In The News – Researchers identified a new pack of endangered gray wolves in the Sierra Nevada
August 16, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally published by the Associated Press 08/12/2023
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — A new pack of gray wolves has shown up in California’s Sierra Nevada, several hundred miles away from any other known population of the endangered species, wildlife officials announced Friday.
It’s a discovery to make researchers howl with delight, given that the native species was hunted to extinction in California in the 1920s. Only in the past decade or so have a few gray wolves wandered back into the state from out-of-state packs.
A report of a wolf seen last month in Sequoia National Forest in Tulare County led researchers to spot tracks, and collect DNA samples from fur and droppings, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Researchers concluded that there is a new pack of at least five wolves that weren’t previously known to live in California: an adult female and her four offspring.
Middle school is a tricky developmental time for humans. It’s when we start to become self-confident enough to both be a part of and separate from a variety of groups. It’s when we are most keenly aware of how our peers are behaving and when labels like math nerd or class clown can stick. Importantly, it’s also when academic interests begin to solidify. Research has shown that if a student does not show interest in a particular subject, like STEM for example, by 4th or 5th grade, they will not do so. This is particularly true for higher-level classes (like STEM) as students will not have the basic skills needed to take courses later on.
Luckily, Principal Kari Michael and the staff at Incline Middle School understand this complicated developmental time. They know that relationships are built on shared experiences, interests, and goals and they work to provide those shared opportunities for students.
When students feel a part of a group, they also tend to work harder, care more, and invest in the cohesion and success of the group. IMS has done a great job creating a number of avenues for students to build those relationships while experiencing new activities. Here are a few examples of the unique programming offered at IMS.
Wednesday Exploratory Session
Principal Michael developed this weekly program to help students re-engage in school post-pandemic and/or to have an opportunity to get caught up in subjects that they may need more support in.
Students who are on track academically can choose from a variety of experiential opportunities, while those who need academic support can work with a subject teacher in their area of need.
Several options are offered each quarter and are meant to broaden student interest and allow them to challenge themselves. Students choose from a variety of themes and with the generous support of our local community, have been able to go off-campus and learn more about different subjects. Incline Education Fund sourced and funded student activities in partnership with local businesses. From skiing with Nevada
Nordic and Tahoe-Multisport, to leadership classes with Bowl Incline, to a glimpse into the animal world with Pet Network, and to Incline Education Fund-sponsored water safety lessons and a spring special with Truckee’s Gateway Mountain Center, IMS students can widen their horizons, develop new interests and even start thinking about potential future careers.
The IMS Robotics Program
Incline Education Fund was recently awarded a $50k grant from the Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation & Technology to scale up the robotics program at Incline Middle School. The curriculum is aligned to Nevada Academic Content Standards for Computer Science and integrates a final, capstone project each semester. Those projects give students the opportunity to address a real-world issue and require them to present their solution to a public audience. Robotics is offered both as an elective class and an after-school LEGO Robotics Club. Additionally, IMS has created a Girls Who Code Club that is supported by the local AAUW chapter.
The program is proving to be highly successful. Levels of student engagement, teamwork, and collaboration have exceeded expectations and the capstone projects are a great way to showcase student work.
This robotics program is a bridge for those students interested in STEM, as they can solidify skills they’ve developed in the Incline Elementary School Makerspace program and build the foundation they need to succeed in the Incline High School Engineering & Entrepreneurship program. Incline public school students can now take dedicated STEM courses from K-12th.
Wellness Zone
IMS has also created a place where students can learn to address their personal emotional regulation skills. The Wellness Zone is a quiet space where students can get 1:1 academic support or work independently on a project. It is also a space where counselors can run small groups and provide lessons to our special needs students. Detailed Wellness Zone data reports are proving the effectiveness of students having access to a space where they can go to get help when neede
Supporting the Maui Strong Relief Fund – How You Can Help!
August 10, 2023 | Member Submitted
Parasol is joining our good partners at Hawai‘i Community Foundation in supporting communities affected by the wildfires in Maui.
The Maui Strong Fund held at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation was created to provide community resilience with resources for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Providing both immediate support and necessary long-term building, your donation is a way to offer support and hope to our fellow communities.
Incline Village Evacuation Exercise & Preparedness Fair
August 9, 2023 | Member Submitted
Incline Village, NV – Wednesday: August 16th, 2023 from 9:30am – 12:00pm – Washoe County Emergency Management, our first responding partners, and our community partners will be working together to test the Regional Evacuation, Shelter, and Mass Care Plan.
We will use a simulation tool to PRETEND there is a fire on the mountains west of the Second Creek neighborhood.
North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District will respond their resources. Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the CERT will knock on doors in the affected neighborhood to alert residents. Emergency Management will send an emergency alert to the neighborhood informing them of the exercise and the evacuation location, etc. Residents and the public will simulate evacuating to the Incline Village Recreation Center, where they can check in and attend a preparedness fair.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT?
You may receive an alert on your cell phone. If you are not registered to receive emergency alerts visit the Alerting Platform for notifications in Washoe County.
You may see first responders and signs in the community.
Everyone is invited to the preparedness fair at Incline Village Recreation Center, 980 Incline Way, Incline Village, NV 89451.
Follow www.perimetermap.com for live evacuation drill updates during the exercise.
PREPAREDNESS FAIR
Located at the Incline Village Recreation Center, 980 Incline Way, Incline Village, NV 89451.
Vendors from Nevada & California will be present. Including the Red Cross, CERT, Team Rubicon, WCRAS, Sierra Avalanche Center, Belfor, and others.
Red Cross will check people in and provide wristbands.
Washoe County Regional Animal Services will be offering animal micro-chipping services.
There will be information on how to best prepare yourself and your family for an evacuation event.
In The News – Forest Service to begin parking upgrades at Chimney Beach Trailhead
August 9, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune 08/08/2023, Submitted
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – The parking area at Chimney Beach Trailhead on Highway 28 will be closed for construction beginning August 14, 2023, and is expected to remain closed through the end of October. USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit contractors are scheduled to begin construction to increase the number of parking spots at the popular East Shore destination. Trails will remain open during construction.
The Chimney Beach Trailhead parking area currently has approximately 30 parking spaces and 130 new spaces will be added to improve recreation access in the area. Construction is expected to last through October with some construction activities to be completed early next summer.
Temporary erosion control measures will be used to protect the project area during construction and a permanent retention basin will be constructed to capture storm water and runoff to protect water quality. Some trees and vegetation may be removed.
Kathryn Kelly, founder, and executive director of Carson City’s I-School, brought a Russian family by for An Evening with Mark Twain, and I fell in love with them. So the following morning, hoping Nikolai might be willing to translate into Russian, I penned letters to Presidents Putin & Zelensky asking for an audience, and yes, Nikolai is in fact translating as we speak. I thought too, I had better check in with the DOJ and State Department to be sure I’m following protocol, should I actually receive that invitation…
Email Subject: Wanting to do the Right Thing
Dear friends at DOJ,
As a 35-year impressionist of Mark Twain, and about to retire, I thought I should reach out to Russia and Ukraine as a private citizen and goodwill ambassador. So, I composed the following letter to Presidents Putin & Zelensky…
Dear Presidents Putin & Zelensky,
As a private citizen, and 35-year impressionist of Mark Twain, I do hereby request an invitation to Moscow and Kiev, to abet the implementation of a ceasefire in Ukraine, and, the erecting of a Mark Twain statue in Odessa. My bags are packed with two roses, and two copies of The Innocents Abroad…
It is with utmost sincerity and regard that I remain, Your friend in finding and maintaining peace,
McAvoy Layne
____________________________________________
The Russian people love Mark Twain, as I found out years ago with a visit there to lecture at Leningrad University in Saint Petersburg. They even issued a domestic Twain postage stamp in 1960…
I feel a little like Don Quixote tilting at windmills, but if I do receive that invitation, I want to be sure I am following State Department and DOJ guidelines and protocol…
Please instruct…
Your friend in peace,
McAvoy Layne as Mark Twain
PS: A six-month ceasefire will not be used as a subterfuge to provide combatants an opportunity to better position themselves for a moment when hostilities might resume. No, this ceasefire will be predicated on producing a lasting truce to recognize the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, while protecting speech, religion, and press.
And, I shall remain eager to assist in the erection of a Mark Twain statue in Odessa once the ceasefire becomes a lasting truce…
In The News – Cortez Masto, Rosen announce $1.3 million to help Washoe Tribe strengthen, invest in energy infrastructure
August 8, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune 08/08/2023, Submitted
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) announced that the Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California will receive $1.3 million to modernize and strengthen their energy infrastructure and invest in clean energy. The funding comes from the Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program, which was created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen both helped draft and pass into law.
“This funding I fought to deliver will help Tribal communities in Nevada protect their energy infrastructure, keep their communities safe, and create good-paying clean energy jobs,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “As Nevada experiences more extreme weather, it’s critical that our Tribes have additional tools to increase resiliency and keep the lights on.”
“Communities across Nevada are increasingly facing extreme weather and natural disasters that threaten our electric grid,” said Senator Rosen. “It’s critical that we bolster our energy grid to ensure that Nevada’s families can keep their lights on during a natural disaster. I’m glad to see the Washoe Tribe is receiving funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I helped pass, to support a more resilient energy infrastructure that can meet future challenges and provide cleaner, more affordable energy.”
TOCCATA- Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus James Rawie, Artistic Director and Conductor
August 8, 2023 | Member Submitted
TOCCATA Presents the Remembrance-9/11 Memorial Concert Series Sept. 8-15
Series Features selections from Brahms Requiem, Bruch Romanze for Viola with guest violinist Sarah Coyl, and the mighty Beethoven 5th Symphony
TOCCATA Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will finish their 2023 Tahoe Summer MusicFest with a four-concert series beginning Friday, September 8 at 7:00pm in Reno at St John’s Presbyterian Church, (1070 W. Plumb Lane).
The concert will open with Max Bruch’s Romanze for Viola Opus 85, performed by guest soloist Sarah Coyl followed by selections from Johannes Brahms German “World” Requiem, his most well-known symphonic choral masterpiece. Ludwig van Beethoven’s fiery and immortal Symphony #5 concludes the program. Sarah Coyl serves as concertmaster, and Maestro James Rawie, Tahoe Symphony’s Founder and Executive Artistic Director, will conduct all performances.
The concert will be repeated on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 4:00 pm at St Theresa Catholic Church, South Lake Tahoe (1041 Lyons Ave), and on Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 7 pm in Carson City at the Brewery Arts Center. Carson Valley Arts Council will be collaborating with TOCCATA for the Sept. 12 concert dedicated to Greg Brown, a dear friend, and donor to TOCCATA who passed away suddenly in 2021.
. The final performance will be Friday, Sept. 15, at 6:30 pm at St Francis Catholic Church in Incline Village (701 Mt Rose Hwy).
This concert series will be dedicated to the many firefighters and first responders that kept South Lake Tahoe safe during the Caldor fire. Donations are needed, and are tax deductible. TOCCATA Tahoe Symphony is a 501c3 non-profit arts organization (EIN 06-1755800).
Tickets are $30 for adults or $40 for preferred seating/$15 youth; youth under 23 are free in general seating: Premium “front and center” seats are $50 for adults, $25 for youth. Seniors enjoy a $5 discount in all seating areas. All veterans are invited to these concerts at no charge for admission. But you must reserve your seat ahead of time.
WHERE and WHEN: Friday, Sept. 8, 7:00 p.m. Reno: St John’s Presbyterian Church 1070 W. Plumb Lane
Sunday, Sept. 10, 4:00 p.m. Southlake • St Theresa Catholic church 1041 Lyons Ave
Tuesday, Sept. 12, 7:00 p.m. Carson City • Brewery Arts Center 449 W. King Street,
Friday, Sept. 15, 6:30 p.m. Incline Village • St Francis Catholic Church 701 Mt Rose Hwy.
Further information: Please call 775-298-6989; e-mail us at ToccataTahoe@gmail.com;
or visit us at www.ToccataTahoe.org or https://www.facebook.com/toccatatahoe/.
In The News – To take care of Tahoe, everyone has a role to play (Opinion)
August 7, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune 08/06/2023, Written by Tony Karwowski, Andy Chapman, and Carol Chaplin
Recent news stories have highlighted some of the impacts of tourism in Tahoe. While some of the efforts underway to help reduce human impacts and shift behaviors are mentioned, those stories rarely emphasize how reliant Tahoe’s economy is on tourism. After all, it is what supports local businesses and puts many of our friends and neighbors to work. Stories about tourism also rarely talk about how everyone has a role to play. Locals — “long-time residents” or “community members”, as one contributing writer recently said, have just as much responsibility as those who visit to change their behaviors and help take care of Tahoe.
For decades, Lake Tahoe’s local economy has relied on visitors and the many businesses that provide lodging, food and beverage service, and year-round outdoor recreation opportunities. Although the region had a robust tourism economy prior to 2020, the pandemic shifted how, when and where people spent time in Tahoe.
According to a report released by Dean Runyon Associates in March 2022, second homeowners came and stayed with greater frequency, and overnight visitation declined in favor of day visits by those located within an easy drive. This is common knowledge at this point, felt by all who lived here prior to and through the pandemic.
Washoe County is making public participation easier and more convenient for our residents. Citizens can learn about ongoing projects and programs by accessing meeting agenda items, sharing comments on topics they care about, and learning more about what’s happening in and around Washoe County by watching Board of County Commission videos on demand.
How to access agenda items, Comment, and Register to Speak:
1. Sign In (upper right). If you haven’t created a profile, you can create up by clicking Sign Up (upper right).
2. Click on the Meetings tab in the top menu.
3. Look for the Board meeting, then click on the agenda item you would like to comment on.
4. Click eComment to provide electronic public comment and/or,
5. Click on Register to Speak to get in line to offer public comment in person.
6. To indicate your position on the agenda item, click Support, Oppose, or Neutral.
Public Comment
Washoe County residents can now comment on agenda items electronically through eComment and/or offer public comment in-person on an agenda item or at the end of the Commission meeting. Both eComments and in-person public comment will be processed as public record.
1. SpeakUp: SpeakUp is an inclusive online tool that allows residents to:
· Provide public comment electronically through eComment*
· Review agenda item details,
· Indicate their position on an agenda item. Residents have the option to express their opinion on specific agenda items (Support, Oppose, or Neutral).
· Register to Speak – This service is available to those who want to be first in the queue to offer public commentin person at an upcoming meeting. By signing up online, speakers also avoid the line to sign up at the meeting.
· and access videos of previous Board of County Commission meetings
*eComments are limited to 2250 characters (the approximate equivalent of 3 minutes of public comment). eComments can be submitted when the agenda is released, three (3) business days prior to the meeting. eComments will be accepted through to 4 pm the day prior to the board meeting.
2. Live Public Comment: Citizens may provide live public comment on an agenda item at the end of the commission meeting. Comments are limited to three minutes per person. There are two ways to sign up for public comment:
a. Residents can Register to Speak in advance of the meeting. Those who sign up through Register to Speak are placed in the queue ahead of those who sign up for public comment during the meeting. Those who use Register to Speak agree to present during the meeting time. During the meeting, those registered will be called to speak by name. The Register to Speak option is no longer available once the meeting begins.
b. And/or residents can submit a comment card during the meeting, available at the Public Comment desk near the Chamber doors.
**The agenda for each County Commission meeting is prepared and scheduled by the Office of the County Manager and is available for distribution on the Thursday before the next Tuesday’s meeting.
