SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe is proud to announce that Base Camp Pizza has raised $13,000 in donations in support of the Club and Tahoe youth.
The fundraising efforts throughout the year culminated in a spring fundraising party, May the 4th Be With You, at the village restaurant location in May. The evening featured a pizza, pasta, and salad buffet, drink specials, live music, as well as raffle prizes donated from local businesses. The total donation was largely in part from a $1 donation by Base Camp for every garlic chip appetizer sold throughout the year, in addition to the end-of-year fundraiser held May 4, 2026.
“We always look forward to our annual fundraiser-it’s such a special and rewarding day for all of us,” said Erica Roche, Base Camp Pizza Co. Manager. “It provides this beautiful opportunity to step outside of our normal routine, bring the community together, and have a great time while raising money for our local children.”
“Partnering with a local non-profit dedicated to children and families is incredibly rewarding,” said Danny Scott, Director of Operations and Managing Partner at Base Camp Pizza Co. “For nearly a decade, our team has championed these organizations, and our staff at Base Camp is central to that success. Every summer, they personally vote to select our annual non-profit partner. This involvement gives them a deep sense of pride, connecting their daily work to a meaningful cause—whether they are serving guests or enthusiastically promoting our garlic chips to support the fundraiser. We truly believe community collaboration makes South Lake Tahoe an exceptional place to live. It has been an honor to partner with the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe this past year, and we know their programs will continue to create fulfilling, unique opportunities for local youth.”
The $13,000 donation will benefit the Club’s food program, which provided over 43,000 snacks last school year. Partnering with Base Camp Pizza Co. it just made sense that their donation would benefit food for kids at all BGCLT sites for the 2026 – 27 school year.
“We look to employ individuals who have a generous heart and a desire to give back. This event was a collaborative group effort between Base Camp Pizza employees, the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, and many local companies and individuals who supported with amazing raffle prizes,” Scott added. “I am particularly proud of Erica Roche, Chelsea Schlegel, Alex Gonzalez, and Kerry Walker for orchestrating this event, with the support of the kitchen management team, Olimpia Geronimo, Rufino Atilano, Dave Rigali, and Cody Pratt. A big thank you also goes to our generous team members who made this donation possible.”
Base Camp Pizza raised $13K in donations in support of Tahoe youth. Provided / BGCLT
“We’re so thankful for our year-long fundraising partnership with Base Camp Pizza Co.,” said Aimi Xistra, Director of Development at the Club. “Their team is top notch and they were so engaged with the fundraising effort and especially at our May the 4th Be With You fundraising party. We want to send a HUGE thank you to all their managers, staff and chefs that made this event possible and successful. For the kids!”
ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. — A premier stretch of the East Fork Carson River has been permanently protected following Western Rivers Conservancy’s conveyance of the 1,688-acre Park Ranch to Alpine County using funding provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board.
Alpine County is excited to welcome the public to enjoy the property once a comprehensive management plan has been established to guide public access and the long-term stewardship of the land.
The effort protects habitat for native fish, conserves a key link in a migratory corridor for mule deer and other wildlife, expands public access to 1.6 miles of the East Fork Carson River, and helps reduce wildfire risk for the community of Markleeville.
Park Ranch is now owned by Alpine CountyProvided / David Dines
“On behalf of the residents of Alpine County, the Alpine County Board of Supervisors, and Alpine County staff I want to thank the Wildlife Conservation Board and Western Rivers Conservancy for supporting the County’s acquisition of the Park Ranch. This funding will create a permanent, community-managed wildlife preserve that reduces wildfire risk through compatible grazing and expands public access for future generations,” said Samuel Booth, Alpine County CEO.
The East Fork Carson River is one of the few major rivers in the Eastern Sierra that remains undammed, and Park Ranch lies along one of its finest stretches. The ranch includes nearly three additional miles of Markleeville Creek, Pleasant Valley Creek and Hot Springs Creek, key tributaries to the East Fork. The river and creeks together are home to federally threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout as well as other native fish like Paiute sculpin, mountain whitefish, mountain sucker, Tahoe sucker, Lahontan redside shiner and speckled dace.
With its intact stands of cottonwood and willow, mixed conifer forests, sagebrush-steppe and expansive mountain meadows, Park Ranch is important for wildlife. The property makes up a key link in a migratory corridor that mule deer, black bear, western monarch, and numerous other species rely on for survival and seasonal movement.
“This project shows what can happen when state, county and non-profit partners share a common vision for a landscape,” said Jennifer Norris, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Board. “WCB’s investment will ensure Park Ranch is protected forever, keeping a vital corridor open for native species while giving the local community year-round access to outdoor recreation.”
Western Rivers Conservancy purchased Park Ranch in two phases beginning in 2025. During its ownership, WRC continued compatible livestock grazing to reduce wildfire risk to the town of Markleeville. With the help of a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and volunteers from the Patagonia Distribution Center in Reno, WRC removed fencing to improve wildlife movement across the property and installed wildlife-friendly riparian fencing to protect Markleeville Creek from erosion.
With funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board, and broad support from the community, local businesses, angling groups, and nonprofits across California and Nevada, WRC successfully transferred the property to Alpine County for permanent stewardship.
Now owned by Alpine County, Park Ranch will be managed for conservation and recreation, with compatible grazing playing a role in both improved habitat and wildfire fuels reduction. Protecting the property will significantly expand public access, connecting Markleeville Campground and hiking trails that begin at Hangman’s Bridge, just upstream of the ranch. Park Ranch’s future will now be one that benefits fish, wildlife and recreationists alike, while maintaining the open space and character of the area’s ranching legacy.
“Our efforts at Park Ranch show how conserving a river can strengthen both the natural landscape and the communities that depend on it,” said Nelson Mathews, president of Western Rivers Conservancy. “We’re deeply grateful to Alpine County and the Wildlife Conservation Board for their commitment to the East Fork Carson River. Conserving Park Ranch will protect cold water for native fish, keep an important migration corridor open for wildlife, strengthen Markleeville’s resilience to wildfire and ensure this remarkable stretch of river remains a place where people can fish, explore and connect with nature for generations.”
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. —The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT) is proud to announce the return of Tahoe Bear Fest on Saturday, Sep. 12, 2026, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Sugar Pine Point State Park. This free, family-friendly event celebrates Lake Tahoe’s iconic black bears while highlighting the important role local agencies and communities play in keeping bears wild and people safe.
Visitors will enjoy a day filled with interactive booths, educational presentations, guided hikes and activities for all ages. Food will be available for purchase from The Potluck Truck, and Tahoe Pops will be there with frozen treats as we celebrate the last days of summer.
A limited number of posters and stickers will be available free to attendees while supplies last.
Throughout the day, attendees can:
Explore booths and hands-on exhibits from local organizations and agencies.
Participate in games and activities, including investigating a mock campsite, making bear headbands and buttons, playing a bear canister game and more.
Attend presentations from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., including Bear Biology with California State Parks, Meet Karelian Bear Dogs with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, Bear CSI with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bear Storytime with the Placer County Library and a park ranger meet-and-greet with California State Parks rangers.
Join the California State Parks interpretation team for guided “Bear Walk” hikes covering black bear biology, behavior and habitat.
Stay after Bear Fest for a free screening of the documentary Bears of Durango at 7 p.m. on the lawn overlooking Lake Tahoe below the historic Ehrman Mansion.
Parking is limited in the Sugar Pine Point day-use area, but additional parking will be available in the campground overflow lot. Carpooling is strongly encouraged. Guests may arrive anytime between 2 and 6 p.m.; there is no need to attend from the beginning. The event is free, and parking fees will be waived for the duration of the event.
Participating organizations include the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Nevada State Parks, Placer County Library, Sierra State Parks Foundation, U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, The American Bear Foundation, Gallagher Electric Fencing, Sustain Tahoe, Bear-ier Solutions and more.
Between work, family, relationships, and everything else on your plate, it’s easy for weeks to fill up fast. For a lot of guys, that means health ends up taking a back seat. But the reality is, staying on top of your health is one of the most important things you can do — for yourself and the people who count on you.
Health Risks that Set Men Apart
A recent global study looked at major health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS. Researchers compared how men and women experience these conditions, from risk factors to diagnosis, treatment, and long-term outcomes.
What stood out: in most countries, men were more likely than women to get sick — and even die — from all three diseases. A big reason? Men were less likely to seek care early and stay engaged in their treatment over time.
The Importance of Routine Care
The study is a good reminder to be proactive when it comes to health, especially for men who may not have paid as much attention to it in the past. If you’re not sure where to start, a visit with your primary care provider is a solid first step.
And it’s not just about going in when something feels off. Routine checkups help catch issues early, when they’re often easier to manage. They also keep you up to date on important screenings and vaccines.
If you haven’t been to a checkup recently, take a few minutes to prep before your appointment:
– Jot down your family’s health history, if you know it.
– Make a list of all the medications you take, including supplements and over-the-counter medications.
– Write down any questions or concerns you have.
– Bring your ID and insurance information.
Most importantly, show up as you are and be honest. Nothing you say is going to surprise your provider — we’re here to help you stay healthy and keep doing the things you enjoy, whether that’s working, spending time with family, or getting out into the mountains.
Barrett Ross is a family medicine nurse practitioner at Barton Community Health Center which offers comprehensive primary care for patients, including acute, chronic, and preventive medical care services. Schedule your primary care appointment at Barton Health by calling 530.543.5623.
From January 1, 2015- December 31, 2024, the U.S. market outperformed international markets substantially. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed markets outside the U.S., averaged a compound annual growth rate of just over 5% during those years, while the S&P 500 Index averaged slightly over 13% for the same period.
With that kind of gap, it’s easy to see why many investors have become biased towards U.S. stocks. However, most investment advisors would consider it a mistake to invest all of your assets in any one country, including the U.S., since that can expose you to greater volatility and risk. In spite of the returns from 2015-2024, there are good reasons to include international investments in your portfolio.
First, 2025 and 2026 (so far) have seen a rapid change in where the best returns are. According to JP Morgan Asset Management, the MSCI EAFE Index had a total return of 31.9% in 2025 and 14.5% as of mid-August of this year, while the S&P 500 had a total return of 17.9% last year and 13.0% so far in 2026. In addition, emerging market stocks, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, were up 33.6% in 2025 and are up another 22.3% YTD in 2026.That’s a meaningful outperformance by the international stocks over the past 20 months!
Second, the stock market has a long history, and investors would be wise to understand what that history tells us. Per JP Morgan Asset Management, the last 50-plus years have seen significant cycles of both overperformance and underperformance of U.S. stocks compared to the MSCI EAFE Index. Owning both can reduce your dependence on any one market’s performance and may lower volatility over time.
Finally, I will make the point that U.S. stock indexes like the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ-100 have become very heavily concentrated, with the top 10 holdings of each representing over 40% of the entire index. This concentration has been rapidly increasing. By adding companies from other countries to your portfolio, you are diversifying your holdings and building a more robust investment portfolio.
The takeaway from all of this information is simple: diversify. In this case, we are talking about diversifying by holding equities both inside and outside of the U.S. The evidence isn’t that international stocks will always outperform U.S. stocks, but that we don’t know which market will lead in the future.
How ever you invest your portfolio, invest smartly and invest well!
Larry Sidney is a Zephyr Cove-based Investment Advisor Representative. Information is found at https://palisadeinvestments.com/ or by calling 775-299-4600 x702. This is not a solicitation to buy or sell securities. Clients may hold positions mentioned in this article. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult your financial advisor before purchasing any security.
It’s the business risk that could hold back the long-term profitability of many construction trade businesses in Lake Tahoe. While contracting firms are busy with current projects and securing new customers, cash flow is leaking from the business, and it can cause timing and margin issues without owners even knowing it. Here are three signs for business owners to look out for.
Receivables Profit Leakage – Contractors in the construction trades are often so busy running their business that it ends up that nobody is focused on collecting the customer payment receivables. Additionally, work that was completed may never have been billed at all. That doesn’t even address all the change orders, extra hours and rush work requests from customers. Regular and consistent cash flow requires dedicated focus on collecting customer receivables.
Payment Timing Profit Leakage – Customer 30-day net payment terms suddenly become 60- and 90-day net payments. Customer payments take longer to collect while the business owner needs to make weekly payroll. Unfortunately, due to this timing mismatch, the owner takes out a line of credit instead to plug the cash flow drain hole.
Pricing Inflation Profit Leakage – Long term contracts mean a period of guaranteed work for construction trade businesses. While a two-year, or more, contract might be welcomed for steady cash flow, they can be a source of significant margin leakage. Especially, if the budget for equipment, materials and labor is locked in at the start of the project. Construction trade businesses have seen significant project cost inflation over the past few years. If this is not addressed in the contract, this can be a silent margin leakage for the business.
How can construction trade businesses in the Reno area find these hidden cash flow timing leakages in their business? The solution is running a diagnostic. Just like taking a car to a mechanic, a diagnostic can point an expert in the right direction to solve and resolve the issue.
During my 15 years in business and commercial banking, I worked directly with business owners and regularly reviewed financial statements, cash flow, and credit requests as part of evaluating their financial needs. I came across many examples of cash-flow timing and margin issues. One example was a multi-million-dollar Nevada HVAC business that had been operating for decades and was seeking a line of credit from a large bank.
The owner had a cash flow timing problem but did not know the solution and instead wanted to treat the symptoms. They were profitable on paper but did not have the cash to purchase equipment and service new contracts. The band-aid solution was to use a line of credit to relieve the immediate cash pressure without first diagnosing what was causing it.
Borrowing itself wasn’t the problem. A line of credit can be an appropriate tool for working capital, just as financing equipment that adds capacity can make good business sense. But borrowing to cover an undiagnosed cash-flow leak doesn’t fix the underlying issue. Diagnose the leak first, then determine whether financing is part of the solution.
The diagnostic indicated that the business indeed had a mix of delayed billing and cash-timing gaps. But the line of credit threatened to only make the situation worse. With strategic forecasting of revenue and expenses, the owner was able to locate the leakage, plug the hole and adjust the cash flow timing and profitability of the company.
Lake Tahoe construction trade businesses are built to function in the present, driving revenue, making payroll and building fantastic buildings and projects that drive economic development in our state. They are not always being run for what will happen in the future.
Historical financial reporting remains essential, but construction owners also need forward-looking cash forecasts, job-margin tracking, and operating decisions built around what is likely to happen next. To avoid cash flow timing leakage and continue to build strong construction trade businesses in the Reno area for the future, they must start thinking and focusing more on the future warning signs.
Bengaly Kante is Founder and Principal Advisor at Praxis Profit, a Nevada-based boutique CFO advisory firm helping established businesses improve cash-flow visibility, protect margins, and make stronger financial decisions. For more information, visit praxisprofit.com.
STRAWBERRY, Calif. – In the early morning hours of August 28, 2026, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Officer Correctional Officer Ryan Marietti was involved in a solo-vehicle accident on Highway 50 near Strawberry, CA.
“This tragic accident took the life of a member of our Sheriff’s Office family and a valued member of our community,” a EDSO Facebook stated.
Marietti began his career with the Sheriff’s Office in December of 2024, serving at both the Placerville and South Lake Tahoe Jails. Among his many attributes, Marietti demonstrated a strong work ethic, professionalism, and a genuine desire to grow within the Sheriff’s Office. He had set his sights on advancing through the ranks and building a career in service to our community.
Prior to his employment with the Sheriff’s Office, Marietti was a member of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Post 457, where he excelled and proudly represented the Post as a member of its competition team. He was also an alumnus of Ponderosa High School, graduating in 2023.
“Ryan will be greatly missed—not only by his family and friends, but by his EDSO family and the community he proudly chose to serve,” the post stated.
“Ryan Marietti, J2258, always speak his name,” Olathe post concluded.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif., – The U.S. Forest Service, in partnership with Zephyr Cove Resort, announces proposed improvements designed to strengthen essential infrastructure, enhance sanitation, improve shoreline safety, and improve accessibility. These efforts reflect our shared commitment to responsible stewardship, sustainability, and the meaningful feedback received from neighbors, community members, and stakeholders.
“We heard the community’s voice, asking us to limit development of the Zephyr Shoals area and prevent overnight use,” said Public Services Staff Officer, Daniel Cressy. “We also heard the suggestion that any substantial development should be concentrated in the southern portion of the resort area, closer to existing developed facilities. The proposed improvements were directly informed by this input.”
2026 Proposed Improvements:
Parking Access and Safety – Construct a 40-car day-use parking area and install best management practices along the existing roadway from the Warrior Way intersection south to the adjacent day use parking area to support access to shoreline recreation. Continue lakeshore bluff rustic fencing to protect vegetation and direct public to designated beach access routes.
Sanitation and Guest Comfort – Construct a permanent restroom facility at Warrior Way Beach to improve comfort, sanitation, and safety in one of the resort’s busier recreation zones.
Wastewater Systems – Upgrade Wastewater Systems to support improved sanitation facilities.
Pedestrian Bridge – Replace the pedestrian bridge north of the pier.
Sunset Bar and Grill – Replace the Sunset Bar and Grill building (starting 2027)
Accessible Recreation – Formalize and pave the multi‑use trail along the lakeshore bluff to improve safe and accessible pedestrian connections across the resort, while protecting the bluff from erosion and improving maintenance access.
Multiyear Vision Proposed for 2027–2033:
Looking ahead, the Forest Service and Zephyr Cove Resort continue to explore ideas for improvement beyond 2026. Currently, we are developing an aspirational roadmap which outlines potential improvements designed to enhance guest experience, protect natural resources, and expand accessibility across the resort. These concepts remain subject to Forest Service review, environmental considerations, and continued community input.
Proposals include:
Existing Facilities – Upgrades to existing facilities including new cabin roofs, new restaurant equipment, renovation of the housekeeping/maintenance facility, replacement of lodge windows and roof, and upgrades to water and sewer systems.
Zephyr Shoals Caretaker Cabin – Renovate the Zephyr Shoals caretaker cabin to improve security.
Parking Areas – Repave parking areas to improve safety, sustainability and visitor experience.
Hiking Trails – Define hiking trails in the Zephyr Shoals area to improve visitor experience and reduce user-created trails.
Pedestrian Bridge – Extend the lakeshore bluff footpath to connect Zephyr Cove to Zephyr Shoals with a new pedestrian bridge.
Restrooms/Utility Infrastructure – Construct a permanent restroom and install utilities at Zephyr Shoals.
Picnic Tables – Install new picnic tables in beach and campground areas to support family recreation
Emergency Service Pier Expansion – Continue collaboration with emergency response agencies to support expansion of the pier to meet current emergency response needs.
Community Engagement and Transparency:
The development of both the 2026 improvements and the multi‑year plan was shaped by public meetings, neighbor feedback, and stakeholder input. This dialogue helped refine priorities, identify community concerns, and ensure that future improvements reflect shared values around safety, environmental protection, and equitable access.
To support ongoing transparency, Zephyr Cove Resort will soon launch a public-facing project landing page on its website. This webpage will include project updates along with an opportunity to share comments through a “provide feedback” feature.
Trey Stone’s GoFundMe page is currently accepting donations Provided
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A long-time South Shore local and musician, Trey Stone, is in need of some help from the community after being diagnosed with a brain tumor and Alzheimer’s.
A true Tahoe treasure, Stone has intertwined himself through the South Lake Tahoe community for decades, playing at festivals, shows and venues while earning his spot in the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.
Now, as medical bills following his diagnosis are stacking up, and an unfortunate situation where his e-bike was stolen, his wife Lisa Quick has called upon the community for support through a GoFundMe page.
While no arrests have been made regarding the person who stole Stone’s e-bike, Quick noted the thief was a member of a family that had been living in a field in South Lake Tahoe.
The GoFundMe has reached $10,500 out of its $11,000 goal as of August 28.
“He is so touched by your love and caring for him. He soaks it up, and it is healing for him in so many ways,” said Quick on the GoFundMe page.
Commissioned by the Tahoe Fund, Anne-Sophie Gaudet painted “A Tahoe Day” at Cascade KitchensVictoria Mastrocola / Tahoe Daily Tribune
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Traveling through South Lake Tahoe, murals can be seen in vibrant hues and thought-provoking concepts throughout, making the city feel like its own art gallery. Tahoe Fund’s newest commission piece at Cascade Kitchens, “A Tahoe Day”, painted by artist Anne-Sophie Gaudet, adds to that collection.
On Thursday, August 27, the large-scale mural was unveiled as community members gathered to celebrate.
“We put together the call for artists, and we really wanted a mural that was going to bring the space to life and draw attention to the bike racks that we helped fund,” said Amy Berry, CEO of Tahoe Fund.
More than 20 submissions were received, and Berry recalled looking at Gaudet’s piece and knowing it was the one she wanted. Berry noted that she wasn’t part of the selection process, but other Tahoe Fund members, Cascade Kitchens, and a panel of reviewers from the local art community also shared her enthusiasm for “A Tahoe Day”.
Gaudet told the Tribune that she’s been a full-time artist for almost four years. Prior to that, she taught visual art in Palo Alto for 13 years. Her focus since transitioning to full-time art has centered heavily on murals that celebrate the beauty of the outdoors.
“For this mural, I was inspired by the lake, the forest, and the mountains,” said Gaudet. “I tried to make it a cohesive landscape using complimentary colors. The orange and the blue go well together, and the purple and green were really nice. What I wanted was to use the bike rack and integrate it into the mural in a way.”
Appearing as though two people just grabbed their bikes from the bike rack and set off on a bike path along the shimmering waters of Lake Tahoe, the mural took Gaudet only five days to complete.
As it lights up Cascade Kitchens’ east exterior wall, the art piece adds to the food hall’s growing ambiance of being a community gathering space, offering delicious food and drink options from 11 local restaurants and vendors.
“This just started out as a drab space. We knew it had a lot of potential, but it just wasn’t that welcoming. The mural has warmed it up,” said Fran Faulknor, owner of Cascade Kitchens. “We’re so appreciative of having this as a way to anchor our lovely outdoor space.”
Tahoe Fund has, once again, set its sights on a project that benefits the Basin, ensuring the continuation of its mission to act as a catalyst to bridge funding gaps in Lake Tahoe.
“Our goal is to improve the Tahoe environment for all to enjoy, and a big piece of that is our focus on the experience, and ‘How do you make it easier for people to get around, enjoy and take care of Tahoe?’ That’s what we really wanted this project to be, and bike racks help us achieve that,” said Berry. “But then you layer on art that really makes you think about how you’re taking care of the environment at the same time, and it varies together really well.”
The mural and bike racks were made possible by the generous support of the Tahoe Fund donors, as part of the organization’s efforts to make it easier to get around, enjoy, and take care of Lake Tahoe. Victoria Mastrocola / Tahoe Daily Tribune
To learn more about Tahoe Fund, its mission and projects, visit tahoefund.org.
To view more art by Anne-Sophie Gaudet, check out her website, annesophiegaudet.com
Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District responded to a structure fire. Provided / Tahoe Douglas Fire
STATELINE, Nev. – At approximately 5:10 p.m. Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District crews were dispatched to a fully involved structure fire on Panorama Drive in Stateline.
Firefighters quickly went to work and, with the assistance of our local partners, were able to knock down the fire and prevent further spread.
“We are grateful for the support and quick response from our partner agencies: South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue, East Fork Fire Protection District, Lake Valley Fire Protection District and CAL FIRE,” a Tahoe Douglas Fire press release stated.
There was one reported injury, and the individual was transported to the hospital for further medical care.
Crews remained on scene to complete overhaul and ensure the fire was fully extinguished.
“Thank you to our local partners for working alongside our crews, and to the community for giving firefighters room to work,” the release stated.
Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District responded to a structure fire. Provided / Tahoe Douglas Fire
I always love it when I get to judge food and drink competitions. Not only do you get to taste unique interpretations of whatever it is you are judging, but the interactions you get with the crowd and other judges, and hearing their feedback, is a complete treat every time.
This past week, I served (I think) my sixth year as a judge in the 15th annual Tahoe Bloody Mary Fest that took place at the pool deck at the Golden Nugget in South Lake Tahoe.
As you could imagine, the weather will always play a part when it comes to outdoor events. Imagine having to taste hot food with no shade in 90-plus degree weather. I’ve done it. It’s not awesome. Thankfully, this was not one of those days, as we were treated with perfect high 70-degree temps and a slight breeze to go along with each of the cold beverages.
Speaking of beverages, Bloody Marys are not everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve been team Bloodies from the start, so this event has always held a special place in my heart. But there are plenty of people out there that aren’t sold on the idea of this drink and I have to say, sometimes they’re right. It could be the most polarizing drink of all time.
When you get one that great, it’s fantastic. But anyone who drinks Bloody Marys, you’ve had a bad one, and probably many bad ones. When you get one of those, your attitude is shrouded in darkness because you’ve just ruined your palette for the rest of the day – at least for me.
But we’re here to talk about the positive side of this experience which brings me to the tasting itself. The event hosts anywhere from 12 – 15 booths that are slinging Bloodies to thirsty crowd-goers for hours. Judges grade three categories from one to 10 on taste, presentation and use of ingredients.
The hardest part about any judging is where to set the baseline on tasting number one. You can’t just go hog wild and throw out 10s to start – even if it is amazing. What happens if you taste something better down the road? I’ve found that you do not tally your totals until the very end because every entry deserves to be graded individually and you need some wiggle room to go back and adjust accordingly.
Inevitably, I always get asked if I’ve ever tasted any bad entries. The answer is yes. It’s always yes. But you learn to put on your best judging face, assess accordingly, place what you think are fair scores, and sometimes, have some fun conversations with your fellow judges.
Especially with Bloody Marys, the garnish plays a key role. I’ve seen entries with full blown meals crowning the cocktail and others that keep it ultra simple. For me, it’s not about the excess; it’s about what you do with the garnish to accentuate the drink. Attention to detail on ingredients, amazing flavors, creativity, they can all help play a role in a high score.
Now, for those of you that have been wine tasting, you ever get to the third or fourth winery and everything starts tasting good? It’s not too different. You have to really focus on the task at hand and make sure you’re still grading objectively.
When all is said and done, and you recap your notes and scores, if you feel like you’ve done your best and scored fairly, then that’s all you can really do … then maybe go back to your favorite and indulge in one more sip.
At just one year of age and 50 pounds, Elsa is a sweet, playful girl who is ready to find a loving family of her own. She may be a little shy when meeting new people, but give her a little time and patience, and you’ll quickly see her silly and affectionate personality shine through.
Elsa loves going for walks, spending time with people she trusts, and showing off her playful side. She enjoys jumping and trying to catch balls, and once she feels comfortable, she has plenty of fun energy to share. She is also great with other dogs, making her a wonderful potential companion for a home with a canine friend. In fact, she would thrive in a home with another dog.
Elsa is this week’s Pet of the Week. Provided / HSTT
New environments can sometimes make Elsa feel a little unsure, but she doesn’t let that hold her back for long. With a little time to settle in, plenty of encouragement, and a loving person by her side, Elsa is ready to build her confidence and blossom.
This sweet girl is looking for a home where she can feel safe and loved while she learns that the world is a wonderful place. In return, Elsa will bring plenty of affection, playful antics, and a whole lot of love to her new family.
If you’re looking for a gentle, goofy young dog who just needs a little time to come out of her shell, Elsa may be the perfect match. Come meet this special girl and give her the chance to show you just how wonderful she can be!
If you are interested in meeting Elsa or learning more about her, please get in touch with one of HSTT’s Adoption Specialists, 530-587-5948 or adoptions@hstt.org. Elsa is spayed, vaccinated, and up to date on her vaccines. To view more adoptable pets or to learn more about the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, visit, www.hstt.org.
Have you ever gazed into Tahoe’s shimmering blue water to see fish and rocks multiple feet below the surface and wondered—Why is the water so clear? Perhaps you’ve admired the intricacy of tribal baskets and asked—How long do these take to make? Or sat in a hotel room or short-term rental and asked—What was vacationing in Tahoe like 100 years ago?
Whether you’re a wide-eyed visitor wanting to learn about the forces that shaped this beautiful basin or the seasoned local wanting to get in touch with the region’s maritime history, the collection of museums in the Tahoe-Truckee area offers something for everyone.
Here’s a guide to area museums, organized into themed categories. Some do qualify for more than one category, so be sure to review the entire list!
Go back in time
Thunderbird Lodge
Step back in time to the 1930s and stroll through Tahoe’s iconic lakefront mansion and estate. Visitors can admire the impressive architecture, rocky cove, forested surroundings, and a walk through a chilly, dark 600-foot-long tunnel to the boathouse where the namesake, one-of-a-kind boat—the Thunderbird—resides. In addition to touring the historic property, you will learn about the escapades of the character behind it all. Born into wealth, George Whittell, Jr. was one of California’s richest men in the 1930s. He had a reputation as a playboy and enjoyed collecting exotic animals and expensive cars. His influence also led to preserving much of the east shore of Lake Tahoe.
Location: Tours leave from Travel North Tahoe Nevada Welcome Center, located at 969 Tahoe Blvd., Incline Village, Nevada 89451.
Tour multiple former estates, built between 1894 and 1923 by some of San Francisco’s wealthiest. The Pope and Baldwin Estates were summer homes to some of Tahoe’s earliest vacationers. They now welcome the public for tours of the grounds and buildings. Tour guides dress in period-appropriate clothes and take guests back in time.
Location: 1 Heritage Way, South Lake Tahoe, California 96150
The Pioneer Monument outside of the Donner Memorial State Museum commemorates the ill-fated Donner Party.Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Magazine
Learn how a promising shortcut on a migration west turned into a tragedy, sparking desperate measures for surviving the cold—and hunger. Accounts from survivors and victims tell the gruesome story of the 1846 Donner Party. Interactive exhibits demonstrate the challenges the Sierra Nevada Range presented to pioneers trying to cross the often unforgiving landscape. Artifacts transport you to the era of the Donner Party, and educational exhibits reveal the preparation and sacrifice required for such a journey. The museum also has a theater with a video expounding on the story.
While you’re there, walk the mile-plus interpretive trail and visit Donner Lake for an escape into nature.
Location: 12593 Donner Pass Rd, Truckee, CA 96161
Hours: 7 days a week, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fees: The museum is free. Parking is paid.
Architectural wonder
Hellman-Ehrman Mansion
Get a glimpse of luxury living in the early 20th century at the Hellman Ehrman Mansion, built in 1903 by I. W. Hellman and later inherited by his daughter, Florence Hellman Ehrman. Owned by the family until California State Parks acquired it and the land around it in 1965, you can explore what summer home opulence was like on the lake over 100 years ago. Many of the family’s artifacts, including boats, are still there. Also called the Pine Lodge, the California Craftsman-style home is an architectural wonder with intricate redwood paneling, locally sourced materials, and was equipped with the most advanced systems of the day. The mansion sits within the Sugar Pine Point State Park, offering other recreational and scenic opportunities as well.
Location: Tour tickets and information are available at the Nature Center at Sugar Pine Point State Park, 7360 W Lake Blvd, Tahoma, CA 96142
A glimpse of the turf roof, stonework, and windows at Vikingsholm. Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Magazine
Located at the bottom of a scenic one-mile trail from Highway 89, or by boat, Vikingsholm rewards the effort. It rests at the head of Emerald Bay, one of Lake Tahoe’s most photographed locations, harboring the lake’s only island and waterfall that flows directly into the lake. As one of the most impressive works of Scandinavian architecture outside of the Nordic countries, it could fall under this guide’s architectural wonder category as well. Come for the tour and stay for the scenery.
Location: in the Emerald Bay State Park
Hours: Open daily, between May and September
Fees: Between $15-$20, parking fees around $10
Notes: Arrive early for parking or take the Emerald Bay Shuttle
Something for the science nerd
Tahoe Science Center
Beakers on display at the Tahoe Science Center. Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Magazine
Discover the strong forces that created Lake Tahoe as well as the tsunami and other factors that shaped it into what it is today. Tours at Lake Tahoe’s only science center dive into many of Tahoe’s scientific wonders with interactive exhibits, short explainer videos, and a movie theater to learn about Tahoe in depth. Engaging docents personalize the experience and help guests understand Tahoe’s dynamic water cycle and what contributes to its famed clarity (and threatens it). Tours are friendly for all ages and allow guests to get up close and even feed some of Tahoe’s scaled inhabitants. The science center also has exhibits at the League to Save Lake Tahoe Education Center in South Lake Tahoe, the Kings Beach Visitor Center, and the Tahoe City Visitor Center.
Location: 201 Country Club Dr., Incline Village, NV 89451
Guided tours available via advanced tickets on Tuesdays – Fridays, Saturdays by request at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Purchase tickets at tahoe.ucdavis.edu/tahoesciencecenter
Fees: $5 – $10 per person
Self-guided tours: 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm on Tuesday through Friday
Enriching stops
Watson Cabin
Much has changed in the last century in Tahoe City, but the Watson Cabin has been a constant presence through it all. Built in 1908 by Tahoe City’s first constable, Robert Montgomery Watson, the cabin is Tahoe’s oldest log structure still standing in the North Tahoe region. It’s one of the few lakefront properties with million-dollar views that welcome the public in. Take in the historic structure, made from local logs and stone, and learn about those who inhabited it and what it was like to live in Tahoe in the early 1900s. It’s an easy stop on the main street if you’re already visiting Tahoe City or Commons Beach.
Gatekeepers’ Museum has around 400 tribal baskets on display. Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Magazine
This museum’s location right next to the Lake Tahoe dam hints at its name. It once housed the dam’s operator. The museum is a replica of the original cabin, which burned down in 1978. Gatekeeper’s Museum holds extensive exhibits about many facets of Tahoe, including the local Tribe, famous figures, its environment, maritime history, and how people dressed, lived at and traveled around the lake before cars or roads. The museum also holds 400 of Marion Steinbach’s collected Native American Baskets with 79 tribes represented. The Gatekeeper’s Museum and Watson Cabin are best done together, located within walking distance from each other.
Fees: $10 general, $9 senior/military, kids under 12 are free; parking fee, $10
For the sports lover
Olympic Museum
Palisades Tahoe’s Olympic Museum is located at the top of the mountain with artifacts, information, and views. Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Magazine
Learn how vision, determination, and persistence brought the eighth Olympic Games to what was then a small ski resort with one chairlift, and how the 1960’s games changed the ski valley forever. The Palisades Tahoe Olympic Museum is located on top of the mountain, reachable by a thrilling ride on an aerial tram that sweeps you across the mountain landscape. The museum takes you back in time with winter attire for the times, team uniforms, and other artifacts. Come for the history and stay for the views, enjoyed at the museum, bar, or restaurant.
Location: 1960 Olympic Valley Road, Olympic Valley, CA 96146
Hours: Aerial Tram runs Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Fees: Museum is free, a tram ticket to get there is between $60-$80
The SNOW Sports Museum
The SNOW Sports Museum has the largest collection of artifacts from the 1960 Olympics. Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Magazine
If you didn’t get enough sports at the Olympic Museum, the SNOW Sports Museum in Tahoe City is sure to satisfy. Located in a lakeside mall with many other offerings to enjoy afterwards, this museum has the largest collection of 1960 Winter Olympic artifacts and memorabilia of the region’s more recent Olympians, such as Daron Rahlves and Julia Mancuso. The museum also tells the history of skiing, the evolution of skis, and California’s role in shaping the sport.
Location: in the Boatworks Mall, 760 N Lake Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Fees: Parking and museum entry are free, donations accepted
For the history buff
Tahoe-Truckee has a rich history, from its existence for thousands of years as sacred grounds to the Washoe Tribe, to the rush of the Comstock era, its railroad influence, and transformation into a tourist destination.
Learn about the major players and events that shaped Lake Tahoe and Truckee into the destinations they are today at these historical museums.
Lake Tahoe History Museum
Location: 3058 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
The Truckee Railroad Museum is located next to the Truckee History Museum, and for good reason, since most of the region’s history is centered around the railroad. The railroad museum itself exists inside a caboose next to the railroad tracks that run through downtown Truckee. Inside, you’ll learn how the railroad impacted the town, view artifacts, and more. A short walk east on Donner Pass Road takes you to a railyard display with a snowplow and steam crane.
Location: 10075 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA 96161
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Fees: no fee, donations accepted
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Summer 2026 edition of Tahoe Magazine.
Alan “Al” Anderson Moss, of Meadowlakes, Texas, passed away at home on August 15, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was 80 years old.
Al was born on September 14, 1945 in Salt Lake City, UT, to Earl and Eleanor Moss. He shared 60 years of marriage with his wife, Patricia “Patty” Moss. Together, they built a life centered around family, friendship, hard work, faith, and service to the communities they called home.
Al and Patty raised their three sons in South Lake Tahoe, California, where Al was active in business for more than 40 years and built many lasting relationships.
Service to others was a constant throughout Al’s life. A Rotarian for more than 40 years, he served communities in Lake Tahoe and Marble Falls. He shared his lifelong love of music through years of playing in a band. He was a longtime member of Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. After moving to Marble Falls, he and Patty became an integral part of the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church family.
Above all, Al was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. His family was at the center of his life. Al will be remembered for his infectious laugh, warm personality, sense of humor, generosity, strong work ethic, and ability to make friends wherever he went.
Al was preceded in death by his parents and his older brother, Tim Moss.
He is survived by his wife, Patty Moss; his three sons and their families: Scott and Shannon Moss and their children, Alyssa and Dakota; Todd and Kerri Moss and their children, Kealy and Alexa; and Casey and Layne Moss and their children, Piper and Bode; and his brother, Don, and his wife, Diane Moss; and many nieces and nephews.
Al leaves behind a legacy of family, friendship, service, and a life well lived. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing and loving him.
A celebration of Al’s life will be held in Marble Falls at Lakeside Pavilion October 9 at 4pm and at a later date in Lake Tahoe.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Rotary International, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church of Marble Falls, or a favorite charity in Al’s memory
Kimber Wasilchuk 63 passed away on August 2 at Renown Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. A 35 year South Lake Tahoe resident, she spent 20 years in the casino industry as a cocktail server and bartender. She was a fun loving and caring person who enjoyed spending time with family and friends, being outdoors, live music, playing the slots and vacationing in Mendocino. But mostly loved just being Grandma. She is survived by her loving husband of 30 years Fredrick Wasilchuk of South Lake Tahoe, brothers Lance and Shane Bennett, sons Zachary Beals, of South Lake Tahoe, Fredrick Wasilchuk jr.(Lincoln, Ca.), James Wasilchuk(Visalia, Ca.),and 8 beautiful grandchildren. A celebration of life may be announced later.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The U.S. Forest Service is hiring a permanent Forest Supervisor for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Current or former federal employees are encouraged to apply. The job announcement opens today, August 27, 2026, and closes Wednesday, Sep. 2. Applications must be submitted through USAJOBS.gov.
How to Apply Applicants can view the job announcement and submit applications at USAJOBS.gov using the following announcement number. Applicants are encouraged to review the job announcement carefully for deadlines and required materials.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On August 26, 2026, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the SLTPD arrested Kyle Jurek near the intersection of Sierra Boulevard and Rose Avenue on a 2024 felony warrant issued by the State of Michigan. The warrant alleges multiple counts of Child Sexually Abusive Activity.
Following the arrest, the SLTPD, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) served a search warrant at Jurek’s residence in connection with allegations involving online child enticement and possession of child sexual abuse material.
Kyle JurekProvided / SLTPD
The arrest and investigation are part of a joint operation involving the SLTPD, FBI, and HSI. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with the search by deploying its Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Investigators are seeking information from potential victims and witnesses. Anyone who recognizes Jurek and has information related to this case is encouraged to contact the SLTPD at 530-542-6100.
All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation announced the launch of the National Forests and Grasslands Passport, a free digital experience designed to inspire visitors to discover more of America’s national forests and grasslands while earning commemorative digital badges along the way.
Available through the OuterSpatial mobile app, the National Forests and Grasslands Passport transforms every visit into a rewarding experience, allowing visitors to check in and earn exclusive digital badges for each national forest and national grassland they explore.
“As an avid fan of the National Park Service Passport Program, I am excited to announce the introduction of the digital U.S. Forest Service Passport Program. More than 164 million people visit our 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands each year bringing back with them stories, family memories and oftentimes plans to return or explore a new Forest Service destination,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “Now, millions of people are able to track their visits on their mobile devices through the National Forests and Grasslands Passport, and we are so excited to welcome the next generation of adventurers through this engaging, digital experience.”
Each national forest and grassland has its own specially designed badge, inspired by the iconic Forest Service entrance signs that have welcomed visitors for generations. The artwork reflects the landscapes, wildlife, plants, and other features that define each forest and grassland, creating a collection as distinctive as the places themselves.
“We’re proud to partner with the Forest Service on a program that inspires more people to experience our national forests and grasslands,” said Dieter Fenkart-Froeschl, President and CEO of the National Forest Foundation. “People care for the places they love, and every new connection helps build a stronger community of people committed to the future of these extraordinary public lands.”
Additionally, users will be able to view their total visit number ranked in a leaderboard with other challengers. Visitors are encouraged to log in all their past visits to unlock digital badges to build their own personal collection; however, only check-ins within the geographic coordinates of the national forest or grassland will earn a certified green checkmark.
TRPA’s meeting room exceeded capacity during their August 26 meeting Victoria Mastrocola / Tahoe Daily Tribune
STATELINE, Nev. – During an Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) committee meeting of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) governing board on August 26, more than a hundred community members rallied – both in person and online – to speak in opposition to the spraying of glyphosate as part of the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit’s (LTBMU) Caldor Fire Restoration Project.
The meeting was chaired by Brooke Laine. It was attended by TRPA governing board members and EIP committee members, including Joseph Cannata who was recently appointed to the board by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
During LTBMU’s presentation to TRPA and according to their EA, there are roughly 4,900 acres where natural forest regeneration is unlikely, and the project proposes strategic reforestation on 2,400 – 3,600 of those acres in 2028. The use of herbicides is considered a potential tactic to achieve this by reducing shrub layers that have out-shaded seedlings.
“We have to put this tool in the toolbox,” said Ashley Sibr, Environmental Coordinator for LTBMU during her presentation. “There’s a lot of feelings about this topic. We know that we’re not going to change how you personally feel about herbicides and their use in the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, but we’re here to help inform you.”
The presentation also touches on “best practices” and states that near waterways, newer techniques would be used, including dipping shears in herbicides and then cutting the stems, “for more targeted treatments over spot spraying.”
Another slide labeled “Resource Protection Measures” states that glyphosate will not be applied between June 1 and September 30 to protect pollinator species, there will be no application before or after rain, buffers will be placed around watercourses and 100 feet of buffer will be placed around milkweed. In addition, application of glyphosate will be through backpack spraying only, with no aerial spraying or aquatic herbicides, and public noticing and signing will be present.
Tensions were high during public comment, and while many public commenters echoed a lot of the same sentiments, their voices varied between anger, passion, and concern.
More than 50 people spoke in-person during public comment in opposition to glyphosate. Victoria Mastrocola / Tahoe Daily Tribune
Tara Thornton, cofounder of Protect Tahoe, a campaign which aims to eradicate the use of glyphosate, spoke during public comment of being an expert on the issue of pesticides, policy, legislation and community organizing.
“Our mission to project Tahoe is to make a bi-state, bioregional model of healthy forest regeneration and wildfire mitigation without the use of conventional herbicides,” said Thornton. “Tahoe is the heart and the hub of it. TRPA, you do have the regulatory authority. You’re the only entity in the United States, even beyond the California Coastal Commission that has full authority over every entity, including the U.S. Forest Service.”
Other commenters, including those from members of the Washoe Tribe, voiced concerns related to wildlife and to the herbicide being detected in ambient air and rainwater samples. In addition, topics related to cancer, lawsuits against the chemical company Monsanto, and the health of LTBMU employees who will be wearing backpack sprayers were all prevalent.
Scott Robbins, South Lake Tahoe city councilmember, spoke independently and in a personal capacity during public comment about federal policy over the last two years shifting from environmental indifference to belligerence.
“This is the public’s opportunity to influence a change with the one organization that would potentially make a difference,” Robbins told the Tribune after public comment. “The TRPA does not have a good track record of incorporating public feedback into their decisions. I hope that changes here with this issue. I hope they decide to speak for the trees as the public here has spoken for the trees. No one else will.”
Following the presentation and public comment, Mayor of South Lake Tahoe and TRPA governing board member, Cody Bass, spoke from online about implementing a unique approach to how Tahoe’s forests are managed and urged the committee to take this topic to the full governing board.
“That was some of the most moving public comment I’ve ever experienced in my eight years of service,” Bass said. “I’m here for the will of the people, by the people, and I think we have to pay attention to what the people are really demanding in this situation.”
Following four hours of public commentary and more than five hours of meeting, there were no actions taken or motions made by the TRPA regarding the Caldor Fire Restoration Project. The committee said they plan to learn more about the project and discuss possible alternatives to conventional herbicides prior to 2028’s proposed implementation.
By the end of the 2023 season, the once-proud North Tahoe football team had been down in wins and participation for the better part of two decades. The sophomore-led varsity finished 0-9, this after the class endured a winless record as freshmen on JV the year prior. Without a single taste of victory, frustrations boiled.
“Everyone talked about quitting,” said head coach Ryan Brolliar, referencing a closed-door team meeting held the summer before the next season. “There were tears shed, profanities back and forth. I said, ‘We’re not leaving this room until all you guys are in or all you guys are out.’”
From that day forward the Lakers were, quite literally, all in. Soon after, players and coaches embarked together on a journey to a no-frills camp in the middle of nowhere in Northern California where a Navy SEAL awaited to whip them into a cohesive unit.
“It was five days of no cell phones, no parents, no friends, just football,” Brolliar recounted. “We had a sandlot field and the Navy Seal kicked our butt. We were playing in the dark some nights. We worked through things. It was so much fun.”
North Tahoe came together. And in the fifth game of the ’24 season, the team broke through with a win, finally tasting the sweet satisfaction of victory with a 26-14 triumph over West Wendover.
“It was like we won the championship,” Brolliar said of the moment that had been months in the making,
The momentum led to two more victories that season and catapulted the Lakers to a historic 2025 campaign. For only the second time in 20-plus years, and two years removed from going 0-9, the Lakers finished the season with a winning record. The team battled to a 5-3 regular season, trouncing Yerington 34-0 in the final game to earn a spot in the NIAA 2A football championships.
“I’ll never forget the announcer over the PA after the game — ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Lakers are going to the playoffs,’” Brolliar relayed. “It was awesome.”
HEAD COACH: Ryan Brolliar (second coach from left) spreads the stoke at a recent North Tahoe practice.
2026 Season Preview
This fall marks Brolliar’s fifth year as head coach, and under his watch the rising Lakers tide has lifted the program’s boats. But with 18 seniors graduated-and-gone from last year’s breakthrough team, North Tahoe will once again be young. Fifteen juniors will be called upon for the bulk of the productivity, the squad’s lone senior coming in the form of starting safety, kicker, and punter Chemo Anselmo-Arrieta.
Hawkin Anderson’s high football IQ, footspeed, and quick release have him slated to start at quarterback. He’ll look to find tight end Charlie Blair and tight end/receiver Axl Fant, both of whom, like many on the small, special-ops-like 25-man roster, will play “ironman football,” contributing on offense as well as defense.
Running back/linebacker Ian Dohner will carry a heavy load, and Gael Servin will anchor the offensive and defensive lines. Matthew Rosenfeld will lead the defense from his middle linebacker spot while adding strength to the offensive side of the ball at the fullback position.
The Laker offense looks to establish the run game with physicality at the line of scrimmage, and the defense is designed to allow players to play on instinct. “It’s a lot of see ball, get ball,” Brolliar explained.
The team put together a solid fall camp and fared well at home in their Aug. 15 jamboree (organized scrimmage), scoring three times against Chico-area Hamilton High School, while also playing stout defense, including tallying an interception.
But the path into the regular season won’t be easy.
North Tahoe opens with three straight games on the road. It all starts this Friday night at 7:30 p.m. at Quincy against the Trojans of the Mid Valley League. The tough nonconference schedule continues the next week against Highlands of the historically strong Sierra Delta League. After a bye, the Lakers open 2A Northern League play at Coral Academy (Reno) on Sept. 12.
North Tahoe’s first home game will take place Sept. 18 under the lights against the Incline Highlanders.
“Incline is our rival,” Brolliar said. “It’s the only game that we get portable lights for every year. Friday night lights. We also make sure it’s our homecoming game.”
The next two weeks are also at home, against Pershing County (Lovelock) Sept. 26 and West Wendover Oct. 3. The regular season’s finale is Friday Oct. 29 at Yerington, but the Lakers’ goal is for that to not be the final time they put on shoulder pads to compete against a foe in a different colored jersey.
“We’re young, but we’re going to mess some stuff up,” Brolliar said. “There’s not a junior class that’s better [than ours]. We are a playoff caliber team.”
READYING FOR THE SEASON: The 2026 Lakers, seen here warming up before practice, are led by 15 juniors on their 25-man roster.
Blue Blood
Brolliar has been around North Tahoe football so much in his life, it’s practically in his DNA. His father, Dave Brolliar, taught P.E and was the team’s head coach for much of the 1980s, guiding the Lakers, among other achievements, to the Nevada 2A state title in 1986.
Ryan was nine years old that year, and he served as the team’s waterboy. “I remember the emotion,” he said of the celebration after the championship victory. “People just hugging, crying. I was a young kid. I was like, ‘wow.’”
The feeling of awe surrounding the game of football stuck with him, and the young Brolliar grew up bleeding North Tahoe blue. When he got to high school, he became a great player himself, a Laker known for making plays all over the field. His senior year in 1995, he earned first team all-league honors as a quarterback and first team all-state accolades as a defensive back.
The team was going strong. But after decades of success and stability, the school’s enrollment and the football team’s numbers both dwindled, so much so that the Lakers had to cancel the 2014 season. A revolving door of three coaches in three years further damaged the once-proud team. There was serious talk of completely cutting the program.
That’s when longtime head coach Scott Everist reached out to the old quarterback. “He called me and basically told me it was time to move back home,” Brolliar said.
After over 20 years of teaching, coaching, and playing music professionally in San Diego, the coach’s son returned to his roots to revive the Lakers football team.
Brolliar came back to Tahoe without even having set up a day job to pay the bills. But his bold actions were met with fortune; within three weeks, the North Tahoe physical education teaching position opened up. Brolliar was qualified. He applied and got the job. “Now I’m in my dad’s old office,” he mused, “teaching P.E. and coaching football.”
That might just be about as full circle as it gets.
“When I moved back, people didn’t even know we had a football team,” said the coach, again remembering the talk of cutting the program. “The kids are excited. We’re back, and we’re not going anywhere.”
The Lake Tahoe camping season may be winding down for the summer, but there are still a few places to enjoy sleeping under the stars this fall.
Milky Way over Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe | Photo: Rachid Dahnoun
Lake Tahoe is a popular camping destination all summer long; however, for the hardy outdoors people among us, year-round camping opportunities exist around Lake Tahoe. Fall is a fantastic time to enjoy the changing leaves, fewer crowds, and quieter beaches and trails, and the cooler temperatures are perfect for long hikes and mountain bike rides.
Fall colors around Lake Tahoe. Photo by Carol Chaplin.
Here are some of your options for camping this fall in Lake Tahoe:
Campground by the Lake, season runs from April through the end of October (weather permitting).
D.L. Bliss, Donner Memorial, Emerald Bay, and Sugar Pine Point are OPEN during the winter for hiking and snowshoeing, but these parks are CLOSED to camping beginning mid-September (varies by park).
Bring extra layers (temperatures drop at night), and don’t forget your sleeping pad! While you are here, make sure you check out all the beautiful fall colors.
South Lake Tahoe Camping | Photo: @keeptahoe.local
We begin our exploration of the celestial energies with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. This beloved annual occurrence, active until Aug. 24, is a beautiful invitation to spend an evening beneath the cosmos. As shooting stars streak across the night sky, connect in your heart with all the other human beings making wishes at the same time.
Astrologically, we arrive at the midpoint of summer with an abundance of fire energy as Mercury, Jupiter, the sun, and south node all transit in Leo. On Aug 15, Mercury conjoins Jupiter in this heart-centered sign, creating opportunity for expansive, truthful, and courageous expression.
Energies may turn wonky on Aug. 17 as Mars in Cancer squares Neptune retrograde in Aries. Mars, the planet of action and forward movement, generally feels uncomfortable in Cancer’s nurturing waters, and Neptune can dissolve certainty and blur the path ahead. Fortunately, Venus in her home sign of Libra sextiles Jupiter that day, bringing grace, open-mindedness, and support for peaceful resolutions.
On Aug. 22 the sun conjoins the south node in Leo before moving into Mercury–ruled Virgo the following day. Mercury follows suit, joining first the south node on Aug. 25 before meeting the sun in Virgo for a cazami on Aug. 27. Together, these alignments encourage the release of old identities and outdated stories, allowing more authentic patterns to emerge. We also experience a full moon lunar eclipse in Pisces the same day.
Jupiter trines Saturn retrograde in Aries on Aug. 31, bringing optimism to the work of structure and discipline. However, that supportive energy shifts quickly as Mars squares Saturn on Sept.1. Allow this transit to reveal habits, fears, and reactions that are ready to be transformed, remembering that impatience rarely produces lasting results.
NATURAL MAGIC
To support healing, create an ancestral water-and-fire offering for the Mars-Saturn square. In a safe outside place, light an orange or red candle; fill a bowl with spring water; add rosemary, rose petals, and cedar fronds. Then sit quietly and ask: What ancestral patterns around action, anger, protection, and survival am I ready to complete?
Feel what arises, and write three patterns onto separate pieces of paper. Burn one piece and place its ashes into the bowl. Place a second, unburned, into the bowl among the plant beings. Place the third beneath the bowl of water. Blow out your candle and leave the ritual outside overnight. In the morning, offer the water, ashes, plants, and paper to your garden or compost as a prayer to the earth and to all those that came before you. Trust in the magic of healing
It started on July 3 in my Carnelian Bay neighborhood. Eighty-five percent of the houses are short-term vacation rentals and second homes, which are normally filled up with families on the Fourth of July holiday.
But this Independence Day was the first of its kind. Because not only was it a major milestone celebrating the birth of America, but the influx of visitors flooding the streets weren’t families — it was a teen/college kids takeover.
Suddenly every house in my neighborhood was full of sorority and frat-house-like renters, drinking out of red solo cups and playing cornhole in the streets. And then the crowds kept growing.
By July 4 at 1 p.m., every beach in North Lake Tahoe was packed with an overwhelming number of young people roughly the same age. Most of the girls were dressed in thong bikinis and many guys were in American flag board shorts, no shirts.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office shut down Tahoe City’s Skylandia and Bristlecone beaches by 4 p.m. due to underage drinking, significant traffic impacts, and widespread littering. More than a dozen California State Parks enforcement officers broke up the crowds in Kings Beach.
“We’ve caught multiple kids peeing on our fences and just tossing trash in the streets,” Kings Beach resident Amber Kramer posted to Facebook.
By the time the fireworks started, my neighborhood was eerily silent, all the houses abruptly abandoned by 11 p.m. By the next morning, everyone had vanished.
“It was like spring break around here … in the 20-plus years of living here, I’ve never seen anything like it,” my neighbor said on that (relatively) quiet morning of July 5.
I heard in the following days that San Francisco Bay Area high school and college students organized this. Parents rented the VRBOs and Airbnbs for their kids. Tik-Tok posts went viral weeks before the takeover.
Although the scene didn’t get out of control like the shooting that took place in Florida, large, random gatherings like this can pose a public safety threat.
Kings Beach business owners commented online that the crowds did not contribute to the downtown economy — no one went into the restaurants despite hordes of people hanging out in front of the Taco Bell at 10 p.m. that evening.
“Yes, it was bad for business, and yes, the streets and sidewalks are covered in trash and vomit. Definitely not fun,” a local Kings Beach business owner posted to Facebook.
Shortly after the busy weekend, a petition went out asking Placer County to publicly address what happened this Fourth of July. A few days later, Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson released a statement saying she was planning a meeting with agency representatives to talk about it.
I feel like this is a weak response.
Right now, neither the rental agencies nor homeowners are taking responsibility for these issues, so Placer County needs to implement penalties big enough to make owners think twice about who they are renting to or what their properties are being used for.
There are a lot of parking, noise, and trash issues that full-time North Tahoe residents deal with all summer from their short-term neighbors, and I have never seen or heard of an instance when rules have been enforced or penalties imposed. Placer County does have a 24/7 short-term rental hotline number neighbors can call to address complaints, but in many cases the vacationers are just given a slap on the wrist or a warning, and a new crop of visitors comes the following weekend. I’ve never heard of an STR getting shut down.
Considering we’re nearing the end of summer, I think Placer County should publish a statement this fall that contains: 1) an analysis of what happened this Fourth of July; 2) a plan emphasizing how parking/trash/noise regulations will start being heavily enforced beginning June 1, 2027; and 3) share a report of how many complaints were recorded and how they were addressed in the summer of 2026.
If this is a problem that affects you, too, sign the petition. Write Cindy Gustafson. And Placer County, please take residents’ complaints seriously and do something about them.
~ Kayla Anderson is a freelance writer and coauthor of Moon Travel Guides’ Best of California State Parks and Northern California Road Trips. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from CSU, Chico, and has been a North Lake Tahoe resident for the past 20 years.
Every summer, Lake Tahoe’s transportation challenges become impossible to ignore. Gridlocked roads, full parking lots, and unsafe parking along busy highways are the visible signs of a problem that dozens of agencies have spent decades trying to solve.
Gavin Feiger, policy director for Keep Tahoe Blue, put it like this:
“Transportation in Tahoe has been one of the largest contributors to clarity decline. It has one of the biggest impacts on the environment and on our day-to-day lives. It’s a huge issue that we haven’t been able to crack as a region yet. We’re tackling aquatic invasive species. We’re doing restoration projects. Development is getting more sustainable and it’s limited. Growth is capped. We’ve done all these things, but we just haven’t worked out transportation yet.”
Part of that, he explained, is the cost. Transportation systems not only include creating bike lanes and trails and shuttles, but also “everything under the street.”
MILE AFTER MILE: Nevada’s state Route 28, which runs from the California state line in Crystal Bay following Lake Tahoe to halfway down its East Shore, sees 2.6 million vehicles annually and over one million recreational visitors.
The Lake Tahoe Regional Transportation Plan, developed by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and intended to address water and air quality, scenic and recreation sources, noise levels, and more through a Basin-wide system, puts the total unfunded priorities of the plan at $20 million annually for the next 20 years. Some say that number is on the low end.
“There’s not one big thing that can solve it,” Feiger said. “It’s not like we can go to Sen. [Alex] Padilla and be like, we need the Sen. Padilla Tahoe Transportation Bill, and build a giant bridge, and name it after him. We need $20 million a year for transit operations that will be spread amongst five different agencies. That’s a hard act.”
While a Basin-wide transportation solution remains years away, local agencies are making progress on one piece of the puzzle: parking. This summer, several projects aim to improve access and safety while reducing congestion at some of Tahoe’s busiest destinations.
We touch on the efforts, as well as significant snags, below.
rAguably the most critical player when it comes to all things transportation in Tahoe is the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD). When the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact, which unites California, Nevada, and the U.S. government to manage the shared region, was amended in 1980, it established the TTD.
“That does put us in a pretty unique position because our jurisdiction is the Basin,” said Tara Styer, deputy director for TTD. “We’re able to leverage funding across state lines, and then we’re also able to implement those projects that are across jurisdictions … It takes a bit for everyone to be rowing in the same direction, but having that governing document really helps to have something to point back to.”
In July 2020, TTD began its Park Tahoe program, intended to aid what many see as a long-needed holistic and equitable approach to parking management in the Tahoe Basin. The first area of interest for the program: state Route 28, the famous two-lane highway along the Nevada side of the lake.
LOT FULL: A lack of enforcement capacity along state Route 28 has led to people parking in paid lots as well as continuing to park along the shoulder of the two-lane highway, even in no parking zones.
Park Tahoe was launched the same day as the Tahoe East Shore Trailhead, north of Ponderosa Ranch Road in Incline Village, which offers 90 metered parking spots away from — and this is critical — the shoulder of SR 28. This first lot was Phase 1 of the North Parking Project. Phase 2 is actively underway, with the relocation of 38 shoulder-parked vehicles to an official lot.
Parking along the shoulder of SR 28 is a very popular approach for those looking to visit various beaches. Numbers have doubled in the last 15 years. It’s also, as Styer said, a huge safety risk.
“The last shoulder counts we did in 2024, we looked at a midweek day, and we looked at two Saturdays, usually late July, early August,” Styer said. “We had 970 shoulder-parked vehicles on a summer Saturday in August.” With an average of three people per vehicle, plus bikes, this can mean over 3,000 people on a summer day using the state highway like a sidewalk or parking lot.
Shoulder parking is the leading cause of crashes on SR 28. From an environmental perspective, shoulder parking increases erosion along highway embankments and into Lake Tahoe.
The day-use reservation system at Sand Harbor State Park, implemented August 2024, is an attempt to reduce congestion by limiting the number of vehicles trying to enter the park during peak morning hours. From mid-May through September, visitors must make a reservation if they want to enter the park between 8 and 10:30 a.m. After that, remaining spots are available on a first come, first served basis. “Out of the 400 reservable spots, we are still able to let in 20 to 50 vehicles,” wrote Tyler Kerver of the Nevada Division of State Parks in an email, noting that the number varies with weather, holidays, and the day of the week. “The gates to the main parking lot are usually closed by 11 a.m. June through August.”
Progress is piecemeal, and people are still parking their cars along SR 28, shifting locations as signs marking no-parking zones go up. “As we implement these projects throughout the corridor, it’s sort of a whack-a-mole effect,” Styer said. “Anything south of Secret Harbor is still technically not no parking. Although it’s not safe and a lot of people are parking over the fog line [the white stripe along the outside of a paved road].”
A significant parking lot option became available this June: The Chimney Beach Trailhead, which offers about 130 spaces, each for $12 a day. The site improvements include a pedestrian crosswalk across SR 28. In order to open up, a permit granted by the TRPA to the U.S. Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), required, “The no parking zone on SR-28 shall be extended around Chimney Beach Parking lot prior to the new parking lot being open to the public. The area of no parking shall be consistent with the area identified in the project [environmental assessment]. LTBMU shall coordinate with partners who are responsible for enforcing no parking along the corridor.”
CHIMNEY BEACH: The new parking lot on U.S. Forest Service land offers about 130 spots, each for $12 a day. According to the Tahoe Transportation District, the lot fills up on weekends, but not as much during weekdays (while shoulder parking on state Route 28 stays consistent).
Basically, TRPA was asserting that roughly 130 shoulder parking spots along the highway south of Sand Harbor could be blocked off with no-parking signs, since those cars now have a place to park.
That’s what was supposed to happen.
“The signs went up, there’s [a memorandum of understanding] in place [but] nobody has capacity to do the enforcement,” Feiger said. This has lead to cars not only parking at Chimney Beach, but also, on high-demand days, still parking along the shoulder, despite signage.
However, TRPA Public Information Officer Jeff Cowen says “the new no-parking zone along the Chimney Beach section of the corridor is largely working. NHP has been ticketing. Our [Environmental Improvement Program] manager drove through the corridor [on Wednesday, Aug. 5], and there were a number of cars parked in the corridor, but none in the new no-parking zone.
“There have been issues on very busy days, including the Fourth of July, and times when law enforcement resources are spread out.”
Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) confirmed with Moonshine its staffing is stretched thin. “We’re doing saturation patrols as necessary, focusing on weekends and holidays, trying to get extra staff up there to deal with parking issues,” said Trooper James LaRose, public information officer for NHP.
From January to June 3, 2025, NHP investigated 25 crashes and issued 26 traffic citations and eight parking citations.
The same timeframe for 2026 saw 19 crashes, 34 traffic citations, and 29 parking citations.
“You’d think it would be common sense that people can’t park in the travel lane or block traffic,” LaRose said. “Apparently it’s not and we end up with a lot of people with part of their car still in the travel lane.”
“It’s not like we can go to Sen. Padilla and be like, we need the Sen. Padilla Tahoe Transportation Bill, and build a giant bridge, and name it after him. We need $20 million a year for transit operations that will be spread amongst five different agencies. That’s a hard act.”
~ Gavin Feiger, policy director for Keep Tahoe Blue
He added that officers will drive through using a PA system, letting drivers know they can’t be parked in the travel lane, can’t have their vehicles protrude — “even the mirror over the line” — and asking them to move their vehicles. After the announcement, they’ll come and issue citations.
“If it’s too egregious, we’ll call for a tow truck,” he added.
“We’re very frustrated,” Feiger said of the situation. “And it’s the same permit conditions and the same process for the Spooner lot [which will provide 250 spots and is expected to come online fall 2027]. It’s going to be the same one for the Secret Harbor lot [which is facing a $13-million funding gap for the 120 spots], like all of them. This has to be successful.”
Legislation recently passed in Nevada and a companion bill on the California side could help with this hurdle.
Nevada’s SB 426, passed June 2025, created the Lake Tahoe Basin Scenic Byway Corridor Recreation Safety Zone, spanning Nevada highways and state routes in the Tahoe region, to establish traffic control and parking measures, as well as the development of parking enforcement and citation issuance between the TTD and law enforcement agencies.
The transportation district’s Styer said that while the legislation is in effect, operationalization will take time. She did say the district is in communication with NHP over how the two agencies can coordinate. “We don’t necessarily want to staff someone who’s on the corridor writing tickets. We’d rather leave that in law enforcement’s capable hands … [and possibly do something] similar to the approach that has been taken in Emerald Bay where agencies are funding overtime for CHP.”
TTD’s projects are primarily federally and state-funded, as well as locally, largely from the Tahoe Fund. The money collected through parking meters (aside from a percentage that goes to USFS from parking on federal land) go back into local coffers.
SAND HARBOR is a premier destination for those visiting or living in the Tahoe Basin. To help reduce congestion on state Route 28, the state park instituted a reservation system in 2024, to run from mid-May through September, for entry between 8 and 10:30 a.m. Traffic backs up during those hours, as seen in the bottom photo, and the parking lot is usually closed by 11 a.m.
California’s AB 2679, meanwhile, went before the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Aug. 3 and was placed in a suspense file, to be reviewed in detail for its potential fiscal impact. The bill proposes the Tahoe Transportation Safety Act, which would effectively mimic the Nevada bill by, in part, authorizing TTD to address unsafe parking and pedestrian movement in the Basin.
Raising the price of fines for illegal parking is a more recent solution implemented because up until recently, they simply haven’t been a successful deterrent.
“We’ve been out there doing surveys, doing enforcement with highway patrol, and they’ll tow a car and another car will pull right in,” Feiger said. “The highway patrol person will be like, ‘Did you just see that [the other car got a ticket]?’ And they’re like, ‘How much is the ticket?’ ‘Hundred bucks.’ They’re like, ‘Oh, okay. Fine.’”
El Dorado County in June increased penalties for illegal parking along state highways from $50 to $300 per occurrence. On the Nevada side, the max fine for parking in a no-parking zone is $305, while parking over the fog line incurs a $538 fine.
In South Lake, a new vision is unfolding for what the Tahoe Basin could become as parking management expands: Keep Tahoe Blue’s Car-Free, Care-Free Tahoe, which kicked off this past June. The concept imagines a future where someone can park their car and use interconnected transit options (buses, shuttles, bike paths, scooters, etc.) to reach any destination around Tahoe.
“It was designed to kind of encapsulate all of our transportation efforts,” Feiger said, pointing to ongoing advocating for funding, providing input on the regional transportation plan, getting legislation passed, and so on. And not only the work Keep Tahoe Blue is doing, but also its partners’ work.
A key example is the Emerald Bay Shuttle, run by TTD and piloted last summer through funding from Keep Tahoe Blue and the Tahoe Fund to reduce congestion and pollution, and provide alternative parking options in one of the most visited spots around the lake. Along with the shuttle implementation, which started its 2026 season in late June for $5 one way (reduced fare options available), TTD is installing about 400 feet of temporary barriers along the shoulder. California Highway Patrol promises strict enforcement of parking regulations. Last summer, enforcement wrote 248 citations, issued 13 moving violations, and had 10 vehicles towed.
There has been a lot of good feedback, Styer said about the shuttle, and the partnerships have produced momentum. Beyond that, groups are addressing operational hiccups. “We do not have a formalized crosswalk in Emerald Bay,” she continued. “I think that could be really beneficial. And the speed limit through there is still pretty high, so, you know, those types of things — working with Caltrans.”
Other programs falling under the Car Free, Care Free Tahoe umbrella: the South Shore Transportation Management Association and its 30 different funders (including many local businesses) that helped launch microtransit shuttle Lake Link in 2022. Or Heavenly Ski Resort, which increased its shuttle service in 2024.
“We see this as a way for us to really share that it’s better,” Feiger said. “We have options now. It wasn’t this way for a lot of years, but it’s getting so much better now. And the biggest thing is people need to just get out there and get on the paths, ride the buses. That’s the best thing you can do to support this, so that’s what we’re trying to make happen.”
While this is a vision that will ideally spread around the lake in terms of transit connection, he added that South Shore is the closest to achieving such a goal in Tahoe.
On the North Shore, Placer County is focused on expanding its paid parking program in Kings Beach. Starting May 1, the West End and Rainbow lots began charging vehicles $10 per day, with a $20 holiday rate, through September. These two lots joined the Christmas Tree and Brook Avenue locations, which saw fee increases to a daily rate of $20, with a holiday rate of $40.
Local businesses initially pushed the program to take off in summer 2024 with the Christmas Tree lot pilot program, increasing parking turnover a major goal.
STATE HIGHWAY OR PARKING LOT: In 2024, an estimated 970 cars a day parked on the SR 28 shoulder on a Saturday in August, a huge safety risk and environmental detriment. Tahoe agencies are trying to fix that and more when it comes to parking around the Basin.
“I think one of the frustrations our business owners had in certain areas was that people would park and go to the beach all day, and then there wouldn’t be room for their patrons to come in and access their businesses,” said Placer County Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. “So, the paid parking does help modify behavior and hopefully help people make the decision to be somewhat inconvenient to either walk or ride a bike or call a micro mass transit bus.”
During the first full year of the paid parking program’s pilot, 2025, 595 citations were issued, bringing in roughly $42,000 in revenue, and $43,000 in paid lot fees. Yet expenditures far outweighed the intake: staff cost about $175,000, and contracts $65,000.
“We want it to become self-sustaining,” Gustafson said, “and so we need more in the paid parking program to make it self-sustained. But we have issued a lot of citations. I think over 300 citations, and over 200 warnings [since May 1].”
Such a program for Tahoe City is undergoing staff discussion and community outreach.
Not everyone believes adding parking is the right solution. While agencies are implementing new restrictions and adding infrastructure in the name of safety and environmental protection, some residents argue the Basin has already reached its limits. Steve Dolan, who lived in Incline Village for 23 years and founded the Friends of Third Creek nonprofit, which monitors North Shore watersheds, sees the addition of parking lots and continued development — even with strict codes — as adding to an area that’s already at capacity.
“There’s a limit to what this beautiful emerald of the Sierra can accommodate,” he told Moonshine. “There’s just a limit.”
Dolan wants a moratorium placed in the Basin to stall rapid growth — which, according to TRPA, already boasts 15 million visitors annually and a $5-billion economy.
“At any given time, the number of people that can stay in the parks, camping, in houses as guests, in hotels that exist, and in hotels that are being built, and in developments that are being developed already to this day, that’s too many people,” he said. “We need to stop that now and adjust to it.”
There are also those — especially locals — who find themselves having to pay for parking where it used to be free and are frustrated by that. Styer has heard as much, and said she understands the parking changes aren’t welcomed by everyone.
“I know that it’s a transition,” she said. “It’s a transition for me as well. But the parking revenues are returned to the operations and maintenance within the corridor, and I think that that’s really key. We’re looking at a corridor that didn’t have, in my opinion, adequate facilities. Just adding restrooms along the corridor has been really critical. Allowing Waste Management, having those parking ambassadors at Secret and Chimney this summer to help manage the trash. I think that all of those are huge benefits.”
“There’s a limit to what this beautiful emerald of the Sierra can accommodate. There’s just a limit.”
~ Steve Dolan, former Incline Village resident and
founder of Friends of Third Creek nonprofit
Feiger emphasized the environmental benefits, saying that limiting parking is one of the most effective ways to shift driving behavior by encouraging carpooling or transit use or maybe deciding not to take a trip at all.
“One of the cool things about Tahoe is that all of our locals, all of our residents and our visitors — we’re all going to and from the same places,” he said. “So, a system that works for visitors will also work for our residents. If we can get more visitors out of their cars, it makes it easier for our employees to get around who maybe have to use their cars.”
Gustafson points to being prepared within reason for a future that could see increased visitation: “I think with climate change, we have to be prepared that as temperatures get hotter, the evidence is here: More people come to recreate in the High Sierra. Some of that’s Lake Tahoe, some of it is rivers and streams … My job is to make sure we’re looking ahead and trying to prepare for that and find solutions that can help us live together more amicably. We don’t have the infrastructure for the millions of more Californians and Nevadans there are within drive-up range, and I don’t know that we should pave paradise for that.”
