Should policies to increase voter registration and education be adopted at the state or federal level? Is automatic voter registration or same-day registration a good fit for Nevada? Should voting be a required duty of U.S. citizenship, possibly paired with a new voter orientation?  

The Incline Village Library is excited to host the next event in its Tahoe Talks: Civic Engagement series, focusing on a crucial topic this fall: Voter Registration and Education. As the nation prepares for upcoming elections, this roundtable offers a valuable opportunity for the community to come together and engage in meaningful dialogue about how we can strengthen voter participation and education.

Guiding this thoughtful discussion will be two expert speakers: Professor John Duerk, PhD, Political Science at Western Nevada College, and Noah Glick, Executive Editor of Sierra Nevada Ally. Their insights will provide valuable context to the conversation, helping attendees explore different perspectives and possible solutions to voter engagement challenges. 

Each time I attend a Tahoe Talks, I come away learning so much and with a feeling of understanding.  This event provides a unique opportunity to hear first-hand perspectives, share ideas, and learn from one another without the pressure of political polarization. Whether you’re for or against certain policies, this open forum invites civil discourse on important questions.  

The series is designed to inspire civic engagement, drawing from key principles outlined in Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century. Throughout 2024, the series will address critical aspects of citizenship and democracy, encouraging informed participation at every level. Copies of Our Common Purpose, published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, are available at the Incline Village Library for those interested in diving deeper into these topics. 

Whether you’re a seasoned voter or someone newly exploring your civic duties, this event offers a perfect space to connect with your community and engage in a respectful, constructive dialogue. Don’t miss this opportunity to share your voice and help shape the future of our democracy. 

As we are all aware, Washoe County is in a State of Emergency due to the Davis fire. Our emergency response teams have been working around the clock to fight this fire and provide the much-needed services. United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra has established the Davis Creek Fire Emergency Assistance Fund. The funds will be allocated to agencies identified by UWNNS as assisting with the response and recovery efforts. This will be done through their pre-existing allocations process .Please see their message below. 

Just a heads up that we are spinning up the Davis Creek Fire Emergency Assistance Fund which is a fundraising tool we make available to our communities when a state of emergency is declared.  I want to be clear that this is not meant to be in the way of any other efforts…we will not take any administrative fees out of funds and they will go to organizations helping with response and recovery efforts moving forward.  As you know, this is a rapidly evolving emergency so we appreciate your patience if anything we have listed needs to be fixed.

Emergency Assistance Fund link: https://www.uwnns.org/eaf

• Please note: this is a page that we are actively updating…if you have an update we need to put on there, send them to me at your convenience.
• If the disaster transitions to a large-scale effort, we will create a webpage that lists information for people who need help or want to provide assistance…using the same link.

Details on the fund:

• UWNNS will not deduct an administrative fee from the gifts.
• Funds will be allocated to agencies that UWNNS has identified as assisting with response and recovery efforts using our pre-existing allocations process.
  • Volunteers on our Community Impact Committee and Board of Directors will have final oversight of our allocations efforts.
  • Funded partners will typically be 501c3 Nonprofits that we already work with and we can also allocate to Government-affiliated organizations.
• Our main goal is to stay out of the way of those doing the work on the ground.
  • This is not meant to take the place of any other fundraising, volunteering or in-kind donation efforts.
  • We only seek to enhance efforts currently underway by raising funds from our donor-base and helping to pivot volunteers and in-kind gifts to the agencies working with affected households.
    • Please note, at this time, volunteers and in-kind gifts have not been requested of UWNNS…we will wait and see if those resources are needed.
  • In essence, our job is to “have their backs”.

Who we’ve talked to so far:

• Community Foundation of Northern Nevada – our partners in the funding-space.  Eaton and team have already organized other funders to get ready for a funding push (wow!) and utilize our EAF page as part of that effort.  THANK YOU CFNN TEAM! – https://nevadafund.org/
• American Red Cross Northern Nevada Chapter – Tiandra and her team have been on the ground responding to the disaster and have been operating the shelter at Washoe County Senior Center (wow!) this whole time.  I’ve connected with her in regards to timing of their next phase of recovery efforts in partnership with the County and will be ready once needs are ascertained. – https://www.redcross.org/local/nevada/about-us/locations/Northern-Nevada.html
• Foodbank of Northern Nevada – Nicole and team are connecting with regional partners to assess needs. – https://fbnn.org/

• FISH – is preparing / ready to assist clients with food / shelter / vouchers. – https://www.nvfish.com/
• Nevada Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: As per our membership on the VOAD, we primarily serve in a Fundraising / Allocations and Community Connection capacity during disasters…we are just getting started now before VOAD decides on a full activation. – https://www.nvvoad.org/

Blake A. Pang (he, him & his)  

President & CEO

p. 775-531-0271

e. blake.pang@uwnns.org  

​

United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra  

639 Isbell Rd., Suite 460, Reno, NV 89509​

Originally Published in the Reno Gazette Journal, 09/10/24, Written by Jason Hidalgo

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the Davis Fire area on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the agency forecasting especially strong wind gusts on Wednesday that could complicate efforts to contain the wildfire.

The red flag warning is in effect from 11 a.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Wednesday for the Western Nevada Sierra Front, which includes Reno, Sparks and Carson City.

Tuesday will start out with light and variable wind gusts in a southwest direction before picking up later in the day. Wind gusts are forecast to peak at 25 mph and go as high as 30 to 35 mph at higher elevations, said NWS meteorologist Mark Deutschendorf. 

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Photo Credit: Reno Gazette Journal

IVCBA is excited to announce a new advertising program designed to give local businesses an affordable way to reach an engaged audience. With an impressive average 62% open rate and 15% click rate, Snapshot’s subscribers are highly interactive, making this a valuable opportunity for businesses looking to expand their reach.

Example of Ad size (1200 x 300 px)

These ads can highlight events, sales, and promotions, offering a great way to drive traffic and boost engagement. Each ad will include a clickable link to the advertiser’s chosen URL, maximizing exposure and generating leads.

Key benefits include:

• Cost-Effective: Introductory pricing for IVCBA members
• Targeted Exposure: Advertisers can reach a highly engaged, local audience.
• Flexibility: Promote events, discounts, and more with ease.
• Scalability: As the program succeeds, businesses can continue to advertise at competitive rates.

Ready to participate? Submit your banner ad, click-through link, and promotion details, and we’ll help you elevate your brand visibility!

For more information, contact Mike O’Neill : mike@ivcba.org

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to grow your business with Snapshot!

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 09/09/2024, Written by Tim Kelly

The Incline High boys soccer team went .500 last week as they started league play with a tough match at Truckee High and then dominated out in Yerington.

For the second game in a row the Highlanders came out fast and scored a quick goal against a very strong Truckee Wolverine team to go up 1-0. Junior, Jesus Herrera, scored a beautiful goal in the first 5 minutes to stun Truckee and their home crowd. Unfortunately, like the North Valleys game, the Wolverines found the back of the net just before the half time whistle to tie the game at 1-1.

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Bachelor parties are becoming more dignified these days. At least that’s my take on the two bachelor parties I have hosted in An Evening with Mark Twain. It seems a literary night out for literary fellows can beat a night out in Mound House, and may be a leetle less expensive. The eight noble fellows who attended my Big Fat Bachelor Party last night were perfect gentlemen and likeable literary lads, as opposed to Attila and the Huns I used to hang out with on the Island of Maui some years ago. It made me proud to be an American, though in full disclosure, I did miss that lady popping out of that cake…

A couple summers ago I got a call from a young man who told me, “I asked my brother whom he might like to have a conversation with, dead or alive, and he told me, Mark Twain. There are too many of us for your venue, but we’d like to send a limousine for you, and fulfill my brother’s wish at his South Shore bachelor party.”

What could I say to that? So I rode in comfort to South Shore, where they hid me in a cellar while they loosened up brother with some whiskey before asking, “So Brother, I once asked you whom you might like to have a conversation with dead or alive…do you remember your answer?”

Just here I crossed my fingers and closed my eyes in hoping he would not say Oscar Wilde, and sure enough he said, Mark Twain, whereupon I made my way slowly, one noisy step at a time, up the wooden stairs into a kitchen that was in silent anticipation, then suddenly burst forth in full-throated laughter and joy. I’ve never had such a warm reception as Mark Twain, as “Brother” shook my hand like a water pump, and hugged the air right out of my white suit. The other brother handed me a glass of whiskey and I proceeded to propose a toast to the groom, and provide him with some valuable advice toward achieving a happy and lasting marriage.

We then adjourned to the large deck outside where I was able to hold forth and fill the assembled faithful with as much wisdom and humor as they could stand. Once they were full to bursting with sagacity, they invited me to join them on a sojourn to Mound House, at which point I glanced at my pocket watch and realized it was already passed my bedtime, so I humbly thanked them for their gracious hospitality, and bid them a hearty goodnight.

On the quiet ride home, I had time to absorb the joy that filled my heart after fulfilling a young man’s wish on the night before he was to start a new life alongside his bride as they vowed to, “be by your side through sickness and in health, poverty and in wealth, forever and always.”

Wow…

Audio: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Fhv4PrH1UuwlhbnTT23zO

Submitted by Incline Village Library

Saturday, Sept.14 at 11 am, we will be hosting Reno local pediatrician and author for a book talk.

Reno author Debra Hendrickson, MD, will read from and discuss her book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Frontlines of Climate Change, published by Simon & Schuster, July 2, 2024.  A timely, revelatory first look into the impact climate change has on children—the greatest moral crisis humanity faces today—by a pediatrician in the fastest warming city in America.

Debra Hendrickson, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician in Reno, Nevada. She is an associate clinical professor at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, where she lectures on the impact of early childhood experiences (such as poverty and trauma) on long-term health. She has an honors degree in environmental studies from Brown University and was an environmental analyst and planner in New England and Seattle for ten years before attending medical school. Dr. Hendrickson has received many awards for academic achievement and research in both environmental studies and medicine. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a member of its Council on Environmental Health and Climate Change, and a founding member of Nevada Clinicians for Climate Action. She has three children.

 

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 09/06/2024, Claire McArthur

Before I fell in love with Lake Tahoe, I couldn’t have told you what a stream environment zone was (Meadows! Marshes!) or why the arrival of tiny little clams could have such a big impact on lakes. But over the last decade, I’ve eagerly learned about the important wetlands that filter out sediment from the 63 tributaries flowing into Tahoe, contributing to its famed clarity, and followed updates on projects that aim to reduce the populations of several aquatic invasive species. Sure, it’s interesting, but more importantly, I want to learn about it because I care about that big lake and the environment around it that has provided me with countless hours of swimming, sunset gazing and trail romping. 

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Photo Credit: UC Davis TERC

On Monday, September 30, IVCB Community Forum and IVCBA will present a moderated community forum, providing the community an opportunity to participate in a moderated Q&A session with the 2024 IVGID Board of Trustees candidates.

We will have the unique opportunity to hear directly from our local IVGID Board of Trustee candidates, each eager to share their vision for the future of our community. 

Questions will only be accepted during the meeting from those attending in-person.

Let’s make the most of this chance to get informed and involved in shaping the direction of our community. 

All six candidates will participate in the forum on Monday, September 30 from 6-9PM in the Duffield Theatre at Incline High School. The Forum will be broadcast live, and available later, on the IVCB Community Forum YouTube Channel: 

http://www.youtube.com/@iv-cbcommunityforum9730

The candidates running for the board are:

• Michael “Mick” Homan
• Michelle Jezycki
• Harry Swenson
• Michaela Tonking (incumbent)
• Frank Wright
• Mark Case

All six candidates are expected to be present for the community forum. 

Here’s a brief overview of the candidates, based on information they provided to Incline Together (author Kristie Wells):

Michael “Mick” Homan

Mick is a seasoned C-suite executive with over 35 years of financial leadership, including experience at a Fortune 50 company and in the public accounting profession. He has built and led high-performance global teams and brings extensive boardroom experience to the table. His key priorities include fiscally responsible investment in utility infrastructure and recreational facilities, as well as rebuilding IVGID’s workforce to make it an employer of choice for top talent.

Michelle Jezycki

Michelle, a proud Incline Village native and Incline High graduate, has returned home after a successful career in Washington, D.C., where she worked as the Director of HR at the U.S. Senate. Now a management consultant, Michelle is passionate about improving IVGID’s staff, culture, and morale. She’s focused on the responsible management of IVGID’s assets and believes in a proactive approach to leadership, remarking, “We are better than this.”

Harry Swenson

Harry has been a full-time resident of Incline Village for over a decade, but his love for the area dates back to the late 1960s. A retired NASA scientist and executive, Harry has overseen complex projects with budgets exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars. He has received three NASA medals for his technical and management expertise. A dedicated community volunteer, Harry’s extensive professional background, financial acumen, and deep commitment to Incline Village make him a strong candidate for the board.

Michaela Tonking

Michaela is a lifelong member of the community seeking re-election to the IVGID Board. With deep roots in Incline Village, she has a keen understanding of local challenges, particularly the need to rebuild and restore stability at IVGID after significant turnover. Michaela’s background in accounting and experience working with state governments and Local Education Agencies give her a unique blend of financial expertise and public administration insight. This makes her a strong candidate to continue guiding IVGID’s future.

Frank Wright

Pending information.

Mark Case

Pending information.

Originally Published in the Sierra Sun, 09/05/24, Written by Zoe Meyer

A promising outlook for reservoir health

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nevada – In a recent update that’s good news for local water bodies, Clean Up The Lake (CUTL), in collaboration with The Martis Fund, has wrapped up a pilot research project with encouraging results. The study, which took place from June 26 to July 3, involved underwater surveys and cleanups in Stampede and Boca Reservoirs. The results show very low levels of litter and no troubling infestations of aquatic invasive species (AIS).

During the pilot project, CUTL’s volunteer dive team carried out eight survey dives, assessing 1.76 miles of underwater terrain. The team removed a total of just 20.57 pounds of litter, which consisted of 100 individual items. The results indicate minimal litter accumulation despite potential collection zones influenced by dams, human activity, and wind patterns. The only AIS observed were the signal crayfish, known locally as ‘crawdads,’ with no significant concerns regarding other invasive species commonly seen in the region.

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