I just checked my calendar….my IVCBA.org calendar, that is. Yikes! It’s a busy week coming up!

No one will be surprised that I have FOMO…fear of missing out. How am I going to manage Thursday, August 24? Geographically, I could start in Crystal Bay at Sabrina Bellecci’s Inside Out Re/Max office for the Northern Nevada Hopes Reception and show my support for a new healthcare clinic on 4^th Street in Reno. Then it’s off to the Chateau for PEO’s  “Tastes of Incline” Fundraiser for scholarships. I predict this will be a LOT of locals like me who love to connect with the community.

After feasting on yummy food from local restaurants, I will plop myself down in a chair on the UNR@Lake Tahoe campus to listen to the Talks@Tahoe presenter Professor Zeb Hogan talk about Monster Fish.  I am just wondering if Tahoe Tessie will be there too. 

Grand Openings… Jonathan Malley’s new business,  Back Country Chiropractic, has a grand opening on Friday, August 25, from 12-3. Join IVCBA in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to kick it off.

Havana Nights….Tahoe Family Solutions annual fundraiser at Aspen Grove on August 29. I PROMISE the weather will be warmer! (Don’t you wish you had my rose-colored glasses?)

I will have to ask Myles from Incline Spirits and Cigars if he is supplying cigars for this Cuban-flavored event! 

We have many businesses in Incline that support our community. I want to give a big shout-out to Incline Village Realtors “Good Neighbors Committee” for Stuffing the Bus once again with school supplies for our kids. Stacy Collins, First Centennial Title, was once again the lead organizer. They are 2/3 of the way to their goal and taking donations until September 1st. 

Did you know… how active our service clubs are? The Rotary Club of Tahoe-Incline currently partners with Cornerstone Church for a food drive for the Gospel Mission in Reno. The Rotary “morning club” meets on Thursdays at 7 am at the Hyatt; the Incline Village “noon club” meets Mondays at noon at Parasol.

Be sure you read the breaking news in this week’s SnapShot about their expanded community grants! What a great contribution Parasol and their donors make to our community!

It’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy… if you can keep up with the plethora of events, your houseguests, and what’s going on in town! Between concerts everywhere, Little Shop of Horrors at the Shakespeare Festival, and golf tournaments, I need another vacation.

I am back from my annual trip in northern Minnesota at my “other” Lake Up North, a term those of you from the Midwest will recognize. OK, it’s one of 10,000 lakes, but it is fairly well-known, Lake Vermilion. Minnesotans make this weekly or annual pilgrimage to a cabin or resort where we get reacquainted with mosquitos, deer flies, and the Northern Lights if we are lucky. Not that they are pesky, but did I mention the relatives!

Those relatives are now headed to Incline Village. I am on my third weekend in a row of company, but I am not complaining. Company gives me the opportunity to experience summer in Incline at its best. So far, we have attended the Beach Boys concert fundraiser for Incline Village Community Hospital, Little Shop of Horrors, the Teesters member-guest golf tournament, and enjoyed the Farmers Market on Thursdays at Incline Library. We also explored the myriad paths that wind through the woods between the Rec Center and the beaches, followed by a great lunch on the patio at Sage Leaf. We also stopped into the Science Center for some hands-on learning about Lake Tahoe in the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

While dining at Sage Leaf, I stopped into the Clearly Tahoe shop with all kinds of goodies for the outdoors, including the cutest picnic baskets ever. We walked by Vista Bikes, where people can rent an E-bike and just head right down Village to Lakeshore for a ride. Tahoe Multisport in Village Center has bikes, kayaks, you name it. Bike rentals abound in Incline…the Hyatt, Flume Trail bikes at Tunnel Creek, and Village Ski Loft. I hope I didn’t leave anyone out!

Coming up this weekend…it’s a Classical Tahoe concert on the beautiful UNR@lake Tahoe campus, hiking(for the younger set), and a Sand Harbor Experience organized by Chris Talbot and his Around Tahoe Tours company. This is a guaranteed way to get ON the beach without waiting in line for hours outside the entrance. They provide all of the set-up…umbrellas, chairs, and coolers. PLUS, Clearly Tahoe rents kayaks and Stand Up Paddles on site, so no need to drag those bulky toys to the beach. I’m looking forward to the tour part of it, getting educated on Lake Tahoe’s history and lore. 

If we had more time, a tour of the Thunderbird Lodge would be top of my list. The Visitor Bureau is a happening place these days, and good for locals too. Check out Sustainable Tahoe’s Earth Walk to learn about our native Indians, enjoy the outdoors, and not get caught up in parking hassles at the East Shore Trail. 

My favorite experiences of the summer are the Monday and Tuesday night concerts at Sand Harbor. I will be at The Reno Phil concert on Monday, August 7 for the Tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein. I will be singing along and maybe dancing in the aisles. Does anyone have an extra ticket for the Linda Ronstadt Experience on Aug 15?? 

On the more serious side, the annual Lake Tahoe Summit is being held at the Kings Beach Conference Center. It is organized by Tahoe Fund. Go to their website to register. The Lake Tahoe Summit brings all the politicians together, reminding us that the Basin is bi-state and it’s up to all of us to do what we can for the Basin, whether it’s high-level policies or just picking up trash from the trails.  

Hey, I know it’s busy right now, and the road construction doesn’t help. Don’t forget to take TART Connect, generously funded by Travel North Tahoe Nevada and Washoe County, among other agencies. Be welcoming to our second homeowners and visitors, and kindly educate them on ways to “Take Care Tahoe” and “Slow Down Tahoe”- signs courtesy of Helen Neff. Our business community is grateful for the summer season, which helps maintain them throughout the shoulder seasons.

There has been a lot of dissension in our little village lately!  It is making IVCBA’s mission…that of “building cohesiveness for the sustainability of Incline Village and Crystal Bay” very difficult. My rose-colored glasses think it’s a good thing that many people are paying attention to the issues. It is my sincere hope that residents can agree to disagree, remain civil and value solutions that may be a compromise but don’t compromise one’s integrity and values. Here are some “golden rules” for civility that encourage the expression of multiple viewpoints

• Focus on the issue, not the person: no personal attacks under the guise of free speech.
• Constructive, not destructive, criticism.
• Keep to the topic at hand.
• Keep an open mind and listen, respectively.
• Don’t jump to conclusions. Listen to all viewpoints.
• Be gracious if other opinions prevail.

These rules apply to individuals and to organizations!

I encourage everyone to be a knowledgeable citizen. Attend meetings…the IVGID board meetings (tonight), IVGID’s Conversation Café on Thursdays, Community Forum on 1^st and 3^rd Fridays (this Friday), and WC Citizen Advisory Board meetings. For information on IVGID meetings, go to yourtahoeplace.com. For the latest information on the possible middle school closure, go to WCSD.org or IVCBA.org/education. WCSD has published their Questions and Answers from the last meeting. They are published in this week’s SnapShot. 

Invest in Incline is an Advocacy Network. IVCB community 1^st has the best coverage of agency meetings. 

UNR@ LAKE TAHOE 

Two years ago, Sierra Nevada University made the decision to become part of the University of Nevada’s high education system. This was very difficult for many who had known and loved SNU. However, with declining enrollment(across the country) and COVID, UNR was the best option to keep an institution of higher learning open in Incline. It took one year to make that transition. 

Last July, UNR officially took over.  Dr. Jill Heaton has worked tirelessly to ensure that SNU students could complete their degrees and that the campus would be used effectively by UNR for education. Its “Semester at Lake Tahoe” will take advantage of the strengths of the campus and its location. Dr. Heaton has worked to ensure that UNR continues to be engaged with the community.  

Classical Tahoe will continue to hold its summer concerts on the campus. The Holman Art Center is still a resource for the community. Reasons to walk the campus this summer: the Demonstration Garden for ideas on native plants for your garden, Tahoe Science Center for hands-on exhibits for Lake Tahoe and geology, the paths along the creek and between the campus and the Rec Center to enjoy the outdoors without getting on a bike or the East Shore Trail. Let me know if you see my ideal “Community Christmas Tree!”.  

FATHER’S DAY IS SUNDAY

Yes, it’s a Hallmark moment. But can there really be too many days to honor people who raised you and loved you? If there is someone in your life, biological or not, who was a significant person in your life now or at some point, thank them!

COMMUNITY SIGNS AT BOTH ENDS OF TOWN

I saw NDOT putting up the new signs for service and faith-based organizations that we made last year. If anyone can get past all the road construction to see them, let me know how they look! I am grateful for the road repair, but I have exhausted all my work- arounds for the construction sites. Glad NDOT and Washoe County Roads are ON IT!

MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day weekend evokes a lot of Midwest memories. It’s a time of spring cleaning and a time for remembering loved ones and honoring those that served our country in the armed forces. 

IVCB Veterans Club Annual Memorial Service at Burnt Cedar at 10 am (arrive at 9:30).

This year is especially poignant as the Vets Club honors AJ Banford, a ‘seasoned veteran’ who passed away this year. The IHS scholarship for a JROTC student has been named after him by the IVCB Vets Club.   AJ was a 1962 graduate of the US Air Force Academy. He served a combat tour in South Vietnam, flying Huey gunships for the Navy Seawolves HAL 3. Banford moved to Incline Village in 1975 and started the Radford Company, a mortgage business, in 1979. He was a counselor for the VA’s PTSD program in Reno, having been a wounded warrior three times. AJ was last year’s Local Heroes Parade Marshal. A memorial service is being held for him on June 3.

Some of the wonderful people who lived and contributed much to our community passed away this last year. They are missed. Please think of them and others not listed here, especially on Memorial Day.

AJ Banford, Mike Croke, Kaye Dietrich, Ross Heppe, Bryan Hoopes, Donna McKay, 

Robert Ohlmer, David Parker, Anga Rebane, Bear Resna, Thalia Routsis, David Smith

MEMORIAL DAY SPRING CLEANING

Who gets through the weekend without making a trip to Mountain Hardware and Sports! Go on Saturday, when they are serving up hotdogs and entertainment by the local group ‘Jacked Up.’ I swear there are more pine cones and needles than in previous years!

Get them cleaned up so your defensible space is good. And do it BEFORE June 3 so you are free to Clean up the Village and the East Shore Trail. Pick up supplies at IVGID. And start early enough so you can head over to the Incline Library Block Party in the afternoon! It’s the kick-off to their summer reading program.

LOCAL BUSINESSES are doing their part too. Thank you to IPM, Tahoe Immo, and the many other property managers who keep our commercial areas looking good. IVCBA and the Incline Village Main Street program are undertaking beautification projects…it all starts with a spruced-up Village. More later!

I have to mention yet another activity on June 3:

 The Enchanted Forest Fur Ball, a fundraiser for the Pet Network Humane Society!

Incline Village has a few community issues to address this month and your engagement is needed!

MOBILITY HUB

The location of an Incline Village Mobility Hub has generated mixed opinions. It is important for Incline Village to be a part of the regional solution for transportation and to support workforce transportation solutions from Reno and Carson. Additionally, reducing the number of vehicles on the road is a goal, and providing visitors with the opportunity to leave their cars behind is one way to encourage sustainable travel and tourism. To help direct the conversation about community needs, residents can participate in a survey about what the mobility hub should entail and/or attend a mobility hub workshop on April 20.

INCLINE VILLAGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Public schools play a critical role in the Incline Village community, and the community is being asked for input on two issues. One is a policy revision of an Administration Regulation (7087) that removes local input from the process for school closures within the school district. The public comment period has been extended until April 27 to hear from educators, parents, and community members. Click here for more information and ways to submit your comment. 

The other issue involves the Washoe County School District’s long-term plan to modernize all district school facilities, which could lead to the closure of Incline Middle School. The district is requesting community participation in an online survey in advance of a second community meeting on May 3 at Incline High School.

EARTH WEEK

Earth Week is also being celebrated this month, with Earth Day falling on April 24. The Take Care Tahoe organization has a lot of ideas for celebrating at the Tahoe Earth Week Challenge, and visitors can also find ways to be a steward of North Lake Tahoe by visiting the Travel North Tahoe Nevada website or participating in Sustain Tahoe’s Incline Village Earth Walk, available year-round.

COMMUNITY MEETINGS

There are a number of community meetings that take place monthly at which you can learn more about community issues and how to get involved, including the Community Forum the 1^st and 3^rd Friday of each month at the Incline Library and the Washoe County Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) Meeting on May 1 at 5:30 at the Incline Library or on Zoom. 

For more details on these events visit the IVCBA Calendar of Events.