Kudos: Harrah’s Donates Prizes for Power Store and Youth of the Month to Local Youth
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Harrah’s Lake Tahoe generously donated 117 arcade gift cards and 804 Power Store prizes to the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. Each gift card, valued at $20 and including 30 minutes of video game play, is awarded monthly to the Club’s Youth of the Month in recognition of demonstrating the Club’s AWESOME values. The prizes are part of the Club’s Power Store, where members redeem points earned during the daily Power Hour program.
The Club’s Power Hour program provides daily academic enrichment, offering members homework support, tutoring, and high-yield learning activities. During Power Hour, youth earn points they can use in the Power Store to choose prizes, including the donated items, giving extra incentive while celebrating their hard work and achievements.
“It’s amazing to see the kids so excited when they receive prizes and awards for their hard work and positive behavior,” said Courtney Aragon, Marketing & Communications Manager at Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. “The arcade gift cards get them out in the community to play fun games, and we are so grateful to Harrah’s Lake Tahoe for their long-time support in helping local youth succeed and thrive.”
The Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe is excited to strengthen its partnership with Harrah’s Lake Tahoe and continue providing programs that make learning fun and celebrate every child’s success.
Don’t let holiday stress get you down
The holiday season often brings stress along with the celebrations. Between rushing to buy gifts, attending social gatherings, family stressors, worrying about money, and juggling other holiday pressures, it’s easy to feel anxious and overwhelmed. When your normal routines get thrown off track, you might forget to eat healthy meals or find yourself too tired to exercise. All of these challenges combined can leave you feeling down instead of cheerful — what some call the ‘holiday blues.’
Will the Holidays Leave You Feeling Blue?
During the holiday season, you might feel lonely, sad, or angry, and find it harder to sleep well. Even people who don’t usually struggle with feeling down can experience headaches, body tension, and exhaustion. Many people also experience a letdown once the holidays end, feeling completely drained both physically and emotionally.
Understanding the Difference
Holiday blues aren’t the same as clinical depression. Clinical depression is a medical disorder that often requires professional treatment, while holiday blues might improve with simpler solutions like talking to a trusted friend or exercising. However, the holiday season can sometimes trigger clinical depression, so it’s worth paying attention to how you’re feeling.
Helpful Tips to Feel Better
If you’re experiencing holiday blues, these strategies might help you feel better:
- Get enough sleep. When you don’t sleep enough, your thinking becomes clouded and everyday stress feels harder to handle.
- Eat well and stay active. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and making time for physical activity can also help lift your mood.
- Talk it out. Have an honest conversation about how you’re feeling.
- Watch your alcohol intake. Drinking too much can make your mood worse, not better.
- Stick to your routine. Try to keep your normal schedule as much as possible, even with all the holiday activities happening around you.
- Set a spending plan. Create a realistic budget for holiday spending and stick to it.
- Keep expectations attainable. Don’t put pressure on yourself to create a “perfect” holiday or to fix old family problems during this season.
- Learn to say no. You don’t have to attend every party you’re invited to or spend time with people who add to your stress, especially if you’re already overwhelmed.
- Make time for yourself. Set aside time each day just for you, whether that’s reading, taking a walk, or simply sitting quietly.
- Enjoy free activities. Look for free community events, light displays, or activities you can enjoy without spending money.
- Try something different. If your usual holiday traditions aren’t working for you, consider celebrating in a new way that feels better.
When to Get Help
Feeling blue during the holidays can be quite common, but if you are feeling especially down, for example, your sleep or your appetite is affected, or if your feelings persist after the holidays, contact your healthcare provider. They can help you figure out if something more serious is going on and what kind of support you might need. If you or a loved one are having any suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self harm, do not hesitate to contact 988.
Dr. Tracy Protell is a board-certified psychiatrist providing care through Barton Health. If you or a loved one need support, local resources are available. Ask your care provider for a referral to speak with a behavioral health specialist or find a list of area resources at BartonHealth.org.
Lake Tahoe School fifth grader becomes a published author
We are proud to announce the publication of a short story by fifth-grade student, Maiia Christoffersen, marking a significant achievement that has transformed her into a budding literary role model for her peers!
Maiia’s journey began last year during a visit from author and illustrator Megan Ricciardi. Megan’s workshop focused on the art of puppetry, encouraging students to craft their own puppets and then write a short story inspired by their creation. The winning story would be selected for publication, and Maiia wrote and illustrated her book Mission: S.A.W.C. for consideration. The rest is history!
Our Librarian, Aly Nugent, says of Maiia’s story, “Mission: S.A.W.C. is a very creative story about what happens to the lost socks (or, as she refers to them, “lost soles”) in the dryer – a problem that all ages could relate to. Lost socks are transported to a magical land called Puppetville, where Maiia’s character, Rosie, comes to life as a sock puppet. Her story is well thought out, outlining the relationships between friends, and leaves room for imagination. Maiia purposely left pages mostly black and white for readers to color in the background, and she leaves room at the end for readers to write and illustrate their own Puppetville adventure for Rosie.”
Following the publication of her book, Maiia has wholeheartedly embraced the role of “visiting author.” She has been touring lower-grade classrooms, reading her story aloud, leading interactive Q&A sessions, and, most importantly, encouraging her younger schoolmates to dive into their own creative writing projects.
Her natural ability to connect with the younger students has made her a powerful advocate for literacy and self-expression within the school community.
“Students laughed along with Maiia as she engaged them not only with her story, but with Rosie, the sock puppet, that inspired her story. Maiia, the author, plays along with Rosie the character during her author visit,” added Ms. Aly. “Students were equally impressed and inspired, and already ready for a sequel!”
For more information about Megan Ricciardi’s Airy Fairy Library, visit airyfairylibrary.com.
CHP officer injured after being dragged during DUI stop
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A California Highway Patrol officer is recovering from injuries sustained at an early morning DUI stop.
Early Thursday morning, Dec. 11, CHP attempted to stop a driver on Pioneer Trail for a suspected DUI.
During the encounter, the driver resisted arrest, re-entered his vehicle, and fled the scene.
In the driver’s escape, a CHP officer was injured after being dragged a short distance by the vehicle while attempting to detain the suspect.
On Friday, Dec. 12, after obtaining an arrest warrant, authorities located and arrested the suspect, identified as Aidan Anthony Bissell of South Lake Tahoe.
Bissell was located at Kirkwood Ski Resort at the time of arrest.
He was booked into the El Dorado County Jail on multiple felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, resisting arrest with injury, felony evading, and driving under the influence.
The case will be forwarded to the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office for review.
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office seeks public help in locating missing girl
MINDEN, Nev. – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a young girl, around 9 years old who was last seen riding a scooter southbound on Highway 395 in Douglas County, Nev., in the area of Silver City RV Park.
She is described as having light brown, curly hair about shoulder length, and was last seen wearing a black mini skirt, no leggings or pants, an olive green backpack and Converse shoes.
The sheriff’s office received the report of the missing girl on Friday, Dec. 12, at approximately 7:03 a.m. DCSO responded to the area and located the scooter, but no child.
The Sheriff’s Office continues to search the area but needs assistance from the pubic with any information.
The public is urged to call DCSO dispatch at 775-782-5126 or 911.
Knight Monsters back in the win column with 4-1 victory over Tulsa
STATELINE, NV – The Tahoe Knight Monsters, proud ECHL Affiliate of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, defeated the Tulsa Oilers on the road Thursday night by a score of 4 to 1.
In the first period, the scoring started early. Trent Swick scored in the opening five minutes on the power play as Tahoe took a quick 1-0 lead. However, just 19 seconds later, the Oilers would respond as newly appointed captain Tyrell Goulbourne tied the game with a goal of his own. At the 8:24 mark of the period, Adam Pitters scored on the power play off a pretty pass from Luke Adam to give the Knight Monsters a 2-1 lead heading into the locker room.
In the second period, Tahoe got a pair of goals from defensemen. Samuel Mayer scored his sixth goal of the season to make it 3-1 just two minutes into the period, then nearly three minutes later, Kaelan Taylor scored his first goal of the season to put the Knight Monsters up 3.
The third period was headlined by a goaltending clinic put on by Knight Monsters’ goaltender Cameron Whitehead, who stopped 40 of 41 Tulsa shots in his fifth consecutive start to help lead Tahoe to a 4-1 win.
The Knight Monsters are back in action tomorrow night to face off against the Oilers again. Puck drop is at 5:05 pm PT, with pregame coverage on the Knight Monsters broadcast network starting at 4:55 pm PT.
The Knight Monsters return home on Wednesday, December 17, to take on the Wichita Thunder at Tahoe Blue Event Center for Country Knight. Puck drop is at 7:00 pm, with pregame coverage on the Knight Monsters broadcast network beginning at 6:50 pm. Ticket packages for the 2025-26 season are now available. For more information, visit www.knightmonstershockey.com
Homeless in paradise: unhoused populations in Tahoe and the services that help them (part 1)
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Winter is usually the time when people in the basin think about homelessness—it’s when the risks are highest for those who are unhoused and when operations like warming centers are the most critical. But year-round, organizations like Sierra Community House and the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless as well as others provide critical services to those in most need.
In part 1 of this feature, the Tribune will cover what homelessness looks like in the Tahoe Basin and how homelessness services collect data. In part 2, we’ll cover what services are available to unhoused people and what changes are on the horizon for them.
What does homelessness look like here?
While homelessness in cities is typically depicted as sprawling encampments on roadsides, that usually isn’t the case for rural areas. There isn’t enough population density for it to show up in the same way—but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a problem in the region.
“It’s a problem of hidden homelessness,” said Cathie Foley, a longtime worker and volunteer in homelessness in the north shore and Truckee.
Jody Wright, executive director of Tahoe Family Solutions agrees. “There is a perception that everyone who lives in Lake Tahoe is loaded. My reality is, that may be true for some. But there are the rest of the people who are made to be invisible here, who struggle and suffer.”
Before people become homeless, they may live in substandard conditions, often crowding multiple families into one or two-bedroom apartments. People in situations like this might practice “hot bedding,” where a single bed is shared in shifts to save on rent. But if a roommate leaves an arrangement or falls behind on payments, it’s precarious for everyone else.
They may with live a disability that makes it difficult or impossible to work, or a mental illness that incapacitates them. Too often, they live in neglectful or abusive situations. Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness for children according to the domestic violence support network Doorways and in California’s statewide homelessness survey in 2023, 25% of respondents said they experienced physical violence in the six months prior to homelessness.
When they become homeless here, they surf on couches, stay in motels or camp out in cars—staying out of the public eye. Sometimes, they camp out in the forest, though they move to avoid arrests or disruptions.
The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) highlighted one story of a person who became homeless while still working construction jobs in the area. That person ended up living in a cave near Round Hill, battling COVID-19 while still living outside.
That harsh reality is true for many experiencing homelessness in Tahoe. They continue to work in the community while unable to secure dignified housing for themselves, especially among jobs in hospitality, cleaning, restaurants and seasonal positions.
“When people say, ‘Why don’t they just move out of the area?’ I wonder if they realize, this is where people’s support systems are. They don’t want to just leave a place where they know their neighbors, their hospitals, their friends and family,” said Wright.
Point in Time Count and collecting data
The Point in Time (PIT) count is a snapshot of those experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires communities to conduct this count to measure progress and allocate resources addressing homelessness. For that reason, the PIT count is necessary to perform each year.
Jazmin Breaux, Nevada County Health and Human Services Program Manager, said, “We have many different datapoints to inform what homelessness looks like… and the PIT is one of them.”
But it’s a complaint for some that it doesn’t do enough. For one, the PIT counts only people who are sheltered in an emergency shelter, transitional shelter, and Safe Havens on a single night. Then, on odd numbered years, they conduct a count of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness.
Cheyanne Lane, executive director of the Tahoe Youth and Family Services, called it inefficient and nonsensical.
“Real, actual data would express what’s happening with homelessness better. The point in time count doesn’t count couch surfing as homelessness for example, even though that is a form of homelessness. The PIT count represents an old way of thinking and a way of quantifying homelessness that doesn’t really happen in rural communities,” said Lane.
Mason Balison, who serves as El Dorado Continuum of Care’s lived experience advisory board member, also felt the PIT count could be inefficient. “It’s sometimes having people trekking through the woods looking for people. But if we don’t know where people are, we can’t count them. And sometimes, disbanding an encampment can happen the day of a count, so then they can’t be counted either.”
Other times, the count could be disrupted by the cold—since the count always happens in January, people will seek shelter, meaning that in places like Tahoe, it disrupts their counts for unsheltered people, especially in years when temperatures might drop suddenly. Balison recalled that in 2021, the PIT count was disrupted by people seeking shelter in the Sunray Motel since it became extremely cold.
But Breaux is right that other data exists. Coordinated Entry, for example, is a process that helps collect information about unhoused people and matches them to services within the community. The data from Coordinated Entry can help give a better understanding of who is receiving services in an area. There is also a homeless management system that is privately accessible by those who provide services that helps keep track of those who are unhoused and helps to provide more consistent care and case management.
Across the board, those who work with unhoused people agreed—the people receiving services here are people who have become unhoused within this community. Occasionally, there are unhoused people who are traveling and receive services as well. But the vast majority are people who have lived, worked and then become homeless within the Tahoe-Truckee region.
“Our clients are from Tahoe,” said Lane. “These are people who grown up here and people who want to stay in our community. I can tell you from looking at our information system that 85%, if not more, are from in the community.”
What challenges do those experiencing homelessness face?
Being unhoused can look very different across the board, but two key issues it presents is a lack of stability and a lack of privacy. Shelters are often limited in space, so they don’t guarantee a single place to rest for the night, and you’ll always be around other people. They also don’t always guarantee a place to receive mail or leave personal items or documents safely. While shelters in North Tahoe try to, not every shelter has the ability to accommodate animals, even if they are service animals. So, for people with pets, they may choose to find somewhere else to go instead, even if that means staying outside.
But staying outside comes with its own risks. Balison said, “It’s illegal to be homeless in a way. Encampments get broken up, it can be hard to find a safe place to park. And it’s hard to find welcoming places.” Even public spaces may frown upon unhoused people who appear too obviously “homeless” to them, denying them entry.
That can become dangerous in the winter. Weather is one of the most pressing concerns for people facing homelessness in Tahoe. While this year may have lower than average snowfall, cold temperatures pose a very real threat to those living outside, and has led to frostbite, hypothermia and death.
Because many people who are unhoused are fleeing neglect or abuse, they may not have any resources. They may not have identification, personal documents, a car or any money. They may lack a phone or computer, which makes it hard to connect or get in touch with people in a digital world. Without these items, they may effectively not exist in any system, making them uniquely vulnerable. They may also have had negative experiences with police or the justice system in cases of neglect and abuse, meaning they will be less likely to seek out services if they feel it will put them in contact with those entities.
Homelessness services have sought to make it not mandatory to interface with them to get help, instead prioritizing getting people into housing. This model, called Housing First, does not require people experiencing homelessness to begin addressing all other problems to get into housing. This stabilizes their life and has been found to be more effective in ending chronic homelessness and increasing perceived levels of autonomy, choice and control, often giving them a base from which to begin addressing those other issues.
While homelessness is typically best combatted from within the community and not from counties, the more isolated nature of the Tahoe-Truckee region from their respective counties makes it harder to get resources from the counties that could otherwise be shared. “All the shelters are currently off the hill,” said Wright. “If someone needs to go to one of them, they need to catch a ride from someone with a car, and that might be difficult depending on what their situation is.” Both south and north shore offers some transit services, but TART’s closing services means transit is limited for others.
El Dorado County’s navigation center is currently in Placerville, and the closest available shelter for Nevada residents might be in Reno. El Dorado’s serves West Slope as well as the basin, and has 60 beds, and is nearly always at capacity. And as previously stated, the farther unhoused people get from their communities, the farther removed they are from their resources and their support networks. Though some overnight shelter options exist, such as voucher for motels, those can fill up during ski season—which are critical periods for unhoused people as well.
While there were warming rooms for a time in both south and north shore, those services lapsed after COVID-19. This was an issue especially in Truckee, where there was a period of time when they were unable to operate a warming room at all. However, this lack of services helped mobilize the Tahoe Truckee Homeless Action Coalition (TTHAC) to begin work on the pilot navigation center and prioritize homelessness services.
Though substance abuse is not true across the board for everyone experiencing homelessness, it is a challenge and a coping mechanism that some turn to because of the hardships they face. Drug and alcohol abuse is often a way to numb the difficulty of being unhoused or coping with existing mental or physical disabilities that make everyday living intolerable. California’s 2023 report of homelessness showed that 20% of respondents noted their substance use increased by “a lot” during their current episode of homelessness. Only 6% were receiving any treatment.
Getting back on their feet is a challenge with limited resources. Housing is already a challenge for people across income brackets, and there’s waitlists that hundreds of people long that span years for low-income and affordable housing. “There are going to be homelessness issues until the housing landscape changes,” said Foley.
At AMI Housing, service coordinator Justin Jones said his clients have struggled with the availability of housing here. “They’re on waitlists, they’ve applied for vouchers. I’ve had a client say this is the third time he’s been told that he’s ‘close to the top,’ but he’s been waiting for years. And there’s just a lack of private housing that’s cheap enough to get in.”
Lastly, stigma plays a huge role in the challenges that unhoused people in the community face. Jones said that AMI Housing tries to provide services that lessen the stigma that they face—a shower, a shave, laundry, dentistry and haircuts. “We want to help our clients just take that first step and set them up for success,” said Jones.
That’s why day services and outreach are so important for homelessness nonprofits and organizations to provide. “Being able to go get a cup of coffee and hang out, just to be somewhere as you are makes you feel human again,” said Foley. “We need to make space for these people in our region.”
Foley continued, “It takes a place where people can have those basic necessities handled. Because without food, sleep, a bathroom or a place to stay—the longer you’re in a crisis mode, the more you rely on substances or fall into a bad place. We take a home for granted.”
Part 2 of this story will publish in January.
The Heavenly History: South Lake Tahoe resort celebrates 70 years
High above the blue expanse of Lake Tahoe, along the ridgeline where California meets Nevada, sits one of America’s most storied ski resorts. Heavenly Mountain Resort, known simply as Heavenly to generations of skiers, is woven deeply into Tahoe’s identity. The resort covers about 4,800 acres and reaches a summit of 10,067 feet, offering sweeping terrain and panoramic views of the lake.
But Heavenly’s current scale belies its modest origins. Before gondolas, lodges, and global recognition, the resort began with nothing more than rope tows, a dirt lot, and a handful of determined Tahoe locals.
The spark: Heavenly’s humble beginnings (1950–1955)
Long before gondolas whisked visitors from Stateline to the mountaintop, and before sprawling lodges and multi-million-dollar expansions, Heavenly began as a small vision shared by a handful of pioneers. Local entrepreneur Chris Kuraisa purchased the modest Bijou ski operation in the mid-1950s, a hillside outfitted with little more than a pair of rope tows and a rental shack. Recognizing the potential of the South Lake Tahoe region, Kuraisa partnered with friends and investors, carefully scouting higher terrain to create a mountain that would captivate skiers and tourists alike.
On December 15, 1955, Heavenly Valley officially opened its doors. A double chairlift carried skiers toward what would become the resort’s signature Gunbarrel run, while a short beginner lift welcomed novices to the slopes. The warming hut was humble, the parking sparse, and the staff largely friends and family, but the view was unlike anything visitors had ever seen. From the summit, Lake Tahoe stretched out like a mirror, framed by mountain peaks dusted in snow. It was this breathtaking panorama that gave the resort its name, and a promise that Heavenly would always be more than just a ski hill.
The mountain that kept growing: Expansion in the 1960s
As the 1960s dawned, skiing was shifting from a niche pastime to a mainstream American obsession, and Heavenly grew right alongside it. The construction of the 25-passenger aerial tram in 1962 marked the resort’s first major leap forward. For many, the tram was their introduction to Heavenly – a slow, thrilling ascent that revealed Lake Tahoe’s luminous blue waters and the sprawling mountains beyond. It was not only a gateway for skiers, but a draw for summer tourists, transforming the mountain into a year-round destination.
Expansion into Nevada further established Heavenly’s distinctive cross-state character. New lifts, lodges, and ski patrol outposts opened, doubling the skiable terrain and giving visitors a taste of both California charm and Nevada flair. Signature runs like Gunbarrel cemented the mountain’s reputation for steep, challenging terrain that tested even seasoned skiers. By the end of the decade, Heavenly had grown from a small local hill into a regional powerhouse – an ambitious, exhilarating mountain shaped by visionaries who believed in the magic of Tahoe.
The people who built Heavenly
Heavenly’s history is inseparable from the personalities who devoted themselves to the mountain. Among them was Martin Hollay, a Hungarian-born glove maker whose life became intertwined with Heavenly. From the 1960s onward, Hollay worked on ski patrol, helped cut trails, planted trees, and even assisted in building the resort’s first snowmaking reservoir. In 2002, at age 82, he skied with the Olympic torch when the relay passed through Heavenly, and a decade later, he remained active on the slopes well into his 90s. In recognition of his dedication, the resort named a trail and grove of trees in his honor.
Bob and Patsy Wood were more than investors, they were deeply woven into Heavenly’s soul. Bob, a former naval aviator turned ski pioneer, helped build the aerial tram in 1962 and was a driving force behind the Heavenly Valley Blue Angels racing team. Patsy, beloved for her warmth and generosity, lent her own personality to the mountain – there’s even a run named Patsy’s Run in her honor.
The Killebrew family brought vision and ambition to the resort’s operations. When San Francisco attorney Hugh Killebrew became majority owner in 1964, Heavenly entered one of its most transformative periods. However, tragedy struck in 1977 when Hugh and three employees died in a plane crash, leaving 23-year-old Bill Killebrew to carry the resort forward. Under Bill’s leadership, Heavenly navigated financial challenges and continued to proactively grow, leaving a lasting mark that can still be felt today.
Heavenly in the ’70s and ’80s: Speed, spectacle, and growing pains
By the 1970s, Heavenly had become a stage for both athleticism and entertainment. Freestyle skiing brought acrobatics to the slopes, beauty-pageant competitions added glamour, and World Cup events cemented the mountain’s reputation as a premier destination. South Lake Tahoe itself was booming, fueled by Stateline’s casinos, nightlife, and tourism, creating a lively backdrop for the mountain’s daily rhythms.
But the period was not without challenges. Financial strains loomed as consecutive dry winters reduced natural snowfall, forcing Heavenly to invest in snowmaking and operational efficiency. By the late 1970s, Hugh Killebrew faced the prospect of bankruptcy, laying off staff and preparing filings, only to be saved by a timely snowstorm that revitalized the mountain. Through grit, community support, and a few fortuitous seasons, Heavenly emerged from the decade stronger, prepared for modernization and the corporate transitions of the 1990s.
Changing hands: The era of mergers and modernization
The 1990s ushered in a period of transformation for Heavenly, as the modest ski area of earlier decades first stepped into the era of corporate skiing. In 1990, the Killebrew family sold the resort to Japan’s Kamori Kanko Company. The change in ownership marked a turning point: Heavenly began embracing the vision needed to modernize a major destination resort.
By the middle of the decade, the ski industry nationwide was consolidating, and Heavenly soon found itself swept up in that movement. In 1997, the American Skiing Company acquired the resort, launching a wave of upgrades. From lift improvements to branding initiatives, Heavenly was reintroduced to a new generation of skiers and snowboarders. The resort’s identity evolved, shifting from a homegrown mountain to a polished, internationally recognized skiing destination.
Even as ownership changed and the ski world grew more corporate, the 1990s left a lasting imprint on Heavenly – a decade defined by modernization, introspection, and the shaping of the resort today.
Vail Resorts and the modern era (2002 – present)
The turn of the millennium brought another transformation. In 2002, Vail Resorts acquired Heavenly for approximately $102 million, ushering in a period of unprecedented growth. Under Vail’s ownership, the resort has undergone extensive modernization, positioning Heavenly as one of North America’s premier ski destinations.
Infrastructure improvements have been a cornerstone of Vail’s investment. The resort now features modern gondolas and high-speed chairlifts, improving access between the base, mid-mountain, and summit. Snowmaking coverage has been expanded to ensure reliable conditions even during dry winters, while trail grooming and avalanche control have increased both safety and consistency for skiers and snowboarders.
Guest amenities have also been upgraded significantly. Heavenly now offers expanded dining and retail options, on-mountain lodging, and terrain parks designed for freestyle skiing and snowboarding. Beginner and intermediate areas have been enhanced to provide more accessible learning zones, ski school programs, and family-friendly facilities, making the mountain appealing to a broad range of visitors.
Environmental stewardship has become a central focus for mountain operations. Vail Resorts has implemented measures to protect the Tahoe watershed, including erosion control, sustainable snowmaking practices, and wildlife preservation programs, reflecting a growing industry-wide emphasis on responsible resort management.
Seventeen years after Vail Resorts’ acquisition, Heavenly continues to balance high-end infrastructure, environmental responsibility, and world-class skiing, solidifying its role as a modern, internationally recognized resort while preserving the mountain’s long-standing heritage.
From its earliest days as a modest ski hill to its current status as a major year-round destination, Heavenly has consistently evolved while maintaining the character that made it unique. Over the decades, the mountain has expanded its terrain, modernized its lifts, and improved snowmaking, yet it has always preserved the natural beauty and striking views of Lake Tahoe.
Heavenly’s history is reflected in its trails, infrastructure, and the community that continues to visit and work on the mountain. 70 years after opening, it stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of the region, offering generations of skiers and snowboarders the opportunity to explore a landscape shaped by both ambition and the mountain’s rich, local history.
LTCC women’s soccer finishes season ranked No. 20 nationally
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Lake Tahoe Community College women’s soccer team will end the year ranked No. 20 according to the final United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III Rankings released Tuesday afternoon.
It marks the second year in a row the Coyotes have ended the season ranked and the fifth time in the past eight years (2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025).
LTCC (12-6-4, 8-1-1 GVC) won a share of the Golden Valley Conference (GVC) regular season title, the eighth consecutive season they’ve earned at least a share of the GVC crown. The squad spent five weeks inside the national rankings throughout the season, reaching as high as No. 4 on Sept. 2.
The Coyotes went on a 10-game unbeaten run (9-0-1) between Sept. 28 and Nov. 4.
Sophomore midfielder Emily Brandt earned GVC Most Valuable Player honors and headlined eight total Coyotes on the All-GVC Team. An All-State selection, Brandt was joined on the All-NorCal team by teammates Avery Hayes and Alyssa Allan.
After earning a bye for the 3C2A NorCal Regional Playoffs opening round, the Coyotes fell 2-0 to No. 9-seed Evergreen Valley in Round 2.
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe unveils major renovations ahead of winter season
STATELINE, Nev. – Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe is introducing exciting new enhancements to the property, including refreshed dining and entertainment spaces, the reopening of a fan-favorite Oyster Bar, new sports bar, and the completed renovation of Sunset Tower.
“Golden Nugget is redefining what it means to experience elevated comfort in the Lake Tahoe,” said General Manager Jason Sides. “From completely renewed accommodations and vibrant entertainment spaces to the return of our beloved Oyster Bar, every detail of this transformation celebrates the spirit of Tahoe while delivering the world-class hospitality our guests expect. We’re proud to create a destination that’s as unforgettable as the landscape itself.”
Now open, Bill’s Sportsbook is the ultimate game day destination, featuring 1,200 square-feet of HD screens for premium viewing, booth and lounge seating accommodating up to 240 guests, and a bar with built-in slot machines. Guests can place their bets at staffed windows or through 24/7 self-service kiosks for ultimate convenience. In addition, Bill’s Sportsbook recently launched a full menu of classic comfort foods and bar favorites. Menu highlights include traditional or boneless wings, pizzas, smash-style burgers including a CNN Top 10 burger – the “Fat Cat”, sandwiches, signature milkshakes, and more. To accompany the delicious food, a full drink menu is available that features beer, wine, cocktails, and a variety of bottle service options.
At the heart of the property updates is the completion of Sunset Tower. Each redesigned space is finished with new designer furniture in natural tones and custom black-and-white artwork showcasing Lake Tahoe’s iconic landscapes. The completely remodeled rooms feature fully controlled heating and cooling in every room—a major enhancement for comfort and convenience. Additional upgrades include Simmons Beautyrest mattresses with premium Sobel Westex bedding, integrated USB and USB-C outlets, and 65″ LG flatscreen televisions powered by Sonify. Bathrooms feature spacious walk-in showers, deluxe Speakman showerheads, backlit mirrors over dual vanity sinks, and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries, complemented by updated lighting and motion-sensor night lights for added ambiance and comfort.
Rush Lounge is also a part of the renovation project, with a chic redesign perfect for nightlife entertainment. Formerly the Center Bar, the new Rush Lounge features a modern bar with a range of video-poker games, stage, and a revamped aesthetic incorporating red hues and moody lighting. The space offers bar and table seating accompanied by hand-crafted cocktails and live music every weekend. Rush Lounge is open Monday-Friday from 8 AM – 4 AM and Friday-Saturday 24/7.
Additionally, the popular Oyster Bar has reopened after a month-long renovation. The restaurant is Lake Tahoe’s first and only raw seafood bar and is a fan favorite amongst locals and visitors. Open daily for lunch and dinner, this dining hot spot offers premium seafood including hearty gumbos, rich pan roasts, freshly shucked oysters, and traditional jambalaya.
Perfect for guests on the move, Bean & Bread has been completely refreshed featuring a larger, more inviting 920 sq. ft. space and an expanded menu with even more options to enjoy—from Starbucks™ coffee and fresh pastries to hearty sandwiches, grab-and-go favorites, and local treats like Tahoe Creamery, Tahoe Toffee and The Chocolate Shoppe. Open daily, Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Bean & Bread is the ideal spot to relax, recharge, and savor the new experience.
Lastly, the hotel lobby has unveiled Essentials, a refreshed micro-market that has transformed the former basic grab-and-go space into a more curated retail experience. Along with snacks, drinks, and travel necessities, Essentials now features premium brands such as Jellycat, Rhone Apparel, Shiraleah, Ray-Ban, TravisMathew, and more, bringing elevated gifting, apparel, and accessories directly to guests on the go.
For more information on current offerings, property enhancements, or to book a stay, visit https://www.goldennuggetlt.com or follow us on social media @goldennuggetlt.
-
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe renovations
Provided / GNLT
-
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe renovations
Provided / GNLT
-
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe renovations
Provided / GNLT
-
-
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe renovations
Provided / GNLT
-
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe renovations
Provided / GNLT
-
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe renovations
Provided / GNLT
-
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe renovations
Provided / GNLT
-
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe renovations
Provided / GNLT
Truckee-Tahoe – Pet of the Week: Carmela
Meet Carmela, a delicate little soul with a heart full of potential. At just two years of age, and a petite eight pounds, she’s a shy, sensitive girl who’s still working up the courage to trust the big world around her. You’ll often find her tucked into one of her many beds, observing everything from a safe distance with her soft, thoughtful eyes.
Right now, Carmela isn’t fully comfortable being handled, but that’s okay, she’s on her own timeline. And day by day, she’s getting more and more brave and allowing for pets and peaceful interaction. What she does show, even through her shyness, is a gentle sweetness that promises something truly special for the person willing to give her the chance she deserves.
Carmela is searching for a calm, patient adopter who understands the beauty of helping a shy cat come out of her shell. With time, love, and a peaceful environment, she has every chance to blossom into a devoted companion.
If you have a gentle heart and a quiet home where a tender spirit can feel safe, Carmela may be the perfect match for you. If you are interested in meeting this sweet little lady, or to learn more about her, please reach out to one of HSTT’s Adoption Specialists at 530-587-5948 or adoptions@hstt.org. Carmela is spayed, fully vaccinated, and microchipped. To view more adoptable pets or to learn more about the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, please visit www.hstt.org.
Mid-town area plan, rate increase and Heavenly parking: city council updates
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On Tuesday, city council met for the last time this calendar year to discuss the mid-town area plan, South Tahoe Refuse’s rate increases and the Heavenly parking agreement.
Heather Horgan was sworn into city council and began serving immediately. She will serve until November 2026.
Council also discussed black bear management during the meeting.
During public comment, Lou Pierini requested that the council consider placing Measure T, which prohibited short-term vacation home rentals in residential areas, back on the ballot.
Consent agenda
On the consent agenda, Melissa Soderston spoke on item 7, the investment portfolio report. “It’s Divestment December,” she said, referring to activist strategies of divesting en masse as a protest strategy. “Even as a small municipality, we represent every single person who lives in our community. Our tax dollars do not belong in Israel and unaliving innocent women and children.”
Item 13 was pulled by Councilmember David Jinkens, which concerned the Mid-Town Area Plan. Mayor Cody Bass had to recuse himself from the item due to his business being located in the area plan. Jinkens was interested in requesting an evaluation of the impact on fire evacuation routes and an economic impact report to be added to the environmental analysis of the area plan.
Director of development services Zach Thomas clarified that the environmental analysis scope already included fire evacuation routes as an impact. City manager Joe Irvin also stated that he would look into potential economic impacts, but that it would not be covered by an environmental analysis report.
Public comment on the item largely concerned the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s (TRPA) involvement in the environmental analysis, as they felt the TRPA was ineffective. Councilmember Scott Robbins said he was unhappy with the TRPA’s work, but that the council was beholden to them as a federal entity and that it was necessary to work with them in order to allow businesses to utilize the area plan.
Steve Teshara spoke in support of getting the environmental analysis underway to revitalize Mid-Town.
Thomas also clarified that the city will function as the lead agency in the review, not the TRPA.
Rate increase
Sustainability coordinator Sara Letton presented on the South Tahoe Refuse interim year 2026 and Senate Bill 1383 rate increases. The increase is 5.10% for South Tahoe Refuse’s interim year and 5.08% for SB 1383, totaling $4.38 for residential customers and $5.01 per cubic yard for commercial customers on January 1, 2026.
Letton said that they received 39 protests, but would have needed 4,200 to stop the rate increase. While public comment was against the rate increase, the council ultimately passed the rate increase.
Heavenly parking agreement
Assistant city manager Hilary Roverud brought back the Heavenly parking agreement, which proposed an annual payment of $45,000 with a 4% increase each year. The parking agreement would not cover a community service officer, as clarified by Robbins, but would allow on-street parking on Ski Run, Saddle Road, and areas of Keller Road.
Bass said that he felt that the parking agreement would be helpful for locals and was in support of it. Robbins, who has continued to vocally disagree with decisions around Heavenly, said, “You’re out of your minds. This doesn’t even fund the cost of a CSO.”
The parking agreement passed with a no vote from Robbins.
City staff and council reports
Councilmember Keith Roberts noted that the Clean Tahoe program recommended that Sara Letton take the position on the board rather than having two councilmembers on the board.
Irvin noted that the Festival of Winter Lights and the Gingerbread Making Festival both take place this weekend.
Jinkens attended the fundraiser for the Presbyterian Church at Lake Tahoe Pizza Company, where they raised $6,000 for the church. He also requested that a number of items be followed up on, including the senior plaza and Margaritaville.
Robbins and Jinkens both saw that the emergency repairs at Lakeview Commons and El Dorado Beach had eroded and were interested in having it addressed. Irvin said that it was an item for the January 27 meeting.
The next meeting for city council will take place on January 13. The unfinished new business items were moved to that meeting.
Liberty Utilities will close its walk-in center on December 29
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The infrequently used walk-in center on 933 Eloise Avenue will be closing on December 29, according to Liberty Utilities. No plans have yet been stated on what the building will be used for.
Liberty says that less than 1% of their customers use the walk-in centers as payment options have shifted online, and people often use automatic payments. The company has also offered customer service through the phone for a number of years.
The walk-in center has seen very little use over the years, in part due to its location in town and because many issues can now be addressed through the phone or online service. Some have mentioned that they have been redirected to fill out forms online when going to the walk-in center, or found it more helpful to call customer service and speak with different agents.
Liberty provided ways to stay connected with them after the walk-in center closes later this month.
- My Account (online): Manage your account and pay your bill anytime through our My Account portal.
- One-time online payment: Click HERE to make a quick payment without signing in.
- Automatic payments (AutoPay): Set it and forget it — visit HERE to learn more and enroll.
- Phone payments: Call 1-800-782-2506 and select option 2 for the secure payment line.
- Mail payments: Return the lower portion of your bill with a check or money order to:
- Liberty Utilities – CA
- PO Box 60144
- City of Industry, CA 91716-0144
- Authorized Payment Agents: Pay at participating locations near you — click HERE, then enter your address in the Location Search field and “Liberty Utilities CA” in the Biller Search dropdown to view nearby Authorized Payment Agents. In South Lake Tahoe, authorized locations include CVS Pharmacy and 7-11 stores. Please note that using this service may result in a delay in posting your payments.
For more details on the variety of payment options, click View payment option.
If customers need help with their bill, service, or payment arrangements, the Liberty customer service team is available Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. at 1-800-782-2506 or https://libertyutilities.com/.
Vail Resorts’ post-Labor Day push boosts Epic Pass sales for 2025-26 season
When Vail Resorts last updated investors on season pass sales, the company was down 3% in total units sold through Sept. 19, as compared to last year.
But a strong post-Labor Day sales cycle reversed that momentum, and when Vail Resorts closed its season pass sales period on Dec. 4, the company had gained a point, bringing the final tally to a 2% reduction from last season.
CEO Rob Katz, on an investor call on Wednesday, said the company “overdelivered” in the late stages of its selling cycle, exceeding what it had projected in September.
“And even the overdelivery on passes, we think, was muted by challenging weather at the end, when obviously that marginal consumer is not as motivated,” Katz said.
At the end of the season pass sales cycle in November, Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West were reporting some of the lowest snowpack in decades.
“Last year, at that exact time, we had very, very strong conditions, so we had a little bit of a tougher (comparison) than we did this year,” Katz said.
Nevertheless, during the post Labor Day sales period, Vail Resorts saw sales dollars grow approximately 6% compared to the same selling period in the prior year, buoyed by the fact that the season passes increased in price as the deadline to purchase approached. That, combined with the company’s decision to raise the base price of season passes by 7% over last year, allowed Vail Resorts to boast a 3% increase in total revenue, despite selling 2% fewer passes.
“We were really pleased with the turnaround that we saw, particularly the revenue turnaround — up 1% through Labor Day, and now up 6% post Labor Day,” Katz said.
The company shifted its marketing approach during the post-Labor Day period, focusing less on email marketing than in years past.
Katz, in his September comments to investors, acknowledged that something needed to change in the company’s marketing strategy, noting that the company had underperformed in that regard up to that point.
“At the heart of our underperformance is the way we are connecting with guests,” Katz said. “It has not kept pace with the rapidly evolving consumer landscape.”
For years, email was the company’s most effective channel for reaching guests, Katz said, but those days are over as consumer preferences have changed.
“Email effectiveness has significantly declined, but we did not make enough progress in shifting to new and emerging marketing challenges,” Katz said.
The company changed its marketing approach, using paid media investments to help drive season pass sales, and an uptick in pass product sales for the period between Sept. 20 and the pass sales deadline of Dec. 4 resulted, Katz said on Wednesday.
“It speaks to a lot of what we’ve been saying in terms of changing how we’re going to be engaging with guests,” he said.
VHR ordinance approved by commissioners
The only major change made by commissioners in approving the latest iteration of Douglas County’s vacation home rental ordinance was to put tobacco odors back into a code of conduct.
The final reading of Douglas County’s most amended ordinance on Dec. 4 was anticlimactic after numerous public hearings by a variety of bodies over the last six months.
Community Development Program Manager Ernie Strehlow said he wasn’t quite sure how tobacco was omitted from the ordinance for the second reading.
County commissioners put it back in the code of conduct, which also includes a variety of basic rules the county expects operators to impose on renters. Cooking odors are not addressed in the final ordinance.
Retired police detective Commissioner Wes Rice asked Strehlow how he was going to enforce the rule on odors.
ADVERTISING
Strehlow said that a complainant could sign an attestation which could be included with a citation. He said that, like all complaints against rentals, could be appealed to the vacation home rental advisory board as part of the process..
This week, rental committee advisors Keith Byers and Lauren Romain are seeking reappointment to the board. The new ordinance’s elimination of a member from East Fork Township has yet to be addressed.
Gardnerville resident Patty Graf is no longer on the board, according to the county. She was appointed to the Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife last month. At some point, the county will be looking for a third member of the board from Tahoe Township who doesn’t hold a VHR permit. Romain and advisor Glenn Wolfson are the two members of the board who have VHR permits. Byers and Mickie Hempler don’t have permits.
Genoa resident Dan Aynesworth, who served on the task force established in 2019 to establish the framework for the current VHR regulations, endorsed the new ordinance.
“I’ve been following this from the very beginning,” he said. “Hopefully, we are in a position to let it sit for a while.”
Commissioner Mark Gardner agreed that it was time to let the VHR issue rest.
Lake Tahoe Unified School District, Sierra House Elementary honored with the 2025 California School Board Association Golden Bell Award
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Sierra House Elementary School and the Lake Tahoe Unified School District were recognized at the 2025 California School Boards Association Annual Education Conference during the Golden Bell Awards on December 3, 2025, in Sacramento. Board President Lauri Kemper and Sierra House Principal Karin Holmes took the stage to accept the award on behalf of the district and school. An exciting moment that celebrated years of dedication, collaboration, and innovation.
The prestigious Golden Bell Award honors exemplary programs and governance practices in California school districts. The programs address barriers to student success and close opportunity and achievement gaps. Sierra House Elementary received this distinction for its innovative program, “Transforming Math Instruction: A Model of Growth and Collaboration.”
This initiative was designed to help every student see themselves as confident and capable mathematicians. By emphasizing students’ strengths, nurturing a love of learning, and fostering meaningful collaboration, the program reshaped how students and teachers approach math. With committed staff and strong support from the Board of Education, Sierra House successfully developed a model that meets the needs of diverse learners, without requiring significant additional funding.
As a result, students now eagerly dive into math challenges, explain their thinking with confidence, and view mistakes as valuable steps in the learning process. Sierra House teachers apply instructional strategies developed through the CA Ed partnership by dedicating time for math collaboration and discussing math learning objectives daily, having purposeful and focused collaboration on student work and strategies, and developing common assessments. The Sierra House Math Initiative has elevated student engagement while transforming teachers and students into mathematicians, making the subject both fun and empowering.
Superintendent Dr. Cutler expressed his appreciation, saying, “I couldn’t be prouder of the Sierra House staff for their dedication to helping every student see themselves as a capable and confident mathematician. This recognition reflects their passion and the Board’s ongoing support.”
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe named among best in the world by Condé Nast Traveler
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino has made the “Top 100 Resorts in the World” list by Condé Nast Traveler, a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine that provides readers with information on popular travel destinations, hotels, food and beverage, airlines, and more.
“We are incredibly honored to be recognized as one of the top resorts in the world accordingly to readers of Condé Nast Traveler,” said Pascal Dupuis, general manager of Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino. “This prestigious recognition is dedicated to all of the hard work of our amazing team, as well as the stunning location and unforgettable experiences we provide to our guests.”
Each year, the “Top 100 Resorts in the World List” is part of the magazine’s Readers’ Choice Award program which celebrates excellence in the travel industry chosen by readers of the magazine. Readers from around the world cast their votes for the best travel destinations, hotels, resorts, airlines, and more. Winners of the prestigious award are selected based on various criteria including service, accommodations, dining, cleanliness and safety, location and more. The “Top 100 Resorts in the World” list can be seen by visiting The Best Resorts in the World: 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards | Condé Nast Traveler.
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino offers a year-round getaway nestled in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains and North America’s largest alpine lake. The resort features a variety of recreational activities including access to its acclaimed Adventure program which offers guided hikes, seasonal excursions, and opportunities for guests to explore the outdoors throughout the year. During the winter months, the resort provides convenient access to the area’s world-renowned ski locations.
For more information or to book a getaway to Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, please visit HyattRegencyLakeTahoe.com, or call (775) 832-1234.
City will work with BEAR League, CDFW to develop protocol for bears
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – After several delays to hold the meeting discussing how the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) manages black bears in the Tahoe Basin, regional manager Morgan Kilgour presented to city council on Tuesday. City council decided, after hearing from the BEAR League, Fish and Wildlife Commission representative Leona Allen and other members of the community that they would work with several agencies to develop a protocol for how to handle bears within the city.
Kilgour spoke to the council about the CDFW’s protocols for handling bears, which are guided by the Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan for California, which was released in April 2025. The plan includes trapping, tagging and hazing bears as non-lethal management, as well as the Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT) as a Tahoe-specific team. Other tools include electric mats, which the CDFW loans to people, as well as bear boxes.
The CDFW also collects DNA to help track bears, which they hope to expand as a program. They also are looking to expand their research and volunteer programs, the use of electrical deterrents and their bear box grant program.
Kilgour highlighted that the bear density in Tahoe was particularly high—a pilot study in 2022 showed that the Tahoe Basin has the second highest density of bears in California. It also has a particularly high level of human-bear conflict. From their DNA data, bears that have 5 or more incidents represent 9% of the bear population, and represent 61% of the home invasions.
South Lake Tahoe’s police department reported they responded to 196 bear calls in the last year as of Sept. 15, and representatives of the BEAR League spoke during public comment about how constantly they respond to bear calls.
The BEAR League executive director strongly supported the request for a bear sanctuary city, which Erick Asbury has requested at multiple city council meetings.
Kilgour suggested to the council that a liaison position to the CDFW could be useful and has existed in other municipalities.
District 5 representative of the Fish and Wildlife Commission, Leona Allen, again asked for the city to install bear boxes at the Campground by the Lake, which is on city property. She also asked for higher fines for feeding wildlife, and enforcing restrictions on them, especially for hotels and restaurants. Allen urged for the council to have a wildlife advocate, and to potentially partner with the county in that work.
Council was interested in having a liaison, with some interest for Allen to serve in that position. Ultimately, council directed staff to work with the agencies present, including police, the CDFW, the BEAR League and South Tahoe Refuse to engage in meetings and develop protocol to handling bears within city limits.
Tahoe/Truckee’s News of Note in 2025
Another year in the books.
Instead of jumping ahead to all things 2026, we at Moonshine Ink decided to revisit some of 2025’s most top-of-mind stories for our region and see what has (or hasn’t) changed.
Below, you’ll read about the latest regarding Tahoe lead cables, North Lake Tahoe incorporation, fire insurance, and the Town of Truckee’s self-reflection.
Lake Tahoe is (Finally) Lead Cable-Free
Follow-up to Lead-Sheathed Telecommunication Cables Removed from Lake … (News Briefs Nov. 25, 2024) printed Dec. 12, 2024, and other investigative stories in prior years
Almost five years since a lawsuit was first filed to remove two lead-leaking telecommunications cables from Lake Tahoe, the cables are fully and completely gone.
This one deserves some historical context:
Back in November 2020, Moonshine Ink broke the news that two four-inch-thick telecommunications cables existed beneath Lake Tahoe’s surface, actively leaking lead into the water — and that legal action was being taken to do something about it.
The intervening years have been somewhat of a rollercoaster. The lawsuit, filed in January 2021 by California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, initially resulted in a settlement by cable owner AT&T that fall. The company agreed to remove the cables, though denied they generated pollution.
Obtaining permits lengthened the removal process. Finally, AT&T planned for fall 2023. But a July 2023 Wall Street Journal investigation found the publicly traded corporation had a legacy of lead-clad infrastructure across bodies of water in the U.S., resulting in a freefall of AT&T stock and the company backtracking on removing the Tahoe cables until more lead testing could be done. (We reported on this, too.)
In September 2024, AT&T settled. By the end of that November, 8 miles of cables were pulled out of Lake Tahoe, though a segment remained due to its proximity to a sensitive habitat to the Tahoe yellow cress.
A year after that removal, on Sept. 18, 2025, the final phase was completed. AT&T worked in coordination with the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to pull out the obsolete cable from Rubicon Bay to Baldwin Beach.
“Good weather and calm lake conditions allowed AT&T’s contractor to pull the remaining 100-foot section of cable with minimal impact to Baldwin Beach and Lake Tahoe,” shared USFS Public Affairs Specialist Lisa Herron in a statement. “Forest Service staff were on site throughout the operation, monitoring work to protect habitat for Tahoe yellow cress, a plant found only on Lake Tahoe’s shoreline.”
The League to Save Lake Tahoe (Keep Tahoe Blue) was also involved with the lead-cable removal.
“Taking out these decades-old, unused cables has been a top priority for Keep Tahoe Blue and the community as a whole. We’re proud to have helped make it happen and grateful to everyone who contributed,” said Laura Patten, natural resource director at Keep Tahoe Blue. “Good things happen in Tahoe when unlikely partners come together for a shared purpose.”
History in the Making for North Tahoe
Follow-up to Coming Soon: The Town of North Lake Tahoe? by Melissa Siig, printed March 13, 2025
It took a little over two months for a grassroots organization called Eastern Placer Future to collect what should end up being enough signatures to advance the idea of a Town of North Lake Tahoe closer to the incorporation finish line.
To commence an official exploration of becoming a new town by Placer County’s Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), Eastern Placer Future needed to collect 2,188 signatures (or 25%) from certified voters within the proposed town boundary. During the last week of November, a third-party consultant verified the group collected 2,387 between September and mid-November.
This is the first time such an effort has progressed so far, despite multiple efforts dating as far back as 1966.
Steve Teshara, one of the Eastern Placer Future committee members, contributes the current success to waning influence of the Lake Tahoe portion in Placer County. District 5, which includes Tahoe’s North and West shores, is 77% of the county’s land area, but its population is not rising. Western Placer’s is.
“[District 5 Sup.] Cindy [Gustafson]’s probably the last supervisor that will be a resident of this area,” Teshara said. “That’s a central concern that we’re expressing to people, and people are resonating with that … People want to see where does our money really go, what do we get back, and are there some services that we could do better because they would be all coordinated locally? We’ll still have services provided by the county … like health and human service and a court system and things like that. And we may do some work and contracting with the county to start with, but people are really getting the sense that this is an opportunity to put in place local decision-making.”
But there’s a long way to go before anything becomes official.
During the first week of December, an Eastern Placer Future representative delivered the petitions to the LAFCO office in Auburn and then accompanied LAFCO staff to take the petitions to the Placer County elections office, which has 30 days to review.
“[The elections office is] the final arbiter of whether we’ve got the requisite number of signatures … We do expect to qualify for the petition being certified as valid,” Teshara said.
Assuming all systems are go, LAFCO will review an official Eastern Placer Future application (the group is currently raising $25,000 for a downpayment connected to this) and then put out a request for proposal for a comprehensive fiscal analysis. An environmental analysis will be considered separately.
“And then LAFCO looks at all the pieces, and they make a determination based on do they think that the town would be financially sustainable over a period of time, not just for a couple of years,” Teshara said. “They have to make sure that it’s an efficient way to provide government services in our area.
“Once they go through all that, then ultimately it has to go to the county for discussions, and finally some sort of county vote on the revenue neutrality negotiations.”
Eastern Placer Future funded an initial feasibility study for incorporation back in 2023. Based on Placer County costs and revenues for fiscal year 2021/22, Eastern Placer annually generated about $16.4 million in property tax; about $3.2 million in sales tax; $22.7 million in Transient Occupancy Tax; $2.1 million in property sales; and $862,000 from utility and service providers. The comprehensive fiscal analysis through LAFCO will create more accurate numbers based on recent costs and revenues, though Teshara said Eastern Placer Future anticipates there being enough funding to operate the town.
“A main way that LAFCO judges viability is it determines what your general fund revenues are,” he said. “If you have a general fund surplus of a certain percentage, that is a very helpful sign and metric. We anticipate that being the case.”
Should the Town of North Lake Tahoe (or whatever its official name might end up being) incorporate, it must do so without any harm to the county. Also part of the LAFCO process are revenue neutrality negotiations. “The county will pass through to the town the property tax, the sales tax, the other things that would be legally accruable to the town, but the county can’t lose a bunch of money based on this,” Teshara explained.
Assuming LAFCO approval, then board of supervisors’ approval, voters will step in to decide. To pass, it will take a 50%-plus-one ballot vote of registered voters within the proposed boundary. Regarding whether such a vote could happen as soon as November 2026, Teshara said, “All I can say is that we’re pushing as hard as we can to get through the process. Does the process take time? Are timelines stipulated under state law that LAFCO has to abide by? Yes.”
As the target is a moving one, Teshara said the best place for the latest updates is easternplacerfuture.org, which will have information about upcoming meetings, donation needs and milestones, and progress points.
A Fiery Dance Over Fire Insurance
Follow-up to Understanding the Shortcomings of the California FAIR Plan by John Manocchio, printed March 13, 2025
When Moonshine dove deep into fire insurance in September 2023, the mood — and situation — was dire. That year, most insurance giants (Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual) began limiting coverage in California in reaction to increasing wildfire concerns. As options shrank for homeowners and commercial tenants, many Californians began turning to the FAIR (Fair Access to Insurance Requirements) Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort at higher costs. One Truckee resident told the Ink at the time that her premium through the FAIR Plan shot her monthly payment up by 272%, from $1,800 to $6,700.
Looking back at that time from the end of 2025 reveals that such increases were only just beginning. From October 2024 to September 2025, the FAIR Plan acquired 268,379 new dwelling and commercial policyholders. That’s a nearly 200% increase from the October 2022 to September 2023 timeframe.
The FAIR Plan was enacted in the late 1960s to offer insurance to those unable to find coverage through traditional routes. As of September this year, the plan’s total policies in force (or the number of active policies) is 645,987 — a 96% increase since September 2023.
Further, the FAIR Plan’s total exposure following the same timeframes is $696.1 billion (a 52% increase since last September, and 145% increase since 2023). Back in March 2024, FAIR Plan president Victoria Roach said to a state legislative committee, “We are one event away from a large assessment. There’s no other way to say it, because we don’t have the money on hand [to pay every claim] and we have a lot of exposure.” That event, as it turned out, seemed to be the January 2025 Los Angeles fires, which resulted in an estimated $4 billion loss for the FAIR plan. In February, plan policyholders were assessed $1 billion to recoup losses — the first member assessment in 30 years.
On the Nevada side, the 2025 Insurance Market Report put out by the Nevada Division of Insurance noted that “insurers reported that wildfire risk had a direct impact on policy availability in 2023 … This trend has continued into 2024, where certain areas, such as Incline Village and Stateline, have seen wildfire-related policy non-renewals rise significantly.”
There’s no insurer of last resort in the Silver State, but that seems to be the preference. In June 2024, then-Nevada Insurance Commissioner Scott Kipper held a town hall in Incline Village to discuss fire insurance for residential and commercial owners/tenants. Kipper said then that he didn’t consider the FAIR Plan a good policy.
“I believe [a FAIR Plan is] great for consumers having access; terrific,” he said. “But these plans generally provide lesser levels of coverage at a more expensive price. So, there’s a tradeoff that we need to ensure we work toward.”
Mike Peyton, a Farmers Insurance agent based in Incline Village who handles insurance in both California and Nevada, added the insurer perspective. “[The FAIR Plan is] a double-sided sword,” he said. “As soon as carriers know there’s a FAIR plan, there’s a larger propensity to pull out. That’s what happened in California; all the carriers said, ‘Welp, they have a FAIR plan so at least the consumer has somewhere to go.’ It kind of backfired.”
In June of this year, the Nevada Legislature passed A.B. 376, which allows insurers, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, to exclude wildfire coverage from homeowners’ policies and offer it either as a standalone product or eliminate it altogether.
On a positive note, this move could dissuade insurers from leaving the state like they have in California. So says Nevada policy analyst Anahit Baghshetsyan, who spoke with KUNR in October about the bill and said, “One policy you could think about would be debundling the home insurance, offering only wildfire insurance, mitigate the costs through that, or limited-time insurance, so maybe people would just seek wildfire insurance only in the summer months.”
Peyton, meanwhile, noted that despite the unambiguous state of fire insurance out West: “I think we’re on the upswing.”
The reasoning behind his optimism, he explained, is that people are better educated about wildfire realities and the sticker shock of rising prices has subsided. “Carriers are raising rates again but you’re not seeing double,” he added. “Now it’s the standard 3% to 7% [increase].”
Dillon Sheedy, assistant wildfire prevention manager and forester with the Truckee Fire Protection District, pointed to an encouraging trend from a fire service perspective: “More homeowners are taking proactive steps to create defensible space and meet the standards insurers now look for,” he wrote in an email. “These practices are achievable for most properties in our area, they make a real difference in wildfire risk, and we are seeing insurers remain willing to cover homes that demonstrate strong, well-documented wildfire mitigation actions that follow these guidelines and regulations.”
Sheedy noted that thanks to Measure T, passed by Truckee voters in 2021 to create a dedicated source of local funding for wildfire prevention, the district has expanded its defensible space and home-hardening inspections and increased fuels reduction and green-waste programs, among other increased home survivability efforts.
He added, “We can’t speak on behalf of insurers, but we do believe that communities demonstrating strong, consistent wildfire mitigation work are the ones best positioned over time … As the statewide insurance landscape continues to evolve, our goal is to ensure that the Truckee area is a model of what a well-prepared and wildfire-resilient mountain community looks like.”
The Town of Truckee’s Transparency? So Far, Improving
Follow-up to Square Zero: Truckee Confronts Its Growing Pains by Alex Hoeft, printed June 12, 2025
It’s been a year of considerable self-reflection for the Town of Truckee. After growing outcry over the town’s land development processes and skepticism around an organizational assessment of the town grew to a boiling point in early 2025, a giant reset button was hit in mid-May.
The hope: That three reports meant to analyze the young town’s function internally and externally could provide common ground for groups at odds to move forward in a more unified fashion.
More than 110 recommendations were shared at a May 13 council meeting for the town to address residents’ desire to preserve Truckee’s natural beauty, staffing burnout, processual issues, and more.
Six months later, the rubber has not only hit the road, it’s put mileage on the odometer.
“There’s 15 or 20 [recommendations] that are done,” said Town Manager Jen Callaway, “and we’ve got a ton that are in process that we’re working on — almost 50 of those. We’re making great strides. I think the most probably notable and exciting [one] from a community’s perspective and the staff’s perspective is we just got authorization to execute a [three-year] contract with Cloudpermit [for no more than $182,246]. That’s the permitting software, and we are on target to be live with that in May [2026] at the start of the building season. Pretty rapid progress on that.”
Other notable recommendations that have seen progress the last quarter of 2025:
• Hiring: Council approved 10 of the assessment’s recommended 20 new full-time positions — six of which were for the Truckee Police Department. Staff is 90% through the recruitment process. A new tracking process, NEOGOV, is being used to streamline the ability to collect applications and advance promising individuals.
“What we approved and recommended with this first budget was reclassification of the lieutenants to the captain,” Callaway said specifically of the PD positions. “That required a classification study. We’ve done that; they’ve been reclassified and hired an administrative sergeant … And then an emergency services coordinator, so a second position in emergency services. That recruitment is underway now.”
- Administrative Services Department survey: complete
- Town fiscal policy updates: 75% complete. Staff intends to bring draft policies to town council for final approval during December.
- Enhance town’s credit card procession and payment capabilities: 50% complete
Specific to the town’s planning division, which was recognized as “the biggest organizational/operational challenge facing the town” by the Baker Tilly organizational analysis, staff has incorporated amendments to help “clean up” the development process, Callaway said. The application has also been simplified.
Further, “Our community development director, especially for larger projects, is having more of an initial conversation about timelines, expectations, and trying to understand that better before we even start,” Callaway said. “In addition to the software and the planning on-call hours, the staff is really working hard to try to understand expectations and see if we can meet those, or if we can’t, we’re really clear about why.”
Ed Vento, president and CEO of the Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe, echoed the sentiment of success. “If you asked me to grade them, I’d give them an A,” he told Moonshine. “I don’t expect perfection; I do expect transparency … The [Cloudpermit] software isn’t going to fix everything, but we expect it to be another tool for staff to use and the public to use toward a better customer service experience.”
CATT members have been able to sit down with engineering and town building staffers to hold discussions on current processes. Vento said he expects the same cooperation and collaboration when meetings with planning staff happen as well.
“Now that both [the town and CATT] have had success, we can approach each other and not think somebody’s up to something,” he continued. “We’ve been able to see each other work. The joke is everyone thinks the town has a conspiracy going. And maybe CATT does too … we both figured out that none of us have the time, the will, and the smarts to work on these conspiracies. We figured out how each other works now and nobody has the time for BS. Is there an issue … with discretion [over design decisions]? Yes, but we’ll address that. We’re taking care of the low-hanging fruit. They’re doing a good job, and I think we are too in communicating.”
Celebrations of Light Bring Us Together
It’s no secret that our holiday season in Truckee/Tahoe can be a quintessential winter wonderland. For many, these early winter months are marked with the joy of falling snow, twinkling downtown lights, and our favorite folks gathered around what my mother would call “a rip-roarin’ fire.”
“… IT’S NO COINCIDENCE THAT SO MANY WINTER CELEBRATIONS CLUSTER AROUND WHAT MAY JUST BE THE MOST MAGICAL TIME OF THE YEAR: THE WINTER SOLSTICE.”
In the weeks before Christmas, trees parade like proud passengers atop family cars, gelt (the foil-wrapped chocolate coins given as gifts and game tokens during Hanukkah) reappears on grocery shelves, and elementary school students huddle around craft tables to make ornaments for downtown displays.
As a child at Truckee Elementary, I distinctly remember these ornament-decorating parties. One year, we transformed sheets of white paper into supersized snowflakes; the next, we marbled the inside of transparent globes with acrylic paint and glitter. And while most of our holiday activities centered around Christmas traditions, our teachers still carved out spaces for others. In kindergarten, we munched on latkes and gelt while playing dreidel. For our winter holiday recital, we sang classic Christmas carols side-by-side with “Kwanzaa is Here.”
While nearly all of my schoolmates celebrated Christmas, and nearly none celebrated Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, power remained in the simple practice of acknowledging multiple holiday traditions. That same strength lies in recognizing that our holidays, despite their differences, share important throughlines such as joy, light, renewal, generosity, and gathering.
And it’s no coincidence that so many winter celebrations cluster around what may just be the most magical time of the year: the winter solstice.
For millennia, humans have marked this season with celebrations around the solstice. It’s unclear when exactly these “holidays” began, but archeological sites around the world showcase human architecture intentionally aligned with the path of solstice sun. Stonehenge, for example, marks both the summer solstice — when the sun rises behind the Heel Stone in the northeast to shine its first rays into the structure’s center — and the winter solstice, when the last moments of sun cast long rays directly through the circle’s heart. And predating Stonehenge by over 6,000 years, Karahan Tepe in Turkey was similarly built to cast solstice sunlight on key statues and structural elements throughout the site. Ancient Rome and Greece greeted the solstice with exuberant parties, and Yule festivities celebrated by Germanic peoples came to shape many of the beloved rituals we now associate with Christmas: decorating evergreen trees, feasting, gift-giving and lighting candles to illuminate this short-sunned season.
It’s possible that the timing of contemporary Christmas was also gleaned from solstice celebrations. Early religious scholars showed little interest in pinpointing the day or season of Christ’s birth, and it wasn’t until 336 C.E. that emperor Constantine declared December 25th as Christmas. Because the date of this newly declared “Christmas” lined up so closely with solstice celebrations such as Yule and Zoroastric celebrations of Mithra — god of the sun, whose birthday had long been celebrated on December 25th — its timing is popularly attributed to an effort of the Church to adapt pre-existing celebrations.
And just as Christmas absorbed and reshaped solstice traditions, Hanukkah also transformed, particularly in the United States America.
While of minor religious importance within Judaism, Hanukkah became culturally amplified in the 19th and early 20th centuries as Jewish-American communities sought to establish and distinguish their celebrations alongside the growing prominence of Christmas. Gift giving, not traditionally a component of Hanukkah festivities, was widely adopted to liven the Jewish holiday in hopes that it could metaphorically (and literally) hold a candle to the cultural phenomenon that American Christmas had become.
Kwanzaa, meanwhile, was founded in 1966 by American activist Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga to acknowledge African American and Pan-African heritage, community, and culture. Its name was derived from the Swahili phrase meaning “first fruits,” inspired by the harvest festivals celebrated across the African continent, many of which are held in December near the southern hemisphere’s summer solstice. In India, Hindu celebrations of the solstice take part in January with regionally distinct names and iterations.
Local indigenous communities including the Wašiw, or Washoe, tribe have tracked astronomical movement since time immemorial, developing keen understandings of how the moon, stars, and planets move across the sky. Features throughout Wašiw land indicate a deep-seated understanding of the winter solstice.
With this context — far from exhaustive, yet reflective of our celebrations’ interconnected histories — we come back to our snow-dusted corner of the world.
“AS THE DAYS BEGIN TO LENGTHEN, WE CAN CARRY THIS LIGHT FORWARD WITH THE SIMPLE TRUTH THAT THERE IS MORE UNITING US THAN SETTING US APART.”
The lampposts in downtown Truckee wear candy cane stripes, and carols drift through the evening air in Incline Village as Jennifer Street comes to life with holiday light shows. True to form, the North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation is getting ready for a Hanukkah après ski, complete with hot chocolate and latkes. Coffee shops are brimming with cider and pumpkin spice. Garlands of oranges and cranberries and popcorn drape over door frames. At home, my menorah waits on the coffee table with anticipatory candles.
On Christmas morning, I’ll sip a Bloody Mary. Your kids may be snacking on Santa’s leftovers – after all, how often do they get to eat cookies for breakfast? And many of us will end our night among our favorite people, wrapped in sweaters beside a rip-roarin’ fire.
Whatever individual celebrations are in store for us, we’ve arrived at this season as one community. Together, we’ll move through these shortened days. Beneath the snow, seeds for next spring’s flowers lie waiting, ready to endure a hardy winter. If we’re lucky, this season will offer each of us moments of joy, connection, and reflection.
And, even when the holidays come to an end, this early-winter season remains a rallying cry to bring our community closer still. Each day we will be gifted a touch more light and gain a little more time in the sun. If we allow it, this prodigal light can be its own kind of celebration, a quiet call to action. As the days begin to lengthen, we can carry this light forward with the simple truth that there is more uniting us than setting us apart.
May this returning light remind us that we are at our strongest when we honor the many threads that make the Truckee/Tahoe tapestry whole. As the sun lingers a bit longer each day, we can choose to retain the warmth that makes this season feel special. We can choose to look out for our neighbors, to notice what we share, and to step into a new year connected — to one another and to this place we call home.
Not Quite as Alluring
Crystal Bay Club Brings the Winter Heat
This early winter, catch one or all of these headliners; and know that through the coldest months, the Crystal Bay Club will host one to two shows a week that’ll warm you up. For a comprehensive lineup, showtimes, and tickets, visit crystalbaycasino.com.
The days are short and the nights are cold. It’s a good thing that North Tahoe’s premier indoor music venue’s lineup is as hot as a ski-wax iron. Here are four headliners not to miss.
Andy Frasco & the UN
If you’ve ever been to an Andy Frasco show, you know the fun-filled fiasco-fest that awaits: Andy up on stage behind his piano banging away at the keys like Billy Joel on a bender — his multi-instrument, multi-personality band and he composing a chaos-theory jam fest of jubilant joy and boyish jocularity that would make Janis Joplin smile.
The tunes play on. The Jameson bottle perched on the piano passes from performer to performer as your troubles melt into the past and the party really gets going: Andy Frasco & the UN hit the Crown Room stage at the Crystal Bay Club Casino Feb. 3, making your Tuesday rock like Elton on a Saturday night.
The show will be the band’s 28th amid its 38-show nationwide Growing Pains tour. But the baby fat on this bellicose band, now with 10 studio albums and hundreds of primetime sets slayed at concerts and festivals worldwide, has long since given way to a certain man-strength momentum. And though under one of his vintage Los Angeles Lakers basketball jerseys, Andy’s dadbod and shaggy curls may not inspire the image of Adonis, Frasco’s musical energy is high on sex appeal.
With its latest album (also entitled Growing Pains), the UN builds on such sonic successes as its debut, “Love, You’re Just Too Expensive,” 2016’s “Happy Bastard,” and 2022’s “Wash, Rinse, Repeat.” Their sound blends genres and breaks rules. It’s loud. It’s full of movement. It says, “fuck you” and then invites you in like a warm neighbor. It is piano-led blues meets rockabilly with some rasta reggae and a side of soul. It’s a trumpet dueling a sax. It’s Nashville songwriting and a “Smells Like Teen Spirit” cover. It’s rad and it’s good, it’s rock ’n’ roll like it should.
At a 2024 show in Phoenix, Frasco grabbed the mic and rapped about life before starting the set’s final song, his thoughts turning to his mom who’d recently survived leukemia. “It’s like, death is a real thing,” he said. “And it makes you think, what are we going to do with our life? You know, are we going to marinate in shit or get out there and fucking live it every single day?”
On February 3, 2026, with Andy Frasco & the UN in town, there’s the perfect opportunity to get out there and live it.
Dead Winter Carpenters
If our mountain-town air and pow-turn Zen and lazy lake days had a house band, it just might be the Dead Winter Carpenters. The Truckee/Tahoe locals lead with the fiddle and fight the good fight with all their strings and percussion and core-cutting lyrics. They find musical victory with their mix of Americana-roots rock and forward-thinking bluegrass with a little altitude-twang thrown in. They’ve played the Filmore and High Sierra and a ton of other notable locales, including a late-night Sergeant Pepper’s Set (complete with costume and gravitas) at the since-gone Hangtown Music Festival down in Placerville that lifted the roof right off the barn. If you’ve seen what the Carpenters can do on a Sunday afternoon at Commons Beach, this Jan. 24 is the time to see what they can do when the sun’s gone down and the kids have been put to bed.
The Polish Ambassador
Having been at the forefront of the EDM/live music fusion-scene for nearly two decades, this international man of funky mystery is bringing his turntables and jumpsuits to North Tahoe this Jan. 16 and 17 for two nights of partying with purpose. He’ll bring the mojo. He’ll lay the beats. He’ll rap. He’ll rock. He’ll bring goddesses on stage with ethereal and ancient voices and vibe in Venn diagrams of sonic soliloquies. He’ll stir the dancefloor as he unleashes his rhythms. He’ll show you that you can be a rockstar even (or especially) if you live off-grid on a 25-acre homestead in the Sierra foothills as a farmer and carpenter who records in a solar-powered studio surrounded by towering trees and fresh air. These ambassadorial nights look to be filled with freedom and connection, with light feet and easy smiles.
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
Karl Denson has come a long way since playing sax in the band Sexual Chocolate in Eddie Murphy’s forever-classic Coming to America. In fact, he’s created his own universe — which he brings to town Dec. 26 — and it’s not even that tiny.
Denson infuses audiences with electricity and soul, his audacious and eclectic ensemble band both backing him up and taking the lead as cosmic forces of musical theory big-bang their way into something very real and tangible and profound. Even though I’m not really supposed to say “I” in these articles, I saw him last spring at the Golden Road Gathering, and I don’t think he’s ever been better. Fine wine gets better with age — and since being the first-ever Bonnaroo late-night act, Karl D’s universe just keeps expanding into interstellar territories that light us up and leave us groovin’.
The Earth and Stars: 11 December 2025 – 11 February 2026
ASTROLOGY
This season opens with a potent square between Mars in Sagittarius and Neptune in Pisces, which will be exact on Dec. 14, and will bring the energy of dissolving illusion through fire. This is a transit of vision becoming reality, where your action will be ignited to align with your soul’s deeper truth.
The new moon in Sagittarius on Dec. 19 activates the inner seeker and sets the stage for a profound winter solstice rebirth on Dec. 21, when the sun begins its return. This energy will offer a feeling of hope and optimism for the coming New Year.
January opens under the glow of a nourishing Cancer full moon on Jan. 3, a sacred invitation to root into emotional safety from within and to honor the tenderness of your true needs. With the full moon conjunct Jupiter in Cancer, this lunation amplifies healing, abundance, and the grace that comes from true self-devotion. By Jan. 18, the Capricorn new moon calls for devotion to what is real, long-lasting and legacy-oriented. Then comes a bold exclamation point on Jan. 27, when Mars meets Pluto in Aquarius for a fusion of raw power and radical self-initiation. This transit feels like a threshold moment, where we shed the shadows of the past and step into the electric momentum of the future.
NATURAL MAGIC
For the Sagittarius new moon and winter solstice portal, light a candle at sunset each evening from Dec. 19 to 21. Write a “vision letter” from your future self, dated one year from now, detailing what you now know, what you have already created, and how you are feeling. Read it aloud all three nights, your speech an invocation to be witnessed by the cosmos. Then, on the night of winter solstice, after reading the letter out loud, burn it in a bowl to release control and anchor trust.
For the Mars and Pluto conjunction in Aquarius on Jan. 27, I recommend a power ritual. Make three columns: 1) How I choose to show up, 2) What I no longer tolerate, and 3) How I protect and direct my power. Then stand tall and, as a vow, speak aloud what you wrote. Afterward, place the paper on your altar or in your journal as a living declaration, something you can return to and reinvoke as needed. When you feel its power has fully integrated into your being, you’ll know it’s time to create a new ritual to reflect your next evolution.
A Man with a Guitar
Larry just showed up one day. It was spring, and the bird cherry tree outside my shop on the corner of Donner Pass Road and Spring Street had just burst into bloom. There he sat with an old guitar under the tree, playing folk songs I remembered from childhood.
We exchanged smiles. I offered him a chair and told him he should stay a while. His voice was gentle and strong, and he just fit under that tree.
That summer, Larry became the soundtrack to “my end” of the block. But as summer came to a close, without a word, he was gone. The street went quiet, and winter set in.
You can imagine my surprise and delight when, just as the bird cherry started to bloom again, there was Larry, singing gentle, raspy, and sure. I remember embracing. He was surprised that I remembered him.
The third spring, he texted me and told me he was on his way. I had his chair waiting for him.
Most days he wore a plaid shirt buttoned incorrectly like a child. His long grey hair and self-cut bangs peeked out from under a bucket hat. But, honestly, no one noticed Larry’s appearance; they noticed how he made them feel.
Larry serenaded passersby, some stopping to request a favorite song; and when they sang, Larry would hand them the mic and play accompaniment. People came into the shop to exchange $20 dollar bills for tip money and told us how Larry’s music transported them to a special time — their wedding day, a family road trip, their father’s favorite song. The music Larry played was a gift to people, and they told him that every day.
When someone would ask Larry to play their private event, he’d kindly decline, then disappear for a few days. But as long as you showed Larry you didn’t need him, he would come back.
At first, Larry was a fair-weather friend. The minute the weather changed and his old fingers got too cold, he would return to the coast to play on the Santa Monica Pier. But six years into our friendship, Covid set in. The world shifted, contorting into something he was not familiar with, so Larry made the choice to stay in Truckee year-round.
Those winters, I lay awake wondering if the blankets I’d brought him — and the socks, the vest, the hand warmers — were enough to keep him from freezing in his van. If I didn’t see him in the morning, I was certain he’d succumbed to the cold.
Through snowstorms, sidewalk construction, political unrest, snap freezes in August, 100-degree days in September, Larry played outside my shop for 10 years. He was the melody that stitched the days together, and he sang himself into the story of Truckee.
Through the years, Larry and I collected wheat-back pennies together. Larry and I had a communal leather bag, one he’d hand-stitched with tooth floss. I mostly kept track of the bag, but when Larry’s suspicious nature got hold of him, he would ask for the sack back and store it in his van. The pennies inside would ebb and flow; he’d pawn a few of the really old ones to turn a penny into four dollars and buy himself fried chicken from Safeway.
Before his day of singing, Larry spent his mornings buying batteries for his amplifier and going to the thrift store. He was a bowerbird, often bringing my family and my employees presents — necklaces, metal detectors, wagons, children’s musical instruments, you name it. His guitars and harmonicas were all found, the life played out of them, and Larry played the life back into them.
Larry told me, and he would want me to tell you, that he was an angel, that he spoke with God. Larry would want me to tell you that he was a traveling musician with many children, most of whom he’d never had the pleasure of meeting in person. Larry would want you to know that he traveled the world, a poor boy from Kentucky with just his guitar and an unstoppable need to sing.
I want to say that Larry floated through the world the way cherry blossoms float from the tree once the wind has shaken them loose. He landed softly in places, until the winds whispered that it was time to go.
I don’t know why Larry stayed in Truckee so long. Maybe it was the untethered welcome that our small, transient town showed him. What I do know is that he loved it here.
The last day Larry played outside my shop, I could see he was dying. It was a crisp morning in early spring, and his poor body was just done. Still, somehow, his voice and his hands were able to lead the way. When each song stopped, the pain would return, until the pain became too much and he packed up and went home.
In the last year of his life, Larry’s home was a beautiful and messy apartment. He had lived for so many years in his vehicles that the apartment felt like a palace to him. He was proud of it.
The first time I saw it was the day the hospital called and asked if I’d seen Larry. He hadn’t shown up for a doctor’s appointment, and I was his emergency contact.
Relief hit my body when, after I knocked on his door, I heard his gentle voice. “Come in,” he said.
I opened the door and he greeted me with a smile. He was watching cartoons and drinking a Big Gulp his neighbor had brought him. He could barely move.
We spent the day together. I asked him some big questions. “What do you regret?” “Who did you love the most?” ”Why did you always leave?” “Are you afraid to die?”
Larry answered all my questions with his signature, ethereal voice, detailing memories and retelling stories. When I asked him what his favorite song was, he sang it, his voice suddenly unhindered by pain.
Two weeks later, on the day Larry died, he was surrounded by a few of his many children. They flew long distances to say goodbye. I can only imagine the strange feeling of saying hello and goodbye in one short trip.
As he worked to breathe, I told him it was okay to go. I whispered it quietly into his ear. I knew him, he let me know him, and I felt like it was my place.
Larry would want me to tell you he made some mistakes, big ones. He would want you to know he had regrets, and he lived with them. They took up residency in his weathered skin.
What I want to say is Larry was a beautiful songbird, traveling the world and giving voice to the soundtrack of life. People fed him from their porches, watched him with quiet fondness, and listened so intently that, for a moment, everything disappeared except Larry.
Larry knew he wasn’t going to have another Christmas, and that made him sad. This holiday, there will be a silence outside Bespoke + Atelier, and that makes me sad. On these crisp December mornings, I will wish that Larry was setting up, ready to sing the season into being, ready to greet passersby whose whole day could be shifted by the right song, and whose whole hearts could be transported by a man, his voice, and an old guitar.
Good News Inside — But First, the Hard Part
We’ve got good news and bad news…
Bad news is that Moonshine cannot survive without the support of its readers. This doesn’t just mean our print paper, but our publication as a whole — the reporting, the editing, the digging, the explaining, the storytelling.
We’re not the only independent paper in need, but we are YOUR paper. Our writers are your neighbors, our contributors are your friends, our pieces are about your community. And while it’s never easy to ask, we need your help.
Maybe you love us. Maybe you’ve disagreed with us. But news isn’t meant to please — it’s meant to inform, challenge, illuminate, and hold power to account. And unless you want to see a Tahoe/Truckee future where local reporting dwindles to only coming from corporate media or sensationalist faraway outlets, we ask you to consider supporting Moonshine by opening your hearts (and wallets).
Because without Moonshine, Tahoe/Truckee loses its independent voice. Whether we can keep reporting — and expand to cover more of what matters to you — is up to you.
Maybe a thriving staff of fulltime writers and editors is wishful thinking on my part, but I’ll give you the good news:
We heard you. We listened. And our long-awaited book of Shine Ons — the crème de la crème of 10 years of Tahoe cartoons — is almost here. You can pre-order Potholes & Powder Days now.
Think of it as a gift for you and a gift for us — a way to bring home Moonshine’s humor and heart while supporting the journalism that keeps this community informed.
You can also become a member of Moonshine Ink, get a mailbox subscription, and buy ads. (Or, if you’re feeling inspired, do all of the above.) Keep independent news alive!
Potholes & Powder Days is the cherry on top of coffee table books, and about the perfect size for stocking stuffers. You can get it in time for Christmas. And any time after.
Holiday Gift Picks 2025 December
Inside the Halo: Incline Village/Crystal Bay’s Line of Defense Against Wildfire
In mid-October, I attended a Desert Research Institute symposium in Reno focused on resiliency, recovery, and response to the increasing intensity of wildfires across the U.S. (but especially the West).
I’ve written numerous articles about wildfire since my start with Moonshine in May 2019, including monitoring and reporting on the devastations of the Caldor, Dixie, and Tamarack fires in 2021. Firefighters have been telling me since the beginning that wildfire is not contained to the hot months anymore, but something about the various panels and discussions at this AWE+ 2025 Collaborative shifted everything into a new, glaring light.
Some of what I learned can be found on p. 14, regarding fire insurance coverage in California and Nevada. Other topics will be covered in future editions of the Ink.
For the December 2025/January 2026 edition, I wanted to double down on the fact that fire knows no state lines or jurisdictions or seasons — but neither do our fire experts. I learned at the symposium that North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, which covers Incline Village and Crystal Bay, is in the midst of creating a massive buffer around the communities, known as the halo.
Here’s what they said.
~ AH
North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District is working to create a wildfire-mitigated buffer around Incline Village and Crystal Bay. Can you tell me more about this effort?
North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFPD) manages 1,632 acres of forest land bordering the communities of Incline Village and Crystal Bay, referred to by NLTFPD as the Halo of Wildfire Mitigation Management (see map below). The halo comprises land owned by the Incline Village General Improvement District (993.2 acres) as well as privately owned land (multiple landowners, 627.1 acres), and land owned by the state of Nevada (11.7 acres). The objectives for the management of this land that makes up the Halo include wildfire fuels mitigation as well as forest health, wildlife habitat sustainability, and water quality.
Every treatment unit within the halo has received at least one wildfire fuels mitigation treatment, with most treatment units now on their second and third reentry treatment. New technology, which includes remotely operated mastication machinery and computer modeling of forest fuel loading, has allowed NLTFPD to increase the pace and scale of wildfire fuels mitigation projects. Wildfire fuels mitigation treatments on all halo treatment units will reoccur with a goal of a five- to seven-year cycle for reentry going forward.
NLTFPD has a [fuels division] dedicated to wildfire fuels mitigation work around the communities of Incline Village and Crystal Bay and wildfire suppression within NLTFPD’s jurisdictional boundaries and nationwide. The division consists of 17 permanent full-time employees and 39 full-time seasonal employees employed from May through November.
When not assigned to a wildland fire incident, Fuels Division personnel work on fuels mitigation projects on the halo and other land around Incline Village and Crystal Bay. 2025 has been a productive year, with 242.2 acres of wildfire fuels mitigation work completed to date, with another 19 acres in progress NLTFPD expects to be completed by mid-December. Some of the highlights of this year were surrounding the Apollo Way neighborhood on three sides with wildfire fuels mitigation work and the completion of Phase 1 of the Worm Project.
In 2025, NLTFPD, in partnership with IVGID, began a 168.4-acre wildfire fuels mitigation project dubbed the Worm (see map to the right), which is designed to create a buffer of more intensely managed forest land around neighborhoods above Highway 431 in Incline Village. Its area begins at the boundary of private property and extends 132 feet deep on IVGID-owned land as it wraps around the residential neighborhoods above Highway 431.
Wildfire mitigation objectives of the Worm will be met by creating separation in the understory brush and removing suppressed trees within the project area. An estimated 10% to 15% of the native brush cover will be retained in a mosaic pattern to preserve a natural aesthetic to the landscape, sustain wildlife habitat, maintain soil stability, and protect water quality.
Phase 2 (105.8-acres) is set to begin July 2026 and completed by the following month. The Worm Project will be repeated every three years as opposed to the five- to seven-year reentry schedule of the rest of the halo treatment units.
Phase 1 of the Worm Project was funded entirely by IVGID. Phase 2 will be funded by a grant from the State of Nevada administered by the Nevada Division of Forestry, with IVGID providing a 10% match to the project funding.
~ NLTFPD Fuels Division Chief Isaac Powning and Forester Jason Furmaniak
Action in Tahoe: Festival of Winter Lights, Tahoe Live, ‘worthless milk’ and more!
Friday, December 12
5th Annual Festival of Winter Lights – 4-8 p.m., Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Celebrate the magic of the season at the 5th Annual Festival of Winter Lights! Stroll through a festive outdoor holiday market, enjoy twinkling light displays, and soak in the holiday spirit with family and friends. Get more details: https://www.cityofslt.gov/1260/Festival-of-Winter-Lights.
Blue Christmas Service – 5:30-7 p.m., Zephyr Point, 660 Highway 50. This Blue Christmas Service is offered especially for those hurting during the holidays. Some come because they are mourning the death of a loved one. Some are far from home. Some suffer from illness, addiction, or estrangement. Some are lonely, struggling financially, or in conflict with another. Some hurt because of the great pain, need, and violence in our nation and world. The reasons for coming are many — and all are valid. Questions, queries, or special requests? Email programs@zephyrpoint.org or call 775-588-6759 (extension 113)
Champagne & Chocolate Sleigh Ride Tasting Experience Heavenly Village – 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Heavenly Village, 1001 Heavenly Village Way. Treat yourself to a delightful pairing as you explore the scenic streets of South Lake Tahoe. Enjoy the charm of a horse-drawn sleigh ride, then elevate your experience with a luxurious Champagne & Chocolate tasting at Heavenly Village. It’s a journey of indulgence you won’t want to miss. For more information, visit https://visitlaketahoe.com/event/champagne-chocolate-sleigh-ride-tasting-experience-heavenly-village/2025-12-12/.
DJ DELO in the Mix – 9-11:30 p.m., AleWorX Stateline. For more information, visit https://laketahoealeworx.com/event/dj-delo-in-the-mix/2025-12-12/.
DJ DUBFYAH at HQ – 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Bally’s Lake Tahoe Casino Resort, 55 Highway 50. For more information visit lateniteproductions.com
Holiday Celebration – 5-8 p.m., The Cork and More, 1032 Al Tahoe Blvd. Celebrate the Holidays with us! Live Holiday Harp Music by Grammy-award winning Anne Roos, wine tasting wines that are perfect for the holidays, light appetizers and discounts throughout the store. $25 per person. Call to reserve your spot @ 530-544-5253. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1376824924086791/.
Jose “Manny Maze” DJ Meza – 11 p.m.-1:30 a.m., Noel’s Coffee and Apothecary. For more information, visit https://tahoemusic.live/?page=9.
Tahoe Live – December 12 – 14, 2025 Tahoe City, CA Tahoe Live 2025 Tahoe Live returns to Palisades Tahoe to welcome the 2025-26 winter season with an incredible lineup of world-class artists. Featuring headliners like Zeds Dead, Alison Wonderland, DJ Diesel, LSZEE, Porter Robinson, San Holo, Jessica Audiffred, Peekaboo, and more, this event promises an unforgettable weekend of music, snow, and mountain energy. Learn More Additional dates: 12/12, 12/13, 12/14. For more information, visit https://www.visitplacer.com/tahoe-live-2025/.
“worthless milk” Telemark Ski Film Premiere (South Lake Tahoe, CA – 12/12) – 6-10 p.m., South Lake Brewing Company, 1920 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Get hyped for snow and have an epic night in South Lake Tahoe, CA as TELE COLO presents their 3rd full length movie, “worthless milk”. For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/worthless-milk-telemark-ski-film-premiere-south-lake-tahoe-ca-1212-tickets-1918944096449.
Handel’s Messiah & Holiday Favorites – 6:30 p.m., Cornerstone Community Church, 300 Country Club Dr. Joyous refrains and exultant arias, including the iconic “Hallelujah” Chorus, will fill the concert hall this holiday season. This Baroque masterwork, expressing the themes of hope, redemption and grace, showcases the magnificent artistry and skill of our celebrated orchestra and chorus, complemented by exceptional soloists. Join us for this wonderful holiday tradition! FREE tickets for Youth under 23 and discounted tickets for Seniors (65+). For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/3743230505807674/.
Saturday, December 13
Christmas Party – Everyone invited – 5-7 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3460 Spruce Ave. Come celibrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, with us and enjoy great food, entertainment and loving company for the entire family to enjoy. We will even have a visitor from the North Pole, some come visit with Santa Clause.
DJ Montague – 9-11:30 p.m., AleWorX Stateline. Additional dates: 12/13, 12/18. For more information, visit https://laketahoealeworx.com/event/dj-montague-5/2025-12-13/.
Holiday Markets at South Lake Brewing Company – 12-5 p.m., South Lake Brewing Company, 1920 Lake Tahoe Blvd. South Lake Brewing Company’s Indoor Holiday Market is making a return for 4 dates! For more information, visit https://www.southlakebeer.com/brewery-events or call (530) 578-0087.
Holiday Onesie Bar Crawl – 9 p.m., 15 Hwy 50. Join us Saturday, December 13, at Caesars Republic and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe for a night of cocktails, contests, and cash prizes! Festive Stops & Contests: – Cleo’s Cocktails – El Jefe’s Cantina – Center Stage At each holiday-themed venue, enjoy drink specials and team contests with $250 top prizes. That’s three chances to win big while celebrating the season! Onesie Bonus Challenge Bring your crew in holiday onesies and compete for the ultimate prize: The most creative group wins exclusive Bottle Service at PEEK Nightclub (up to $500 value). End the night at PEEK Nightclub, where the winning onesie crew celebrates in style with bottle service. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1546996083093447/.
Blü Egyptian – Red Room – 8 p.m., 14 State Route 28. Blü Egyptian will stop by the Red Room for a Special Holidaze show on Sat. Dec. 13th! $10 ADV/DOS I Doors: 7pm Show: 8pm I Ticket Link: https://tixr.com/e/162482 In the last few years, Blü Egyptian has been making a name for themselves on the road throughout the West, while illuminating dancefloors with wild jubilation. The band formed in 2020 in Chico, Ca while in high school. Since then, Blü Egyptian has released three studio albums, multiple singles and live recordings showcasing original songwriting and improvisation. With constant touring, the band has honed a distinct sound intertwining Rock, Funk, Latin, Reggae, Bluegrass, Jazz, EDM and World Music, demonstrating their influences from paying tributes to Jamiroquai, The Talking Heads, The Police, Ween, Primus, Paul Simon, Toots & the Maytals, Phish and The Grateful Dead for an energetic spontaneous live experience. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2237953946685314/.
TFS Brunch with Santa – 8 a.m.-1 p.m., The Chateau, 955 Fairway Blvd. Description TFS is excited to be holding our annual Brunch with Santa Event on Saturday, December 13th at The Chateau in Incline Village. Join us for a festive gathering that includes a delicious brunch, photos with Santa, a toy drawing, and magic show! Tickets go on sale Monday, November 17th and are available for purchase at TFS Thrift Store. Mark your calendars because this favored community event sells out fast! Two sessions: Session 1: 8:00am to 10:00am Session 2: 11:00am to 1:00pm Tickets: $5.00 Children 1 to 12 years old $20.00 Adults 13 years and up Babies under 1 year are free For more information, visit https://business.ivcba.org/event-calendar/Details/tfs-brunch-with-santa-1503949?sourceTypeId=Hub.
Sunday, December 14
Beer Pairing Dinner – 6-8 p.m., The Libation Lodge Kitchen & Taproom, 4000 Lake Tahoe Boulevard . You’re invited to our annual Beer Pairing Dinner on Sunday, December 14th, at South Lake Brewing Company’s Libation Lodge Kitchen & Taproom! Learn more and purchase tickets at: https://www.southlakebeer.com/store#!/Beer-Pairing-Dinner-Ticket-2025/p/797889227
Brunch With Santa – 12 p.m., 2500 Emerald Bay Road. Join us for a festive brunch with Santa and Mrs. Claus! Enjoy delicious food, crafts and games for both kids and adults! For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1545557226484917/ or call (530) 577-0788.
South Lake Tahoe Christmas Bird Count – Upper Truckee River. The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the largest and oldest citizen science project in the world. Each year, from 14 December through 5 January, tens of thousands of volunteers head out into the winter to count birds for a day. This tradition goes back to 1900, and in the intervening years, these birders have built a database on bird populations that is unmatched by any other wildlife census. TINS Co-founder Will Richardson has coordinated the South Lake Tahoe CBC since 2004 – the Tahoe count was started in 1975! For more information, visit https://sierranevadaalliance.org/events.
Monday, December 15
Christmas Celebration – 1-4 p.m., Tahoe Dentist, 585 Tahoe Keys Blvd Suite 2. Join us for a joy-filled Christmas Celebration as we introduce Dr.Renard to our community! Bring the whole family for an afternoon full of holiday cheery and fun.
Santa Ski Day – Mt Rose Ski Tahoe, 22222 Mount Rose Hwy. Santa s… or All those entirely done up in Holiday Wear can get a discounted Lift Ticket! (Note – just a Santa hat does NOT qualify – Tickets at the Main Lodge Info Counter) For more information, visit https://skirose.com/calendar-events/ or call (775) 849-0704.
Wednesday, December 17
Tahoe Knight Monsters v Wichita Thunder – Country Knight – 7 p.m., Tahoe Blue Event Center, 75 U.S. 50. Ages 2 and up require a ticket for entry
SheJumps x Alibi Incline Public House | Women’s Happy Hour | CA – 5:30-7 p.m., Alibi Ale Works – Incline Public House, 931 Tahoe Blvd. Join SheJumps at Alibi Incline Public House for a meet-up on December 17th For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shejumps-x-alibi-incline-public-house-womens-happy-hour-ca-registration-1974393584360.
Thursday, December 18
Center Pier Wilderness Bridge Construction – 10-11 a.m., Successful plans and construction tools used to construct multiple span bridges (20 – 60′ in length) with center piers in the backcountry with the intention to inspire groups that they DO have the skills in house to construct these structures without significant costs. Click here to learn more For more information, visit https://sierranevadaalliance.org/events.
UPDATE: Victims identified in fatal crash near Kyburz that sent two children to hospital
UPDATE Dec. 10: The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division has identified the two adults killed in a Sunday afternoon crash on Highway 50 near Kyburz, Calif. as 42-year-old Ryan Paul Rizzuto and his wife, 41-year-old Danielle Marie Rizzuto.
The Rizzutos lived in Reno. Ryan was a Battalion Chief for Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue in Washoe County, Nev.
Fire departments from all over northern Nevada gathered Wednesday afternoon in Reno for a procession for the chief who passed away off duty.
The Tribune has no new information on how their children, who were flown to a hospital in Reno with major injuries after the crash, are doing.
ORIGINAL STORY:
KYBURZ, Calif. – A crash on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 7, on Highway 50 near Kyburz, Calif., killed two adults and sent two children to the hospital with major injuries.
According to reports, the single-vehicle crash occurred when a Chevrolet truck traveling east on Highway 50 crashed into a tree off the south side of the highway just before 3:15 p.m.
The two adults, who appear to be the children’s parents, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to California Highway Patrol.
The children in the backseat, an 8 and 11-year-old, were flown to Renown Medical Center in Reno.
Authorities are investigating whether speed played a factor.
Identities have not been released.
