News Briefs

TDPUD Safety Message: Prepare for Wildfire Season Power Outages

TRUCKEE

With wildfire season underway, Truckee Donner Public Utility District urges customers to prepare for the possibility of prolonged power outages. NV Energy — TDPUD’s primary energy transmission supplier — and TDPUD both take actions during wildfire season to help mitigate wildfire risk to the community, but these safety programs can result in electric power outages for up to several days without much notice.

In a Public Safety Outage Management event, NV Energy will de-energize transmission lines that deliver power to Truckee (and likely the entire Truckee/North Tahoe region) during extreme weather conditions and elevated fire risk levels. As in prior years, TDPUD plans to alert the public with a 48- to 24-hour notice.

In an emergency de-energization event, NV Energy will shut off power when an active wildfire gets too close to its equipment, to protect first responders on the ground fighting fires, and to avoid contributing to catastrophic wildfire conditions by lowering the risk of a secondary ignition. NV Energy may provide little notice of the safety outage. TDPUD will work to notify the public as soon as possible.

These outages will likely impact TDPUD’s entire customer base for periods ranging from a few hours to a few days. 

Details on these programs can be found at nvenergy.com/safety/wildfire, and information on its impacts on TDPUD customers can be found at tdpud.org/psom and tdpud.org/wildfire.

~ Truckee Donner Public Utility District press release

Rep. Kiley Calls on CIF to Comply with Department of Education’s Title IX Conditions

WASHINGTON, D.C.

The U.S. Department of Education has found that the California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF) policy of allowing biological males to participate in sports with girls is in “clear violation” of Title IX.

This comes after Rep. Kevin Kiley (CA-3) wrote a letter to CIF calling for an immediate reversal of the policy allowing biological males in girls’ sports.

Rep. Kiley is sending a follow-up letter to the CIF calling for the state to immediately comply with the department’s conditions to avoid a loss of federal funding. Those conditions are:  

1. Prevent male athletes from participating with females.
2. Restore awards, records, and titles to female athletes that were misappropriated by male athletes.
3. Issue a formal apology to those female athletes. 

The U.S. Department of Education is giving the agencies the option to accept a resolution that would prevent male athletes from participating with females and restore awards, records, and titles to female athletes that were misappropriated by male athletes.

Read more here.

~ Congressman Kevin Kiley press release

How Mastication Machines Help Protect Tahoe from Wildfire

LAKE TAHOE

Forest fuel reduction projects happening throughout the Tahoe Basin this year are using a tool known as mastication around communities to connect fuel treatment projects and bolster defensible space within the wildland urban interface. The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) is highlighting several of these projects to educate residents and visitors about work they might be seeing in and around Lake Tahoe communities this year, and the crucial role mastication plays in helping firefighters protect people and the lake. 

As wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense, TFFT partners are using every tool available to reduce risk and protect communities. Mastication is one such tool, and it plays a key role in making forests more resilient. Mastication is a mechanical treatment that helps reduce wildfire intensity by grinding up small trees, brush, and woody debris into mulch. Specialized equipment, known as masticators, move through the forest and chip excess vegetation into chips that are spread around the treatment area as the equipment moves. Masticators clear out ladder fuels — those small trees and brush that allow fire to climb into the forest canopy — and help create defensible space.

Mastication can stand alone as a treatment or complement other fuels reduction methods like thinning or prescribed fire. It is especially valuable in areas where burning isn’t practical, such as directly next to homes, recreation sites, or along busy roadways.

The TFFT is prioritizing mastication projects across the Tahoe Basin this summer. 

To explore fuels reduction projects happening across the Basin, visit tahoelivingwithfire.com. 

~ Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team press release

Tahoe City Gears Up for 4th of July Celebration on the Lake

TAHOE CITY

Get ready for a classic summer celebration as Tahoe City’s 4th of July festivities return in full swing on Friday, July 4, at Commons Beach. Hosted by the Tahoe City Downtown Association (TCDA), this beloved annual event invites locals and visitors to enjoy a full day of family-friendly fun, live music, food vendors, and a spectacular fireworks show over Lake Tahoe. The 77th fireworks show is presented by Sierra Sage Roofing & Sheet Metal. Tahoe City’s fireworks are completely funded by donations. 

Festivities kick off at 11 a.m. with kids’ activities, food, live music, and entertainment throughout Tahoe City, including a number of Fireworks Viewing parties. At 9:30 p.m., the celebration will culminate with a breathtaking fireworks display launched over the lake.

~ Tahoe City Downtown Association press release

Institute Celebrates 15 Years of Conservation Excellence, Announces Sponsorship Opportunities 

INCLINE VILLAGE

The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) is proud to be celebrating its 15th anniversary celebration and the launch of 15 special sponsorship opportunities for individuals, businesses, and organizations committed to environmental education and conservation in the Tahoe region.  

Since its founding in 2010, TINS has evolved into a true force in connecting people with Tahoe’s natural world through science, education, and a multitude of community programs, guided walks, and events. With a breadth of program areas and an emphasis on excellence, quality, and providing the most up-to-date information possible, TINS also focuses on community and accessibility of their programs. Toward that goal, TINS seeks to remove barriers to experiencing nature whenever possible by partnering with other organizations to expand their audience reach, and by always keeping program fees low and securing grant funding to make many offerings completely free to participants. 

In celebration of 15 years dedicated to environmental education, scientific research, and community engagement in the Tahoe region, TINS is offering 15 opportunities to support various impactful programs. A range of sponsorship levels and partial sponsorship contributions provide many chances to directly fund vital programs and research. 

Visit the website for additional sponsorship opportunities to support TINS: tinsweb.org/15-year-anniversary. 

TINS will mark its 15th anniversary with a special event in November 2025, with details to be announced. This milestone event will bring together supporters, partners, and community members to reflect on 15 successful years of important conservation work and environmental education in the Tahoe region. 

~ TINS press release

Tahoe Fund Launches Matching Campaign for Tahoe XC Trailhead Relocation

TAHOE CITY

Tahoe XC has long been a popular recreational hub in the Basin, welcoming over 200,000 visitors on its groomed and multi-use trails year-round. As part of the Tahoe Cross Country Lodge Project, the trailhead is being relocated to improve trail access for everyone, and to minimize neighborhood parking and traffic impacts. To support this effort, the Tahoe Fund is launching a matching campaign with the goal of raising $100,000.

The trailhead relocation will create ADA and beginner-friendly trail access not currently available at the existing trailhead due to its topography. It will also provide walkability and transit options for students thanks to its shared parking with North Tahoe High School, and generate year-round community programming opportunities.

The Lodge Project will create a functional, sustainable home for Tahoe XC’s growing youth programs and serve as a gathering space for everyone. The new location is a more accessible trailhead to both Tahoe XC’s groomed winter trails and Burton Creek State Park public lands. Once constructed, the new lodge will replace the 50-year-old building that exists today with a new building that will use geothermal heat pumps and solar panels to become a net zero energy commercial building. 

Learn more and donate to the match effort here.

~ Tahoe Fund press release

Extended and Expanded Transportation Initiatives for Tahoe’s Transit Summer Hours 

LAKE TAHOE

More transit options will soon be available in North Lake Tahoe following a new summer service approved by the Placer County Board of Supervisors.

Starting July 1, a new park-and-ride service from the Northstar Castle Peak parking lot to Kings Beach will run daily through Aug. 31.

Buses will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each week from Saturday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays. One vehicle will run continuously during operating hours, providing reliable transportation for passengers in the area and helping reduce single-occupancy vehicles on the roadways.

The board also approved $152,612 to extend the North Tahoe Express shuttle service until June 30, 2026. Placer County is one of four funding partners for the North Tahoe Express, an airport shuttle that connects the Truckee and North Lake Tahoe regions to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

These extensions come with the arrival of TART’s summer service hours, which began June 27. Learn more at tahoetruckeetransit.com. 

~ Placer County press release

Local Youth Robotics Team Places at State, Members Go On to Place in World Championships

TRUCKEE

Perpetual Motion is a Truckee-based youth robotics team that recently completed its third year competing in the FIRST Tech Challenge. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global nonprofit that hosts team-based robotics programs and competitions.

This past February, Perpetual Motion advanced to Nevada state championships, an official FIRST Tech Challenge, where it placed third in the state and received the second highest overall award, the Think Award. This award recognizes teams who masterfully document their process and product.

From there, team member Isabelle Wogsland was nominated for Dean’s List Semifinalist, and was promoted to finalist, along with only two others from the state — earning her an invitation to the World Championship Competition in Houston, Texas, in April. Only 228 other students in the world received this honor in 2025.

Meanwhile, fellow team member Lance Wogsland was recruited by the second place team in the state to join them in Houston for the World Championship. This team was on the alliance that won fourth place in the world. 

Support Perpetual Motion by donating at this link. Read Moonshine’s 2024 piece on the team, It Should Work, In Theory.

~ AH

Business Briefs

Truckee Welcomes Martis Valley Lodge

TRUCKEE

A new era of hospitality arrives in the Sierra this summer as Martis Valley Lodge, part of Tapestry Collection by Hilton, opens its doors July 1 following a sweeping multi-million conversion. Formerly the Hampton Inn & Suites Truckee, the 109-room property has been meticulously reimagined as a refined mountain retreat, offering guests a fresh blend of upscale amenities, inviting social spaces, and authentic Truckee character.

Strategically positioned between Downtown Truckee, Northstar California Resort, and the Truckee Tahoe Airport, Martis Valley Lodge now stands as a unique destination for travelers seeking something beyond the ordinary. The lodge fills a unique niche in the region’s hospitality landscape between limited-service hotels and luxury resorts, bringing in an unparalleled lifestyle hotel experience. Guests will discover thoughtfully designed accommodations, transformed gathering areas, and a signature restaurant and bar concept, Trailhead Social, spotlighting the region’s vibrant flavors and locally sourced ingredients.

The restaurant and bar serves as Truckee’s newest après destination, featuring elevated comfort food, regional ingredients, and a welcoming atmosphere where guests and locals can gather to unwind after outdoor adventures. Guests can also enjoy outdoor spaces by gathering around fire pits or lounging by the pool.

~ JMA Ventures press release

The Mtn Scout Truckee, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel Breaks Ground

TRUCKEE 

Gray’s Crossing Hospitality, in partnership with Huff Construction and H-CPM construction project management, announced the groundbreaking of The Mtn Scout Truckee, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. Located in Northern California’s Lake Tahoe Basin within the Sierra Nevada mountains, the 129-room boutique hotel provides unparalleled access to world-class ski resorts, hiking and biking trails, and water activities. It is positioned to become the destination’s social hub and gateway to year-round outdoor adventures.

Construction began on June 24. Under the management of PM Hotel Group, the hotel is slated to open in early 2028 as part of Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of over 30 hotel brands.

Plans for The Mtn Scout Truckee include a lobby-level restaurant and bar, outdoor gathering space with fire pits, courtyard hot tubs, an event hall with a garden and patios, a fitness center, and valet gear storage for guests exploring the countless ways to play in the Tahoe Basin. 

Designed by architect Andrew Goodwin Designs (AGD) with interiors and branding by Sixteenfifty Creative Intelligence, the hotel’s visuals draw upon its distinct mountain environment.

In addition to The Mtn Scout Truckee, the neighborhood includes 24 premier modern mountain residences and dedicated affordable housing units. All residents have access to resort-style amenities, a championship golf course, dining options, community trails, and green space, with future developments planned.

~ Gray’s Crossing Hospitality press release