I am SO disappointed that it has been raining instead of snowing…except I am driving to Reno today and glad the roads should be OK. I want to acknowledge all the people involved with snow removal, starting with NDOT, and the great job they do on the Mt. Rose Highway.  Here in Incline, we can thank Washoe County Roads. I swear they are up before I am (and that’s early!), clearing even Lariat Circle.  Well, actually, they do have some priorities. Go to washoecounty.gov/csd/operations/roads to find such interesting information such as “Where is my plow?”. 

THANK OUR SERVICE WORKERS!

You know, “those guys” who show up to clear your driveway and are probably doing your lawn maintenance in the summertime. When it rains, they are not working. Think about that. We really want them here year-round, right? A little recognition (maybe a tip?) goes a long way for someone who is often taken for granted.

Our town is interdependent. It’s not just the people cleaning our homes or our driveways. When there is no snow, there are fewer visitors, which means less business for our merchants.  We cannot enjoy restaurants without supporting the people who work in them, too. 

What can we do to help? Top choice: Eat out more often! Personally, I am planning to try the Lane 17 Lounge Restaurant at Bowl Incline on Thursday night. They promise me there is no kids menu. 

Support our family advocacy nonprofits! They provide a safety net for our families, service workers, and seniors. Here’s the short list of where people go for housing assistance, food insecurity, and mental health. Please consider a donation to them as a show of support for our entire community. Believe me, the nonprofits all feel vulnerable and worried about any federal funding they have.

Sierra Community House:

This is the trifecta for the entire North Shore/Truckee. Family Resource Center, food insecurity, domestic violence and most important right now, the most knowledgeable organization for immigrants. Whether it is for yourself, your housekeeper or yard maintenance crew, Know Your Rights is very helpful. Find it here

Tahoe Family Solutions:

They have a new Executive Director, Jody Wright, who truly understands the family advocacy world. Rental and utility assistance, along with tax preparation and bilingual counseling, this is a go-to for many. Child care is a chronic issue. She is already tackling this issue with her own homegrown version of the HeadStart program starting in March.

Duffield Youth Center/Boys and Girls Club North Lake Tahoe

They have before and after school programs for our two-parent working families, both white and Hispanic, in Incline Village. They already provide daycare for Incline families in Kings Beach. Due to a grant from the State of Nevada, watch for their upcoming early childhood program due to start in 2027.

Parasol Tahoe has the definitive list of all of our family advocacy nonprofits. Click here to see all of the myriad organizations that support Incline Village.

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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

In addition to being a national crisis, workforce housing hits a small rural mountain community hardest. Employers cannot find employees; snowstorms prevent workers from driving up the hill; businesses have to reduce their hours. It’s a cycle with a detrimental effect on our economy. New businesses are reluctant to open where they may be unable to hire and retain employees, particularly in a cost-effective manner. We all know people who have moved down the hill. Their rent has been raised; their condo insurance is now unaffordable or nonexistent; the property owner has converted the long-term rental into a short-term rental. 

The irony is that we are surrounded by vacant vacation homes. Some are long-standing vacation rentals or owned by the “6 month and a day” residents.  Others sit empty most of the year except for the summer and holiday weeks. With the influx of Airbnb and other companies enabling short-term rentals, some locals have rented out a room or their entire house to vacationers. However, property managers often point out that a short-term rental  is not as good as the long-term rental when taking the whole year into account.  How can we unlock housing stock or convert short-term rentals to long-term rentals?

Washoe County and Placemate’s Lease to Locals Program 

Under Commissioner Alexis Hill’s leadership in 2023, Washoe County approved a Community Reinvestment Grant to implement a program to give incentives to homeowners and landlords willing to rent their properties to local workers. It is Placemate’s Lease to Locals Program.  Read the article submitted by Placemate….

IVCBA Housing Committee 

Some of you may remember the formation of the Washoe Tahoe Housing Partnership (WTHP) in 2020. This was composed of agencies, large employers, and interested local organizations and residents concerned about our lack of affordable workforce housing. Washoe County funded two projects through the WTHP that were managed by the Tahoe Prosperity Center. The “Washoe Tahoe Local Employee Housing Needs and Opportunities” study was completed in September 2021. Based on these findings and more community input, the WTHP produced a “Housing Roadmap” in May 2023, a partnership plan to accelerate community housing action in Incline Village/Crystal Bay; it was approved by the Washoe County Board of Commissioners in July 2023. Its initial work was completed, and the WTHP dissolved in November 2023. However, this left a vacuum for actual implementation of the Housing Roadmap. 

After researching various ways to carry forward this effort, IVCBA formed a Housing Committee in June 2024. Its goal is to engage community members in building workforce housing solutions by sharing information, connecting, convening, and creating partnerships for action. Our accomplishments in 2024 include a community survey to find out which workforce housing topics Incline Village/Crystal Bay residents, employers, and employees are most interested in learning more about. The outcome was IVCBA’s Workforce Housing Series, which will offer knowledgeable speakers the opportunity to share effective approaches taken by similar mountain communities and local experts presenting on the housing opportunities and challenges in our region. The inaugural program on Placemate’s Lease to Locals Program, soon to be launched in our community, is Thursday, January 23, from 6-7 pm at UNR Tahoe’s Prim Library in Incline Village. Please join this night of information and conversation in person or on Zoom. Click here to register and learn more.

IVCBA has also created a page on our website to serve as a resource for housing topics. Go to IVCBA.org/Programs/Housing to read available articles and link to various groups. 

Our worst nightmare is playing out in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, California wildfires that are causing horrible devastation and countless people evacuated from their homes.  Our very own fire protection district, NLTFPD has deployed engines and hand crews. Follow their social media site for the latest information: https://www.facebook.com/NorthLakeTahoeFire

How YOU can help:

• Visit https://www.cafirefoundation.org/what-we-do/for-communities/disaster-relief to make a donation.
• Sierra Nevada Wildfire Relief Drive: North Tahoe and Truckee have organized a drive to collect needed household and personal items and organize trucks to deliver them to Los Angeles. Bring donations to the Chamber/Visitor Center in Kings Beach by Tuesday, Jan 21. Details at: https://www.facebook.com/NevadaCountyOES

THANK YOU, NEVADA NORDIC!

They have made the beautiful pristine winter wilderness this side of the meadows on Mt. Rose accessible to anyone who can put on a pair of cross-country skis or snowshoes. This includes seniors like me! They groom cross country ski trails and have great signage. We may not have much snow in Incline, but the trails still have plenty. I just did the green Rattlesnake Trail, about 2 miles of gentle up and down groomed tracks. Other trails will take you to Lakeview with the famous Chickadee Ridge on the way. Park around that flashing light sign and climb up one of the many sets of “stairs” people have made. To support their work to maintain these free trails, make a donation to this charitable organization, Nevada Nordic:  https://nevadanordic.networkforgood.com  . 

RENT FROM TAHOE MULTI-SPORT!

This humming vibrant sports equipment (and some retail) shop in the upper Village Center(next to Tahoe Family Solutions Thrift Store) rents and sells used cross country skis and other winter sports equipment. Locals JP Donovan and his partner Belinda are very helpful. Check out their website to see tours, their year-round gear and their Sauna Experience on Lake Tahoe!  Find downhill ski rentals and lots of retail at the Village Ski Loft, corner of Tahoe Blvd and Northwood. 

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Did anyone else slip and slide in their car and on foot this week? It was crazy! Here’s my winter driving tip: Avoid intersections where there is a small incline upon which you might have to stop. Notably, the intersections approaching Tahoe Blvd from Village, Southwood from Village Center, and going uphill on McCourry and College toward Mt. Rose. Take another route! 

IVCH WALK-IN CLINIC 

Why do kids get sick on the weekends when it’s hard to see your normal doctor! Did you know that the Incline Health Center(second floor at our hospital) has a walk-in clinic on the weekends? Whether it’s an emergency, regular care, or after hours, our gem of a hospital has us covered. There’s a lot of flu and other illnesses going around…stay safe! 

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Tahoe Area Plan revisions:  

Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 3:00pm – 5:00pm at the Incline Village Community Center (Activity Room): 855 Adler Ave next to the Library.
View the current Tahoe Area Plan online. View information about the current update on the TAP update webpage.

Workforce Housing Series presentation on Placemate’s Leasing to Locals program:

Date: Thursday, January 23 at 6pm at Prim Library on UNR@Lake Tahoe campus

Register to attend in person or attend on zoom…

SHOUT OUT TO IVCB COMMUNITY FORUM

This group meets the first and third Fridays in Incline Library at 9am and on zoom. Get updates from our local agencies, find out what people are talking about and get the list of upcoming meetings and events from Moderator Denise Davis. If you get on their mailing list, you will find links to every upcoming meeting and agency that makes a presentation. More info

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

The storm last Saturday didn’t prevent a lot of people from coming out for the Jingle and Mingle Holiday Shopping Event …our businesses thank you! I hope  you could find most everything you needed without going down those slippery roads to Reno or Carson. Those businesses still need your support. Here are some last-minute gift suggestions:

GIFT CARDS!

Especially…Happy Tiers, Mofo’s, and Koi Sushi have been shut down for nearly two weeks due to Christmas Tree Village plumbing problems. You can still support them by buying gift cards and placing special orders. 

“BEST-KEPT SECRET” PLACES TO SHOP

THE GIFT SHOP  at the Incline Village Community Hospital has great bargains and cute stuff! It is run by the North Lake Tahoe Community Health Care Auxiliary.

THE WELCOME CENTER at 969 Tahoe Blvd. If you think it’s just for tourists, think again. They have great T-shirts and other Lake Tahoe logo’d items that make great gifts.

HIGH SIERRA GARDENS: Yes, you can still get your Christmas tree there, but they have a really cute gift shop too!

LOCAL IN-DOOR RECREATION: Not everyone skis, and if the weather outside is really frightful, head to Iron and Woods indoor golf in the Country Club Center. Don’t forget that Bowl Incline has more than bowling/ PLUS they have an adult-oriented new restaurant upstairs, Lounge 19. 

THE HYATT: I could speak about the Hyatt in many categories; certainly, their gift shop is fun too. A Stillwater Spa gift card will make Santa a very popular guy. But DID YOU KNOW… they are serving ‘HIGH TEA” on the weekends? Everything you expect like scones, savory tea sandwiches, selection of teas and even champagne or a cocktail. Check out their gingerbread display at the same time.

THANK YOU TO ROBIN GLASGOW 

Long-time Executive Director Robin Glasgow is retiring. Thanks for your years of service!

CHRISTMAS AND HANNUKAH SERVICES

Go to the Northern Lights page to get a list of all the services, but if you have kids, don’t miss the “A Very Cornerstone Christmas” on December 21!

I am off to my happy place, Minnesota , tomorrow. Thanks to all of my loyal readers. I will be back with the Lens in January!

Tahoe Film Fest Celebrates 10 Years!

The Tahoe Film Fest may be the best-kept secret event in Tahoe! Seriously, if you have never been to one of their films, this is the year to try it. Opening night is Thursday, and multiple films are shown each day through Sunday. Thank you to Robert Roussel for his “labor of love” and close connections to Hollywood and New York for this amazing and accessible film fest. Need another reason to go? All proceeds benefit the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center right here in Incline on the campus of UNR@Lake Tahoe. 

Lake Tahoe School Winter Holiday Market 

I just got back from Vienna and their fabulous Christmas Markets. Julie and I have dreams about putting on such an event here. Lake Tahoe School has the next best thing because it is indoors…their Winter Holiday Market this Friday night, December 6. They manage to find unique vendors that will help you find something for that person who is impossible to buy for. Take those gifts you bought to Glasses on Saturday night, December 7 to have them gift wrapped, courtesy of WARF. And drink some wine while you’re there! 

DECK THE HALLS 

Don’t miss out on what has become the best-ever Christmas show in Incline. It’s called Jennifer Street Parade of Lights, but it is so much more than just lights. It is set to music as well. Thanks to the Harrells for this annual production! But don’t be discouraged from doing your own lights at your home or business. Although we are not technically calling it a contest, we plan to scout the streets and post photos of the best displays we see! Hot tip: Lakeshore Realty ALWAYS has a display worth driving by. And, if you are out driving at night, why not go see the unofficial “Community Tree,” You can see it on Incline Way, just past the Rec Center in the middle of the forest leading to UNR@Lake Tahoe.  

CANDY CANE LANE  

I have to mention it…it’s THIS Saturday from 2-4. This is Incline’s community tree lighting (kind of, because it’s already on) and holiday celebration. Santa is delivered by the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, and the cute little kids from Incline Elementary School will sing. EVERY (I’m exaggerating) social club and nonprofit will be there to greet you, hand out goodies to kids or have activities for them to do. Get your informal photo with Santa! Oh, park the car at the Rec Center, write a letter to Santa at the Rec Center and walk through Candy Cane Lane to get to the Village!  

GIVING TUESDAY 

It was just yesterday, so I guarantee you it’s not too late to make a donation to your favorite charity and it will probably be matched by some magnanimous local anonymous donor! Thank you to everyone who gives generously of their time, talent and treasure to our community. 

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

So much to be grateful for this season, but I want to focus on those that address food insecurity in our community…

• Sierra Community House and its many volunteers who made sure that goody bags, complete with a turkey, reached homes throughout North Tahoe/Truckee, including Incline. 
• The Village Church with its always on hand food boxes, St. Frances with its Food Ministry, and St. Patrick’s and Cornerstone who serve many families in need.
• Food Bank of Northern Nevada works behind the scenes by being a major supplier for Sierra Community House, and Raleys and Grocery Outlet donates surplus food.

SHOP SMALL SATURDAY

After the mobs of shoppers in Reno on Black Friday, chill out on Saturday and keep it local!

High Sierra Gardens….The place to get a fresh Christmas tree and their gift shop is still open!

The Potlatch…Go for the jewelry at 10% off, but those cutesy holiday hostess gifts sell out early and their selection is the BEST!

Karacotta Ceramic Studio…is offering an ornament-making workshop

Mountain Hardware and Sports….make it a family experience…something for everyone… DIY guys, affordable sports clothing for kids, holiday and housewares, and Christmas lights!

The Village Ski Loft…all those brands you love…either make someone happy or make your own list!

Not a shopper? Don’t feel bad, go visit one of the newest businesses in town, Iron and Wood in Country Club Center. Yes, it’s a golf place, kind of like TopGolf where everyone can hang out and spend a few hours bonding over your golf swing. They encourage bring drinks and food over from nearby Fumo, Austin’s, Incline Spirits, and Bak’d.

GIVING TUESDAY

This is your chance to give to the myriad non-profits that make our community so supportive. Whether it’s the family advocacy organizations like the ones mentioned above and Tahoe Family Solutions, Incline Education Fund for the schools, or Shakespeare and the many cultural non-proifts, BE GENEROUS!

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

Are we all glad the election is over, and our emails and phones won’t get blown up with political messages?!  A big THANK YOU to all of the candidates who were brave enough to run.   Hopefully, we can all turn our attention to Veterans Day by next Monday, when we honor those who take civic duty to a whole other level by serving our country in the armed forces. 

Incline Village is fortunate to have four groups devoted to Veterans. 

INCLINE VILLAGE VETERANS CLUB

This group is dedicated to helping Veterans in the area, but it is also integral to Incline and the myriad community events, like the Local Heroes Celebration on the 4th of July. They meet every third Thursday at the Chateau and welcome everyone to come and join, even if you are not a veteran. 

MOAA (Military Officers of America Association)

The Lake Tahoe chapter works closely with the Vets Club. They have a speaker series here in Incline. The next one is November 20 at  Parasol. The speaker is Mr. Rick Hatton, Founder of the 10 Tanker Air Carrier.  Contact John Hoffman at jhoffman@cognitive.exchange to reserve your seat.

ONWARD OPS FOUNDATION

The Onward Ops Foundation (HQ is in Incline Village) received a $1.75 Million Grant from USAA’s “Face the Fight” in 3Q 2024 to help members of all branches of military service transition into new civilian lives with zero suicides. The Onward Ops Foundation is focused on kicking off the first National Guard Pilot with the state of Nevada and the new TAG Brigadier General Dan Waters. Contact John Hoffman for more information.

PTSD NOW!

Craig and Julie Rauchle and PTSD Now were singled out for an honor and a proclamation for service to the Nevada National Guard by the incoming and retiring commanding generals at a change of command ceremony in Reno. PTSD is a huge problem for Vets, and their work in saving Vets from suicide has been incredibly meaningful. 

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

This event honors those who have served and are now deceased across the country. This year’s event is held on Saturday, December 14. Local Rotary clubs also participate in it.

Take a moment to honor our veterans this Veteran’s Day – 11/11/24 (Monday)

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

How many of you have a story about our beloved Incline Village Community Hospital? Broken leg from skiing, a child’s ear infection in the middle of the night, or an allergic reaction to a bee sting….we all can probably tell at least one story where it was SO NICE to have our local hospital with its emergency department and upstairs health center. For me and Richard, we remember the appendicitis attack, the infection from a root canal, a bladder infection that caused mental confusion and numerous trips when the kids were young.  Trips to the ER for loved ones are often emotional experiences and can be filled with long waits in busy, crowded waiting rooms. We have been spoiled by having this wonderful resource in such a small community. 

Because of the generosity and determination of community members, the Hospital opened its doors in September of 1981. It had just the basics, but hospitals are expensive to run. After the hospital closed two times in the 80s, Marianne and Larry Ingemanson set out to save it financially. Several locals, including us, “invested” in this critical facility that allowed many elderly people and young families to live here, knowing they had quality health care close to home. In 1996, the Hospital became a proud part of Tahoe Forest Health System. Now IVCH is the place that we all know and love: an incredible ER with faces that many of us have grown to know and love, the second-floor Health Center with primary and specialty physicians, the brand-new Diagnostic Imaging Suite (now with 3D Mammography), a wonderful lab for any of your lab work needs, and just recently a walk-in clinic that meets the needs of all of our residents.

Tahoe Forest is one of the top 100 critical access hospitals in the country. It has achieved notable quality measures that demonstrate the highest patient safety standards and consistently exceeds patient satisfaction ratings. The Cancer Center is world renowned, the Women’s and Newborn Care center is state-of-the-art, and many of our local babies are born there. Many surgeries, like my appendectomy and my broken wrist, are easily accommodated. We have much to be thankful for, and we congratulate them on serving our community for the last 75 years!

SHOUT-OUTS

• Louis Ward is Incline Hospital’s Administrator and interim CEO for the entire Health System. He is visible in our community and looks out for our interests.
• Karli Epstein is the Executive Director of both hospital foundations. She is a familiar face and name in Incline. She and the IVCH Foundation are behind the fabulous Beach Boys (and other) fundraisers that raise several hundred thousand dollars for our hospital alone. Because of these funds, we have state-of-the-art Diagnostic Imaging equipment like 3D mammography, the 128-slice CT, and the new fixed X-ray. Many of the hospital’s upgrades are thanks to incredible community generosity and support. 
• The North Lake Tahoe Community Health Care Auxiliary works behind the scenes, raising money for scholarships and hospital equipment needs from its annual lobster feed in the summer and golf tournament in the fall. It also runs that cute gift shop!

Tahoe Forest Health System is celebrating its 75th Anniversary on Friday night. When you see a local health hospital employee, nurse, physician, or provider, thank them!

LET ME JUST SAY, THERES A LOT of DRESSING UP  to do in the next couple weeks! And I’m not even thinking about cold-weather dressing, but I will get to that too.

TRAIL OF TREATS AND TERROR THIS THURSDAY NIGHT!

IVGID puts together this (not really) scary family event for Halloween. This is the “costume parade” of Incline families all decked out for trick or treating before it gets dark. Your ticket is either a child who is attending or volunteer for one of the many organizations that decorate a table on the trail. Or just come down to the Village Green, in costume of course, to watch the fun. Donate to it through ITF

CHILI COOK-OFF ON FRIDAY NIGHT

The taste and smell of chili are in the air…. As local restaurants prepare for this year’s Chili Cook-off and Beerfest on Friday at the Chateau, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Tahoe-Incline. Cowboy boots and hat are not required, but dressing up makes it more festive.  Thanks to Rotary fundraisers, over $30,000 is invested in education and youth programs, along with family advocacy organizations.

Friday night is a popular night for Halloween events too….yet another chance to wear that costume. Boys and Girls Club has their annual Harvest Festival in Kings Beach and DID YOU KNOW…Sand Harbor has outdoor movies on Friday night? It’s called Spooky Harbor. This Friday is a Kids Fall Festival, as well as a showing of Trick or Treat Scooby Doo.

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?!

No one is leaving the dogs out, especially not WARF!

October 26: A local animal rescue organization is hosting  a Halloween event and dogs are invited! Doggie costumes please! (Don’t you wish there was a costume store in Incline?)

KUNR IN INCLINE!

More local journalism is needed in the region, but especially in Washoe Tahoe, aka Incline Village and Crystal Bay. With the trend moving away from print, radio and podcasts have become an important news source.  Find out more tonight at a reception on the UNR campus here in town. (Some of us still call it Sierra Nevada College)

WINTER WARMTH AND WELLNESS

The local churches join forces with Sierra Community House to hold a clothing and “necessities” drive to be sure that local families are ready for winter. Volunteers are needed. If you or someone you know, is among the needy, the “Giveaway” is this Saturday at the Kings Beach Events Center. Contact Lorena Herrera at St. Francis for more information LorenaA@sftahoe.org.

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

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