Best of Tahoe
Obituary: Russell Lynn Taylor
April 13, 1951 – June 12, 2026
Russell was born on April 13, 1951, in El Paso, Texas, to Del Roy Taylor and Maureen McGurt. As a teenager, he moved to South Lake Tahoe, where he graduated from South Tahoe High School and spent the majority of his life.
At the age of 18, Russell proudly served his country during the Vietnam War as a medic, primarily stationed in the Philippines. His military service sparked a lifelong fascination with aviation. He especially enjoyed attending the Reno Air Races, where he loved watching the Blue Angels and exploring exhibits featuring military aircraft, jets, and historic airplanes.
At the age of 20, Russell and Ann Alvarez welcomed their son, Ezra Sean Alvarez, who remained one of his greatest sources of pride and joy throughout his life.
Russell spent much of his career in the Lake Tahoe gaming industry. He began working at the Nevada Lodge on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe and built a long and successful career in gaming, ultimately spending many years at Bally’s Lake Tahoe. He took great pride in his work and formed deep friendships with his coworkers and management at Bally’s Lake Tahoe. As a highly respected high-limit dealer, Russell was known for being exceptionally smooth at the tables—one of the highest compliments a dealer can receive.
Russell is survived by his son, Ezra Sean Alvarez (Sean); his brothers, Layne, Jesse (Claudia), Mark, and Daniel; his sister, RuthAnn; his nieces, Coral (Chris) and Sarah (Craig); his great-nephew, Cusson; his stepmother, Joyce; his beloved girlfriend, Linda Cambon; and Ann Alvarez, the mother of his son, Ezra. He is also survived by many other relatives and friends whose lives were touched by his humor, friendship, kindness, and adventurous spirit.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Maureen McGurt; his father, Del Roy Taylor; and his brothers, David Allan Taylor, Sean Del Roy Taylor, and James Del Roy Taylor.
Perhaps more than anything, Russell loved sunsets. No matter where he was, he always tried to catch the sunset each day. He found peace, beauty, and gratitude in those quiet moments as the sun dipped below the horizon.
So, the next time you watch a sunset, please take a moment to say a prayer, share a memory, or simply think of Russell—a man whose life was filled with adventure, laughter, friendship, and love. Like the sunsets he cherished so deeply, his warmth and light will continue to shine in the hearts of all who knew him.
Obituary: Betty Barsamian
July 2, 1952 – May 11, 2026
Anyone who knew Betty Barsamian — her many talents, eye for detail, and depth of caring for the people she loved — knew that she was special. A creative spirit with a gift for inspired design, Betty passed away on May 11, 2026, near her home in Walnut Creek, California.
Betty’s skills as a graphic designer were unsurpassed, whether working with her own clients or through leading graphic design offices, in advertising, or with newspapers. She started her career in San Francisco, spending a formative time at the Office of Michael Manwaring, a firm that helped define the groundbreaking San Francisco design movement of the 1980s.
She settled in South Lake Tahoe for more than 30 years, where she left a pronounced mark on the community, playing a central role in campaigns and design projects and collaborating with local leaders, state and regional agencies, businesses, and media to help define how the region
was represented. She was the art director and production manager at the Tahoe Daily Tribune, and, as a freelance graphic designer in the region, she worked with clients from the chamber of commerce, to the utility and school districts, to area resorts and winemakers.
Betty was born in Berkeley and grew up in El Cerrito, California, the daughter of the late Pete and Anne Barsamian and one of four siblings. She was deeply connected to her Armenian heritage, making a formative trip to Armenia as a teenager and staying active for many years at St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Church in Oakland. She shared wonderful hours of Armenian cooking and baking with her mother, and she loved passing those skills on to family and friends.
She attended the University of California, Berkeley, before transferring to San Jose State University to pursue her passion for design. She earned her B.S. there in graphic design, laying the foundation for her career.
Betty married and moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1985, and five years later had her son, Tyler Venema. She was a devoted mother, delighting in Tyler’s interests and progress as he grew. When he completed college in Florida and settled in Boulder, Colorado, Betty moved there too, enjoying several happy years in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
She returned to the Bay Area in 2022 after her cancer diagnosis. She continued to connect with Tyler daily, collaborating by phone on the New York Times spelling bee and cheering on their favorite tennis players and sports teams.
Those who love her will remember her beaming smile, her fashion sense, her regimen of long- distant walking, the 1,000+ origami cranes she created, her humor in the hardest times, and her precision and thoughtfulness in everything she undertook. They will also remember how much she cared for each of them.
Betty is survived by her son Tyler Venema; her siblings Gayle Barsamian, Paul Barsamian (Denise), and Peter Barsamian (Pat); her nieces Laila and Ali Barsamian and Delaney Hyson (Michael); her grandnephew Enzo Hyson; and her former husband Dan Venema.
Gifts in Betty’s memory may be made to a charity of your choice.
Investment Corner: Understanding the Equity Style Box
You have likely heard the saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” In the investment world, we use the term diversification when we talk about spreading those proverbial eggs out into different baskets. Diversification is a method of reducing a portfolio’s level of risk while seeking to maintain the expected returns of your investments.
While most investors are familiar with the concept of diversification, the “D” word can mean different things to different people. Investors can diversify across sectors, countries, asset classes, and many other factors. In this article, I am going to focus on another method.
Morningstar, an industry leader in investment research and portfolio design, has popularized a tool called the “equity style box.” This tool shows what types of companies are held inside a mutual fund or ETF. It breaks down companies according to two fundamental properties: size and investment style. Imagine a tic-tac-toe board, with company size running from top to bottom and investment style running from left to right.
Publicly listed companies will generally fall into one of three size categories: large-cap, mid-cap, or small-cap. As the names suggest, large-cap companies tend to be the biggest, with valuations of $10 billion or more. Mid-caps are usually valued between $2 billion to $10 billion, while small-caps can be anything from $300 million to $2 billion (those are rough numbers, as different experts may use slightly different values to define those spaces).
Companies are also classified as “value”, “growth”, or “blend.” Value companies are stocks that appear relatively inexpensive compared to their current profits. Growth companies are stocks that investors expect to grow profits rapidly in the future, so investors are often willing to pay a higher price for them today. Blend companies might share qualities of value and growth companies.
Put this all together and you can see that there are “large-cap growth” companies, “large-cap blend” companies, and “large-cap value” companies. The same goes for mid-cap and small-cap. In total, then, we can see that there are nine equity style boxes.
Putting this into practice, Vanguard’s S&P 500 index, VOO, currently holds 81% large-cap, 18% mid-cap, and 1% small-cap. While the fund is diversified across 500 companies, it is not well-diversified under the lens of the equity style box. The Invesco QQQ Trust, which tracks the Nasdaq 100 index, is even less diversified, with 89% of its holdings in large-cap and only 9% in value at the time of writing. While each of these funds is more diversified than a few single stocks, an investor can certainly diversify further and reduce risk without giving up expected returns.
While broad diversification does not require that all of the parts of the equity style box are represented equally, it makes sense to have investments in each area. Remember that the main point of diversification is to prevent your entire portfolio from suffering badly when a particular part of the market drops. A fund like the QQQ, while a high-quality fund, does not represent strong portfolio diversification. I would suggest that investors holding QQQ also hold other funds that represent mid-cap, small-cap, and value areas.
It is not unusual to see long periods of overperformance in one style box while other boxes lag. Nevertheless, historical evidence shows that most investors struggle to predict those future outcomes, which can negatively impact results. For a typical investor, a well-diversified portfolio will provide resilience and higher levels of predictability in your investment outcomes.
Use those equity style boxes as one tool to help you build your portfolio. Don’t forget to research other diversification areas as well, including the ones mentioned earlier (different countries, etc.)
However you choose to diversify your portfolio, invest smartly and invest well!
Larry Sidney is a Zephyr Cove-based Investment Advisor Representative. Information is found at https://palisadeinvestments.com/ or by calling 775-299-4600 x702. This is not a solicitation to buy or sell securities. Clients may hold positions mentioned in this article. Past Performance does not guarantee future results. Consult your financial advisor before purchasing any security.
Pet Network Humane Society Offers Free Adoptions This July
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Pet Network Humane Society announced sponsored adoptions this July, made possible through the incredible generosity of Bev & Doug Keil, longtime supporters of Pet Network. All adoption fees for animals are waived for the entire month, ensuring that deserving shelter pets find loving homes just in time for summer.
This heartwarming promotion doesn’t stop at simply finding homes—every dog and cat adopted will come equipped with a Fi GPS collar, offering pet parents peace of mind and an extra layer of protection for their new companions.
“Summer can be a tough time for animals in shelters,” said Sybile O’Neill, Marketing and Development Manager at Pet Network Humane Society. “Thanks to Bev & Doug, we’re lowering barriers to adoption and giving pets a chance to thrive in a loving home during a historically low adoption season.”
Summer is the perfect time to expand your family with a loyal companion or cuddly new friend. With waived fees and added perks there’s never been a better opportunity to adopt.
Event Details:
● What: Bev & Doug Keil – No adoption fees for any animal in July
● Where: Pet Network Humane Society, Incline Village, NV
● When: July 1 – July 31, 2026
● Includes Off-site adoption Event: July 8th,2026 – 11 am to 2 pm at the National Automobile Museum
● More to come!
How to Adopt:
Visit Pet Network Humane Society during regular business hours or view available pets online at www.petnetwork.org.
Don’t Worry, Beach Happy; A guide to Lake Tahoe’s beaches
Lake Tahoe is known for its towering peaks, outrageous skiing, gorgeous backpacking trails, and, of course, its glacial blue waters. 300,000 people, on average, visit Tahoe during the peak summer months, looking for some of the best areas the lake can provide for swimming, sunbathing, kayaking and paddleboarding. Here’s a list of some of Lake Tahoe’s best finds for beaches – where they are, how to get to them and the characteristics that make them the perfect fit for what you may be looking for. Oh yeah, and we can’t forget about our furry friends! This list includes beaches where your pup can also soak in some Tahoe summer fun in the sun. Beach parking lots fill up quickly, so arrive early!
SOUTH SHORE BEACHES
Baldwin Beach
Among the most popular beaches on the South Shore, Baldwin Beach’s soft, sandy shores and stunning views make it a well-sought-after Tahoe beach destination. Launching a kayak or paddleboard here is not uncommon, especially if your sights are set on Emerald Bay. From Baldwin Beach to the mouth of Emerald Bay is a roughly 2-mile paddle. Kayak rentals are available on site. Hiking trails are also located nearby such as the Rainbow Trail and Lam Watah Nature Trail.
Terrain: fine to medium grain sand
Accessible by: Bike Path. Vehicle – daily fee.
Dogs: Not allowed
Amenities: Restroom facilities, picnic tables
Location: Baldwin Beach Rd, Highway 89 in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Kiva Beach
When you go to Kiva Beach, it’s a dog’s world, and we’re all just living in it. This is the dog beach of the South Shore. Located on the edge of a marsh zone at the mouth of Taylor Creek, this beach offers a smaller, more intimate beach setting. The views of Mt. Tallac are utterly breathtaking, making you want to pinch yourself just to ensure you’re not dreaming. Perfect walking beach as it’s only 200 meters long. Disclaimer: If your dog doesn’t play nicely with others, this beach is not recommended.
Terrain: soft, fine-grained sand
Accessible by: Bike path. Vehicle – Free parking lot located near the Tallac Historic Site and Taylor Creek Visitor Center
Dogs: Allowed and encouraged. Please adhere to leash laws
Amenities: Porta-potty
Location: Heritage Way to Tallac Rd, Highway 89 in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Thomas F. Regan Memorial City Beach
Picnics, yoga, strumming a guitar – these are just some of the activities you’ll find folks enjoying at Thomas F. Regan Memorial City Beach, commonly known as Regan Beach. Located in the heart of South Lake Tahoe and about half a mile from Lakeview Commons, this park offers beach access on either side of a large, grassy area and playground. This is another popular kayak and paddleboard launching spot due to its location being nearly the midpoint between the east and west sides of the South Shore. This beach is considered one of the more tranquil areas of Southern Lake Tahoe. A sloping grassy hill leading to the water makes it a fun time to play fetch with your furry friend, too.
Terrain: rocky shoreline, small patches of soft, fine-grained sand
Accessible by: Bike path. Vehicle – Free parking lot
Dogs: Allowed
Amenities: Restroom facilities, volleyball court, playground and picnic area
Location: 3199 Sacramento Ave in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Ski Run Marina and Beach
The one-stop shop for dining, art, boating, and swimming, the Ski Run Marina and Beach is a tourist hotspot. Located near Hilton Vacation Club Lake Tahoe and the Postmarc Hotel and Spa, it allows visitors a quick walk to the lake to take in the views. Riva Grill sits poised and ready to offer fresh drinks and food while enjoying the scenery. The beachfront itself is not very big, and in the summer, it fills up very fast. Tahoe Sports powerboats and jet ski rentals, along with Tahoe Cruises including the “Safari Rose” and “Tahoe Spirit,” operate out of this location, so if you’re in the mood to take to the waters, this is a great place to climb aboard a vessel and get out there.
Terrain: Fine to medium grain sand
Accessible by: Bike path. Vehicle – paid parking; The first hour is free, fees increase per additional hour
Dogs: Allowed
Amenities: Water sports and rentals, waterfront dining, boutique shopping, cruises
Location: 900 Ski Run Blvd in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
EAST SHORE BEACHES
Nevada Beach
Among Tahoe’s larger beaches, Nevada Beach has 0.7 miles of stunning views on Lake Tahoe’s southeast side. Located on National Forest land, it provides clean shores lined with Jeffrey pines. It’s a popular RV and tent camping spot due to its picturesque setting and relaxing atmosphere. The beach offers a Day Use pavilion along with kayak and paddleboard rentals.
Terrain: course, reddish-tan granitic sand
Accessible by: Bike path from Kahle Drive. Vehicle – paid parking; fee per vehicle at Nevada Beach Campground. Free available parallel parking along Elk’s Point Rd.
Dogs: Prohibited on most of the beach, but allowed in designated picnic areas and on a small portion of the west side
Amenities: Picnic tables, charcoal grills, campsites, multiple restroom facilities, pavilion
Location: Bittlers Road in Zephyr Cove, Nev.
Zephyr Cove Resort Beach
Zephyr Cove Resort Beach has a mile-long shoreline, offering guests an amazing view of Mt. Tallac while facing the west shore. If you’re in the mood for some beach volleyball, their free courts are a great place to serve it up. Home to some amazing east shore dining, this place makes for a great all-day experience, whether that’s on a daytime or dinner cruise on the M.S. Dixie II paddlewheeler, or drinking a refreshing cocktail at Sunset Bar & Grille. Kayaks and paddleboard rentals are available here.
Terrain: Fine, soft sand with occasional rocky patches near the shoreline
Accessible by: Vehicle – Daily parking fees range from weekdays to weekends. Fees raised for holidays.
Dogs: Not allowed
Amenities: general store/giftshop, beach chair and umbrella rentals, volleyball courts, parasailing, kayak and paddleboard rentals, bathroom facilities
Location: 760 U.S. Hwy 50 in Zephyr Cove, Nev.
Logan Shoals Vistas
If you’re up for a hike, this is the perfect place for you. Although it’s not a traditional beach in the sense of having sandy shores, Logan Shoals Vistas have giant lakeside boulders that make for great sunbathing and sunset picnic outings. From the pullout down to the water is a short 0.2-mile hike downhill. This is a prime swimming spot, so if you’ve got a good pair of goggles, jump off the boulders into the clear waters of Lake Tahoe for a great opportunity to observe aquatic life.
Terrain: steep dirt path leading to rocks and boulders
Accessible by: Vehicle – pullout parking on lakeside of Hwy 50, situated south of Glenbrook and North of Zephyr Cove
Dogs: Allowed
Amenities: Restroom facilities
Location: 1500 U.S. Hwy 50 in Zephyr Cove, Nev.
Skunk Harbor
Another beach to hike to, but not all great things come easy! Skunk Harbor is a gem you don’t want to miss on the east shore. Located in a remote spot about 2 miles downhill from the parking pullout, it’s a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of peak summer crowds. This place truly is one of the most picturesque coves in Tahoe with its turquoise blue water and scattered rock features. The shores provide ample sunlight and a piece of history in the form of an abandoned stone cabin built in the 1920s.
Terrain: soft, fine-grained sand
Accessible by: Hike-in – park vehicle at one of two pullouts along SR- 28.
Dogs: Allowed
Amenities: none
Location: SR-28, 2.4 miles northeast of Spooner Summit Snow Play
WEST SHORE BEACHES
Meek’s Bay Beach
Meek’s Bay Beach sits on a wide, curved shoreline and offers plenty of sun in the summertime. It’s popular for its easy access, white sand, extremely clear water, and the beautiful views only west shore can offer. The area is ancestral land to the Washoe Tribe who operate the Meek’s Bay Resort and Campground. It makes for a great place to camp, horseback ride, and take in its rich history. The Wa She Shu Grille provides great-tasting, beachside food.
Terrain: soft, bright white sand
Accessible by: Vehicle – parking at Meek’s Bay resort for a fee, limited parking on Hwy 89
Dogs: Not allowed
Amenities: Restroom facilities, kayak and paddleboard rentals, dining, general store, picnic tables
Location: 7901 Emerald Bay Rd in Tahoma, Calif.
Lester Beach and Callawee Cove at D.L. Bliss State Park
D.L Bliss State Park is home to the famous Rubicon Wall and Rubicon Point, which overlooks some of the deepest waters in Lake Tahoe. Named after railroad tycoon and pioneering lumberman, Duane Leroy Bliss, the park offers sought-after camping, hiking, and astonishingly clear water views. A popular boating and scuba diving destination, Lester Beach occupies the north end while the south portion, Callewee Cove, makes for a great snorkeling spot. After undergoing massive infrastructure upgrades, the park is set to be fully open and operational starting May 21, 2026.
Terrain: medium-grained sand
Accessible by: Vehicle – day-use parking. Walk-in. Hike-in.
Dogs: Not allowed
Amenities: Restroom facilities, picnic tables, designated campgrounds
Location: Lester Beach Rd in D.L. Bliss State Park
Vikingsholm/Emerald Bay Beach
Historic Emerald Bay has been a cherished jewel of Lake Tahoe, named by settlers since the 1860s. It’s home to the Emerald Bay Underwater State Park where divers have been observing artifacts resting in its depths since the park’s inception in 1994. Accessible only by hike or boat, the beach offers a remote get-away with a view overlooking Fannette Island and the turquoise waters of the glacier-carved inlet.
Terrain: coarse sand and gravel
Accessible by: Boat. Hike via the Rubicon Trail; trail is steep and not recommended for those with health issues.
Dogs: Not allowed
Amenities: Seasonal kayak rentals, picnic tables, restroom facilities, nearby campgrounds
Location: 9691 Emerald Bay Rd in Emerald Bay State Park
Tahoe City Commons Beach
Beautiful Tahoe City is known for its charming shopping centers and quaint small-town feel. Summer music concerts, sunset strolls, or noon sunbathing on the sand, Commons Beach has it all and rests on more than four acres. It’s the perfect place for all ages, offering a playground, a 65-seat amphitheater, a group BBQ area, and picnic tables. Tahoe City Kayak & Paddleboard offers guided tours, kayak and paddleboard rentals right on the beach. From May to October, folks can enjoy the Tahoe City Farmers Market.
Terrain: A mix of grass, course sand and in-water cobbles
Accessible by: Bike path. Vehicle – free parking lot on Commons Beach Rd and on-street parking
Dogs: Not allowed
Amenities: Restroom facilities, playground, guided tours, paddleboard and kayak rentals, group bbq station, amphitheater
Location: 400 North Lake Blvd in Tahoe City, Calif.
NORTH SHORE BEACHES
North Tahoe Beach
North Tahoe Beach offers a bustling and lively summer beach destination. A serene park sits at the top of the tree-lined shore, offering picnic tables where people can hang out and enjoy a yummy treat from one of the many food establishments within walking distance. North Tahoe Beach provides beach volleyball courts, a horseshoe pit and pavilion, making it a great place to spend your day.
Terrain: soft, fine-grain sand
Accessible by: Vehicle – free parking located on site
Dogs: Not allowed
Amenities: Restroom facilities, volleyball courts, group area for rent, picnic tables
Location: SR-28 at Hwy 267 in Kings Beach, Calif.
Moon Dunes Beach
Among the smaller beaches, this little beauty is not visible from the road. Just past some quaking aspen trees and up a sandy path, you’ll find some of Tahoe’s most glassy waters. Popular among the younger crowds, it’s a great place to relax, sunbathe, or play some frisbee.
Terrain: soft, very fine-grained sand
Accessible by: Vehicle – free parallel parking along North Lake Blvd
Dogs: Not allowed
Amenities: Restroom facilities
Location: 7530 North Lake Blvd in Tahoe Vista, Calif.
Hidden Beach
Tucked away on the northeast corner of the lake is Hidden Beach. Located one mile south of Incline Village, it’s a diamond in the rough of navigating where to park to get to it. Once you find a spot and make your trek down, it’s one the prettiest beaches in Tahoe by far. Depending on the lake’s water levels, sometimes there isn’t much of a sandy shoreline, but you can still find a nice, mighty boulder to lay upon. The turquoise, alpine waters are a sight for sore eyes, making it a beautiful place to paddle in on a kayak or paddleboard.
Terrain: boulder-lined shores with soft, fine-grained sand attainable depending on lake levels
Accessible by: Vehicle – paid parking lot available at Tahoe East Shore Trail, free limited parking along Hwy 28.
Dogs: Allowed
Amenities: Restroom facilities near trailhead
Location: Hwy 28 along East Shore Trail in Washoe Valley, Nev.
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Summer 2026 edition of Tahoe Magazine.
Tips to trace your own history while celebrating America’s
Millions of Americans will spend some time in 2026 commemorating 250 years of United States history. The U.S. turns 250 in July 2026, and the summer figures to be an especially celebratory time across the 50 states.
As Americans engage with their nation’s history, they might be compelled to learn more about their personal history as well. Genealogy has become a popular pastime in the twenty-first century, and the National Archives offers these tips to anyone looking to do some digging into their personal history as they celebrate 250 years of the United States.
- Start with yourself. The National Archives recommends starting with the person you know best: yourself. Your own personal details can serve as a starting point as you work toward more unknown facets of your family history. After you note all of your own details, learn and document all you can about your parents and then do the same in relation to your grandparents.
- Emphasize four vital components. The National Archive notes that names, dates, places, and relationships are the tools of the family researcher. That’s because these nuggets of information have long been used to identify people in public records.
- Peruse any existing family archives. Many families have kept their own archives over the years, even if that record-keeping was not widely known within a family. A relative might have kept various types of documents that help to paint a picture of your genealogy. Ask around in the family to see if anyone has kept records, which might include:
- Newspaper clippings
- Birth and death certificates
- Military certificates
- Marriage licenses
- Letters
- Diaries
- Photographs/photo books
- Scrapbooks
- Let others know. Inform family members near and far that you’re working on a genealogy project. A relative might have beaten you to it, and that person could have lots of valuable information and documents to share. Others might be able to point you toward a relative who has become the unofficial family historian. In addition, cousins and aunts and uncles might have records from their own immediate families, which can help you as you conduct your own research.
- Access government records. The U.S. federal census dates all the way back to 1790, which makes it a potentially excellent source of information for your project. State and county archives also can be wonderful resources that keep records of births, deaths, marriages, and other notable events that can help people trace their family histories. Even local libraries might have records of your family, especially if your family has been settled in the same area for a significant amount of time.
American history might be the focal point in the United States in 2026. But that renewed emphasis on history also makes 2026 a great time to study your own family’s part in helping the nation make it to its 250th birthday.
Writers in the Wild: Learning to climb without a belayer
As I inched my way up a 70-foot wall, with no belayer beneath me, there was a moment when the only things that existed were me, the rock and the cool morning air. The only sound was the soft squeak of rubber against slabby granite and the rhythmic zip of my progress-capture device, a sound somewhere between a zipper and someone strumming the teeth of a comb.
For the longest time, mankind has operated under the assumption that you need a climbing partner if you want to rope climb. But climbers, being the resourceful people they are (and occasionally obsessive), invented top-rope soloing for those with mismatched schedules, for those who simply don’t feel like interacting with another human being, and of course, for those comfortable with a bit of added risk.
I might fall into every one of those categories perfectly.
But how did I get here? We’ll rewind a bit.
Every now and then, I’ll get a text from someone I’ve met somewhere asking if I’m around while they’re passing through Tahoe. Naturally, as any completely reasonable person would do, I rearrange my entire weekend to go climbing with them.
So when my good friend Elvis Ortiz texted me saying he’d be climbing at the Emeralds Saturday morning, I was in. Elvis isn’t just an incredibly strong climber, he’s also one of the community leaders behind People’s Climbing Crew and Escalemos, two Bay Area BIPOC climbing groups dedicated to making the outdoors more welcoming and accessible. He’s an outdoor programming and education lead, but more than anything, he’s one of those people who genuinely cares about building community in climbing and helping others get outside. So, shoutout to Elvis, the People’s Climbing Crew and Escalemos for the work they’re doing.
I, on the other hand, firmly support a little crag gatekeeping.
Just kidding, if you ask me directly for crag recommendations, I’ll always help. I just don’t want to accidentally saturate a spot by advertising it in a newspaper. So I won’t tell you exactly where we were. What I will say is that it was beautiful. I’ve only climbed at the Emeralds a handful of times, but every visit reminds me why it’s one of the Tahoe–Truckee area’s gems
We climbed a few routes together before Elvis walked me through his own top rope solo system. And just like that, an entirely new world of climbing opened up.
When I climbed up, I felt how freeing it was to move entirely on my own.
Top rope soling basically means you’re attached to a rope the entire time, but you don’t have a belayer. I’m not a climbing instructor, so I’m intentionally not explaining how it works. Top-rope soloing comes with additional risks and should only be learned from qualified instructors.
In many ways, learning to top-rope solo simply gave me the ability to combine two of my favorite things: being alone and climbing. After a turbulent period in my life, I realized that solitude in the outdoors was one of the few places where my mind finally grew quiet.
There is actually research suggesting that spending time in nature can lead to what’s called a “small self.” Basically, the vastness of the natural world can shrink the sense of personal importance, softening everyday anxieties and ego boundaries, and fostering a feeling of being part of something much larger and more connected than the individual self.
I don’t know if that’s exactly what happens to me. I just know that every time I’m alone in the mountains, or wandering through the desert, or sitting underneath a boulder waiting for my skin to stop hurting, I suddenly remember to breathe.
The anxiety gets a little quieter. The world gets bigger. And for a while, I get to be wonderfully, beautifully small.
Anyway, this was one of those weekends I’ll remember for a long time. I’m excited to see where this new chapter of climbing takes me.
Truckee-Tahoe – Pet of the Week: Indie
At just two years old and around 35 pounds, Indie is the perfect size for just about any adventure. This sweet girl has a curious spirit and loves exploring the world one sniff at a time. Whether she’s checking out a new trail, investigating an interesting scent, or simply taking in everything happening around her, Indie approaches life with quiet confidence and wonder.
Like many thoughtful dogs, Indie appreciates a little time to settle into new surroundings. But once she feels comfortable, her easygoing and relaxed personality truly shines. She enjoys checking in with her people as she explores and is happiest when she has someone by her side to share life’s little adventures.
Indie would make a wonderful companion for someone who enjoys a slower pace and appreciates a dog with a gentle, independent nature. She’s the kind of friend who’s just as happy exploring the outdoors as she is relaxing after a day of adventure.
If you’re looking for a loyal companion with a kind heart, curious mind, and calm spirit, Indie may be the perfect match for you. Come meet her, you just might find your newest adventure buddy waiting at the shelter!
If you are interested in meeting Indie or learning more about her, please get in touch with one of HSTT’s Adoption Specialists, 530-587-5948 or adoptions@hstt.org. She is spayed, vaccinated, and up to date on her vaccines. To view more adoptable pets or to learn more about the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, visit www.hstt.org.
Tahoe TAP Podcast: Carol Chaplin – Visit Lake Tahoe
The Tahoe TAP podcast returns with another conversation exploring the people, places, and ideas shaping life around Lake Tahoe. Hosts Mike Peron and Rob Galloway are back behind the mic with the latest stories from the basin before sitting down with one of the region’s most influential leaders.
This episode features Carol Chaplin, President and CEO of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority (Visit Lake Tahoe), whose leadership has helped shape South Shore’s tourism industry for nearly two decades. From the launch of destination marketing initiatives like the “Awe and Then Some” campaign to navigating wildfire recovery, the COVID-19 pandemic, and changing travel trends, Chaplin has played a central role in positioning Lake Tahoe as one of the world’s premier outdoor recreation destinations.
With more than 35 years in the Tahoe tourism industry, Chaplin’s influence extends well beyond destination marketing. She has served in leadership roles with numerous regional organizations, including the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, Tahoe Chamber, Tahoe Prosperity Center, the Western Nevada Development District, the Regional Air Service Corporation, and the South Shore Transportation Management Association. She also serves on the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Council, working alongside public agencies, nonprofits, and private industry to strengthen the region’s economy while protecting the lake’s natural resources and quality of life.
Chaplin was also a driving force behind the development of the Tahoe Blue Event Center, a transformative project that has expanded South Lake Tahoe’s ability to attract year-round events, entertainment, and sports tourism while creating new economic opportunities for the community.
On this episode of Tahoe TAP, the conversation explores the evolution of Tahoe’s visitor economy, the importance of destination stewardship, the impact of the Tahoe Blue Event Center, and what’s next for tourism in one of America’s most iconic mountain destinations.
Tune in for an insightful conversation with one of the visionary leaders who has helped shape Tahoe’s past, present, and future.
Action in Tahoe: Fourth of July celebrations, Macbeth and more
Friday, July 3
4th of July Celebration – Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, 4130 Lake Tahoe Blvd,. Celebrate 4th of July withlive music, lawn games, BBQ, and fireworks from the best seat in town. For more information, visit https://www.margaritavilleresorts.com/margaritaville-resort-lake-tahoe/things-to-do-in-lake-tahoe/events/4th-of-july-celebration.
Childen’s Summer Theater June 18-July 3 – 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., South Tahoe Middle School 2940 Lake Tahoe Blvd. South Lake Tahoe, Please enter through the enterance on Al Tahoe Blvd. Description Tahoe Arts Project and Tahoe Valley Performing Arts presents My Son Pinocchio Jr. Directed by Allyssa Little and Nicole Mora, this is a heartwarming and humorous twist on a classic tale, My Son Pinocchio Jr. tells the story of Geppetto, a kind-hearted toymaker who longs for a child of his own. When his wish is magically granted, he becomes the father of Pinocchio-a wooden boy full of curiosity, energy, and a tendency to get into trouble. There are roles for children entering 1st-9th grade in the fall. Everyone will be cast. Auditions: June 18, 2026 1st-3rd Grade 9:00-10:00 4th-9th Grade 10:00-11:30 Rehearsals:June 22-26 and June 29-July 2 1st-3rd Grade 9:00-11:30 4th-9th Grade 10:00-1:30 Performances: July 3rd (Times to be determined) Everything will take place at South Tahoe Middle School For more information, visit https://business.tahoechamber.org/events/details/childen-s-summer-theater-june-18-july3-26110.
Josh Sweigert – 6-8 p.m., The Grove, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd. Join us just outside the Grove Restaurant for a performance by Josh Sweigert. For more information, visit https://camprichardsonresort.com/event/josh-sweigert-2/.
Local Heroes Kids Bike Parade – 10 a.m., Presented and organized by the Diamond Peak Ski Team The Local Heroes Kids Bike Parade is back and ready to roll on Thursday, July 3, leading off the annual Local Heroes Parade in Incline Village! This festive event invites kids of all ages to grab their bikes, scooters, wagons, or tricycles and ride at the front of the parade, celebrating community spirit and summer fun. Important Note: Plan Ahead for Decorations! There will be no decorations available at the staging party, and festive supplies like streamers, flags, and accessories are hard to find locally in Incline Village. Please plan ahead and shop or order early to make sure your child’s whip is parade ready. The more creative and colorful, the better! Event Details – When: Thursday, July 3 Check-in and bike decorating begin at 9:15 AM The parade kicks off promptly at 10:00 AM Where to Meet: Walk or ride bikes to the IVGID Administration Building (893 Southwood Blvd) NO CARS/PARKING/DROP-OFFS will be allowed at the staging area. The parade ends at Village Green, where the celebration continues with games, activities, and a community BBQ at the Local Heroes Community Fair! Registration is required. Register Here. A huge thanks to the Diamond Peak Ski Team for sponsoring and organizing this fun, family-friendly tradition that brings our community together each Fourth of July weekend. Questions: email julie@ivcba.org For more information, visit https://business.ivcba.org/event-calendar/Details/local-heroes-kids-bike-parade-1394900?sourceTypeId=Hub or call (775) 833-5252.
NLTFPD Pancake Breakfast – 8-10 a.m., Description Before the parade… fuel up at the annual pancake breakfast hosted by the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District! For more information, visit https://business.ivcba.org/event-calendar/Details/nltfpd-pancake-breakfast-1393335?sourceTypeId=Hub.
Rock & Roll Summer Outdoor Concerts – South Tahoe – 6:30 p.m., Tahoe Paradise Park, 1011 East San Bernardino Ave. This summer, the stage moves outdoors as TOCCATA Tahoe Symphony celebrates the music that shaped generations with an electrifying Rock n’ Roll Summer Concert Series. From the timeless melodies of The Beatles and Elvis Presley to the anthemic energy of Queen, Journey, and David Bowie, this program brings together iconic hits audiences know and love, all reimagined through the power and color of live orchestra, chorus, and soloists For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1011784721706042/.
Ski Run Farmer’s Market & Street Fair – 3-8 p.m., Ski Run Farmer’s Market & Street Fair, 1132 Ski Run Blvd. This beloved Friday market is where the heart of South Lake Tahoe comes alive. Stretching along the charming Ski Run Blvd, the market brings Tahoe’s best farmers, makers, musicians, and food vendors for a lively community event packed with good Tahoe vibes. Fridays, 3:00-8:00 pm June 5 through September 11, 2026. Expect fresh organic produce, handmade goods, live music, street food, and spontaneous street dancing. It’s the perfect stop to kick off your weekend—whether you’re meeting friends for happy hour, looking for something fun with the kids, or exploring Tahoe like a local. For more information, visit https://visitlaketahoe.com/event/ski-run-farmers-market-street-fair/2026-07-03/.
SONIC ZOO at TESSIE’S – 8 p.m.-2 a.m., Tessie’s Cocktails & Chords, 18 US-50. On Friday, July 3rd, Sonic Zoo takes over Tessie’s Cocktails & Chords for opening weekend. The setlist that knows no boundaries. Blending rock classics, 2000s favorites, and modern hits, they deliver a high-energy performance that keeps the room moving from start to finish. This is a show designed to entertain, spanning the best eras of music with a sound that hits hard. For more information, visit http://tessiestahoe.com/events or call 6194547421.
Summer Play | Laughing Stock by Charles Morey – 7:30-9:30 p.m., Boathouse Theater, Tallac Historic Site. Step behind the curtain and into the hilarious world of summer stock theater in Charles Morey’s Laughing Stock. Set in a charming New England barn theater, this fast-paced comedy follows a determined troupe of actors, directors, and technicians as they attempt to stage an ambitious repertory season featuring Dracula, Hamlet, and Charley’s Aunt—with predictably chaotic results. Filled with backstage mishaps, larger-than-life personalities, and nonstop laughter, Laughing Stock is a love letter to community theater and the passionate people who make it happen. Whether you’re a theater insider or simply enjoy a great comedy, this heartwarming farce celebrates the joy, absurdity, and magic of live performance. For more information, visit https://valhallatahoe.com/event/summer-play-laughing-stock-by-charles-morey/2026-07-03/.
Thunderbird Lodge/Whittell Mansion Tour – Thunderbird Lodge/George Whittell Estate, 5000 State Route 28. Exclusive Tuesdays and Fridays guided tours let you explore the magic and mystery of the historic Thunderbird Lodge and Whittell Estate grounds. (Wednesdays from July 8 through September 2) Learn about Captain Whittell’s conservation of Lake Tahoe’s Nevada shoreline and see his world-famous mansion, including secret tunnels, the card house, and the legendary Thunderbird yacht (when available). For more information, visit https://visitlaketahoe.com/event/thunderbird-lodgewhittell-mansion-tour-2/2026-07-03/.
Whiskey & Wolves – 1-5 p.m., The Grove, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd. Join us just outside the Grove Restaurant for a performance by Whiskey & Wolves. For more information, visit https://camprichardsonresort.com/event/whiskey-wolves-2/.
Zepparella “All Female Tribute to Zed Zeppelin” – 8 p.m., Crystal Bay Casino, 14 Highway 28. For more information, visit https://devildogshows.com/event/zepparella-all-female-tribute-to-zed-zeppelin/ or call (775) 833-6333.
Saturday, July 4
4th of July – 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Tipsy Putt, 4101 Lake Tahoe Blvd Suite 101. Celebrate the 4th of July at Tipsy Putt Tahoe! Cool off with our signature boozy slushies dressed in their red, white, and blue best. Sip on the Party in the USA, a festive patriotic favorite, or raise a glass with our refreshing Firecracker Frosé. Pair your frozen cocktail with a round of mini golf, great food, and lake-town vibes for the ultimate Independence Day celebration. Available for a limited time over the holiday weekend—come toast to summer with us! For more information, visit https://eventvesta.com/events/152059/t/tickets or call (530) 443-4376.
4th of July Viewing Party – 6 p.m., The Idle Hour Lake Tahoe, 3351 Lake Tahoe Blvd Ste 5. Celebrate the 4th of July lakeside at The Idle Hour! Join us for an unforgettable Independence Day celebration with one of the best lakefront views in South Lake Tahoe. Enjoy the evening from our beautiful lakefront patio, the perfect place to relax, dine, sip, and watch the fireworks over Lake Tahoe. We’ll have two great options for the evening: Lakefront Patio Enjoy our regular menu, live music featuring Sierra Gypsies, and a festive lakeside atmosphere. 6:00 – 10:00 PM $55 cover VIP Main Dining Room Upgrade your evening with a VIP indoor dining experience featuring a buffet, wine and beer package, and lakefront fireworks viewing. 6:00 – 10:00 PM $150 per person VIP buffet includes blackened shrimp, house salad, chicken marsala, salmon piccata, balsamic New York, mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, vegetable medley, and a house dessert spread. Space is limited, so reserve your spot and celebrate the 4th of July at The Idle Hour with food, wine, music, and front-row lake views. Call to Reserve 500-600-3304 For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1048451314906147/ or call (530) 600-3304.
Arizona Jones – 1-5 p.m., The Grove, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd. Join us just outside the Grove Restaurant for a performance by Arizona Jones. For more information, visit https://camprichardsonresort.com/event/arizona-jones-5/.
Freedom Crawl – 8-11 p.m., Aleworx Stateline 31 US Hwy 50. Tahoe Club Crawl is an organized VIP nightlife tour of the Tahoe South. With the purchase of your ticket, you will receive a welcome shot at 3 out of 4 stops, appetizers, free indoor games at Tipsy Putt and VIP entrance into Peek Nightclub, Lake Tahoe’s hottest Club! You will meet amazing people and have the night of your lives. We meet every Saturday at 8:00 PM Aleworx Stateline, unless told otherwise. Be Sure To Check Out our Ice Cream Shop, Aloha Ice Cream Tahoe “Winner of Best Ice Cream in Tahoe 7 Years In A Row” (Opened Seasonally) For more information, visit https://tahoeclubcrawl.ticketsauce.com/e/tahoe-club-crawl-spring-summer-2064?aff=cityspark.
IVCB Veterans Club Pancake Breakfast – 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Kick off July 4th by supporting local veterans at this fun community pancake breakfast! Enjoy Pancakes, bacon, sausage, and blueberries, plus optional Mimosas and Bloody Marys to support local Veterans! Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Rec Center or at the event. For more information, visit https://business.ivcba.org/event-calendar/Details/ivcb-veterans-club-pancake-breakfast-1393340?sourceTypeId=Hub.
Neon Nights – 8 p.m., Alibi Ale Works – Incline Public House, 931 Tahoe Blvd. Description New for summer 2026, DJ Papi Chulo will be set up in our magical mythical beer forest every Saturday from 8-10pm for NEON NIGHTS!Expect groovy vibes from our local DJ, glow in the dark beer pong, and potentially hi-lighter fairies partying with you.Dress up and dance it out Saturdays at Alibi! This just might be the highlight of your summer. For more information, visit https://business.ivcba.org/event-calendar/Details/neon-nights-1771818?sourceTypeId=Hub.
Safari Rose – Fireworks Cruise – 6:45-10:45 p.m., The Safari Rose, Location: Ski Run Marina 900 Ski Run Blvd. Description Indulge in an elevated Independence Day celebration aboard Tahoe’s most iconic yacht. With stunning teak interiors, spacious decks, and an intimate guest count, the Safari Rose offers the finest way to watch the fireworks in comfort and style. Includes: Surf & Turf dinner Hand-passed appetizers Premium wines, beer, champagne & non-alcoholic beverages Mixed drinks are available for purchase Sunset cruise toward Emerald Bay Fireworks viewing from the lake Broadcast of the local fireworks narration Open seating (Indoor & Outdoor) For more information, visit https://business.tahoechamber.org/events/details/safari-rose-fireworks-cruise-26104.
Spirit of Tahoe – Fireworks Cruise – 6:45-10:45 p.m., The Spirit of Tahoe, Location: Ski Run Marina 900 Ski Run Blvd. Description Experience the ultimate 4th of July adventure aboard the Spirit of Tahoe! We’ll cruise along the lake for stunning views before anchoring in the perfect spot to enjoy South Lake Tahoe’s spectacular fireworks show. Includes: Buffet Style Food Service Wines, beer, sparkling wine & non-alcoholic beverages Mixed drinks are available for purchase Sunset cruise toward Emerald Bay Fireworks viewing from the lake Broadcast of the local fireworks narration Open seating (Indoor & Outdoor) For more information, visit https://business.tahoechamber.org/events/details/spirit-of-tahoe-fireworks-cruise-26105.
Sunday, July 5
Cash Only Band – 1-5 p.m., The Grove, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd. Join us just outside the Grove Restaurant for a performance by Cash Only Band. For more information, visit https://camprichardsonresort.com/event/cash-only-band-13/.
Gospel Brunch – 12:15-2:30 p.m., Noel’s Coffee & Apothecary , 31 US-50 #102. Noel’s Coffee & Apothecary In Stateline, NV (located between AleWorx and CVS Pharmacy) now has a Gospel Brunch every Sunday from 12:15 PM until 2:30 PM featuring live Gospel music, croissant sandwiches and craft coffee. Come feed your spirit, soul and body!
Kurt Vile and The Violators – 7-10 p.m., The Hanger, 2401 Lake Tahoe Boulevard. TICKETS ON SALE 4/10 THIS IS A 21+ SHOW. DOORS AT 6PM SHOW AT 7PM PARKING INFORMATION: ON SITE PARKING IS LIMITED AND IS $10 PER VEHICLE. IF YOU’RE GOING TO DRIVE, GET HERE EARLY. LEAVING YOUR CAR OVERNIGHT IN OUR LOT IS OK WITH US. OVERNIGHT CAMPING HOWEVER IS NOT PERMITTED. PLEASE CONSIDER RIDING YOUR BIKES AND OR USING RIDE SHARE. THERE IS PLENTY OF FENCE TO LOCK YOUR BIKES TO. IF OUR LOT IS FULL YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL PARKING AT THESE LOCATIONS, WHICH WE HAVE RENTED FOR THE DAY : 971 & 981 SILVER DOLLAR AVE (BEHIND THE SHELL STATION), 80 PARKING SPACES PLEASE DO NOT PARK AT MINI GOLF NEXT DOOR – YOU WILL BE TOWED For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/4412047102411341/.
Sip N’ Swing – 3:30-5 p.m., Stingers Lounge – Restaurant, Bar, & Golf Simulators, 178 Highway 50, #Suite A. Sip, swing & make new friends during happy hour at Stingers golf simulator. *Simulator is free, happy hour food/drinks paid individually! For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sip-n-swing-tickets-1991881169197.
Monday, July 6
Billy Nation: A Tribute to Billy Joel – 7:30 p.m.-12 a.m., Sand Harbor, 2005 NV-28. Billy Nation kicks off the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival’s Showcase Series performances! Monday July 6th at 7:30pm! Tickets go on sale at 10:00 AM (Pacific) on Tuesday, March 24. Ticket limit: 10 per performance/order. Reserved seating tickets for some events will sell out within minutes, so please consider general admission seating when purchasing tickets. There are no bad seats in the house. And remember, we have a variety of wonderful performances this season; so if your first choice is not available, please consider exploring something new. We have something for everyone! Don’t miss this diverse lineup of fantastic live entertainment on the Warren Edward Trepp Stage at scenic Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park. For more information, visit https://www.bandsintown.com/e/108062226?app_id=pkvts0on0m&came_from=287&utm_medium=api&utm_source=partner_api&utm_campaign=event.
Tuesday, July 7
Davin Kangas – 6-8 p.m., The Grove, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd. Join us just outside the Grove Restaurant for a performance by Davin Kangas. For more information, visit https://camprichardsonresort.com/event/davin-kangas-17/.
Luke and Kaylee Olson – 1-5 p.m., The Grove, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd. Join us just outside the Grove Restaurant for a performance by Luke and Kaylee Olson. For more information, visit https://camprichardsonresort.com/event/luke-and-kaylee-olson/.
Wednesday, July 8
Tahoe Tommy – 6-8 p.m., The Grove, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd. Join us just outside the Grove Restaurant for a performance by Tahoe Tommy. For more information, visit https://camprichardsonresort.com/event/tahoe-tommy-24/.
Thursday, July 9
Bread & Butter – 1-5 p.m., The Grove, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd. Join us just outside the Grove Restaurant for a performance by Bread & Butter. For more information, visit https://camprichardsonresort.com/event/bread-butter-5/.
Kyle Kirch – 6-8 p.m., The Grove, 1900 Jameson Beach Rd. Join us just outside the Grove Restaurant for a performance by Kyle Kirch. For more information, visit https://camprichardsonresort.com/event/kyle-kirch-4/.
The Nomads Band of Tahoe – 7 p.m.-12 a.m., Alibi Ale Works – Incline Public House, 931 Tahoe Blvd. We are opening up the season for Tunes on Tap FREE Outdoor Concert series at Alib Ale Works. Come experience our fun concert in their beer garden amphitheater. For more information, visit https://www.bandsintown.com/e/107942323?app_id=pkvts0on0m&came_from=287&utm_medium=api&utm_source=partner_api&utm_campaign=event.
SAILING CLUB, YACHT ROCK PARTY W/ PIER PRESSURE – 10 p.m.-2 a.m., Tessie’s Cocktails & Chords , 18 US-50. Sailing Club launches at Tessie’s with Tahoe’s smoothest & grooviest party starters, Pier Pressure. Captains Orders – grab a cocktail and head to the dance floor. Sailing Club offers a night of high-energy yachty fun that keeps the room rocking from start to finish. Rascal Flatts ticket holders receive a BOGO cocktail with their concert ticket. For large party reservations or tables before 10 PM, call us at 775.586.5014 or email: VIP@tessiestahoe.com For more information, visit http://tessiestahoe.com/events or call 6194547421.
Keep Tahoe Blue encourages visitors, residents to care for Lake Tahoe this July 4th weekend
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. — Keep Tahoe Blue invites residents and visitors to show their love for the Lake by cleaning up, refreshing, and revitalizing Tahoe’s sandy shores and surrounding areas on Sunday, July 5 as part of the 13th Annual Keep Tahoe Red, White & Blue Cleanup. Participants can choose from six locations ringing the Basin, from Commons Beach in Tahoe City to Nevada Beach.
Beyond the July 5 event, everyone is encouraged to do their part to protect Tahoe this holiday weekend and all summer:
- Clean, Drain and Dry every piece of gear you plan to put in the water to stop harmful aquatic invasive species, like golden mussels, from spreading.
- Leave Tahoe better than you found it. Dispose of all trash — even if it’s not yours — in a trash can or dumpster, including pet waste. If the bins are full, take it with you.
- Bring your reusables. Pack your Tahoe beach bag with a reusable bottle, utensils, and a trash bag for waste, and avoid buying single-use plastics, which are one of the most common types of litter found in Tahoe.
- Respect wildlife. Give animals plenty of space and remember that food scraps are dangerous for wildlife. Make sure it all goes in the trash.
- Travel Car-Free and Care-Free. Take advantage of lake-friendly transportation options, from free buses and microtransit shuttles to e-scooters, bike paths, park and ride lots, and shuttle service to Emerald Bay. Skip the traffic and parking hassle — let someone else do the driving.
- Know before you go. Be aware of fire restrictions, road construction (nvroads.com and quickmap.dot.ca.gov), and alcohol restrictions, including on the Truckee River, at Zephyr Cove and Shoals, Nevada Beach, Meeks Bay, and Chambers Landing. Check with your destination before you head out and always have a backup plan in case your first choice is full.
- Embrace the pace. Slow down and enjoy one of the most beautiful places in the world. Please be patient and respectful to others.
In addition, Keep Tahoe Blue is working with beach managers, concessionaires, and businesses through its Tahoe Blue Beach program to “raise the bar for beach management.” Members and participating beaches — Zephyr Cove Resort, Tahoe Beach Club, Kings Beach, Meeks Bay Resort, and Camp Richardson Resort — are taking steps to make responsible, Lake-friendly recreation the easy and obvious choice for everyone who comes to the shore. This Fourth of July weekend, expect to see bold, consistent signage with helpful tips on how to protect Tahoe while you play.
July 5 Cleanup
WHEN
8-11:30 am | Sunday, July 5
WHERE
Kings Beach – 8398 North Lake Boulevard, Kings Beach, CA 96143
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Check here for meeting location.
Kiva Beach – 1 Heritage Way, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
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Check here for meeting location.
Zephyr Cove – 760 US-50, Zephyr Cove, NV 89488
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Check here for meeting location.
Lakeview Commons – 1004 Lakeview Avenue, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
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Check here for meeting location.
Tahoe City Commons Beach – 400 North Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City, CA 96145
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Check here for meeting location.
Nevada Beach – 416 Bittlers Road, Zephyr Cove, NV 89449
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Check here for meeting location.
Keep Tahoe Blue is aligned with and taking action to implement the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan in collaboration with over 20 regional organizations. The award-winning plan, developed with the participation of over 3,000 residents, visitors, and businesses, establishes a shared vision for the region’s outdoor recreation and tourism and encourages everyone to help take care of Tahoe’s cherished communities and environment. Visit www.stewardshiptahoe.org to learn more and read the plan.
History of the Wet Woody
In the late eighties when restaurateur Tom Turner was getting ready to open Gar Woods in Carnelian Bay, he needed a signature drink. Lake Tahoe has a deep history with Gar Wood motorboats (named after its founder Garfield Wood and nicknamed Woodys), and the Sierra Boat Company next door has restored Chris-Crafts, Gar Woods, and other classic wooden boats since 1952.
So, Turner sat with his friends at the former Jake’s at the Lake in Tahoe City and tried different liquors when they came up with a rum drink introduced in conjunction with the Gar Woods restaurant. Turner decided to call it the Wet Woody.
“Which is a double entendre, right?” Turner adds. The name of the drink spun off into suggestive puns and became synonymous with the laid-back vibe one gets while sitting lakeside on vacation.
Gar Woods opened at 5000 Lake Tahoe Boulevard in 1988 with the Wet Woody, a rum drink blended with ice. However, it wasn’t that popular until he met a guy in 1993 from Sacramento who sold Taylor slushy machines. Turner got one to better make the Wet Woody, and it became a hit.
Turner believes they sold the first million Wet Woodys by 1998, the same year they opened Riva Grill at the end of Ski Run Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe. With two restaurants serving the Wet Woody lakeside, Turner thinks they sold their second million of the frozen rum drink between both restaurants by 2004.
“Then it picked up steam,” Turner recalls.
The Tahoe Restaurant Collection opened Caliente in Kings Beach in 2007 (which has since closed) and sold the tequila-based frozen drink called the ChupaCabra. In 2012, it opened Bar of America in downtown Truckee with a whiskey-based frozen drink called The Cock-Tail (stirred with a rooster’s tail feather). However, since these are similar yet not-quite-the-original Gar Woods drink, they are not counted towards the total number of Wet Woodys sold.
Flash forward to August 2021, and Turner opens the Sparks Water Bar on the northern end of Sparks Marina Park Lake. Along with selling hand-cut steaks, Pacific seafood, and California cuisine, the now world-famous Wet Woody is also served. Around that time, the Bucket of Blood in Virginia City and The Blue Light on 1979 Union Street in San Francisco also started selling the Wet Woody.
“[Those owners] were good friends of mine who wanted to sell it, so I charged them a $1 licensing fee to serve it,” Turner says.
There are around 20 variations of the Wet Woody with some names that can’t be put on the menu because it would be too offensive (my favorite version is the Wet Dream with a Sailor Jerry floater and cream) but many of them are described in connotations adults would understand but kids wouldn’t. (Although, I can see the conversation now– “What’s ‘Mount Your Woody’ mean, mom?” “Well, it’s a Wet Woody topped with Mount Gay Rum, honey. Duh.”)
Turner says they were going to do a special dirty 30 name for the Wet Woodys’ 30th anniversary; “but the names people came up with…we would go to jail,” he says. “People have two drinks and get creative. We received about 20 names, many not worth repeating,” he adds.
You have to get a rum-based floater to go with the name, so for instance, one person suggested a name kind of related to the Dockside rum but replace the “d” with the letter in the alphabet that comes before that, and you get the dirty Gar Woods version.
And now that paper straws are served with the Wet Woody, it opens the door to put funny sayings on it, like “wrap your lips around this” or “it won’t suck itself.” After letting out a little gasp, Turner says, “It’s true!”
Gar Woods holds special Topless Tuesdays in the winter and Wet Woody Wednesdays in the late fall/early spring where they’ll offer discounts on the famous drink.
Considering the Tahoe Restaurant Group and its partners sell about 150,000 Wet Woodys a year, they reached the four million sold mark in summer 2025. Turner thinks they’ll probably hit five million Wet Woodys sold by 2030.
“It’s fun, and I haven’t gotten kicked out of North Shore yet [with the play on the Wet Woody name],” says Turner.
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Summer 2026 edition of Tahoe Magazine.
EAT This Week: Maria’s Mexican Restaurant’s Taco Trio
To try and decide each week where and what to eat around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.
I realize tacos aren’t tradition when it comes to a holiday weekend like the 4th of July. But when they’re this delicious, and go perfectly with a cold beer on a sunny day, do we really have to follow tradition? Let me tell you about this week’s feature and you can decide for yourself.
To start, each of these tacos are available as either singles or plates across the menu so be sure to ask your server about going about getting set up with your dream scenario. But for the purpose of this feature, here’s a snapshot of the three I recently dove into.
Oscar’s Famous Taco: Choice of fish or shrimp, combined with cabbage, pico de gallo, a secret chipotle sauce, and avocado. The fish option is supremely moist and delicate but with huge flavor and texture. The avocado balances out the heat from the chipotle sauce and I can’t say enough about the handmade tortillas – probably the best in the basin in my opinion.
Surf and Turf: A huge offering of carne asada and grilled shrimp combined with mashed avocado and their house chipotle sauce. Get ready to unhinge your jaw for this bite, but once you do, you’ll be happy you did. Fresh, smoky, tangy, savory – it’s everything you want out of a taco.
Taco de la Calle (street taco): It’s hard for me not to inhale any option here. You have protein options of carne asada, carnitas, al pastor, or grilled chicken to marry up with chopped onion, cilantro, and green salsa. I’ve had every option and every option is legit tasty. No notes needed.
They were just announced as one of the Best of Tahoe for good reason. If you have yet to experience their food, thousands of voters won’t steer you wrong.
Maria’s Mexican Restaurant is located at 2494 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe. For menu items and general information visit them online at mariaslaketahoe.com or reach them via phone at 530-600-2200.
Expanding the Ride: The Future of Trails in Lake Tahoe
The Lake Tahoe Basin has long been a crown jewel of outdoor recreation in the American West—a place where deep blue water meets forested ridgelines and an expansive trail network invites epic exploration. Now, that network is poised for a meaningful expansion. After years of planning, public input, and careful environmental review, the U.S. Forest Service has approved a sweeping plan to add up to 45 miles of new trail opportunities through the Basin Wide Trails Analysis Project.
More Miles—and More Access
In addition to new trail construction, the project opens up access in a big way: more than 100 miles of existing trails will now allow Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes. This update, approved by the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), reflects years of study, public input, and coordination with local groups.
For many riders, that’s a game-changer.
Class 1 e-bikes, for the uninitiated, are pedal-assist only, with a top supported speed of 20 mph. No throttle, just a little extra boost to help flatten climbs and extend your ride. They’re now the only type of e-bike permitted on these designated trails—Class 2 (throttle-assisted) and Class 3 (higher-speed pedal assist) remain off-limits, along with other motorized devices.
There are still important boundaries to keep in mind. Iconic backcountry routes like the Pacific Crest Trail, designated wilderness areas, and the Tahoe Rim Trail remain closed to e-bikes. And like other motorized uses, e-bike access follows seasonal closures, typically from November 15 through April 1.
In short: more access, but with thoughtful guardrails.
Not Just More Trails—Better Trails
The newly approved trail opportunities are the result of an extensive environmental assessment process. Every proposed mile was evaluated for sustainability, user experience, and environmental impact.
The goal isn’t just to add trails—it’s to improve how the entire system works. That means creating better connections between existing routes, offering a wider range of experiences, and helping spread out trail traffic to reduce congestion and wear.
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a mid-summer trail bottleneck, you can appreciate the value of that.
By dispersing use and building trails designed to last, the project aims to protect the very landscapes that make Lake Tahoe such a special place to recreate.
So… When Can You Ride Them?
Here’s the catch: approval doesn’t mean instant singletrack.
Each new trail segment still has to go through final design, environmental clearances, funding, and construction planning before it becomes reality. It’s a detailed, often lengthy process—but it ensures that when trails are built, they’re built right.
The same goes for e-bike access. The Motor Vehicle Use Map from the U.S. Forest Service will show which trails are open, providing a clear guide for riders heading into the season.
So while you might not see brand-new trails pop up overnight, change is very much underway.
Meet the Crew Behind the Trails
While this project is led and overseen by the LTBMU, many stakeholders across land managers, non-profits, and government agencies will be part of bringing this plan to life. That includes the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA), one group that knows how to turn plans into trails.
TAMBA has been at the heart of Tahoe’s trail scene for decades, working alongside land managers to design, build, and maintain trails throughout the Basin. But our work doesn’t stop at trail construction and maintenance. TAMBA organizes volunteer trail days and community events, secures funding, coordinates with local partners, and prepares the trail system for changes like this one—think updated signage, rider education, and ongoing stewardship.
If you’ve ever ridden a well-built stretch of Tahoe singletrack, chances are TAMBA had a hand in it.
A New Season, A New Chapter
As the dirt dries and the days grow longer, this summer marks the beginning of a new chapter for Tahoe’s trail network. New trail opportunities are on the horizon, and expanded e-bike access is set to bring more riders into the fold.
With that comes a shared responsibility.
Whether you’re riding analog or with a little pedal assist, trail etiquette still rules the day: yield appropriately, ride in control, and respect other users. A little kindness goes a long way in keeping Tahoe’s trail culture as welcoming as ever.
Be Part of It
The best part about Tahoe’s trails? They don’t just belong to the community—they’re built by it.
If you’re excited about what’s ahead, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Support TAMBA by visiting our website to stay up-to-date on new projects and developments. Sign up for a volunteer trail work day and help shape the next mile of singletrack. Swing by a community event to connect with fellow riders, or consider becoming a member or donor to support the work happening behind the scenes.
Because Tahoe trails don’t build or maintain themselves—they’re built, cared for, and protected by people who love this place. And there’s always room for one more set of hands.
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Summer 2026 edition of the Tahoe Bike and Recreation Guide.
Celebrate Independence Day responsibly on your National Forest
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Independence Day is only a few days away. And the U.S. Forest Service reminds everyone to celebrate responsibly on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.
All personal use fireworks are prohibited as they pose a significant wildfire threat to local communities and forests. Fire restrictions are also in effect. Campfires – including wood, charcoal or any other solid fuels – are only permitted in permanently installed iron rings in open, designated campgrounds. Portable stoves with on/off valves are allowed in other areas with a valid permit.
The Forest Supervisor’s office in South Lake Tahoe will be closed on Friday, July 3 in recognition of the federal holiday. Normal hours resume on Monday, July 6.
To ensure a safe and fun Independence Day:
- Plan Ahead – Reserve campsites in advance. And remember, dispersed camping is not permitted on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Arrive early as recreation sites fill up quickly. Have backup destinations in mind, in case areas are too crowded. Lake Tahoe is full this year, so expect narrow beaches.
- Alcohol Prohibition – For public safety, the annual alcohol prohibition will be in effect at Chambers Landing July 1-6, Nevada Beach and Meeks Bay Resort on July 4, and Zephyr Cove Resort and Zephyr Shoals July 3-5.
- Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute – Pack out trash and leave areas cleaner than you found them. Bring a few trash bags along just in case. Never leave trash outside receptacles. Let’s work together to ensure Lake Tahoe beaches remain pristine and litter-free!
- Stay Water Smart – The air may feel warm, but the water is cold. Keep a close eye on children and pets and avoid strong currents. Never swim alone and always wear an approved life vest even if you’re a strong swimmer.
- Bear Awareness – Never approach bears or cubs. Remember it’s illegal to feed any wild animal. Always secure all food and garbage. Hard-sided bear canisters are required for overnight visits to Desolation Wilderness and bear-resistant containers are required in other backcountry areas. Learn how to keep Tahoe bears wild at Tahoe Bears.Org and BearWise.org.
- Parking – Walk, bicycle, carpool or use public transportation to avoid limited parking and traffic delays. At recreation sites, parking is only permitted in designated parking spaces inside lots, not along the roadway. Where parking on the road is allowed, avoid parking on vegetation because it damages the natural environment and can spark wildfire. Plan for increased parking fees to cover increased security and facility maintenance costs for the holiday.
- Weather – Mountain weather can change rapidly. Summers are usually warm in the afternoons and cool at night. Snow is possible at any time of year. Be prepared and bring clothing that will keep you warm and dry. Protect yourself from sun and heat exposure and stay hydrated.
The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit wishes everyone a safe and responsible Independence Day!
How Lake Tahoe became a blueprint for protecting Patagonia’s lakes
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. / Nev. — It’s not every day that a small mountain community in the Sierra Nevada helps shape environmental conservation efforts on the other side of the world.
But that’s exactly what happened when three Chilean conservationists began searching for a model to protect their country’s rapidly changing lake region.
When Fernando Coz, Angela Delorenzo and Cristóbal Valenzuela recognized the need for an organization that could preserve Chile’s lakes while balancing tourism, agriculture, economic development and the needs of local communities, they looked far beyond South America for inspiration.
Their search led them to Lake Tahoe.
For nearly 70 years, Keep Tahoe Blue has worked to protect and restore the Lake Tahoe Basin while navigating the challenges that come with tourism, population growth and development. To the Chilean team, Keep Tahoe Blue represented a successful example of how environmental stewardship and economic vitality could coexist.
“In 2017, we came to Tahoe to understand the model,” Coz said. “We wanted to learn how the region had been able to balance development and conservation.”
The following year, they invited a delegation of Tahoe experts to Chile. Representatives from Keep Tahoe Blue, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the University of California, Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center traveled to the Northern Patagonia Lakes region to help local leaders develop a long-term conservation strategy.
That same year, Chile Lagos Limpios was founded, an international nonprofit focused on conservation, sustainable development and climate resilience throughout Chile’s Northern Patagonia lake region.
Eight years later, the partnership remains active.
Today, Keep Tahoe Blue serves on the board of directors for Chile Lagos Limpios, and the partnership continues to evolve through shared expertise and joint conservation projects.
One such project is a water clarity monitoring program at Lake Pehoé in Torres del Paine National Park. Together, the organizations trained staff at Explora Patagonia to collect water quality data through a community science initiative, creating a long-term dataset while fostering stewardship among employees and visitors.
While Tahoe provided an initial blueprint, Coz said the relationship has become a two-way exchange.
“There is a lot that we can learn from Tahoe, and there is a lot that Tahoe can learn from us,” he said.
Rather than simply exporting one conservation model to another country, the organizations have adapted ideas to fit the unique environmental, cultural and economic realities of each region. For Coz, the partnership demonstrates that many of today’s environmental challenges require international cooperation.
“While Tahoe has seven decades of lake conservation experience to share, there is plenty we are learning from Nano and our colleagues at Chile Lagos Limpios too — lessons we can put to use here in Tahoe,” said Keep Tahoe Blue CEO Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD. “That includes how to work with unlikely partners to advance our conservation goals.
As climate change and development continue to place pressure on freshwater ecosystems around the world, Coz believes partnerships like the one between Lake Tahoe and Patagonia offer a blueprint for tackling complex environmental issues together.
“When people in Tahoe read this, I hope they get excited to come to Chile,” he said. “I hope they see the work we’ve been doing, the similarities to Tahoe, and understand that long-term conservation efforts across borders are the way forward.”
Rascal Flatts to debut ‘Tahoe Nights’ as official theme song of the American Century Championship
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Country music icons Rascal Flatts will bring a new soundtrack to Lake Tahoe this summer with the release of “Tahoe Nights,” a golf-inspired reimagining of their fan-favorite hit “Summer Nights,” as the official theme song of the American Century Championship.
The new track captures the atmosphere of the American Century Championship: elite golf, celebrity camaraderie and a one-of-a-kind summer celebration on the shores of Lake Tahoe. The 37th edition of the tournament will be contested July 8-12, at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nevada.
Rascal Flatts members Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney will also return to the American Century Championship field. One or both have competed in the tournament for the past 16 years. The pair have helped make the tournament’s annual week at Lake Tahoe a memorable convergence of music, sports and philanthropy.
“‘Tahoe Nights’ reflects what makes this event unlike anything else in sports,” said Gary Quinn, vice president, partnerships and general manager, owned properties at NBC Sports. “Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney have been part of the American Century Championship family for years, and this song brings together the energy of their music, the beauty of Lake Tahoe and the ethos that keeps players and fans coming back every summer.”
“Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts are not just American Century Championship players; they have been cherished friends of the tournament for many years, and ‘Tahoe Nights’ is a wonderful tribute to the spirit of this event,” said Jonathan Thomas, chairman, CEO and president of American Century Investments. “The extraordinary talent and creativity of Rascal Flatts capture the camaraderie, competition and lasting memories that have defined the championship for nearly four decades. We are deeply grateful for their partnership and for helping bring people together around a tournament whose impact extends far beyond the course. Through the American Century Championship, millions of dollars have been raised in support of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and nonprofit organizations throughout the Tahoe region, making ‘Tahoe Nights’ a meaningful celebration of a legacy that continues to make a difference.”
Originally released in 2009, “Summer Nights” became one of Rascal Flatts’ signature feel-good anthems. Written by Gary LeVox, Brett James, and busbee, and produced by Rascal Flatts and Dann Huff, it’s generated more than 66 million streams on Spotify alone. The song’s familiar summer feel made it a fitting choice for the tournament’s new theme.
Rascal Flatts will perform at the Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre at Caesars Republic on Friday, July 10, during tournament week. The concert is scheduled for 8 p.m. and is part of the 2026 Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series. Tickets can be purchased here.
Since its inception in 1990, the American Century Championship has donated more than $8 million to local and national non-profits.
For the latest details, photos, celebrity tweets use #ACCgolf and follow @ACChampionship on Twitter and Instagram, and Facebook. For tournament information and updates: AmericanCenturyChampionship.
Tahoe Rim Trail crews gain head start on season with early melt-out
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Daniel Corona has had many great times hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail, but coming across the trail bench between Kingsbury and Spooner after an unexpected snowfall is an experience that is burned into his memory.
The bench provided a much-needed respite for lunch after the difficult hike and a place to drink in the vista. “It’s such a great view of the lake,” the communications manager for the Tahoe Rim Trail Association said.
It’s just one of the many views the roughly 174-mile loop around Lake Tahoe offers. If you complete the entire trail, whether in segments or one go, you can become a part of an exclusive club, known as the 165 Mile Club (the prior distance of the trail before updates and re-routes), in addition to earning bragging rights.
But what’s often unseen are the hours upon hours of work to keep the trail maintained.
“Our trail is a world-class iconic trail for a reason, and it’s because of those people who do that work,” Corona said. “It’s critical.”
Volunteer trail crews do a majority of the work, including leading the installation of new trailhead kiosks. Last year, the trail received over 9,000 volunteer hours.
Clearing brush, removing large boulders, adding drainage and removing trees are all part of keeping the iconic trail well-defined, easy to follow and access.
Crews typically work on the trail from June to October. However, volunteer crews got an early start this year due to the early melt-out and had already cleared over 250 trees before the association’s paid summer crew started in June.
So far this year, both volunteer and staff trail maintenance crews have now removed over 500 trees on the trail. That number is quickly approaching last year’s total of 570 removed trees, with months of trail maintenance still to come this summer.
The early start, along with training and deploying one of the largest groups of volunteer crew leaders the association has ever received (18), has made this season so productive.
The crew of four staffed trail members typically go into the harder-to-reach areas of the trail, spending days at a time in the backcountry on assignments, known as “hitch.”
“They hike out,” Corona explained. “When they find a tree, they cut it and keep going and just work their way down the trail, clearing trees and then set up camp for the night and then start all over the next day.”
Although it’s physical work, it very rarely lowers the morale of these workers.
“As they’re leaving to go out on hitch, they’re all excited,” Corona said, “and when they come back, they’re all just as stoked because they just spent a week camping and doing trail maintenance with their friends.”
When not on hitch, the staff workers often lead volunteer workdays.
The association hosts numerous volunteer workdays throughout the summer, at times multiple each week. Anyone 18 years or older can volunteer.
To learn more, visit tahoerimtrail.org/volunteer.
Save Mart opens new South Lake Tahoe store July 1, marking return to community
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Save Mart will celebrate the grand opening of its innovative new store in South Lake Tahoe with community-focused events showcasing modern amenities and expanded product offerings designed to enhance the local shopping experience. The opening celebration will start at 10:30 a.m. on July 1.
The refreshed store features one of the largest in-house cut fruit and vegetable selections in the market, a full-service butcher block and seafood counter, fresh sushi prepared in-house, expanded deli and bakery offerings, locally sourced produce, and convenient options for busy families and visitors alike.
As part of the celebration, attendees can enjoy a lively “Heroes Bagging Showdown” at 11 a.m. featuring South Lake Tahoe Police Detectives versus South Lake Tahoe Firefighters. All food items bagged will be donated to Bread & Broth. Gift cards earned through the event will be donated by participating teams to Christmas Cheer All Year and Phoenix Food Pantry, extending the impact to even more local families.
Additional festivities throughout the weekend will include vendor sampling, gift card giveaways, and appearances from Save Mart’s iconic oversized shopping cart, “Big Red.”
The store is located at 1020 Al Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Airport District Commits $2 Million for New Regional Library; Western States Endurance Run Returns to Palisades; Town Council Rejects Jibboom Street Housing Project Appeal; More
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2025 Lake Tahoe Clarity Report Released; Supervisors Approve Balanced $1.5 Billion Draft Budget; Rep. Kiley Joins NYT Editorial Board in Calling For Congressional Action on Election Reform; More
Sunnyside to Change Hands
The sun is setting on Sunnyside Restaurant & Lodge as the community has known it for almost four decades. The longtime operator of the restaurant, T S Restaurants, is stepping aside in the fall to make way for a new operator — chef and restaurateur Mark Estee of Local Food Group.
T S Restaurants, which currently operates 13 destination restaurants in Hawaii and California, has run both the Sunnyside restaurant and hotel since 1987. T S CEO Jackie Reed said the decision was a mutual one made with the property owner, Tahoe Sunnyside Partners.
“It was a very difficult decision, but it felt time to return Sunnyside to a more local operator,” she said, “to do what was best for Sunnyside for the future.”
Estee has opened numerous restaurants in Tahoe and Reno, including Burger Me! and Moody’s Bistro Bar & Beats (though he is no longer involved with either). Before that, he served as the executive chef at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe’s Lone Eagle Grille. His group currently owns four restaurants in Reno — seven if you count Great Basin Brewery’s four locations.
Although Reed noted it’s been a difficult few years for the restaurant industry, she said the decision to part ways with Sunnyside was not a financial one. Mike Dumke, managing partner of Tahoe Sunnyside Partners, said the same thing.
“It’s been a great relationship with T S for 39 years, almost more like a partnership than a landlord relationship,” he said. “We both mutually came to the conclusion that it may be better to have them transition out and have a more local operator get involved in the property.”
Dumke said Estee plans on putting a fresh spin on the menu but will retain the theme of American fare as well as seafood and great burgers and adding some smoked items.
The new partnership also marks the beginning of significant investments across the property. Sunnyside will shut down Oct. 5 for renovations with plans to re-open April 1, 2027. The Local Food Group will remodel the restaurant, which includes an expansion of the kitchen and private dining spaces, while the ownership group plans on refreshing the 23 hotel rooms with new paint, carpet, and furniture, but no new construction. Tahoe Sunnyside Partners, which also owns Sunnyside Watersports & Marina, will manage the lodge going forward.
T S’s presence in Tahoe City began in 1978 with Jake’s on the Lake, then Sunnyside nine years later. Jake’s sold to a T S founder’s brother, Chris Thibaut, in 2005. Despite T S leaving Tahoe in the fall, Sunnyside will retain its storied name.
“It’s an emotional and bittersweet time for us,” said Reed, who noted T S is focusing on the Summer Send-Off celebration, with plans still in the works. “Not a lot of restaurants can say they operated for 39 years.”
Glyphosate Has its Foot in the Door. What’s Next?
The latest environmental controversy in Tahoe isn’t a development project, a wildfire, or a fight over lake clarity.
It’s a weed killer.
A proposal to use glyphosate in portions of the Caldor Fire burn scar has triggered mounting concern among residents and environmental advocates, opening a broader conversation about the herbicide’s health risks, ecological impacts, and growing presence throughout the region.
It all started with nonprofit news outlet Mother Jones’ yearlong investigation into the expanding use of herbicides in California forests. Released in May, the article dove deep into the worlds of wildfire management and recovery, industrial pesticide production, and complex federal bureaucracy. Among other projects, the article highlighted Forest Service plans to use herbicide as a vegetation management tool in the burn scar of the 2021 Caldor wildfire.
The final environmental assessment and decision notice for the Caldor Fire Restoration Project — to be spearheaded by the Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) — was released in March of this year. The project will thin tree stands in and around the burn area, remove damaged trees, and reforest burned areas, all within an approximately 11,700-acre project footprint.
Part of that preparation and reforestation is slated to include potential herbicide treatment. In the environmental assessment, LTBMU notes that “herbicides may be used to aid site preparation before tree planting and to manage competing vegetation after planting when manual treatments are ineffective or expected to be insufficient.”
At the top of the list of intended herbicides? Glyphosate.
Public reaction to the Caldor Restoration Project
The Mother Jones investigation analyzed more than 5 million California pesticide-use records, finding that approximately 266,000 pounds of glyphosate were applied in California forests in 2023 — nearly five times the amount used two decades earlier. The article characterized forest applications as the fastest-growing use of glyphosate in the state.
Public opposition to the use of the chemical in and around the Lake Tahoe Basin has quickly mounted, and pressure is on for local agencies.
In response to public outcry around the use of glyphosate in the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, a change.org petition began to circulate. It quickly garnered well over 22,000 signatures by the time this article was written, with public comments and support pouring in from across the country. Conspicuously absent from the body of this petition, however, are any concrete demands to address the titular demand, “Stop glyphosate spraying in the Tahoe Basin.”
This missing piece may be a reflection of the confusing decision-making associated with this project — in this particular instance, it seems few people know exactly how to effect change within our local bureaucracy.
Frustrated, concerned, and confused, the public has swarmed to social media and rallied at Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) governance meetings to demand regulatory change. But that’s just not how it works, Jeff Cowen, public information officer at TRPA explained to me. At least, not anymore.
To understand the decision-making process behind environmental projects like this one, one must go back to the start. In 1969, TRPA was formed to help manage the two states, five counties, and three national forests that all wanted decision-making power over Lake Tahoe. Soon after, LTBMU was formed to consolidate national forest management in the region.
“It’s … been a partnership from the start,” Cowen said of the relationship between TRPA and LTBMU. But with 79% of land in the Basin owned and managed by the Forest Service, there are limitations on TRPA’s influence.
Those limitations have shifted over time, perhaps the most notable of which came as a result of the 2007 Angora wildfire. Inefficiencies, silos, and redundant regulatory procedures, Cowen explained, were identified as sticking points in the fire’s cause and magnitude. To address these hindrances, about 20 agencies came together to streamline environmental decision-making in the Basin.
Among the outcomes of this streamlining was an expanded memorandum of understanding between TRPA and LTBMU. For major projects like the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, TRPA is no longer a permitting authority, but instead an advisor to the decision-making process.
Cowen emphasized the efficacy of this decision, sharing that he feels that a “regulatory framework is really ineffective and not needed,” between the two agencies. “Because the Forest Service has very similar goals … they basically get to the point where they’re just adopting [our] goals and implementing them through their own plans.”
Together, the agencies have treated 80,000 acres across the Basin for wildfire prevention in the past two decades. But he also acknowledged there are “big, federal, overarching principles and direction that they also have to follow.”
As of late, these overarching principles seem somewhat murky.
How we got here: A noxious government love affair
In February of this year, the Trump administration made a sweeping move with the issuance of an Executive Order unambiguously named “Promoting the National Defense by Ensuring an Adequate Supply of Elemental Phosphorous and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides.”
This explicit prioritization of glyphosate production and use by the executive branch is a conveniently-timed declaration of support for the lawsuit-ridden Bayer company — and it’s no mystery as to why, Nathan Donley from the Center for Biological Diversity explained.
Our government has and continues to validate the use of glyphosate and other pesticides — despite the widely documented risks — because of the immense lobbying power of agricultural and agrochemical industries, Donley said. And it is far from isolated to the Trump administration.
“It’s been an absolute full court press from Bayer on all levels of government,” he explained. “Not just the executive and legislative branches. I mean, Clarence Thomas was a former Monsanto employee.”
And he’s not the only agrichemical-employee-turned-political-appointee. As of President Trump’s first year in office, all four of the top positions in the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention — the Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Assistant Administrator, Deputy Assistant Administrator for New Chemicals, and Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pesticides — have been filled by former executives or lobbyists of chemical and agricultural companies. The EPA and most other pesticide regulatory agencies continue to assert that glyphosate does not pose a health risk when used according to its label.
As Donley said, “the tendrils run deep … in the levels of influence that this company, Bayer, has in our government.”
Just how deep they run on initiatives like the Caldor Fire Restoration Project remains somewhat opaque. In the project’s environmental assessment, the herbicide use is identified as a way to expedite reforestation and “achieve silvicultural objectives.” These objectives? Conifer stands.
The assessment names three target species that, if not for herbicide use, could otherwise outcompete reforested conifers: western whitethorn, greenleaf manzanita, and ceanothus, or California lilac.
These native, fire-adapted species are known as pioneer species, meaning they are often the first to appear after wildfire events. Their fast-growing roots help to stabilize fire-impacted soil and prevent excess erosion, while also providing species-specific benefits like returning nutrients to damaged soils and quickly regenerating important habitat for pollinators and other species.
But while targeted elimination of native species may raise eyebrows, the Forest Service has an explanation. They are “not taking a wholesale targeting approach to these shrub species,” but instead targeting them only in the immediate vicinity of conifer seedlings. This will help ensure the area includes enough established trees to prevent full conversion to a montane chaparral environment, which could otherwise ignite easier and burn faster in future fire seasons.
Still, there is time before glyphosate use is slated to begin in the Basin.
“No herbicide application is planned for 2026 or 2027,” the Forest Service’s Region 5 media team stated. “Reforestation is an activity that will occur after initial entry (such as mechanical or hand treatments to remove overhead hazards and perhaps prescribed burning or mastication as site preparation) and occurs later in the project implementation timeline.”
Of the 11,700 acres of Forest Service land included within the project area, herbicide treatment is only proposed on a portion of the 2,400 to 3,600 acres where reforestation efforts will take place.
It’s a common pesticide. What’s the big deal?
Well, ain’t that the $11 billion question.
Health and environmental concerns associated with glyphosate use and exposure have been bubbling up for over a decade.
And despite being the most widely used herbicide globally, glyphosate wasn’t originally poised to become a pesticide at all. The chemical was first developed as a boiler and pipe cleaner agent. It wasn’t until 1974 that Monsanto, an American agrochemical and biotechnology company, discovered its efficacy as a herbicide. Monsanto quickly patented the discovery and sold glyphosate as the active ingredient in its crown-jewel herbicide product — Roundup.
For over 25 years, Roundup products filled shelves at hardware and home garden stores, farming co-ops, and major industrial retailers as the sole glyphosate-based product. Touting its unique success as a versatile weed-killer, products were marketed and sold in a variety of forms, from ready-to-use herbicides for home gardens to commercial-grade concentrates designed for agricultural, industrial, and heavy-duty landscaping use. The substance was applied with everything from handheld bottles to backpack devices to large-scale aerial sprayers.
In 2000, Monsanto’s patent for exclusive use of the chemical expired in the United States. Other manufacturers began to flood the market, introducing their own glyphosate-based herbicides. Public use skyrocketed and, for the better part of two decades, glyphosate products flew off shelves.
Then in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), published a scientific evaluation of the carcinogenicity of several market herbicides, glyphosate among them. As a result, glyphosate was designated as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
Months later, the first lawsuit to allege Monsanto’s Roundup products were causing cancer proceeded to trial in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, a groundskeeper for Benicia Unified School District argued Roundup had caused his non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The case, Johnson v. Monsanto, became the first of approximately 125,000 similar claims filed by 2020, with the California court ultimately ruling in Mr. Johnson’s favor. The jury awarded the plaintiff $289 million in compensatory and punitive damages, an amount that was later reduced by the judge to $78 million and then $21 million.
At the same time, proponents of glyphosate products began to vehemently defend both its safety and usage.
One such advocate named Patrick Moore, a former environmentalist turned TED-talking-climate-change-skeptic, even went so far as to claim Roundup was safe to drink. Moore was featured on air in a CBC News segment on the 2015 WHO findings, where he stated that “you can drink a whole quart of [Roundup], it won’t hurt you.” However, when offered a glass of the chemical by his interviewer, Moore declined to substantiate his claim in real-time, repeatedly saying “No, I’m not stupid.”
In 2017, a multi-district litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California consolidated the surge of federal lawsuits against Monsanto for its Roundup products. The litigation revealed a body of evidence that the leading study cited to defend Roundup’s safety for human exposure — Safety Evaluation and Risk Assessment of the Herbicide Roundup and Its Active Ingredient, Glyphosate, for Humans, published in 2000 by Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology — was in large part shaped and steered by Monsanto employees. The suit exposed email exchanges between Monsanto employees offering congratulations to one another for their “hard work” on the study and hopes that it would become “the reference on Roundup and glyphosate safety.”
Ultimately, the journal retracted the study, citing significant ethical concerns. But the damage was done, and the study still ranks among the top references justifying glyphosate use and claims to its safety.
In 2018, Monsanto was acquired by Bayer, a German pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical company. Bayer continued to sell Roundup but quickly discontinued the use of the Monsanto brand name, which was becoming increasingly tied to unfavorable litigation.
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California found Monsanto liable for another case of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in Hardeman v. Monsanto Co. in 2019, initially awarding Mr. Hardeman $80 million in damages — a total subsequently reduced to $20 million. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the decision in 2021, finding that the EPA’s approval of a pesticide label does not immunize a manufacturer from being held liable. This case ultimately became the first (and at this point, only) federal decision on the issue.
Despite Bayer phasing out glyphosate as an active ingredient in its residential Roundup products in 2023, it remains present in commercial and agricultural formulas. Lawsuits have continued to arise, with substantial damages and fees awarded to plaintiffs whose exposure to Roundup resulted in non-Hodgkin, follicular, T-cell, or other forms of lymphoma.
As of the time this article is being written, Bayer has paid over $11 billion in settlements for Roundup-related lawsuits and proposed a nation-wide class action settlement that would cap current and future claim payouts at $7.25 billion, to be used for declining payments for up to 21 years. The class action is heavily opposed by plaintiffs and environmental and public health organizations who have described it as a liability “shield.” A decision from the federal Supreme Court on its constitutionality is expected later in June. If approved, it will become one of the largest legal fee awards to date.
Public health and environmental impact
Cancer is far from the only public health risk posed by glyphosate use and exposure.
Studies have found potential ties between glyphosate exposure and various medical conditions such as liver disease and reproductive disorders including PCOS, endometriosis, and disruptions to fertility. What’s more, a growing body of research is finding that glyphosate exposure may be a trigger for various gastrointestinal diseases and conditions, including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
But despite these alarming associations, it remains unclear how much exposure is required to pose a real health risk to humans. In the vast majority of legal cases, affected plaintiffs are groundkeepers, farmers, or dedicated recreational gardeners — folks routinely subjected to highly concentrated forms of glyphosate.
In all likelihood, the exposure any individual may experience as a direct result of a relatively remote use such as the Caldor Fire Restoration Project would not cause substantial human harm. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, the half-life (time needed for a chemical to reduce to half of its initial amount) of glyphosate is particularly variable, landing somewhere between 2 and 197 days in soil, and between “a few days” and 91 days in water.
The chance of human exposure narrows further upon consideration of where the Caldor Fire Reforestation Project’s proposed herbicide treatment areas lie. In an email, the Forest Service’s Region 5 media team noted that “for the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, herbicide use is proposed only on a subset of the area proposed for reforestation, where other reforestation site preparation methods will not work. For example, manual removal equipment is not permitted in project areas with steep slopes, locations far from existing roads, [or] sensitive soils.”
But the questionable human health impacts of this project are not the sole consideration in this instance. An even greater risk is the ecological devastation that glyphosate wreaks on habitats, plants, and wildlife.
Donley at the Center for Biological Diversity noted that so long as glyphosate is present, it poses an environmental risk. This is particularly true after any precipitation, where stormwater runoff “goes into the nearby river, lake, or stream of that watershed and contaminates it with high pulses of pesticide.”
Donley emphasized that most animals do rely on these waters, whether they are woodland animals seeking drinking water, wetland species like migratory birds, or aquatic animals that then have no choice but to suffer through 24/7 exposure to contaminated water. While this can be lethal, he added, there are other effects as well. “It can lead to chronic harms like reduced reproductive capability or developmental defects, so it can affect subsequent generations and ultimately lead to population decline or even collapse for certain species,” he explained.
The Environmental Protection Agency found that glyphosate use was likely causing harm to 1,676 of the approximately 1,700 plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Where the Caldor Fire Restoration Project is concerned, LTBMU will be taking some precautions to prevent this catastrophic runoff. “Herbicide applications will not take place within six hours of predicted rainfall that has a high probability of producing measurable runoff, or as requested by the Forest Service aquatics biologist,” the Forest Service shared via email. Additionally, the project will use backpack sprayers or other low-volume methods, as opposed to aquatic or aerial application, which produces greater concern for pollinator species.
But slip-ups or insufficient margins of time between application and precipitation could be catastrophic for some species that call the Tahoe area home.
In 2021, the federal Environmental Protection Agency found that glyphosate use was likely causing harm to 1,676 of the approximately 1,700 plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act. Impacted species include the Sierra Nevada red fox, California spotted owl, and Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, all of which are listed in the federal Endangered Species Act and live in our area.
Hitting close to home
While proposed glyphosate use in the Caldor burn scar has created quite a stir for the public, it appears as though our community remains blissfully unaware that glyphosate made its debut in the Truckee/Tahoe area long ago.
According to its most recent annual data, California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) ranked glyphosate the sixth most used pesticide in the state in 2023. Of herbicides (plant-specific pesticides) used statewide, glyphosate ranked number one both by pounds applied and total acres treated – 10.7 million and 4.8 million, respectively. About 270,000 pounds alone were used to spray California’s forest land, a figure that has been steadily increasing each year.
Agriculture remains a top use, with glyphosate the pesticide of choice for a variety of crops, from cotton to nuts to citrus and even — put down your glass of pinot here — wine grapes. Neighborhood gardens also pose a risk; DPR data excludes residential use, but despite Bayer’s 2023 phaseout of glyphosate from its residential products, the compound remains the active ingredient in competitor products. Nationwide, the EPA estimates residential and non-crop glyphosate use at several million pounds per year.
While glyphosate is most closely associated with agriculture, it is also widely used in non-agricultural settings, including rights-of-way corridors, landscape maintenance, parks, athletic facilities, golf courses, utility infrastructure, and other managed public spaces.
Individual county reporting provides insight into current uses regionally. El Dorado County, which encompasses the Eastern side of Folsom to the California-Nevada state line in South Lake Tahoe, applied over 9,500 pounds of glyphosate in 2023 for forest and timberland applications, and just over 6,000 along rights of way areas like roads, highway corridors, sidewalks, and curb areas. Placer County, on the other hand, reported over 9,000 pounds used for rights of way areas, just over 4,600 pounds for forest and timberland areas, and just under 4,000 pounds for landscape maintenance. Nevada County clocked in with significantly lower rates, at just over 2,000 pounds used for rights of way areas and a similar amount for landscape maintenance topping the list in 2023.
These numbers encompass more than public agency use. Private landowners are also obligated to report use to DPR, and glyphosate has become industry-standard for a number of vegetative fixtures. For example, on its website, NV Energy notes herbicide use as a mechanism for vegetation management under its power lines.
A recent follow-up article from Mother Jones opened with investigative journalist Nate Halverson standing in the middle of a run at Sierra-at-Tahoe that “clearly had been doused in glyphosate,” pointing to the area being “devoid of spring flowers; the bushes leafless, brittle, and dead by all appearances.” Sure enough, Halverson had found that the “Forest Service posted maps online showing it had sprayed glyphosate around and within Sierra-at-Tahoe in spring 2025.” This spraying was a part of a separate Caldor Fire Restoration Project, managed by El Dorado Resource Conservation District and taking place outside of the Basin, with a much larger footprint approved for herbicide use.
Patrick Lacey, public relations manager at Palisades Tahoe, said the resort does not use any chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides for vegetation management. Instead, he explained, its vegetation management crews use the mechanical removal of smaller trees and bushes to focus on “reducing ladder fuels on the forest floor and skier safety; the combination works synergistically.”
Marc McMullen, the golf course superintendent at Northstar California Resort, told me he does use glyphosate as well as fungicide to manage vegetation on the Northstar course. While total use during the season is relatively low, McMullen emphasized that the compound used is a harsh enough product that it is not available off the shelf and requires a pesticide applicator license through both the state and county.
University extension publications and turf-management literature routinely identify golf courses as a significant use category for the herbicide for vegetation management, cart-path edging, weed control, and renovation projects.
Moonshine Ink reached out to other land managers of community spaces, but many did not respond to the inquiries.
While debate continues over where and when glyphosate should be used, its presence in the modern landscape is difficult to avoid entirely. That reality raises a practical question for residents: What steps, if any, can individuals and communities take to reduce exposure?
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot
Options range from personal choices to participating in public discussions.
First and foremost, eating food grown using organic practices whenever possible is one of the leading ways to reduce glyphosate exposure and mitigate its harms to human health, researchers say.
A 2020 study published in Environmental Research found that diet is a main source of glyphosate exposure for humans. What’s more, researchers found glyphosate levels in children prior to making the switch to organic foods were approximately five times higher than adult levels. The good news? Transitioning to organic food had a near-immediate impact on the amount of glyphosate in subjects’ systems, reducing levels by over
70 percent.
Water, too, can be a potential source of glyphosate exposure. In the Basin, where most household drinking water comes from surface waters, regional water purveyors regularly test for pesticides. Sarah Vidra, the Executive Director at Tahoe Water Suppliers Association, confirmed that “pesticides are … monitored as part of the Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOC) program.” Currently, she added, “the Association is not aware of any pesticide detections exceeding drinking water standards in Lake Tahoe source water supplies.” Vidra confirmed the SOC testing TWSA uses detects glyphosate.
Truckee tap water is substantially more removed from potential contamination, as the Truckee Donner Public Utility District (TDPUD) sources all water from deep underground aquifers. “The average age of our drinking water predates many modern chemicals,” Alex Spychalsky, TDPUD Communications Program Manager, explained via email. “For example, the rain we saw fall in our region last week won’t reach our aquifer for decades.”
But Donley said there’s more to be done than relying on water purveyors. “Regardless of how clean you think your water is, everyone should have a good water filter in their house,” he advised. “Because I don’t care how clean you think your water is, it’s not.”
While limiting glyphosate exposure in private spaces like kitchens, yards, and gardens can help mitigate risk, navigating more public areas that are outside of one’s control can be more complex. A simple rule of thumb, Donley suggested, is don’t play — and don’t let your loved ones play — where dandelions don’t grow. Weeds and other landscaping imperfections are natural. Allow them to be a sign of safe, glyphosate-free spaces.
Locally, questions about herbicide use may be addressed through existing regulatory and planning processes. As for the standards by which TRPA advises projects, those can be changed, though Cowen noted that “the path to what action [TRPA] can take is a relatively long one.” While it typically responds to emerging issues through scientific review, Cowen suggested the level of public interest surrounding glyphosate may warrant further examination. In the case of herbicide use in the Tahoe Basin, he said, “public concern is probably enough for us to start looking at it.”
Whether glyphosate is ultimately used as part of the LTBMU Caldor Fire Restoration Project remains to be seen. What is already clear is that the proposal has sparked a broader conversation about forest management, wildfire recovery, herbicide use, public health, and environmental stewardship — one that is likely to continue well beyond the boundaries of the burn scar itself.
Truckee Fire Sues Placer County Over Decades of Unpaid Property Tax
For decades, Truckee Fire Protection District has provided fire and emergency medical services to some of the region’s most affluent neighborhoods. According to the district, however, it has never received the full share of property tax revenue that should be tied to those responsibilities.
Now, after years of unsuccessful negotiations, Truckee Fire has taken Placer County to court, arguing that a decades-old property tax allocation error has deprived the district of roughly $40 million since the mid-1970s. The lawsuit could reshape how millions of dollars in property taxes are distributed among local agencies, drawing 10 other districts into the dispute.
Property tax collection for select special districts across Truckee/North Tahoe play a significant role in revenue streams. Some, like Truckee Sanitary District and Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, rely on property taxes for more than 60% of their operating revenue.
This is common in California: Revenue from the 1% property tax is the foundation for most jurisdictions, from counties and cities down to schools and special districts.
Which means if there’s a piece of the highly precious property pie tax missing, it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Nearly 75% of the Truckee Fire Protection District’s 2025/26 revenue comes from taxes, or $14.1 million of its total $19.8 million budget. That number, alleges the district, should be $4 million more.
The district officially brought a case before the Sacramento Superior Court in February 2025 to right a “historic wrong,” according to court documentation.
Placer County, through outside counsel, has so far called into question the legal validity of the entire case, disputing each of the four causes of action submitted by Truckee Fire that make up its argument. Judge Jennifer K. Rockwell ruled against the county’s claims as recently as May 14.
As of press deadline, the ball is in Placer’s court: it has until July 6 to file a formal response to Truckee Fire’s demand for court action and a legal ruling.
Because of the active litigation, both entities provided brief statements to Moonshine Ink:
“Truckee Fire looks forward to having our day in court and to an expeditious, fair, and complete resolution to this matter,” Chief Kevin McKechnie said.
“The county disputes the claims brought by the district and will defend its position in the litigation,” shared Steven Wilson-Maggard, public information officer.
How did we get here?
The red tape that’s causing so much back and forth stems from California’s Proposition 13, passed back in 1978.
This ruling put a 1% tax rate cap of a property’s assessed value and limited yearly assessment increases to 2%. (Prior to ’78, the state’s average property tax rate was 2.67%.) Further, property reassessments bringing up a property to current market value can only take place when there’s a change in ownership or new construction.
Assembly Bill 8 (AB 8), enacted in 1979, determined how that 1% tax was divided up among local governments. County auditors were required to base this distribution on the average property tax revenue received by local governments in the few years preceding Prop 13.
The crux for Truckee Fire is that a few years prior to Prop 13, the district began providing fire protection and medical services to a piece of land known then as the Woolverton Property and known now as Zone 7, annexed into the district in 1974.
Zone 7 currently comprises Martis Camp, Schaffer’s Mill, part of Lahontan off Snowshoe Thompson Circle; a portion of Sierra Meadows off Pine Cone and Ponderosa drives, and Golden Pine Road; as well as a section of Ponderosa Palisades on Silver Fir Drive west of Thelin Drive.
The Woolverton agreement limited taxation to the value of improvements (or development), not the underlying land, and allowed property owner Bertha Joerger Woolverton “to continue to live on her property unburdened by taxes but to support the District’s services as she sold her land for development,” as stated in Truckee Fire’s complaint.
In board meetings, Placer County supervisors have called this deal of taxing Zone 7 at a reduced rate as a mistake made by Truckee Fire, leading to the district receiving only partial property tax from that area during three critical years before Prop 13. That taxation level was locked into place in 1978 — and has stayed that way through today.
During the 2024/25 tax year, across the TRAs in Zone 7, Truckee Fire received between 0.60% and 0.75% in AB 8 property tax allocation. A nearby TRA shows Truckee Fire receiving 11.58% of the distribution.
There have been some negotiations in the intervening years. Truckee Fire formally requested its share of AB 8 funding in 1997, 2011, 2018, and 2023. In 1997, Placer’s Auditor Controller Jayne Goulding sent a letter to Truckee Fire stating the revenues had been corrected, but that change never took place.
In 2019, the county allocated the district funding from an adjacent bucket: Placer County executed a voluntary tax share agreement allowing Truckee Fire to receive a portion of fire control fee collected from Zone 7 property taxes, amounting to about $300,000 annually. Truckee Fire considers this agreement irrelevant to the larger situation, according to court documentation.
In June 2024, the Placer County Board of Supervisors heard a presentation about the fire control fund and whether to continue with a subsequent funding method or not.
Placer County Supervisor Jim Holmes pointed out in June 2024 that Truckee Fire could have corrected the issue in part during the county’s 2003 general plan update but did not do so: “This sets a precedent … This takes money out of our general fund to supplement a district that failed to take action when the opportunity was there for them.”
The item was not up for action, and ended with unclear steps for the future. Eight months later, Truckee Fire filed its case.
What specifically is being asked for?
Truckee Fire’s legal reasons for suing Placer fall into two camps: three focus on the failure of property tax allocation (as described previously), while the fourth focuses on the county’s failure to comply with the Placer County General Plan and Martis Valley Community Plan.
This second camp claims the county approved real estate developments such as Martis Valley, Schaffer’s Mill, and part of Lahontan neighborhoods in Zone 7 without funding fire service in conjunction.
In early 2024, Truckee Fire alleges in the complaint, the district stated on an early building permit for a townhome development in Schaffer’s Mill that as the serving fire protection district, it would “withhold approval of a Certificate of Occupancy until it received adequate funding to provide fire services to the development.” The district also requested that the county restrict further development in Martis Valley until the funding issues at hand could be rectified.
On March 26 of that year, Placer amended its county code to allow fire-protection district approval to come from either Truckee Fire, Placer County Fire, or Cal Fire.
Over a year later, the Placer County Planning Commission modified the Schaffer’s Mill Conditional Use Permit language to allow either Truckee Fire or Placer County Fire’s signature for plan approvals.
Placer demurred to the district’s complaint on all causes of action. A demurrer essentially means that even if, in this case, Truckee Fire’s claims are true, they do not warrant a lawsuit. Judge Rockwell overruled two of the three demurrers, while sustaining the third demurrer on the fourth cause of action, but allowed the district time to amend its legal stance.
Truckee Fire did so, submitting an amended complaint — to which Placer demurred once again on the fourth cause of action. The judge overruled this demurrer in mid-May, leading to the current wait for Placer County’s response, due by July 6.
From there, the case will likely enter a discovery phase, during which both sides will exchange information, evidence, and witness interviews.
Among its requests for ruling, Truckee Fire hopes for legal mandates to the county to allocate and pay the district its AB 8 share of Zone 7 property tax revenue; a permanent injunction from denying Truckee Fire its AB 8 share; and a declaration that Placer’s decision to approve development in the Martis Valley area without general plan compliance violates the law.
What other districts are involved (and whose side are they on)?
If Truckee Fire is allotted any amount of AB 8, which is a limited pot of money, other entities receiving property tax from Zone 7 will take a hit.
When it first filed its complaint, Truckee Fire did not include other taxing entities involved in Zone 7 who could be impacted. Placer called this out in a demurrer, requiring an amended complaint to include the following as real parties in interest:
Truckee Tahoe Airport District, Placer County Resource Conservation District, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Sierra Community College District, Placer County Office of Education, Placer County Water Agency, Tahoe Forest Hospital District, Tahoe Truckee Sanitation Agency, Tahoe City Public Utility District, and Truckee Sanitary District. All 10 are listed as parties on the side of Placer County.
Of the parties, the airport district, Tahoe City PUD, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Placer County Office of Education, and Truckee Sanitary District have filed joinders at some point, formally aligning themselves with Placer’s arguments. For the latest set of demurrers, the school district and office of education did not file joinders while the remaining three did.
Why other parties of interest didn’t file a joinder can be for many reasons, including being able to benefit from a decision without the cost or exposure; different interests than defendant’s strategies; and taking a wait-and-see approach.
“While the core of this dispute is between the fire district and the county, the legal remedy sought, a reapportionment of ad valorem property taxes, carries an outsized potential impact on a broad coalition of local public agencies that provide essential services to our community,” TTAD General Manager Robb Etnyre wrote in an email. “Because property tax revenue is a ‘zero-sum’ system under California law, any significant shift in these percentages means the funding must be drawn from the existing shares of other local entities.”
In its 2026 budget, TTAD anticipates receiving about $10 million in property tax revenue — about 55% of its revenue for the year.
Etnyre added that the airport district’s participation in the case, as well as the other parties with interest, “is intended to ensure that the pursuit of fire protection funding does not inadvertently destabilize the budgets of our schools, our hospital, or our regional infrastructure.”
Truckee Fire has said in public statements about the case, “Placer County would prefer we ask taxpayers districtwide to approve a new property tax so that the district can have sufficient funds to fund services in Lahontan, Martis Camp and Schaffer’s Mill … Placer County has already collected substantial tax revenue, they just need to allocate it.”
In the current court case, the district is requesting its AB 8 share from the date of the final court order forward. Meanwhile, it is also asking for historical records of what it received from 1975 to 1978, which would play a role in determining the full amount Truckee Fire might have collected since the mid-1970s.
Sherry McConkey: Giving Back, One Challenge at a Time
Sherry McConkey is widely known in Tahoe/Truckee as the wife of the late, famed skier and ski-BASE athlete Shane McConkey, as founder of the Shane McConkey Foundation, and a popular yoga teacher. But the story of how Sherry became such an active part of the Tahoe community started on the other side of the world.
Born to a South African mother and Persian father, Sherry entered the world under complicated circumstances. Her mother, who was a model, gave birth in an adoption home in Ireland because in the 1960s, it would have been complicated to have a mixed-race child in South Africa. When Sherry was born with blonde hair and blue eyes, her mother was able to bring her back to South Africa and raise her there.
After spending her first years in Iran, Sherry grew up near the coastal city of Durban in South Africa. By age 21, she was ready to see more of the world.
“When I was 21, I decided to travel the world and find my birth father,” Sherry said.
With South African currency stretching only so far abroad, she found herself working, traveling, and working again as she made her way across Europe.
“I had some insanely amazing adventures, great and bad, beautiful and crazy,” Sherry said. “Three years of a very innocent, naive young South African traveling the world.”
Along the way, she saw snow for the first time while visiting Switzerland and immediately fell in love with the mountains. Eventually, her search for her father led her to North America.
But shortly before she planned to meet him, everything changed.
“As I was about to come to the States to meet my dad, he left without telling me,” Sherry said. “Basically, I was like, ‘Screw you. I’m done looking. I’m done trying.’”
Without a destination in mind, Sherry followed recommendations from friends and found herself driving to Tahoe.
“I found it miraculous,” she said. “As I drove up the West Shore and the harvest moon was coming out of the lake, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this place is amazing.’”
What was supposed to be a single winter stay has now turned into 36 years.
Tahoe became even more meaningful after she met professional skier Shane McConkey. Together they built a life and raised their daughter, Ayla. When Shane died in a ski-BASE accident in Italy in 2009, Sherry considered leaving the region.
“When Shane died, the community just wrapped their arms around Ayla and me,” she said. “It was like a family around me. I was like, ‘How am I ever going to leave this?’”
The years that followed were marked by loss throughout the community. Many longtime locals remember the early 2000s as a period of repeated tragedies.
“I got to a point where I was like, ‘How much more can I take?’” Sherry said. “But when I looked at other places to go, I would realize I couldn’t leave my Tahoe family.”
Instead, she stayed and poured her energy into giving back.
In the years following Shane’s death, Sherry helped establish the Shane McConkey Foundation. What began as a way to support environmental causes the couple cared about grew into programs that are now nationwide. Since its founding in 2011, the nonprofit has donated one million dollars to environmental causes, kids health and wellness, and projects that impact the Tahoe/Truckee region.
“When I first started the foundation, I think I was still in shock,” Sherry said. “We didn’t quite know what to do.”
One of its most successful projects grew from a student environmental initiative led by a teacher at Donner Trail Elementary partaking in the Shane McConkey Eco Challenge. Today, the foundation’s Don’t Drop the Top program operates lid collection sites throughout the region that have diverted 8,200 pounds of plastic from local landfills.
“The kids partaking in the Eco Challenges are mind-blowing and so amazing,” Sherry said. “It gives me hope for the future.”
For Sherry, the foundation reflects the same philosophy that defined Shane’s life: maximizing enjoyment in life.
“The foundation, in a nutshell, is a combination of fun and not taking life so seriously, but then intense and taking life really seriously,” she said. “A good balance.”
After decades in Tahoe, that balance continues to guide her. The woman who once crossed continents searching for connection ultimately found it in a mountain town that became family.
“My hope for Tahoe is to become the most environmentally conscious town in the world,” Sherry said. “It’s breathtakingly beautiful, and you only have one life. Live it.”
Soccer, Songs, International Relations: The Story of the Home Team String Band
It’s midnight in the middle of nowhere on the Trans-Siberian Railway but sleep is far from mind. Russian train-riders are gathered in the bar car, laughing and dancing around the ragtag string band that’s swigging vodka and making up funny songs on the spot.
The bandmembers are a bunch of Americans, in-country for the 2018 World Cup, and rather than geopolitical hostilities there’s a warmth of human connection forged around global sport and the universal language of music.
“We ended up being the house band on the Trans-Siberian for a week,” guitarist Ryan Salm remembered. “It was before the war [in Ukraine]. We ended up befriending generals and regular people, just singing songs and staying up all night.”
Salm is a founding member of the Home Team String Band, the Tahoe/Truckee-based group that’s traveled to the last four World Cups — bringing an open-armed vibe of music, good times, and cross-cultural connection as they celebrate the unifying power of soccer’s biggest stage.
This year’s World Cup will be played in North and Central America from June 11 to July 19, with the bulk of the matches taking place in the United States.
“We’ve been welcomed wherever we’ve gone,” said Dan Hurley, the group’s unofficial musical coordinator who, along with Salm, also plays in the Tahoe-based band The Inappropriators. “I’m most looking forward to hosting, and to giving back to the world what they’ve given for us. We are going to show a welcoming spirit.”
To do so, the band bought an old Bluebird school bus and undertook a group-effort, custom build-out, readying their “Schoolie” to be a traveling home, fan-zone (with two TVs and a projector screen), music venue, and cultural welcome center. They’ll make and hand out grilled cheese sandwiches and throw parties, aiming to be a gathering place where people from all over the world can hang out before, during, or after the games and have a good time.
“We’ll play a bunch of songs and hope to get people to join our band along the way,” Salm added.
Folks may join the band forever, for a day, an hour, or even just one song. After all, impromptu additions to the group are what created the Home Team in the first place. The band is now 12-plus humans strong, but it all started back in 2010 with three Tahoe locals who just wanted to go the World Cup in South Africa.
Salm arrived on the continent before the event began and traveled overland from Ethiopia (guitar and harmonica in tow) to South Africa. He knew Paul Raymore and Hurley independently, and they all made plans to meet up before the matches began.
Prior to linking up with them, Salm was checking out of a bungalow in Malawi just as another guy with a guitar was checking in. He was from L.A., and Salm told him he lived in Tahoe. The guy’s first question was, “Have you been to High Sierra Music Festival?”
Salm smiled. “I go every year,” he said. The connection was instant and the two made sure they’d reconnect in South Africa — and boom, Jeremiah Kent was added to the roster.
Similar serendipity ensued at the USA vs. England game in Rustenberg when an American approached the group and it was discovered they had a mutual friend in Tahoe. He introduced himself as Pete Blanchard and they all hung out that night. “We had an empty spot in our car,” Salm said, “and the next day Pete was part of the crew.”
They met Tahoe-ite Trevor Husted at the USA vs. Algeria knockout match and the group of travel-seeking, soccer-loving musicians started writing funny songs about their World Cup experiences. The bond was tight, and the Home Team String Band was born.
Everyone has a nickname. Someone who joined eight years ago will always be New Guy (Dane Halter). Added in 2014 were Hulké (Martin Cavada), Hylando (Rylan Cordova), and Maximus (Kurt Beckering). Then there’s Godfather (Paul Raymore), Captain Jebbers (Kent), and Handsome (Hurley), among others.
The nicknames are written on the back of the bandmate’s personal Sweatsedo — a sweet, custom-made velour track suit — in the local language of whatever country they are in. Sometimes the names get lost in translation. In Russia, for example, Trevor Husted’s “T-Bone” read as “T-Steak.”
Eight years later, Husted is still T-Steak.
Blanchard earned his original nickname, Granada (Spanish for grenade), due to his proclivity for explosive late-night antics, but on the Trans-Siberian he turned sweet. On a short stop, he ran out and bought flowers for the Russian bartendress. She received them well and started calling him Pupsik — a term of endearment either romantic or maternal meaning something akin to “cutie.” The boys couldn’t resist that one either, and his nickname forever changed to Pupsik.
There’s an origin story, of course, for the nicknames. In 2010, the original crew was driving on a dirt road in Lesotho, the small, mountainous nation landlocked by South Africa, when a couple of locals boys threw a small rock at the vehicle. “Stop the car!” boomed Salm’s voice. In a flash he was running into the African plains after the half-laughing, half-screaming perpetrators.
The team was beyond impressed by Salm’s speed. Right then and there he became “Cheetah” — and the naming began.
The young-adult sons of Raymore and Halter, Ethan and Nathan respectively, will hop on the bus for their first Home Team action this World Cup. “They’re good kids but they haven’t done much yet,” Hurley said. “They’ll be known collectively as JV until they prove themselves worthy of joining the varsity and earning a nickname.”
Not your typical band
The group’s gigs aren’t pre-booked shows in concert halls, rather impromptu busking-type sessions played in crowded subways, outside stadiums, and on bustling city streets.
“My favorite thing about it is that most of our material is written in the moment,” Hurley said, noting that the chord progressions are made up on the spot and the lyrics freestyled. “You write a song about a new person you’re hanging out with or the score of the game, a funny time at the bar or the street scene in Brazil we’re looking at.”
Many of their stream of consciousness songs, in a nod to true art, only ever exist once. Some, however, are played again and refined over time to become part of the band’s growing catalogue.
“We want people coming into it to feel welcome. It’s about the fun, the merriment, the global soccer-sports-music brotherhood that we’ve all come to know and love so much.”
~ Dan Hurley, unofficial musical director of The Home Team String Band, on the 2026 World Cup
And while they’ll mix in some covers — “California Dreaming,” “Hotel California,” and “Born in the U.S.A” are oft-requested when overseas — there’s never anything like a planned-out set list, which appeals to Hurley’s artistic sensibilities. “It’s total musical freedom,” he said.
In addition to the soccer and the music, adventure is a big part of the Home Team’s overall gameplan. On their World Cup-focused trips, they’ve hiked in national parks in Africa, explored the Amazon in Brazil, and embarked on multi-day, self-guided paddleboard trips around Russia’s Lake Baikal (the largest freshwater lake in the world and Tahoe’s sister lake), and the Arabian Sea, including in the Strait of Hormuz.
When Beckering joined the band for the 2014 Cup in Brazil, he brought along his banjo. The circular part of the instrument was white. One day he drew black markings on it to make it look like a soccer ball, and The Soccer Ball Banjo came to be.
“If there was a symbol of our band, that would be it,” Raymore declared.
The band was hitting their stride, but four years later the unthinkable happened: The U.S. failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. “It was shocking,” Salm said. “We didn’t know what to do.”
After some debate, the performers decided the show must go on — a decision that led to perhaps the band’s greatest moment, those days and nights of song and merriment as the house band on the clickety tracks of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
The 2022 World Cup, held in Qatar in Nov. and Dec. ’21 to avoid the region’s stifling summer heat, featured another changeup: The vodka-swigging, beer-crushing Home Teamers found themselves in a dry country. So, they traded booze for bikes and began cycling to the games, oftentimes two matches a day, and from place to place with their instruments and antics. “A lot of people over there hadn’t seen anything like us,” Salm said.
So, what do these 2026 home games mean for the Home Team String Band?
“We want people coming into it to feel welcome,” said Hurley, who recently wrote a song called “Host the World,” which can be found on YouTube. “It’s about the fun, the merriment, the global soccer-sports-music brotherhood that we’ve all come to know and love so much.”
The Tahoe kickoff party takes place on June 12 at Alibi Ale Works in Truckee to watch Team USA’s opening game against Paraguay. The match starts at 6 p.m., with the pre-party starting at 4 p.m. The bus will be on site for tours and photos, and the boys will play tunes. All ages are welcome and bringing instruments is encouraged. “We’d love to see the biggest street band we can make in downtown Truckee,” Raymore said.
After that game, the Home Team will put the bus in gear and start attending matches in person. First, it’s down to San Francisco where Levi’s Stadium hosts Qatar vs. Switzerland on the 13th and Austria vs. Jordan on the 16th. Then it’s up to Seattle for Team USA’s highly anticipated June 19th match against Australia.
But the true destination is the journey — being on the bus and spreading the vibe like some version of the Merry Pranksters with a Pelé predilection and well-tuned instruments.
“We’ll stop anywhere from a town square to a dive bar or a trailer park,” Salm said. “It doesn’t need to be a million people. We’re not an arena band, it’s about intimate.”
From Seattle, the Home Team dips north of the border to catch New Zealand vs. Egypt on the summer solstice in Vancouver. Then the bus will turn around and meander south to get to L.A. in time for Team USA’s final group match June 25 at Sofi Stadium against Türkiye.
After group play the teams with the best records will advance to the knockout stages, the details of those matches being unknown until the completion of the first round. “We don’t have any idea yet where we’ll go,” Salm said, the band perhaps leaning into its ability to play things by ear. “We’ll try to follow the USA if we can.”
The Beautiful Game
Estimates are that 5.8 billion people, roughly 75% of the world population, will view the 2026 World Cup in some form — making it the most watched sporting event in human history.
Soccer, like music, is truly a global language. While there have been historical instances of violence breaking out between different fanbases, the majority of the sport’s power lies in unification.
“We may be enemies on the pitch, but before and after let’s put the differences behind us and hang out,” Salm said.
Not every minute of the band’s travels, however, has been filled with kumbaya. In Qatar, the boys were on a bus before the USA vs. Iran game. The bus was pretty much all Iranians. Some back-and-forth jarring started up that quickly turned heated, the fans at each other’s throats. “For a minute, you thought there was going to be a brawl,” Salm relayed. “But then we came together, like ‘hey, we’re all just human beings here.’”
The two countries are now at war.
There was a similar time on the Trans-Siberian Railway. “We met this guy who looked like a giant ogre, and we were all kind of intimidated,” Hurley recalled. But that mean-looking Russian played the guitar. And the guys bought him some beers. “By the end of the night he was kissing us on the forehead,” Hurley continued.
The Home Team is about getting past stereotypes, about breaking down barriers of preconceived notions of this country or that culture.
“Our adventures are a good chance to be face-to-face with people you don’t think you’ll get along with,” Hurley said. “Then you watch some soccer together and play some tunes and see what happens next.”
Mark Twain wrote that “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” It seems like the Home Team String Band has picked up on what the author was putting down. Over the past 16 years, the group has set out across the globe to take in four World Cups, creating innumerable moments of beautiful connection between humans of different cultures.
They have always been visitors in a foreign land, yet wherever they have gone the Americans have been welcomed. This summer, they play host — ambassadors of our nation, doing what they can for international relations and having a good time doing it — one goal, one song, one new member of the Home Team at a time.
The Sawmill Off Highway 50 Has Been Quiet. Here’s Why.
A Moonshine reader recently mailed us a letter, asking if we could figure out why Tahoe Forest Products (TFP), the relatively new sawmill facility in Carson City just off Highway 50, wasn’t producing. “They’re well stocked with Caldor Fire trees but no sawdust,” he wrote. “I’ve heard rumors, but what are the facts?
Indeed, the facility opened on Dec. 18, 2023, to quite a bit of fanfare — local publications, as well as Bloomberg, reported on just how critical Tahoe Forest Products would be in supporting healthy forests, fire recovery efforts, the local economy, and more.
But our reader is right. Two and a half years later, and TFP is sitting silent. I reached out to Kevin Leary, CEO of Hallador Investments, which is the primary investor in the facility, to understand the latest. ~ AH
There were rumors in late 2025 that the facility was closing and/or reporting bankruptcy. A Carson Now article reported that wasn’t the case, and that the facility was in the process of “retooling and upgrading” operations and machinery. Is that still the status, and how far along are those updates? Will the facility operate at full capacity soon?
Kevin Leary, CEO of Hallador: TFP did pause production in mid-2025 and it remains paused. The sawmill facility was originally designed using the lowest-possible cost machinery, meaning old and heavily used, which was a mistake. Too many breakdowns and too slow a production pace meant the initial facility was not financially sustainable. We also paused construction of the planer mill (which will sit to the north of the sawmill building, closer to Highway 50), to avoid making the same mistake twice. We expect to commence upgrades in June, and to be in production a year from now. More modern improvements will enable the facility to operate sustainably.
“Too many breakdowns and too slow a production pace meant the initial facility was not financially sustainable.”
~ Kevin Leary, Hallador Investments CEO
How is the facility funded, and are there concerns for ongoing financial support?
The company is funded by local private investors who care deeply about our region’s forest health, water quality, recreation, and cost of living (including home insurance costs), and who want to support the local economy. TFP will continue to have the support of the owners as long as the prospect of sustainable operations remains.
How is TFP working to address complaints by neighbors, including noise and bright lights?
Several of our neighbors have direct communication access to on-site management at TFP. In the past, we have worked with neighbors to address specific concerns, including repositioning lights and replacing diesel generators with fixed power. We engaged a local landscaping company to install several hundred thousand dollars [worth] of trees and plants along Bucks Way to the south and west.
We should add that occasionally complaints are directed at us that are not of TFP’s making. There are other tenants on the same parcel, and we have received complaints (e.g. dust) that are outside of our lease area or control. In other cases, loud nighttime noises or truck lights might be attributed to TFP but have nothing to do with the mill.
Is the facility feeling impacts from national changes to the U.S. Forest Service, which is undergoing massive restructuring?
TFP tries to maintain close relationships with the USFS at both the local and national levels. In our view, the goal of the changes underway is to move decision-making to the local level and empower local leadership, accountability, and action. There are layers of hierarchy and bureaucracy that probably should go away, like there are in any organization that has been around over a century. (If the readers want an analogy, they can listen to Jon Stewart interview Ezra Klein, co-author of Abundance, on the rollout of rural broadband, administered by a different federal agency. [Editor’s note: Listen to Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein on The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart wherever you listen to podcasts.])
Locally, we have seen some disruptions, and certainly some over-extended and tired USFS friends picking up more responsibilities. But our hope and expectation are that the changes result in a localized, commonsense approach to forest management. To that end, the USFS recently awarded our partner, the Washoe Tribe, a 20-year Master Stewardship Agreement to empower the tribe and partners to take on a larger role in planning and implementing forest health treatments.
Are trees from the 2021 Caldor Fire still on site?
Yes, but very few. The logs received in the past two years are from fuels reduction treatments (i.e., green trees, not burned or salvaged) in the Tahoe Basin and surrounding national forests (Inyo, Humboldt Toiyabe, Eldorado, Tahoe) plus a smaller number from neighborhood and HOA fuels reduction projects.
