SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) announced a transformational $250,000 gift from local philanthropists Kyle and Jessica Aster that will fully fund the 2026 work season on the Meeks Ridge Trail, one of the organization’s most ambitious trail projects to date. The generous donation will enable TAMBA to push toward its ultimate goal of completing the final two miles of trail, reconnecting Meeks Bay to Lost Lake on Tahoe’s West Shore for the first time in decades and bringing a once-lost historic route back to life.
Crews working on Meeks Ridge Trail.Photo credit: Goldin Photography
The gift marks a defining milestone not only for the Meeks Ridge Trail, but for the future of trail development across the Lake Tahoe Basin. As one of the first major trail construction projects to move forward following approval of the U.S. Forest Service’s Basin Wide Trails Analysis Project, Meeks Ridge represents the beginning of a new chapter in expanding and improving Tahoe’s world-renowned trail network.
“This extraordinary act of generosity is about so much more than funding a trail,” said Drew Bray, executive director of TAMBA. “It’s an investment in the future of recreation and community in Tahoe. Thanks to Kyle and Jessica’s incredible generosity, we’re not only completing one of the most exciting trail projects in the Basin—we’re demonstrating what’s possible as we begin bringing the vision of the Basin Wide Trails Analysis Project to life.”
Once complete, the Meeks Ridge Trail will create a spectacular 12-mile loop by connecting with the General Creek and Lost Lake trail systems. The sustainably designed trail will provide hikers and mountain bikers with access to breathtaking granite landscapes, expansive views of Desolation Wilderness, and rare old-growth forests while restoring a route that has been inaccessible for generations.
Since construction began, TAMBA volunteers and professional trail crews have built four miles of trail through rugged backcountry terrain. This summer, crews are tackling the final two-mile section—the most technically challenging portion of the project. The work requires the expertise of professional trail building crews, extensive logistics, and hundreds of volunteer hours to safely construct a sustainable trail through steep, remote terrain.
The timing of the gift is especially significant as Tahoe enters a new era of trail planning. Earlier this year, the U.S. Forest Service approved the Basin Wide Trails Analysis Project, establishing a roadmap for up to 45 miles of future trail opportunities while expanding Class 1 e-bike access across more than 100 miles of existing trails. The approval followed years of environmental review, public engagement, and collaboration among land managers and community partners.
While each future trail project will require its own design, environmental review, fundraising, and construction, the completion of Meeks Ridge demonstrates how that vision can become reality through strong community involvement and local investment.
“Much of Tahoe’s world-class trail network is what it is thanks to the hard work of TAMBA’s dedicated staff, volunteers, and trail builders,” said Kyle Aster. “They’ve become one of my favorite organizations to work with, and it’s deeply meaningful to be able to support their efforts to complete the Meeks Ridge Trail.”
The project also reflects TAMBA’s longstanding partnership with the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and other public agencies to build sustainable, environmentally responsible trails that improve recreation while protecting the landscapes that make Tahoe unique.
As work continues on Meeks Ridge, TAMBA hopes the project will inspire others to support the next generation of trail investments throughout the Basin.
“The Basin Wide Trails Analysis Project gives our community an unprecedented opportunity to thoughtfully expand Tahoe’s trail network,” continued Bray. “Completing Meeks Ridge is the first step on that journey. We hope this incredible gift inspires others to join us in building the next generation of trails that will connect communities, improve access, protect natural resources, and create unforgettable outdoor experiences for decades to come.”
Construction on the Meeks Ridge Trail is entering its final phases, with work expected to be completed in 2027. Community contributions help support the work still ahead and will help bring this landmark trail closer to completion. Learn more at www.tamba.org.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. —The Edgewood Companies announced an initial annual investment of$25,000 to become an operating sponsor of The Atrium, theMarcella Foundation’s new community makerspace and innovation center that will provide free, hands-on learning opportunities for local students. The commitment marks the next chapter in a partnership that has grown from food rescue efforts into a shared investment in the future of South Lake Tahoe.
Some partnerships begin with a single conversation. Others grow into something that changes a community. For the Marcella Foundation and The Edgewood Companies, it began in the kitchen.
When Executive Chef Jon Snyder first connected with FeedTahoe, he saw an opportunity to ensure that surplus food from Edgewood Tahoe Resort could nourish local families instead of going to waste. That simple conversation sparked a partnership that has continued to grow, first through food rescue, then through employee volunteerism, community events, and now an investment in the future of Tahoe’s youth.
Over the past three years,Edgewood Tahoe Resort has become one of FeedTahoe’s valued food donors, helping rescue more than 5,000 pounds of surplus food that has been redistributed to nine local food pantry partners instead of going to waste. Last year, The Edgewood Companies also made a $10,000 investment to strengthen FeedTahoe’s work combating food insecurity, helping provide nutritious meals to families across South Lake Tahoe.
Their support didn’t stop there.
Edgewood Tahoe Resort employees volunteered alongside the Marcella Foundation as Kindle Giveaway at Sierra House Elementary School, placing e-readers into the hands of local elementary students and encouraging a lifelong love of reading. Earlier this month, they once again stepped forward to serve as raffle runners during the Longest Dinner Table, helping generate more than $5,700 to support the Foundation’s work serving children and families.
Now, the partnership is entering its biggest chapter yet.
The Edgewood Companies’ annual investment for The Atrium will help make it possible for the Marcella Foundation to provide free access to hands-on learning experiences for 300 local students every year.
Edgewood Tahoe Resort’s commitment demonstrates how local businesses can play a meaningful role in shaping the next generation. As construction of The Atrium continues, the Marcella Foundation is inviting additional businesses, organizations, and community leaders who share this vision to help expand opportunities for Tahoe’s youth.
The Edgewood Companies became an operating sponsor of The AtriumProvided / Edgewood
“The strongest partnerships aren’t built overnight,” said Melissa Uppendahl, Executive Director of the Marcella Foundation. “They grow because people continue showing up for one another. That’s exactly what Edgewood has done. They first helped us rescue food for families. Their employees volunteered in our schools and community events. Now they’re helping create a place where hundreds of local students every year will discover new skills, new passions, and new opportunities. We’re incredibly grateful for a partnership that continues to grow in both impact and vision.”
The Atrium represents the next evolution of the Marcella Foundation’s mission to Feed, Read, and Lead. The nearly 12,000-square-foot facility will bring together a professional makerspace, teaching kitchen, community event space, and the expanded home of FeedTahoe under one roof.
Students will have free access to woodworking, metalworking, laser cutting, 3D printing, sewing, entrepreneurship programming, digital fabrication, and mentorship from local professionals. At the same time, FeedTahoe will dramatically expand its emergency food storage capacity to rescue and redistribute nutritious food through pallet-scale cold storage, allowing the organization to serve even more food pantries while reducing food waste across the region.
“At Edgewood, we believe strong communities are built by investing in people,” said Corinna Osborne, Chief Operating Officer of The Edgewood Companies. “Supporting organizations that strengthen South Lake Tahoe has always been an important part of who we are, whether that’s helping address food insecurity, volunteering alongside our community partners, or investing in opportunities for local students to learn and grow. The Atrium is an investment in the next generation of Tahoe youth, and we’re proud to help create a place that will inspire creativity, build confidence, and open doors for years to come.”
Since launching FeedTahoe in 2024, the Marcella Foundation has rescued more than 109,000 pounds of food, providing more than 91,000 meals while preventing nearly 472,000 pounds of carbon emissions. As The Atrium opens its doors, the organization expects to expand both its food rescue operations and its educational programming, creating one central hub where students, volunteers, nonprofits, businesses, and community members come together to learn, serve, and build.
For Chef Jon Snyder, what started as a conversation about food has become part of something much bigger.
What began in the kitchen is now helping build the future.
(The Center Square) – California’s ethics agency oversees an unlimited, blank-check system of payments solicited by elected officials — including the $347 million Gov. Gavin Newsom has steered through California politics. An investigation by The Center Square has found the state’s “transparency” portal shows the money, but it omits the conflicts of interest.
Voters using the database have no way to search whether donors had business before the government at the time of their donations, even though that information is collected by the California Fair Political Practices Committee (FPPC).
The omission matters because California caps campaign checks. It does not cap “behested payments.” State law allows elected officials to solicit unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, tribes, foundations and other special interest groups — so long as the money goes to a third party instead of a campaign account.
A California Fair Political Practices Commission database displays behested payment records associated with Gavin Newsom.California Fair Political Practices Commission Form 803 Database / Public records database
That means a donor who would otherwise be limited to $39,200 per election for a governor’s campaign can give millions more to a nonprofit, public project, or outside cause if the money is solicited by that same official and reported as a behested payment.
“It’s another way of trying to influence government,” explained Richard Briffault, a Columbia University law professor and campaign finance expert. “It’s another deposit in the favor bank. That doesn’t necessarily mean there will be a quid pro quo… Occasionally, there might be a real connection. Then that can be criminal. But usually? If they’re buying anything, they’re buying goodwill. They’re buying a favorable disposition.”
The FPPC’s database only reveals behested payments involving state officials. Cities and counties are tasked with managing their own behested-payment data.
Unlike the state database, some cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, and Long Beach post full disclosure forms online that include any conflicts of interest for the public to review.
Connecting the dots
California’s FPPC was born from a demand for transparency. Voters created the agency in 1974 in the wake of the Watergate scandal to shine light on political money and government ethics.
Even if donors have a contract or proceeding before the government, state law does not prohibit them from donating unlimited sums of money to a third party at a politician’s behest. Instead, the FPPC relies on disclosure to inform the public.
Elected officials are required to fill out a Form 803 within 30 days for each behested payment once they total $5,000 or more in a calendar year. The document includes a box for politicians to check if the donor is “a named party or the subject of a proceeding before (the official’s) agency.”
The form also provides half of a line for a brief description.
“The purpose of the behested payment reporting scheme is to allow for payments that serve the public good, and to provide disclosure when there is a potential for influence over an elected official,” wrote FPPC general counsel David Bainbridge in 2021.
Instead, employees of the FPPC input details from the form such as donor (payor), recipient (payee), and dollar amount. The FPPC omits any information about whether donors have outstanding government business; “Copies of the full reports are available at the FPPC office in Sacramento.”
FPPC Communications Director Shery Yang failed to respond to multiple requests for comment from The Center Square since July 15. Staff have not answered why the information is collected but left unpublished.
Sean McMorris, who manages the transparency and ethics program for California Common Cause, said he was disappointed to see an FPPC “transparency” portal concealing the most important information from voters.
“They should be accurately extracting and putting that information into that spreadsheet,” McMorris said. “(Disclosure) is absolutely essential to a well-functioning democracy, because journalists can take this information. They can connect dots and let the public decide if something is appropriate or not.”
Briffault said it can be extremely difficult for members of the public to follow money when key details are not made public.
“It’s the connecting of dots that’s the problem. Just getting the dots can be difficult for most people, but linking them up, I think, is the hard part,” Briffault said. “That’s kind of up to you all. The media are going to be the ones that are hopefully tracking this.”
‘really unfortunate examples’
Sen. Brian Allen, D-Santa Monica, is the most recent state lawmaker to pass reforms to California’s behested-payment system.
Senate Bill 760 went into effect on January 1, 2026. The bill stopped lawmakers from being required to disclose donations made at their behest if the payment results from a “public appeal” such as a television broadcast, radio broadcast, billboard or public online message.
Allen said the bill was spurred by tricky conversations with lawyers telling him not to publicly mention the names of helpful nonprofits in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire.
“I was advised I shouldn’t mention any of these really amazing organizations that were helping in the community. These are organizations that I have no personal connection to besides gratefulness,” Allen said. “That just seemed insane to me.”
SB 760 also codified some of the FPPC’s existing regulations. Allen said it was important for him to ensure elected officials would still be required to disclose behested payments in cases of perceived conflicts of interest.
“If your family or your staff hold a prominent position within the (recipient) organization, that’s a different story. We really want to make sure there’s not even the remotest appearance of self dealing,” Allen said. “The reason why we have these rules in place is to make sure elected officials aren’t appealing for donations for their own private gain or the gain of someone very close to them. A spouse. A family member. Maybe a staffer. I completely understand all of that. I know there have been some really unfortunate examples of that over the years.”
FPPC records show Newsom has solicited 42 payments from 23 donors totaling $4.28 million for California Partners Project, a nonprofit founded by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. Attorney General Rob Bonta solicited more than $517,000 from four donors for two nonprofits employing his wife Mia Bonta when he was a member of the California State Assembly.
Allen did not elaborate on the “really unfortunate examples.” He did not mention Newsom, Bonta, or any other elected official by name.
Overall, Newsom has used California’s behested-payment system far more aggressively than any other elected official in state history, soliciting more than $347 million from businesses and wealthy individuals to various causes since becoming lieutenant governor in 2010. The next-highest total belongs to former Gov. Jerry Brown, who reported about one-tenth as much money or approximately $35 million.
The FPPC requires disclosure, and Newsom has been fined on multiple occasions for not filing timely reports.
Records show Blue Shield of California and its affiliated entities have donated more than $21 million at the request of California’s elected officials. It was one of the 23 donors that contributed to the first partner’s nonprofit at Newsom’s request.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom at the California Hall of Fame ceremony, March 19, 2026.Office of California Governor / Courtesy of the Office of the Governor
Blue Shield’s largest donation of $20 million was in 2020 to Enterprise Community Partners, also at the request of Newsom.
The health insurance provider donated twice to the Governor’s Inaugural Fund to support Newsom’s inauguration in 2019 and 2023. Those donations totaled $175,000.
In 2021, Newsom awarded Blue Shield a $15 million, no-bid contract to take over California’s COVID-19 vaccine network.
Due to omitted information on the FPPC portal, it’s unknown whether any of Blue Shield’s state business was disclosed at the time of its behested payments. The Center Square has filed a request for the actual disclosure forms, but the FPPC has not provided them as of publication.
Blue Shield has consistently donated to Newsom’s campaigns since he was a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2002.
“If you’ve tapped out? If you’ve given the maximum that you can to a particular candidate? You can instead curry favor with them by contributing to their favorite donation,” McMorris said. “The politicians know very well who to go to. They’re not calling up an average person. They’re going to someone with a lot of money and someone who they know needs something from them.”
No interview, just statement
Newsom has not responded to interview requests from The Center Square.
Instead, a spokeswoman for Newsom emailed a statement broadly characterizing behested payments as “a lawful, bipartisan tool to support charitable and public-service efforts that benefit Californians (and that might otherwise be borne by taxpayers).”
“Californians deserve transparency, accountability, and confidence that charitable giving serves the public interest,” wrote Diana Croft-Pelayo, the governor’s chief deputy director of communications.
Mark Seelig, a spokesman for Blue Shield, declined an interview request from The Center Square and refused to answer questions related to Blue Shield’s government business at the time of its behested payments.
“We regularly support candidates for public office from both major political parties who share our mission of improving healthcare access and affordability,” Seelig wrote in an email. “Our contributions are fully and properly disclosed according to applicable laws.”
Allen said he was surprised to learn the FPPC doesn’t disclose details about donors with government business. He said he didn’t want to speculate on the reason.
“They should do it. I agree,” Allen said. “Presumably they could certainly figure out a way.”
Few organizations have a greater influence on the future of Lake Tahoe than the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). From environmental restoration and transportation planning to housing, redevelopment, and shoreline policy, the agency sits at the center of many of the basin’s most important conversations.
On this episode of Tahoe TAP, hosts Mike Peron and Rob Galloway sit down with Julie Regan, Executive Director of TRPA, for an inside look at the opportunities and challenges facing one of America’s most iconic alpine environments.
Regan has spent more than two decades helping shape the future of the Tahoe Basin. In 2022, she was selected by TRPA’s 15-member Governing Board to lead the nation’s first bi-state environmental planning agency, an organization created in 1969 to protect Lake Tahoe while balancing the needs of the communities and the region’s multi-billion-dollar outdoor recreation and tourism economy.
Having served in leadership roles at TRPA since 2003, Regan has helped guide landmark initiatives involving environmental restoration, transportation, climate resilience, and sustainable growth. Her career has been defined by bringing together science, public policy, and community collaboration to address the complex issues facing the basin.
A former journalist with a master’s degree from Temple University, Regan is also pursuing a doctorate in environmental science at the University of Nevada, Reno, where her research examines the relationship between science and public policy. Her leadership extends beyond Tahoe as a former Co-Chair of the Network for Landscape Conservation and a contributor to national discussions on destination stewardship and managing tourism in environmentally sensitive communities.
Now celebrating nearly 30 years in the Tahoe Basin, Regan remains deeply invested in the community she calls home. Beyond her professional work, she has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including as Chair of the Barton Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees, and enjoys skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and exploring the outdoors with her family.
In this episode, the conversation explores how TRPA balances environmental protection with responsible growth, the evolving challenges of climate change and recreation, and the collaborative efforts shaping the future of Lake Tahoe.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) Board of Trustees unanimously appointed Russi Egan to serve as the college’s Interim Superintendent/President, effective August 1, 2026. The Board approved her employment agreement at its June 23, 2026 meeting.
Egan succeeds Jeff DeFranco, who led LTCC since January 2017 and concluded his tenure at the end of the 2025–26 academic year. DeFranco has transitioned to Arizona State University, where he serves as Special Advisor to the Provost on Academic Alliance Strategy. Egan will serve through June 30, 2027, or until the Board appoints a permanent Superintendent/President, whichever comes first.
Russi EganProvided / LTCC
Egan previously served as LTCC’s Vice President of Administrative Services. Over nearly two decades in the California community college system, she has been a driving force in shaping educational experiences that meet students’ academic needs while supporting institutional growth. She holds a Master’s degree in Accounting from National University and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Ashford University.
“In Ms. Egan, the Board has appointed an Interim President with proven leadership capability to help us transition to our next permanent Superintendent/President,” said Tony Sears, President of the LTCC Board of Trustees. “We have both high expectations and great confidence in her ability to keep the College on stable footing, continue the planned projects and growth, and guide us into the future. We look forward to working closely with her well into the future, just as we have in the past.”
“I am honored by the Board’s confidence and excited to step into this role,” said Egan. “LTCC has been my professional home for nine years, and I have a lot of respect for the people and the community we serve. My focus will be on keeping our momentum strong, supporting our students, our faculty and staff, and the projects already underway, while we prepare for the next chapter in the college’s leadership.”
The Board extended its sincere appreciation to DeFranco for his leadership and service to LTCC, and for the ample notice he provided regarding his departure, which allowed for a thoughtful and orderly transition. During his presidency, he guided a period of institutional transformation that fundamentally reshaped the college’s programs, physical campus, student outcomes, and financial standing.
“Being president of LTCC has been the highlight of my career and fulfilled a lifelong dream to be a college president. I am extraordinarily proud of what we have built together at LTCC, and I leave knowing the college is on a stronger footing than ever,” said DeFranco.
Looking ahead, the Board is committed to conducting a comprehensive search for the college’s next permanent Superintendent/President. That process is expected to begin this fall and will include meaningful engagement with campus stakeholders and the broader community. The Board anticipates naming LTCC’s sixth Superintendent/President, with an expected start date of July 2027.
For more information, please contact the President’s Office at president@ltcc.edu.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – After multiple attempts of tree poisoning were discovered at Burnt Cedar Beach, the Incline Village Improvement District is working with environmental specialists to assess and mitigate the effects on the trees and surrounding soil.
The district is working closely with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office on investigating the poisonings and also announced it is taking measures to prevent similar conduct.
Residents are encouraged to contact the sheriff’s office with any pertinent information at (775) 328–3001 and reference case number 26-4225.
“The District recognizes the value of these trees to the community and is resolved to work with law enforcement to hold accountable those responsible for attempting to destroy them,” IVGID said in a statement.
The district says there is no immediate threat to the health and welfare of beachgoers, and Burnt Cedar Beach will remain open.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Monday, August 3, Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Director Vinson Guthreau met with California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot to reaffirm the longstanding partnership between the two states and advance shared priorities for the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Wade Crowfoot and Vinson GuthreauProvided / California Natural Resources Agency
Because the Lake Tahoe Basin straddles the Nevada-California border, protecting one of the nation’s most iconic alpine landscapes requires close coordination between the two states. During the meeting, the leaders focused on strengthening wildfire resilience, preserving Lake Tahoe’s famed clarity, advancing forest and watershed health, and expanding outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the basin.
“Our two states share some of the West’s most important natural landscapes and resources,” said Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Director Vinson Guthreau. “Our partnership has a long history, and I appreciate Secretary Crowfoot’s leadership and his commitment to the Lake Tahoe Basin. Together, we have accomplished a great deal, and I am confident that continued cooperation between our agencies will benefit the basin, along with its residents and visitors, for years to come.”
Vinson Guthreau and Wade CrowfootProvided / California Natural Resources Agency
“It’s a great privilege to partner with the State of Nevada to manage one of the most beautiful and important water bodies in America: Lake Tahoe,” said California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot. “California and Nevada have built a tremendous legacy of shared stewardship across that Tahoe Basin and our collaboration with local and tribal governments, agencies and conservation organizations is focused on helping this region and its communities to thrive. I’m excited to work with Director Guthreau’s on this next chapter of this vital partnership.”
The city of South Lake Tahoe will offer cash incentives to homeowners who utilize their extra housing units.Victoria Mastrocola / Tahoe Daily Tribune
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The city of South Lake Tahoe’s Long-Term Rental Incentive Program is offering cash incentives to homeowners who convert their underutilized housing units into six-month or 12-month rentals.
The concept was first approved and launched in 2021 as a pilot program in partnership with Landing Locals, known then as the Lease to Locals Program. During a city council meeting in August of 2025, Council directed staff to bring the program in-house, renaming it Long-Term Rental Incentive Program (LTR).
“This program allows the owners to unlock their underutilized or vacant homes to local workers. Owners have a monthly income by renting their homes and reducing turnover costs,” said Jessica Wackenhut Lomeli, Housing Manager for the City of South Lake Tahoe.
The total allocated amount for both LTR’s operational costs and the cash incentives is $770,000. The initial funding for the program was provided by the federal government’s Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill signed by former President Joe Biden. Rescue Plan Act’s funding has since been expended and other funding sources consist of the city’s General Fund and designated city housing funds.
Wackenhut Lomeli noted that the program’s budget is closely monitored as grant applications are received and reviewed. Based on the use of the program, additional funding sources are evaluated when funding is needed, and the budget for the program must be approved by City Council.
Since its launch, LTR has assisted 66 households and housed 159 people, including children.
“This program provides two major benefits, property owners have a financial incentive to rent their properties, and some local workers have a place to live locally without the need for a long commute,” said Wackenhut Lomeli. “At this time, [LTR] is the only active program within the city that is specifically geared towards Moderate-Income residents.”
Cash incentives include $4,500 per qualifying tenant in a 12-month lease and $2,000 per qualifying tenant in a six-month lease.
The program defines an “underutilized housing unit” as one that isn’t occupied full-time and not currently being rented for 30 days or more, such as primary homes, short-term rentals, vacation properties and second homes.
Requirements for property owners include:
Property must be in the City of South Lake Tahoe
Must be a new lease – lease must not be older than 30 days to qualify
Must be a legally permitted unit and meet health & safety standards
Cannot have been a long-term rental within the last 18 months
Eligible properties: single-family homes, townhomes, condos, or vacant rooms in owner-occupied homes (multifamily properties not eligible)
Must sign a six- or 12-month lease
Requirements for tenants:
Household income must average no more than 125% AMI ($79,688 for an individual in El Dorado County, 2021 standard)
At least 50% of adult tenants must work locally 20+ hours/week in the South Shore.
August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. For many, it is a day of reflection. For me, it is something I live with every day.
On February 12, 2024, my daughter Keely died in South Lake Tahoe. She was 33 years old — beautiful, deeply loved, and full of life. She died alongside three other people. They believed they were using cocaine. What they were actually given was pure fentanyl.
This did not have to happen.
There was no warning. No chance to make a different decision. Just a moment that changed everything for our family and for everyone who loved her.
Fentanyl has changed the reality of drug use in ways many people still do not fully understand. It is not just found in opioids anymore. It is showing up in substances people don’t associate with overdose risk at all. People think they know what they are taking — but too often, they don’t.
And that is where the real danger lies.
Keely is not a statistic. She is my daughter, and she matters deeply. I am sharing her story because I do not want another family to go through this kind of pain.
International Overdose Awareness Day is a global campaign, and this year marks its 25th year. It is still needed because overdose continues to take far too many lives.
We need to start having honest conversations about fentanyl. We need to make sure our kids, our friends, and our neighbors understand that one unknown substance — just one — can be fatal.
We also need to be prepared. Carrying naloxone, or Narcan, can save a life. It is simple to use and available without a prescription. In a moment of crisis, those few minutes matter.
To learn more about International Overdose Awareness Day, visit overdoseday.com. To honor Keely and help others, I will be hosting an International Overdose Awareness Day event at the Markleeville Library on August 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is a space for our community to come together — to learn, to remember, and to support one another.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Come celebrate Smokey Bear’s 82nd birthday with the U.S. Forest Service and our Great Basin Institute partners. The fire prevention icon’s birthday bash is on Sunday, August 9 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Tallac Historic Site’s Baldwin Museum on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.
The birthday extravaganza includes: Photo opportunities, sign the birthday card, group book readings, meet firefighters, and cake! For more than 80 years, Smokey Bear has taught generations of forest visitors about the importance of wildfire prevention. His powerful message, “Only you can prevent wildfires,” is at the heart of the longest-running public service announcement (PSA) campaign in U.S. history.
Read more about this American icon and learn how to do your part to prevent wildfires at SmokeyBear.Com.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a series of intentional tree poisonings at Burnt Cedar Beach in Incline Village after multiple trees were found with a substance of strong odor around their base.
The first (recent) incident was discovered on July 24, and a second on Sunday, Aug. 2. The sheriff’s office says these latest occurrences are very similar to incidents reported at Burnt Cedar Beach in prior years.
Since 2022, investigators have documented multiple cases in which a substance has been poured around the bases of trees or placed into holes drilled near their roots. Soil samples were collected from the area and had a strong odor consistent with previous tree-poisoning incidents at the property.
Detectives with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office are investigating.
Investigators believe the most recent incident occurred sometime between approximately 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 and 5:00 a.m. on Aug. 2. A trail camera captured a brief light near the area at approximately 2:00 a.m.
Deputies are canvassing the area for additional video evidence.
“The deliberate destruction of these trees is deeply troubling and represents a significant loss for the entire community,” said Sheriff Darin Balaam. “We are taking these repeated incidents seriously and asking anyone with information to come forward so the person responsible can be identified and held accountable.”
Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity at Burnt Cedar Beach between Aug. 1 and Aug. 2, or who has information that may assist investigators, is asked to contact the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office at (775) 328–3001 and reference case number 26-4225.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted through Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900.
The Tribune will provide updates as the investigation unfolds.
Some of the biggest checks in California politics never touch a campaign account. Most of them were written because Gov. Gavin Newsom asked for the money, totaling more than $340 million.
Elected officials are increasingly taking advantage of state laws that allow them to solicit unlimited sums of money from large corporations, unions, tribes or other special interest groups — even when those donors are seeking government contracts or involved in a government proceeding — so long as the money goes to a third party such as the politician’s favorite nonprofit.
Newsom didn’t invent California’s behested-payment system. He has simply used it more aggressively than any other elected official in state history.
Since taking office in 2019, Newsom has reported more than $340 million in behested payments. Records show he also directed more than $5 million as lieutenant governor. The next-largest total belongs to former Gov. Jerry Brown, who reported about one-tenth as much money.
A California Fair Political Practices Commission database displays behested payment records associated with Gavin Newsom.Provided / California Fair Political Practices Commission Form 803 Database
The arrangement is legal but only lightly regulated. Supporters say the money often goes toward good causes such as disaster relief. Opponents say it gives powerful donors another way to spend big at the request of politicians who can make decisions that affect their bottom line.
Among the beneficiaries: California Partners Project, a nonprofit founded by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The nonprofit received 42 payments at the behest of the governor totaling $4.28 million – including $1.8 million from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
The tribe operates a major casino and has had significant gaming interests before state and federal officials. Newsom requested several large payments from the tribe to California Partners Project while the tribe was involved in battles over casino expansion and rival gaming projects. One of the tribe’s donations came at Newsom’s behest two weeks after the governor signed a new gaming compact between California and the tribe.
Some of this has been reported before. What has not been fully examined is the scale of Newsom’s behested-payment operation — and, donor by donor, what those contributors later sought or received from state government.
“No one is going to be upset that Meta is making a $1 million contribution to wildfire relief,” said Richard Briffault, a Columbia University law professor and campaign finance expert. “It’s hard to protest that, but if (A) it was the result of a solicitation from a governor, and (B) the governor does something for them? Then it’s an issue.”
‘That’s how the sausage is made’
California’s Political Reform Act was approved by voters in 1974 after the Watergate scandal. It includes strong language warning citizens about wealthy individuals and organizations using large sums of money to curry favor with politicians. It states public officials should conduct the public’s business “free from bias” and acknowledges previously “inadequate enforcement by state and local authorities.”
At the time, lawmakers hadn’t considered fundraising efforts by elected officials. Rules surrounding behested payments weren’t added to the California Political Reform Act until decades later.
Today, advocacy groups seeking greater transparency say it is nearly impossible to find a California politician willing to author a bill that would regulate themselves.
“It’s kind of the Wild West for behested payments,” said Sean McMorris, who manages the transparency and ethics program for California Common Cause. “These are powerful people directing the flow of money from special interests who need favors… It’s not going directly to the politician, but it is being directed by the politician.”
California Common Cause is a nonpartisan organization that has been seeking greater regulations around behested payments for years. McMorris believes lawmakers have written themselves a blank check.
“Even though you’re asking someone to contribute money to a good cause, you are still asking them to give money,” McMorris said. “That’s how the sausage is made… Even if it’s not an explicit quid pro quo, it doesn’t have to be. Both sides know how the game is played. Both sides know what the possible consequences are of giving or not giving.”
Who are the donors?
Newsom has previously warned Californians about “billionaires seeking to buy elections,”but behested payments don’t fall within the same rules as campaign donations.
A review by The Center Square has found that the largest donors of behested payments are rarely passive philanthropists with no government interests. Instead, they are often sophisticated organizations that employ lobbyists, monitor legislation, participate in regulatory proceedings, are engaged in lawsuits, or receive government contracts.
Facebook (aka Meta) has donated nearly $32 million at the behest of California’s elected officials, making it the largest donor in California’s Fair Political Practices (FPPC) database of behested payments.
The tech company has had extensive business with California officials before and after its donations, including but not limited to legal and regulatory fights against the California Attorney General’s Office. Facebook donated more than $26 million for COVID-19 relief in 2020. That same year, Facebook was under investigation for its privacy practices under the California Consumer Privacy Act, a landmark privacy law affecting companies that collect and monetize consumer data.
Records from the California Secretary of State’s Office show Facebook spent $1,566,147.78 on its lobbying efforts related to dozens of bills during California’s 2019-2020 legislative session. In some cases, the tech company focused its lobbying on “COVID-19 issues” and lobbied the governor’s office directly on “housing policy.”
Newsom later asked Facebook to contribute $650,000 to Enterprise Community Partners in 2021 to help Project Homekey with “housing for people experiencing homelessness,” as Facebook continued its lobbying efforts on housing. That same year, a federal judge dismissed a multistate lawsuit joined by California alleging monopoly conduct tied to Facebook’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.
Facebook has not responded to a request from The Center Square for comment.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom meets with restaurant owners at Cuernavaca’s Grill.Provided / Office of the California Governor / Courtesy of the Office of the Governor / Cropped from Original
FPPC records show Blue Shield of California and its affiliated entities have donated more than $21 million at the request of California’s elected officials, making it the second-largest donor. Blue Shield’s largest donation of $20 million was in 2020 to Enterprise Community Partners – at the request of Newsom – to support Project Homekey.
The Newsom administration later selected Blue Shield to serve as California’s third-party administrator for the statewide COVID-19 vaccine network in 2021. Blue Shield stated the company would perform the work “at cost,” would not profit from the state, and would bill only actual expenses supporting the vaccine network. The no-bid contract allowed Blue Shield to recover up to $15 million in non-staff expenses.
FPPC records show Blue Shield was also the recipient of $5,000 from the Asian and Pacific Island Legislative Caucus Foundation in 2015 at the request of California Attorney General Rob Bonta. At the time, Bonta was a member of the California State Assembly.
Mark Seelig, a spokesman for Blue Shield, declined an interview request from The Center Square and refused to answer questions related to Blue Shield’s government business at the time of its behested payments.
Instead of agreeing to an interview, Seelig emailed a statement touting Blue Shield’s transparency: “We regularly support candidates for public office from both major political parties who share our mission of improving healthcare access and affordability. Our contributions are fully and properly disclosed according to applicable laws.”
“The politicians know very well who to go to,” McMorris said. “They’re not calling up an average person. They’re going to someone with a lot of money and someone who they know needs something from them… This whole behested payment thing doesn’t really work unless you can solicit people and entities who need things from you at the government level.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks during a news conference, Feb. 18, 2025.Provided / State of California Department of Justice / Used with Permission.
Sierra Health Foundation, a Sacramento-based private philanthropy, and its separately-incorporated affiliate, the Center for Health Program Management, have operated on both sides of California’s behested payment system. Together, it has been the fifth-largest donor, giving nearly $14.9 million. It’s also one of the system’s largest recipients. FPPC records show state officials funneled $45.1 million into the organization through behested payments.
Newsom was responsible for nearly all of the donations moving in both directions. The nonprofit has been selected to administer government programs and receive state grants. A spokesperson has not responded to a request from The Center Square for comment.
Foundations commonly pool money and distribute it to community organizations. Although the practice is common, it raises more questions as the money becomes more difficult to track.
Newsom directed $381,820 from the nonprofit California Forward in 2022 and 2023 to pay former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for a newly-created infrastructure advisor position… that was never, technically, a state position.California Forward was listed as the only donor, at Newsom’s behest. The nonprofit was not required to disclose source donors who funded Villaraigosa’s salary.
Sarah Walsh, a spokeswoman for California Forward, stated she could not comment because “the decision-makers who were part of the project that resulted in behested payments are no longer at CA FWD.”
Briffault agrees it can be extremely difficult to follow the money and track down donors who might be trying to curry favor with politicians. He believes even the appearance of a conflict has previously been enough to dissuade politicians from soliciting money as aggressively as Newsom.
“A place like California? Almost any company or entity of this size is going to have business with the state,” Briffault said. “There’s no guarantee (of influence), but you could certainly think that’s what’s going on.”
Enforcement
FPPC rules specifically anticipate donors might have contracts or proceedings before a government agency. Rather than restricting behested payments in those cases, the law relies on disclosure to inform the public.
Newsom was recently fined $31,500 for his failure to timely file 36 behested-payment reports worth more than $5.5 million. The majority of those funds were raised for the California Fire Foundation.
Donors included BlackRock, PayPal, and Uber Eats.
Newsom also failed to timely report 18 other behested payment reports between 2019 and 2024, according to the FPPC. He was fined $10,500.
State law requires disclosure within 30 days. Newsom’s filings ranged from 64 to 229 days late.
The FPPC made no judgment about whether the donations themselves were appropriate, stating only that timely, transparent reporting “increases public awareness regarding potential attempts to influence.”
Last month, Newsom revealed he was under criminal investigation by the United States Department of Justice. He characterized the case as a personal attack and political intimidation tactic targeting the mother of his children.
“Anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list,” Newsom said. “Today, I proudly join that list… To get me, he’s coming after my wife, Jen.”
Newsom isn’t the first California politician to solicit payments for his wife’s nonprofit.
Google gave $500,000 in 2014 to a nonprofit employing Rob Bonta’s wife, Mia Bonta, at his behest. FPPC records show the donation to “Bring Me A Book” was meant to “support (an) early literacy initiative in the Bay Area for preschoolers through (the) use of technology.”
Records show Bonta also solicited several smaller donations for Literacy Lab, another nonprofit employing his wife. Two of the four donations were from Pacific Gas and Electric.
Bonta created his own nonprofit in 2017, the Bonta California Progress Foundation. FPPC records show he has funneled $122,500 into that nonprofit, which has also given money to Literacy Lab.
Rob Bonta went on to become California’s attorney general. Mia Bonta went on to become a member of the California State Assembly.
Disclosure forms now ask officials to identify immediate family members who work for a nonprofit recipient of behested payments.
Both Newsom and Bonta have not responded to interview requests from The Center Square. Instead, Newsom’s chief deputy communications director emailed a statement broadly characterizing behested payments as “a lawful, bipartisan tool to support charitable and public-service efforts that benefit Californians (and that might otherwise be borne by taxpayers).”
The statement stopped short of addressing conflicts of interest or any specific payments made at Newsom’s request.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – South Lake Tahoe California Highway Patrol officers were involved in a short pursuit on Thursday, July 30 with an electric motorcycle.
The electric motorcycle was being ridden in a reckless manner, including wheelies, crossing in front of traffic on a busy highway, and speeding.
The 15-year-old male rider then failed to stop and attempted to evade officers when they went to stop him using lights and sirens. After the short pursuit, the rider finally stopped. CHP released the rider to a parent.
The electric motorcycle was impounded under a code that requires it to be impounded for a minimum of 48 hours.
The rider could be facing charges that include, but are not limited to, evading police, reckless driving, being unlicensed, no insurance, no registration and no motorcycle helmet. CHP reports he was wearing a bike helmet.
The rider has also been in contact with the South Lake Tahoe Police Department for similar activities.
CHP says complaints about electric bicycle/motorcycle riders have increased in recent months.
Due to the popularity of e-bikes and local conflicts, the agency has increased enforcement and education efforts.
On July 22, the agency shared an infographic about the different classes of e-bikes and the rules and laws that apply to each.
Infographic on classes of e-bike.Provided / CHP
CHP says if a vehicle marketed as an e-bike can exceed legal limits (such as a 40 mph throttle-only mode) without pedaling, the CHP classifies it as an unregistered moped or motorcycle. Local CHP divisions frequently issue public warnings and impound these illegal high-speed bikes.
Corey Murphey swimming the double tenth of Tahoe and her mother, Jill Murphy, guiding her on a kayak. Provided / Corey Murphey
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – Last week, Corey Murphey completed a 20-hour, 54-minute swim from Incline Village to Camp Richardson and back, breaking the previous record, set in 2013, by about an hour. On July 21, the Colorado-based swimmer launched from Incline Village at 8 p.m., swimming through the star-filled Tahoe night and into the next day.
“The moon was so bright that I actually thought my crew was shining a flashlight at me,” Murphey said.
The night seemed to pass quickly, and by the time the sun began to rise, she had already reached Camp Richardson. Under competition rules, Murphey could not spend more than 10 minutes out of the water. She took a nine-minute break to eat a few snacks before beginning the return swim to Incline Village.
“The last three hours I got some Tahoe winds, but the rest of the time was gorgeous and flat,” she said.
According to Murphey, the record-breaking swim was as much her crew’s accomplishment as it was her own. Her mother, Jill Murphey, accompanied her on a kayak for much of the swim while a support boat traveled alongside.
From right; Sarah Thomas, Corey Murphey and Jill Murphey. Provided / Corey Murphey
“My mom does all these swims with me, so it’s really special that I get to share it with the person I love the most in the world,” Murphey said.
Her mother kayak peddled alongside her for about 11 hours before being relieved by Sarah Thomas, another member of the support crew.
“She watches me like a hawk, and I appreciate it,” Murphey said. “It’s pretty rare that people have a parent willing to do that for them.”
Still, swimming for nearly 21 hours is no easy task, no matter how strong the support team.
“There are times I feel terrible, but then I just think, who gets to swim in the middle of Tahoe and look up and see the Milky Way in the middle of the night? It’s a very rare experience,” Murphey said.
Murphey is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science at the University of Colorado Boulder and lives in Colorado. She previously spent about 10 years living in the Bay Area, where she frequently visited Lake Tahoe. After completing the record-breaking swim, she quickly returned home.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif., — The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is proposing new recreation fees and changes to existing recreation fees at various national forest recreation sites at Lake Tahoe. Also, the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, in conjunction with the Eldorado National Forest, is proposing a fee increase for specialized recreation permits for overnight use in the Desolation Wilderness Area.
Not all recreation sites on the forest require a fee. Including the sites in this proposal, over 37% of sites on the forest would still not require a recreation fee. The forest will continue to honor all nationally recognized fee-free days.
The proposed fees by site are listed in the tables below.
Site Name
Site Type
Current Fee
Proposed Fee Year 1
Proposed Fee Year 5
Luther Pass Overflow Campground
Campground
Single Site Fee: $0
Single Site Fee: $20
Watson Lake Campground
Campground
Single Site Fee: $0
Single Site Fee: $20
Kiva Beach
Day Use Area
Day Fee: $0 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $10 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $15 rate per vehicle
Taylor Creek Visitor Center
Interpretive Visitor Center
Day Fee: $0 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $10 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $15 rate per vehicle
64 Acres Riverside
Picnic Site
Day Fee: $0 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $10 rate per vehicle
Eagle Falls Picnic Area and Trailhead
Picnic Site and Trailhead
Day Fee: $5 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $10 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $15 rate per vehicle
Kiva Picnic Area (Tallac Historic Site)
Picnic Site
Day Fee: $0 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $10 rate per vehicle
Big Meadow Trailhead
Trailhead
Day Fee: $0 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $10 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $15 rate per vehicle
Echo Trailhead
Trailhead
Day Fee: $0 rate per vehicle
Day Fee: $10 rate per vehicle
Christmas Tree Permit Program
Christmas Tree Permit
Permit Fee: $10 rate per group
Permit Fee: $20 rate per group
Desolation Wilderness Overnight Permit
Pass/Permit
Permit Fee: $5 rate per person Annual Pass: $20
Permit Fee: $10 rate per person Eliminate Annual Pass
Permit Fee: $15 rate per person
Desolation Wilderness overnight permits are reservable on www.recreation.gov for an additional $6.00 fee per permit and Christmas Tree Permits for an additional $2.50 fee per permit.
In 2004, Congress passed the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act which allows the Forest Service to retain at least 80% of the money collected at recreation sites and use these funds locally to operate, maintain, and improve these sites.
Revenue collected through recreation fees would help the forest improve infrastructure and public services at recreation sites during the season of operation. Recreation fees help provide quality recreation opportunities that meet the modern expectations of visitors and creates a more sustainable recreation program for future generations.
The public is invited to comment on the proposed recreation fee changes. The comment period is set to end by close of business on Sep. 29, 2026. To ensure that your comments are considered, please send your comments no later than the above date to Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Attention: Recreation Program Manager, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 or by email at SM.FS.R5.LTBMU.FeeProposal@usda.gov. Comments can also be provided online at https://arcg.is/iXXmz.
Oral comments must be provided in person at the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit during normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/laketahoebasin.
Once public involvement is complete, these recreation fee changes will be reviewed by a citizen’s advisory committee. Committee members represent a broad array of recreation interest groups to help ensure that the Forest Service is proposing reasonable and publicly acceptable recreation fees. The committee will submit their recommendation to the Regional Forester for a final decision.
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. – The Nevada Highway Patrol is investigating two injury crashes that occurred over the weekend on U.S. 50 near the Spooner Lake recreation area.
At approximately 1:22 p.m. on Saturday, the Nevada Highway Patrol responded to a report of a two-vehicle injury crash on U.S. 50 at State Route 28.
The two-vehicle crash involved an SUV and a pickup truck. One person with serious injuries was transported by air ambulance to a local area hospital. Seven additional people were transported by ground ambulance to local area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
Both U.S.-50 eastbound and westbound at State Route 28 were reduced to one travel lane.
On Sunday, traffic was also reduced to one lane in both directions after a head-on crash around 7:27 p.m. on U.S. 50 between Glenbrook Rd. and State Route 28, west of the Spooner Lake recreation area.
This two-vehicle crash involved an SUV and a sedan. Two persons with serious injuries were transported by air ambulances to a local area hospital. One person was transported by ground ambulance to a local area hospital with unknown injuries.
Driver impairment is suspected as a factor in this crash.
Planning your health care may not always feel urgent, but it’s one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your wishes are respected and understood at the time of an emergency.
Care planning is not just for those facing a serious illness; it’s something every adult should consider.
What is an Advance Directive?
Advance directives are written instructions that let medical staff and your loved ones know the kind of medical care you want if you are seriously ill or dying and become unable to make decisions about your health.
This may include guidance on:
Life Sustaining Treatments
Organ Donation
End-Of-Care Wishes
Advance directives, like a living will, alleviate difficult family dynamics at end-of-life. By proactively setting up an Advance Directive, you outline wishes that will be honored upon your passing.
Why It Matters
Unexpected medical situations can happen at any time; families are often asked to make difficult decisions quickly, sometimes without knowing what their loved one would have wanted.
An advance directive provides clarity and helps remove that uncertainty, allowing your loved ones to focus on supporting you rather than making difficult decisions on your behalf.
Starting the Conversation
Talk with your loved ones about what matters most to you — your values and your preferences for care. These conversations don’t have to feel overwhelming; they can start small and grow over time.
Taking the Next Step
Creating an advanced directive is an important first step, and understanding the medical decisions involved can be challenging. Consider discussing your wishes with your primary care provider, who can explain your options and ensure your preferences are clearly documented. In some cases, an advanced directive can be completed alongside a Physician Orders for Life-Sustain Treatment (POLST) form; this provides more specific guidance on specific medical treatment such as feeding tubes and resuscitation. The POLST form must be signed by a physician or advanced practice provider.
Visit the PREPARE™ for Your Care website to learn about medical decision making, how to discuss your wishes with your loved ones and medical providers, and fill out an online advance directive form.
Bradley Gray, MD is a board-certified family medicine physician, serving as a hospitalist offering care for patients within Barton Memorial Hospital. Learn more about Advance Directives, or find templates, at BartonHealth.org.
When the morning TV and Internet news flashes tales of nationwide climate strain, Tahoe feels oddly calm this summer with its crisp and clean mountain air. Still, old habits die hard: I plug in cool portable fans, stock the pantry with bottled water and no-cook goods, and check the pet supplies. Watching for 90-degree spikes, I sigh, confident I am ready for whatever weather arrives.Think clean food, such as whole fruits, nuts, and whole grains that withstand unpowered conditions, and require zero refrigeration. Here are my six go-to heroes:
Little Green Apples: Protected by a tough, natural peel, green apples handle unpowered storage in mountain cabins, provide crisp hydration and lower sugar content than tropical fruits and dried fruits.
Prickly Pears: Whole pears withstand warm temperatures without spoiling or getting mushy, and provide dietary fiber and moisture.
Lovely Lemons: Like apples, lemons share a thick protective skin. Whole lemons remain stable without refrigeration and can be squeezed into water to enhance hydration, electrolyte absorption, and flavor.
Squirrel almonds and walnuts: Completely free of moisture and high sugar, raw lightly salted nuts supply stable, healthy fats, and essential magnesium to maintain muscle function without electricity (if the power goes dark).
Sweet Oranges: Protected by thick skin like lemons, whole oranges provide immune boosting vitamin C and natural fluids without requiring a working fridge during a possible power shutoff.
Crunchy Whole-grain Crackers: These favorites have a long shelf-life, delivering feel-good carbo energy when cooking is not an option. Top with albacore tuna or peanut butter.
The bottom line: Extreme heat can wreak havoc on our day-to-day lifestyle. Chill by staying informed: Monitor local radio and television including AccuWeather), for 4-1-1 info and updates.
Cool Down, Healthy Up for Extreme Heat Events: Reduce or reschedule some activities. Infants, older adults, and pets should stay in the coolest spots. Shun direct exposure to the sun. Use budget-friendly portable electric fans. Check on Others: For more heat health tips, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Cal Orey, M.A., is a bestselling author-novelist specializing in topics such as adventure, health, nutrition, and science. She holds a master’s degree in English (Creative Writing) from SFSU. Her books include the popular Healing Powers series. The new, revised 2nd ed. of The Healing Powers of Honey (August 2026) is almost here! Orey will be at a Reno Barnes & Noble book event/signing on September 19. Her website is http://www.calorey.com
The adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” may be true, but for seniors, enjoying that apple at a hotel or on a cruise may be even more healthy than having it at home.
Travel can be an important component of healthy aging. Travel provides many benefits across multiple areas of life. According to The Senior List, around 70 percent of seniors (adults age 50 and up) travel regularly. Seniors are a target demographic for the travel industry, accounting for roughly one-third of all travelers. Seniors spend almost one month each year traveling.
Here are a few of the many health-related rewards seniors can reap from travel.
Morale boost: Booking a trip, making it to a destination and checking out new sights creates a strong sense of purpose that can elevate self-confidence.
Meet new people: Travel offers lots of opportunities to meet fellow travelers and engage with locals at various destinations.
Get physical activity: Exploring sights and landmarks engages the body. According to Clarendale Clayton Senior Residences, studies show that older adults who regularly vacation experience lower rates of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.
Reduces stress: Getting away from the daily grind and household routines or responsibilities can lower feelings of stress.
Improves cognitive health: According to research by the Global Coalition on Aging, regular cultural travel can reduce Alzheimer’s risk by up to 47 percent.
Foster cultural understanding: Travel takes people outside of their typical circles and can expose individuals to new cultures. Learning about these cultures and interacting with local populations can foster a greater sense of cultural understanding.
Travel can be a key component of healthy living for seniors that boosts their physical and mental well-being.
Pet experts have warned dog owners of eight popular BBQ foods that could be dangerous for their four-legged friends during grilling season.
Tom Sadler, pet expert at Furvelo.com, has identified several common barbecue staples that pose serious health risks to dogs and should be kept well away from pets during outdoor events.
“With many families across America planning barbecues for grilling season, it’s crucial that pet owners know which foods could send their dog to the emergency vet. These eight barbecue favorites can cause serious harm to dogs even in small amounts,” Sadler said.
Hot dogs
Many Americans don’t realize hot dogs can be surprisingly risky for their furry friends. Packed with salt, preservatives and fatty processed meat, they can upset a dog’s stomach and, in some cases, even trigger pancreatitis. Hot dogs are usually served with toppings like onions, relish or mustard, which add further risks. Due to their shape, they are also a choking hazard if dogs swallow large pieces too quickly.
Corn on the cob
Plain corn kernels are fine for dogs in moderation, but corn on the cob can be very dangerous. Dogs can swallow chunks of cob whole and can’t digest them, leading to intestinal blockages that may require emergency surgery. Corn on the cob is one of the most common barbecue foods that sends dogs to the vet in the summer, so keep them out of reach.
Ribs
Both the meat and bones of ribs pose a danger to dogs. The meat is very rich and fatty, which often irritates dogs’ stomachs and increases the risk of pancreatitis, especially in smaller pooches. The bones can splinter when chewed, which can cause choking, mouth injuries, internal injuries and blockages. It’s best to keep the leftover bones away from dogs and instead give them store-bought bones or chews designed for dogs.
BBQ sauce
Sauces may seem harmless, but many BBQ sauces from the store contain ingredients that can be harmful to dogs, including onion powder, garlic powder, high amounts of sugar and salt, and sometimes artificial sweeteners. Even in small amounts, it can cause digestive upset and ingredients like xylitol can be highly toxic. Sticky sauce left on plates, ribs or dropped food can easily tempt curious dogs this summer.
Ketchup
Most people don’t realize that ketchup contains harmful ingredients for dogs. While plain tomatoes can be safe in moderation, ketchup typically contains high levels of salt, sugar and sometimes xylitol, which can be toxic to dogs. Sadler advises pet owners to keep condiment bottles out of reach and clean up any spills immediately to prevent dogs from licking them.
Onions
Raw, cooked, powdered or even small amounts of onion can damage a dog’s red blood cells. This applies to the entire onion family too, including garlic, shallots and green onions. Dogs that eat onions may show symptoms like lethargy, weakness, and reduced appetite. Onions frequently appear on burgers and in salads, making BBQs especially risky for pets allowed to scavenge.
Chicken bones
Many BBQ hosts serve chicken legs, wings or thighs, which presents another danger for their furry friends. The expert advises never to give dogs cooked chicken bones of any kind. Unlike some larger raw bones from beef or lamb that can be safe for supervised chewing, cooked chicken bones splinter easily and can cause internal punctures or blockages. Make sure to dispose of bones safely and securely where dogs are unable to reach them.
Alcohol
Alcohol is extremely dangerous for dogs, even in small amounts. Whether it’s spilled beer, unattended cocktails or leftover cups at a barbecue, alcohol can quickly cause vomiting, disorientation, breathing difficulties and dangerous drops in blood sugar or body temperature. Dogs are far more sensitive to alcohol than humans, so even a few laps from a drink can lead to serious poisoning that requires urgent veterinary attention.
Sadler recommends creating a pet-safe zone away from the cooking and eating areas, preparing pet-friendly alternatives and informing guests about pet safety. He commented: “Set up a comfortable space for your dog with shade, water, and their own dog-friendly treats if you don’t want to leave them out of the festivities, but still keep them safe, especially in hot weather.
“Cooked meat without seasoning, some plain vegetables like carrots or cucumbers, or specially made dog treats are good options that let your pet join in the fun and treat them with human food, without risk.
“If your dog does consume something suspicious, contact your vet immediately rather than waiting for symptoms to appear. Time can be critical in treating food toxicity cases. Make sure all your guests know not to feed your dog scraps, no matter how pleadingly they look up with those eyes! It takes just one well-meaning guest to cause a severe problem.”
The advice comes as many pet owners may not realize that common BBQ foods can have such serious risks. By taking these precautions, dog owners can enjoy grilling season while keeping their pets safe from hidden dangers.
The east end of downtown Tahoe City has a problem. Two of the town’s biggest properties — the Lighthouse Center and Boatworks Mall — are in trouble. The former’s anchor tenant and property owner, Safeway, moved to the other end of Tahoe City last fall. The Lighthouse space has been empty ever since, partly due to Safeway’s refusal to sell to another supermarket. MJD Capital Partners, which owns Boatworks, defaulted on its loan in January. The property is now in foreclosure and goes to auction next month.
“I think the majority of commercial square footage in our town is tied up in those two properties, so I think it’s concerning to the entire community and to the whole region, really, when you lose key commercial properties to service our needs, especially in such great lakefront locations,” said Placer County Supervisor Cindy Gustafson, who represents North Tahoe.
Safeway
Safeway vacated the Lighthouse Center last October. The grocery store was the center’s only street-front business; all other businesses, like A Santé Lakeside Fitness and Tahoe National Brewing Co., are in the back of the building. (CVS and the Tahoe City Post Office are in a separately owned building.)
When Safeway left, hopes were high that another grocery store would purchase the building. Tahoe City had been left with only one grocery store since October 2023, when Save Mart lost its lease to make way for Safeway’s relocation. The remodel ultimately took two years.
Word of residents’ growing frustration with the gaping vacant space at Lighthouse and lack of the current Safeway’s ability to keep up with demand during peak visitor months reached Sup. Gustafson. On June 9, she wrote a letter to Safeway’s corporate headquarters in Pleasanton, California:
“The continued vacancy of this highly visible property has become a significant community concern. Residents frequently describe the site as an eyesore and a missed opportunity at one of Tahoe City’s most important commercial locations. In addition, I continue to hear frustration from community members regarding reports that Safeway has limited or discouraged opportunities for other grocery operators or potential buyers to utilize the property.”
SAFEWAY’S former location has been sitting empty since last October. The company is blocking other grocery stores from buying the building. Photos by Melissa Siig/Moonshine Ink
A local real estate agent confirmed that the former Safeway building is for sale with a non-compete clause.
“Apparently it keeps falling out of contract,” the realtor wrote to Moonshine Ink. “They have turned down offers of $10 million and started to list it at $12 million, but they wanted a deed restriction and clause in the purchase contract that it could not be leased to or used as a grocery store.”
Gustafson has heard the same thing directly from supermarkets that have tried to purchase the building.
“I’ve been told that by people who have tried to acquire the property,” she said. “Other grocery stores that are in the region have tried to acquire this site.”
Numerous phone calls and emails by Moonshine Ink to multiple Safeway corporate officers and media relations were not returned.
On June 22, Gustafson’s office received this response from Todd Paradis, Safeway real estate manager based in Hawaii:
“Thank you for your recent letter sharing concerns raised by some residents of Tahoe City regarding Safeway’s new store and our intentions for the site of our previous store. We are in the process of reviewing the concerns raised and will discuss them internally. We will be in touch.”
Six weeks later, her office still has not received a follow-up response.
On July 22, Gustafson sent a letter of support for California Assembly Bill 1857, also known as the Grocery Store Access Act, to the state senate. The act, which was introduced in February, would ban corporate grocery chains from using restrictive property covenants to block new supermarkets from opening in spaces they have vacated.
“For the residents of Tahoe City, this legislation represents more than good public policy,” Gustafson wrote in the letter. “It represents an opportunity to remove unnecessary barriers that have prevented our community from attracting new grocery investment and restoring a vital commercial property to productive use. Communities should not be forced to choose between an underperforming grocery store and no grocery store at all.”
Gustafson said she now understands how Safeway won the lease for its current location.
“I think it’s very clear Safeway could outbid because they knew they were going to capture the market by not selling to another grocery store,” she said.
THE BOATWORKS MALL is in foreclosure and will go to auction in August, making the future of its tenants uncertain.
Boatworks
With MJD’s default on its $14-million loan in January, its failure to pay property tax, and the Boatworks now set to go to auction in Roseville on Aug. 12, there are concerns that the mall could face the same fate as the neighboring Safeway building — becoming a large, vacuous, empty space.
“I think that if we are looking down the barrel of having [another] ‘Henrikson Building East,’ that is a detriment to our community,” said Jeff Hill, Jake’s on the Lake general partner, referencing a dilapidated, empty building that used to sit on the opposite end of town. “We all have this vision of what we want our community in town to be. And I think that this is just another tipping scale of adversity that is, all eloquence aside, just sad.”
Jake’s has had a contentious relationship with MJD since it bought Boatworks, where the restaurant is housed. That is one reason this summer is Jake’s final season in Tahoe. After 48 years, it’s closing its doors in October unless the new owners present a deal too good to refuse.
“Due to the dynamic with the landlord and other outside factors, a path hasn’t really been presented to be able to move forward,” Hill said. “Should a path illuminate, we would walk it, but I just don’t see what that would be.”
MJD has not been communicative with tenants about its financial situation and foreclosure. The owner of Mountain Lotus Yoga found out about the auction when Moonshine Ink reached out to him, and Tahoe Fit owner Katie Peterson said every time she asked the company about the auction, they denied it.
“I did approach them about the auction a couple of times. And they’re still, to this day, denying that that’s even happening. So that part is slightly puzzling,” she said. “They say it’s a real estate financial issue they are working with.”
Tenants also complained about MJD’s neglect of the building. The electricity was turned off twice due to unpaid bills, and so was the water. The company cut back on garbage collection and maintenance staff. The mall’s main bathrooms got so bad at times that some tenants refused to use them.
“I feel that they definitely tried to run it on a shoestring budget,” said Allison Yonto, owner of the Tahoe Wine Collective. “And you saw that happen about, I want to say two or three years ago, when we lost our full-time maintenance guy.”
Hill agrees.
“I would say that whatever financial duress has fallen upon MJD has been reflected on the Boatworks itself,” he said. “The time and care and consideration have not been cultivated to the degree that we wish within our community.”
Fears of Boatworks becoming vacant are not unfounded. The building is currently only half occupied. Many businesses — Geared for Games, Tahoe Core Pilates, Tahoe T-Shirtery — had already left in anticipation of the structure being torn down to make way for MJD’s massive redevelopment proposal; Acorn Home Furnishings & Design is leaving at the end of August. The tenants are also all on a month-to-month lease (except for Jake’s), which only adds to the uncertainty. The mall’s other restaurant and anchor tenant, Hacienda del Lago, closed in 2021.
ONE OF Boatworks’ staple businesses, Hacienda del Lago, shuttered its doors in 2021. The space remains empty.
According to Yonto, only eight businesses in the Boatworks are open on a daily basis. She thinks MJD did not do enough to attract customers to the mall.
“There was definitely a disconnect of thinking that just because it’s a building on the North Shore on the water, that it would just always be busy. Foot traffic is a big problem getting people to come through here,” she said. “I don’t think they [MJD] did us any favors by not doing marketing regularly, by allowing spaces to go vacant, especially a lakefront restaurant space. They were just unfamiliar with how it works up here.”
Though MJD founder and CEO Marie Murphy did not admit to the impending auction, she issued a statement to Moonshine:
“We deeply love Tahoe, and are integral, long-standing members of the business community here. Our site has always reflected this love and stewardship for Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City. We are working through addressing current financial headwinds.
Despite the challenges we have faced, our focus remains on finding solutions that allow us to move forward and create a destination serving residents, businesses, and visitors — one that will bring much needed vitality, employment, and tax revenue to Tahoe City, while preserving the character of this amazing place.”
Yonto has a word of warning for the Boatworks’ next owner.
“Whomever takes this building over, I feel like they need to realize that if they don’t help the tenants that are here, the tenants aren’t going to get any better [financially],” she said. “We’re not going to magically start making more money until this building has some reason for people to come here, and the vacant spaces are definitely not that [reason].”
“Hard to put into words how freeing it is,” Jimi Brenner said while taking a break from an afternoon at the downhill mountain bike trails. Brenner lives and works on an orchard around Auburn, he likes biking, he is into metal fabrication, and when he was 29, his car slid off the road into a big oak tree. He became paralyzed from chest down.
JIMI BRENNER on his adaptive bike. Trails for these bikes should be at least 58 inches wide, according to High Fives. Photo courtesy Jimi Brenner
Brenner found the hospital-provided wheelchairs not to his liking, so a year after his injury, he built his own. “I’ve always been the outdoorsy person,” he said. “I can’t get stuck inside much.”
Three years after his accident, Brenner rode a bike again. The bike was adaptive to his injury, lent to him at the High Fives Community Bike Day, a fundraiser open to everyone.
High Fives was launched in 2009 after its founder, Roy Tuscany, overshot a ski jump and became paralyzed from the waist down. Tuscany received help from his community and started High Fives to “prevent life-changing injuries and provide resources and hope if they happen.” Since then, High Fives has served over 1,000 athletes in a multitude of sports and funded more than 1,900 grants.
After receiving a grant from High Fives and the Kelly Brush Foundation, whose mission is “to inspire and empower people with spinal cord injuries to lead active and engaged lifestyles,” Brenner was able to buy one of the bikes, which start at $15,000. But he didn’t know where to ride it. “Auburn has a lot of real tight single track,” he said. “It’s hard to ride independently.”
In 2021, High Fives collaborated with Sky Tavern Bike Park, located off Mt. Rose Highway, to build a trail suitable for adaptive riders. “We wanted to include several [adaptive specific] design features,” said Becca Lefanowicz, director of brand and creative for High Fives. For instance, “that it would be wide enough for adaptive bikes that have a wider and longer frame.”
I DID IT! Estocado is triumphant after a downhill mountain bike run.
A High Fives adaptive trail must be at least 58 inches wide, a standard that unaffiliated organizations like Lee Canyon resort in Las Vegas have begun to copy. Because adaptive mountain bikes have a lower clearance than standard ones, the trail is also maintained to avoid what Lefanowicz calls “pinch points” — areas that would be too rocky for the low clearance of an adaptive bike. Brenner described the Sky Tavern trail as “super fun, super flowy.” It’s also one of two locations for the High Fives Community Bike Day in June, July, and August this year.
Since the Sky Tavern installation, High Fives has put in another adaptive-friendly trail at Sierra Vista in Reno.
“Most trails are not too far off,” Brenner said, “there’s maybe just a little something on them [that makes them not suitable for an adaptive bike].” But on Brenner’s new-model Bowhead Reach with a tilting mechanism, he said that “98, 99% of the trails — I can ride on them.”
ALL SMILES: High Fives collaborated with Sky Tavern Bike Park, located off Mt. Rose Highway, to build a trail suitable for adaptive riders, which Estocado happily bombs down. Photos courtesy High Fives
Brenner said it’s big news in his community when a new trail like this is put in. “It’s more open space you can get out and explore.” This, he said, is the point. And Lefanowicz added that the word she most commonly hears from people who use the adaptive trails is “independence.”
There was a moment at the second-ever Gambler’s Run in 2024 when The Main Squeeze was covering Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar” and it all kind of came together for Crystal Bay Casino’s production/marketing manager Sam Shear.
“It was right at dusk,” he said. “The golden hour light. The energy of the band, the energy of the crowd. It was epic. All the work we’d done, a lot of things had to line up to make that moment happen.”
MUSICAL CONNECTION: A festivalgoer and a musician are in sync during a daytime set.
Things did line up and that moment did happen. More moments happened last year and more moments will happen in 2026, the festival gaining momentum like some incendiary fiddle solo played against a devil down in Georgia. This year, the String Cheese Incident leads its biggest lineup yet, headlining three days of deep-pooled musicality with their Thursday night set.
Formed in Colorado a good 30 years ago, the band has shredded strings and lit up audiences around the world with its bluegrass meets funky-country-rocky-jazzy-reggae-infused sound that offers a pinch of psychedelia and throws in a warm breeze
for good measure.
IT’S ALL GRATITUDE AND GOOD TIMES in the front row at dusk at Gambler’s Run.
The band’s name stems from a cheese-heavy food fight the members had in a bar back in the ’90s. They’ll be coming off a two-night run at Red Rocks Amphitheater before rolling the dice in Crystal Bay as part of their five-month Just Keep Spinning tour.
Red Rocks has a 9,500-person capacity, a typical venue size for the band. Gambler’s Run, on the other hand, is capped at 1,000. A faraway lawn seat won’t exist at the festival, and access to the front rows won’t cost $500-plus — so fans will see and hear and feel the cheese-grating up close.
“String Cheese is about the biggest act we can get,” Shear said. “We’ve had them in the Crown Room, but this is a new time for a new setting.”
That setting is outdoors. That setting is intimate. That setting is Tahoe air and golden hour light and the mysteries of the night. And visuals.
“A lot of focus is also on the art, the eye candy of the festival,” said Shear, who was coy with details to not give away too much and spoil first-impression surprise and intrigue. “It’s an all-encompassing experience. We’ll transform the festival grounds as much as possible.”
Those adorned grounds will be played from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with the gates opening at 3 p.m. for food and craft vendors, and high-energy afterparties in the Crown Room raging until midnight or so.
Big Head Todd and the Monsters headlines Friday’s lineup with its own sweet Colorado-born style that has continued to evolve and delight music lovers since its 1993 platinum rock album Sister Sweetly, featuring the decade’s iconic and seemingly immortal (for good reason) “Bittersweet.” The soulful sounds and rhythmic beat of The California Honeydrops will get Saturday night’s airs swirling and the dancefloor moving.
But Gambler’s Run isn’t just three consecutive big-name concerts; it’s a music festival that features eight hours of music per day and over 10 bands that run the gamut. Also performing are the Humboldt funk machine Diggin Dirt, the electronic-instrumental synthesis of the groovy Octave Cat (featuring Jessie Miller of Lotus), and the Nashville-based Grateful Dead-influenced punk rockers Sicard Hollow, among others.
Sicard Hollow’s guitarist Alex King shared his thoughts: “We love music festivals, casinos, and lakes. Gambler’s Run is a perfect place … because it crosses off all three of those boxes. Let’s party.”
Three-Pronged Event
In addition to the intrepid tunes and dynamic art, Gambler’s Run also features a core contingent of activities and activism at its nonprofit village.
The nonprofit tine is a who’s who of local ecological stalwarts: Keep Tahoe Blue, Sierra Nevada Alliance, Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC), UC Davis, Restoring My Lake; and, from Colorado, Conscious Alliance. Each entity helms an interactive booth and leads an engaging activity that ties back to its message. Festival-goers are provided a punch card; punches are earned by doing the activities; completing all the activities gains entry into drawings for signed posters and other rad prizes.
A main component of the activism for the festival itself focuses on sustainability. “When we started Gambler’s Run four years ago now, we were like, ‘We are in Lake Tahoe, we should be as conscious of our environment as possible.’”
THE OUTDOOR GROUNDS at Gambler’s Run hosts bands from 4 to 10 pm. before the event moves into the Crown Room for the afterparties.
A main cog in that activism/sustainability wheel was to phase out plastic cups by phasing in aluminum ones. The CBC began doing so at the first Gambler’s Run in 2023 and it’s now become standard practice at every show it hosts. No single-use plastic cups, not one; stats showing the switch having already saved close to 100,000 plastic cups and thousands of plastic water bottles from ending up in landfills.
That’s the type of action that helps the world keep spinning and the music keep playing. And summer music festivals right here in the Tahoe Basin, without having to undertake some distant drive in some super-hot direction, are a good thing too.
“If you’re a local,” Shear concluded, “you know the Crystal Bay Casino; what we do is live music. This is our masterpiece — three days of music, art, activism. Come on over and hang out.”
Wade Snider, master photographer, believes that every photo taken should be planned for months. In accordance with his tight hierarchy of strict guidelines, he camped out for ages, waiting for this exact photograph. On day 90, lightning struck. The beagles lined up. The bear was there. All he had to do was hit the shutter. The world softened for a bit. The birds, awestruck, quieted their ritualistic song. When the day returned to focus and time resumed ticking, all that was left was a photograph. Seen here.
With summer in full swing, the Cancer new moon on July 14 offers a welcome invitation to slow down, to rest, and to reconnect.
On July 18, Uranus in Gemini trines Pluto retrograde in Aquarius, an amicable transit that highlights both the tension and harmony between abstract ideas and collective technological transformations underway. Two days later, Jupiter in Leo forms a trine to Neptune retrograde in Aries, while also opposing Pluto — encouraging examination of values and relationships to the world’s changes.
The sun enters Leo on July 22, followed by Mercury coming out of its retrograde transit on July 24. Expect a certain momentum to return to a plan of yours that’s been stalled.
A major collective shift occurs on July 26 as the north node enters Aquarius and the south node enters Leo. This new nodal cycle will be playing out for 18 months and encourages us to participate more consciously in worldly happenings.
Leo-season energies amplify on July 29 when Jupiter conjoins the sun during a full moon in Aquarius. With Pluto in conjunction to the full moon, this lunation brings expansive emotional and subconscious transformation. Pay attention to what needs to be released as well as what’s coming up that needs to be celebrated.
Venus enters Libra on August 6. This will bring balance, a focus on beauty, and an inclination to socialize. August 7 and 8 may feel more reactive, with the Gemini moon transiting first Uranus and then Mars. To give yourself time to take in the full picture, endeavor to pause before responding to things.
On August 12, we have a powerful solar eclipse. The Leo new moon also joins the south node, with Jupiter and Mercury also in Leo. This day will illuminate old stories of identities and patterns that may surface for review.
NATURAL MAGIC
There are many transits happening in this time that relate to collective change and how that is personally significant, highlighted by the nodal shift into the signs of Aquarius and Leo exactly on July 26; consider setting aside twenty minutes a day between July 19 and August 2 to honor both the transition and your own evolutionary growth. Begin with ten minutes of heart-centered meditation. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly, breathing slowly as you imagine your awareness dropping from your head to your heart.
Then spend ten minutes reflecting and journaling. Consider these prompts: When I shift perception from my head to my heart, what changes within me?What is my unique gift to the world? How can I use my creativity in service to something larger than myself?
Bees. These remarkable bugs are more than just fuzzy visitors to flowers or “scary” insects that sting. They are vital pollinators who play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our mountain ecosystems and the planet as a whole.
When most people think of bees, they picture the classic honey bee: living in its bustling hive, making honey, and serving the queen. However, honey bees are not native to North America and their highly social lifestyle represents only a small fraction of the world’s bee species.
In fact, the vast majority of bees around the world and in the Sierra Nevada are solitary, up to 85% living quiet, independent lives that often go unnoticed by humans. In these species there are no queens, no workers, and no hives.
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A SWEAT BEE (Halictidae) nuzzles into flax in South Lake Tahoe. Photo by Nina Miller/Moonshine Ink
Van Dyke’s Bumble Bee (Bombus vandykei) atop a sage in Truckee. Photo by Will Richardson
A MASON BEE (Osmia montana) visits a Senecio in Page Meadows above Tahoe City. Photo by Will Richardson
Rather, every female bee is essentially a one-bee construction crew, food gatherer, and parent all rolled into one. After snowmelt, they find or build suitable nests, collect nectar and pollen, and create a carefully stocked nursery for future offspring. After supplying the nest chamber with food, the female lays a single egg, seals the chamber, and begins the process of preparing the next chamber for another egg. Once her work is complete, her life cycle comes to an end and the next generation develops during the winter months to emerge in the spring.
Meanwhile, male bees have a simpler life. Their lifespan lasts only a few weeks and equates to: emerge, compete to find a mate, reproduce, and that’s about it.
Native Tahoe/Truckee bees come in an incredible variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Some wear the familiar yellow-and-black striped patterns while others look like tiny flying jewels, shimmering in the sunlight with their metallic greens, blues, or bronze. When identifying whether an insect is a bee, a helpful clue is to look for yellow, dusty pollen clinging to its body. Female bees often carry pollen on specialized hairs attached to their legs called corbiculae (or “pollen pants”), and other species will tote it on the underside of their abdomens.
Tahoe/Truckee Bee Diversity
One of the most interesting solitary bees around Tahoe/Truckee are leafcutter bees (Megachile spp.). These tiny architects carefully cut out near-perfect circles from leaves or other plant material and carry them back to their nests. They then use the leaf pieces to form the structure of their nursery chamber cells, and, like wallpaper, the leaf material lines and protects the chamber to promote growth of beneficial microbes.
Gardeners sometimes notice the neat circular holes left behind by the leafcutters and wonder, “What happened?” Fortunately, it’s most often good news. The holes rarely harm the plant as a whole, and the “damage” is little more than a tiny rental fee, paid in exchange for excellent pollination services.
Mason bees (Osmia spp.) include another type of solitary bee found in our area. These small critters have dark bodies and an often iridescent sheen, and can easily be mistaken for a fly. However, they are all bee: widely considered some of nature’s most efficient pollinators. A single female has been known to pollinate up to 2,000 blossoms in one day.
Her pollinating power comes from how she carries pollen. Instead of packing it tightly on her legs, the mason bee female carries it loosely on the underside of her body, allowing her to transfer more pollen between flowers. Around Tahoe/Truckee you can find mason bees living in natural cavities such as hollow stems and holes in wood, but they will also readily occupy homemade bee boxes with paper or cardboard nesting tubes placed near flowering plants (a fun project for your yard).
For other bees, that patch of exposed dirt in your yard or a downed log out back can be prime real estate too, so leave them be!
Of course, no discussion of Sierra buzzers would be complete without mentioning bumble bees (Bombus spp.). The fuzzy giants of the bee world, bumble bees are larger, louder, and easier to spot than many of their smaller relatives.
Unlike most of the area’s native bees, bumble bees are social insects, forming small colonies led by a single queen and supported by a female workforce. Their colonies, however, function very differently from honey bee hives. As fall approaches, the workers die off, leaving only the newly mated queens alive, seeking shelter underground where they overwinter beneath the snowpack. When spring arrives, each queen emerges to build an entirely new colony from scratch.
Truckee/Tahoe is home to several bumblebee species, including the endangered Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis). Not long ago, at Sagehen Creek Research Station, Dr. Nina Sokolov of UC Berkeley found 23 Western Bumble Bees in just 45 minutes, a remarkable find given this species is endangered and difficult to find across the state of California. Perhaps Truckee is a hotspot for this species? More research and time will tell, but for now this is encouraging for Bombus occidentalis.
Supporting the Bees That Support Us
Bees play a critical role in maintaining our region’s biodiversity. Their services support the plants that provide food and shelter for countless other species, while encouraging outcrossing among the plants themselves, increasing genetic diversity and creating stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities of organisms.
Sadly, not all news is good, and our bees face many challenges. Habitat loss, disease, pesticide exposure, and climate change all threaten native bee populations. Habitat loss from human development destroys both nesting sites and the flowering plants bees depend on. Pesticides may directly harm the pollinators or indirectly kill the plants they rely on. Climate change creates timing mismatches between flowers and the bees’ emergence.
Fortunately, communities throughout our nation are recognizing the importance of protecting pollinators, and Truckee has an exciting opportunity to join that effort. The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) is leading the charge to designate the Town of Truckee as an official “Bee City.” TINS and other partners through Bee City USA intend to protect native pollinators through education, habitat restoration, and conservation. While the designation is an important milestone, its true value lies in the community actions that follow.
POLLINATORS: One of Truckee/Tahoe’s most common and widespread bumble bee species, Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) visiting a yarrow and showing a packed pollen basket. Photo by Will Richardson
Residents can help in surprisingly simple ways; planting native flowers and leaving patches of bare soil, dead wood, and dried stems all work to create nesting opportunities. Even participating in community science projects using iNaturalist, a free app that helps identify plants and animals while collecting data for science and conservation, can help researchers better understand local bee populations. In this way, every yard, garden, school, neighborhood, and human can become part of the solution.
So, the next time you hear a faint buzz while hiking a trail, walking through a meadow, or tending your garden, take a closer look and try to appreciate the bee for who it is and what it does.
These remarkable insects may be small, but their impact is enormous. Quietly and tirelessly, our native bees sustain the wildflowers, forests, and vibrant landscapes that make the Sierra Nevada the wonderful and biologically diverse place that it is.
