News Briefs
County Pulls Hope Ridge House Project
TRUCKEE
After listening to feedback from Truckee residents, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors canceled plans on Feb. 11 for supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness in Truckee.
The county had leased a home in the Armstrong neighborhood with the intention of opening Hope Ridge House for up to five tenants and an onsite manager. The home was intended to offer “permanent supportive housing” to those experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The project would have been funded through Home Key+ state funds, authorized by Proposition 1, passed by voters last year.
The county received over 250 comments about the project both in opposition to and in support of the project. However, neighbors said they didn’t receive adequate information about the project and that it was in the wrong neighborhood.
The Truckee Tahoe Homeless Advisory Committee, chaired by Supervisor Hardy Bullock and Town of Truckee Mayor Jan Zabriskie, along with members from Tahoe Forest Health Systems, Placer County, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, the Town of Truckee and more, have spent 16 months developing solutions.
Ryan Gruver, the director of the county Health and Human Services Agency, said Truckee “has almost no homeless services,” including no warming shelter. He said it was difficult to adequately inform the neighborhood and act quickly enough to apply for grant funding that could alleviate the situation. The county will continue to provide behavioral health services in Truckee, in addition to 24/7 mobile crisis services and substance use treatment services through contracted partners.
Bullock apologized for not giving adequate notice to the public. Supervisor Lisa Swarthout, who represents Grass Valley, said there are numerous homes similar to Hope Ridge House in her district without issue.
Swarthout and Bullock urged residents to remember that homeless people are just people.
~ Nevada County press release
The 43rd Annual SNOWFEST Returns
TAHOE CITY
Get ready for the ultimate winter celebration as North Lake Tahoe SNOWFEST returns Feb. 26 to March 9. As the largest winter mountain festival on the West Coast, SNOWFEST promises over 50 incredible events, community fun, and the only fireworks display in North Lake Tahoe.
For 43 years, SNOWFEST has been a cherished tradition, bringing together locals and visitors to celebrate winter in true Tahoe fashion. From vibrant nightlife to family-friendly outdoor activities, this 12-day festival showcases the unique spirit of North Lake Tahoe while supporting local nonprofits, student organizations, and public programs.
SNOWFEST packs its schedule with a variety of exciting events, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Festival-goers and families alike can enjoy the SNOWFEST Street Faire Tahoe City, participate in the AdventureSmith Alaskan Open Snow Golf Tournament, and the popular Milk Jug Curling, or cheer on furry friends at the Dog Pull at Pete ‘n Peters. Thrill-seekers can brave the icy waters of the Gar Woods Polar Bear Swim, while families can start their day at the Firefighter Association Pancake Breakfast. Capping off the celebration is North Lake Tahoe’s only fireworks display, plus dozens of other community gatherings and festivities.
SNOWFEST is all about embracing winter and giving back. Whether you’re here to participate in the thrilling events, observe the fireworks, or support the many local nonprofits that benefit from the festival, there’s something for everyone.
For more information, visit tahoesnowfest.org.
~ Tahoe SNOWFEST press release
Push to Exempt Seasonal Firefighters From Federal Hiring Freeze, Alarm Over Illegal Funding Cuts Targeting Wildfire Mitigation Efforts
CALIFORNIA
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and 13 other Democratic senators in urging senior Trump Administration officials to reverse the hiring and onboarding freeze of federal seasonal firefighters that threatens the safety of communities in California and across the nation. The Trump Administration’s Jan. 20 hiring freeze of federal civilian employees inexplicably did not exempt federal seasonal firefighters, despite exempting other critical public safety personnel.
Federal seasonal firefighters risk their lives to protect communities and save lives. This hiring freeze is particularly dangerous as the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) ramps up staffing and training ahead of peak wildfire season. While Padilla secured a temporary pay raise for wildland firefighters in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, recruitment and retention remain significant challenges as firefighters work long hours with insufficient pay. The attrition rate of firefighters at the USFS has been 45% over the past four years — making the hiring freeze at USFS, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service all the more dangerous.
The letter to the Trump Administration can be found here.
Further, Western Democratic senators are sounding the alarm over threats to the removal of hazardous fuels on U.S. public lands. The Bureau of Land Management recently issued stop work orders to small businesses and organizations across America carrying out critical hazardous fuel removal projects on high-risk federal lands. Delaying these treatments risks missing out on the right seasonal and weather conditions for safely treating hazardous fuels.
Trump issued illegal executive orders cutting federal funds needed to mitigate and fight wildfires, despite the devastating fires that ravaged Southern California communities last month. The senators demanded that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Acting Agriculture Secretary Gary Washington rescind the order to stop work on essential hazardous fuels reduction efforts and any other wildland fire management and risk-reduction programs.
The hazardous fuel reduction projects are a core component of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, to which Congress appropriated over $3 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Read the letter the senators sent to Interior Secretary Burgum and Acting Agriculture Secretary Washington here.
~ Alex Padilla press releases
Incline Village Community Hospital Foundation Receives $7.8 Million Grant
INCLINE VILLAGE
The Incline Village Community Hospital (IVCH) Foundation is excited to announce a $7.8 million grant from the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation to fund the IVCH Surgery Enhancement Project, a major initiative to improve access to high-quality surgical care in the region.
The grant, the largest in the IVCH Foundation’s history, will allow the hospital to expand and modernize its surgical suite, improving patient care and ensuring the hospital remains at the forefront of rural healthcare excellence.
The existing IVCH surgery space, originally built in the 1980s and designed to meet the needs of a smaller patient population, has faced growing challenges in accommodating the increasing demand for services. The planned enhancements will not only improve surgical efficiency and capacity but also create a more comfortable and modernized environment for patients and staff. Expanding the surgical suite will allow for a broader range of procedures to be performed locally, reducing the need for residents to travel long distances for specialized care, which can be especially dangerous in winter months.
The grant will allow for the construction of a new surgical procedure room, increasing the existing capacity for all current procedures, including ophthalmology, orthopedics, and gastrointestinal surgery. It will also allow IVCH to optimize existing space and explore the possibility of offering new services.
Additionally, the IVCH Foundation Board of Directors has committed to raising an additional $2 million to help purchase the equipment necessary to support expanded service offerings at the new Dave & Cheryl Duffield Surgery Center.
~ Tahoe Forest Health System press release
The Mills Act: History May Provide Tax Relief
TRUCKEE
Nevada County Assessor Rolf Kleinhans and his team want to educate the public about potential tax relief available through the Mills Act. This California program provides financial incentives for property owners to restore and preserve qualified historic buildings in exchange for reduced property taxes.
Enacted in 1972, the Mills Act allows cities and counties to enter contracts with historic property owners who commit to rehabilitation, restoration, and maintenance of the property.
A Mills Act contract automatically renews each year on its anniversary date for an additional year, thus unless the city or owner files a notice of non-renewal, a Mills Act contract has a term of 10 years. If a contract is canceled, the owner must pay a cancellation fee, and then the lower of the factored base year value or current market value will be enrolled for the following lien date (Jan. 1).
At this time in Nevada County, the Town of Truckee is the only participant in the Mills Act program. It is recommended that property owners contact the town planning department to determine what historic criteria their property would need to meet, and how the application process works. It is possible that the building may already be considered a contributing structure to an established historic area.
Those with questions should contact the county’s assessor’s office by phone, (530) 265-1232, or email, [email protected]. For additional pertinent property tax information, visit nevadacountyca.gov/assessor.
~ Nevada County press release
Truckee Donner PUD Launches New Scholarship Program
TRUCKEE
Last month, Truckee Donner Public Utility District’s board of directors approved the creation of the TDPUD Future Workforce Scholarship Program. The scholarships target both college-bound high school seniors and local students interested in pursuing the trade and vocational skills that make electric and water utilities function.
TDPUD is partnering with the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation to most effectively implement its new scholarships. TTCF’s existing scholarship programs serve both local college-bound high school seniors and those pursuing vocational or industry degrees/certifications. TTCF has also evolved into the hub for local scholarship programs, teaming with more than 100 local agencies and organizations to administer their scholarship programs.
To be eligible for a TDPUD scholarship, the applicant must live within the TDPUD’s service territory and be a TDPUD customer or a dependent of a customer. Scholarship applicants must meet the requirements of the TTCF scholarship application process and timelines. The TDPUD is also requiring a short, written response sharing how they will use their degree or certification to benefit the community. Additional details can be found at tdpud.org/scholarships.
~ TDPUD press release
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Fails To Produce Comprehensive Evacuation Analysis
LAKE TAHOE
Five Lake Tahoe Basin conservation groups have issued an urgent letter to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board, expressing deep concern over the agency’s failure to produce a comprehensive wildfire evacuation analysis for the Lake Tahoe Basin. This letter comes amidst a backdrop of increasing wildfire incidents and tragic losses across California and northern Nevada.
The conservation groups underscore the critical need for a Wildfire Evacuation Analysis, which is a comprehensive roadway-by-roadway evacuation capacity timing analysis. This analysis is essential to determine how long it would take to safely evacuate residents and visitors in various wildfire scenarios, especially during 95th percentile red flag weather conditions.
Despite repeated calls for such an analysis from Lake Tahoe citizens and conservation groups, the TRPA has not only failed to produce it but also has not required it as a condition of approval for Tahoe Area Plans and major projects. The letter emphasizes that this lack of action endangers public safety by not providing transparent information regarding evacuation timing realities in connection with Tahoe’s constrained roadway system.
The conservation groups emphasize the need for TRPA to align with the California Attorney General’s Best Practices for Analyzing and Mitigating Wildfire Impacts, specific to wildfire evacuation modeling. The letter outlines detailed requirements for a comprehensive evacuation analysis, including traffic modeling, assessment of evacuation timing, and consideration of various emergency scenarios.
The conservation groups call on TRPA to take immediate and decisive action to safeguard the Lake Tahoe Basin community from the increasing threat of wildfires. Conservation groups who are signatory to the letter to TRPA are Friends of the West Shore, North Tahoe Preservation Alliance, Sierra Club Tahoe Area Group, Tahoe East Shore Alliance, and Tahoecleanair.org.
~ Sierra Club – Tahoe Area Group, North Tahoe Preservation Alliance, Friends of the West Shore, Tahoe East Shore Alliance, and TahoeCleanAir.org press release
Local Skiers Compete in 2025 Freestyle NorAm Cup
OLYMPIC VALLEY
Olympic Valley Freestyle Freeride Team (OVFree) skiers Alicia Buckmaster of Tahoe City and Kaya Russell of Truckee have officially qualified for the prestigious 2025 Freestyle NorAm Cup. As part of the US Ski and Snowboard’s Far West division, these two elite mogul skiers will compete on the North American circuit, showcasing their athleticism and determination on the path to elite international competition.
The 2025 Freestyle NorAm Cup features four stops:
- Deer Valley, UT from Feb. 12 through 13
- Apex, British Columbia from Feb. 22 through 23
- Stratton, VT from March 1 through 2
- Val St Côme, Quebec from March 7 through 8
Each event features top-tier competition in moguls and dual moguls providing athletes with an opportunity to gain valuable experience and FIS points
The opening event took place from Feb. 12 through 13 on the renowned Champion course at Deer Valley, known as the most difficult course on the tour. The steep, bumpy run is filled with evenly spaced moguls, testing athletes’ precision and endurance. Two designated jump zones are positioned along the course where skiers will perform aerial tricks.
Buckmaster and Russell follow in the footsteps of several OVFree alumni who are leaving their mark in international competition. Former Olympic Valley skiers Dylan Marcellini, Kylie Kariotis, and August Davis representing the US Ski Team competed on the same Champion course in the Intermountain Health World Cup, showcasing their elite-level talent. Additionally Tristan Cayolle competed for the French National Team.
The NorAm Cup serves as the stepping stone to the highest levels of international freestyle skiing, offering athletes a platform to prove themselves against elite competition.
~ Olympic Valley Freestyle Freeride Team media release
Protest Against Trump
TRUCKEE
Around 100 people gathered in Truckee on Feb. 5 to protest President Donald Trump’s abuse of executive power. The protest was organized by Truckee High School senior Elijah Kreiss as part of the national 50501 protests — 50 protests in 50 states in 1 day. Participants gathered across from the Truckee Artist Lofts and held signs that read “Rise Up and Resist,” “Love Still Trumps Hate,” and “Truckee Loves Its Immigrants.”
“I was motivated to join this protest because I think it’s important to show up and stand for your community and people affected by what’s going on in America right now,” said Sadie Dorst, a Truckee High sophomore. “Whether you are a minority or just helping advocate, the more people that participate, the better and stronger the impact is.”
Organizers handed out papers outlining Project 2025 — a set of proposals that would expand presidential power and impose an ultra-conservative social vision — and how implementation of all or parts of the plan would impact Truckee. This includes weakened environmental regulations, threats to reproductive rights, increased deportations, and trade tariffs. They also provided information on how to contact Truckee/North Tahoe’s Congressman, Kevin Kiley, who is a Trump supporter.
The demonstrators ended the event by marching to the Victory Highway Eagle Monument in front of the AT&T building, where Kreiss led protestors in a chant of “Elon Musk has got to go.”
Musk was named by Trump as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity created by Trump via executive order. Thereby, Musk, who has no political or government background, is holding an unelected and unconfirmed position, where he has begun to dismantle government agencies and gain access to government data through the US Treasury Department.
“The people most affected by the pushback on progressive legislation are not alone and there are people who care, people standing up for them,” said Truckee High junior Kai Krenicki.
~ MS, Truckee High School junior Dylan Hlista contributed
Moving In, Moving On, Moving Up
Truckee Sanitary District Welcomes Sanna Schlosser as New General Manager
TRUCKEE
The Truckee Sanitary District (TSD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sanna Schlosser as its new general manager. Schlosser will assume her new role on March 3, succeeding Blake Tresan, who is retiring in May after a decade of dedicated service as the TSD’s general manager.
Following an extensive recruitment process, TSD Board Vice-President Catherine Hansford, who was a member of the ad hoc recruitment committee, announced the board’s decision to appoint Schlosser.
An electrical engineer by profession, Schlosser brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles at the Truckee Donner Public Utility District and Jensen Precast. Passionate about public service, she is eager to contribute to the TSD’s mission of providing essential services to the Truckee community.
~ Truckee Sanitary District press release
Business Briefs
Super Swirl Leaves Kings Beach
KINGS BEACH
For over 9 years, Peter Orr, owner of Super Swirl, has sold ice cream to beachgoers at California State Parks’ Kings Beach State Recreation Area in the summer. This year he will be finding a new location to run his ice cream truck business.
This year, California State Parks informed Orr that they could not process a special events permit for him because they were mandated to eliminate special event permits that function as concessions. A California State Parks Information Officer Adeline Yee refuted the claim, and said they are now complying with concession rules. According to Yee, the Kings Beach district received several inquiries to open similar operations. To ensure equal opportunities, the State Park will follow a competitive bidding process.
Orr described Kings Beach as a “one in a million” location for him that became an integral part of the business. According to Orr, Super Swirl made over 20% of its revenue from Kings Beach. He said he spent around 35 days each summer season operating under a special event permit agreed upon by California State Parks. In recent years, Orr had hoped to obtain a concessions permit, but was instead told by California State Parks representatives to continue operating under his temporary permit.
Throughout his years at Kings Beach, Orr said no one ever complained or showed interest in opening a similar operation. Orr said he was told he could try submitting a proposal for a concession, which takes 12 to 18 months.
~ MR
evo Hotel Tahoe City to Open March 1
TAHOE CITY
Evo, the global outdoor experiences company, will officially welcome guests to their newest hotel, evo Hotel Tahoe City, on March 1. To celebrate the opening, evo Hotel Tahoe City is offering a special grand opening promotion featuring 25% off best flexible rates through May 31, 2025.
evo Hotel Tahoe City is curated by iconic snowboarder, climate activist, and Tahoe local Jeremy Jones, bringing his passion for the area to life throughout the hotel. Located along the shores of Lake Tahoe, a mecca for year-round adventure, this dog-friendly hotel is an outdoor cultural hub featuring Tahoe themed rooms; an on-site restaurant, sauna, and cold plunge; convenient parking, gear rentals, and demos; and a creative retail experience.
The new Sierra Surf Club Bar & Restaurant will be perfect for unwinding after legendary outdoor adventures — with 100% of Sierra Surf Club’s profits going directly to Protect Our Winters (POW), a nonprofit organization founded by Jeremy Jones. POW is committed to helping outdoor enthusiasts protect the places and experiences they love from the effects of climate change.
Situated on the shores of North Lake Tahoe in Tahoe City, just across from Commons Beach, Campus Tahoe City provides locals and visitors easy access to year-round recreation. evo is committed to preserving the history of the Tahoe City Inn through a thoughtful restoration process that pays homage to the site’s rich heritage.
~ evo press release
Tahoe Modern, Tahoe Mountain Realty Teaming Up For Trend-Spotting Event
TRUCKEE
Local interior design firm and furnishings showroom Tahoe Modern is teaming up with Tahoe Mountain Realty to host its second of two “Designers’ Favorite Things” gatherings on Feb. 20 from 4 to 6 p.m at the Village at Gray’s Crossing. The event is free and will include a slide show of local resources, an array of the designer’s favorite go-to products as well as design tips and tricks from Tahoe Modern’s skilled design team. Folks will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with the designers and ask questions.
Tahoe Modern has created a series of turn-key design packages for each of the four different residence layouts available at The Village at Gray’s Crossing. Tahoe Mountain Realty is proud to be offering these units for purchase to discerning buyers. Visit this link to view the carefully selected furnishings and art and how each piece can fit within the layout of these already built spaces. villageatgrays.com/residences/turn-key-design-packages/
~ Tahoe Modern, Tahoe Mountain Realty press release
