Five orphaned black bear cubs that were rehabilitated and released into northern California in November 2025 successfully hibernated through the winter and returned to the landscape this spring healthy and active, according to recent data reviewed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) scientists.
These bears were part of an experimental effort led by the department’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Program, in coordination with CDFW’s Game Conservation Program and North Central Region, to test the viability of releasing rehabilitated juvenile black bears back in the wild in the fall versus the typical spring release. This practice – which can be helpful in mitigating human-wildlife conflict – has been successful in other states but had yet to be tested in California.
All five bears were ear-tagged, microchipped and fitted with GPS collars for scientific study and individual identification. Based on collar data, all five bears successfully established dens, hibernated during the winter, and reemerged this spring back on the landscape.
“This is a massive win. These bears spent their first winter hibernating naturally in the wild as opposed to staying overwinter in a facility, which can be costly and difficult to do. It means less time in rehabilitation and less opportunity to get comfortable around humans,” said Dr. Heather Perry, CDFW’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Program Coordinator. “We were able to work together to release these healthy young animals back to the wild where they belong. It highlights the important and unique role of wildlife rehabilitators – and wildlife rehabilitation by its very definition – in the conservation of California’s native wildlife.”
The releases were made possible by CDFW’s wildlife rehabilitation partners with support from the CDFW Wildlife Health Lab and veterinary staff who provided health assessments prior to release. CDFW decided to test the fall bear releases after noting the success of fall releases in other western states, specifically Nevada and Washington.
“Bears are incredibly resilient. They have an innate behavior to find shelter when snow starts to accumulate on the ground,” said Alexia Ronning, CDFW Environmental Scientist and Tahoe bear specialist. “They teach us all the time that we need to trust their ability to survive on the landscape.”
The five bears include:
Two female siblings reported to CDFW as orphaned near Nevada City, Nevada County in May 2025. Both cubs were captured and taken to the Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue for rehabilitation then returned together to suitable habitat in Nevada County.
One male cub reported to CDFW as abandoned in South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County in July 2025. The cub was captured and taken to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue for rehabilitation, then returned to suitable habitat in El Dorado County.
Three male siblings reported to CDFW as abandoned in Arnold, Calaveras County in July 2025. The cubs were captured and taken to the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center for rehabilitation. One sibling arrived sick and was humanely euthanized. The remaining two cubs were transferred to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue, then returned together to suitable habitat in Calaveras County.
CDFW provides year-round education, outreach and community support on living responsibly with black bears and recreating in bear country through its affiliations with the Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT) and BearWise. Preventing black bears from accessing trash, human food sources and other attractants is key to preventing human-bear conflicts.
A cluster of GPS points overlayed on satellite imagery over a three-month period in winter shows very little movement and indicates to CDFW biologists that the GPS-collared Calaveras County bear wearing the collar found a den and hibernated.Provided / CDFW
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The City of South Lake Tahoe is inviting interested parties to submit information for potential use of the former Recreation Center, located at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd.
The facility is available for uses that meet the current permitted requirements for public access and recreation-related activities. Interested parties should be aware that the former Recreation Center requires repairs and upgrades, and any associated costs should be taken into consideration when proposing occupancy of the building.
Request for Interest (RFI) must be submitted no later than 3 p.m. on Monday. June 29, 2026. Information received after the deadline will not be accepted.
Submissions may be delivered by:
U.S. mail
In person (hand delivered)
Planet Bids Portal Fax and e-mail submission will not be accepted.
Submission Address City Manager’s Office Attn: Brian Dossey Interested Parties-Use of the Former Recreation Center 1901 Lisa Maloff Way South Lake Tahoe. CA 96150
Interested parties submitting an RFI through PlanetBids must complete a Vendor Registration Form to be added to the City of South Lake Tahoe Vendor Database. Vendor registration is required to submit an RFI through PlanetBids. Entities registered in the City’s Vendor Database will also be notified of any addenda issued for this Request for Information.
A pre-walkthrough of the facility is recommended for interested parties and is scheduled for Monday, June 15 at 11 a.m.
RUBICON BAY, Calif. – A lakefront estate in Rubicon Bay offering 100 feet of private white sand beach, two permitted buoys, and direct access to one of Lake Tahoe’s most iconic stretches of shoreline has hit the market for $15.2 million.
Located at 8747 Lakeside Drive, the property is positioned within a protected cove along Tahoe’s West Shore and includes four buoys, two of which are privately permitted. The setting offers direct access to boating, paddleboarding, swimming, and lakeside recreation from a private stretch of shoreline.
“It is extremely rare to find a home of this quality with 100 feet of white sandy beach, a landscaped backyard, and HOA pier access just a few lots away,” said Jamison Blair, principal of Team Blair Tahoe at Compass.
The residence pairs its exceptional waterfront setting with high-quality construction and thoughtful design. Expansive lake views, vaulted ceilings, timber-framed beam work, hydronic heating, a heated driveway, and a chef’s kitchen are among the features that define the home, while indoor and outdoor gathering spaces are designed to accommodate both everyday living and entertaining.
ocated at 8747 Lakeside Drive, the property is positioned within a protected cove along Tahoe’s West Shore and includes four buoys, two of which are privately permitted.Provided
“The construction quality is unmatched, with vaulted ceilings, timber-framed beam work, hydronic heating, a heated driveway, and a high-end chef’s kitchen,” Blair said.
In addition to its private shoreline, owners may enjoy optional membership in the Rubicon Tahoe Owners Association, which provides access to a shared pier, buoy rentals, and additional recreational amenities.
For many, however, the appeal of the property lies as much in the location as it does in the home itself.
“Rubicon offers a glimpse into a bygone era of Lake Tahoe, with fewer crowds, a quiet community, and some of the most vibrant blue water on the lake,” Blair said. “Rubicon Bay has always captured what people love most about Tahoe. There’s a sense of place here that hasn’t changed. The water, the shoreline, the way families gather and spend time together. It’s why so many people are drawn back to this part of the lake year after year.”
Opportunities to own along this stretch of shoreline are increasingly limited, making 8747 Lakeside Drive a rare offering that combines private beach frontage, permitted buoys, exceptional craftsmanship, and the enduring character of Rubicon Bay.
ocated at 8747 Lakeside Drive, the property is positioned within a protected cove along Tahoe’s West Shore and includes four buoys, two of which are privately permitted.Provided
Most people promoting Measure G may not be aware of these details, but voters should understand them before making a decision.
Back in 2000, when Measure S was introduced in South Lake Tahoe, it was presented as a temporary measure that would sunset after the planned projects were completed within a thirty-year timeframe. That was the original pitch. In reality, these types of taxes rarely disappear — they often just get rolled into the next version or extended under a new measure, like Measure G.
Measure S began as an $18.00 per single-family parcel tax. At first, I did not think much about it — until it started appearing on my non-residential property tax bills.
From my own review and sample size, there appears to be a 4x to 20x multiplier applied to commercial and multi-family properties. Apartment properties are charged approximately $14.40 per unit, which is roughly 80% of what an entire single-family parcel pays. Apartments are one of the main sources of affordable housing and often provide the transition point toward homeownership, so these added costs deserve consideration.
In many cases, these costs are ultimately passed on to renters and end users, affecting housing affordability over time.
If Measure G gets approved, this same structure would remain in place along with the 2% annual inflator. Over thirty years, an $18 assessment compounded annually at 2% grows to approximately $32.60, with about $14.60 of that increase coming from the inflator alone.
Perhaps Measure G should be sent back for a clearer, more balanced explanation so the community fully understands what is being proposed and how it affects different property types over time.
Mike Phillips
Tahoe Cannot Afford More Forest Service Management Instability
Recent reporting on the Forest Service reorganization revealed something Californians should pay close attention to: even the agency itself cannot yet clearly explain how key oversight and coordination functions will work under its new structure.
That uncertainty is especially troubling in Lake Tahoe.
Tahoe is one interconnected watershed, one fire landscape, and one fragile ecosystem split across two states. Yet the Forest Service is shifting from a regional model to a state-based structure without clearly identifying how management of the basin itself will function.
And this restructuring has occurred alongside countless other threats, from a 9% loss of staff across California in a single year to massive proposed budget cuts.
At the same time, Tahoe residents are being asked to trust proposals for large-scale herbicide use across forest landscapes while the very systems and people responsible for research, coordination, and long-term ecological management are under strain and, in some cases, facing closure.
And the impacts are already visible on the ground where crowds of visitors want to be out on the land.
Over Mother’s Day weekend, trailheads in Desolation Wilderness — one of our country’s most heavily visited wilderness areas — had little-to-no available parking. Bathrooms at Horsetail Falls had clearly gone unattended. Trails themselves still needed clearing from fallen trees.
USFS staff are doing their best. But effective forest management depends on enough staff, science, institutional knowledge, watershed expertise, and coordination across jurisdictions.
Those systems are much harder to rebuild once lost.
At a time of increasing wildfire risk and ecological stress, forests in Tahoe need solid staffing and more stability and transparency in management — not less.
– Hilary Stamper works at CalWild, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting California’s wild public lands and waterways
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. — On Tuesday, June 9, a team of Tahoe’s protectors will lead a training on how to protect the Lake’s blue waters from the threat of aquatic invasive species as part of California Invasive Species Action Week. The morning event will take place at Valhalla Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe, is open to all, and free to attend.
Aquatic invasive species (AIS) — mollusks, plants, and others — can outcompete native species, throw off the Lake’s delicate ecosystem, and threaten to turn Tahoe’s famously blue waters a murky green.
Golden mussels, an environmentally harmful and highly invasive species, are spreading rapidly across California. Just days ago, a boat unknowingly carrying golden mussels was stopped at one of Tahoe’s boat inspection stations before it could launch on the Lake. This summer is a critical time for paddlers, anglers, and beachgoers to be aware of AIS and to Clean, Drain, and Dry their equipment before entering the water.
During the two-hour training, participants will learn how to identify AIS and report their sightings through a web-based platform, understand the fundamentals of Lake-friendly paddling and why it’s crucial to Clean, Drain, and Dry gear before hitting the water, and gain awareness about harmful algal blooms.
On Tuesday, June 9, a team of Tahoe’s protectors will lead a training on how to protect the Lake’s blue waters from the threat of aquatic invasive species as part of California Invasive Species Action Week.Provided / Keep Tahoe Blue
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The sharp thud of axes echoed through Spooner Summit as hotshot crews cut through brush and low-hanging branches, moving methodically across the forest floor. Nearby, firefighters stretched hoses across the hillside as part of a simulated wildfire response.
On June 4, The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit’s Tallac Hotshots, along with partner agencies including North Tahoe Fire Protection District, participated in wildfire scenario training exercise to prepare for the challenges of the coming fire season.
Though no flames burned, the exercise aimed to recreated many of the conditions crews face on the fireline, testing tactics, medical emergency response, communication and coordination ahead of the approaching fire season.
“Our ultimate goal in fire is always to have a safe season,” said Elsa Gaule, captain of the Tallac Hotshots. “We start the season with 21 people, and at the end of the season, we want to go home with 21 people.”
Following roughly 80 hours of training over one to two weeks, supervisors assess everything from response times and station procedures to fireground operations. The process helps ensure firefighters are fully prepared for the season ahead and gives leadership confidence that crews are ready to respond safely and effectively wherever they may be assigned.
Still, Gaule and LTBMU Deputy Fire Chief John Chester agreed that one of the most challenging aspects of the job is responding to human-caused fires. From unattended campfires to equipment use and simple carelessness, many wildfires start with preventable actions.
“The majority of the fires we see in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit are human-caused,” Chester said.
While agencies work year-round on forest management and fuels reduction projects to lower wildfire risk, Chester noted that many of the region’s fires are sparked by preventable human activity.
“It’s really imperative that the public understands the high-risk environment they live in,” Chester said. “We are in weather conditions this year that are leaning toward active fire activity and potential. We need people to be very aware of the activities they’re doing on national forest lands, state lands and private lands to reduce those intentional or accidental human-caused ignitions.”
As the region enters fire season, officials say public awareness and responsible recreation remain critical tools in preventing wildfires before they start.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – In November, a South Tahoe man will lace up his shoes and join thousands of other runners embarking on the streets of New York City in the TCS New York City Marathon.
You may see Andrew Homan training on the Powerline Trail, along the bike paths around town and at the new rec center.
The 62-year-old, who lives and trains in South Lake Tahoe, qualified for the New York marathon by running three hours and 11 minutes in the Sacramento California International Marathon.
“As a runner, the New York Marathon has been on my bucket list for a long time,” he said, “and I can’t wait to join 60,000 people in November running through all five boroughs of the city!”
In addition to checking it off his bucket list, his participation in the marathon raises funds for an organization that helps children battle cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.
Shoe4Africa’s mission is to build the very first children’s cancer hospital in sub-Saharan Africa, providing much-needed access to treatment.
In training for the marathon, Homan makes monthly mileage goals. This month, he plans to run 140 miles and by October, increase that to 240 miles.
He says encouragement from his wife, family and friends, as well as coworkers at Barton, keeps him running.
Last year, Homan started assisting with the cross-country and track teams at George Whittell High School.
“That has helped remind me of my own youthful exuberance,” he says.
Professional pickleball player, Troy Akin (middle) will be teaching at the Incline Village Recreation Center this summerProvided/Troy Akin
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – There’s a new pickleball pro in town. Troy Akin, PPA Tour two-time gold medalist and a top 100 professional pickleball player, is bringing his skill and passion to Incline Village.
While playing and coaching tennis for 10-plus years, Akin fell in love with pickleball just before it became one of the most talked-about sports in the nation.
“I got in right before the pandemic boom of pickleball hit,” said Akin. “So I had a little advantage getting in early.”
What was once considered a backyard hobby or a fun game to play in P.E. class, pickleball quickly became a cultural phenomenon during and after COVID-19. The reason for its skyrocketing popularity could be attributed to a number of reasons – it’s said to be as fun as tennis but with less strain on the body, it’s relatively easy to learn, and thanks to preexisting tennis infrastructure, the court is already there.
“It’s a much more accessible game than tennis because it’s a shorter court, a softer ball, it’s easier to hit,” said Akin. “It’s easier to learn and have fun immediately. I think this generation loves those quick results, but the more you get into it, the more you realize there’s levels to it.”
Akin has now been coaching, touring and playing pickleball competitively for five years. He taught at Santa Monica Pickleball Center in addition to being the Director of Pickleball at the Los Angeles Country Club.
“I’ve been coming to Lake Tahoe once a summer as a kid,” Akin said. He and his wife were yearning for some nature and needed a change of scenery. As Lake Tahoe often does, it found its way into their hearts. They made the move from Los Angeles to Incline Village in 2025 and don’t have plans of leaving any time soon.
“We’ve absolutely been loving it,” added Akin who has found a home court at the Incline Village Recreation Center and is now among the pros teaching pickleball there. “We love Lake Tahoe, and we love the community.”
Akin will be hosting weekly beginner, intermediate and advanced clinics all summer long. Classic beginner clinics will teach you the basics of the game, including how to serve, rules of play, and more. Intermediate and advanced clinics are for those looking to refine their skills, utilize strategies and really hone in on ways to take your game up a notch or two (or five).
Once a month he’ll hold a larger, intensive three-hour camp to help folks master their game.
Akin is also bringing liveball pickleball to Incline Village and describes it as a “king of the court, fast-paced, social style of pickleball.”
For those looking to get their feet wet, Akin is holding a free clinic at 12 p.m. on Fridays starting June 19.
“We really wanted to give everybody an option to not only get better at pickleball, but also an opportunity to learn from a 6.0 level pickleball player,” said Akin. As a top 100 PPA touring pro, Akin has wins over top 20 pros, including Jack Sock, Connor Garnett and JW Johnson.
Group and private classes with Akin are available to people of all skill levels, including beginners to advanced players. He’s also a pro technique diagnostician, meaning he can find your problem quickly and fix it quickly.
“Pickleball is a social community, and the lifelong friends that I’ve built through pickleball, it’s just magical. To play two hours of pickleball, then go jump in the lake and then spend your evening playing nine holes at the Incline Village Golf Course – you can have the best summer ever and pickleball is at the forefront of that,” said Akin.
After an uneven winter season for many local businesses and residents, there is a growing sense of urgency surrounding the importance of a strong summer economy. For many businesses, the next few months will play a major role in determining how the year ultimately unfolds.
One of the more interesting trends emerging in the visitor economy is the widening divide within the travel market itself. Higher-end travelers continue to spend at relatively healthy levels, while other segments appear increasingly cautious as ongoing economic pressures affect discretionary spending. From my perspective, there are three possible summer scenarios:
Scenario 1: A Difficult Summer Driven by Broader Economic Pressures Economic uncertainty, persistent inflation, higher interest rates, and overall consumer anxiety continue to influence spending behavior. In this scenario, travelers may shorten trips, reduce discretionary purchases, or postpone vacations altogether.
Scenario 2: A Strong Summer Fueled by the High-End Market Affluent travelers continue to prioritize travel and experiences, helping offset weakness in other visitor segments. Luxury lodging, premium dining, recreation, and experience-based businesses could continue to perform relatively well.
Scenario 3: A Mixed or Moderate Summer This may ultimately be the most likely outcome. Some consumers remain confident and willing to spend, while others remain cautious and price-sensitive. The result is a marketplace that feels uneven, unpredictable, and highly segmented.
Perhaps the best approach is to hope for a moderate summer, prepare operationally for a weaker one, and remain ready to capitalize if conditions exceed expectations. For businesses and community leaders alike, flexibility and the ability to adapt quickly may be the most important competitive advantage this season.
A New Community Award: South Lake Tahoe’s “Worst Commercial Real Estate Eyesore” Award
I am pleased, or perhaps disappointed, to announce a new community award I plan to hand out periodically: South Lake Tahoe’s “Worst Commercial Real Estate Eyesore” Award. The inspiration is simple. I have grown increasingly frustrated watching commercial properties sit vacant and deteriorate for years, with little or nothing done to improve them.
I fully understand that businesses close, relocate, or fail. Vacancies are part of any evolving economy. Change and transition are normal. What is unacceptable is allowing highly visible commercial properties to decay with little regard for their impact on the broader community.
These neglected sites create more than an unattractive streetscape. They affect community pride, shape visitor perceptions, and influence how potential investors and businesses evaluate South Lake Tahoe. In many ways, they impose a cost on the entire community.
The inaugural award goes to the abandoned gas station on Highway 89 across from the post office. At some point, the owner needs to either improve the property or sell it to someone who will. One would hope the city is exploring every available tool, including fines and code enforcement, to encourage action. Communities are judged not only by their natural beauty, but by the care they show toward the spaces they have already built.
Where’s the Money Going to Come From?
As Chair of the Economic Development Committee for El Dorado County, I have become increasingly aware that local governments must continuously ask themselves a fundamental strategic question:
Where is the next $100 million in revenue going to come from, and how are we going to get there?
Too often, local government becomes consumed by immediate issues, short-term pressures, and the loudest voices in the room. Those issues are real and deserve attention. But alongside those day-to-day demands, there must also be a disciplined focus on the community’s long-term economic trajectory.
Residents understandably expect strong public services, infrastructure, recreation, transportation, and quality-of-life investments. In most cases, they are not willing to see those service levels reduced. Yet as the cost of delivering those services continues to rise, communities must think strategically about future revenue generation, economic diversification, and long-term fiscal sustainability.
That means asking larger questions:
· What industries and sectors can realistically grow here?
· What types of investment should we be attracting?
· How do we expand the economic base rather than simply redistribute existing revenue?
· What infrastructure, policy, and leadership decisions made today will create long-term prosperity tomorrow?
Too often, not enough time is spent focusing on the broader economic picture because attention is diverted toward the crisis of the moment or the controversy of the week.
A truly strategic approach requires balancing immediate concerns with a long-term vision for economic resilience, community vitality, and fiscal sustainability. Communities that fail to ask these larger questions risk slowly falling behind financially while continuing to face growing expectations from residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
It’s a Wrap
Not to sound like an old-timer, but as I recently looked at the new Recreation and Aquatic Center, it struck me just how far this community has come since I first moved here.
Today, we take for granted that we have a modern recreation and aquatic center, a new special events center, and a community college that now feels more like a small four-year college, complete with student housing. We have bike trails, sidewalks, and public infrastructure that simply did not exist decades ago.
When I first arrived, there were very few bike trails and virtually no sidewalks at all.
Every community has its challenges, and South Lake Tahoe is certainly no exception. But from my perspective, this community has made tremendous progress over the years. Maybe not as quickly or as easily as many of us would have liked, but we have undeniably come a long way.
Carl Ribaudo is a columnist, consultant, speaker, and writer based in South Lake Tahoe. He can be reached at carl@smgonline.net.
The North Tahoe High baseball team won its first regional title in 33 years with a gritty win over number-one seeded Yerington. The Lakers last won the NIAA 2A Northern Regionals when Kurt Cobain was still alive and as Barry Bonds was having his first MVP season as a San Franscisco Giant.
The Lakers went 22-3 in league play and despite a loss to Needles in the state playoffs, they finished the season 25-8 overall. The Lakers featured a ferociously balanced offensive attack that saw four players hit over .400 and seven hit over .300.
They were led at the plate by Brody Mitchell’s .460 batting average and .564 on-base percentage. Everett Coughlin paced the team in extra-base hits with 14 doubles, two triples, and a home run en route to his .447 average and 1.206 OPS. Noah Somer hit .437 and led the team in RBI with 35 while also showing a knack at doing the little things that good baseball players do, sacrificing his body for a team-high 10 hit-by-pitches.
Jessie Glickman tied Caughlin for the team lead in hits at 42 on his way to a .424 average, coincidentally equal to Rogers Hornsby’s 1924 season average, the highest Major League clip of all time.
North Tahoe was a collective demon on the basepaths, totaling 161 total stolen bases, with Mitchell and Glickman both tallying a team-high 23 thefts.
A similar cast of characters led the Lakers from the mound, with Glickman posting a stingy 1.26 ERA, and Coughlin and Mitchell shouldering a heavy load as well. The workhorse, though, was Peter Rusek, who posted a 3.35 ERA during his team-leading 14 appearances.
On the defense side, the Laker squad produced a stout .926 fielding percentage and turned seven double plays on the season. In 189 total chances, Glickman showed tremendous consistency, only committing three errors all year for a .984 fielding percentage.
North Tahoe was guided by Head Coach Martin Legarza, whose staff included Adam Sanford, Sean Whelan, and Matthew Sonka.
From the Oval
For the first time in school history, North Tahoe High School’s Boys Track & Field has won the state championship. The 2026 team captured the NIAA 2A State title with elite performances from all distances and disciplines at Reno’s Hug High School May 15 and 16.
Max Avril won state in both the 1600 and 3200-meter long-distance races, while on the sprint side Jack Brokaw took home the 300-meter hurdle state crown. Field events were led by Nico Casci, who bested the state roster in both shot put and discus.
The NTHS Girls Team also advanced to the state meet and competed at a high level, with Lucia Avril winning both the 1600 and 3200 meters and the team winning the state title in the 4×400 relay; the relay team consisted of Avril, Tessa Pierce, Addison Jones, and Delaney Gonsalves.
State medalists for the boys (second, third, or fourth in an event) included: Delyan Steves in long distance, Brokaw and Emerson Norbutas in sprint hurdles, Nathan Powell in high jump and long jump, Bridger Berry in long jump; and Enrique Trinidad-Castellanos, Cody Berry, Chema Estrada Ruiz, Bridger Berry, Mako Covell, David Lu, Brokaw, Ezra Schnieri, Chemo Arrieta-Villanueva, and Augie Varisco in various relay events.
Girls medalists at the state meet included: Belinda Little in the 100-meter dash, Avril in the 800 meter, Addie Rusek in the 1600 meter, and Piper Rose in high jump and long jump.
The team of Emma Silver, Rose, Quinn Zerrenner, and Little took third in both the 4×100 and 4×200 meter relay. Third place in the 4×800 was garnered by Maya Salke, Rusek, Pierce, and Gonsalves.
Per the school’s Facebook athletic page, it was an “incredible” season and an “unforgettable” state meet for the athletes, coaches, and community.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On June 4, 2026, the South Tahoe Public Utility District (District) Board of Directors voted to adopt new water and sewer rates that will take effect on July 1, 2026. The new rates will support essential investments in aging water, sewer, and recycled water infrastructure to ensure continued reliability, regulatory compliance, and high-quality service for the community.
For a typical residential customer, monthly sewer rates will increase by approximately $4.25, and water rates will increase by approximately $5.15. A detailed breakdown of the new rates is available at www.stpud.us/rate-changes.
“The Board does not take rate adjustment lightly,” said Board President Shane Romsos. “The District, like our community, is impacted by inflationary pressures and we understand that any increase affects our customers. This decision was made only after careful consideration of the consequences of not acting now. The Board is in alignment that we need to continue investing in the District’s infrastructure so we can protect public health and safety, maintain reliable services, and meet the needs of our community.”
Revenue from the new rates will help fund the replacement of aging waterlines, upgrades to sewer pump stations and key wastewater treatment plant facilities, and the rehabilitation and drilling of drinking water wells to maintain exceptional water quality. These projects are part of the District’s long-term Capital Improvement Program, which is designed to reduce long-term costs, improve system reliability, and maintain compliance with state and federal environmental regulations.
“Our responsibility is to serve customers today and, in the future,” Romsos said. “Delaying necessary system maintenance and improvements will significantly increase costs over time. By making strategic investments now, we are helping preserve the safety, resilience, and affordability of these essential public services.”
The District continues to actively pursue grant funding. Over the last 10 years the District has received more than $19.1 million in grant revenue and $67.8 million in low-interest loans to help offset rate increases.
“We are doing everything in our power to bring in grants, low-interest loans, and partnerships that help offset project costs,” said Paul Hughes, general manager. “Even with this increase, South Tahoe Public Utility District continues to have the lowest combined water and sewer rates in the Tahoe Basin.”
The District also offers a Customer Assistance Program to help eligible customers manage utility costs. Assistance includes a 15-25% discount for low-income customers. More information is available at www.stpud.us/financial-assistance-programs.
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) conducted a two-day media tour on the Environmental Improvement Program and projects around the lake. The second day highlighted projects to combat aquatic invasive species and SR28 improvement projects.
Aquatic Invasive Species
Day two of the tour started with a look at the fight against aquatic invasive species that have already made it into Lake Tahoe. Leaving from Tahoe Keys on one of TRPA’s enforcement vessels, Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, pointed out the turbidity curtains that line the marina’s entrance. The curtain uses bubbles to help dislodge aquatic invasive plants from boats to prevent them from leaving the Keys.
In addition to the curtains, Kim Caringer, Chief Partnerships Officer, TRPA talked about the tarps placed in the water at Taylor Tallac Creek. Those bottom barriers blocked sun and nutrients from reaching the plants, killing them off. The dead plants were removed, as well as the barriers. Now crews are monitoring the area to make sure the plants don’t return.
Caringer talked about the help the agency received from science partners such as the Tahoe Science Advisory Council on focusing their efforts when it comes to fighting AIS.
“We really had to depend on science and figure out the best way to do this,” Caringer said. “We can’t just go in there and pull the weeds by hand. It’s too big.”
Just outside of the Tahoe Keys, the boat stopped so that attendees could get a clear look, from the boat, off the thousands of asian clam shells that litter the lake bed. The clams, in addition to New Zealand Mudsnails, are two of the invasive species that have made it into the lake. To date, no invasive mussel, such as the quagga mussel or golden mussel, have hitched a ride into Lake Tahoe and that’s because of the efforts of TRPA and their partner agencies, such Tahoe Resource Conservation District to catch the molluscs before they get into the lake.
Asian clams litter Lake Tahoe’s lake bed near Tahoe Keys. Laney Griffo / Tahoe Daily Tribune
Clean, Drain, Dry
The tour continued to Sand Harbor State Park where attendees were able to see one of three Clean, Drain, Dry, Dispose (CD3) machines.
The CD3 machines allow visitors to spray, scrub and dry their non-motorized watercraft. While it is not required for non-motorized crafts to be inspected like it is for motorized crafts, it is still required that non-motorized crafts are thoroughly cleaned before entering the lake. One of the CD3 machines stays at Sand Harbor all season while the two others are moved around the basin.
The CD3 machine at Sand Harbor State ParkLaney Griffo / Tahoe Daily Tribune
In addition to the machines, Tahoe RCD employs roving inspectors to chat with people at the beaches and inform them about the Clean, Drain, Dry policies.
“Last year, we had 17,000 interactions with different boaters and visitors,” said Tom Berndt, Lead Roving Inspector. “The good news is, it’s a very well-received program. Most people show up clean, drain, dry and care very much about the lake.”
The tour also included a stop at the Spooner Summit Watercraft Inspection Station where attendees saw a boat inspection and decontamination in process. All motorized boats need to be inspected before entering into Lake Tahoe for the first time or since being launched in another body of water.
The temporary watercraft inspection station at Spooner Summit.Laney Griffo / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The process starts with an interview about where the boat was last launched and how long it’s been out of the water. Inspectors then look over the boat, thoroughly looking for any standing water.
If the boat has any water or has been in a high-risk body of water, it is decontaminated. Inspectors run 120-degree water through the engine and other areas where water might be, such as the anchor storage. Certain boats are sent to mechanics to have the engine taken apart for removal. Once cleaned, a seal is placed on the boat trailer and can only be removed by ramp employees.
If any invasive species are found, the boat is placed in a 30-day quarantine.
This season, 17 boats have been found with AIS, including one with the highly invasive golden mussel attached.
While the current Spooner Summit station is temporary, a permanent inspection station is in the process of being built. The permanent station will allow boat owners to be more comfortable during the process and for employees to have better working conditions.
Water Clarity
Before docking in Incline Village, the boat stopped at one of UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center’s (TERC) science buoys. There, Bob Larsen, Program Director, Tahoe Science Advisory Council gave a history of clarity measurements on Lake Tahoe.
“Before I talk about Lake Tahoe, I’m going to go back even further to the pope,” said Larsen.
In 1825, Angelo Secchi, astronomer, astrophysicist and science advisor to Pope Pius IX demonstrated the use of a white disk to measure water clarity depth. The disc would be called the Secchi disk and is still used in Lake Tahoe today to measure clarity.
Secchi DiskLaney Griffo / Tahoe Daily Tribune
It wasn’t until the late 1950s that Dr. Charles Goldman began measuring the clarity of Lake Tahoe. Observers had seen a troubling trend of the loss of clarity in the lake. Clarity was once 100 feet deep, but the average decreased to 65 feet, with the trend showing a loss of one foot per year. Measurements are still taken regularly throughout the year. On the day of the tour, Tuesday, June 2, a measurement taken showed the clarity at 68 feet.
Every summer, TERC puts out its annual clarity report that looks at the past year’s trend and the five-year trend.
State Route 28 Parking
The tour also stopped at the recently completed Chimney Beach Parking Lot, where the Tahoe Transportation District talked about the effort to combat illegal parking on the side of State Route 28.
During the summer, nearly 1,000 people park illegally on the side of the highway in order to gain access to the East Shore’s beaches. Not only does it pose a safety threat to pedestrians and drivers, it also causes degradation to the environment and runoff into the lake.
The Chimney Beach lot is one of the several projects on the SR28 corridor to help combat the problem. The lot was once a dirt lot with 30 spots but is now paved and offers 130 spots. In addition, a lighted crosswalk was built connecting the lot to the trail and the beach.
A new crosswalk allows pedestrians parked at Chimney Beach to safely cross the highway. Laney Griffo / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The Spooner Summit watercraft inspection station will also be home to a transportation hub, that will allow riders to access the beaches using public transit. When completed, the hub will add an additional 250 parking spots to the East Shore.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Barton Health welcomes Erica Cusick, DO, a board-certified psychiatrist, and Cheryl A. Busby, LCSW, licensed clinical social worker, to Barton Psychiatry & Mental Health. Dr. Cusick brings extensive experience treating adult patients across a wide range of conditions, including perinatal and postpartum mental health as well as geriatric psychiatry. Busby brings extensive social work experience supporting patients ages 5 and older, specializing in trauma treatment, anxiety, depression, life transitions, anger management, end-of-life counseling, and grief work.
Dr. Cusick and Busby join a team of providers dedicated to improving access to comprehensive mental health and psychosocial services for the Lake Tahoe community.
“Mental health plays a critical role in overall health and wellbeing, and access to these services remains a growing need in our community,” said Dr. Clint Purvance, President and CEO of Barton Health. “Providing psychiatry services helps ensure individuals and families in the Lake Tahoe region have access to the care, support, and resources they need close to home.”
The Barton Psychiatry & Mental Health team now includes Dr. Cusick, Dr. Protell, Sierra Armstrong, family nurse practitioner (PMH-NP), Cheryl A. Busby, LCSW, and Carolyn Eddy, LCSW.
Barton Psychiatry & Mental Health offers a full range of services for child, adolescent, and adult psychiatric conditions, including anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, behavioral concerns, bipolar disorder, depression, developmental disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
One in eight people are affected by a diagnosable mental illness, yet many do not seek treatment. During Mental Health Awareness Month, Barton Health encourages community members to prioritize their mental wellbeing and access support when needed. For more information about taking care of your mental health and area behavioral health resources, visit BartonHealth.org. Barton Psychiatry & Mental Health is located at 1067 4th Street in South Lake Tahoe. To make an appointment call 530.600.1968.
PLACERVILLE, Calif. – People invited to participate in Civil Grand Jury interviews are primarily referred to the El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury (Grand Jury) website for information about the process. What happens when the website doesn’t provide sufficient detail to address questions or alleviate concerns regarding what to expect during an interview? The Grand Jury investigated.
The report, “El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury Website,” was published recently at www.eldodradocounty.ca.gov/Grand-Jury by the Superior Court, which annually appoints 19 county residents as grand jurors to serve as citizen watchdogs over local government.
According to the report, the Grand Jury conducted a comprehensive review of its website to ensure content was clear and understandable to individuals unfamiliar with the Civil Grand Jury process.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) announced two outstanding staff recognitions honoring the dedication and leadership of employees who make a lasting impact on students and the school community.
Alternative Education Counselor Ms. Amy Jackson was honored on Friday, May 1, with the El Dorado ACSA Distinguished Service Award. In addition, Sierra House Elementary Teacher Ms. Mandy Miller was named Peacemaker Champion of the Year by Soul Shoppe.
Ms. Jackson serves students across Mt. Tallac Continuation High School, the Elevated Online Program, and Alpine Community Day School. Known for her unwavering commitment to students, she has become a cornerstone of support for some of the district’s most vulnerable youth, ensuring they feel seen, valued, and empowered to succeed. Her recognition by ACSA highlights not only her professional excellence but also the profound and lasting impact she has on students, families, and the greater South Lake Tahoe community.
Ms. Miller received the Peacemaker Champion of the Year Award from Soul Shoppe, an organization that provides social-emotional learning programs to LTUSD students and schools throughout the county. She was recognized for her leadership in coordinating and supporting a successful student Peacemaker team at Sierra House Elementary. In recognizing Ms. Miller, Soul Shoppe shared, “Our expansion in Lake Tahoe these past few years would not have been possible without your commitment to getting Peacemakers up and running.”
LTUSD congratulates both Ms. Jackson and Ms. Miller on these well-deserved honors and thanks them for their continued dedication to supporting students and strengthening school communities.
CARSON CITY, Nev. – Summer is just starting to heat up, and Clear Creek Tahoe, home to Nevada’s top-rated private golf course, already has achieved a milestone. A homesite within the private community sold recently for a record $3.5 million. This is the highest sales price for a homesite within the community since sales began in 2017.
“What’s most exciting is that this momentum reflects something deeper than market activity,” said Georgia Chase, director of sales at Clear Creek Tahoe. “More buyers are discovering what homeowners here already know: Clear Creek Tahoe offers a rare blend of privacy, natural beauty, and connection that is becoming increasingly difficult to find. With several significant transactions currently underway, 2026 is shaping up to be another strong year for the community.”
The 3.19-acre homesite is among the best within the award-winning community. It sits on a knoll and presents breathtaking panoramic views of the Carson Valley and distant mountains to the east, south, and west. The homesite also offers views of Clear Creek Tahoe’s signature rock outcroppings.
Market momentum continues to build in 2026, with the Clear Creek Tahoe sales team contributing to nearly $110 million in year-to-date combined sales volume while representing both buyers and sellers across exceptional homesites and custom residences. The developer has achieved 342 sales over the past nine years, and from architectural design to completed construction, there are nearly 200 homes within the community. As evident by the recent sale, some truly exceptional homesites and homes remain available within Clear Creek Tahoe. Homesites currently range in price from $495,000 to $3.9 million with finished homes available from $3.85 million to $11.4 million.
Nestled between Incline Village and Carson City on the eastern slope of the Carson Range in Nevada, Clear Creek Tahoe spans roughly 1,600 acres and includes approximately 370 homes and homesites. At the core of the community, the club’s magnificent Coore Crenshaw-designed golf course is the top-rated private golf course in Nevada, according to the experts at both GOLF Magazine and Golfweek.
In addition to golf, Clear Creek Tahoe features a host of thoughtful amenities to bring out the best of the Tahoe mountain lifestyle, including Summit Camp, a family-oriented recreation center with resort-style pool, racquet club, pavilion, and more; Twin Pines, a private lake club on the shores of South Lake Tahoe; a comprehensive wellness program, an award-winning clubhouse with fine and casual dining; trail system; and a fully private 800-plus acre nature preserve that connects to the national forest. The community is gated with 24-hour security. A variety of homesites and finished homes are available.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Sierra State Parks Foundation announced its upcoming summer benefit series, Jazz at the Castle. This exclusive, two-night musical experience kicks off with Night One on Friday, July 31, 2026, and returns for Night Two on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Both evenings run from 4:45 pm to 7:00 pm at the historic Emerald Bay State Park.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Emerald Bay, attendees will enjoy the electric energy, spontaneity, and joy of live jazz performed by the celebrated West Shore Jazz Quintet. Known for their deep camaraderie and captivating musicality, the ensemble will deliver a rich, diverse repertoire spanning everything from smooth ballads to upbeat swing and Latin rhythms.
As a premier fundraising event, all ticket proceeds support Sierra State Parks Foundation’s mission to provide critical education programs and restoration projects within Lake Tahoe’s California State Parks.
“We are incredibly excited to host the community at one of Tahoe’s most majestic locations for two spectacular nights of live music,” said Michael Myers, Executive Director of the Sierra State Parks Foundation. “The ‘Jazz at the Castle’ series bridges the power of community, natural preservation, and local artistry to ensure our parks remain vibrant for future generations.”
Admission is $130 per person ($120 for SSPF Park Donors), which includes exclusive access to drive down to Emerald Bay, event parking, a twilight reception, live musical performances, and an assortment of heavy appetizers. Space is strictly limited for this intimate twilight experience, and advance reservations are required.
To secure your spot or for more information on this event or the other, visit the Sierra State Parks Foundation website: SierraStateParks.org.
This exclusive, two-night musical experience kicks off with Night One on Friday, July 31, 2026, and returns for Night Two on Saturday, August 1, 2026.Provided / Sierra State Parks Foundation
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — More than $500,000 in scholarships will go to Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) students and graduates for the upcoming academic year, the LTCC Foundation announced last Friday, as recipients gathered at the college’s annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon to celebrate with the donors behind their awards. At this year’s luncheon, more than $359,000 in scholarships was awarded to 133 students.
Students, donors, staff, board trustees, and community members gathered to recognize academic achievement and the generosity of the donors who make it possible.
“Ten years ago, LTCC awarded $104,000 in scholarships. This year, we’ll surpass $500,000,” said LTCC Superintendent/President Jeff DeFranco. “That growth reflects what happens when a community decides that a student’s financial situation shouldn’t determine their future.”
“On behalf of the Foundation, we are proud of LTCC’s students’ resilience and dedication,” said Nancy Harrison, Executive Director of the LTCC Foundation and College Partnerships. “It’s an honor to recognize their achievements with scholarships made possible by generous donors who believe in their future.”
LTCC congratulates all scholarship recipients and thanks the individual donors, family foundations, businesses, and community organizations whose support makes these awards possible.
This year’s event highlighted several scholarship programs with strong local ties. The Bradley R. Schiller Foundation Economics Scholarship – backed by a million-dollar donation announced at last year’s State of the College Address – has provided $50,000 in scholarships over the past two years. This year, 11 students are confirmed recipients, with 10 more pending completion of Economics 101 or 102 with an A or B grade. Dr. Schiller, author of widely used economics textbooks including “The Economy Today” and “The Economics of Poverty and Discrimination,” created the scholarship to help students understand the role economics plays in shaping communities and improving lives.
“It is a point of pride for me to share that I graduated from LTCC in 2016,” said Antonio Benitez, Director of Lake Tahoe College Promise. “LTCC gave me a high-quality education that allowed me to transfer to, and graduate from, UC Berkeley. It was also a building block toward my master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in Higher Education. And this past weekend, I submitted my application for a doctoral program. I share this with you, not because I want to make this about me, but rather, to share a living example of what LTCC can do for every single one of you.”
Benitez directs the Lake Tahoe College Promise, LTCC’s signature support and student success initiative, which provides up to three years of free tuition, books, and wraparound services for first-time, full-time students in the Tahoe Basin.
The luncheon also marked the inaugural Glenn Barclay Memorial Scholarship, established by Glenn’s family and friends to honor his life and support a veteran student at LTCC. After graduating from high school, Glenn Barclay enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a jet mechanic from 1967 to 1971. He settled in South Lake Tahoe after his service, building a career as a general contractor. His wife, Nancy, spent more than 20 years teaching Spanish at LTCC; his son, Nick, serves as the college’s Director of Fiscal Services today. Both were present on Friday for the scholarship’s first award.
Four students were recognized with the H.E.R.O. (Honoring Excellence and Rewarding Optimism) Award, presented each year by a coalition of more than 50 local businesses and organizations to students who have overcome significant obstacles on their path to a college education.
“These are students who have carried real weight – loss, financial pressure, family responsibility – and kept going,” said LTCC Superintendent/President Jeff DeFranco. “That kind of determination is worth celebrating, and we’re grateful to the community partners who make it possible to do so.”
Edder Misael Velasquez Ramos, known as Misael, works in LTCC’s Extended Opportunity Programs and Services program while pursuing his studies. He earned a 4.0 GPA in fall 2025 and winter 2026 and will transfer to California State University, Chico, where he plans to double major in finance and accounting in the honors program.
Rebecca Del Rio Gonzalez is a first-generation student and co-captain of the LTCC women’s soccer team. She is transferring to California State University, Sacramento, with a goal of becoming a teacher and returning home to South Lake Tahoe.
Delos Moore is a student in LTCC’s Rising Scholars Program and serves as both a peer mentor and a member of the LTCC Student Senate. He has been accepted to California Polytechnic State University, Humboldt, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in forestry.
Silvia Rebecca Valdivia Guzman, known as Becky, carries four to five courses per quarter while working in LTCC’s Child Development Center. A first-generation student, she is transferring to California State University, Sacramento, to study early childhood education, with plans to come back to South Lake Tahoe as an educator.
The luncheon also featured the President’s Service Award, supported by the Pipkin Family Foundation, which has recognized students who have distinguished themselves through service to LTCC since 2020. This year’s recipients are Hudson Conners, who has served in athletics, club leadership, the Fiscal Services Department, student housing, and most recently as Student Trustee, and is transferring to San Francisco State University; and Sofia Marroquin, Student Senate president and Vice Chair for Region II with the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, who is transferring to California State University, Chico. LTCC thanks the Pipkin family for their generosity and ongoing commitment to recognizing student service.
For information about scholarship opportunities or to support LTCC students through the Foundation, visit ltccfoundation.org or call (530) 541-4660, ext. 266.
More than $500,000 in scholarships will go to Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) students and graduates for the upcoming academic year Provided / LTCC
More than $500,000 in scholarships will go to Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) students and graduates for the upcoming academic year Provided / LTCC
More than $500,000 in scholarships will go to Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) students and graduates for the upcoming academic year. Provided / LTCC
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Bread & Broth is very grateful to Josh Merkow, owner of J3 Management, LLC, for serving as the financial sponsor for the Monday Meal on May 25th. Josh is a Tahoe local with more than 20 years of experience providing construction management services in the Lake Tahoe and Northern Nevada areas. Although Josh could not participate in his designated meal service, he wanted to support Bread & Broth’s efforts to provide a hot, nutritious meal to those in need in his community.
Bread & Broth, an all-volunteer charitable organization and a ministry of St. Theresa Catholic Church, has been an ecumenical organization since its inception in 1989. By embracing the inclusion of all members of the community, B&B invited the Unity at the Lake congregation to represent Josh by having members of the congregation volunteer at the meal on his behalf.
The Unity at the Lake volunteers included Annie Davidson, Addie Lucksinger, Miri Lucksinger, Carol Lehnert, Marissa Wheeler, and Nathan Wheeler, Unity at the Lake minister. These Unity at the Lake members came prepared to give their heartfelt efforts to make the meal a great experience for the dinner guests. According to Nathan Wheeler, “This is how all the world should be: support, hope and love, all served with a great meal!”
Left to right: Carol Lehnert, Nathan Wheeler, Marissa Wheeler, Miri Lucksinger, Addie Lucksinger, Annie Davidson.Provided
Bread & Broth volunteer cooks prepared a great meal of LA Dodger Lasagna, served with a baked zucchini, squash, and onion casserole, which was enjoyed by 137 dinner guests. Carol Lehnert, who greeted guests and helped serve the meal, said, “They’re all so grateful — a big thank you with a smile.”
Thanks to the generous donation of Josh Merkow and the selfless efforts of the Unity at the Lake members and the B&B volunteers serving at the dinner, the dinner guests had a great evening meal experience. In addition to a full-course meal and bags of food to take home, dinner guests on the fourth Monday of each month are entertained by Mickey Holiday. Mickey volunteers his Frank Sinatra-style musical entertainment, which, according to Miri Lucksinger, “brought everyone together.”
The Unity at the Lake AAD crew members did an outstanding job acting on behalf of Josh and appeared to enjoy the experience of giving. Addie Lucksinger said, “I love seeing the community come together,” and Annie Davidson shared, “This community gives more to me than I can give as a volunteer.” Thank you to Josh and the Unity at the Lake members for their contributions to easing hunger in our community.
To learn more about Bread & Broth, or to donate or sponsor an Adopt A Day of Nourishment, visit the organization’s website, www.breadandbroth.org, or follow Bread & Broth on Instagram or Facebook.
El Dorado County, Placer County and Nevada County officials have released preliminary results for the primary election that took place on Tuesday, June 2.
According to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, the large-scale search for Jason Coughran has concluded; however, the missing person investigation is still active and open.
As leads develop in the case, additional search efforts will be conducted.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office says it remains committed to locating Mr. Coughran, who has been missing for around two weeks.
Coughran was last known to be hiking from Fallen Leaf Lake to Desolation Wilderness on Memorial Day.
UPDATE—Saturday, 10 p.m.
The search for 60-year-old Jason Coughran continues. On Saturday, a total of 192 personnel worked together in the search-and-rescue effort. That total included both field search personnel and incident management personnel.
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office reports that early Saturday, 80 search-and-rescue volunteers were inserted into Desolation Wilderness via an Air National Guard CH-47 Chinook Helicopter.
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Another 60 search-and-rescue volunteers entered the search area by vehicle. 50 of those volunteers remained overnight.
The search pulls volunteers from the following list of agencies and partners:
Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR)
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (EDSAR)
Placer County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue
Marin County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue
Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit (BAMRU)
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue
California Search and Rescue (CALSAR)
Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue
Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue (TNSAR)
San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue
Yolo County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue
Alpine County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue
Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Mountaineering Team
Sacramento County Sheriff Office Search and Rescue
California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA)
Monterey Bay Search Dogs
Santa Clara County Sheriff Office Search and Rescue (SCCSSAR)
Solano County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue
California Highway Patrol
California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES)
California Civil Air Patrol
California Air National Guard
United States Forest Service
Raley’s (South Lake Tahoe)
Ernie’s Restaurant
Motherlode Catering
High Sierra Industries
Mellow Mountain Hostel
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe Refuse
Close to 200 volunteers searched for Coughran over the weekend.Provided / ECSO
UPDATE—Thursday, 10 a.m.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office says the search continues today for 60-year-old Jason Coughran, who was last heard from at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 25.
The man went missing after hiking from Fallen Leaf Lake to Desolation Wilderness.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office has no further updates at this time, but has been in touch with the Tribune.
The Tribune will provide updates as soon as they are available.
ORIGINAL STORY— Wednesday 7 a.m.
EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. – The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a search and rescue in Desolation Wilderness for an overdue hiker.
60-year-old Jason Coughran was last heard from at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 25. He is described as being 150 pounds and 6’02” with brown hair, hazel eyes, and an athletic build.
He is believed to be wearing khaki shorts, but his clothing is unknown for certain.
Coughran was hiking from Fallen Leaf Lake to Desolation Wilderness.
Authorities ask that if you were hiking in the area and came across Coughran, to contact the sheriff’s office at 530-621-6600 or 530-573-3051.
The office warns that the weather can be unpredictable at high elevations and advises planning accordingly when venturing into the wilderness.
Jason Coughran was hiking from Fallen Leaf Lake to Desolation Wilderness.Provided / ECSO
Fire crews have started their bootcamps, red flag warnings have been issued across California, and for a month now, the sign at a Truckee Fire station on Donner Pass Road has been flashing the annual urge:
It’s never too early
for defensible space
Updated projections for 2026 wildland fire potential were released on May 1, by the National Interagency Coordination Center, showing the California side of Lake Tahoe having above average potential for wildfire beginning in May and continuing through August, which is as far out as the projections forecast, and the Nevada side of the lake having above average potential beginning in June.
The severity of conditions across the state have been building for years, said David Acuña, a spokesperson for Cal Fire out of its Sacramento headquarters. But “one strange winter does add its own element.” The time frame for fire season has expanded, and California slips into what Acuña and other fire officials have begun to call a fire year.
The total snowfall during the 2025/26 winter was only about 50 inches below average, but it came in bursts. The upper foothills and higher were sunny and unseasonably warm in January and February, melting the snow from a storm in late December. This began drying out fuels. Then came another big storm and a warm cycle, and again.
“We’ve also had occasional rain, and that’s great,” Acuña said, “but it leads to the eventuality that the grasses [or light, flashy fuels, like pine needles] continue to grow and die.”
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SUMMER 2026: On May 1, the National Interagency Fire Center released its National Wildland Significant Fire Potential Outlook, spanning May through August. Areas marked in red show above-average wildland fire potential. Courtesy graphics
SUMMER 2026: On May 1, the National Interagency Fire Center released its National Wildland Significant Fire Potential Outlook, spanning May through August. Areas marked in red show above-average wildland fire potential. Courtesy graphics
SUMMER 2026: On May 1, the National Interagency Fire Center released its National Wildland Significant Fire Potential Outlook, spanning May through August. Areas marked in red show above-average wildland fire potential. Courtesy graphics
SUMMER 2026: On May 1, the National Interagency Fire Center released its National Wildland Significant Fire Potential Outlook, spanning May through August. Areas marked in red show above-average wildland fire potential. Courtesy graphics
This phenomenon isn’t new. Even in winters with less sporadic snowfall, plants grow in the spring and die and dry later in the summer. Wildland firefighters call August “dirty August” because it’s usually when plants have had time to go through the cycle of growth, death, and drying.
Sometimes the fuels don’t burn, though — lightning doesn’t strike, winds don’t blow at the right time, or the fire is put out before it’s burned all the available fuel. “Over time, the fuels have layered over on top of each other,” Acuña said. “Now California is like a haystack of light fuels that are ready to burn.”
Other parts of the U.S., especially the central south, are already seeing wildfire activity. According to Tyler Andrade, forestry field supervisor for the Tahoe Donner Association, these fires are “ahead of the season.”
Tahoe Donner is a Firewise Community where its forestry staff rotate through the nearly 6,500 homes, the common areas, and the trails every six years to ensure the necessary home hardening and forest management are current.
Of particular importance is the association’s southwest corner, which receives the brunt of Truckee’s common southwest wind. “A lot of our focus goes into that southwest corner,” Andrade said, “and making that extremely defended, hardened, and good to go, and then spreading out, working properties and common areas.”
Andrade emphasized the importance of community work as well: “I really do believe that the community’s got to buy in,” he said, “and then you will see individual ownership from there.”
Community ownership and buy-in rose quickly after the 2021 Caldor Fire, which burned more than 221,000 acres in California and caused the city of South Lake Tahoe to evacuate. The fire came within 4 miles of Lake Tahoe’s south shore. As then-Cal Fire Assistant Chief Brian Newman (now retired) told Moonshine in 2022, it was “the biggest event in history in Lake Tahoe.” That remains the case.
This tragedy, which Andrade worked on for the U.S. Forest Service, became “a very large reminder and eyeopener of ‘don’t get complacent,’” he said.
“California is like a haystack of light fuels that are ready to burn.”
~ David Acuña, Cal Fire spokesperson
That said, the Caldor Fire happened almost five years ago.
“I really do believe human nature will always battle with complacency,” Andrade said. “And I really hate to say it, but five years in, there definitely are small things where you look at and you can tell where there hasn’t been a threat or a scare. People start to let their guard down a little bit. People start to forget … I do believe complacency will always be a small narrative.”
Andrade echoed Acuña’s observations about the 2025/26 winter, and urged resident and visitor wildfire education and the importance of “understanding that longer drying periods can create a longer fire season, which makes early mitigation and preparedness even more vital.”
THINNING OUT: The morning of May 14, Tahoe Donner Association’s forestry crew members went through a common area and identified timber to be removed so as not to crowd the space. Before/after photos courtesy Tyler Andrade
Early snowmelt means public agencies and private contractors can begin mechanically clearing excess fuels sooner, but it also makes the window for prescribed burns — which can only be done in specific temperature, humidity, and fuel moisture content ranges — shorter. Acuña recommends looking at Cal Fire and U.S. Forest Service social media accounts to keep up to date on where and when prescribed burns will take place.
“I wouldn’t say there’s one area that’s worse or better [for this fire season],” Acuña says. “It’s a matter of matching weather conditions with what’s on the ground.”
Half of this equation is controllable, but Acuña says the amount of work that’s recommended for fire prevention is often overwhelming. “If you look at the recommendations, there’s a lot,” he explained. “If you would just replace your roof and replace your deck and replace your siding, tear the whole house down … We’re not asking that. What’s necessary to protect your home is to start with the first 5 feet [around your home]. It’s not a guarantee, but it is moving the right direction. We’re always going to recommend the next step. But just start.”
The Tahoe City Public Utility District has never built a water system. Instead, as its inception in 1938 intended, it bought up small, privately owned water companies that dotted the North and West shores of Lake Tahoe to consolidate them into one locally controlled public water system.
Over the course of nine decades, the TCPUD has brought two dozen water systems into its fold. Designed primarily for summer use, these small water systems were not built to meet modern drinking water standards or operate year-round. By the 21st century, many of these systems — with aging infrastructure and delayed capital improvements — were at risk of failing.
The Mid-Sierra Water Utility, located in Tahoma, is one of those failing. Purchased by the PUD in 2018, it comprises two water systems – Tahoe Cedars and Madden Creek. Tahoe Cedars, built in the 1940s, is so big and in such dire straits that its renovation represents the largest, most expensive, and most complex water system reconstruction project in the district’s history. And it is not without controversy.
The point of contention centers around the proposed staging area for Phase 1 of the project. Neighbors are concerned about environmental impacts to the surrounding forest and wildlife habitat, and question why this location was selected when, in their view, other sites are better suited for a staging area. The PUD, however, contends this site is the most efficient because it’s near the construction and will reduce disturbances to the greater neighborhood.
FIRE SAFETY: A map of where the Tahoe City Public Utility District will be installing 144 new fire hydrants in the Tahoma neighborhood as part of the Tahoe Cedars Water System Reconstruction Project. Illustration courtesy TCPUD
Tahoe Cedars
Between 1939 and 1979, the TCPUD consolidated 19 small water systems. In the last eight years alone, it spent $7.8 million to purchase five more, all on the West Shore.
Tahoe Cedars is the oldest and — due to aging pipelines, limited storage, outdated or nonexistent meters, and patched-together infrastructure — is actively failing. The system has 1,200 connections, representing 20% of the PUD’s water customers. The project entails replacing 15 miles of undersized and failing water pipes, installing 144 fire hydrants (the neighborhood currently only has around 80, most of which do not meet modern fire protection flow standards), and installing 1,200 residential water meters, which means relocating the connections from residents’ backyards to the public right-of-way. (The PUD is helping to offset these service relocation costs to homeowners by offering a $5,000 reimbursement, or $12,000 for those who qualify for the district’s low-income program.)
The water pipes are in such bad condition that many have holes in them, which were patched by the previous owners with clamps. As a result, the district put a moratorium on fire hydrant testing.
“We can’t do it anymore because anytime we open a fire hydrant, it creates more leaks,” said TCPUD General Manager Sean Barclay.
DETERIORIATING: Pipes in the Tahoe Cedars water system, which date back to the 1940s, are actively failing and leaking. Many were patched with clamps by the previous owner.
The estimated cost to fix the Tahoe Cedars water system is currently $85 million, but the district expects that number to rise due to inflation. Funding for the project comes from water rate revenue from all of the district’s 6,200 customers and property taxes. However, starting in January 2024, Tahoe Cedars and Madden Creek customers began paying an additional infrastructure improvement charge of $43.58 per month for 30 years, marking the first time the PUD has implemented an additional charge to a select group of customers.
“This is directly related to the magnitude of the cost of the project,” Barclay said. “We spend an inordinate amount of time in that water system [more] than in any other system fixing leaks.”
Although the district has a One Water System policy, which includes a single rate structure across its customer service area, the PUD made an exception to its rule to offset the extreme expense of the Tahoma project.
“It’s an attempt to balance equity between customers in this system and customers in the rest of the system,” Barclay said. “The magnitude of the costs to rebuild this system is much greater than we have ever had to do with previous acquisitions.”
Environmental Concerns
The Tahoe Cedars water tank was selected by the district as the staging area for the water system reconstruction. This is a roughly 3-acre parcel owned by the TCPUD and surrounded by 42 acres of California Tahoe Conservancy land. Although the district considered 30 sites scattered throughout and surrounding the Tahoma neighborhood for the staging area, it landed on the Tahoe Cedars water tank because of its location adjacent to the project.
“The reason the parcel is being considered as one of many potential staging locations is just its proximity to the construction site and the fact that we own the parcel,” Barclay said. “The closer it is to the site of construction is ideal, right? There’s not trucks driving through the neighborhood. You can minimize the time that’s needed to access the materials that are stored there.”
However, when neighbors became aware of this, they grew concerned. The Tahoe Cedars water tank leads to heavily used trails that are accessed by hikers, dog walkers, mountain bikers, and cross-country skiers. The trails are the community’s main access to Sugar Pine Point State Park and national forest.
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HIGH-MAINTENANCE: A TCPUD utility crew searches for a water-main leak in a backyard in Tahoma. The district says it spends more time in this area fixing leaks than in any other service area.
BUSTED: Pipes from the original 1940s Tahoe Cedars water system that have failed and been removed by the TCPUD.
“Why would you even think of putting a corporation yard like that in a forest when you got what the PUD stated was 30 other alternatives?” asked neighbor Rick Landgraf. “This is a community impact. Would you take Commons Beach and let trucks drive all over it? That’s how we should be thinking about it.”
Landgraf, a former hydrologist, is alarmed by the heavy equipment that will be stationed at the site, speculating that there will be 200 pieces of heavy equipment and a 12,000-gallon fuel tank.
“My experience when I was doing this kind of work, this stuff is really damaging. It compacts soils and vibrates; it’s loud,” he said. “It will lead to very serious and permanent destruction … That can lead to runoff problems. In a corporation yard, that’s an area where you take equipment. Sometimes it breaks, it needs to be repaired, you have to drain fluids. I am flabbergasted to even think why somebody would want to put that in the middle of a forest.”
Landgraf also worries about a loose chain sparking or equipment overheating and causing a fire.
Barclay, however, said that characterization of the staging area as an industrial yard is not accurate, and that the PUD is not even going to utilize the entire 3-acre parcel; the district says that it will use less than an acre. He also estimated that there would not be more than 10 to 15 pieces of equipment at the site at one time.
“It’s not going to be an industrial yard, nor will it be the only staging area … There will be no fuel storage tanks or chemical storage tank at that site,” he said. “We would maintain recreation access throughout the duration of that use … This is nowhere near the size, scale, or impact that is being described right now.”
WHY HERE? The proposed staging area at the Tahoe Cedars water tank in Tahoma, which leads to highly used trails and is near an American goshawk nest, is at the center of the controversy surrounding the water system reconstruction. Photos courtesy TCPUD
The Nesting Site
Other concerns include an American goshawk nest on the conservancy land (the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency said it is unknown if it is currently an active nest). Although goshawks are not endangered, they are designated as a sensitive species by the U.S. Forest Service.
“They are very sensitive to disturbance and relatively intolerant of activity by humans, and they are very protective of their nests,” said Will Richardson, Tahoe Institute of Natural Science executive director. “That is one of the reasons the Forest Service and other land management agencies put a lot of effort into trying to protect the birds.”
The TRPA has a threshold of 12 active goshawk nests in the Basin. In 2010, the last time a full survey was conducted, 10 sites were recorded (there are 30 known nests, but not all are active). The agency and USFS require a quarter-mile buffer zone around nesting areas, which the latter calls Protected Activity Centers (PACs), where no disturbance is allowed. According to the TRPA, the Tahoe Cedars water-tank site sits outside the requisite buffer.
Neighbor Mike Levin became so concerned about the staging area that he started a Facebook page and website, Save Tahoma Wilderness, in March. It states, “We support community progress and utility upgrades, but we believe they must be made without destroying our forest. We are advocating for using developed, paved alternative staging sites that preserve the integrity of Tahoma’s trails and the safety of our neighbors.”
The website provided an advocacy toolkit including talking points, an email template, and facts to share. According to TRPA spokesperson Jeff Cowen, the agency received around 12 of these email form letters.
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FORMER HYDROLOGIST Rick Landgraf, who has a home in Tahoma near the proposed staging area for the Tahoe Cedars Water System Reconstruction Project, is concerned about impacts to the forest and wildlife. Courtesy photo
PUBLIC PROCESS: TCPUD General Manager Sean Barclay said of the controversial staging area for the Tahoe Cedars water system project: “We’re going to continue to evaluate it and evaluate whether we have other options that are better or more efficient. We’re going to go through all the processes that are required to make sure that we actually can use it.” Courtesy photo
Staging Area Deferred
Levin and Landgraf also accused TCPUD of sidestepping the CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) process. However, Barclay said that its CEQA consultants determined that Tahoe Cedars was categorically exempt, but that “as individual phases move through and get to the final design phase, these changes are consistently evaluated by us and reviewed to confirm whether there is any additional environmental review [warranted] … we always make sure our projects comply with CEQA.”
Barclay added, “I can just tell you that we are very transparent. We pride ourselves on that. There is nothing to hide here. We’re a public agency. We are not a for-profit agency.”
The TCPUD was required to obtain a TRPA permit for the Tahoe Cedars project, which was granted in April. By that time, however, the district had removed the portion of the project that would have required the use of the staging area in the forest — replacing the waterline on Placer Street and Antelope Way above Elm Street — from its application for Phase 1. (The project is so big there are four phases.) That decision was made partly because in mid-2025, the PUD learned of the goshawk nest.
“We are concerned. We are aware of it now and we will make sure that we are doing all the work that we need to do to meet any sort of regulations to protect the goshawk,” Barclay asserted. “So that is also part of the reason that we removed that piece of pipe from this project — to make sure we’re doing all of the work that we need to do to comply with any regulations or requirements to protect the environment or wildlife.”
While the staging area at the Tahoe Cedars water tank is off the table for now, the PUD will eventually need to revisit the idea when it’s ready to bring back the portion of Phase 1 involving the waterline.
The TRPA stated that if the PUD decides to reconsider the water tank area, it will monitor the site for bird activity.
COMMUNITY TRAILS: The Tahoe Cedars water tank marks the start of popular trails that are used year-round and are the main access route for neighbors to reach Sugar Pine Point State Park and national forest. Photo courtesy Mike Levin
“A lot of times when it comes to potential impacts to wildlife, then projects are put on hold while monitoring happens because monitoring for, especially bird habitat, can take an entire season,” Cowen said. “Sometimes noise monitoring happens during projects as well, so that we know if the project needs to change BMPs, change time of day, change time of year, that it operates.”
Despite the TRPA’s and TCPUD’s assurances that the project will follow all environmental regulations, neighbors are not convinced.
“Eight years into this project, and weeks from groundbreaking, fundamental questions on fire risk, public safety, environmental impact, site design, and project financing remain unanswered in the public record,” Landgraf wrote in an email to Moonshine Ink.
With the staging area put on the back burner for the near future, neighbors are breathing a sigh of relief, but only temporarily.
“We will continue to monitor and organize the community and continue to see that the PUD does the responsible thing here, and not what’s convenient for the contractor,” Levin said.
Concern spread across the region in March when it was announced that NV Energy will stop providing electricity generation service to Liberty Utilities — provider for the California side of the Lake Tahoe Basin — by 2027.
In reaction, Liberty is taking steps to find a new provider. Currently, the utility is seeking approval through the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) to launch a formal search process. Assuming approval, a formal bidding process is anticipated to start this summer. Official results and a decision will likely be known in winter of 2026/27, and an agreement with a new supplier established in spring 2027.
Eric Schwarzrock, who has been Liberty Utilities president for about a year and a half now and a longtime South Lake Tahoe resident, has expressed a goal of transparency during the process across various outlets, town halls, and public forums.
That’s the plan for what has been described as an emergency. The discontinuance of power generation by NV Energy, as noted in a March letter to CPUC from Liberty, came as “a surprise.” In a 2022 Integrated Resource Plan, Liberty wrote that it assumed operating “through the end of 2025, and then under similar provisions for 2026-2030, under a follow-on NV Energy ESA (Energy Services Agreement).”
NV Energy, meanwhile, says this separation has been in the works all along.
“The decision not to extend the Liberty agreement long term is rooted in the original planning assumptions and contractual intent dating back to the 2009 asset sale,” shared Katie Nannini, community relations manager for NV Energy, in an email. “NV Energy sold the Liberty load with the clear understanding that it would not serve that load indefinitely.”
Review of public documents submitted to the CPUC over the past five years shows a nuanced situation between the two utility companies, including efforts Liberty previously took to separate from NV Energy. Liberty declined to comment beyond public statements that have already been made.
Now the situation, regardless of a shared history, is down to the wire.
Illustration by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
An electrifying past
The separation of the two utilities is the final step for what was once one company. Liberty Utilities used to be owned by NV Energy — specifically Sierra Pacific Power Company, one of three subsidiaries that merged in 1999 and began doing business as NV Energy in 2008.
In 2011, at the conclusion of the 2009 asset sale, NV Energy, an investor-owned holding company incorporated under Nevada law, divested its California electric assets, comprising about 46,000 square miles in seven counties. After a multi-layered sale, the California customers ended up in the hands of CalPeco, aka Liberty Utilities, a subsidiary of Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp.
Along with the sale, NV Energy “also agreed to provide energy and generation capacity for a temporary transition period,” Nannini explained. “That period was originally set for five years and was later extended in 2015 and again in 2020 to give Liberty more time to implement its long term plans.”
And Liberty did try.
HIGH VOLTAGE: Liberty Utilities currently receives its power generation and transmission through NV Energy, which eventually makes its way to the Tahoe City Substation, pictured here. The substation takes power from the transmission lines and distributes it to households and businesses. Photo by Jared Alden/Moonshine Ink
An attempt at separation occurred in 2018, when Liberty began negotiations with potential third-party suppliers “in order to seek more favorable terms and conditions and pursue its own accelerated renewable goals,” per an advice letter from Liberty to CPUC. The small, multi-jurisdictional utility sent an early termination notice to NV Energy in January 2018, to be effective May 1, 2019.
What stalled this effort? NV Energy itself. To move to a third-party supplier, Liberty needed to reserve space in NV Energy’s transmission system for a supplier to send electricity through. In July 2018, Liberty filed for 145 megawatts (MWs) of service. Space was reserved based on numbers provided by NV Energy. Four months later, using those numbers, Liberty began officially soliciting a new energy provider.
But the amount of availability in NV Energy’s transmission system turned out to be wrong.
“In January 2019,” a 2020 letter from Liberty to the CPUC stated, “NVE informed Liberty CalPeco of [a] … calculation error, which, after it was corrected, showed that 11 MW of Import Transmission Capacity was available for Liberty CalPeco, far less than previously published.”
Based on such constraints, by August 2019, no realistic alternatives emerged for Liberty. Negotiations with NV Energy were reopened and in August 2020, an ESA was created “for the sale and delivery of capacity and energy to Liberty” from December 2020 to December 2025.
At first, this new ESA was described by Liberty “as a bridge until Liberty CalPeco can secure utility-owned non-GHG emitting renewable generation through a competitive process, which will enable it to achieve its ambitious 100% renewables goal.”
Yet two years later, Liberty was anticipating remaining an NV Energy customer indefinitely since the Nevada utility company was providing the best possible outcome for its customers … until a new project goes online.
“Given Liberty’s understanding of NV Energy’s transmission planning activities,” the 2022 Integrated Resource Plan states, “the earliest time at which Liberty could potentially leave its current energy supply arrangement with NV Energy would be after Phase I of the Greenlink Initiative goes into service.”
The data center of it all
NV Energy’s Greenlink is a two-part project installing two kilovolt lines, or “energy highways,” across Nevada — one running for 250 miles, from Las Vegas to Yerington (Greenlink West), the other spanning 235 miles from Ely to Yerington (Greenlink North). These lines will allow the utility to increase import capacity for Northern Nevada. A December 2025 update from NV Energy stated, “The completion of Greenlink West and Greenlink North — along with the existing One Nevada Line — creates a triangle of transmission in the state … Greenlink Nevada results in modernization of the grid, improves reliability for customers, and positions NV Energy to meet Nevada’s energy needs.”
GREENLINK’S LINKAGE: NV Energy’s Greenlink Initiative is adding two “energy highways” across Nevada to increase import capacity for Northern Nevada. Greenlink West, running from Las Vegas to Yerington, is anticipated to be completed May 2027. Courtesy map
Greenlink West is anticipated to be completed May 2027 and will serve as the signal for Liberty’s official transition from NV Energy. This same project will help address the increasingly competitive market for power resources, especially with the increase of data centers in Washoe and Storey counties. Data centers are physical facilities housing and running large computer systems.
The U.S. Congress reported in January 2026: “U.S. data center annual energy use in 2023 (not accounting for cryptocurrency) was approximately 176 terawatt-hours (TWh), approximately 4.4% of U.S. annual electricity consumption that year, according to a report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory … Some projections show that data center energy consumption could double or triple by 2028, accounting for up to 12% of U.S. electricity use.”
At the time of the Congressional report, there were no “legally binding energy standards” applying specifically to private sector data center operations.
However, at the end of March, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) announced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, which would effectively put a pin in further data center development until more oversight can be established. As of press deadline, the bill lies with the Congressional Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Currently, there are 29 such centers between Reno, Sparks, and the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRI Center), the latter home to all but six of them. TRI Center’s first data center — Switch’s “Citadel Campus” — began construction in 2015 and officially opened in early 2017.
Then-Storey County Commissioner Marshall McBride said of the project, “With Switch’s $1 billion investment and 3-million-square-foot SUPERNAP data center, this region is solidifying its place in the technology innovation space. The country is looking at Nevada differently and now sees northern Nevada, Storey County, and TRI as the place for development projects of any size.”
NV Energy’s Nannini said, contrary to other media reports, the decision to stop providing power for Liberty was not driven by the rise of data centers, citing original contractual intent “well before data center load growth was a consideration … Data center growth did not change that position.”
Still a live wire
While NV Energy is pulling the plug on the actual power in the lines, it will still provide Liberty Utilities transmission services. Liberty (as well as the Truckee Donner Public Utility District, which powers Truckee) is part of NV Energy’s balancing authority, meaning NV Energy is responsible for ensuring the electric grid operates reliably 24/7 for users within its region.
Where the power will come from is what Liberty leaders are working on figuring out. The utility customers are not physically connected to the rest of California, so pulling power from the state is problematic. “It would take a large transmission line from our service territory over the Sierras and then west further into California,” Liberty’s Schwarzrock said during a late-April Placer County town hall. “We looked at the nearest connection points. One of the ones that was closest that potentially would be one of the most reasonable connections was near El Dorado Hills. That would be a transmission line from El Dorado Hills toward South Lake Tahoe. [It would cost] hundreds of millions of dollars to build a transmission like line like that over the Sierras.
“We may seek to do something like that,” he continued. “But right now, that was not the best option. We actually have evaluated nine different [energy supply options] … to assemble our energy supply portfolio. Utilities often utilize a mix of strategies, including but not limited to, direct ownership, power purchase agreements, and various market options. [The transmission line option] was the least beneficial option because of the cost to build that transmission line.”
Liberty Utilities maintains two solar projects in Nevada that provide power, though not enough at present to power its customers entirely: There is the 50-MW Luning solar facility, which is forecasted to deliver 101,000 megawatt hours (MWh) in 2026, and the 10-MW Turquoise facility, anticipated to deliver 21,000 MWh. “For many days out of the year,” shared Liberty’s manager of regional communications, Kurt Althof, in an email. “When the sun is shining, our facilities provide 100% of the required supply.”
How ratepayers will be affected by the transition remains unknown, though Liberty has stated in an FAQ on the situation that it intends to keep affordability at the forefront of its discussions with potential providers.
Schwarzrock said there are numerous alternatives for how the company can approach the void, including wind farms, solar and battery farms, geothermal options, and full-service energy suppliers. As a winter-peaking region, Tahoe’s highest energy demand comes during the colder months — contrary to other utilities in the Western U.S., which use the most electricity during summer for air conditioning.
“It’s important to us that we’re going to make them compete for our business,” he said. “We’re looking forward for those entities to compete. We are a good partner and a good load for energy suppliers, so we expect a competitive process. Our priorities as we go through that [Request for Proposals] and make our transparent selections with the CPUC, are that we’re going to prioritize renewable and achieving our renewable goals within the state of California, and we are going to prioritize affordability.”
Could Something Similar Happen in Truckee?
The Truckee Donner Public Utility District’s coverage area lies as an independent island within Liberty’s service. The only overlap for TDPUD and Liberty is that they both rely on transmission from NV Energy.
“We pay our fair share to NV Energy for the transmission services they give us,” said Steven Poncelet, public information and strategic affairs director for the PUD. “That’s all done at the federal level through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.”
Beyond that commonality, TDPUD has a different makeup entirely as an electricity provider.
Rather than the investor-owned utility model, the PUD is a municipal not-for-profit agency that provides both water and electric services for the Truckee community. As one of 18 special districts in the Truckee/North Tahoe region, it is overseen by an elected board of directors.
TDPUD’s power primarily comes from the Utah Associated Municipal Power System (UAMPS), which consists of 49 public power utilities across many western states. “That’s who builds and owns and operates all of our power plants,” Poncelet said. “So, when we say that our largest resource is Horse Butte Wind in Idaho, that’s a project that we own a percentage of, and that is run, owned, and operated by UAMPS on behalf of the members. They have the transmission, and then they send the power to us eventually through NV energy transmission for delivery to our customers.”
Could NV Energy similarly end its transmissions contracts with TDPUD as it has done with Liberty’s power generation contract? Poncelet said that’s not a concern. “The [transmissions] contracts that we have are approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission … and across the industry, every utility across the country goes to FERC for these transmission contracts. Many lawyers have asked that question, so I’m pretty confident they couldn’t just decide not to service.”
My wife and I moved from Mammoth Lakes to Tahoe City in 1980. Back then, being a “mountain person” wasn’t a brand, it was a way of life. We learned from those who came before us. Nature was our guide, and long-time locals showed us how to live in rhythm with it: shoveling the roof before it bowed, reading a subtle shift in the wind and clouds before a storm, and knowing exactly which neighbor’s truck would get stuck after the plow turned the road into ice.
When we had questions about mountain living, we sought out people who had actually lived it — true experts on where to go, what to do, and how to do it.
The mountains are as beautiful as ever, but their rhythm has changed. We’ve shifted from a true “mountain town” to a “mountain resort.” The lake is still breathtaking; the backcountry is still full of adventure, but the way we live here has become increasingly digital.
The Covid era brought a surge of new energy to our Basin, much of it driven by the tech sector. There is no denying the immense value these new residents bring — their economic contributions and fresh cultural perspectives are essential ingredients in the evolving story of the Tahoe/Truckee area. They also arrived with remarkable technological tools.
And something else: a new kind of expert I’ll call the “techspert.”
A techspert is someone who has mastered the data of the mountains without fully absorbing the experience. They find trailheads through apps instead of conversations. They troubleshoot a woodstove on a forum instead of asking a neighbor. Too often, they take frustrations to social media instead of resolving them face-to-face — the very interactions that once defined our community.
As a healthcare provider, I’ve spent my career observing the difference between a body that simply functions and one that is truly vital. I see a parallel here. Technology can guide you to a trailhead with perfect GPS accuracy. It can tell you the temperature, the elevation, and the distance. But it lacks nuance.
A techspert may know the stats of a hike, but not that a recent washout has turned it into a sandbagged bushwhack. They have information, but not the “preventative medicine” of local wisdom.
Techsperts will never replace experts.
A seasoned local can tell you why a certain shift in the clouds means you should head home early or why taking just 10 extra steps down a slope will lead you to a spot with the kind of energy that doesn’t just “use” nature but revitalizes the soul.
Apps tell you what is happening; humans tell you how to feel it.
This isn’t a rejection of technology. I value the information age and rely on it in many ways. Rather, it’s an invitation to balance technology with mentorship. It isn’t just our newer residents who’ve been pulled in by technology — we all have. But don’t let these mountains exist only on your screen; belong to them.
Instead of scrolling through an anonymous forum, walk into your local shop. Ask about the best tires for riding on decomposed granite or the ideal ski wax for a warm spring morning. These places aren’t just stores, they’re living archives.
The next time you’re curious about a route or a storm, pause before you reach for your phone. Say hello to a neighbor and start a conversation.
Ask about the “why,” not just the “where.” You’ll discover that the best way to live here isn’t by mastering an app, it’s by building relationships.
Real life. Real people. Real Tahoe.
~ Tim Schroeder, DC, has lived in Tahoe City since 1980 and has practiced chiropractic care there since 1989. An active community member who values nature, he is an avid skier, hiker, and biker. To explore his chiropractic practice and his latest writing, visit the Insights tab at balancedoctor.com.
The Tahoe-Truckee Sanitation Agency is moving forward on a new wastewater treatment facility. The decision is a big pivot from the 2022 Master Sewer Plan, intended to guide the agency in addressing its aging infrastructure over
25 years.
The variable leading to this pivot? Covid-19 and its impacts on constructions costs and materials and labor shortages. When TTSA began receiving bids for various projects under the sewer plan, there were significant inconsistencies compared to the preliminary November 2021 estimates. That difference led to staff in early 2024 shifting from the rehabilitation strategy to implementation of a more modern replacement.
Which brings us to the Clean Water Revitalization Project, set to replace TTSA’s existing nutrient removal (or wastewater treatment) facility to the tune of $310 million. The rehabilitation plan in today’s numbers would cost, according to project consultant numbers, $393.3 million.
General Manager Jason Hays walks us through some key questions about the project, what it means, and how ratepayers — amid a significant rate increase — will be affected.
~ AH
In general terms, what is the Clean Water Revitalization Project?
Jason Hays, TTSA General Manager: Tahoe-Truckee Sanitation Agency (TTSA) is embarking on a multi-year initiative to modernize the existing wastewater treatment infrastructure that has been in existence for over 50 years. The Clean Water Revitalization Project is focused on modern treatment methods that will more reliably protect public health, the Truckee River, Lake Tahoe, and the surrounding watershed, while also improving system stability and ease of operation.
Did the following factors lead the agency to move forward with building a new wastewater treatment facility?
Aging TTSA nutrient-removal facilities, which require increasing maintenance to maintain operations
Significant cost increases from rehabilitation costs stated in a 2022 Master Sewer Plan
A desire to shift to less energy- and chemical-intensive processes for cleaning wastewater
The possibility of more stringent limits, monitoring, and reporting (TTSA could be regulated under the Federal NDPES permitting program in the future based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s “County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund” case.)
These assumptions are accurate with a few minor caveats; while TTSA is seeking to establish a reduced dependence on chemicals and move toward a more biologically focused process, the new Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) facility is not likely to reduce energy usage. Throughout the design process, we will continue to remain open to opportunities for energy efficiency, but pumping water is an inherently energy intensive process. We are also closely watching opportunities for green energy offsets like solar and using biogas generated onsite for energy production.
Regarding potential future regulatory pressures, it’s important to note that TTSA is already subject to some of the most stringent discharge requirements in the country. At this time, there is no immediate reason to believe that the regulatory monitoring program under which we are regulated will change. Leadership within TTSA recognized during initial evaluations and continues to maintain the position that it is our responsibility to be prepared for any potential regulatory scenario. MBR technology offers both the most secure assurance to continue to meet existing limits and the strongest potential to expand capabilities if the discharge requirements become more stringent at some point in the future.
TTSA currently utilizes a Biological Nitrogen Removal (BNR) system but is looking to shift to an MBR system. Could you explain what this means?
Biological Nutrient Removal or Biological Nitrogen Removal (BNR) is the process of using a variety of microorganisms cultured specifically to consume nitrogen and phosphorus. TTSA is currently using a hybridized approach that requires a chemically intensive process to remove phosphorus in combination with BNR. Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) is a variation of BNR that uses very fine filter membranes to dramatically reduce the dependence on chemical processes. MBR also allows us to intensify the BNR process and use a much smaller footprint with improved automation and operational simplicity to accomplish the same or better levels of nutrient removal.
UP-AND-COMING: The Tahoe-Truckee Sanitation Agency is moving forward with a new wastewater treatment facility, which will replace current and aged infrastructure, shown highlighted in yellow on the map. Courtesy map
Where is the water coming out of this nutrient removal facility going to go?
Currently, we are planning to maintain the same discharge and disposal system for the new MBR facility that we currently have in place. TTSA currently injects the treated water from the facility into the ground in Martis Valley. The water migrates from the injection point through the ground toward the confluence of the Truckee River and Martis Creek where it comingles and joins the waterways. TTSA rigorously monitors several wells along the groundwater flow path and also monitors the Truckee River and Martis Creek above and below TTSA influence.
Does TTSA currently have any trouble meeting discharge requirements from the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board?
TTSA consistently meets all discharge limits under its existing Waste Discharge Requirement (WDR) permit. While some of the processes used at TTSA are chemically intensive and require substantial operational and maintenance staffing, we have proudly protected Lake Tahoe and the Truckee River for over 50 years. A major driver for initiating the Clean Water Revitalization Project is to ensure future generations of community members and visitors can continue to rely on a high standard of public health and environmental protection for the next 50 years and beyond.
What is the total project cost?
In order to make the most fiscally responsible long-term decisions for the future of TTSA, staff engaged in a 50-year life cycle cost assessment comparing the cost of the Clean Water Revitalization Project to a progressive rehabilitation of the existing facility. While it is important to note that cost estimates used in this assessment are very high level and actual costs can vary significantly as the scope of the project becomes clearer, we believe the assessment strongly supported moving forward with the project. Currently estimated costs for the entire project are approximately $310 million. As design milestones are met, a clearer picture of actual final costs will become more focused. TTSA is committed to providing the rate-paying public with revised cost information as it becomes available.
In 2023, after no rate increases for the previous 12 years, TTSA approved a significant hike in customer bills (96.72% increase) over the course of four years (2024 to 2028) in order “to ensure proper funding for upcoming major capital projects and increasing costs due to hyper-inflation.” That increase happened before any final decisions on the new nutrient removal facility were made.
How will the new facility impact customer costs? What other funding sources is the agency considering for this project?
We at TTSA recognize that large increases to rates in a short timeframe are undesirable. This abrupt increase in rates was proceeded by 12 years of 0% rate increases, primarily due to a relatively minimal capital replacement plan. After the 2022 Master Plan established a more substantial capital plan with baseline cost assumptions and timing, TTSA staff recognized that current rates could not fully support the plan. In 2023 the TTSA Board approved Prop 218-compliant annual adjustments for fiscal years ’24 through ’28 to address long-term inflation and to fund the capital plan. The rate increases were as follows:
FY24: 30.1%
FY25: 18.6%
FY26: 13.6%
FY27: 8.6%
FY28: 3.4%
TTSA is currently seeking to perform a new rate study that includes timing and costs associated with the Clean Water Revitalization Project. Many projects identified in the master plan will be made unnecessary by the decision to move forward with MBR technology. Project and capital spending timing will also change substantially. Staff has engaged in a process of identifying strategic cost saving measures to ensure a continued focus on operational efficiency. As part of our funding strategy, we are exploring opportunities to fund portions of the project with grants and subsidized lending programs. Efforts are already underway to position the agency and the project as an attractive opportunity for potential alternative funding mechanisms.
What is the most critical information TTSA wants the public to know about this project and process?
We live and work in one of the most environmentally pristine and beautiful locations in the world. We owe the clarity of Lake Tahoe and the natural beauty of the Truckee River to those men and women 50 years ago that had the foresight and drive to do what was needed to rehabilitate and ensure the protection of these amazing water bodies. We believe that we have a generational responsibility to the people enjoying this area 50 years from now to guarantee protection of our water resources. In the 1970s the U.S. Congress enacted the Clean Water Act to reverse the damage done to our environment. We are welcoming in the next 50 years of environmental responsibility and public health with the Clean Water Revitalization Project.
Fire crews have started their bootcamps, red flag warnings have been issued across California, and for a month now, the sign at a Truckee Fire station on Donner Pass Road has been flashing the annual urge:
