Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 08/12/2024, Written by Kayla Anderson

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – On the evening of August 6, Aistë “Ice” Masters and her 13-year-old son Timmy were sitting in the front row of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival (LTSF) The Merry Wives of Windsor show laughing hysterically. This was a special night for them considering sign-language interpreters Jo Dunlap and Shawna Hafen were there, allowing them both to get the full Shakespearian theater experience.

Although the Masters’s have lived in Stateline for 18 years, this was the first time that they attended an LTSF performance. Timmy was born profoundly deaf in both ears, suffering from bilateral hearing loss. He wears a cochlear device which maybe gives him 50% hearing, but the sounds are different. It takes a lot of effort to depend on it for hearing and the devices can fail, so deaf people tend to primarily use sign language as it’s a more reliable source of communication. Ice herself took six levels of American Sign Language (ASL) at Lake Tahoe Community College when he was born and used it to communicate with him as a baby and toddler.

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Photo: Interpreters Jo Dunlap and Shawna Hafen. Provided / Angie Reagan

Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 08/09/2024, Written by Clare McArther

Three summers ago, the Caldor Fire burned its way up the Western Slope into the Tahoe Basin, scorching 221,835 acres. The fire burned for over two months, cloaking the lake and its surrounding communities in unprecedented smoke. While hundreds fled the area — by choice or mandatory evacuation — scientists took to the water to try and better understand how the smoke and ash were impacting the lake. 

With wildfires increasing in frequency and intensity, especially in California, understanding their impact on such a vital resource is key. Ten of the largest California wildfires in recorded history have occurred in the last 20 years with five taking place in 2020 alone, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System. 

“Fire is going to be a bigger component of the landscape for the next 100 years, without question, under best case scenarios,” confirms Dr. Steve Sadro, U.C. Davis associate professor of environmental science and policy.

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Photo: Researchers from all around the basin collected data on water quality, ash nutrient content, algae growth and more. Photos by Linda Carter

Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 08/07/2024, Written by Brenna O’Boyle

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – The Incline Village General Improvement District has made no effort to control payroll costs, according to the May 2024 Treasurer’s report presented by Trustee Raymond Tulloch during the Wednesday, July 31 board of trustees meeting.

“We’re running well ahead of budget, which is not a good thing in this case,” Tulloch said. 

Total payroll and accounts payable expenses are $4,649,661. 

Total year to date payroll and accounts payable are $53,902,035. 

Tulloch went over the investments including total market value of investments $36,220,829; total monthly interest and dividends $141,539; and total monthly deposits, withdrawals and change in value $17,964. 

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Submitted by NLTFPD, Tia Rancourt, 08/07/2024

Summer is in full gear and the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District wants to help you lower the risk of wildfires in our community and, your home. 

Chipping & Defensible Space Inspections:

Remember to sign up for your FREE Defensible Space Inspection and take advantage of our Chipping Service. Both services are free! Service requests are addressed on a first-come, first-served basis so sign up today! 

To sign up for a Defensible Space Inspection visit https://www.defensiblespacereport.org/northlaketahoe.

To sign up for Chipping Service visit https://reserve.chipperday.com/northlaketahoe. Take advantage of Waste Management’s Residential Curbside yard Debris Recycling Program. The next collection will be September 10 – November 1, 2024

Safeguard your home from potential wildfires and learn more about what you can do to protect your home, for example home hardening. Discover what you can do to retrofit existing components of your home to withstand fire.

Evacuation:

In the event of an evacuation or other type of disaster, how do you stay informed? For Washoe County residents, please sign up forCodeRED. Remember to Make a plan, Assemble a Kit and Stay informed. Learn more about what to expect in an evacuation. The Washoe County Emergency Management team put together an informative Evacuation Video that outlines the sequence of events in an evacuation:

1. First responders (fire or law enforcement) determine public threats.
2. Evacuation area is based on several details such as speed of threat, likelihood of impact to an area, population of area etc. 
3. Request is sent to Emergency Management for an Evacuation Alert.
4. Evacuation point is identified – Emergency Management works with Emergency Shelter Council to identify an evacuation point or shelter location. Once the location is decided it is populated on the Perimeter map www.perimetermap.com/washoe.
5. Evacuation alerts are sent via alerting software. Alerts are sent through several ways including wireless emergency alerts, cell towers to cell phones, emergency alerting system (EAS) to radios and television, reverse dial to landlines, emails, TTD, and social media.
6. Alerts and information can always be found at www.perimetermap.com/washoe or, www.emergencywashoe.com. Alerts will include information such as type of threat, directions, where to go, how to find information and to link towww.perimermap.com which will show information on evacuation areas, routes, road closures, and where you are in relation to all of those things.
7. Factors in selecting an evacuation area include: the size and population density of an area, local events, the number of roads in and out of the area, and the speed of the threat towards the area.
8. Phase evacuation to avoid traffic – first responders will attempt to evacuate areas in phases to avoid traffic issues and secondary emergencies. 
9. Expect to see various first responders and supportive agencies during an evacuation event. 

Practice your personal preparedness evacuation plans and drills. For more information or a template on how to build your plan, please visit www.washoeready.com.

Summer Fire Restrictions:

Our summer fire restrictions are still in effect for Incline Village and Crystal Bay, NV. Recreational fires (wood or charcoal fire within a non-combustible container with a 1/8” mesh screen) are still allowed with a permit.

Please note, however, that recreational fires are not permissible on short-term rental properties. Visit www.nltfpd.org/outdoor-burning for more information.

Barbeque grilling (natural gas, propane, charcoal) is still allowed. All grilling appliances shall be used within the manufacturer’s guidelines and recommendations. This also includes smokers and pellet stoves.

Follow these simple safety tips when using solid-fuel, charcoal, or propane grills.

• Propane, charcoal, and other solid-fuel grills should only be used outdoors.
• The grill should be placed far away from the home, deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
• Never leave your grill unattended.
• Always make sure your gas grill lid is open before lighting it.

Charcoal Grills:

• Charcoal grills are prohibited on combustible surfaces.
• There are several ways to get the charcoal ready to use. Charcoal chimney starters allow you to start the charcoal using newspaper as a fuel.
• If you use a starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire.

• Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.
• There are also electric charcoal starters, which do not use fire. Be sure to use an extension cord for outdoor use.
• When you are finished grilling, let the coals completely cool before disposing in a metal container. Contact the Fire District for a free ash can (residents will need to have some type of wood-burning heating appliance to be considered for the program). To obtain a free ash can, residents may fill out an application at the Fire District Administration Office, 866 Oriole Way, Incline Village. If the required criteria are met, an ash can will be provided.

Propane Grills:

• Check the gas tank hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year.
• Apply light soap and water solution to the hose. A propane leak will release bubbles.
• If your grill has a gas leak, by smell, or the soapy bubble test, and there is no flame, turn off the gas tank and grill. If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again. If the leak does not stop, call the fire department.
• If you smell gas while cooking, immediately leave the grill and call the fire department. Do not move the grill.
• If the flame goes out, turn the grill and gas off and wait at least 15 minutes before re-lighting it.

Please note: No open flame of any kind is allowed during Red Flag Warnings.

Fire restrictions may be different in other Fire Districts, State and Federal lands.

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 08/02/2024, Written by Brenna O’Boyle

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – Professional alpine ski racer Lila Lapanja is officially a marketing ambassador for Incline Village General Improvement District’s recreation venues after the board approved the agreement at a recent meeting. 

“If you’d like to come up to Diamond Peak and see Lila talk to the kids and sign autographs, talk to the customers at the resort about her journey and being raised in Incline Village and skiing on the slopes at Diamond Peak … I think you’d get a great sense of what I mean by she’s a great ambassador for our region and for the ski hill,” said IVGID Marketing and Communications Manager Paul Raymore. “I think the compensation in this potential agreement is in line with and is actually probably a great deal in terms of getting great photo shoots with a very accomplished skier. She’s got a great story to tell and is also local.” 

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To celebrate the end of summer and the North Lake Tahoe community, NTBA is thrilled to announce our Lights In the Sky Drone Show to kick off Labor Day weekend! Please join us for this special night with amazing live music from Bicicletas Por La Paz followed by a spectacular custom drone light show with 300 drones flying over Lake Tahoe, brought to you by Sky Elements Drone Shows.

THIS EVENT IS FOR YOU! NTBA wants to celebrate our family, friends, business community, neighbors, and visitors! This event is NTBA’s way of saying thank you for supporting one another, for supporting our businesses and employees, for welcoming our visitors, and for continuing to support NTBA and all our efforts through thick and thin.

In partnership with Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit, NTBA is proud to announce a free Park and Ride Program to and from Music on the Beach and Lights in the Sky drone show to end our summer concert series. Riders may park for free at the lower Northstar parking lot and take a free shuttle to Kings Beach and back between 5:30pm and 10pm. 

Originally published in Live.Work.Play. featuring photo/photos of trailer park at Ski Beach circa 1960

Written by Richard Miner for LIVE.WORK.PLAY

One of the most interesting things about living here in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the shores of Lake Tahoe comes from the fact that we who are fortunate enough to reside or even visit here can literally walk in the almost still quivering footsteps of some of the most interesting characters this part of the world has known. And to add physical presence to legend, some of the artifacts left by these characters are still visible around us to this day. In saying this I mean no disrespect to the Native Americans who called this area their home for centuries before our forefathers first set sights on Tahoe, but when I was asked to contribute articles about the history of our community I envisioned a period of time that began much more recently than the Washoe elders would have imagined.

That said, with so many subjects to consider, I’ve tried to focus attention on sights which are still in evidence and people who are still among us or only recently departed in the historical sense. After several years of offering perspective on these subjects, I am constantly reminded that still living among us are some of the earliest “modern” residents of this area, and that we are still surrounded by the physical presence of their recent but rapidly vanishing artifacts—buildings, structures, trees still bearing the scars of human activity and the like.

So in this issue of L.W.P. I pay brief homage to a slice of our history that spans the end of George Whittell’s ownership of the shoreline at what is now Incline’s Ski Beach and the early days of it’s possession by The Crystal Bay Development Company. I want to use this as an opportunity for any of our readers or their friends to contact me via my editor Kathy Slocum’s website to add to our history by suggesting topics for future articles and/or to offer to contribute their own recollections of life here during their lifetimes. As spice for this offer, one subject about which I know very little is the old trailer park which once stood at the foot of where Village Blvd. meets the beach at Lakeshore Drive. Do any of our readers have any memory of this once vibrant little community and/or the people who lived or vacationed there? And do any of you have other subjects or memories of early Incline or Crystal Bay you would like to help me explore in future issues of L.W.P.? If so, please email kathy@justimaginemktg.com
Photo Caps:

View of the Incline Trailer Park circa 1960 from Lake Tahoe showing the caretaker’s house and some of the residents period “mobile homes.”

Believe it or not, the caretaker’s home was moved when the park closed to 940 Village Drive where it exists to this day.