In my recent article on the power needed to run artificial intelligence (AI), I wrote how power bills are going up due in part to the additional electricity needed to run AI data centers. I made reference to the 20 percent spike in energy bills in the northeast, but data centers are coming to northern Nevada, too.
The Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (RTI) is known for having the Tesla Gigafactory. Soon, it will be known for data centers as well. Microsoft has acquired 225 acres within the center and a larger plot in nearby Silver Springs. Apple and Google are expanding their data centers, too. The RTI may become one of the largest data center markets in the world.
Estimates are that these data centers will require a 40 percent increase in Nevada’s electricity usage and consume billions of gallons of water every year. Although companies are racing to build data centers across the world, Nevada is giving tax breaks to build here, including abatements on property taxes for a decade or more. I bet the companies would have come, tax breaks or not. Nevadans should at least know this is happening. Most don’t.
NV Energy will supply power to these data centers. Traditionally utility stocks are steady and provide a good income for shareholders. That has changed. Because of data centers, utilities are in a growth industry. The SPDR Utilities ETF (XLU) is up 12 percent this year after gaining 20 percent in 2024.
The need for power is why Market Vectors Nuclear Energy (NLR) is up 120 percent since 2023. For individual stocks, I like GE Vernova (GEV) and Vistra Energy (VST), although they are volatile and are only appropriate for the speculative portion of a portfolio.
As for the overall market, those analysts with time to check say that 80 percent of S&P 500 companies reported second quarter earnings better than expected. Perhaps Wall Street needs better analysts. Investors are enthusiastic for earnings growth and the expected upcoming cuts in interest rates. Earnings will be growing fast among big-cap AI companies, but anticipation of that is why the stocks are where they are with historically high valuations.
Will other stocks follow suit? Yes, to some degree market participation has already improved. Small-cap stocks do especially well when the Fed lowers interest rates. When rates are lowered will investors decide to take on some risk instead of staying in a money market fund with a falling yield? Eventually, yes. It’s a bull market.
David Vomund is an Incline Village-based Independent Investment Advisor. Information is found at www.VomundInvestments.com or by calling 775-832-8555. Clients hold the positions mentioned in this article. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult your financial advisor before purchasing any security.
Lake Tahoe School presents: Coffee With Kirsten Jones
September 8, 2025 | Member Submitted
Lake Tahoe School is proud to host a special presentation by Kirsten Jones, a renowned Peak Performance Coach, motivational speaker, and author of the best-selling book, Raising Empowered Athletes. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 16, at the Bobcat Treehouse Library in Lake Tahoe School from 8:30 am to 10:00 am.
Kirsten Jones, a Hall of Fame NCAA Division I volleyball player and former NIKE executive, has dedicated her career to helping athletes, parents, and coaches navigate the complexities of youth sports. Her unique approach focuses on teaching athletes to get out of their heads and into their bodies, allowing them to perform at their highest level.
Having raised three Division I athletes herself, Jones intimately understands the challenges and triumphs of the youth sports journey. Her presentation will draw from her personal experiences and professional expertise, offering parents practical strategies for time management, building resilience, and fostering a positive, high-performance mindset in their children. Attendees will learn how to help their athletes manage pressure, amplify their strengths, and find joy in the athletic experience.
“We are thrilled to bring Kirsten to our community,” says Cynthia Keeler, Director of Development and Special Events at Lake Tahoe School. “Her insights on raising empowered athletes and navigating the pressures of competitive sports are invaluable. This is a must-attend event for any parent or coach who wants to make a lasting, positive impact on their young athletes’ lives.”
The presentation is free and open to the public, and attendees can register at https://www.laketahoeschool.org/ninja-forms/57niju.
About Kirsten Jones: Kirsten (Keer-stin) is a Hall of Fame NCAA Division I volleyball player, 15-year NIKE executive, motivational speaker, Peak Performance Coach, author of the best-selling book, Raising Empowered Athletes, and host of the award winning podcast, “Raising Athletes” (#5 on Feedspot in Youth Sports).
She works with athletes, parents, coaches and administrators, helping them identify their pain points, amplify their strengths and reach their individual and collective team and leadership goals.
Kirsten’s super power is getting people out of their heads in into their bodies, allowing them to feel their best and perform beyond what they believed possible.
Kirsten and her husband, Evan, have raised three athletes (ages, 24, 21 and 19). Two sons, who became DI basketball players and a daughter who played volleyball through high school. Kirsten understands the pressure, excitement and often times anguish that comes with roller coaster ride that is youth sports. Buckle up!
Contact:
Allie Sacci Director of Marketing & Communications allie.sacci@laketahoeschool.org 775-831-5828
In The News – Aging houses and expensive repairs: how Tahoe’s housing quality shapes up
September 5, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 09/05/2025, Written by Eli Ramos
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, on average, over half of the homes around the Tahoe Basin were built before 1979. While age isn’t the only determining factor in housing quality, the reality is that many housing options are subject to the changes of the decades: years of weather damage, broken-down facilities, and inadequate repairs that can make a home far more difficult to live in.
Add in changing regulatory standards, higher expenses and the challenges of those who address housing quality and it’s easy to see why these problems go untouched. But leaving it alone leaves a lot of suffering in its wake, and the problem won’t go away on its own—in fact, it’ll probably get worse.
In this article of the Tribune’s ongoing housing series, we’re looking at a problem that affects people already living in the area and how it impacts quality of life.
Twenty-five years ago, we were logging onto the Internet with dial-up connections. Today, you can book a microtransit ride from an app on your smartphone. That’s a lot of change in just one generation—imagine what the next 25 years could bring for transportation at Lake Tahoe.
The recently adopted Connections 2050, TRPA’s 25-year Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) charts that future with more than 90 projects designed to protect the lake and improve how people get around the basin. Success over the next quarter-century will be measured not only by projects completed, but by the outcomes they deliver, such as cleaner air and water, safer streets, and more connected communities.
In The News – Tahoe organization seeks public input on winter safety initiative—backcountry community radio channels
September 2, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 09/02/2025, Written by Katelyn Welsh
Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol is seeking input on its development of a backcountry radio program intended to offer an additional safety measure for those recreating in the region’s backcountry.
First developed in Telluride in 2016, backcountry community radio channels are designated channels for specific backcountry zones. The channels are intended to enhance safety and communication in avalanche terrain by offering a means for those in that zone to alert others to hazards, avalanches, and incidents, or prior to dropping into terrain.
While not a replacement for dialing 911, the channels offer a way to render or seek aid, especially when someone in a zone might not have service, but can radio another who does.
In The News – Scott Bensing joins Tahoe Fund Board of Directors
September 1, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 09/01/2025, Staff report
The nonprofit Tahoe Fund announced that Scott Bensing, a U.S. Navy veteran with over 15 years of experience on Capitol Hill, has joined its Board of Directors. A high-ranking former Republican senior staff member, Bensing’s service has spanned the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and included developing federal policy and navigating legislative and regulatory challenges. As a board member, he will support the Tahoe Fund’s mission of improving the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.
“Scott’s extensive experience in developing public policy and navigating the legislative process, his passion for Tahoe, and his long-standing commitment to community service make him an outstanding addition to the Tahoe Fund Board,” said Tahoe Fund Board Chair Verdi DiSesa. “We are grateful to work alongside him as we continue to seek out and fund environmental projects that will prevent catastrophic wildfire, improve the health of the Lake, and make it easier for people to get around, enjoy and take care of Tahoe.”
Bright orange leaves hang in front of the top of an old fashioned house in autumn.
From IVCBA Member Canopy Property Services, 08/29/2025
As the busy tourist season winds down and the locals summer begins in Tahoe, now’s the time to prepare your property for the fall and winter seasons ahead.
At Canopy Property Services, we make the transition effortless so you can enjoy fall without worrying about upkeep.
Our team specializes in seasonal services tailored to the unique mountain climate, including:
Pine-needle, roof & gutter, and yard cleanups to keep your property safe and tidy
Winterization of irrigation and landscapes to protect your investment and keep your outdoor spaces thriving season after season
Turf care and irrigation adjustments to prepare for cooler weather
Property checks and maintenance to protect your home year-round
Lock in your snow removal services with Canopy now
Extra Peace of Mind — We Have Your Property Covered
More than landscaping—we’re here as your year-round property and real estate partner.
Regular House Checks – Know your home is safe and cared for, even when you’re away.
Seasonal & Long-Term Rental Management – From guest turnover to maintenance, we handle the details so your property earns stress-free.
Fall Real Estate Services – Thinking about buying or selling? We can advise on market trends and position your property for success during Tahoe’s busy fall season before the snow falls.
Let us handle the transition from summer to fall and winter —so you can focus on enjoying Tahoe’s best season.
Tahoe Mobility Hub Moves Forward at Spooner Summit
August 28, 2025 | Member Submitted
Project will improve safety and recreation access in one of Lake Tahoe’s most popular roadway corridors
August 27, 2025 (Stateline, Nev.) – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board approved a key environmental improvement project today that will continue the transformation of the Nevada State Route (SR) 28 corridor into a safe, sustainable roadway, TRPA and the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) announced today. The Spooner Summit Mobility Hub project will also help protect Lake Tahoe from aquatic invasive species with construction of the first permanent watercraft inspection station in the Tahoe Basin.
Located near the junction of U.S. Highway 50 and SR 28 at Spooner Summit, the 250-space parking area and transit hub will replace roadside parking spaces in the popular recreation corridor and connect Nevada State Parks, USDA Forest Service trailheads, and other transit stops, according to the agencies.
The Nevada Department of Transportation is leading the project with support from partner agencies under the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP). In response to safety and environmental concerns, EIP partners developed the State Route 28 Corridor Management Plan to identify transportation projects that will protect lake clarity, improve public safety, enhance recreation access, and reduce roadway congestion.
“This is a visionary project that will improve water quality, enhance public safety, reduce roadway congestion, and make access to the basin’s abundant public lands safer and more sustainable,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said.
Removing parking on the road shoulders will increase safety, protect vegetation, reduce soil erosion, and improve scenic quality in the corridor, which is a designated National Scenic Byway.
“This project is more than just creating infrastructure, it’s about shaping the future of mobility in the Tahoe Basin,” said Jim Marino, Executive Director of the Tahoe Transportation District. “By creating a mobility hub at Spooner Summit, we’re setting the stage for a safer, more sustainable corridor that enhances recreation access while safeguarding the lake and surrounding environment for generations to come.”
Key project components include:
Safe, managed parking with pay kiosk
Permanent watercraft inspection station
Transit hub with increased service to decrease traffic
Reduced erosionand stormwater runoff to protect the clarity of the lake
Technology for real-time parking availability and reservation systems
Increased enforcement and ticketing for illegal roadside parking
Reinvestment of parking revenues in the corridor
Electric Vehicle charging stations and infrastructure for electric buses
At 11 miles long, the two-lane roadway from Incline Village, Nev. to Spooner Summit is the longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline in the Lake Tahoe Region and the popularity of its public beaches, trails, and scenic beauty has been growing. Surveys in 2024 showed roughly 1,000 vehicles parked on highway shoulders in the SR 28 Corridor on peak days. Illegal, off-highway parking can crowd the roadway with pedestrians and traffic and increase erosion.
Project construction is expected to begin in 2026 and the permanent watercraft inspection station, parking lot, and transit stop are scheduled to open by the fall of 2027.
The Spooner Mobility Hub parking lot will be the largest along the corridor, making it a critical location for transit services. Co-locating the aquatic invasive species inspection station on site leverages the federal, state, and private funding that supports the watercraft inspection program.
The permanent watercraft inspection station to be incorporated in the project will house aquatic invasive species inspection and decontamination equipment that has been operating in the region since TRPA and Tahoe Resource Conservation District began the program in 2008. In that time, trained staff at regional inspection locations have inspected more than 115,000 boats to protect Lake Tahoe from new aquatic invasive species. The permanent Spooner Summit inspection station will make the inspection process safer and more efficient and serve as a model for future stations.
Images
Spooner_Mobility_Hub_Simulation_Planview Caption: An East Shore Express bus parallels the East Shore Trail carrying passengers to recreation areas along the scenic Nev. SR 28 corridor. Credit: Drone Promotions
East-Shore-Express-aerial-trail-walkers-lake Caption: A simulation of the Spooner Mobility Hub and watercraft inspection station with the entrance to Spooner Lake Nevada State Park below. The project is scheduled to break ground next year and will replace hundreds to unsafe, off-road parking spaces on Nev. SR 28. Credit: Drone Promotions
Spooner_Summit_Boat_Inspections Caption: Lake Tahoe watercraft inspectors decontaminate boats heading for Lake Tahoe at the seasonal inspection location at Spooner Summit. The mobility hub project will incorporate the first permanent boat inspection station in the Tahoe Basin. Credit: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Media Contacts:
Jeff Cowen Public Information Officer Tahoe Regional Planning Agency jcowen@trpa.gov (775) 589-5278
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.
About Tahoe Transportation District The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) is a bi-state agency responsible for the management and implementation of safe, environmentally sound, multi-modal transportation projects and programs in the Lake Tahoe Region, including transit operations. TTD leads multi-jurisdictional infrastructure projects to make travel safer, improve access to recreation, and reduce traffic congestion and private car use. TTD focuses on transit’s pivotal role in improving air and water quality because more than 70 percent of the pollutants impacting Lake Tahoe’s clarity come from transportation system and built environment run-off. TTD has delivered numerous projects to help reduce environmental impacts and address the high demand residents and visitors place on the region’s transportation infrastructure, including transit solutions, roadway and safety enhancements, water quality improvements, and pedestrian/cyclist paths. For more information, please visit TahoeTransportation.org.
In The News – New interactive map makes exploring Incline Village and Crystal Bay easier for visitors and locals
August 27, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally published with KUNR, 08/20/2025, Written by Maria Palma
If you’re planning a trip to North Lake Tahoe, there’s a new tool to help you get the most out of the Incline Village and Crystal Bay area.
The Incline Village Crystal Bay Community and Business Association (IVCBA) has launched an interactive digital map in partnership with Travel North Tahoe Nevada and Vibe Maps.
This mobile-friendly map highlights places including restaurants, shops, and scenic trails in Incline Village and Crystal Bay.
The map is about more than just directions, it’s a way for residents and visitors to connect with the heart of the community, said Kristin Derrin, IVCBA’s marketing and communications manager.
In The News – Author’s newest love story ‘Sierra Fall’ brings lovers together in Tahoe
August 26, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 08/26/2025, Written by Eli Ramos
Martha O’Sullivan’s love of Tahoe has inspired five books, including one trilogy and her latest story titled “Sierra Fall.” O’Sullivan’s writing has been praised by friends and readers for evoking the beauty of the North Shore and the different perspectives she brings in her main characters.
O’Sullivan says she’s always loved romance novels and reading, taking the city bus to the library and devouring books as winters settled in the Midwest. She had a penchant for finishing a story to her liking as she read, an early writer’s instinct. “But writing went on the backburner for a long time,” said O’Sullivan. She previously worked as an acquisitions editor, then became a stay-at-home mom to her daughters.
Now, she writes as an independent and self-published author, which she calls her “second dream in life.” She was inspired by writers like Nora Roberts, who is also self-taught and explores a variety of character voices and perspectives.
