In The News – What immigration enforcement looks like in Truckee: Q&A with Sierra Community House
January 19, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Sierra Sun, 1/19/2026, Written by Petra Molina
After a fatal Immigration and Customs Enforcement shooting in Minneapolis earlier this month, immigration enforcement has drawn renewed national attention — and local concern. The Sierra Sun recently spoke with the legal team at Sierra Community House about what immigration enforcement currently looks like in Truckee and North Lake Tahoe.
A Department of Justice–recognized nonprofit, Sierra Community House provides legal aid, immigration assistance and support services to residents throughout the North Tahoe-Truckee region. Its attorneys and accredited representatives help individuals navigate the often complex immigration system.
In The News – Tahoe-Truckee athletes infuse all Freeride World Tour categories this year
January 19, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 1/19/2026, Written by Katelyn Welsh
This year’s FIS Freeride World Tour season just kicked-off in the Spanish Pyrenees with steep mountains, cliff drops, big air, and to Truckee-Tahoe fans, familiar names and faces.
Of the ten U.S. competitors, four bore Truckee or Tahoe next to their name at the Jan. 15 competition. It so happens that there’s one Tahoe-Truckee athlete in each FWT category, providing excitement to home fans tracking the circuit which runs into April.
The four included Truckee’s Mia Jones who claimed the top podium spot in her rookie debut to the pro circuit in the women’s snowboard category. Her winning run demonstrated both control and speed as well as a masterfully landed mandatory air that earned her the top 69.67 score.
Those of us who knew him have one binding thing in common; each and every one of us has Rob’s fingerprints on our hearts. We are better people for having known him, and the world is a better place for his having lived in it. His presence was a profound gift to us all…
A few short years ago, our wonderful recreation center allowed friends to team up and purchase annual memberships as couples. Rob and I joined as a couple at a considerable savings. At the end of the year, when it came time to re-register as a couple, I was handed a package at the front desk. Inside that package was a pair of stiletto high heels, and a note from Rob: “My ankles are killing me! Your turn!”
That was Rob all over. At 84 he was ardently crazy about life, and always walking on the sunny side of the street. Whether deep into a good game of poker, or enjoying a cigar with friends, he was forever cheerful, and just booming with good fellowship…
This past summer Rob celebrated sixty years of marriage to his loving wife, Linda. He invited me to make a toast, and I accepted with all the ardor of a high school cheerleader…
LOVE,
Do we have an L!
Do we have an O!
Do we have a V!
Do we have an E!
LOVE seems to be the swiftest of all growths,
but in fact it is the slowest…
No man, no woman can know true love
until they have been married sixty years.
Yes, Rob and Linda have been happily married for 6 decades,
and this puts Robo in the company of Mark Twain…
“I was born reserved as to endearments of speech and caresses, so hers broke up on me like the summer waves break upon Gibraltar. She had a heart that was tropically warm. It is in the heart that the riches lie. A loving heart is riches, riches enough; without it, intellect is poverty. And Livy possessed a heart of finer metal than any gold ever mined or minted. So blessed be that moment that brought us near together and taught me to know the goodness of her heart and the sweetness of her spirit! Whoever fell within the influence of her beautiful nature was her willing slave forevermore.”
So if ever there were two gentlemen with reason to be thankful for divine providence it is Mark Twain and Rob Robins, as we all know, Rob feels the same way about Linda…Wheresoever she is, there is Eden…
So, my friends, can we lift a glass?”
Do we have an L!
Do we have an O!
Do we have a V!
Do we have an E!
LOVE!
Forever Together!
Rob & Linda!
We love you!
It has been said that God sends us tears as medicine for our souls. So let the medicine flow today for our beloved brother, Rob Robins. May he rest in eternal peace…
Nevada Legislative Committee for Lake Tahoe to Meet in Carson City
January 16, 2026 | Member Submitted
The Nevada State Legislative Committee for the Review and Oversight of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Marlette Lake Water System will hold its first meeting of the 2026 interim session Friday, January 23 at 1 p.m. at the Nevada Legislative Building in Carson City, Nevada.
The committee, comprised of eight state legislators, holds meetings every other year during interim sessions to discuss the work of TRPA, the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), and Nevada state agencies in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The committee may also sponsor legislation to protect Lake Tahoe and the Marlette Lake Water System, and address challenges and community concerns raised during the interim session.
“We’re grateful to past and present members of the oversight committee for their guidance of TRPA and our partners and for their ardent support for Lake Tahoe in the legislature,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “Lake Tahoe is facing many ongoing challenges and new threats that require collaboration that this body is helping to grow.”
At the conclusion of the 83rd Nevada Legislative Session in 2025, six committee bills became law. Collectively, the six bills include funding and support for environmental restoration projects, forest health and wildfire safety, transportation improvements, and Nevada State Park operations updates.
The January committee meeting is the first of six meetings scheduled through August 2026. At the first meeting, TRPA, state agencies, and local governments will provide informative updates to the committee on priority topics including transportation, aquatic invasive species, forest health and wildfire, housing, economic development, and more. The remaining committee meetings will dive deeper into each of these topics.
Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or online and to provide input in writing or during scheduled public comment times.
Meeting information: January 23, 2026, Room 4100, Nevada Legislative Building, Carson City, Nev.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment.
The Local Lens – Why I Like Living in a Small Town
January 14, 2026 | Linda Offerdahl
I thought I was a city girl for the first twenty years of living in Incline. We had a high-rise apartment in downtown Minneapolis in the early 80’s…in our single days! When we moved to Incline to start a family in 1988, we kept a home in Minnesota for frequent visits. I assumed we would go back to a downtown lifestyle. Hmm. Not anymore, now that we are seniors. I still go back for family visits, and I get my city fix by staying with our daughter Nicole and her wife, Patty, in their urban home in south Minneapolis. BUT today’s Lens is about the benefits of living in a small town, especially in Incline, whether you are a senior or raising a family.
HELPFUL NEIGHBORS
IVCBA’s Marketing & Communications Manager, Kristin Derrin, tells the story of coming back to Incline after living abroad for 4 months. Her family arrived in the middle of the storm to find that their neighbors had plowed their driveway so they could get into their house. Many of our full-time residents moved here when they were much younger. They count on neighbors to check on them and help them out.
SUPPORT FOR SENIORS
Sometimes those longtime residents need more help to get by. Sierra Senior Services and Washoe County provide Meals on Wheels, delivered by Jim Dykstra and other volunteers who take time to do a wellness check as well. Incliners offers a variety of activities, including a potluck at Diamond Peak during the winter season.
SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES
Myriad organizations make Incline family-friendly. Most families need after-school care like that offered by the Duffield Youth Center. I want to give a shout-out to Daisy Day Care, which now offers a babysitting service on Friday nights and ski & ride camp as childcare on Saturday and Sundays.
I never tire of talking about our 3 local markets, our hardware store, and the businesses that offer staples so we can skip the trip to Mt. Rose, especially in bad weather. Please patronize them and let them know how glad you are that they are here.
LIKE WHAT YOU READ?
IVCBA is the Community and Business Association that promotes our local businesses and nonprofits, organizes community events, and produces the Weekly SnapShot! If you are a subscriber and regular reader, please join as a Community Supporter for $50. If you are not a subscriber, do for free! Go to IVCBA.org. We are financially supported by our local agency “investors”, and our business community and residents. Please help!JOIN HERE
Travel North Tahoe Nevada Welcome Center to Temporarily Relocate to Allow for Planned Facility
January 14, 2026 | Member Submitted
Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV) announced today that the Welcome Center and organization’s offices will temporarily relocate to allow for long-planned repairs and facility improvements at its current location.
Located at 937 Tahoe Boulevard, Suite 150, the temporary Welcome Center will provide visitor information and resources during the construction period. The visitors center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. New signage will direct visitors to thetemporary location.
The planned improvements are designed to enhance the overall efficiency and functionality of the Welcome Center while ensuring the facility remains a valuable resource for visitors and residents alike.Renovations will be funded through previously allocated capital improvement funds and reflect TNTNV’s ongoing commitment to maintaining community assets that support both tourism services and long-term operational sustainability.
“These improvements have been planned for some time and are an important investment in the future of the Welcome Center, which plays a vital role in educating visitors on sustainable visitation practices and learning more about Lake Tahoe,” said Andy Chapman, President and CEO of Travel North Tahoe Nevada.
“Temporarily relocating allows us to complete this work efficiently while continuing to serve visitors and support the local economy. We appreciate the community’s patience as we complete these necessary upgrades.”
Once repairs are complete, the Welcome Center will reopen at its original location with improved operational efficiency designed to better serve visitors and align with TNTNV’s broader destination management goals.
###
About Travel North Tahoe Nevada: Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV) is the public organization
responsible for destination management for the North Shore, Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Its mission is to
encourage destination experiences that support a vibrant economy, enhance community character, and
foster environmental stewardship by reinvesting visitor generated revenue back into the local community.
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Announces Refreshed Guest Rooms and Event Spaces in Main Tower
January 14, 2026 | Member Submitted
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, a spacious resort nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, announces several enhancements to its main tower, located on the north parcel of the property. The updates include refreshed guestrooms, meeting and event spaces, and an updated pool area. The resort continues the redevelopment of its south parcel which includes lakefront rooms, restaurant, and event spaces, expected to be completed in 2027.
“We are thrilled to welcome guests to our newly refreshed accommodations and spaces,” says Pascal Dupuis, General Manager at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe. “This update is an exciting step in our multi-phase redevelopment, offering enhanced comfort and style throughout the main tower. Because the north and south parcels are separate, guests can enjoy our refreshed rooms, meeting spaces, and pool area without any disruptions from ongoing redevelopment elsewhere on the property.”
The refreshed guestrooms and meeting spaces at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe combine modern comfort with mountain-inspired elegance. Guestrooms feature new carpet and wallcoverings in soothing tones, updated bed bases, contemporary tables and chairs, and freshly designed curtains and sheers. Modernized lamps and nightstands, upgraded sofa sleepers, and carefully selected finishes create a sense of warmth and refinement while enhancing every stay.
Meeting and event spaces now showcase refreshed surfaces, updated furnishings, and thoughtfully layered lighting that balances style with functionality. Outdoor updates include enhancements to the Water Gardens and Creekside Lawn, with refreshed landscaping and newly installed pavers that create a flexible staging area. These improvements provide an inviting setting for gatherings and events, framed by the beauty of the area.
Additionally, the pool area has been resurfaced and updated with new guest umbrellas and chair coverings, offering a refreshed setting for relaxation and social connection.
The overall design invites guests to unwind, connect, and experience the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe, with spaces that reflect the surrounding landscape while supporting moments of comfort, celebration, and ease.
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe’s ongoing redevelopment includes enhancements to the south parcel and other resort areas. Guests can learn more about this and future updates by visiting hyattregencylaketahoe.com/renovation.
For more information or to book a stay at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, please visit hyattregencylaketahoe.com or call (775) 832-1234.
About Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino
Situated among the towering peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the award-winning Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino offers a premier destination based in the nature-infused setting of North Lake Tahoe. The resort is home to an on-site Adventure program offering daily guided activities to help guests explore the Tahoe outdoors with everything from group hikes and archery classes to meditation sessions. Guests can enjoy premium amenities such as a year-round heated lagoon-style pool, two hot tubs, and a 25,000 square-foot Grand Lodge Casino. The resort also boasts the 20,000 square-foot Stillwater Spa featuring a variety of relaxing massages, facials and body treatments as well as state-of-the-art touchless therapies including the Cryobuilt Cryochamber, “Pearl” a revolutionary float orb, and the “Harmony” bioacoustic mat. The property showcases premier dining opportunities at the brand-new Osteria Sierra offering elevated Italian cuisine, pub-style fare at Cutthroat’s Saloon, and grab-and-go selections at Tahoe Provisions. Additional culinary delights include afternoon tea service on the weekends and a selection of world-class pastries created by the resort’s renowned team of pastry chefs. Recognized for excellence, the resort has garnered numerous awards including Travel + Leisure’s 500 Best Hotels in the World, Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best, Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, Smart Meetings Smart Stars Awards, and U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hotel Awards.
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino is located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, at 111 Country Club Drive, Incline Village, NV, 89451. For more information, visit HyattRegencyLakeTahoe.com or follow the resort on Facebook or Instagram.
About Hyatt Regency hotels
The Hyatt Regency brand is a global collection of hotels and resorts found in more than 200 locations in over 40 countries around the world. The depth and breadth of this diverse portfolio, from expansive resorts to urban city centers, is a testament to the brand’s evolutionary spirit. For more than 50 years, the Hyatt Regency brand has championed fresh perspectives and enriching experiences, while its forward-thinking philosophy provides guests with inviting spaces that bring people together and foster a spirit of community. As a hospitality original, Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts are founded on openness—our colleagues consistently serve with open minds and open hearts to deliver unforgettable celebrations, effortless relaxation and notable culinary experiences alongside expert meetings and technology-enabled collaboration. The brand prides itself on an everlasting reputation for insightful care—one that welcomes all people across all countries and cultures, generation after generation. For more information, please visit hyatt.com
In The News – Incline Village Rotary, Interact Club launch mobility equipment drive to support communities in Africa
January 14, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 1/12/2026, Staff Report
The Rotary Club of Tahoe-Incline, in partnership with the Incline Village Interact Club, made up of local youth leaders, is hosting a community-wide mobility equipment collection to support Crutches 4 Africa, a nonprofit organization that provides life-changing mobility aids to people in underserved nations across Africa.
The program collects gently used mobility equipment and redistributes it to individuals who otherwise would have no access to medical mobility support. These donations help restore independence, dignity, and opportunity while also reducing waste by keeping usable equipment out of local landfills.
The Rotary and Interact Clubs are encouraging residents to clean out garages and storage spaces and donate items such as crutches, elbow crutches, wheelchairs, walkers, rollators, leg braces, prosthetic limbs, aircast walker boots, and ski poles.
In February 2025, Washoe County Emergency Management received a private donation of $185,000 to conduct a countywide evacuation study to identify hazards and hurdles to emergency evacuations and determine the best procedures to increase safety and efficiency in evacuations.
While third-party data vendors are conducting modeling and analysis of traffic, fire movement, and other evacuation factors, the public is invited to provide insight on their own neighborhoods, such as traffic chokepoints or wildfire hazards.
The Swift Exit community portal offers residents a place to read more about the evacuation study and preparedness information, as well to provide feedback or ask questions. The feedback survey is open until March 30, 2026.
Through surveys, interactive tools like community maps, and public meetings, residents can highlight areas of concern, so these insights can shape decisions and guide solutions.
“Nobody is more familiar with your neighborhood than you,” Washoe County Emergency Manager Kelly Echeverria said. “We need your input now more than ever so we can put the best systems in place to keep you safe when threats arise.”
Your participation here helps ensure evacuation planning is informed by real-world experience. You can:
Share your lived experiences with fire evacuations
Identify challenges in your neighborhood or daily routes
Ask questions and help neighbors prepare
Suggest practical ideas that improve readiness
Every comment, idea, and story helps shape the Swift Exit Evacuation Study and strengthens community safety. The study is a collaboration with numerous public partners, fire districts, community groups, and residents. Visit the Swift Exit Community Portal here.
Mountain Roots, Modern Real Estate with Sunbear Realty
January 14, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally Published by Tahoe.com, By Kathryn Reed, Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Real estate – be it selling, buying or managing rentals – is more than a business for Blane Johnson. It’s a way of life. It’s about community. It’s about bringing people together.
Johnson moved to Incline Village in 1979. For the first 20-plus years, he was in the ski industry – teaching, running ski schools and race departments, and putting on events. Today when he is on the slopes, it’s all about being outside and has nothing to do with work. He gets in at least 50 days a year of vertical fun – mostly at Diamond Peak and Mount Rose ski resorts.
That’s the thing about Incline, he says. No matter the season, a slew of outdoor activities are mere steps from everyone’s front door.
Johnson wanted to figure out a way to keep living the Tahoe life, which meant he needed to find a line of work that paid more money.
For 25 years he has owned Sun Bear Realty and Management. For much of that time, Meredith Mall has been running the office. Together, they make a formidable team.
Johnson has traveled plenty of places, but something about Tahoe keeps him rooted here.
“There’s no place better than Tahoe,” he says. “When I travel, I always compare it to home. There are other places that are very, very nice, but there is nothing that beats Lake Tahoe.”
Vacation Rentals and Property Management Services in Incline Village
While the company represents sellers and buyers in the real estate world, the primary focus is on rentals.
“We have rentals for every budget, from small condos to six-bedroom, six-bath homes with a theater and wine storage,” Johnson says.
As a longtime local, Johnson understands what renters and owners have to deal with living in a tourist destination, what happens when a big snowstorm rolls through town and how to handle living in bear country.
Johnson and his team are definite insiders, which makes managing rentals easy for them and takes away much of the stress for owners living outside of the area. They are up-to-date on all the vacation home rental rules issued by government officials. Washoe County, where Incline Village is located, mandates short-term rental properties have someone available who is within an hour’s drive. Sun Bear can be “that person” even if they are not doing the overall management of the property.
The company also works closely with homeowners’ associations to help them adhere to regulations.
A unique aspect of Sun Bear is providing snowbirds walk-throughs of their homes while they winter elsewhere. This is to make sure the heat is on, pipes have not frozen, a limb has not crashed through a window and animals have not taken up residence.
Sun Bear Realty’s Growth: One-Stop Shop for Rentals, Cleaning, and Maintenance
Through acquisitions and hard work over the last handful of years, Sun Bear has grown to be the largest rental management firm in the area. The company handles long-term and short-term rentals for owners and vacation rentals account for about 25% of their workload.
“We are a one-stop shop because we handle the rental, cleaning and maintenance,” Johnson says. “We have a lot of vendors we work with, from handymen to contractors. We make sure we are sending the right person for the right job.”
That reliability and attention to getting repairs done correctly the first time is something Sun Bear prides itself on.
Marketing through Sun Bear’s website and third-party entities is another aspect of the company’s services. They also send out a newsletter twice a month to keep in touch with their clients.
One of Sun Bear’s priorities is to make the process as easy as possible for owners and renters. This is accomplished through online portals that allow bills to be paid, maintenance requests to be submitted and communication to happen with ease.
Johnson says too many agencies still rely on paper to keep track of things, which slows down the process and can make it easy for requests to fall through the cracks. At Sun Bear, it’s about efficiency, transparency, accountability and making sure all parties are satisfied.
Sun Bear’s purchase of another rental company in 2025 came with a separate cleaning company, an aspect of the business Johnson looks forward to growing. This allows for Sun Bear to have the cleaning operation under the same roof as the rentals.
Johnson expects the cleaning side of the business to grow by 100% within the year.
One does not have to be part of the Sun Bear rental family to tap into its house-cleaning services. They also work with other real estate firms to do cleans before a house is listed and before a new owner moves in.
Serving the Lake Tahoe Community with Expertise and Care
Sun Bear operates solely in Nevada – from each of the state lines in the Lake Tahoe Basin – and also handles some properties in the Reno area.
In a place defined by its beauty and community spirit, Johnson and his Sun Bear team make sure everyone who comes to Tahoe can feel right at home.
(775) 831-9000 811 Tahoe Boulevard, Incline Village sunbearrealty.com
