency situations.
• Check weather updates from the national weather service, state department of transportation, or local media before traveling.

Helpful Contact Phone Numbers/Websites:

• NV 511 Traveler Information System: Call 511 within Nevada or 877-NVROADS outside of Nevada, https://www.nvroads.com/
• CAL TRANS Road Conditions: Call 800/427-7623, https://dot.ca.gov/travel
• Reno National Weather Service: Call 775/673-8100, Reno, NV (weather.gov)
• Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) Public Works: Call 775/832-1203, https://www.yourtahoeplace.com/ivgid
• Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO): Call 775/328-3001, https://www.washoesheriff.com/
• North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFPD): Call 775/831-0351, https://www.nltfpd.org/
• Southwest Gas (SWG) Emergency Dispatch: 800/772-4555 (Northern Nevada and California), https://www.swgas.com/
• NV Energy: Call 775/834-4100, https://www.nvenergy.com/
• Liberty Utilities: Call 800/782-2506, https://libertyutilities.com/
• Washoe County Emergency Management: Call 775/337-5898, https://www.washoecounty.gov/em/

Stay safe and prepared for the winter season!

IN AN EMERGENCY, CALL 911

*Photo Credit Scott Gaffney ?