STATELINE, Nev. – Every year, the American Century Championship has seen an influx of female competitors, and this year is no different. As practice rounds for the ACC kick off on Wednesday July 8, five women have hit the green running.
Kathryn Tappen
Kathryn Tappen heads to the putting green on hole 16Victoria Mastrocola/Tahoe Daily Tribune
With hot pink nails and a dazzling smile, Emmy Award-winning, NBC sportscaster and host, Kathryn Tappen, graced Edgewood once again with her return to the celebrity golf tournament. Fresh off the heels of her coverage of the Winter Olympics, Tappen told the Tribune she feels great during Wednesday’s practice.
“This is the best week of the year,” Tappen said. “We’re having fun, and I’m seeing how tricky these greens are right now so I know for the weekend.”
Highlights for Tappen include supporting American Century and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, but above all, the example she sets for young girls who are watching her is a big reason why she comes back.
“I want to see a lot of women out here in the field,” she said. “I see the smiling faces of little girls as we play. They just want to see somebody out here representing women, so we’re doing that.”
Hally Leadbetter
Hally Leadbetter has played in the American Century Championship for three consecutive yearsVictoria Mastrocola/Tahoe Daily Tribune
Daughter of PGA legend, David Leadbetter, and LPGA touring professional golfer, Kelly Leadbetter, Hally Leadbetter is top-tier female competitor in the sport. As a standout junior player in the American Junior Golf Association, Leadbetter went on to play golf for the University of Arkansas before transferring to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. She has built her legacy as a golf media personality, broadcaster, producer and entrepreneur. It’s safe to say, she’ll be bringing her A-game this weekend.
Dylan Dreyer
Dylan Dreyer takes a swing on hole 1Victoria Mastrocola/Tahoe Daily Tribune
Prior to her live coverage of the ACC on Thursday, July 9, anchor for the TODAY Show and NBC News meteorologist, Dylan Dreyer, made a stop at Wednesday’s practice rounds to hit some balls. Dreyer, who is known for her transparency and advocacy for a number of women-related issues, including miscarriages and infertility, won second place in last year’s Celebrity Karaoke Contest and although she isn’t playing in this year’s tournament, sets the bar for women who like to get out on the green (or the stage) and have some fun.
Cathy Engelbert
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert chips in on hole 16.Rob Galloway / Tahoe Daily Tribune
Boss and business woman, Cathy Engelbert is the first-ever commissioner of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). She made her ACC tournament debut in 2025 where she scored 74th place and outperformed a few notable figures on the leaderboard, finishing ahead of actor Miles Teller and NFL quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Baker Mayfield. Engelbert has returned for a second year and was out on the course during Wednesday’s practice round, getting a feel for the green and getting back in the swing of things here in Tahoe.
Gabby DeGasperis
Gabby DeGasperis takes a splashing swing from the sandRob Galloway / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The youngest player out on the green today, Gabby DeGasperis, 18, also known as “Gabby Golf Girl” is a social media sensation and brand ambassador for TravisMathew. She has gone head to head with 2023 ACC winner, Steph Curry in a one-on-one match – and won. She has over 200,000 subscribers on YouTube, and across all her platforms including TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, she has amassed nearly 2 million followers. DeGasperis’ start at the age of five and her success in junior golf tournaments proves she’s no rookie to this game. She won’t be competing in the tournament this weekend, but still came to Edgewood to show off her skills in the Celebrity Am.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) will host a public meeting Thursday, July 16, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Board Room to share plans for the Trout Creek Fuels Reduction and Meadow Restoration Project and gather community feedback before work begins.
The project is funded by a grant from the California Wildlife Conservation Board, announced earlier this year. The Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD) is a lead partner on the restoration, which will remove conifers that have encroached into roughly 30 acres of historic meadow behind campus. Thinning the dense stands reduces wildfire fuel loads near campus and neighboring communities while restoring the meadow’s ability to filter runoff before it reaches Lake Tahoe, a key factor in the lake’s clarity.
“Restoration of the Trout Creek Meadow will not only help improve meadow biodiversity, but this project marks the first critical step in reconnecting Indigenous communities with the landscape,” said Dr. Scott Valentine, faculty lead for LTCC’s Earth and Environmental Sciences Department. “Traditional ecological knowledge will help to increase the diversity of native plants, meadow habitat, and culturally significant species once found in the area. We are happy to have the support of the California Wildlife Conservation Board to bring this level of ecosystem resilience and cultural connectivity back to the Lake Tahoe Region.”
Community members are invited to review the restoration plan, ask questions, and speak directly with project staff before operations begin. Written comments can be sent anytime to meadow@ltcc.edu. Full project details and an FAQ are posted at ltcc.edu/meadow
Andrew Whitworth and Patrick Peterson celebrating their winVictoria Mastrocola/Tahoe Daily Tribune
STATELINE, Nev. – It was an exciting start to the lunch hour at the American Century Championship (ACC) as three celebrity teams competed during practice rounds on Wednesday, July 8 in the Celebrity Skills Challenge – a “drive, chip, and putt”-style skills challenge on the practice chipping green at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.
Team one consisted of NFL stars Andrew Whitworth and Patrick Peterson, team two was NBA’s Kyle Lowry, and NHL’s T.J. Oshie and team three, comedians Brian Baumgartner, Alfonso Ribeiro and actor Rob Riggle.
Each player was allotted two shots for each round, and the first contestant to start out on the 20 yard pitch was former NFL cornerback Patrick Peterson.
Out of the gate, Peterson came to win as he chipped the ball right up from rough to green and hit the flag pin. Teammate, former NFL starter, Whitworth, followed suit, chipping the ball from the rough and getting even closer to the hole than teammate Peterson.
Lowry and Oshie stepped up for team two, both chipping their balls from the rough with ease.
Ribeiro, who told the Tribune that he came into the challenge unsure, had a little trouble connecting his club to the ball.
“It’s a little sticky,” Ribeiro joked before trying again. After refining his short game with a few swings, his ball hit the green.
Alfonso Ribeiro chipping the ball during the first round of the Celebrity Skills ChallengeVictoria Mastrocola/Tahoe Daily Tribune
Baumgartner, best known for his role as Kevin Malone in “The Office”, received cheers as his ball rolled just shy of the flag pin.
The best shot amongst the four in the first round was Whitworth with only 5 feet, 7 inches, followed by Baumgartner with 5 feet, 10 inches. Oshie took third with 6 feet, 6 inches.
Moving to the back of the green, the teams had to each hit a chip down the hill.
Baumgartner carried his team during this round with a score of 11 feet, 4 inches total from the hole, while Lowry scored 7 feet, 6 inches – the best for his team. Peterson came out on top with a score of 5 feet, 8 inches as teammate Whitworth gave him a pat of encouragement on the back.
Heading into the final round, NFL stars Whitworth and Peterson were in the lead, having the least amount of feet accumulated across the first two rounds, followed by Lowry and Oshie and then Riggle, Ribeiro and Baumgartner.
It was all about the putting game as everyone held their breath to watch Lowry slink a hole-in-one on the chipping green, giving Whitworth only two feet or better of wiggle room to win it all.
Lowry was all smiles after his hole-in-oneVictoria Mastrocola/Tahoe Daily Tribune
Whitworth’s first shot crawled to a stop just 3 feet, 8 inches from the hole, but his second shot would prove to be enough as his ball came only 2 inches from the flag pin, making Peterson and Whitworth the winning team of the Celebrity Skills Challenge.
“It might be the only thing I win this week,” Whitworth said with a smile, “So it feels great.”
Although Ribeiro and his teammates came in last, he was still smiling and having fun.
“I’ll work on it today,” he told the Tribune after the challenge. “We have two days before the tournament starts to work on the little pieces and build some confidence.”
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA), in conjunction with The Divided Sky, South Lake Brewing Company, and Visit Lake Tahoe welcomed more than 2,000 attendees to the 14th Annual Tahoe Mountain Bike Festival on June 19-21, raising nearly $40,000 to directly support TAMBA’s work to build and maintain more than 100 miles of multi-use trails throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin.
As Tahoe’s largest weekend-long mountain bike celebration, the festival brought together riders, families, volunteers, local businesses, and outdoor enthusiasts for three days of riding, live music, and community. The free, family-friendly event celebrated Tahoe’s world-class trail system while highlighting the community partners and volunteer spirit that make outdoor recreation in the region possible.
Provided / Jazmine Kohl
The festival kicked off on Friday, June 19 with a community fundraiser at Cascade Kitchens before moving into a full day of riding at Demo & Skills Day on Saturday. Alongside Tahoe’s largest bike demo offering, this year’s Demo & Skills Day introduced several new additions to the line-up, including free Intro to Bike Jumping, Basic Bike Maintenance, and Trail Design 101 clinics, giving riders of all ages and experience levels new opportunities to build skills and connect with the local trails community. Saturday evening also featured a “Meet the Builders” event with South Lake Tahoe bike brand, Apogee Bikes, where attendees heard from founders Collin Huston and Will Hilgenberg before enjoying the premiere of a new short film by First Tracks Productions.
Sunday morning featured the return of the festival’s signature rides, with participants tackling the Tahoe Triple Crown and the TAMBA Paradise Loop before gathering at the free, family-friendly Tahoe Trail Jam at Tahoe Paradise Park. Thousands of community members came together throughout the afternoon to enjoy live music from the Dead Winter Carpenters, local food and beverages, a vibrant vendor village, huge TAMBA raffles, a free bike valet courtesy of the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, and plenty of trail-inspired fun. The Tahoe Trail Jam welcomed riders and non-riders alike, creating an inclusive celebration of the outdoor recreation opportunities that make Tahoe such a special place to live and visit.
Dead Winter Carpenters played the Tahoe Bike Festival.Provided / Jazmine Kohl
“Each year, the Tahoe Mountain Bike Festival continues to highlight the incredible passion this community has for trails,” said Drew Bray, TAMBA’s Executive Director. “From riders and volunteers to local businesses and sponsors, this event is only possible because so many people come together to support and celebrate the places we all love to ride. Every volunteer hour, every sponsor, and every festival attendee helped make this weekend a success, and all funds raised will go straight back into Tahoe’s trails – supporting the stewardship work that keeps them sustainable, enjoyable, and accessible for everyone.”
TAMBA extends its sincere gratitude to the US Forest Service and California State Parks, as well as the hundreds of volunteers, community partners, and local businesses whose time, expertise, and generosity made this year’s festival possible.
TAMBA would also like to thank the following 2026 Tahoe Mountain Bike Festival partners and sponsors: The Divided Sky, South Lake Brewing Company, Visit Lake Tahoe, the US Forest Service, CA State Parks, A Singletrack Mind, Zero Declination, The BackCountry, Marin Bikes, Cascade Kitchens, Tahoe Luxury Bathrooms, Apogee Bikes, Shoreline Tahoe, BlueZone Sports, Tahoe Sports LTD, Dirte.bike, Ride Tahoe, Specialized, Turner Bikes, Tahoe Gear Exchange, Barton Center for Orthopedics & Wellness, Desolation Athletic Fitness, Flylow Gear, RISE Designs, Emerald Bay Bikes, Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, Tahoe Trail Bar, Dead Winter Carpenters, and Lake Tahoe KOA.
STATELINE, Nev. – The Tahoe Knight Monsters announced their qualifying offers for the 2026-27 season.
Each team was entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight qualified players. Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded.
Players who had already signed a contract by July 7 did not need to receive a qualifying offer.
The Knight Monsters extended qualifying offers to the following five players:
-Kevin Wall (Forward)
-Adam Pitters (Forward)
-Tucker Ness (Defenseman)
-Mike Van Unen (Defenseman)
-Aidan De La Gorgendiere (Defenseman)
The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until 11:59 p.m. ET on July 22 at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a Player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season. Any Player who has played in more than 190 professional regular-season games is ineligible to receive a Qualifying Offer.
All regular-season games played in any of the following leagues shall count towards a Player’s Rookie/Veteran and Qualifying Offer status.
North America – National Hockey League, American Hockey League, ECHL, Central Hockey League (Defunct, but games played count toward veteran status)
Europe – Czech Extraliga (Czech Republic), Liiga (Finland), DEL (Germany), KHL (Russia), Slovak Extraliga (Slovakia), SHL (Sweden), National League (Switzerland)
The Knight Monsters open the 2026-27 season at home on Friday, October 23, as they take on the New Mexico Goatheads at Tahoe Blue Event Center. Season tickets and ticket packages for the 2026-27 season are now available. For more information on becoming a 1645 Club Season Ticket Member, visit knightmonstershockey.com.
Lausanne, SWITZERLAND – In a monumental milestone for the sport, freeride skiing and snowboarding will debut at the 2030 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made the announcement Tuesday in Lausanne, Switzerland.
This is exciting news for Lake Tahoe and its robust community of freeride athletes, including many competing in the Freeride World Tour pro circuit, like Truckee’s Mia Jones, who is fresh off winning her rookie year.
“I’m really stoked freeriding is now part of the Olympics. This is such a huge opportunity for all the athletes and the entire sport. The energy surrounding the Olympics is truly unlike anything else, so I can’t wait to see it all go down! Mia Jones shared, 2026 FIS Freeride World Champion and 2026 FWT Champion.
North Tahoe High School graduate and Team Palisades Tahoe alum Ross Tester won third place in the 2026 FIS Freeride World Tour men’s ski division.
Also in his rookie year, Shayne Blue Sandblom of Lake Tahoe and Silt, Colo., placed sixth and was a top U.S. finisher in the 2026 Freeride World Tour in the men’s snowboard division.
In women’s ski, South Lake Tahoe’s Molly Armanino placed third in the inaugural FIS Freeride World Championships Andorra 2026.
All three have qualified for the 2027 Freeride World Tour, along with Palisades Tahoe skiers Delila Quinn, Kai Morgan and Tyler Curle.
The region has one of the strongest Freeride communities in the country, with youth clubs and academies, in addition to its long resume of professional athletes.
Freeride’s incorporation into the Olympics reflects the sport’s growth—once a small competitive scene, and now a worldwide discipline with a rapidly expanding base of athletes and fans.
The sport’s use of natural terrain minimizes its impact on the Olympic Games.
The debut at the Alpes 2030 Olympic Winter Games will feature four events, creating first-time Olympic opportunities for 44 athletes (22 women and 22 men).
STATELINE, Nev. – As the 37th annual American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament comes to town, so will over 80,000 fans.
Many celebrities return each year to enjoy Lake Tahoe, including fan favorites like Brian Baumgartner, Larry the Cable Guy, and Stephen Curry, who acknowledge the importance of caring for Tahoe today to preserve it for tomorrow’s generations.
Over the last year and ahead of the first tee, celebrities have offered friendly reminders on how tournament attendees can help care for Tahoe.
Larry the Cable Guy reminds attendees to skip the car and use public transit. Tahoe Transportation District bus rides that service the Stateline and South Tahoe region are free. Additionally, the app-based Lake Link, an on-demand microtransit shuttle, can help fill the gaps and is also free.
Hall of Fame golfer Annika Sorenstam reminds guests that you can also walk or bike to places. Visit the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition’s website for a bike map and other tips on getting around at tahoebike.org. With numerous paved multi-use paths in the region, getting around on two feet or two wheels is easy.
The Miz offers a demonstration on trash-walking and placing trash where it belongs, in receptacles. Placing litter in trash helps keep it from the environment and especially Lake Tahoe, where once it enters can become extremely difficult to remove.
Tahoe Tap is one of the best sources of drinking water in the world. Dylan Dreyer reminds guests to take advantage of it, ditch single-use plastics and to bring refillables.
Wyland will be in South Lake Tahoe at Wyland Galleries Lake Tahoe this weekendProvided/Wyland via Facebook
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Artist Robert Wyland, known simply as Wyland, will be celebrating his 70th birthday by hosting two free shows in South Lake Tahoe at Wyland Galleries this weekend.
The internationally-renowned artist known for his marine art which includes his famous Wyland Whaling Walls murals, is giving folks the opportunity to meet him on July 10 and July 11 as he performs live painting demonstrations and releases new artwork.
“He’ll be talking to people, and getting people updated with things that are going on with not only him but through his Wyland Foundation, his public artwork and things like that,” said Damon Clark, General Manager of Wyland Galleries. “This is his time to personally meet with his collectors, talk to them and catch up with them.”
Wyland got his professional start back in 1977 at the Sawdust Art Festival in Laguna Beach. He then opened his very first gallery ever in Laguna Beach in 1978.
“Wyland likes being part of towns with a lot of art history, and Lake Tahoe is definitely one of those,” said Clark.
The first show will be on Friday, July 10 at 5 p.m. and will last until 9 p.m. The second birthday show will take place on Saturday, July 11 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
“If you want to swing by and meet Mr. Wyland, this event is a great way to do it,” Clark added.
Wyland Galleries is located 4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Hart celebrated her 50th birthday with friends and family in Lake TahoeProvided/Provided/Nathalie Sacci Photography
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Melissa Joan Hart, actress, producer and director, known for her iconic roles in “Sabrina The Teenage Witch”, “Clarissa Explains It All”, “Drive Me Crazy”, and more, decided there was no better place to celebrate her 50th year around the sun than magical Lake Tahoe.
Hart recalled wanting to visit the basin for the first time while she was on the set of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”.
“I was sitting on one of the camera dollies, and I said to Tony, our camera grip, ‘I’ve never been to Tahoe,’ and he said, ‘Me either!’, so we decided to take a trip up here,” Hart told the Tribune.
It was love at first sight for Hart, who for the past 20 years, has intertwined her life with Lake Tahoe, collecting cherished memories of raising her three sons with husband, Mark Wilkerson at their Lake Tahoe home. From hitting the slopes in the winter to hitting the water in the summer, Hart and her family have grabbed ahold of everything that makes Tahoe special and continues to hold it close.
“This is our real home,” Hart said fondly as she spoke of peaceful moments reading on her deck amongst the pine trees, boat rides on crystal waters, e-bike rides along the East shore and hiking in the Sierra Nevadas.
Hart pictured with her husband Mark Wilkerson and their three sonsProvided/Nathalie Sacci Photography
Naturally, celebrating a landmark birthday with her closest friends and family by her side was something Hart had her sights set on, and Lake Tahoe was the only place she could imagine doing so.
“I always wanted to throw a party up here,” she said. “For 50, I had to get people to my favorite place.”
She planned her 50th birthday bash to follow her actual birthday in April, saying June was that sweet spot between kids graduating and the craziness of July 4, and of course, as a Tahoe local, Hart knew exactly what to do and where to go to keep her guests entertained all weekend long.
First stop on Friday night, June 26 – Bowl Incline.
Hart told the Tribune that she was so excited to start her weekend at Bowl Incline Provided/Nathalie Sacci Photography
Hart and her birthday gang, many of whom were also locals, celebrated by knocking down some pins in the beautifully-renovated bowling alley in Incline Village.
The group enjoyed a poké station where they indulged in build-your-own poké bowls with Hart sending compliments to Bowl Incline chefs. For dessert, cannolis from Azzara’s Italian Restaurant, one of Hart’s favorite Italian restaurants.
Saturday morning, June 27, was initially planned for a day out on the water in double-decker pontoon boats with slides from Tahoe Sports Ski Run Boat Co. Due to unexpected weather, they waited out the storm and then hit the beach.
Hart and her group hit the beach on Saturday afternoonProvided/Nathalie Sacci Photography
The beach party, which began at sunset, could be considered one of the ultimate Tahoe summer experiences as Hart and her friends and family delighted in live music and ate cake and deliciously savory pizza from Mofo’s Pizza and Pasta.
It turned out to be a beautiful day on Sunday, June 28, as Hart’s group hit up Truckee River Rafting for an epic float down the Truckee River.
“Everyone was like ‘River rafting? I’m too scared!’ and I said, ‘No, it’s like a lazy river,'” she said.
Starting in Tahoe City, the birthday group floated down the Truckee RiverProvided/Nathalie Sacci Photography
Hart noted that out of the 40-plus guests she hosted for her birthday weekend, roughly 32 of them had never been to Lake Tahoe before.
“I have one of those signs that says, ‘You never know how many friends you have until you own a lake house’, and I’m like ‘This is going to open Pandora’s box,’ she joked, saying she wouldn’t be surprised if they started making plans to come back in the future.
It’s safe to say that Hart’s birthday weekend turned into an unforgettable experience for all who attended.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Nev.– Lake Tahoe takes center stage this week for the 37th edition of the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament, featuring an elite field of participants from throughout the world of sports and entertainment competing in the 54-hole championship, taking place at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, July 10-12.
NBC Sports will present comprehensive coverage across NBC, Peacock and NBCSN, with the networks of NBCUniversal surrounding tournament coverage all week in delivering robust linear and digital coverage.
American Century Championship Tournament Airtimes
Friday, July 10
Peacock, NBCSN
3-6 p.m. ET / Noon-3 p.m. PT (Live)
Saturday, July 11
NBC, Peacock
2:30-6 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. PT (Live)
Sunday, July 12
NBC, Peacock
2:30-6 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. PT (Live)
ELITE FIELD OF 90 ACROSS SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT: A field of 90 participants will compete in the 54-hole tournament. All told, the field collectively represents 18 Hall of Famers, 17 active athletes (NBA, NFL, NHL and WWE), multiple Cy Young, Players of the Year, Grammy and Emmy Award winners.
Headlining the field include defending champion Joe Pavelski, two-time champion Mardy Fish and 2023 champion Stephen Curry, along with Jason Kelce, three-time winner Tony Romo and fan favorites Charles Barkley, World Golf Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam, WWE Superstar The Miz, Larry the Cable Guy, Seth and Dell Curry, Miles Teller, Colin Jost and Ray Romano.
The tournament field will feature sports stars including Hall of Famers from the NFL, NBA and MLB, active and retired players, Hollywood actors, comedians and entertainers. The event features a $750,000 purse, with $150,000 going to the winner, plus a charity component for local and national non-profits.
The full field for the 2026 American Century Championship can be foundHERE
10 FIRST-TIME PARTICIPANTS: A total of nine first-time participants will compete in the 2026 American Century Championship, including Matthew Boldy, Kyle Hamilton, Mike MacDonald, Sean McDonough, Kevin O’Connell, Doc Rivers, Robert Saleh, Brady Tkachuk. Trey Wingo and Brett Young.
SORENSTAM HEADLINES WOMEN IN FIELD: World Golf and LPGA Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam will compete in the American Century Championship for a seventh time. She will be joined by golf personality Hally Leadbetter, NBC Sports reporter Kathryn Tappen and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
RASCAL FLATTS TO DEBUT ‘TAHOE NIGHTS’ AS OFFICIAL THEME SONG ON NBC: Country Music icons Rascal Flatts will bring a new soundtrack to Lake Tahoe with the release of “Tahoe Nights,” a golf inspired song reimagined from their fan-favorite hit “Summer Nights” as the official theme song of the American Century Championship. Rascal Flatts members Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney will return to compete in the American Century Championship field this week.
NBC SPORTS BROADCAST TEAM: Host Steve Sands and analyst Peter Jacobsen will anchor NBC Sports’ live tournament coverage from Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. They will be joined by Jimmy Roberts as a hole announcer, along with Roger Maltbie and Smylie Kaufman reporting from the course. Kira K. Dixon will conduct interviews with players in the field throughout the championship.
DRONE CAM AND ‘HAPPY HOUR’ HIGHLIGHTS NBC SPORTS PRODUCTION ENHANCEMENTS: NBC Sports will enhance the broadcast coverage of the American Century Championship this week with six cameras capturing the action on the popular par-3 17th that is situated alongside Lake Tahoe. Featured enhancements include drone coverage during all three days of tournament action over the lake; a camera positioned on a boat that will cruise around the lake providing the unique perspective from the boaters on the lake; and Toptracer tracing the tee shots on 12 and 18 that will allow for unique camera angles and perspectives during tournament coverage. Kaufman and Dixon will also reprise Kaufman’s popular PGA TOUR Happy Hour interview segments during all three days of coverage at hole 17 during the live telecasts.
CELEBRATING NBA, WNBA, MLB AND SNF ON NBC: During tournament rounds Friday-Sunday, the American Century Championship will feature a branded NBA on NBC and WNBA on NBC basketball court with special branded basketballs for players in the field to shootaround while waiting on tee off on the signature par-3 17th hole. Special giveaways for fans will include Sunday Night Football branded footballs that will be available for celebrities to throw to the boats and special Sunday Night Baseball t-shirts throughout the weekend.
DAN PATRICK SHOW, TODAY SHOW, ACCESS HOLLYWOOD AND NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS SURROUND COVERAGE: Wednesday-Friday leading up to the opening round of coverage, the Dan Patrick Show, TODAY Show, Access Hollywood, NBC Sports Regional Networks and local NBC affiliates across the country will prepare viewers for live coverage with interviews from Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course with players in the field.
The Dan Patrick Show will broadcast live from Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course Wednesday-Friday, airing on Peacock live from 9 am – Noon ET.
TODAY Show anchors Carson Daly and Dylan Dreyer will report live from Edgewood Tahoe on Thursday leading into live coverage Friday-Sunday.
CELEBRATING AMERICA ON NBC: On Saturday, July 11 at 3 p.m. ET / Noon PT, the U.S. Air Force Color Guard will perform the National Anthem on the 17th Tee box followed by a flyover from the United States Air Force, televised on NBC.
PERFORMANCE GOLF INSTRUCTION: Performance Golf, the official coaching and training partner for the American Century Championship, will provide a blend of instruction, leadership and guidance for participants in the field, including Ryan Fitzpatrick, Rich Eisen, Patrick Peterson, Dwight Freeny and more, as well as attendees looking to improve their game and will be integrated into NBC’s weekend broadcast coverage.
SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE: The American Century Championship’s social media handles (@ACChampionship on X, Instagram and Facebook) will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes content throughout the week. Live tournament coverage also will integrate social media into its telecasts Friday-Sunday, incorporating social media posts from celebrities, athletes and fans using the hashtag #ACCGolf.
NBC Sports’ coverage of the American Century Championship will be streamed live via Peacock, NBCSports.com as well as on the NBC Sports app. The official tournament website – www.AmericanCenturyChampionship.com – will be a one-stop shop for videos, photos and live scoring.
Fans can keep up with the American Century Championship through NBC Sports Group’s social media platforms throughout tournament week at @NBCSports (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X) and @ACChampionship.
MORE THAN $8 MILLION DONATED TO CHARITY: Since the tournament’s inception in 1990, the American Century Championship has donated more than $8 million to charity and non-profits, including the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, a 500-person, nonprofit basic biomedical research organization.
The 2026 American Century Championship will utilize the Modified Stableford format whereby points are awarded by score per hole. Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, a George Fazio design, has been rated by Golf Digest Magazine as one of “America’s Top 100 Golf Courses.”
Tickets are available in advance exclusively online at www.AmericanCenturyChampionship.com. American Century Investments, the title sponsor of the championship since 1998, continues its role in partnership with NBC Sports, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course and the South Tahoe community. For the latest details, photos, celebrity tweets use #ACCgolf and follow @ACChampionship on X, Instagram, and Facebook. For tournament information and updates: AmericanCenturyChampionship.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe opened its enrollment for 2026-27 After-School Program on Monday, July 6. Families may submit interest forms and register through the Parent Portal at bgclt.org from July 6 through July 27.
New families must create an account before submitting an application. Priority enrollment will be given to low-income families, children in foster care, and youth experiencing homelessness. Successful applicants will be notified by July 31. Applications received after July 27 will automatically be placed on a waitlist.
The Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe offers enriching after-school programs for children in Kindergarten through high school, as well as a specialized afternoon program for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) students. The Club is delighted to once again provide fun, education, and enrichment each day that schools are open. Programs begin at the end of the school day, including on minimum days, when extended Club hours are offered at no extra cost.
This year, they’re excited to announce the expansion of our program to include Sierra House Elementary. With this addition, the Club now operates at five sites: the Angel of Tahoe Clubhouse, Bijou Community School, Meyers Elementary, Sierra House Elementary, and Tahoe Valley Elementary. The TK Afternoon Program now runs at four elementary sites (Bijou, Meyers, Sierra House, and Tahoe Valley) allowing the Club to serve more families and provide greater early learning opportunities throughout the community.
In addition to serving teens, the Angel of Tahoe Clubhouse will expand its programming this year to offer a variety of specialty programs for both teens and elementary youth, including Art, STEM, Health & Wellness, and Soccer. The Club has added Career & Technical Education as well for teens.
Elementary Specialty Programming (Block 1: Through the End of October): Elementary members (K-5th) will have the opportunity to be bussed from their school site to the Angel of Tahoe Clubhouse to participate in specialty programming. These programs include Comic Book Club, Makerspace Club, Sketchbook Club, and BMX Club.
Teen Takeover Programming (Block 1: Through the End of October): Teen members will have the opportunity to explore new, hands-on specialty programs designed to build skills, spark interests, and encourage personal growth. These programs include Leaders in Training, E-Sports Club, Dungeons & Dragons Club, Lego Stop Motion Club, Pottery Club, a Cooking and Food Skills Academy, BMX Club, and both Girls and Boys Soccer Clubs.
Each specialty program is limited to 20 participants, and advance registration is required by emailing membership@bgclt.org. For elementary members (K-5th grade), parents must apply for the after-school program at the Club site that corresponds with their child’s school of attendance and should not select the Angel of Tahoe Clubhouse during the application process. Program fees will be billed on August 3, 2026.
Please note that the TK program has a higher fee due to its extended daily hours (5.5 to 6.5 hours) and a low staff-to-child ratio of 1:10, which provides enhanced safety and developmental support for younger members.
NEW Hours of Operation:
TK Programs (Bijou, Meyers, Sierra House, Tahoe Valley): 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
K-5th Grade (All Sites, Including Angel of Tahoe): End of the school day to 6:00 p.m.
Teen Members (6th Grade and Up), Angel of Tahoe Clubhouse: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: End of school to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: End of school to 6:00 p.m.
Teens may arrive late if participating in after-school sports or activities and are expected to walk to the Club independently.
TAHOE CITY, Calif. – Certain beaches in the Tahoe City area have resumed normal operations after the Placer County Sheriff’s Office closed them on the Fourth of July due to illegal activities.
On Saturday, deputies closed the Lake Forest Beaches, including Skylandia and Bristlecone, after 4 p.m.
The closures were due to large gatherings of teens, leading to underage drinking, widespread littering and significant traffic impacts to the surrounding neighborhoods.
The sheriff’s office reports that many teens were from outside the area.
Over the two nights prior to the Fourth of July, the office says deputies spent several hours clearing the area and managing crowds.
Patrols turned away anyone attempting to access the beaches after 4 p.m. The office reports no issues following the closures.
The beaches reopened to normal operations as of 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, July 5.
Videos circulating online show large groups of people on beaches and in commercial areas, sometimes overflowing into the street, including at Kings Beach.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department reports that the beaches within its jurisdiction did not experience the same issues that Placer County did.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Tahoe Paradise Recreation & Park District invites residents and visitors to join in celebrating Tahoe Paradise Park’s 61st Anniversary on Saturday, July 11, with a full day of family-friendly activities, live entertainment, recreation, and community fun.
The celebration begins at 10 a.m. with the Kids Adventure Run, followed by the main festivities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free, and free parking will be available.
Guests can enjoy a variety of activities throughout the day, including:
Live music from Ash Relics & Friends
Special appearance by former NBA player Clifford Ray, who will be signing autographs and copies of his children’s book
Bounce house
Face painting
Tadpole Contest
Treasure Hunt
Paddle Board Race on Lake Baron
Pizza and snow cones
Silent Raffle
Additional activities and surprises throughout the day
The raffle and silent auction will raise funds toward one of the District’s most significant capital improvement projects, the construction of permanent public restrooms at Tahoe Paradise Park.
The project will provide an important amenity for the thousands of residents, families, and visitors who use the park each year.
“This celebration is an opportunity to bring our community together while also supporting improvements that will benefit the park for generations to come,” said Chelsy Munson, Business Manager for Tahoe Paradise Recreation & Park District. “We’re excited to welcome families for a day of fun, recreation, and community connection.”
Community members and local businesses interested in donating raffle items or sponsoring children’s activities are encouraged to contact the District.
The event will take place at: Tahoe Paradise Park 1011 E. San Bernardino Avenue South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
For additional information, visit Tahoe Paradise Recreation & Park District on Facebook or contact tahoeparadisepark@gmail.com.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – Classical Tahoe opens its 15th anniversary season July 11 at the Ricardi Pavilion at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe, with several performances already sold out or nearing capacity. Running through Aug. 9, the festival celebrates America 250 with more than 70 musicians performing orchestral, jazz and chamber music concerts, including the Brubeck Jazz Summit, Passion and Spirit, Classical Continuum featuring internationally acclaimed harpist Emmanuel Ceysson and the Ron and Maureen Ashley Oasis Chamber Music Series. Tickets remain available for select performances at classicaltahoe.org.
“Seeing so many audience members return year after year, while also welcoming new attendees each season, is incredibly rewarding,” said David Pratt, executive director of Classical Tahoe. “We’re grateful for the support our community has shown the festival and for the enthusiasm surrounding this summer’s performances. That support makes it possible for us to continue bringing exceptional artists and unique musical experiences to North Lake Tahoe.”
Jazz takes center stage during the Brubeck Jazz Summit, beginning Sunday, July 12, at 7 p.m. with the Brubeck Legacy Concert featuring internationally acclaimed saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, a former member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Bergonzi returns Tuesday, July 14, at 7 p.m. for In Conversation with Jerry Bergonzi, offering audiences an inside look at his decades-long career in jazz.
The summit continues Thursday, July 16, at 7 p.m. with Brubeck Summit Sextet: Tahoe’s Jazz All-Stars, bringing together Grammy-winning and acclaimed jazz artists, for an evening of original compositions and selections from the Brubeck catalog. The summit concludes Friday, July 17, at 7 p.m. with The Future of Jazz, showcasing the next generation of elite jazz musicians, ages 15 to 18, from around the world, performing alongside festival faculty and the Brubeck Brothers.
Orchestral highlights include Passion and Spirit on Saturday, Aug. 1, at 7 p.m., exploring American musical traditions and spirituals through works by Verdi, Puccini, Florence Price and traditional spirituals performed by the Classical Tahoe Orchestra. On Friday, Aug. 7, at 7 p.m., Classical Continuum, featuring internationally acclaimed harpist Emmanuel Ceysson, will celebrate the evolution of classical music.
The Ron and Maureen Ashley Oasis Chamber Music Series returns to the Ashleys’ lakefront estate in Incline Village with intimate performances at 7 p.m. Landscapes in Sound opens the series Sunday, July 26, followed by New World, Old World on Sunday, Aug. 2, featuring Leonard Bernstein’s Suite from
“West Side Story” arranged for brass quintet alongside works that celebrate musical traditions from Europe and America.
Classical Tahoe continues its commitment to music education and community engagement through Chamber Connections and the Family Concert and Music Maker’s Faire. Chamber Connections pairs University of Nevada, Reno School of Music students with Classical Tahoe musicians for an immersive residency culminating in a free public performance on July 28. On Aug. 1, local student musicians join Classical Tahoe ensembles for the Family Concert and Music Maker’s Faire, where families can participate in instrument demonstrations and hands-on music and science activities presented in partnership with The Discovery.
With several performances already sold out or nearing capacity, audiences are encouraged to reserve tickets soon.
For more information about the 2026 Classical Tahoe Festival, visit classicaltahoe.org or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and X.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Summer vacation season is in full swing, and humans are not the only animals that enjoy summer at Lake Tahoe. The national forest lands of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit are home to an entire wildlife ecosystem. And they need your help to stay wild! This means securing trash and food from wildlife.
“When bears, geese, coyotes, raccoons, and other wildlife repeatedly obtain access to human food and garbage with no consequences, wildlife quickly learn to associate humans with food,” said Wildlife Biologist, Shay Zanetti. “This can cause human-wildlife conflicts with potentially serious consequences.”
The lure of human food and garbage can cause wildlife to cross busy highways and roads which increases the risk of them getting struck by vehicles. Vehicle collisions endanger the lives of both people and wildlife.
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Food and Refuse Storage Forest Order No. 19-24-03 only allows food and garbage on national forest lands secured in a bear-resistant container. Hard-sided bear canisters are required for overnight visits to Desolation Wilderness. Bear-resistant containers are required in other backcountry areas.
And don’t feed the wildlife. In California and Nevada, it is illegal to feed wildlife. Beyond the immediate safety risks, consuming human garbage can sicken or kill forest animals. Wildlife, including bears, often consume harmful ingredients (like sugar and artificial preservatives), or non-digestible items (like foil, plastic, paper, and even metal) that disturb their digestive systems and can lead to death. Over time, a trash-based diet can damage teeth and cause poor health, making it difficult for wildlife to survive in the wild.
When wildlife consumes natural foods, they help distribute seeds and nutrients through their scat, to grow and sustain native plants and vegetation. When wildlife seek out only human food, the environment loses those benefits.
Leave no trace and secure vehicles and buildings. Finally, always remove food and trash from vehicles. And be sure to keep vehicle windows closed and doors locked. Same for locking building doors and windows to prevent wildlife from entering. Please help keep Tahoe’s wildlife wild.
For more information on how to live and recreate responsibly in bear country, visit tahoebears.org and bearwise.org.
To report human-bear conflicts:If the issue is an immediate threat, call the local sheriff’s department or 911.In California, contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at 916-358-2917. Or report online using the Wildlife Incident Reporting system at apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir.Non-emergency wildlife interactions in California State Parks can be reported to their public dispatch at 916-358-1300.In Nevada, contact the Nevada Department of Wildlife at 775-688-BEAR (2327).
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – In January of 2023, Candice Wilmuth woke up in her Tahoe cabin, surprised to discover that she couldn’t access her work email.
Recalling the moment, she said, “I remember turning to my boyfriend and saying, ‘I think I was just laid off from my job,’ and he look[ed] at me and [said], ‘Isn’t that a good thing?'”
That positivity set the tone, transforming what had started as a scary, unexpected curveball into a rewarding, grounding experience.
After the dust settled, Wilmuth learned she was among the first people laid off at Google in their initial round of layoffs, when thousands of people across the country lost their jobs.
It was an abrasive change of pace after decades in the corporate world as an executive in Google’s small and medium business marketing department and, before that, as a strategy consultant for another global company.
“I have had this very intense, high achievement-oriented, high-stress, lots of travel, experience in the corporate world,” she said. “And I’ve led huge teams of over 30 people across the world.”
Yet in one day, her life went from 100 miles an hour to zero with no clear path ahead.
“I realized that it was the world telling me that it was time for a change,” Wilmuth says. “I looked at it like it was direction.”
She leaned into the slower pace, gave herself one month to do nothing and then started pulling together her goals.
“I spent most of 2023 thinking about that list and how to better myself and be the person I wanted to be outside of solely this corporate identity,” she said. “For the first time in my adult life, I wasn’t asking, ‘What’s the next step in my career?,’ I was asking, ‘What kind of life do I want to build?'”
One of those items on the goals list was volunteering in the Tahoe community. Although she made Tahoe her full-time home only a few years ago, Wilmuth has been coming to the region since she was a toddler, spending summers at Fallen Leaf Lake and winters skiing at Alpine Meadows with her family.
Candice Wilmuth boarding on Fallen Leaf Lake as a kid.Provided / Candice Wilmuth
Between volunteering for Keep Homewood Public and the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, including fostering dogs, she became enwrapped in the Tahoe community and culture. It was not only healing but also set her on a path toward her next business pursuit: founding Tahoe Dog Co. in 2025, which offers Tahoe and dog-themed products for both dogs and humans.
“When I started making decisions based on what brought me joy personally,” she said, “instead of what looked good on a resume, everything started falling into place.”
During that same period, Wilmuth was also grieving the loss of her beloved dog Steven. Wilmuth said the experience reinforced how much dogs shape lives and communities, and also planted seeds for what would eventually become Tahoe Dog Co.
Tahoe Dog Co. provides bandanas, leashes, collars, stickers and other products.Provided / Candice Wilmuth
“Tahoe Dog Co. isn’t just about merchandise or products,” she said, “but the bigger idea is celebrating the dogs, people and places that make Tahoe special.”
With Tahoe Dog Co., Wilmuth continues to be involved in the community by sponsoring and hosting Snowfest events such as the Dog Pull and Dress Up Your Dog. The company also offers a sticker benefiting the Palisades Tahoe Avalanche Dog Team and a leash benefiting the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe.
Now, looking back at what was once an uncertain time in her life, Wilmuth said, “I look at it as a gift.”
“For years, I thought success meant climbing the corporate ladder,” Wilmuth said. “Now I think success is building a life where I know my neighbors, spend time outside every day, volunteer in my community, and create something I’m genuinely proud of.”
After spending a lifetime returning to Tahoe before eventually making it her full-time home, she says Tahoe Dog Co. grew naturally from those values.
“The business isn’t separate from my life here—it’s a reflection of it.”
Tahoe Dog Co. is currently being featured at the North Tahoe Visitor Center in Tahoe City as the North Tahoe Chamber’s first vendor in its new Featured Vendor Program.
As a launch event for the program and to celebrate Tahoe’s dog community, Wilmuth and the chamber are throwing a Tahoe Dog Co. Community Pack Party, inviting community dogs and their owners.
The event takes place Friday, July 17, from 4-5:30 p.m. at the Visitor Center in Tahoe City and includes mingling and a pack walk to the Truckee River.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Tahoe Cruises will host a wine tasting cruise aboard the Safari Rose on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, from 5-7:30 p.m., featuring guided tastings from two of California wine country’s most celebrated estates: DAOU Vineyards and Frank Family Vineyards, both part of the Treasury Wine Estates portfolio.
The cruise departs from Ski Run Marina, 900 Ski Run Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, for an exclusive evening on the water set against the backdrop of Emerald Bay. Guests will sample standout selections from both wineries, paired with artisan bites, while cruising one of the most scenic stretches of Lake Tahoe.
“Whether you’re a devoted fan or discovering these iconic labels for the first time, the evening promises exceptional pours, artisan bites, and the unmatched beauty of Emerald Bay as your backdrop,” said a Tahoe Cruises spokesperson. “Can’t choose just one winery? Great news — you don’t have to.”
Tickets and full event details are available at tahoecruises.com.
STATELINE, Nev. – As the American Century Championship (ACC) gears up for its 37th year of celebrity golf on the beautiful southeast shores of Lake Tahoe at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, the tournament has played host to iconic hole-in-ones, dramatic national announcements, and celebratory lake dives.
“The event has raised more than $8 million for charity including 90+ non-profits in South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Township and Douglas County,” said Phil Weidinger, Principal and Chief Incite Officer at Weidinger Public Relations.
Weidinger, who over the last 35 years has seen it all during his time handling public relations for the American Century Championship, shared a few of his favorite moments, including a player meeting in 2017 where Jonathan Thomas introduced a special guest – former president Bill Clinton.
“I have never seen anyone work a room like that,” Weidinger recalled. “When [Clinton] walked by me, he stretched out his hand and asked, ‘What’s your name?’ I said, ‘My nickname is Dinger.’ He said, ‘Well, Dinger, what do you do for the tournament?’ and I told him, ‘PR and media room operations – as a matter of fact we’d love to have you visit tomorrow for a press conference.’ He laughed, patted me on the shoulder and said in that high-pitched voice, ‘Well, I think I’ve already done enough of them over the years.’ – Hey, I’m a PR guy and had to try, right?”
Another highlight for Weidinger was in 1998 when Mario Lemieux sank a 5-foot putt on hole 18 to win.
“He was originally a 40:1 bet in the sports book and I had $100 on him! $4,000 bonus that week! Plus, his caddie, local Scott Rahbeck, is the son of good friends,” he said.
Country music legend Kenny Rogers signs autographs at the inaugural celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe.Tribune archives
During its inaugural year in 1990, the ACC featured 45 celebrities and attracted approximately 1,500 fans. Fast forward to 2025, and the event has accumulated 90 celebrities and 84,321 in attendance.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane to review some of the ACC’s most memorable moments throughout the years.
1996 – Announcement of Michael Jordan’s $30 million contract with the Chicago Bulls
Michael Jordan follows his tee shot during an American Century Championship practice round on Wednesday at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.Dan Thrift/Tahoe Daily Tribune
While national legend, Michael Jordan, was participating in the 1996 celebrity golf tournament, his agent was negotiating a record-breaking deal to make Jordan the highest-paid NBA player in history.
The landmark $30 million, one-year contract with the Chicago Bulls was announced at the tournament, and as Jordan stood on the green of Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, he confirmed the deal to the press.
The deal would pave the way of the mega-contract era for professional athletes, and Tahoe was the first to bear witness.
2002 – NYFD September 11 first responders participate as “true celebrities”
Three New York City firemen who served at Ground Zero following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, were celebrated as “true celebrities” during the 2002 ACC celebrity golf tournament.
Kevin Shea, Engine 39, Joe Sheridan, Ladder 16, and John O’Brien, Squad 252, were honored as special guests and were recognized for their weeks spent performing strenuous search-and-rescue and recovery operations in the rubble of Ground Zero.
2005 – Historic settlement announced that ended the 2004-05 NHL lockout
Following the failure to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, the NHL saw a devastating cancellation of their 2004-05 hockey season.
On July 13, 2005 during the ACC, a historic agreement was finally made which would end the lockout.
2007 – Charles Barkley’s community involvementfollowing Angora Fire
Just one week before the start of the ACC, the wind-driven Angora Fire tore through El Dorado County, devastating the Lake Tahoe community and destroying over 270 homes.
Charles Barkley not only donated $100,000 to relief efforts, he also had boots on the ground to meet locals affected by the fire. The following year, Barkley donated another $90,000, earning the title of “Mayor of South Lake Tahoe” as the tournament installed a plaque near the driving range to pay homage to his generosity.
Barkley is returning again this year and is considered a long-standing celebrity golf ‘fan favorite’, having played in the tournament for 30 years.
Charles Barkley, left, explains to former vice-president Dan Quayle, right, what he saw when taking a tour of the Angora Fire area while at Cabo Wabo on Saturday night. Middle is Rick Nicholson, form the Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District, who received a signed basket ball from Barkley to be auctioned at the upcoming Firemans Ball.Dan Thrift / Tahoe Daily Tribune
2020 – COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t stand in the way of the ACC
Ensuing the global shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament wasn’t allowed to host spectators, American Century Investment’s (ACI) corporate guests and had a limit on media coverage – this didn’t stop partners and organizers.
“Jonathan Thomas, Chairman, President and CEO of American Century Investments decided to continue ACI’s active title sponsorship involvement and continue the tournament strictly because of the company’s relationship with the South Lake Tahoe community and the negative impacts he knew it could have,” said Weidinger. “He worked with the LTVA and NBC to help send a message of continuity and hope that the town was emerging from the pandemic and to demonstrate we were on the upswing during difficult times.”
Weidinger noted that the post-COVID events generated even greater loyalty and promoted a unique partnership not often seen in the business world. This will be ACI’s 28th year as a title sponsor.
2020 – Mardy Fish’s record-breaking win
Retired tennis player, Mardy Fish’s 37-point score in 2020 put him at the top of leader board as he broke the Edgewood Tahoe course record by scoring the most points ever in a round of golf at the ACC.
After snatching his title with a 76- point win, Fish celebrated his victory by running exuberantly toward the water and taking a head-first dive into the crisp Lake Tahoe waves.
He would go on to win another ACC title in 2024, and as of 2026, Fish’s record for most points in a round has yet to be beaten. Could this year be the year someone puts an end to his reign?
2021 – Vinny Del Negro’s hidden grief and unexpected win
Vinny Del Negro became the first basketball player and coach to win the ACC. Although his triumph came as a happy surprise, behind the scenes, Del Negro was grieving the loss of his father who passed away just one week earlier. He didn’t tell anyone until he was awarded the trophy.
“He shared his pain and broke down at the winner’s press conference in the media room talking about his dad, the impact his father had on him throughout his life, and knowing he would want Vinny to play that week instead of withdrawing from the tournament,” Weidinger recalled. “[He] said his Dad was with him all week urging him on.”
2023 – Steph Curry’s 16-foot eagle secured his victory
Steph Curry proved that no matter what sport he’s playing, it would be foolish to count him out.
Following a legendary ace at hole 7 the day prior which electrified viewers around the world, Curry was trailing just three points behind Fish, when Curry hit a long distance eagle putt to solidify his win as the ACC champion of 2023.
“TV viewership broke records. The four-time NBA champion, two-time MVP and 9-time All-Star guard, and Olympic Gold Medal winner transferred the same sense of drama, style, energy and clutch play exhibited on the basketball court to the golf course,” said Weidinger. “Tahoe turned into an absolute ‘Glad-House’.”
Steph Curry took home the trophy at the 2023 American Century ChampionshipRob Galloway / Tahoe Daily Tribune
2024 – Tim Wakefield’s memorial donation announcement
Tim Wakefield, former Major League Baseball pitcher and cherished friend to many affiliated with the tournament, including players, sponsors and organizers, passed away unexpectedly in October of 2023 at the age of 57 due to brain cancer. His wife, Stacy, passed five months after her husband.
NBC and ACI announced they would each donate $10,000 toward the South Lake Tahoe Recreation and Aquatics Center which was still under construction at the time, with an annual contribution of $10,000 from the tournament in the years to come.
“Boston Red Sox teammates and ACC players, Kevin Millar and Derek Lowe, were also at the announcement talking about Tim – what a great teammate and person he was,” said Weidinger.
Both Millar and Lowe will be at the upcoming ceremony to honor Wakefield and celebrate his legacy on Tuesday, July 7 at the Recreation and Aquatics Center.
2025 – Jimmy Rollins’ boat-winning ace
Jimmy Rollins, MLB’s beloved baseball shortstop, scored a hole-in-one on hole 12 during the 2025 celebrity golf tournament.
The day would prove to be not only his best score thus far throughout the tournament, but a prize-winning venture as Rollins took his new boat for a swing on the crystal-blue waters of Lake Tahoe following his triumph.
Tribune Staff looks back
Covering the American Century Championship is a favorite for Tahoe Daily Tribune staff. Here are some our highlights from our time at the tournment:
“My favorite memory of the Celebrity Golf Tournament came on a Thursday during a practice round in 2019. Former NHL star Jeremy Roenick approached the always wild hole seven with a challenge for a charitable donation: a tee shot with someone holding the tee in their mouth. One of the onlookers took up the challenge but not before nervously having the ball fall from his quivering mouth a few times (and Roenick calling him out for it). Roenick stepped up to the ball and calmly hit the ball flush without harming the individual – something you don’t typically see at golf tournaments.” – Rob Galloway, Publisher
“While Steph Curry’s 2023 win was already mentioned, from the media perspective, it was the highlight of the event (and maybe my whole career). It is amazing to watch professional athletes up close and personal and see how truly calm they are under pressure. Curry was no exception as he lined up to make his long putt to win it all. But celebrities are people too, so seeing his shock and excitement at making the shot was so fun. He immediately sprinted to his wife, Ayesha, to celebrate with her as the media rushed to get photos of him. The true highlight was in the media room after as we all lined up to ask him questions. When it got to my turn, I made a joke before asking my question. I don’t even remember what the joke was but it made him laugh. I made Steph Curry laugh and I still haven’t recovered from that.” – Laney Griffo, Editor
“One highlight memory from ACC, for me, was a classic Tahoe afternoon thunderstorm interrupting Jimmy Fallon and DJ Khaled’s Cardigan Classic, a golf duel that originated from Fallon challenging Khaled on his show. After much deliberation about the weather, I remember seeing Jimmy Fallon walk determinedly to the Edgewood gift shop, purchase a rain jacket and bucket hat, and then stoically walk out into the rain onto the golf course. I don’t know if it was the bucket hat, the rain or him walking alone; perhaps it was all three, but it was comically so sad. It made for a chaotically fun event.” – Katelyn Welsh, Reporter
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – It’s another year of keeping Tahoe red, white and blue with the annual Fourth of July parade, celebrating the 250th anniversary of America’s nationhood. During the parade, Dina Ramaha-Pino officially announced her campaign for city council with a float.
Howie’s Morning Rush host Howie Nave and South Lake Tahoe Fire’s public information officer Sallie Ross served as the emcees of the parade, and the South Lake Tahoe Daughters of the American Revolution served as the grand marshals of the parade. Nave and Ross gave an acapella rendition of the national anthem from their post at Lakeview Avenue.
Local mainstays of the parade such as the American Legion Post 795 and their post commander Tom Milham, the Boys and Girls Club of America and the many firefighting entities of Lake Tahoe were joined by businesses and community groups, to raucous cheers and applause.
The parade lasted just about an hour, with colorful floats like a recreation of George Washington crossing the Delaware, Lake Tahoe Community College’s bus and coyote mascot, and a tongue-in-cheek “Conspiracy Theorists Unite” caravan decked out with aliens and mermaids, wrapped in aluminum foil.
While the parade was smaller than previous years, the theme of Celebrating 250 Years was in full display, with many people wishing America a happy birthday.
Current city council members made an appearance on a float as well. With three seats up for election this coming November, Dina Ramaha-Pino’s float officially launched her campaign alongside her “Dance for Democracy” float.
The winners for the best commercial, nonprofit and youth entries, classic auto and anything goes categories will be announced on the city’s Facebook page.
The “Conspiracy Theorists” had a tongue-in-cheek float of cars covered in aluminum foil. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The Tahoe Transportation District’s trolley was one sight to see during the Independence Day parade. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
A float for Revive IV with a stuffed bear getting an IV treatment. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
Dina Ramaha-Pino announced her campaign for city council during the parade. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The Boys and Girls Club float. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
City council members wave from the float at the July 4th parade. Eli Ramos / Tahoe Daily Tribune
If you’re responsible in more ways than one, if Earth is always on your agenda, we have some good news for you. The mountains are calling, and so is the continent’s largest alpine lake. From a LEED Silver Certified eco-luxury lodge to a groundbreaking sustainable travel initiative, your group can make a positive environmental impact while receiving exclusive rates and extra perks. That’s a win for you and Mother Nature.
South Lake Tahoe’s 365 days of outdoor adventures and 24-hour entertainment scene are just the beginning. Choose from 143,000 square feet of event space options and over 10,000 hotel rooms—all within walking distance of thrilling nightclubs, scenic views, and diverse restaurants. And walking isn’t the only way to reduce your carbon footprint. Read on to see what we mean.
Local Resources
Here, nature feels supernatural. Marvel in our striking landscapes with horseback rides, guided plant walks, clear-bottom kayak tours, hot air balloon excursions, and lakeside yoga sessions. But those are just a few of your options.
You already know local shopping translates to global impact. Our Meaningful Travel Map features accommodations, restaurants, stores, and business partners who are implementing mindful, eco-friendly, and community-forward practices—so you can make smart decisions at every step while you’re here.
Volunteer Activities
Nothing says team building like saving the planet. Good thing we have numerous opportunities to turn your crew into sustainable superheroes. Plus, our alpine-fresh air is known to elicit fresh business ideas, and the breathtaking vistas will transform them from tired to inspired.
Assist in preserving this 165-mile nature path that loops around Lake Tahoe. Your options include trail maintenance and construction, backcountry camp cooking, event assistance, administration, and community outreach.
Support multi-purpose pathways throughout the region with trail building and maintenance efforts. The association regularly hosts Trail Days that help get everyone rolling along.
Join the League to Save Lake Tahoe. Yes, joining a league really is as cool as it sounds. Preserve those cerulean waters and their surrounding natural landscapes alongside an environmental organization that offers water quality monitoring, forest stewardship, outreach, and cleanup activities on a regular basis.
You can also craft customized programs in South Lake Tahoe. Groups have gotten involved with food banks, community gardens, wellness events, and youth mentorship workshops in the past. We’d love to know what cause speaks to your crew.
Conservation Practices
South Lake Tahoe aims to be on the leading edge of policies that protect this gorgeous basin for generations to come, and we’ve already begun. Learn how we’re setting the standard while setting you up for success.
Bottle Basics
At 99.99% pure, Tahoe tap is already naturally among the finest in the world. So drink it in, and feel your best. We became one of the first cities to ban the use of single-use plastic water bottles in 2022. Lasting 450 years and turning into harmful microplastics that seep into the resources of humans and wildlife alike, this ban does more than make a statement. Especially since the League to Save Lake Tahoe has already picked up 20,100 bottles, 31,300 caps, and 163,800 plastic pieces. We provide refillable water bottles for both guests and residents, but this is also your chance to create some great company SWAG by passing out branded, reusable bottles for your attendees.
Rules to Lake By
We’ve developed five ways to practice responsible tourism at Lake Tahoe in order to keep this place as picturesque tomorrow as it is today. From protecting the lake to visiting with kindness, from cleaning up after ourselves to respectfully sharing communal spaces, we can enjoy the environment with wonder and awe. So let’s go big, and land lightly. It’s balance in its most natural state.
Add Meaning to Your Meetings
When leaving nothing behind means everything to you, take your group to Lake Tahoe’s South Shore. Browse venues designed for earth-conscious events, meetings, and conventions of all sizes. Our diverse range of accommodations offers the best luxury amenities, stunning views, and flexible event spaces so that you don’t have to compromise in order to cultivate a biodiverse ecosystem. At 6,224 ft. above sea level, attendees will feel so invigorated from the fresh, pine-scented air that they won’t want to fly back home (which is a great time to mention that we’re just a short drive away from Reno-Tahoe International Airport). Sound like a good fit? We’d love to see your RFP.
The sun is setting on Sunnyside Restaurant & Lodge as the community has known it for almost four decades. The longtime operator of the restaurant, T S Restaurants, is stepping aside in the fall to make way for a new operator — chef and restaurateur Mark Estee of Local Food Group.
T S Restaurants, which currently operates 13 destination restaurants in Hawaii and California, has run both the Sunnyside restaurant and hotel since 1987. T S CEO Jackie Reed said the decision was a mutual one made with the property owner, Tahoe Sunnyside Partners.
“It was a very difficult decision, but it felt time to return Sunnyside to a more local operator,” she said, “to do what was best for Sunnyside for the future.”
Estee has opened numerous restaurants in Tahoe and Reno, including Burger Me! and Moody’s Bistro Bar & Beats (though he is no longer involved with either). Before that, he served as the executive chef at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe’s Lone Eagle Grille. His group currently owns four restaurants in Reno — seven if you count Great Basin Brewery’s four locations.
Although Reed noted it’s been a difficult few years for the restaurant industry, she said the decision to part ways with Sunnyside was not a financial one. Mike Dumke, managing partner of Tahoe Sunnyside Partners, said the same thing.
“It’s been a great relationship with T S for 39 years, almost more like a partnership than a landlord relationship,” he said. “We both mutually came to the conclusion that it may be better to have them transition out and have a more local operator get involved in the property.”
Dumke said Estee plans on putting a fresh spin on the menu but will retain the theme of American fare as well as seafood and great burgers and adding some smoked items.
The new partnership also marks the beginning of significant investments across the property. Sunnyside will shut down Oct. 5 for renovations with plans to re-open April 1, 2027. The Local Food Group will remodel the restaurant, which includes an expansion of the kitchen and private dining spaces, while the ownership group plans on refreshing the 23 hotel rooms with new paint, carpet, and furniture, but no new construction. Tahoe Sunnyside Partners, which also owns Sunnyside Watersports & Marina, will manage the lodge going forward.
T S’s presence in Tahoe City began in 1978 with Jake’s on the Lake, then Sunnyside nine years later. Jake’s sold to a T S founder’s brother, Chris Thibaut, in 2005. Despite T S leaving Tahoe in the fall, Sunnyside will retain its storied name.
“It’s an emotional and bittersweet time for us,” said Reed, who noted T S is focusing on the Summer Send-Off celebration, with plans still in the works. “Not a lot of restaurants can say they operated for 39 years.”
The latest environmental controversy in Tahoe isn’t a development project, a wildfire, or a fight over lake clarity.
It’s a weed killer.
A proposal to use glyphosate in portions of the Caldor Fire burn scar has triggered mounting concern among residents and environmental advocates, opening a broader conversation about the herbicide’s health risks, ecological impacts, and growing presence throughout the region.
It all started with nonprofit news outlet Mother Jones’ yearlong investigation into the expanding use of herbicides in California forests. Released in May, the article dove deep into the worlds of wildfire management and recovery, industrial pesticide production, and complex federal bureaucracy. Among other projects, the article highlighted Forest Service plans to use herbicide as a vegetation management tool in the burn scar of the 2021 Caldor wildfire.
PULSING INTO WATERSHEDS: The most widely used herbicide in the world, glyphosate, poses a great risk of ecological devastation, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Illustration by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
The final environmental assessment and decision notice for the Caldor Fire Restoration Project — to be spearheaded by the Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) — was released in March of this year. The project will thin tree stands in and around the burn area, remove damaged trees, and reforest burned areas, all within an approximately 11,700-acre project footprint.
Part of that preparation and reforestation is slated to include potential herbicide treatment. In the environmental assessment, LTBMU notes that “herbicides may be used to aid site preparation before tree planting and to manage competing vegetation after planting when manual treatments are ineffective or expected to be insufficient.”
At the top of the list of intended herbicides? Glyphosate.
Public reaction to the Caldor Restoration Project
The Mother Jones investigation analyzed more than 5 million California pesticide-use records, finding that approximately 266,000 pounds of glyphosate were applied in California forests in 2023 — nearly five times the amount used two decades earlier. The article characterized forest applications as the fastest-growing use of glyphosate in the state.
Public opposition to the use of the chemical in and around the Lake Tahoe Basin has quickly mounted, and pressure is on for local agencies.
In response to public outcry around the use of glyphosate in the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, a change.org petition began to circulate. It quickly garnered well over 22,000 signatures by the time this article was written, with public comments and support pouring in from across the country. Conspicuously absent from the body of this petition, however, are any concrete demands to address the titular demand, “Stop glyphosate spraying in the Tahoe Basin.”
This missing piece may be a reflection of the confusing decision-making associated with this project — in this particular instance, it seems few people know exactly how to effect change within our local bureaucracy.
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REFORESTATION: A recently planted Jeffrey pine seedling grows at the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort in California during a project in the Caldor Fire burn scar in May. Personnel from Silhouette Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Great Basin Institute planted red fir, Jeffrey pine and western white pine. Photo by Andrew Avitt/U.S. Forest Service
REVEGETATION WITH A PURPOSE: While vegetation will naturally reappear in the burn scar, the Forest Service plans to use mechanical and chemical treatments to ensure sufficient conifer growth. Photo by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
PULSING INTO WATERSHEDS: The most widely used herbicide in the world, glyphosate, poses a great risk of ecological devastation, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Illustration by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
Frustrated, concerned, and confused, the public has swarmed to social media and rallied at Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) governance meetings to demand regulatory change. But that’s just not how it works, Jeff Cowen, public information officer at TRPA explained to me. At least, not anymore.
To understand the decision-making process behind environmental projects like this one, one must go back to the start. In 1969, TRPA was formed to help manage the two states, five counties, and three national forests that all wanted decision-making power over Lake Tahoe. Soon after, LTBMU was formed to consolidate national forest management in the region.
“It’s … been a partnership from the start,” Cowen said of the relationship between TRPA and LTBMU. But with 79% of land in the Basin owned and managed by the Forest Service, there are limitations on TRPA’s influence.
Those limitations have shifted over time, perhaps the most notable of which came as a result of the 2007 Angora wildfire. Inefficiencies, silos, and redundant regulatory procedures, Cowen explained, were identified as sticking points in the fire’s cause and magnitude. To address these hindrances, about 20 agencies came together to streamline environmental decision-making in the Basin.
Among the outcomes of this streamlining was an expanded memorandum of understanding between TRPA and LTBMU. For major projects like the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, TRPA is no longer a permitting authority, but instead an advisor to the decision-making process.
Cowen emphasized the efficacy of this decision, sharing that he feels that a “regulatory framework is really ineffective and not needed,” between the two agencies. “Because the Forest Service has very similar goals … they basically get to the point where they’re just adopting [our] goals and implementing them through their own plans.”
Together, the agencies have treated 80,000 acres across the Basin for wildfire prevention in the past two decades. But he also acknowledged there are “big, federal, overarching principles and direction that they also have to follow.”
As of late, these overarching principles seem somewhat murky.
How we got here: A noxious government love affair
In February of this year, the Trump administration made a sweeping move with the issuance of an Executive Order unambiguously named “Promoting the National Defense by Ensuring an Adequate Supply of Elemental Phosphorous and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides.”
This explicit prioritization of glyphosate production and use by the executive branch is a conveniently-timed declaration of support for the lawsuit-ridden Bayer company — and it’s no mystery as to why, Nathan Donley from the Center for Biological Diversity explained.
Our government has and continues to validate the use of glyphosate and other pesticides — despite the widely documented risks — because of the immense lobbying power of agricultural and agrochemical industries, Donley said. And it is far from isolated to the Trump administration.
“It’s been an absolute full court press from Bayer on all levels of government,” he explained. “Not just the executive and legislative branches. I mean, Clarence Thomas was a former Monsanto employee.”
And he’s not the only agrichemical-employee-turned-political-appointee. As of President Trump’s first year in office, all four of the top positions in the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention — the Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Assistant Administrator, Deputy Assistant Administrator for New Chemicals, and Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pesticides — have been filled by former executives or lobbyists of chemical and agricultural companies. The EPA and most other pesticide regulatory agencies continue to assert that glyphosate does not pose a health risk when used according to its label.
As Donley said, “the tendrils run deep … in the levels of influence that this company, Bayer, has in our government.”
Just how deep they run on initiatives like the Caldor Fire Restoration Project remains somewhat opaque. In the project’s environmental assessment, the herbicide use is identified as a way to expedite reforestation and “achieve silvicultural objectives.” These objectives? Conifer stands.
The assessment names three target species that, if not for herbicide use, could otherwise outcompete reforested conifers: western whitethorn, greenleaf manzanita, and ceanothus, or California lilac.
These native, fire-adapted species are known as pioneer species, meaning they are often the first to appear after wildfire events. Their fast-growing roots help to stabilize fire-impacted soil and prevent excess erosion, while also providing species-specific benefits like returning nutrients to damaged soils and quickly regenerating important habitat for pollinators and other species.
But while targeted elimination of native species may raise eyebrows, the Forest Service has an explanation. They are “not taking a wholesale targeting approach to these shrub species,” but instead targeting them only in the immediate vicinity of conifer seedlings. This will help ensure the area includes enough established trees to prevent full conversion to a montane chaparral environment, which could otherwise ignite easier and burn faster in future fire seasons.
Still, there is time before glyphosate use is slated to begin in the Basin.
“No herbicide application is planned for 2026 or 2027,” the Forest Service’s Region 5 media team stated. “Reforestation is an activity that will occur after initial entry (such as mechanical or hand treatments to remove overhead hazards and perhaps prescribed burning or mastication as site preparation) and occurs later in the project implementation timeline.”
Of the 11,700 acres of Forest Service land included within the project area, herbicide treatment is only proposed on a portion of the 2,400 to 3,600 acres where reforestation efforts will take place.
It’s a common pesticide. What’s the big deal?
Well, ain’t that the $11 billion question.
Health and environmental concerns associated with glyphosate use and exposure have been bubbling up for over a decade.
And despite being the most widely used herbicide globally, glyphosate wasn’t originally poised to become a pesticide at all. The chemical was first developed as a boiler and pipe cleaner agent. It wasn’t until 1974 that Monsanto, an American agrochemical and biotechnology company, discovered its efficacy as a herbicide. Monsanto quickly patented the discovery and sold glyphosate as the active ingredient in its crown-jewel herbicide product — Roundup.
GREENS-KEEPING: Golf courses are among the many landscapes where glyphosate is commonly used for vegetation management. Photo by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
For over 25 years, Roundup products filled shelves at hardware and home garden stores, farming co-ops, and major industrial retailers as the sole glyphosate-based product. Touting its unique success as a versatile weed-killer, products were marketed and sold in a variety of forms, from ready-to-use herbicides for home gardens to commercial-grade concentrates designed for agricultural, industrial, and heavy-duty landscaping use. The substance was applied with everything from handheld bottles to backpack devices to large-scale aerial sprayers.
In 2000, Monsanto’s patent for exclusive use of the chemical expired in the United States. Other manufacturers began to flood the market, introducing their own glyphosate-based herbicides. Public use skyrocketed and, for the better part of two decades, glyphosate products flew off shelves.
Then in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), published a scientific evaluation of the carcinogenicity of several market herbicides, glyphosate among them. As a result, glyphosate was designated as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
Months later, the first lawsuit to allege Monsanto’s Roundup products were causing cancer proceeded to trial in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, a groundskeeper for Benicia Unified School District argued Roundup had caused his non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The case, Johnson v. Monsanto, became the first of approximately 125,000 similar claims filed by 2020, with the California court ultimately ruling in Mr. Johnson’s favor. The jury awarded the plaintiff $289 million in compensatory and punitive damages, an amount that was later reduced by the judge to $78 million and then $21 million.
At the same time, proponents of glyphosate products began to vehemently defend both its safety and usage.
One such advocate named Patrick Moore, a former environmentalist turned TED-talking-climate-change-skeptic, even went so far as to claim Roundup was safe to drink. Moore was featured on air in a CBC News segment on the 2015 WHO findings, where he stated that “you can drink a whole quart of [Roundup], it won’t hurt you.” However, when offered a glass of the chemical by his interviewer, Moore declined to substantiate his claim in real-time, repeatedly saying “No, I’m not stupid.”
In 2017, a multi-district litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California consolidated the surge of federal lawsuits against Monsanto for its Roundup products. The litigation revealed a body of evidence that the leading study cited to defend Roundup’s safety for human exposure — Safety Evaluation and Risk Assessment of the Herbicide Roundup and Its Active Ingredient, Glyphosate, for Humans, published in 2000 by Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology — was in large part shaped and steered by Monsanto employees. The suit exposed email exchanges between Monsanto employees offering congratulations to one another for their “hard work” on the study and hopes that it would become “the reference on Roundup and glyphosate safety.”
Ultimately, the journal retracted the study, citing significant ethical concerns. But the damage was done, and the study still ranks among the top references justifying glyphosate use and claims to its safety.
In 2018, Monsanto was acquired by Bayer, a German pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical company. Bayer continued to sell Roundup but quickly discontinued the use of the Monsanto brand name, which was becoming increasingly tied to unfavorable litigation.
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California found Monsanto liable for another case of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in Hardeman v. Monsanto Co. in 2019, initially awarding Mr. Hardeman $80 million in damages — a total subsequently reduced to $20 million. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the decision in 2021, finding that the EPA’s approval of a pesticide label does not immunize a manufacturer from being held liable. This case ultimately became the first (and at this point, only) federal decision on the issue.
Despite Bayer phasing out glyphosate as an active ingredient in its residential Roundup products in 2023, it remains present in commercial and agricultural formulas. Lawsuits have continued to arise, with substantial damages and fees awarded to plaintiffs whose exposure to Roundup resulted in non-Hodgkin, follicular, T-cell, or other forms of lymphoma.
As of the time this article is being written, Bayer has paid over $11 billion in settlements for Roundup-related lawsuits and proposed a nation-wide class action settlement that would cap current and future claim payouts at $7.25 billion, to be used for declining payments for up to 21 years. The class action is heavily opposed by plaintiffs and environmental and public health organizations who have described it as a liability “shield.” A decision from the federal Supreme Court on its constitutionality is expected later in June. If approved, it will become one of the largest legal fee awards to date.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE: The 2021 Caldor Fire burned 221,835 acres across El Dorado, Alpine, and Amador counties. Photo by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
Public health and environmental impact
Cancer is far from the only public health risk posed by glyphosate use and exposure.
Studies have found potential ties between glyphosate exposure and various medical conditions such as liver disease and reproductive disorders including PCOS, endometriosis, and disruptions to fertility. What’s more, a growing body of research is finding that glyphosate exposure may be a trigger for various gastrointestinal diseases and conditions, including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
But despite these alarming associations, it remains unclear how much exposure is required to pose a real health risk to humans. In the vast majority of legal cases, affected plaintiffs are groundkeepers, farmers, or dedicated recreational gardeners — folks routinely subjected to highly concentrated forms of glyphosate.
In all likelihood, the exposure any individual may experience as a direct result of a relatively remote use such as the Caldor Fire Restoration Project would not cause substantial human harm. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, the half-life (time needed for a chemical to reduce to half of its initial amount) of glyphosate is particularly variable, landing somewhere between 2 and 197 days in soil, and between “a few days” and 91 days in water.
The chance of human exposure narrows further upon consideration of where the Caldor Fire Reforestation Project’s proposed herbicide treatment areas lie. In an email, the Forest Service’s Region 5 media team noted that “for the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, herbicide use is proposed only on a subset of the area proposed for reforestation, where other reforestation site preparation methods will not work. For example, manual removal equipment is not permitted in project areas with steep slopes, locations far from existing roads, [or] sensitive soils.”
But the questionable human health impacts of this project are not the sole consideration in this instance. An even greater risk is the ecological devastation that glyphosate wreaks on habitats, plants, and wildlife.
Donley at the Center for Biological Diversity noted that so long as glyphosate is present, it poses an environmental risk. This is particularly true after any precipitation, where stormwater runoff “goes into the nearby river, lake, or stream of that watershed and contaminates it with high pulses of pesticide.”
Donley emphasized that most animals do rely on these waters, whether they are woodland animals seeking drinking water, wetland species like migratory birds, or aquatic animals that then have no choice but to suffer through 24/7 exposure to contaminated water. While this can be lethal, he added, there are other effects as well. “It can lead to chronic harms like reduced reproductive capability or developmental defects, so it can affect subsequent generations and ultimately lead to population decline or even collapse for certain species,” he explained.
The Environmental Protection Agency found that glyphosate use was likely causing harm to 1,676 of the approximately 1,700 plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Where the Caldor Fire Restoration Project is concerned, LTBMU will be taking some precautions to prevent this catastrophic runoff. “Herbicide applications will not take place within six hours of predicted rainfall that has a high probability of producing measurable runoff, or as requested by the Forest Service aquatics biologist,” the Forest Service shared via email. Additionally, the project will use backpack sprayers or other low-volume methods, as opposed to aquatic or aerial application, which produces greater concern for pollinator species.
But slip-ups or insufficient margins of time between application and precipitation could be catastrophic for some species that call the Tahoe area home.
In 2021, the federal Environmental Protection Agency found that glyphosate use was likely causing harm to 1,676 of the approximately 1,700 plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act. Impacted species include the Sierra Nevada red fox, California spotted owl, and Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, all of which are listed in the federal Endangered Species Act and live in our area.
Hitting close to home
While proposed glyphosate use in the Caldor burn scar has created quite a stir for the public, it appears as though our community remains blissfully unaware that glyphosate made its debut in the Truckee/Tahoe area long ago.
According to its most recent annual data, California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) ranked glyphosate the sixth most used pesticide in the state in 2023. Of herbicides (plant-specific pesticides) used statewide, glyphosate ranked number one both by pounds applied and total acres treated – 10.7 million and 4.8 million, respectively. About 270,000 pounds alone were used to spray California’s forest land, a figure that has been steadily increasing each year.
Agriculture remains a top use, with glyphosate the pesticide of choice for a variety of crops, from cotton to nuts to citrus and even — put down your glass of pinot here — wine grapes. Neighborhood gardens also pose a risk; DPR data excludes residential use, but despite Bayer’s 2023 phaseout of glyphosate from its residential products, the compound remains the active ingredient in competitor products. Nationwide, the EPA estimates residential and non-crop glyphosate use at several million pounds per year.
While glyphosate is most closely associated with agriculture, it is also widely used in non-agricultural settings, including rights-of-way corridors, landscape maintenance, parks, athletic facilities, golf courses, utility infrastructure, and other managed public spaces.
Individual county reporting provides insight into current uses regionally. El Dorado County, which encompasses the Eastern side of Folsom to the California-Nevada state line in South Lake Tahoe, applied over 9,500 pounds of glyphosate in 2023 for forest and timberland applications, and just over 6,000 along rights of way areas like roads, highway corridors, sidewalks, and curb areas. Placer County, on the other hand, reported over 9,000 pounds used for rights of way areas, just over 4,600 pounds for forest and timberland areas, and just under 4,000 pounds for landscape maintenance. Nevada County clocked in with significantly lower rates, atjust over 2,000 pounds used for rights of way areas and a similar amount for landscape maintenance topping the list in 2023.
These numbers encompass more than public agency use. Private landowners are also obligated to report use to DPR, and glyphosate has become industry-standard for a number of vegetative fixtures. For example, on its website, NV Energy notes herbicide use as a mechanism for vegetation management under its power lines.
A recent follow-up article from Mother Jones opened with investigative journalist Nate Halverson standing in the middle of a run at Sierra-at-Tahoe that “clearly had been doused in glyphosate,” pointing to the area being “devoid of spring flowers; the bushes leafless, brittle, and dead by all appearances.” Sure enough, Halverson had found that the “Forest Service posted maps online showing it had sprayed glyphosate around and within Sierra-at-Tahoe in spring 2025.” This spraying was a part of a separate Caldor Fire Restoration Project, managed by El Dorado Resource Conservation District and taking place outside of the Basin, with a much larger footprint approved for herbicide use.
Patrick Lacey, public relations manager at Palisades Tahoe, said the resort does not use any chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides for vegetation management. Instead, he explained, its vegetation management crews use the mechanical removal of smaller trees and bushes to focus on “reducing ladder fuels on the forest floor and skier safety; the combination works synergistically.”
Since 2015, more than 125,000 legal claims have been filed alleging that exposure to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, contributed to the development of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Bayer has paid over $11 billion in settlements thus far. File photo
Marc McMullen, the golf course superintendent at Northstar California Resort, told me he does use glyphosate as well as fungicide to manage vegetation on the Northstar course. While total use during the season is relatively low, McMullen emphasized that the compound used is a harsh enough product that it is not available off the shelf and requires a pesticide applicator license through both the state and county.
University extension publications and turf-management literature routinely identify golf courses as a significant use category for the herbicide for vegetation management, cart-path edging, weed control, and renovation projects.
Moonshine Ink reached out to other land managers of community spaces, but many did not respond to the inquiries.
While debate continues over where and when glyphosate should be used, its presence in the modern landscape is difficult to avoid entirely. That reality raises a practical question for residents: What steps, if any, can individuals and communities take to reduce exposure?
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot
Options range from personal choices to participating in public discussions.
First and foremost, eating food grown using organic practices whenever possible is one of the leading ways to reduce glyphosate exposure and mitigate its harms to human health, researchers say.
A 2020 study published in Environmental Research found that diet is a main source of glyphosate exposure for humans. What’s more, researchers found glyphosate levels in children prior to making the switch to organic foods were approximately five times higher than adult levels. The good news? Transitioning to organic food had a near-immediate impact on the amount of glyphosate in subjects’ systems, reducing levels by over
70 percent.
Water, too, can be a potential source of glyphosate exposure. In the Basin, where most household drinking water comes from surface waters, regional water purveyors regularly test for pesticides. Sarah Vidra, the Executive Director at Tahoe Water Suppliers Association, confirmed that “pesticides are … monitored as part of the Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOC) program.” Currently, she added, “the Association is not aware of any pesticide detections exceeding drinking water standards in Lake Tahoe source water supplies.” Vidra confirmed the SOC testing TWSA uses detects glyphosate.
Truckee tap water is substantially more removed from potential contamination, as the Truckee Donner Public Utility District (TDPUD) sources all water from deep underground aquifers. “The average age of our drinking water predates many modern chemicals,” Alex Spychalsky, TDPUD Communications Program Manager, explained via email. “For example, the rain we saw fall in our region last week won’t reach our aquifer for decades.”
But Donley said there’s more to be done than relying on water purveyors. “Regardless of how clean you think your water is, everyone should have a good water filter in their house,” he advised. “Because I don’t care how clean you think your water is, it’s not.”
MAKING THE ROUNDS: Glyphosate wasn’t originally poised to become a pesticide at all. The chemical was first developed as a boiler and pipe cleaner agent. In 1974 Monsanto discovered its efficacy as a herbicide and quickly patented the discovery and sold glyphosate as the active ingredient in its crown-jewel herbicide product — Roundup. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
While limiting glyphosate exposure in private spaces like kitchens, yards, and gardens can help mitigate risk, navigating more public areas that are outside of one’s control can be more complex. A simple rule of thumb, Donley suggested, is don’t play — and don’t let your loved ones play — where dandelions don’t grow. Weeds and other landscaping imperfections are natural. Allow them to be a sign of safe, glyphosate-free spaces.
Locally, questions about herbicide use may be addressed through existing regulatory and planning processes. As for the standards by which TRPA advises projects, those can be changed, though Cowen noted that “the path to what action [TRPA] can take is a relatively long one.” While it typically responds to emerging issues through scientific review, Cowen suggested the level of public interest surrounding glyphosate may warrant further examination. In the case of herbicide use in the Tahoe Basin, he said, “public concern is probably enough for us to start looking at it.”
Whether glyphosate is ultimately used as part of the LTBMU Caldor Fire Restoration Project remains to be seen. What is already clear is that the proposal has sparked a broader conversation about forest management, wildfire recovery, herbicide use, public health, and environmental stewardship — one that is likely to continue well beyond the boundaries of the burn scar itself.
For decades, Truckee Fire Protection District has provided fire and emergency medical services to some of the region’s most affluent neighborhoods. According to the district, however, it has never received the full share of property tax revenue that should be tied to those responsibilities.
Now, after years of unsuccessful negotiations, Truckee Fire has taken Placer County to court, arguing that a decades-old property tax allocation error has deprived the district of roughly $40 million since the mid-1970s. The lawsuit could reshape how millions of dollars in property taxes are distributed among local agencies, drawing 10 other districts into the dispute.
Property tax collection for select special districts across Truckee/North Tahoe play a significant role in revenue streams. Some, like Truckee Sanitary District and Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, rely on property taxes for more than 60% of their operating revenue.
This is common in California: Revenue from the 1% property tax is the foundation for most jurisdictions, from counties and cities down to schools and special districts.
Which means if there’s a piece of the highly precious property pie tax missing, it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Nearly 75% of the Truckee Fire Protection District’s 2025/26 revenue comes from taxes, or $14.1 million of its total $19.8 million budget. That number, alleges the district, should be $4 million more.
The district officially brought a case before the Sacramento Superior Court in February 2025 to right a “historic wrong,” according to court documentation.
Placer County, through outside counsel, has so far called into question the legal validity of the entire case, disputing each of the four causes of action submitted by Truckee Fire that make up its argument. Judge Jennifer K. Rockwell ruled against the county’s claims as recently as May 14.
As of press deadline, the ball is in Placer’s court: it has until July 6 to file a formal response to Truckee Fire’s demand for court action and a legal ruling.
Because of the active litigation, both entities provided brief statements to Moonshine Ink:
“Truckee Fire looks forward to having our day in court and to an expeditious, fair, and complete resolution to this matter,” Chief Kevin McKechnie said.
“The county disputes the claims brought by the district and will defend its position in the litigation,” shared Steven Wilson-Maggard, public information officer.
How did we get here?
The red tape that’s causing so much back and forth stems from California’s Proposition 13, passed back in 1978.
This ruling put a 1% tax rate cap of a property’s assessed value and limited yearly assessment increases to 2%. (Prior to ’78, the state’s average property tax rate was 2.67%.) Further, property reassessments bringing up a property to current market value can only take place when there’s a change in ownership or new construction.
Assembly Bill 8 (AB 8), enacted in 1979, determined how that 1% tax was divided up among local governments. County auditors were required to base this distribution on the average property tax revenue received by local governments in the few years preceding Prop 13.
The crux for Truckee Fire is that a few years prior to Prop 13, the district began providing fire protection and medical services to a piece of land known then as the Woolverton Property and known now as Zone 7, annexed into the district in 1974.
CAUGHT IN RED TAPE: Select neighborhoods in Martis Valley are classified as a No Pay Tax Rate Area (TRA), which means Truckee Fire Protection District provides service with no property tax revenue in return. The group of homes in question amounts to 1,600 structures across 2,189 parcels. Graphic by Lauren Shearer/Moonshine Ink and courtesy Google Maps
Zone 7 currently comprises Martis Camp, Schaffer’s Mill, part of Lahontan off Snowshoe Thompson Circle; a portion of Sierra Meadows off Pine Cone and Ponderosa drives, and Golden Pine Road; as well as a section of Ponderosa Palisades on Silver Fir Drive west of Thelin Drive.
The Woolverton agreement limited taxation to the value of improvements (or development), not the underlying land, and allowed property owner Bertha Joerger Woolverton “to continue to live on her property unburdened by taxes but to support the District’s services as she sold her land for development,” as stated in Truckee Fire’s complaint.
In board meetings, Placer County supervisors have called this deal of taxing Zone 7 at a reduced rate as a mistake made by Truckee Fire, leading to the district receiving only partial property tax from that area during three critical years before Prop 13. That taxation level was locked into place in 1978 — and has stayed that way through today.
During the 2024/25 tax year, across the TRAs in Zone 7, Truckee Fire received between 0.60% and 0.75% in AB 8 property tax allocation. A nearby TRA shows Truckee Fire receiving 11.58% of the distribution.
There have been some negotiations in the intervening years. Truckee Fire formally requested its share of AB 8 funding in 1997, 2011, 2018, and 2023. In 1997, Placer’s Auditor Controller Jayne Goulding sent a letter to Truckee Fire stating the revenues had been corrected, but that change never took place.
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IN 1973, Truckee Fire received a letter from Bertha Woolverton requesting annexation into the district for land known today as Martis Valley. Documents courtesy Truckee Fire Protection District
IN 1973, Truckee Fire received a letter from Bertha Woolverton requesting annexation into the district for land known today as Martis Valley. Documents courtesy Truckee Fire Protection District
In 2019, the county allocated the district funding from an adjacent bucket: Placer County executed a voluntary tax share agreement allowing Truckee Fire to receive a portion of fire control fee collected from Zone 7 property taxes, amounting to about $300,000 annually. Truckee Fire considers this agreement irrelevant to the larger situation, according to court documentation.
In June 2024, the Placer County Board of Supervisors heard a presentation about the fire control fund and whether to continue with a subsequent funding method or not.
Placer County Supervisor Jim Holmes pointed out in June 2024 that Truckee Fire could have corrected the issue in part during the county’s 2003 general plan update but did not do so: “This sets a precedent … This takes money out of our general fund to supplement a district that failed to take action when the opportunity was there for them.”
The item was not up for action, and ended with unclear steps for the future. Eight months later, Truckee Fire filed its case.
What specifically is being asked for?
Truckee Fire’s legal reasons for suing Placer fall into two camps: three focus on the failure of property tax allocation (as described previously), while the fourth focuses on the county’s failure to comply with the Placer County General Plan and Martis Valley Community Plan.
This second camp claims the county approved real estate developments such as Martis Valley, Schaffer’s Mill, and part of Lahontan neighborhoods in Zone 7 without funding fire service in conjunction.
In early 2024, Truckee Fire alleges in the complaint, the district stated on an early building permit for a townhome development in Schaffer’s Mill that as the serving fire protection district, it would “withhold approval of a Certificate of Occupancy until it received adequate funding to provide fire services to the development.” The district also requested that the county restrict further development in Martis Valley until the funding issues at hand could be rectified.
On March 26 of that year, Placer amended its county code to allow fire-protection district approval to come from either Truckee Fire, Placer County Fire, or Cal Fire.
Over a year later, the Placer County Planning Commission modified the Schaffer’s Mill Conditional Use Permit language to allow either Truckee Fire or Placer County Fire’s signature for plan approvals.
Placer demurred to the district’s complaint on all causes of action. A demurrer essentially means that even if, in this case, Truckee Fire’s claims are true, they do not warrant a lawsuit. Judge Rockwell overruled two of the three demurrers, while sustaining the third demurrer on the fourth cause of action, but allowed the district time to amend its legal stance.
Truckee Fire did so, submitting an amended complaint — to which Placer demurred once again on the fourth cause of action. The judge overruled this demurrer in mid-May, leading to the current wait for Placer County’s response, due by July 6.
From there, the case will likely enter a discovery phase, during which both sides will exchange information, evidence, and witness interviews.
Among its requests for ruling, Truckee Fire hopes for legal mandates to the county to allocate and pay the district its AB 8 share of Zone 7 property tax revenue; a permanent injunction from denying Truckee Fire its AB 8 share; and a declaration that Placer’s decision to approve development in the Martis Valley area without general plan compliance violates the law.
TRUCKEE FIRE’S Station 96, serving the Martis Valley 24 hours a day, seven days a week since 2000. Courtesy photo
What other districts are involved (and whose side are they on)?
If Truckee Fire is allotted any amount of AB 8, which is a limited pot of money, other entities receiving property tax from Zone 7 will take a hit.
When it first filed its complaint, Truckee Fire did not include other taxing entities involved in Zone 7 who could be impacted. Placer called this out in a demurrer, requiring an amended complaint to include the following as real parties in interest:
Truckee Tahoe Airport District, Placer County Resource Conservation District, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Sierra Community College District, Placer County Office of Education, Placer County Water Agency, Tahoe Forest Hospital District, Tahoe Truckee Sanitation Agency, Tahoe City Public Utility District, and Truckee Sanitary District. All 10 are listed as parties on the side of Placer County.
Of the parties, the airport district, Tahoe City PUD, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Placer County Office of Education, and Truckee Sanitary District have filed joinders at some point, formally aligning themselves with Placer’s arguments. For the latest set of demurrers, the school district and office of education did not file joinders while the remaining three did.
Why other parties of interest didn’t file a joinder can be for many reasons, including being able to benefit from a decision without the cost or exposure; different interests than defendant’s strategies; and taking a wait-and-see approach.
“While the core of this dispute is between the fire district and the county, the legal remedy sought, a reapportionment of ad valorem property taxes, carries an outsized potential impact on a broad coalition of local public agencies that provide essential services to our community,” TTAD General Manager Robb Etnyre wrote in an email. “Because property tax revenue is a ‘zero-sum’ system under California law, any significant shift in these percentages means the funding must be drawn from the existing shares of other local entities.”
In its 2026 budget, TTAD anticipates receiving about $10 million in property tax revenue — about 55% of its revenue for the year.
Etnyre added that the airport district’s participation in the case, as well as the other parties with interest, “is intended to ensure that the pursuit of fire protection funding does not inadvertently destabilize the budgets of our schools, our hospital, or our regional infrastructure.”
Truckee Fire has said in public statements about the case, “Placer County would prefer we ask taxpayers districtwide to approve a new property tax so that the district can have sufficient funds to fund services in Lahontan, Martis Camp and Schaffer’s Mill … Placer County has already collected substantial tax revenue, they just need to allocate it.”
In the current court case, the district is requesting its AB 8 share from the date of the final court order forward. Meanwhile, it is also asking for historical records of what it received from 1975 to 1978, which would play a role in determining the full amount Truckee Fire might have collected since the mid-1970s.
Sherry McConkey is widely known in Tahoe/Truckee as the wife of the late, famed skier and ski-BASE athlete Shane McConkey, as founder of the Shane McConkey Foundation, and a popular yoga teacher. But the story of how Sherry became such an active part of the Tahoe community started on the other side of the world.
Born to a South African mother and Persian father, Sherry entered the world under complicated circumstances. Her mother, who was a model, gave birth in an adoption home in Ireland because in the 1960s, it would have been complicated to have a mixed-race child in South Africa. When Sherry was born with blonde hair and blue eyes, her mother was able to bring her back to South Africa and raise her there.
After spending her first years in Iran, Sherry grew up near the coastal city of Durban in South Africa. By age 21, she was ready to see more of the world.
“When I was 21, I decided to travel the world and find my birth father,” Sherry said.
With South African currency stretching only so far abroad, she found herself working, traveling, and working again as she made her way across Europe.
“I had some insanely amazing adventures, great and bad, beautiful and crazy,” Sherry said. “Three years of a very innocent, naive young South African traveling the world.”
Along the way, she saw snow for the first time while visiting Switzerland and immediately fell in love with the mountains. Eventually, her search for her father led her to North America.
But shortly before she planned to meet him, everything changed.
“As I was about to come to the States to meet my dad, he left without telling me,” Sherry said. “Basically, I was like, ‘Screw you. I’m done looking. I’m done trying.’”
Without a destination in mind, Sherry followed recommendations from friends and found herself driving to Tahoe.
“I found it miraculous,” she said. “As I drove up the West Shore and the harvest moon was coming out of the lake, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this place is amazing.’”
What was supposed to be a single winter stay has now turned into 36 years.
Tahoe became even more meaningful after she met professional skier Shane McConkey. Together they built a life and raised their daughter, Ayla. When Shane died in a ski-BASE accident in Italy in 2009, Sherry considered leaving the region.
GURU: Sherry McConkey is a popular yoga teacher at Palisades Yoga. She is pictured here at her retreat in Nicaragua. Photos courtesy Sherry McConkey
“When Shane died, the community just wrapped their arms around Ayla and me,” she said. “It was like a family around me. I was like, ‘How am I ever going to leave this?’”
The years that followed were marked by loss throughout the community. Many longtime locals remember the early 2000s as a period of repeated tragedies.
“I got to a point where I was like, ‘How much more can I take?’” Sherry said. “But when I looked at other places to go, I would realize I couldn’t leave my Tahoe family.”
Instead, she stayed and poured her energy into giving back.
In the years following Shane’s death, Sherry helped establish the Shane McConkey Foundation. What began as a way to support environmental causes the couple cared about grew into programs that are now nationwide. Since its founding in 2011, the nonprofit has donated one million dollars to environmental causes, kids health and wellness, and projects that impact the Tahoe/Truckee region.
PMS: Sherry McConkey (in red) with her daughter, Ayla, at the Pain McShlonkey, an annual snowblade contest put on by her foundation, the Shane McConkey Foundation.
“When I first started the foundation, I think I was still in shock,” Sherry said. “We didn’t quite know what to do.”
One of its most successful projects grew from a student environmental initiative led by a teacher at Donner Trail Elementary partaking in the Shane McConkey Eco Challenge. Today, the foundation’s Don’t Drop the Top program operates lid collection sites throughout the region that have diverted 8,200 pounds of plastic from local landfills.
“The kids partaking in the Eco Challenges are mind-blowing and so amazing,” Sherry said. “It gives me hope for the future.”
LOVE: Sherry McConkey and her daughter, Ayla, who is now 20.
For Sherry, the foundation reflects the same philosophy that defined Shane’s life: maximizing enjoyment in life.
“The foundation, in a nutshell, is a combination of fun and not taking life so seriously, but then intense and taking life really seriously,” she said. “A good balance.”
After decades in Tahoe, that balance continues to guide her. The woman who once crossed continents searching for connection ultimately found it in a mountain town that became family.
“My hope for Tahoe is to become the most environmentally conscious town in the world,” Sherry said. “It’s breathtakingly beautiful, and you only have one life. Live it.”
It’s midnight in the middle of nowhere on the Trans-Siberian Railway but sleep is far from mind. Russian train-riders are gathered in the bar car, laughing and dancing around the ragtag string band that’s swigging vodka and making up funny songs on the spot.
The bandmembers are a bunch of Americans, in-country for the 2018 World Cup, and rather than geopolitical hostilities there’s a warmth of human connection forged around global sport and the universal language of music.
TRAIN JAM: Jeremiah Kent (middle) and Martin Cavada (foreground) playing tunes and giving smiles at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Photo by Ryan Salm
“We ended up being the house band on the Trans-Siberian for a week,” guitarist Ryan Salm remembered. “It was before the war [in Ukraine]. We ended up befriending generals and regular people, just singing songs and staying up all night.”
Salm is a founding member of the Home Team String Band, the Tahoe/Truckee-based group that’s traveled to the last four World Cups — bringing an open-armed vibe of music, good times, and cross-cultural connection as they celebrate the unifying power of soccer’s biggest stage.
THE HOME TEAM’S BUS, painted by Ben Williams of Truckee, does not have a nickname yet, but members of the band are pretty sure it will by the time the World Cup is over. Photos courtesy Paul Raymore
This year’s World Cup will be played in North and Central America from June 11 to July 19, with the bulk of the matches taking place in the United States.
“We’ve been welcomed wherever we’ve gone,” said Dan Hurley, the group’s unofficial musical coordinator who, along with Salm, also plays in the Tahoe-based band The Inappropriators. “I’m most looking forward to hosting, and to giving back to the world what they’ve given for us. We are going to show a welcoming spirit.”
To do so, the band bought an old Bluebird school bus and undertook a group-effort, custom build-out, readying their “Schoolie” to be a traveling home, fan-zone (with two TVs and a projector screen), music venue, and cultural welcome center. They’ll make and hand out grilled cheese sandwiches and throw parties, aiming to be a gathering place where people from all over the world can hang out before, during, or after the games and have a good time.
TRANSFORMATION: Members of the Home Team String Band talk it over during a bus-buildout session.
“We’ll play a bunch of songs and hope to get people to join our band along the way,” Salm added.
Folks may join the band forever, for a day, an hour, or even just one song. After all, impromptu additions to the group are what created the Home Team in the first place. The band is now 12-plus humans strong, but it all started back in 2010 with three Tahoe locals who just wanted to go the World Cup in South Africa.
Salm arrived on the continent before the event began and traveled overland from Ethiopia (guitar and harmonica in tow) to South Africa. He knew Paul Raymore and Hurley independently, and they all made plans to meet up before the matches began.
TRANSPORTATION: When the Home Team String Band found themselves in a dry country for the 2022 World Cup, they traded beer for bikes and cycled to the games in Qatar. Photo by Ryan Salm
Prior to linking up with them, Salm was checking out of a bungalow in Malawi just as another guy with a guitar was checking in. He was from L.A., and Salm told him he lived in Tahoe. The guy’s first question was, “Have you been to High Sierra Music Festival?”
Salm smiled. “I go every year,” he said. The connection was instant and the two made sure they’d reconnect in South Africa — and boom, Jeremiah Kent was added to the roster.
Similar serendipity ensued at the USA vs. England game in Rustenberg when an American approached the group and it was discovered they had a mutual friend in Tahoe. He introduced himself as Pete Blanchard and they all hung out that night. “We had an empty spot in our car,” Salm said, “and the next day Pete was part of the crew.”
They met Tahoe-ite Trevor Husted at the USA vs. Algeria knockout match and the group of travel-seeking, soccer-loving musicians started writing funny songs about their World Cup experiences. The bond was tight, and the Home Team String Band was born.
THE HOME TEAM STRING BAND celebrates euphorically at a World Cup match. Photo courtesy Paul Raymore
Everyone has a nickname. Someone who joined eight years ago will always be New Guy (Dane Halter). Added in 2014 were Hulké (Martin Cavada), Hylando (Rylan Cordova), and Maximus (Kurt Beckering). Then there’s Godfather (Paul Raymore), Captain Jebbers (Kent), and Handsome (Hurley), among others.
The nicknames are written on the back of the bandmate’s personal Sweatsedo — a sweet, custom-made velour track suit — in the local language of whatever country they are in. Sometimes the names get lost in translation. In Russia, for example, Trevor Husted’s “T-Bone” read as “T-Steak.”
Eight years later, Husted is still T-Steak.
Blanchard earned his original nickname, Granada (Spanish for grenade), due to his proclivity for explosive late-night antics, but on the Trans-Siberian he turned sweet. On a short stop, he ran out and bought flowers for the Russian bartendress. She received them well and started calling him Pupsik — a term of endearment either romantic or maternal meaning something akin to “cutie.” The boys couldn’t resist that one either, and his nickname forever changed to Pupsik.
There’s an origin story, of course, for the nicknames. In 2010, the original crew was driving on a dirt road in Lesotho, the small, mountainous nation landlocked by South Africa, when a couple of locals boys threw a small rock at the vehicle. “Stop the car!” boomed Salm’s voice. In a flash he was running into the African plains after the half-laughing, half-screaming perpetrators.
The team was beyond impressed by Salm’s speed. Right then and there he became “Cheetah” — and the naming began.
The young-adult sons of Raymore and Halter, Ethan and Nathan respectively, will hop on the bus for their first Home Team action this World Cup. “They’re good kids but they haven’t done much yet,” Hurley said. “They’ll be known collectively as JV until they prove themselves worthy of joining the varsity and earning a nickname.”
Not your typical band
The group’s gigs aren’t pre-booked shows in concert halls, rather impromptu busking-type sessions played in crowded subways, outside stadiums, and on bustling city streets.
“My favorite thing about it is that most of our material is written in the moment,” Hurley said, noting that the chord progressions are made up on the spot and the lyrics freestyled. “You write a song about a new person you’re hanging out with or the score of the game, a funny time at the bar or the street scene in Brazil we’re looking at.”
Many of their stream of consciousness songs, in a nod to true art, only ever exist once. Some, however, are played again and refined over time to become part of the band’s growing catalogue.
“We want people coming into it to feel welcome. It’s about the fun, the merriment, the global soccer-sports-music brotherhood that we’ve all come to know and love so much.”
~ Dan Hurley, unofficial musical director of The Home Team String Band, on the 2026 World Cup
And while they’ll mix in some covers — “California Dreaming,” “Hotel California,” and “Born in the U.S.A” are oft-requested when overseas — there’s never anything like a planned-out set list, which appeals to Hurley’s artistic sensibilities. “It’s total musical freedom,” he said.
In addition to the soccer and the music, adventure is a big part of the Home Team’s overall gameplan. On their World Cup-focused trips, they’ve hiked in national parks in Africa, explored the Amazon in Brazil, and embarked on multi-day, self-guided paddleboard trips around Russia’s Lake Baikal (the largest freshwater lake in the world and Tahoe’s sister lake), and the Arabian Sea, including in the Strait of Hormuz.
When Beckering joined the band for the 2014 Cup in Brazil, he brought along his banjo. The circular part of the instrument was white. One day he drew black markings on it to make it look like a soccer ball, and The Soccer Ball Banjo came to be.
“If there was a symbol of our band, that would be it,” Raymore declared.
The band was hitting their stride, but four years later the unthinkable happened: The U.S. failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. “It was shocking,” Salm said. “We didn’t know what to do.”
After some debate, the performers decided the show must go on — a decision that led to perhaps the band’s greatest moment, those days and nights of song and merriment as the house band on the clickety tracks of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
The 2022 World Cup, held in Qatar in Nov. and Dec. ’21 to avoid the region’s stifling summer heat, featured another changeup: The vodka-swigging, beer-crushing Home Teamers found themselves in a dry country. So, they traded booze for bikes and began cycling to the games, oftentimes two matches a day, and from place to place with their instruments and antics. “A lot of people over there hadn’t seen anything like us,” Salm said.
So, what do these 2026 home games mean for the Home Team String Band?
“We want people coming into it to feel welcome,” said Hurley, who recently wrote a song called “Host the World,” which can be found on YouTube. “It’s about the fun, the merriment, the global soccer-sports-music brotherhood that we’ve all come to know and love so much.”
MAKING NEW FRIENDS is a key part of the Home Team String Band’s World Cup experiences. Ryan Salm at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The Tahoe kickoff party takes place on June 12 at Alibi Ale Works in Truckee to watch Team USA’s opening game against Paraguay. The match starts at 6 p.m., with the pre-party starting at 4 p.m. The bus will be on site for tours and photos, and the boys will play tunes. All ages are welcome and bringing instruments is encouraged. “We’d love to see the biggest street band we can make in downtown Truckee,” Raymore said.
After that game, the Home Team will put the bus in gear and start attending matches in person. First, it’s down to San Francisco where Levi’s Stadium hosts Qatar vs. Switzerland on the 13th and Austria vs. Jordan on the 16th. Then it’s up to Seattle for Team USA’s highly anticipated June 19th match against Australia.
But the true destination is the journey — being on the bus and spreading the vibe like some version of the Merry Pranksters with a Pelé predilection and well-tuned instruments.
“We’ll stop anywhere from a town square to a dive bar or a trailer park,” Salm said. “It doesn’t need to be a million people. We’re not an arena band, it’s about intimate.”
From Seattle, the Home Team dips north of the border to catch New Zealand vs. Egypt on the summer solstice in Vancouver. Then the bus will turn around and meander south to get to L.A. in time for Team USA’s final group match June 25 at Sofi Stadium against Türkiye.
After group play the teams with the best records will advance to the knockout stages, the details of those matches being unknown until the completion of the first round. “We don’t have any idea yet where we’ll go,” Salm said, the band perhaps leaning into its ability to play things by ear. “We’ll try to follow the USA if we can.”
The Beautiful Game
Estimates are that 5.8 billion people, roughly 75% of the world population, will view the 2026 World Cup in some form — making it the most watched sporting event in human history.
Soccer, like music, is truly a global language. While there have been historical instances of violence breaking out between different fanbases, the majority of the sport’s power lies in unification.
“We may be enemies on the pitch, but before and after let’s put the differences behind us and hang out,” Salm said.
Not every minute of the band’s travels, however, has been filled with kumbaya. In Qatar, the boys were on a bus before the USA vs. Iran game. The bus was pretty much all Iranians. Some back-and-forth jarring started up that quickly turned heated, the fans at each other’s throats. “For a minute, you thought there was going to be a brawl,” Salm relayed. “But then we came together, like ‘hey, we’re all just human beings here.’”
The two countries are now at war.
There was a similar time on the Trans-Siberian Railway. “We met this guy who looked like a giant ogre, and we were all kind of intimidated,” Hurley recalled. But that mean-looking Russian played the guitar. And the guys bought him some beers. “By the end of the night he was kissing us on the forehead,” Hurley continued.
The Home Team is about getting past stereotypes, about breaking down barriers of preconceived notions of this country or that culture.
“Our adventures are a good chance to be face-to-face with people you don’t think you’ll get along with,” Hurley said. “Then you watch some soccer together and play some tunes and see what happens next.”
Mark Twain wrote that “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” It seems like the Home Team String Band has picked up on what the author was putting down. Over the past 16 years, the group has set out across the globe to take in four World Cups, creating innumerable moments of beautiful connection between humans of different cultures.
They have always been visitors in a foreign land, yet wherever they have gone the Americans have been welcomed. This summer, they play host — ambassadors of our nation, doing what they can for international relations and having a good time doing it — one goal, one song, one new member of the Home Team at a time.
The latest environmental controversy in Tahoe isn’t a development project, a wildfire, or a fight over lake clarity.
