Month: July 2025

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Barton Health Becomes a Cleveland Clinic Connected Member

July 30, 2025 | Member Submitted

Barton Health becomes the newest member to join the Cleveland Clinic Connected program, which provides members with access to the highest standards of patient care, quality and safety.   

The goal of the Cleveland Clinic Connected program is to build a global network of independent, like-minded, quality-focused organizations that have a positive impact on patient care.  

Barton Health is committed to providing consistently exceptional care to both residents and visitors of the Lake Tahoe region. By joining Cleveland Clinic Connected, Barton seeks to elevate its care delivery through unique access to Cleveland Clinic’s clinical expertise and specialized resources. This collaboration will support the development of more comprehensive service lines in key areas that significantly impact the health of its community, including cardiology, oncology, and neurology. Through this member program, Barton aims to enhance its capabilities and ensure advanced, high-quality care is accessible for its patients close to home. 

Cleveland Clinic created Cleveland Clinic Connected in response to the increased global demand for quality healthcare. The collaborative program enables hospitals and healthcare organizations to connect with Cleveland Clinic’s clinical and operational experts to improve patient care, enhance operational efficiencies, and supports the professional development and education of clinical and non-clinical staff. Through the program, members benefit from clinical and operational support and best practices developed during Cleveland Clinic’s 104-year history.  

“Our goal with the Cleveland Clinic Connected program is to positively impact patient care no matter where patients live,” said Tommaso Falcone, M.D., Cleveland Clinic Executive Vice President and President, International and Emerging Markets. “Together, this collaboration underscores our shared commitment to deliver safe, high-quality care to patients. We are excited to welcome Barton Health to the Cleveland Clinic Connected program.”  

As a Cleveland Clinic Connected member, Barton Health clinicians will be able to access educational opportunities either at Cleveland Clinic or through distance learning, as well as best practices and protocols that are used at Cleveland Clinic locations worldwide. In addition, Barton Health’s staff can access Cleveland Clinic’s continuous quality improvement and advisory services, plus education and training including clinical observership programs. 

“Our rural community deserves access to the best care possible, and Cleveland Clinic Connected represents a significant step forward in advancing that goal,” said Dr. Clint Purvance, President & CEO of Barton Health. “We value the opportunity to work alongside such esteemed colleagues as we continue our journey of continuous improvement and healthcare excellence. This collaboration will allow us to expand our expertise, strengthen key service lines, and ultimately provide our patients with more advanced, comprehensive care, right here in Lake Tahoe.” 

Cleveland Clinic and Barton Health are working together to identify priority focus areas, which will begin with planning for the expansion of cardiology, neurology, and cancer care. Cleveland Clinic’s top ranked heart care team will consult with Barton Health to enhance opportunities to provide new treatments and therapies to patients, as well as explore cutting-edge technologies and techniques in cardiac and vascular care that will accelerate advances in treatments. With the expertise of the Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic is consulting with Barton Health to support the launch of a new cancer program, providing expert guidance and proven best practices to expand access to high-quality cancer care in the region. 

The focus on neurology builds on Cleveland Clinic’s nearly 20-year presence in Nevada, which began with the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in downtown Las Vegas in 2009. This specialized outpatient neurological center is dedicated to the research, treatment, education, and support of individuals and families affected by neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, and multiple sclerosis. With Cleveland Clinic in an advisory role, Barton Health looks to expand its neurological services, including the addition of leading diagnostic technology to care for individuals facing neurological disorders in Lake Tahoe. 

Additionally, the collaboration will bring Cleveland Clinic’s expertise in building design, patient flow, and space optimization as Barton Health plans for expansion on its Nevada campus — a transformative project for Lake Tahoe healthcare, which aims to construct a state-of-the art hospital, featuring increased emergency and surgical capacity, improved care rooms, and modern medical equipment to advance the delivery of patient care and continue to improve health outcomes.  

Keep Memory Alive’s annual Summer Festival & Rodeo returns on Saturday, Aug. 9 and Sunday, Aug. 10 at the historic Shakespeare Ranch, a private estate in Glenbrook, for more western fun with the addition of a luxury car show experience to raise funds in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases across Nevada. This year, the Summer Festival and Rodeo will recognize Barton Health with the Community Leadership Award for their longstanding commitment to serving the Lake Tahoe community. 

About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 82,600 employees worldwide are more than 5,786 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,700 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,728-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 280 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2024, there were 15.7 million outpatient encounters, 333,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 320,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 112 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at x.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources are available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

Editor’s Note:Cleveland Clinic News Service is available to provide broadcast-quality interviews and B-roll upon request.  

About Barton Health

Barton Health is a non-profit, bi-state healthcare system providing nationally recognized, compassionate care to residents and visitors of the Lake Tahoe region. Nestled in one of the most iconic alpine destinations in the world, Barton proudly serves an active, outdoor-oriented community with a wide range of services focused on promoting lifelong health and wellness. Since its founding in 1963, Barton Memorial Hospital has grown into a regional hub for health and healing, featuring 63 licensed acute care beds and an additional 48 beds in its Skilled Nursing Facility. Barton Health offers extensive inpatient and outpatient care, cutting-edge medical specialties, advanced surgical treatments, and a network of providers committed to enhancing community wellbeing. Recognized for multiple years on Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals list, Barton continues to set the standard for excellence in rural healthcare. A leader in orthopedic and sports medicine, Barton provides specialized trauma care as a designated Level III Trauma Center and is home to the Lake Tahoe Orthopedics Sports Medicine Fellowship, a nationally accredited program training the next generation of surgeons nationwide. For more information, visit bartonhealth.org. 

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PINE NUTS – Love at First Sight – Part II

July 30, 2025 | McAvoy Lane

I finally did get to take Jane out to dinner, where we talked about the Bruins and the weather. While we were waiting for dessert to be delivered, I asked her to marry me, and captured her so off-guard, she said yes. Jane had never been west of New York, so a move to Maui would be an anomaly, not to mention her mother and sisters were lining up to shoot me.

So off we flew to the Valley Island, where upon landing at Kahului Airport Jane took a look around, and told me she wanted to go home. I asked her to give Maui a few days, and took her to the well named Aloha Restaurant for dinner…

As good fortune would have it, Rick & Sol Hoopii were sitting a few tables over, and they came over to meet Jane…

“Macky Boy, dees your Bride?”

“Yes, Rick, Sol, please meet Jane Layne, formerly of Cape Cod.”

“May we sing The Hawaiian Wedding Song to Miss Jane?”

“Please…”

Well, I don’t know if you’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing the Hoopii Brothers sing together, but their acapella harmony surpasses anything that has ever fallen upon mine ear, and I couldn’t help but notice a tear or two welling up in Jane’s beautiful brown eyes…

That evening we went body surfing at midnight under a full moon, and a couple porpoises joined us as playmates and instructors. It was supernatural, enchanting, and Jane did not mention Cape Cod that night…

The next thing I knew, she had joined a polo team and was playing hockey while  horseback. She asked me to join her book club, which I did, but when she asked me to join her hiking club and join them on a hike from the summit of Haleakala, sixteen miles down Kaupo Gap on sliding sands, I “drawed out” as they say in Nevada…

While I was doing my level best to keep up with her, she opened a dress shop and had me selling mumus on my days off from the radio station, while she surfed and hunted Ahi with a Hawaiian sling so we could enjoy a sumptuous Maui dinner when I got off work…

In Jane’s second month on Maui she bought a Jeep and joined an “Off Road Jeep Club,” that I would meet with a cooler of Primo and a platter of Manini at the end of the day. Then she took to coaching Youth Soccer, and I became assistant coach of the Wailuku Swarm. We barnstormed other Islands with those talented Maui kids, and won most of our matches.

But when she started training for the Iron Man in Kona, I wore myself out driving the sag-wagon while she swam, biked and ran all over creation. It was while driving that sag-wagon that I realized Jane had come to love Maui as much as I did, maybe more. Unwaveringly, she continues to live her idyllic Maui life as we speak… 

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

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Mountain Team, Grocery Dream – Grocery Outlet Incline Village

July 29, 2025 | Member Submitted

Originally posted with Tahoe.com, written by Kathryn Reed

Dreams do come true. Just ask Julie Liddicoat and Brandon Hibbs.

After her first trip to Lake Tahoe last summer, Julie fell in love with the area. It’s a story many locals share: One visit and you start plotting how to move to the mountains.

At the time Julie and Brandon, who had been happily running a Grocery Outlet in San Diego for three years, joked about what it would be like to own a Grocery Outlet somewhere at Lake Tahoe. They were not really thinking it would become a reality – at least not anytime soon. Turnover at locations in the greater Lake Tahoe area is rare.

When the Incline Village Grocery Outlet went on the market in 2024, they knew they had to check it out. And suddenly their wish to move to the mountains was becoming a reality. Now they are even happier living in Incline Village just minutes from the Grocery Outlet they own and operate.

“We fell in love with the small-town feel,” Brandon says. “I feel like everyone knows each other. Being from a big city, this really appeals to us to be in a tight-knit community.”

Prior to their foray into the grocery store business, Julie had been in retail for about 16 years, with 13 years at Walmart, including going through the conglomerate’s management training. Brandon spent the bulk of his early career working as a caddy for six months, traveling throughout the world for six months then repeating that scenario.

He’s been to every continent except Europe.

It was at the urging of Julie’s sister-in-law, who owns a Grocery Outlet, aka GO, that the couple took the leap to acquire their first store. Now they are hooked on these stores.

In a world of big-box grocery stores, Grocery Outlet is the antithesis. There is great autonomy in the GO world for owners because they have a corporate partner who does not dictate what they sell or where merchandise is located.

“This model is so unique and interesting,” Julie says. “You are responsible for your own success.”

Since last December, the duo has been the hands-on owners of the Incline Village Grocery Outlet. It didn’t take long before they were greeting customers by name, incorporating local products like bread from Truckee Sourdough Company and ensuring the shelves were stocked to accommodate the fluctuating summer crowds and run on goods before a winter storm hits.

Regular shoppers at the Incline Village Grocery Outlet will get to know Birdie, Julie and Brandon’s German shorthaired pointer, who has a bed in the office. She, like her parents, is having no trouble ad justing to four seasons even though all three were used to the climates of Florida and San Diego before moving to Tahoe.

Birdie loves her winter cold plunges into the lake – and so does Brandon, who’s an avid golfer, hiker, climber and skier. Julie is also embracing the water, the beach and paddleboarding in particular. Learning to snow ski is on her to-do list.

All three like that there are plenty of outdoor places to explore and that people are friendly and welcoming.

While customers understand that Grocery Outlet deliveries might be delayed because of weather or road closures, that is something Julie and Brandon have had to adjust to. They are also dialing in on what to stock. With fewer shopping options in this small Nevada town, Grocery Outlet for many people is more than a place to shop for food items.

“Health, beauty and general merchandise sales are more prominent at this Grocery Outlet location because there are fewer retailers here,” Julie says. “The market isn’t saturated like it was in Southern California.”

The amount of bedding and clothing sales have been a surprise to them. These are items the Incline GO will keep ordering to meet the demands of customers. Specialty health foods are another popular item in Incline.

“It’s interesting how much more volume we have with produce here,” Julie says, again reflecting it back to a different level of competition in a small town versus a city. Everything about a small town is what the couple is embracing. While the first few months of taking over the Incline Village store were about getting settled, putting a team of employees together and figuring out how much of what to order when, it’s the people – the workers and the customers – who keep them coming to work every day.

It’s about being part of a community – something more than themselves, being something other than business owners.

As Julie and Brandon continue to fine-tune the Incline GO operations, you’ll find them out in the community more, being involved in activities, embracing all that the area has to offer and putting down roots in their adopted hometown.

(775) 636-7745
NorthTahoeGroceryOutlets.com
770 Mays Boulevard, Ste 2, Incline Village

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If You Take Care of These Incline Businesses, They’ll Take Care of You

July 29, 2025 | Kayla Anderson

By: Kayla Anderson – Originally Published in LIVE.WORK.PLAY Summer 2025 Edition

As a local business, it can be tough navigating the seasonality of economics in this town, especially when so much relies on tourism. That’s why it can help to offer incentives to keep people coming back, and make customers feel valued. Here are some Incline businesses that offer loyalty programs, clubs, happy hours, and more: 

Known for their incredible stromboli, pizza, and sandwiches baked on housemade breads, you can’t go wrong with anything on Incline Bak’d’s menu. Open Tuesday-Saturday from 11am-5pm, the best time to visit is from 3pm-5pm when happy hour is going on. During that time, buy a draft beer or wine and get a slice of pizza for only $2, or a pizza slice for $4 if you don’t get a drink. Be sure to indulge in a couple of delectable made-with-love cookies while you’re there…you can get two for $5 during Happy Hour. www.inclinebaked.com

On Tuesdays-Fridays from 3pm-6pm, Glasses Wine Bar also hosts a happy hour, offering customers 15 percent off glasses of wine ordered from behind the bar or 10 percent off to those out of the wine dispensers. Four varietal wine tastings are available during its Happy Hour as well, available at the bar only.

If you’re a high level wine enthusiast, the Glasses Wine Bar Wine Club also has two types of tiered subscriptions offered, costing between $95-$149 quarterly. Both tiers include four bottles of wine, discounts on merchandise/additional bottles of wine, free wine tastings, and more. Glasseswinebar.com 

Using a Santa Maria-method of grilling over red oakwood-fueled open pit, Gus’ has made a name for itself with its signature melt-in-your-mouth LATS (its smoked, grilled, and sauced-up chicken legs and thighs). Their open pit and relaxed indoor atmosphere with a full bar and 140” TV make Gus’s a popular shifter spot. Speaking of which…Gus’ has a happy hour from 4:30pm-5:30pm Thurs.-Mon. with beer, wine, and cocktail specials to pair with $2 street tacos. http://www.gusbbqtahoe.net/ 

Marie Antoinette famously said, “let them eat cake!” which no doubt has me thinking that she’d be a fan of Happy Tiers’ Cake of the Month Club. Members of the club receive one gigantic piece of layered cake once a month for an entire year, which is perfect for sweet treat lovers and fans of cakemaker Andrea Jurss’s artistry. Memberships usually go on sale sometime in January and are limited to 25 participants. 

Happy Tiers also offers a variety of VIP packages for families and businesses who have regular celebrations throughout the year; packages include monthly gift cards and regularly distributed sweet treats for your employees and/or loved ones. www.happytiersbakery.com

  • Wyld Peony, 797 Southwood Blvd. Ste. 15, Incline Village

Incline’s newest floral boutique, Wyld Peony, specializes in uniquely customized floral arrangements, capturing the thoughtfulness and beautiful personality of the giver and receiver. Holding a degree in environmental horticulture from UC Davis, Wyld Peony Owner Jen Weschler knows her stuff when it comes to flowers and takes your special event to the next level with her lovely bouquets. 

On top of that, you can give yourself or someone else the gift of flowers all year long with a Floral Subscription—having the freshest, seasonally available flowers arranged and delivered to you at intervals of your choosing. https://wyldpeony.com/

  • Alibi Ale Works– Incline Public House, 931 Tahoe Blvd., Incline Village

Alibi Ale Works has a secret/not-so-secret club that rewards its beer lovers with exclusive benefits. Limited to 250 people per year, it costs $100 annually to be a part of Alibi Anonymous, and in turn members get discounts off pints, cans, bottles, growler refills, merchandise, food, and more. Members also receive access to growler fills on limited beers, early access to new beer releases, and access to the AA Facebook group which fosters connections with fellow members. 

If you join AA, just be sure to always bring your special membership token every time to visit an Alibi location, otherwise beers may be on you. Open to people ages 21 and older. https://alibialeworks.com/

No matter how young, fit, or healthy a person is, altitude sickness can happen to anyone, and being at 6,220 feet above sea level can affect people differently. Therefore, if you find yourself spending a full day hiking, biking, or having an active day on the lake and afterwards feel sick or lightheaded, the Go2 Aroma Oxygen Bar is there to give you a boost. Fifteen different aromatic treatments are available on the oxygen bar aroma menu and one 10-minute session can get your energy levels back to 100 percent. 

If you’re a fan of oxygen bars, Go2 Aroma Oxygen Bar also sells gift cards so you can save on multiple sessions. https://www.oxygenbartahoe.com/ 

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In The News – Ultra endurance athlete swims around Lake Tahoe via the Lake Tahoe Water Trail

July 28, 2025 | Member Submitted

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 07/28/2025, Written by Katelyn Welsh

Catherine Breed was already back to work the very next day after swimming over 60 miles around Lake Tahoe in just over five days.

“I think I’ll crash tonight, but I actually feel fine right now,” she said the day after she completed the swim.

She navigated the lake via The Lake Tahoe Water Trail, a 72-mile water route along the shoreline. A part of her goal with this swim was to draw attention and awareness to the trail, which offers day and overnight routes with wayfinding markers, campgrounds, as well as launch and landing sites posted along the entire route.

READ MORE >

Photo provided by Catherine Breed

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In The News – World-renowned oceanographer to kick off Keep Tahoe Blue’s 2025 Speaker Series

July 28, 2025 | Member Submitted

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 07/28/2025, Staff Report

Keep Tahoe Blue has announced, Jean-Michel Cousteau, a world renowned oceanographer, is set to headline the first event in the environmental nonprofit’s 2025 Speaker Series, taking place at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe’s Wayne L. Prim Campus on Saturday, August 23.

Keep Tahoe Blue’s 2025 Speaker Series will feature innovators, pioneers, and changemakers in the fields of science, conservation, and sustainability at three events in the late summer and early fall. The speakers were selected to fascinate, inspire, and motivate people from all walks of life to better understand — then protect — not just Lake Tahoe, but treasured outdoor places around the globe.

The first keynote speaker is an explorer, diplomat, environmentalist, educator, film producer, author, architect, and diver. For over six decades, Jean-Michel Cousteau has dedicated himself to inspiring people of all generations and nations to act responsibly by protecting the ocean and our planet’s water ecosystems, which are so intricately connected to the survival of all life.

READ MORE >

Photo provided: Carrie Vonderhaar

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Thank you for attending our Tahoe Living Housing Workshops!

July 27, 2025 | Member Submitted

Originally published with Tahoe Living Newsletter

We’re so grateful to all the community members who showed up, shared ideas, and contributed to such meaningful conversations. A huge thank-you to our generous host locations, Bijou Elementary School on the South Shore andTahoe Community Foundation on the North Shore. Lastly, thank you to the incredible caterers, Los Mexicanos and Lupita’s, who kept everyone well-fed and happy — your support made the evening extra special.

With a great turnout and inspiring energy in the room, we’re excited about what’s ahead. Below are some next steps as we continue this important work together!

WHAT’S NEXT?

We’re taking the community’s valuable input and using it to outline potential policy pathways for the Cultivating Community project. These pathways will be reviewed for input from the Tahoe Living Working Group (TLWG) and our Community Partner Group.

This fall, we will host another round of public workshops to share and discuss policy proposals.

We are aiming to bring a policy recommendation to the TRPA Governing Board and initiate the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process in January 2026. The EIS is expected to take about a year and will include several additional opportunities for public review and feedback. 

Stay tuned for future events on our website: Tahoe Living: Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin

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TRPA Board Approves Transportation Plan Update, Settles Enforcement Cases

July 26, 2025 | Member Submitted

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board unanimously approved the 25-year Lake Tahoe Regional Transportation Plan last week, TRPA said today.

Called Connections 2050, the four-year update ensures that transportation policies and priority projects improve safety, protect the lake, and reduce vehicle miles traveled in the Tahoe Basin. Backed by extensive public and partner agency input, the plan includes more than 90 projects focused on improving transit, trails, town centers, and technology.

“Improving Tahoe’s transportation system supports our lake environment and communities,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “Significant progress has been made upgrading Tahoe’s roads with water quality infrastructure and providing additional options like trails and transit. We must continue that progress while addressing growing safety concerns and strengthening the resilience of the region.”

Key strategies of Connections 2050 include:

  • Increasing safety and reducing congestion in Tahoe’s most popular roadway corridors through corridor management plans that coordinate transit, parking management, and reservation systems.
  • Supporting wildfire evacuation planning by ensuring roadways are safe and navigable and communication infrastructure is ready for more extreme weather and emergencies.
  • Integrating new technology including travel apps, communication systems, parking reservations, and on-demand microtransit.
  • Identifying sustainable funding to invest in transportation infrastructure and transit.

An example of corridor work kicked off earlier this month with the launch of the Emerald Bay pilot project. Public agencies and non-profit partners are coordinating new microtransit service, installation of roadside parking barriers, and more parking enforcement in one of Lake Tahoe’s most popular transportation corridors. In the first six days of the pilot, 460 passengers accessed Emerald Bay via microtransit thanks to the leadership of elected officials and the funding support of local nonprofits.

Enforcement Cases

The Governing Board also demonstrated its commitment for TRPA’s compliance initiatives by approving a $20,000 settlement for illegal tree removal at a property in Incline Village, Nev. The trees in question were not related to fire safety. TRPA works with all fire protection districts in the Tahoe Basin to ensure tree removal for defensible space is expedited, according to TRPA. Policies allow property owners to remove hazardous trees with fire district approval and, in some cases, without a TRPA permit. TRPA approval is generally required in non-hazardous cases to maintain forest health, prevent soil erosion, and protect scenic quality. For more information on tree removal, visit trpa.gov/trees-and-defensible-space.

The enforcement case adds to Board-approved settlements last month including a $16,000 fine for illegal tree removal on public land in South Lake Tahoe, and an $85,000 penalty for removing sensitive vegetation and disturbing the shorezone on a lakefront property in North Lake Tahoe. A list of approved violation settlements is available at trpa.gov/agency. 

Images

Sierra_Blvd_Complete_Streets_aerial
Caption: Trails. The award-winning Sierra Boulevard Complete Streets Project in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. reduced reliance on cars while improving water quality, safety, and accessibility.
Credit: Luxuri Media

Emerald_Bay_Overlook_Shuttle_logo
Caption: Corridor management. Transportation, law enforcement, land managers, and non-profit organizations are piloting a reservation-based microtransit service to Emerald Bay in combination with removal of unsafe roadside parking, and parking enforcement to protect one of Tahoe’s most popular transportation corridors. 
Credit: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

TTD_Mobility_Hub_College
Caption: Transit. A hybrid electric bus at the Lake Tahoe Community College battery-charging mobility hub. Electrified buses, parking management, and more frequent transit service are a central focus of Connections 2050. Credit: Drone Promotions

Kings_Beach_Town_Center_aerial
Caption: Town centers. The redeveloped main street in Kings Beach, Calif. reduced traffic congestion, improved pedestrian safety, and is helping revitalize the town center. Locating more residential and visitor accommodations in town centers further reduces reliance on the car travel. 
Credit: Generikal

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PINE NUTS – Love at First Sight

July 26, 2025 | McAvoy Lane

Last week’s column reminded me of a love affair out there on Old Cape Cod…

To punish me I guess, our program director at WOCB sent me to a resort to host a remote broadcast of a backgammon tournament on a Sunday afternoon. My first reaction, which I kept to myself, was, “You’re condemning me to death by a thousand papercuts. I don’t even know how to spell backgammon!”

Well, I went, and that was this boy’s lucky day, for mine eyes fell upon her. She wore a fuzzy yellow sweater that highlighted the ringlets of dark curls that adorned her shoulders. I was bewitched, bewildered and speechless. But girding my courage, I approached her with microphone in hand, and asked if I could interview her. 

She waved both hands to shoo me away, then placed an index finger to her lips to signal she was speech impaired, which she was not…  

I fell irretrievably in love with her, set down my microphone, and asked if I could buy her an iced tea. She smiled and said yes. I then worked up my courage to ask her for a date on Monday evening for dinner and a show, to wit she told me she already had a date to attend the Bruins game. I was crushed, but she also told me she worked at a dress shop in Hyannis, so at least I knew where I might find her. Jane was her name.

That Monday evening I went to a new friend’s house for Monday Night Football and was put in charge of burgers on the grill outside. I shared with my new friends that the love of my new life, Jane, was at the Bruins game and my life was ruined.  Then, while I was outside tending the grill, I heard, “McAvoy, come in here! We switched over to the Bruins game during halftime, and a beautiful lady stood up in the stands with a sign that said, “I Love You, McAvoy!”

“Heaven take me now!” I howled, then returned to my grill with a smile and a spring in my step.

The next day I wandered downtown to look for her dress shop, found it, and there she was, looking gorgeous.

“That was really something special that you did last night.” I stammered.

“And what was that?” she sang along innocently.

“You know, the sign…”

“The sign?”

Abruptly, I realized I had been hoodwinked, and I resolved to avenge those who sent me on this fool’s errand… 

But what was gratifying and memorable about that hoodwinking is what she did next. Once she realized that I had been bamboozled by my friends in such a cruel manner, she purloined from my program director, my Boston Marathon training route, went out there one morning, and planted a hand painted sign alongside my route that read, “I love you McAvoy!”  Well, when I came upon that sign my heart stopped beating and leaped into my throat… 

To be continued…

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

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In The News – Spooner Lake calls for public input on backcountry plan

July 24, 2025 | Member Submitted

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 07/24/2025, Written by Leah Carter

The Nevada Division of State Parks hosted a public input workshop at the Spooner Lake visitor’s center last week to provide information on a new Master Plan for the Spooner Lake & Backcountry State Park. 

While the workshop itself had just a few members of the public who attended—which rangers estimated at just around a dozen—an online form for feedback received over 700 responses. 

The aim of the plan is to provide a comprehensive management strategy for the state park over the next two decades. Staff are taking into account feedback regarding what kinds of trails should be built and where, and how to improve the recreational experience while meeting conservation goals. The plan will also take into account potential events and educational opportunities.

READ MORE >

Photo provided by Katelyn Welsh

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