The scene is easy to picture. After a day in the snow, out on the trails or on a boat on the lake, a visitor sits down at a restaurant with mountain views, opens the menu, and, when it is time to pay, instead of pulling out a credit card, scans a QR code to settle the bill with crypto.
That setup is still the exception, but recent moves by restaurants in California suggest this kind of payment is leaving the tech crowd’s imagination and getting closer to the day-to-day reality of tourism in the state.
In Sacramento, for example, a startup called Food Token already allows local chains like Jimboy’s Tacos, Brookfields and neighborhood coffee shops to accept Bitcoin, Ethereum and stablecoins in transactions that work, from the restaurant’s point of view, like a digital gift card, with a flat $0.10 fee per transaction. Well below what many businesses pay today in credit card processing fees.
This kind of testing in urban areas may be a preview of what could reach tourist destinations like Tahoe, where every detail of the visitor experience tends to have a direct impact on the local economy.
From Sacramento To The Mountains: Restaurants Enter The Digital Wallet Era
The Sacramento experiment is happening at a time when a meaningful share of Americans already know about or own crypto, even if most people remain skeptical. Data from the Pew Research Center shows that roughly 17% of adults in the U.S. have invested in or currently hold cryptocurrencies.
A 2025 Gallup survey indicated that approximately 14% of American adults say they own some type of crypto. For this engaged minority, paying with digital assets is nothing new. Multiple sectors are adopting crypto, especially in entertainment, leisure and services.
On gaming platforms, it is already common. Even in real money games offered by online casinos or betting sites, crypto assets are a viable option for deposits and withdrawals. The notice that a site accepts crypto payment options, like in the Robbie Purves compilation, is starting to sound less like a perk and more like something everyone should offer.
That is, of course, in the online world, where people can place bets, join promotions and tournaments, and play live with other users. In person, this possibility is still seen as a bit of an extravagance, although it is slowly becoming a natural extension of how people already pay for flights, hotels, rideshare apps and digital services.
In Sacramento, the model is straightforward. The customer scans a QR code, chooses which coin they want to use and, in practice, converts that balance into a digital credit to spend on food or wine, while the restaurant receives dollars, without having to handle public keys or price volatility directly.
If models like this are replicated by chains or independent restaurants up in the mountains, Tahoe could become a destination that speaks to this more digital-first audience without turning away anyone who still prefers cards or cash. For tourists, the message is convenience and a sense of welcome; you can pay the way you do at home. For restaurants, it is the chance to test a new payment channel without giving up the traditional register.
Tourism In Tahoe Is Already Worth Billions And Sensitive To How People Pay
This discussion is not happening in a vacuum. Tahoe is not just a postcard view, it is an economic engine that depends directly on visitor traffic. An economic impact report for North Lake Tahoe shows that direct travel spending in the region reached about $1.32 billion in 2023, up 3.7% compared to 2022.
Of that total, nearly $740 million came from lodging and food service, and tourism supported roughly 9,070 direct jobs, including about 4,820 positions in accommodations and food service alone.
At the state level, the picture is even bigger. According to Visit California, travel spending in the state reached $150.4 billion in 2023, surpassing the pre-pandemic record set in 2019. That activity generated around $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue and supported more than 1.15 million hospitality jobs.
In other words, every small decision that makes it easier for visitors to spend, from opening hours to payment methods, has the potential to ripple through jobs, tax collections and local investment capacity.
For destinations like South Lake Tahoe, which compete for visitors with other snow and leisure hubs across the U.S., offering payment options that match the habits of younger domestic and international travelers can work as a symbolic, but meaningful, advantage.
For a guest arriving from San Francisco, Los Angeles or overseas with a digital wallet loaded with stablecoins, being able to pay for parts of the trip, from breakfast to après-ski, in crypto reinforces a sense of modernity that goes beyond the scenery.
Who Really Pays With Crypto Today?
Despite all the buzz, using cryptocurrencies as a means of payment is still a niche behavior. A briefing released in September 2025 by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, based on the Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED), shows that the share of U.S. consumers using crypto to pay for purchases or send money fell from almost 3% in 2021-2022 to less than 2% in 2023 and 2024.
In absolute terms, that comes out to something like 5 million adults using crypto for payments in a universe of more than 250 million. The profile of people who pay with crypto also does not match only the high-income investor stereotype.
The same study indicates that younger adults, men, users of alternative financial services and consumers with weaker ties to the traditional banking system are more likely to use cryptocurrencies for day-to-day payments.
On top of that, the most common reason cited for using crypto is not just the search for privacy or speed, but the fact that the person or business on the other side prefers to be paid that way.
That shift in motivation is key to understanding what is happening with restaurants in California. It also helps explain why initiatives like Food Token focus on removing friction for the restaurant, offering a platform where the business gets paid in dollars while the currency conversion and tech complexity are handled by the intermediary.
Full House Resorts navigated a challenging third quarter as renovation work continued at the Grand Lodge Casino in Incline Village. The company reported that the project significantly impacted operations on the North Shore during weeks when portions of the gaming floor were temporarily closed, though management maintained most operations around the construction schedule. Strong performance at American Place in Illinois and Chamonix in Colorado helped offset a slower period in the West segment.
The Grand Lodge renovation offers a clear example of how physical changes to casino layouts influence visitor patterns. When sections of a gaming floor close for construction, guests alter their movement through the facility, often choosing to visit competitors or delay their return until renovations are complete.
Disruptions like this aren’t unique to one region. When local access changes, people often look around for something that keeps their routine steady. In places where new rules narrow the usual gaming choices, readers sometimes check what offshore platforms offer. That’s why a guide that explains non GamStop casinos in the UK market may draw attention during regulatory changes, since it outlines how those sites operate outside the standard licence structure, including details on different payout speeds or withdrawal limits. The behaviour isn’t about a single country, as it’s the same pattern that appears whenever familiar options tighten for a while.
The United States operates under a state-by-state regulatory framework, creating its own unique patterns. Nevada relies on state-regulated in-person systems, while some states offer legal online options. During the Grand Lodge renovation, some visitors simply drove to casinos in Stateline, where gaming floors maintained their usual layouts. Many indicated plans to return once the Tahoe property fully reopens.
Renovation work at Grand Lodge moved across different sections of the gaming floor throughout the quarter. Tables shifted positions, walkways narrowed, and familiar routes through the property changed with limited advance notice. These modifications affected table operation frequency and guest movement patterns. As the floor space tightened during the slower seasonal period, some visitors opted for shorter stays, while others chose to wait out the temporary closures while monitoring project progress.
The phased approach allowed Grand Lodge to maintain partial operations but created uncertainty for regular guests accustomed to specific layouts and table locations. Management acknowledged the challenges but emphasized the long-term benefits once construction is completed.
Company-wide financial results reflected this mixed quarter. Total revenue reached $78 million, a modest increase from $75.7 million in the same period last year. Net loss narrowed to $7.7 million compared with $8.5 million a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $14.8 million, indicating improved operational efficiency despite renovation headwinds.
The West segment posted revenue of $18 million, down from $19.4 million the previous year. Management attributed the decline primarily to construction disruption at Grand Lodge and the removal of Stockman’s Casino from the revenue base following its closure.
American Place and Chamonix continued delivering growth that partially offset Western segment weakness. These properties demonstrated the value of geographic diversification in Full House’s portfolio strategy.
Full House ended the quarter with $30.9 million in liquidity and approximately $10 million available under its credit facility. The company carries roughly $450 million in debt, though leadership expressed confidence in managing the obligations as renovation work progresses.
Construction at Grand Lodge has extended beyond initial timelines, but management indicated the project is moving toward a more predictable completion schedule. Once finished, the renovated property should provide enhanced guest experiences and improved operational efficiency that justify the temporary disruption to Q3 results.
In Southern California, a new mega-casino is set to be built on the land of the Tejon Indian Tribe. The $600 million Hard Rock project, with a planned gaming area of 150,000 square feet, is considered one of the largest casino projects in the state. The resort will not only offer gambling facilities with more than 2,000 slot machines and numerous table games, but will also feature restaurants, event spaces, and entertainment options. According to Hard Rock and the Tejon Indian Tribe, the project is intended to be a destination that combines both gaming and leisure activities, thus covering all possible visitor needs.
According to data from the California Health Interview Survey, one in four California adults gambled in 2024, amounting to 7.2 million people, showing how deeply rooted gambling is in this part of the US. Against this backdrop, the new resort has enormous economic potential.
Gambling Participation in the US
According to data from the American Gaming Association, the US gambling industry currently generates around $72 billion in commercial revenue from the gambling industry each year. Together with tribal gambling, total US gambling revenue is around $115 billion. California contributed a significant share of total tribal gambling in the US, with revenues from the tribal gambling sector recently reaching $41.9 billion.
However, unlike Nevada or New Jersey, California currently has only a few large commercial casinos, meaning that a large proportion of gambling expenditure leaves the state. Due to the lack of gambling options in California, many users are increasingly turning to offshore providers, casinos in other states, or online gambling platforms. Since Texas has a broad gambling industry, casino sites licensed for Texas residents are becoming increasingly popular, even among non-Texans. According to gambling expert Matt Bastock, one of the main reasons behind the popularity of these websites is that they offer generous bonuses, fast and reliable payouts, and, above all, fairness and security.
The gambling habits of Californians are reflected in the state’s finances. By building a new, large casino in California, the money spent by users could now remain in the state instead of flowing abroad or to other states. The expected revenue from the gambling sector is substantial and could benefit the local economy.
The Importance of the Hard Rock Casino Project
As one of the few casinos of this size, Hard Rock Casino Tejon has significant potential. It could be an economic lever in Southern California, stimulating investment, jobs, tourism, and supply chains. The American Gaming Association (AGA) has been documenting the US commercial gaming industry and its revenues for years and points to the economic effects of the revenues generated by this sector. With a total economic impact of $328.6 billion, the industry is achieving record results on a national scale: The industry supports around 1.8 million jobs in the casino sector, and the tax impact and tribal revenue share amount to $52.7 billion. In California, too, new potential may open up with this casino project, both for the economy and for residents. In addition to direct jobs, the project could generate additional tax revenue and increased demand for construction and service companies.
Hard Rock’s Vision
Hard Rock Casino Tejon plans to create a destination for outstanding entertainment that will significantly boost the economy in Kern County. The project aims to achieve major accomplishments: it will promote tourism, create 1,000 permanent jobs and over 5,000 construction-related roles, and stimulate the local economy through increased investment and demand. In addition, resources and services, such as social services and infrastructure, will be provided for members of the Tejon Indian Tribe. Furthermore, the planned infrastructure improvements will be entirely privately funded. This means that taxpayers will be relieved of any financial burden, as they will not have to make any direct contributions.
According to Hard Rock, the first phase, planned for 2025, will create a huge gaming area of approximately 150,000 square feet that will house 2,000 modern slot machines, 58 table games, and video poker. To round off the project, the gaming area will be complemented by a Hard Rock merchandise store and several restaurants. Of course, a typical Hard Rock Café will also be part of the complex.
Economic Independence for the Tejon Indian Tribe
For the Tejon Indian Tribe, the casino not only marks an economic breakthrough but also has a profound impact on the tribe’s structures. It was not until 2011 that the tribe regained federal status after being excluded for several generations. Through its partnership with Hard Rock, a company founded by the Seminole Tribe and itself under tribal leadership, the tribe is now regaining autonomy and self-governance.
Of the 1,000 permanent jobs promised to be created by the project, more than 50 tribal members are expected to be employed in the project. The additional thousands of jobs in construction represent economic progress for the tribe, which not only relies on gaming revenues but also intends to reinvest them specifically in improving the community.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the project further includes space for a tribal administration headquarters, a medical facility, and housing for members. Thus, the Hard Rock project not only supports the tribe’s social infrastructure but also promotes a sense of cultural belonging and long-term ties to the land, which is now being economically revalued and gaining nationwide recognition.
“Today marks a historic moment for the Tejon Indian Tribe and the entire Kern County community.” Octavio Escobedo, III, Chairman of the Tejon Tribe, said during the opening celebrations. “The opening of Hard Rock Casino Tejon is not only a celebration of our Tribe’s heritage and resilience but also a bold step forward in creating opportunity and prosperity for future generations. This project will bring thousands of jobs, fuel economic growth, and serve as a gathering place where culture, entertainment, and community come together. We are proud to share this milestone with our friends, neighbors, and partners who helped make this vision a reality.”
Gambling Future in Southern California
The Hard Rock Casino Tejon has enormous economic potential, not only for the tribe itself but also for the entire state. The resort will create new jobs and attract additional visitors. In addition to the expected revenue from tourism, there are also expectations of a significant increase in local visitors. The new casino is intended to offer attractive leisure activities that will ideally discourage people from the region from switching to online platforms and instead spend their money at local establishments, which will ultimately benefit the state and the community.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – During its December 2 meeting, the El Dorado County Supervisors delayed a decision on amending its snow removal policy after Supervisor Brooke Laine heard concerns about the changes from her constituents.
The changes would’ve aligned the County’s ordinance with surrounding areas, specifically regarding parking policy during snow removal operations.
The current policy restricts parking during a “snow removal condition.” County staff felt that language was too ambiguous and recommended changing it to restrict parking during a stated date range.
The board approved the first reading of the ordinance during its November 18 meeting but following the meeting, Laine heard concerns from Tahoe residents about the ordinance. They felt that the language stating parking was prohibited, “except in areas specifically designated by signs to permit such parking.”
Laine recommended to delay making a decision for this season and for the county to spend the winter to host public meetings about the issue. The rest of the board approved the decision.
During the meeting, the board also approved several other Tahoe specific items on its Consent Agenda.
The first item is regarding weight restrictions on sections of county roads in Lake Tahoe.
“During the review process, it was found that navigation apps have increasingly routed US Highway 50 through traffic, including large commercial vehicles, onto Lake Tahoe Boulevard, North Upper Truckee Road, and Sawmill Road,” the staff report stated.
The board approved a weight limit of 14,000 pounds on Lake Tahoe Boulevard from Sawmill Road to North Upper Truckee Road and on North Upper Truckee Road from Lake Tahoe Boulevard to U.S. Highway 50.
The board also approved an agreement between Lake Valley Fire Protection District, City of South Lake Tahoe, and the County of El Dorado for the provision of a community fire hazard reduction project on 71 county owned parcels within the Lake Tahoe Basin. A list of the parcels where work will be completed can be found on the county’s website.
Finally, the board approved a contract with Summit Food Services, LLC for a term of three years beginning December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2028 to provide food services at both the Placerville and South Lake Tahoe Jails. The contract has two one-year options to extend, for a total possible term of five years through November 30, 2030 and will not exceed $3,000,000 in the initial term.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. –The City of South Lake Tahoe is excited to host the 5th Annual Festival of Winter Lights, on December 12 and 13 from 4-8 pm. This two-night holiday celebration brings the community together to celebrate the joy of the season.
This free, family-friendly outdoor festival invites everyone to enjoy an enchanting winter wonderland full of festive light displays, local artisan vendors, live entertainment, delicious food and drinks, and joyful holiday activities.
This year’s festival will once again transform the Senior Center parking lot into a dazzling Christmas market featuring:
A bustling Holiday Market, featuring a lineup of local makers and artisans offering handcrafted gifts, holiday treats, and seasonal treasures.
The return of the beloved Gingerbread House Village, showcasing creative entries from this year’s gingerbread competition. Guests are encouraged to vote for their favorite creation as part of the People’s Choice Award.
Cozy lighted Winter Carriage Rides with Tahoe Sleigh Ride
Holiday fun at the local museum with “Holiday in History” tours and historic cabin visits
Kids’ crafts and activities brought to you by the Tahoe Art League
Photos with the Christmas Fire Engine
Stroll along the Trail of Lights
Visits with Santa at Santa’s House
Seasonal food and drinks from local vendors, plus a free hot chocolate courtesy of The Lake Tahoe Historical Society.
Live entertainment featuring local musicians, dance performances by Lake Tahoe Shining Stars, the High School Jazz Combo Band, and Lake Tahoe Unified School District Choirs, all adding to the warm and festive atmosphere.
Limited-edition Festival of Winter Lights commemorative mugs with a brand-new 2025 design: perfect for sipping cocoa or glühwein and supporting the community. Available in limited quantities.
Parking & Getting There
Parking for festival goers is available at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Complex (1180 Rufus Allen Blvd.) and along Rufus Allen Blvd. but is limited. Attendees are encouraged to carpool or use public transportation, including the free Lake Link shuttle service.
Tahoe Food Hub now delivers farm-fresh, sustainably grown food to South Lake Tahoe Provided/Tahoe Food Hub
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – In the wake of increasing food prices, higher housing and transportation costs, Tahoe Food Hub is helping communities get their hands on high-quality, sustainably grown food, and South Lake has been added to their list of delivery stops.
“We started with adding locations in Sierraville and Reno. We have one in King’s Beach, Tahoe City and Incline Village, and most recently, this summer, we added a new drop delivery location in South Lake Tahoe,” said General Manager, Maddie Rohner. “That’s one we’re really trying to spread the word about and expand because it’s a new delivery route for us in wholesale and retail as well.”
With businesses such as Caesars Republic and Harrah’s who are purchasing food from local family farms for their restaurants, Tahoe Food Hub is able to sustain their ability to deliver, with no minimum, for retail and small wholesale customers in South Lake.
Among some of their challenges, Rohner says that spreading the word about their new stop is something they are tackling. “We’re a nonprofit, so we have, essentially, no marketing budget. We keep our margins really, really low and our prices as low as possible so that people can access the food, and the majority of the cost is going directly to our farms. We pay a fair market price to our farmers, the same price, whether it’s wholesale or retail ordering.”
When it comes to farms that Tahoe Food Hub works with, Rohner noted most of them are family owned, with only one or two people harvesting. “Being able to get their food to bigger institutional buyers like a casino or a school district is impossible for those small growers without a distributor like us.”
Tahoe Food Hub offers wholesale pricing, assists with sourcing, aggregation, and delivery, all through a transparent supply chain.
Their full à la carte online farmers market opens Fridays at 5 p.m. “You can scroll and shop, you can purchase as little or as much as you want. We do have a standard CSA style harvest box that people can select, but they can also just choose individual items as well,” said Rohner, with the market place offering everything from eggs, baked goods, jams, to fresh flowers and fruit in small retail case sizes. “You can build your own customizable box.”
Orders are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and Tahoe Food Hub then sends all the orders to their farms. Items are harvested on Wednesday mornings, and everything is distributed Thursday and Friday. “If you’re a customer in South Lake Tahoe, you can go and pick up your order on Friday morning.”
When folks shop with Tahoe Food Hub, they’re not only supporting small farmers, they’re also helping feed the community. All earnings go back into Tahoe Food Hub’s community impact programs, such as their Giving Box program and Farm to School program.
“Instead of paying money to a grocery store that’s making a profit, you’re reinvesting back into the community and you’re also ensuring long term economic stability for the farms in our region. All of those farmers are regenerative farms, so we ensure that our farmers are following good ecological practices to help mitigate the effects of climate change.”
INCLINE VILLAGE/CRYSTAL BAY, Nev. – Neighbors are stepping up and offering rides as the news of TART Connect’s termination in Nevada circulates online and leaves users wondering what to do when the the app-based service comes to an end.
The free on demand curb-to-curb shuttle has been imperative for some to get to work and the store with full-time residents making up 65% of its ridership.
The cancellation impacts TART Connect Zone 3, covering Incline Village and Crystal Bay, where residents are saying the service has helped them access the town, especially during storms.
Desperate to keep the service alive, some have even said they’d pay for the service. Another concern is whether more DUI drivers will be on the roads in TART Connect’s absence.
In addition to its myriad of benefits for both residents and visitors, the service has addressed traffic, pollution and parking concerns by making it easier to move around car free. It has provided over one million rides across the North Lake Tahoe region since its launch.
The last day for the micromobility service is Dec. 11, calling into question the future for microtransit service on the Nevada side of North Tahoe.
“Though it is clear that this is a useful community amenity that benefits residents, local businesses and visitors,” Andy Chapman says, president and CEO of Travel North Tahoe Nevada, “what is unclear is how to secure the funding needed to sustain service.”
A lack of stable, long-term funding, coupled with declining tourism revenues stemming from decreased inventory and a downturn in international visitation has brought the service to an end.
Since its launch in 2021, TART Connect in Nevada has long relied on stitching together short-term commitments from multiple organizations, including Washoe County, RTC Washoe, Travel North Tahoe Nevada, the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, the Tahoe Fund, and the League to Save Lake Tahoe.
“We need a durable solution, not year-to-year uncertainty,” Chapman says, “if we want a sustainable and successful microtransit system servicing residents and guests in the Washoe Tahoe region.”
Chapman says in the effort to keep the service going, they have explored many avenues, including unsuccessful legislation to create a business improvement district in this year’s legislative session.
Tourism business improvement districts on the California side of North Tahoe, in Placer County and the Town of Truckee, contribute to the TART Connect service that will continue in those regions.
“While it is deeply frustrating that this service has to cease due to inadequate resources, we will continue fighting for sustainable funding solutions,” Alexis Hill says, chair of the Washoe County Commission and chair of RTC Washoe.
Despite the roadblock with legislation and the service termination, partners say they will continue evaluating funding models and exploring community-supported solutions that could bring the service back in a financially sustainable form.
In the foreseeable future, however, the TART Connect boundary will stop at the state line.
TART’s traditional mainline bus service will continue serving the region as usual, providing a fixed-route transit service for workers, residents and visitors.
Community members are encouraged to share their input about their impact as next steps are considered by emailing TART@placer.ca.gov. More information on regional transportation options is available at tahoetruckeetransit.com.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A family is mourning the loss of their 18-year-old son after a fatal accident near South Lake Tahoe on U.S. Highway 50 the weekend before Thanksgiving on Sunday, Nov. 23.
Sergio Gutiérrez García Jr. was killed and four others injured, including children, in a crash just east of Camp Sacramento.
“Sergio was not only a son, a brother, and a friend—he was a light in our lives, someone whose presence made every day a little warmer, a little brighter,” his family said.
His family remembers him as a hardworker who put others first and made people feel seen.
“Whether he was laughing with family, lending a hand without being asked, or offering a quiet moment of comfort,” his family said, “he carried a gentle strength that touched everyone around him.”
The financial burden of funeral expenses has become overwhelming for the family and asking for help through a GoFundMe.
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Bike Tahoe, a local nonprofit bicycle advocacy organization, announces the winners of its inaugural 2025 Bike Tahoe Film Fest. Local filmmakers submitted their short-form videos in four categories: Bike Park, Next Gen, Awe-Inspiring Beauty and Extreme Adventure.
Then, a panel of judges in the fields of television, marketing, media, coaching and bike advocacy each viewed the submissions and scored them based on Creativity, Emotion/Engagement, Visual Quality, Relevance to Category, and Spirit of the Festival.
The winners of the 2025 Bike Tahoe Film Fest are:
Bike Park Category: “Paddy Takes Tahoe” by Patrick Giardina II. A story about Paddy ripping in the park, on the BMX track and at the Tahoe Games.
Next Gen Category: “Homework” by Tobin Grey. A short, fun little video that shows what being a Tahoe kid is all about.
Awe-inspiring Category: “Epic Flume Trail” by Richard Matera. A story about introducing the Flume Trail to a visiting friend from South Africa.
Extreme Adventure Category: “The Ultimate One Day Mountain Bike Challenge” by Dan Thour. A story about a 24 hour mountain bike ride around the Lake’s trails to raise dollars for cancer research. To view the video finalists, go to: https://bit.ly/4oP4Yih
“We are delighted with the initial interest in the Bike Film Fest and look forward to building the event in the 2026 Film Fest,” said Bike Tahoe’s Ty Polastri.
Polastri extends a special thank you to all the filmmakers submitting their entries and to the supporting sponsors Lake Tahoe TV, The Tahoe Games, and all the judges who helped make this event possible.
During the winter months, filmmakers can review their videos for editing and submission in the spring of 2026.
KIRKWOOD, Calif. –Kirkwood Mountain Resort is set to bring its big mountain adventure, no-frills-here-for-the-skiing vibe back starting this Friday, Dec. 5, and Northstar California Resort welcomes back friends and family to their favorite winter traditions starting with Opening Day on Saturday, Dec. 6. Kirkwood has benefited from more than 44 inches of natural snow this month in addition to snowmaking, allowing the resort to hit its original opening day target. Northstar joins in on the excitement this weekend thanks to colder temperatures and the hard work of its snowmaking team.
Rounding things out for resorts on the Epic Pass in Lake Tahoe, Heavenly opened for skiing and riding on Nov. 24, celebrating the start of their 70th anniversary season. Whether you’re loyal to one or a sampler of all, the Epic Pass is the best deal on skiing and riding in Lake Tahoe and beyond, and Dec. 4 is the last chance to lock in a pass this season.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort Opening Day
On Friday Dec. 5 at Kirkwood, lifts will start spinning for the season at 9 AM with access to skiing and riding from Chair 5 and the tow rope.
“Opening Day is one of those moments that truly highlights what makes Kirkwood so special,” said Ricky Newberry, Vice President & General Manager of Kirkwood Mountain Resort. “We’re deeply grateful for our employees whose dedication makes everything possible, and for our Kirkwood community that brings the energy to this valley year after year. We’re excited to kick off another incredible season and continue delivering the skiing and riding experience Kirkwood is known for.”
Northstar California Resort Opening Day
At Northstar, the team has been working around the clock, taking advantage of every weather window to make snow and get ready to open this season. This Saturday, Dec. 6, will officially mark the start of skiing and riding at the resort, with lifts opening at 9 AM. Mountain access will be available via the Big Springs Gondola, with skiing and riding off Vista Express.
“While it’s taken us a little more time to get things started this season, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome guests back to snow and kick off another magical winter season at Northstar,” said Tara Schoedinger, Vice President and General Manager of Northstar. “From traditions like getting in the first turns of the season on mountain to celebrating with loved ones in the village with S’Mores, shopping, dining, and après, we can’t wait to share these moments and make memories with our employees and guests this winter season.”
In addition to skiing and riding, guests can enjoy Northstar’s winter wonderland and head to the Village, where a festive ice rink, coffee at VOUS, and shopping offer something for the whole family. Cap off the day with live music, a signature drink from the Rink Bar, and s’mores around the fire to toast the season’s start.
Starting this weekend, Kirkwood and Northstar will now be open daily for skiing and riding, joining Heavenly. All three Tahoe resorts will continue to make snow at every opportunity to work towards expanding terrain and lift offerings throughout the early season.
There is a lot to look forward to this winter season across Lake Tahoe.
Kirkwood: Old School, No Frills, All Fun
With deep freeride roots and a tight-knit community, Kirkwood delivers an authentic, no-frills ski and ride experience where the focus is always on the mountain. Skiers and riders flock here for the exceptional snow, reliable operations, and terrain that invites exploration at every turn. For those who value adventure over luxury and quiet over the hustle of Tahoe or the Bay, Kirkwood is a hidden gem that keeps skiers and riders returning year after year. With uncrowded slopes and minimal lift lines, every day offers the chance to lap the chairs from bell to bell. Simple, straightforward, and endlessly fun—this is Kirkwood at its best. No frills. All of the fun.
Northstar Winter Traditions
From traditions as classic as your first time on skis or grabbing first chair on a powder day, to those that celebrate (Tōst) or make life a little sweeter (S’Mores in the village), Northstar is the place where moments become memories and winter magic comes to life on the mountain and in the village. With diverse and approachable terrain for skiing and riding, ice skating and shopping in the village, and a variety of culinary experiences for every taste, step inside the snow globe that is Northstar for an idyllic winter resort escape in Lake Tahoe.
Heavenly’s 70 & High-Energy Events Lineup
This season, Heavenly is dialing the vibes way up for its 70th anniversary. With panoramic views everywhere you turn, and après opportunities galore both on the mountain and in South Lake Tahoe, round up your crew because every day is a chance to make your ski trip dreams a reality. Kick things off with Heavenly’s 70th Anniversary party on Dec. 20 and throw it back through the decades. From there, send it into the season in style with a lineup of buzzworthy events including, Toyota Air and Après, Brews and Views, Pond Skim, Gunbarrel 25, and live music and DJ sets featuring Foster the People, Vandelux, Dombresky, SkiiTour, and more this season. High-energy events, jaw-dropping views, one of the best ski towns in the world. Stop dreaming, start booking. This is Heavenly.
Make Your Trip to Tahoe EPIC – Last Chance to get an Epic Pass is Dec. 4
Dec. 4 is the last chance to lock in your Epic Pass before they go off sale for this season. Epic Pass unlocks access to Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe, plus some of the best mountain resorts in the world like Whistler Blackcomb, Vail Mountain, Breckenridge and more. With a variety of season-long and 1-7 Day Pass options available, Epic Pass offers the best value on skiing and riding in Tahoe and beyond. Epic Pass Holders also get the best benefits including 20% off on-mountain food and beverage, lodging, group ski and ride school lessons, equipment rentals and more with Epic Mountain Rewards. Plus, with new Epic Friends Tickets, it’s easier than ever for season-long Epic Pass Holders to share the joy of the mountains with 50% off lift tickets for friends and family. Plus, what they pay can be applied as credit toward a 2026-27 Epic Pass, turning this year’s gift into next year’s adventure. Rally your crew to Tahoe this winter and make it Epic. Learn more about Pass options and benefits at www.epicpass.com before they go off sale.
Stay Connected
With the My Epic app, your phone is now your access to the slopes with Mobile Pass and Lift Ticket technology. In addition, the app also provides alerts and real-time information, lift line status, interactive trail maps, and more.
This time of year always brings me back to a simple truth: safety and healing are community work. No one gets through violence alone, and no one rebuilds alone. We see that every day at Vista Rise Collective, formerly Live Violence Free. Safety isn’t just a personal issue; it’s something that shapes the well-being of the entire region. When survivors are safe, housed, and supported, the whole community becomes stronger.
This has been a year of transformation for our organization, powered by the people who call this place home. Our new name reflects what Tahoe has always understood: safety and healing are collective work. Vista is the moment of clarity when someone sees a path out of crisis. Rise is the process of reclaiming stability and healing. And Collective is the heart of it, because safety and long-term stability take all of us. This work has never belonged to one organization; it has always belonged to the community.
The need is unmistakable. This year, Vista Rise supported more than 6,000 community members. We answered 1,263 crisis calls, provided 1,895 therapy sessions, reached 2,359 young people with prevention education, and safely housed 151 survivors and children. These numbers tell one story: violence is preventable, healing is possible, and strong communities don’t leave survivors to do this alone.
Why Survivor Safety Matters to Everyone
When a survivor finds safety, the impact ripples outward. Neighborhoods stabilize. Children stay in school. Families remain housed. Employers retain workers. Law enforcement responds to fewer emergencies. Healthcare systems face fewer trauma-related crises. The cost of violence – financial, emotional, and generational – is enormous. But safety not only changes everything – it transforms.
Every emergency hotel night prevents another family from becoming unhoused. Every therapy session interrupts long-term trauma. Every youth prevention class disrupts the cycle before it starts.
This isn’t just crisis response, it’s community building.
How the Community Can Help Right Now
As we enter this giving season, a time when Tahoe consistently shows its kindness and shows up for one another, there are many ways to support survivors and families:
1. Give on Giving Tuesday – Help Us Raise $15,000
Giving Tuesday, the national day of generosity following Thanksgiving, is one of the most impactful giving moments of the year. Vista Rise aims to raise $15,000 to support crisis intervention and prevention. Every dollar directly strengthens community safety, from emergency hotel nights and grocery gift cards to youth prevention education and therapy.
2. Support Our Gift-A-Holiday Program
This year, we received a record 170 holiday wish lists from survivors and their children. Community members can choose an ornament, fulfill a wish list item or donate gift cards. It’s one of the most meaningful ways to make a difficult season feel a little lighter.
3. Make an End-of-Year Gift
Year-end giving keeps therapy accessible, funds 24/7 crisis response, supports safe housing options, and strengthens youth prevention programming. Community members can give through one-time or recurring gifts, employer matches, tribute donations, or non-cash assets such as donor-advised funds, vehicles, stocks, or property. Every contribution matters.
4. Volunteer Your Time
For many people, giving looks like showing up. Volunteers help with events, outreach, and program support during high-volume periods like Gift-A-Holiday. Your time directly strengthens safety and healing for local families.
A Safer Community Is a Stronger Community
For nearly fifty years, this community has stood with us. We’ve never been just an organization; we’ve been a community movement. We are deeply grateful for every neighbor, survivor, educator, business partner, donor, and volunteer who has moved this work forward.
As we enter the giving season, I’m asking our community to rise with us again. Violence doesn’t happen in isolation, and the solutions don’t either. When one person finds their vista – that moment of clarity and hope – the entire region rises with them.
Our vision is simple: a community where healing is possible, violence is preventable, and every person has a path to stability and a thriving future. Your support doesn’t just change a life, it strengthens the fabric of South Lake Tahoe community.
Join us. Learn more or support the work at vistarise.org
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The South Lake Tahoe Police Department announced that it has received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support its ongoing enforcement and education programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on our roads. The grant program runs through September 2026.
“We are grateful to receive this grant, which will strengthen our traffic enforcement efforts and improve road safety,” South Lake Tahoe Police Sergeant Johnny Spaeth said. “Through a combination of education and enforcement efforts, our goal is to reduce dangerous driving behaviors, prevent crashes, and make our roads safer for everyone.”
The grant will provide additional programs and resources, including:
DUI checkpoints and patrols focused on stopping suspected impaired drivers.
High visibility distracted driving enforcement operations targeting drivers in violation of California’s hands-free cell phone law.
Enforcement operations focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk.
Enforcement operations focused on top violations that cause crashes: speeding, failure to yield, stop sign and/or red-light running, and improper turning or lane changes.
Community presentations on traffic safety issues such as distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Collaborative enforcement efforts with neighboring agencies.
Officer training and/or recertification: Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).
“Through focused traffic enforcement and education, we’re working toward a future where everyone will be safe on California roads,” OTS Director Stephanie Dougherty said. “By encouraging people to prioritize safety in their daily choices, we are creating a strong road safety culture together.”
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A fundraiser has been started to support Trent Arnold and his family after his wife’s recent death. Funds are at 86% of the goal at the time of this article’s publication.
On November 26, Cassidy Arnold died after experiencing complications from an emergency C-section. She served as the daycare manager at Heavenly Mountain Resort and previously worked at the Lake Tahoe Community College Child Development Center.
Cassidy was a supporter of childcare opportunities within the Tahoe area and was known to push for free childcare options for those who worked at Heavenly.
Trent worked at Heavenly and works as a dealer in the casinos at Stateline. He is now navigating medical bills, funeral expenses and raising his newborn and four-year-old son.
The fundraiser is being organized by his sister, Aimie Pieper, who said that the donations will help with funeral expenses, medical bills, rent and any other expenses that he incurred.
Currently, $60,117 has been raised of the $70,000 asked, with the largest donation being $1,500.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – Are you ready to experience the magic of cinema at Lake Tahoe? Great films are meant to be seen on the big screen — with a crowd that laughs, gasps, and applauds together. The 11th Tahoe Film Fest returns December 4-7, 2025, with screenings at Incline Village Cinema, Village Cinemas at Northstar, and the Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room.
This year’s lineup is nothing short of spectacular. JAY KELLY, starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler, first premiered at Venice Film Festival earlier this year and will be our opening night film. The festival closes with DEAD MEN WALKING: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY, the third installment in the Knives Out series, featuring Daniel Craig, Glenn Close, and Jeremy Renner.
Other major highlights include: IS THIS THING ON?, directed by and starring Bradley Cooper, alongside Will Arnett and Laura Dern. SONG SUNG BLUE, a musical drama starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson and WICKED: FOR GOOD, another dazzling journey through the Land of Oz.
International cinema also takes center stage with several submissions for the 2026 Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film with SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Norway), IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT (France), SIRAT (Spain) and THE SECRET AGENT (Brazil).
Of course, no Tahoe festival would be complete without a world-class ski film. This year, Teton Gravity Research presents its 30th annual film, PRESSURE DROP. The lineup also features NOBU, a new documentary about chef Nobu Matsuhisa, inspired by the buzz around a possible Nobu restaurant at Lake Tahoe. Incline High School graduate Jennifer Tiexiera returns home with two acclaimed new documentaries — REBBECA and SPEAK.
Also screening are Jimmy Chin’s LOVE + WAR (National Geographic) and Tasha Van Zandt’s A LIFE ILLUMINATED, both festival favorites. Rounding out the program, the festival honors Indigenous voices with four powerful films: REMAINING NATIVE, FREE LEONARD PELTIER, COURAGE, and YANUNI (produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and the closing film of the Tribeca Film Festival).
The Tahoe Film Fest proudly thanks its founding partners: Travel North Tahoe Nevada, North Tahoe Community Alliance, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Film Placer County, Crystal Bay Casino, Northstar California and the Sierra Sun. Individual tickets and festival passes are available online at tahoefilmfest.com, or at theater box offices on the day of each screening.
CRYSTAL BAY, Nev. – A timeless lakeside retreat fusing old-world design with modern mountain living will sell at auction via Concierge Auctions. ‘Legacy Lakeview Estate’, located along 16 and 20 Calaneva Drive in Crystal Bay, Nevada, blends European craftsmanship with Lake Tahoe’s natural beauty.
Listed at $18.25 million, the estate is offered in cooperation with Jean Merkelbach of Lake Tahoe Real Estate. Bidding is set to open December 4, 2025 via the firm’s online marketplace, conciergeauctions.com, and will culminate on December 18, 2025 as part of the Concierge Auctions’ End-of-Year Global Sale. Curating the very best-in-class, the final live auction event of the year will take place at the Pendry West Manhattan in New York City, featuring a selection of luxury offerings from all brokerage brands.
Built in 1952 and planned over 14 years, ‘Legacy Lakeview Estate’ is a rare collaboration between architect Brad Puttman and landscape architects Cornell, Bridgers and Troller of Los Angeles, blending European alpine craftsmanship with the raw natural beauty of the mountainous Crystal Bay. Comprising two parcels and four buildings—including the main residence at 20 Cal Neva Drive and three alpine guest cottages at 16 Cal Neva Drive—the property spans .894+ acres and offers over 9,877 square feet with nine bedrooms and 10 full bathrooms.
“‘Legacy Lakeview Estate’ is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a property that captures both the romance of a European chalet and the majesty of Lake Tahoe,” said Bob Buttaro, VP of Business Development. “Our auctions are tailored for properties that combine architectural pedigree and unmatched setting to reach the most discerning global buyers.”
The main residence opens to sweeping panoramas of the cobalt blue waters and distant mountains beyond. Inside, a wall of glass floods the central living area with light, framed by wood beams salvaged from California’s first sawmill in Sacramento. A travertine fireplace, antique Tole chandelier and cabinetry of backlit antique stained glass create an atmosphere of timeless European sophistication. The home’s design invites both grand entertaining and tranquil retreat, anchored by its harmonious connection to the surrounding alpine landscape.
20 Calneva Drive Provided / Engel & Völkers Lake Tahoe
20 Calneva Drive Provided / Engel & Völkers Lake Tahoe
20 Calneva Drive Provided / Engel & Völkers Lake Tahoe
20 Calneva Drive Provided / Engel & Völkers Lake Tahoe
20 Calneva Drive Provided / Engel & Völkers Lake Tahoe
Three separate alpine guest cottages complete the compound, offering additional sleeping accommodations and private quarters for guests. Outside, terraced slopes feature indigenous plantings, boulders and tiled walkways, with every vantage point capturing the lake’s serene beauty. A gated entrance and handcrafted rock wall offer both total privacy and security, ensuring the estate remains a true lakeside sanctuary.
“The quality, privacy and sense of place make this property one of the most unique offerings in the area,” said listing agent Jean Merkelbach. “It’s rare to find a property that feels both timeless and completely at home in its surroundings, and we’re thrilled to bring it to the market with Concierge Auctions.”
As part of Concierge Auctions’ Key For Key® giving program in partnership with Giveback Homes, the closing will result in funding towards new homes built for families in need.
Agents will be compensated according to the terms and conditions of the Listing Agreement. See Auction Terms and Conditions for full details.
For more information, including property details, diligence documents, and more, visit ConciergeAuctions.com or call +1.212.202.2940.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe is hosting its 4th Annual Holiday Sausage Party to support Tahoe kids. This family-friendly event will take place at Sidellis Brewery on Sunday, December 7, 2026 from 4-9 p.m.
“Chris and the Sidellis team have been amazing in supporting our Club by hosting this event for the past four years,” said Aimi Xistra, director of development at the Club. “It’s so much fun for everyone and an easy way to support our community’s youth.”
Sidellis will serve delicious sausages with mustard and beer cheese on a pretzel bun for $10. For every sausage sold they will donate $2 back to our Club. You can choose from five types of sausages: bratwurst, hot links, polish, chicken and vegan. BGCLT will also be celebrating with Happy Hour beers all night long and for each one purchased $2 will be donated.
In addition to the amazing food options, they will also be hosting a huge raffle. Tickets are $5 each, or 5 for $20. This year we will be raffling a Sierra at Tahoe Junior Season Pass, Heavenly Life Tickets, winter gear, lessons, rentals, and tons of other prizes. If you are a member of the Sidellis Mug Club you will receive one complimentary raffle ticket for supporting.
For more information about the impacts of the Club or how to help support the youth of South Tahoe, visit bgclt.org.
RENO, Nev. – Sky Tavern announces the launch of its holiday fundraising campaign, It’s NOT a Dream, supporting its youth scholarship fund. The organization also formally announces Chris “Toph” Brown as its CEO/Executive Director, reinforcing a renewed commitment to access, affordability, and community-led recreation.
For more than 70 years, Sky Tavern has offered thousands of youth the chance to learn to ski, ride, and develop outdoor skills at a fraction of the true cost. The actual cost for a winter program participant exceeds $1,000 per season, yet families pay only a small portion—and many pay nothing at all. Every child at Sky Tavern receives some level of scholarship, made possible entirely through donor support, community involvement, and volunteerism.
“We scholarship everyone at some level based on the support we receive,” said Brown. “Many families pay reduced costs, and depending on circumstances, some pay nothing at all. As a father and someone who has worked in the ski industry for years, I know how expensive skiing has become. Watching families access this sport because the community chooses to support them—that hits my heart.”
Brown, who has served in leadership roles at western mountain resorts, said his commitment to Sky Tavern stems from the culture that makes it unlike any other ski program in the country.
“When I first came to Sky Tavern nearly two years ago, what sold me wasn’t the mountain— it was the people, the families showing up, the volunteers teaching lessons, and the shared belief that every kid should have access to winter recreation,” Brown said. “My goal is not to change what makes Sky Tavern special, but to lean into what’s already been built.”
“Toph has already proven his ability to lead with clarity, discipline, and a deep commitment to our mission,” said Board Chairman Yale Spina. “Elevating Toph to CEO and Executive Director reflects both his performance and the trust he has earned across the organization. His understanding of the complexity of operating a mountain alongside one of the region’s longest-standing nonprofits makes him the right leader at the right moment for Sky Tavern’s future.”
The “It’s NOT a Dream” campaign is a call to the community to ensure skiing and snowboarding remain accessible in a time of escalating participation costs nationwide.
Donations directly support operational costs, programming, and instruction so children can experience the outdoors— not just imagine it.
“Sky Tavern is the most affordable, dedicated, and community-powered program in this region. If you want to help, spread the word, donate, or bring someone new. That support is how we make dreams become reality,” said Brown.
How to Support “It’s NOT a Dream”
Donations of any size make an immediate difference and help remove the barrier to outdoor recreation for all. To give or learn more, visit www.skytavern.org.
Sky Tavern is a 510c3 sports recreation organization located in Reno, NV, with a mission to provide Outdoor Recreation for All. Season passes are on sale now for the marquee Family First Learn to Ski & Ride program.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – The Tahoe region offers some of the best winter outdoor recreation in the world, but parking availability, snow removal, and limited trailheads often make the backcountry difficult to access. To help the Tahoe Backcountry Alliance tackle these issues, the Tahoe Fund is launching a new $10k matching challenge to the community.
The first 100 people to donate $35 or more by December 31, 2025 will unlock a $10,000 gift to Tahoe Backcountry Alliance (TBA) in celebration of their 10th anniversary. Donors to the challenge will also receive a TBA membership that corresponds to their gift level. Membership tiers are $35, $150, or $500, and include the following benefits:
Every TBA member will receive a 3-month free trial with onX with 20% off an onX annual membership if continued
Everyone at the $150+ level will receive an exclusive Flylow x TBA collab hat
Core members at the $500+ level receive TBA glass tumblers, a hat and beanie
“The Tahoe Backcountry Alliance does a phenomenal job helping people safely recreate outdoors, especially during the winter months,” said Verdi DiSesa, Tahoe Fund Board Chair. “We want to help make their job even easier. When people donate to help meet the $10,000 match for this fundraising campaign, they’re contributing to an effort that will help improve backcountry access for all.”
As part of their mission, TBA also offers cross-country ski and snowshoe experiences as part of the Washoe Tribe’s Youth Expedition Program, and provides opportunities to borrow sno-park passes and gear for free at libraries throughout El Dorado, Placer and Nevada Counties.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Tahoe Fund for championing our work and investing in preserving and increasing access to human powered backcountry access for everyone,” said Anthony Cupaiuolo, Tahoe Backcountry Alliance Executive Director. “This matching campaign will make a meaningful impact and support the growing community of winter backcountry users.”
TAHOE BASIN, Calif./Nev. — Tahoe’s early-season snow outlook is off to a disappointing start, with no measurable snowfall in the past 10 days — and no relief expected for at least another 10. As of Monday morning, nearly every forecast model shows dry weather through at least Friday, Dec. 12.
Still, ski areas are making the most of what they can.
Snowmaking takes center stage
“The good news is that temperatures dropped just enough overnight that it is near to below freezing from top to bottom for most mountains,” said OpenSnow forecaster Bryan Allegretto. “Looking around the lake at ski area cams, it looks like they are blasting away, trying to make as much snow as possible.”
With natural snowfall off the table, snowmaking remains the region’s best hope for fresh coverage. Allegretto notes that snowmaking conditions will be marginal early in the week, briefly favorable midweek, and then unfavorable again by the weekend as milder Pacific air moves in.
By Thursday, the region warms again, with highs returning to the 40s and nearing 50 degrees at lower elevations through the weekend. Skies are expected to remain partly to mostly sunny throughout the week.
Those warmer temperatures may persist into next week — even overnight — delaying any meaningful cooldown until closer to mid-month.
“Hopefully, by midweek, the ski areas that aren’t open yet can make enough snow to open by the end of the week, as they are hoping to,” said Allegretto. “But we need natural snow and a lot of it.”
Long-range outlook: The “Fantasy Range”
Beyond Dec. 12, models hint at the possibility of storms arriving closer to mid-month. But Allegretto cautions that anything more than 10 days out falls into what meteorologists call the “Fantasy Range” — a period where models lose reliability and trends become speculative.
There is at least a sliver of optimism: the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), a large-scale tropical pattern that can influence storm tracks, may shift into a more active phase during the second half of December, potentially helping steer storms farther south toward the Sierra.
For now, Tahoe is in what appears to be a three-week dry spell that started around Nov. 22.
2. Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board review, receive, and file the annual financial report required under the Mitigation Fee Act for Fiscal Year 2024-25 for the following Special Districts: Cameron Park Community Services District (Fire Protection), Cameron Park Community Services District (Parks and Recreation), Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire Protection District, El Dorado County Fire Protection District, El Dorado Hills Community Services District, El Dorado Hills County Water District (El Dorado Hills Fire), Garden Valley Fire Protection District, Georgetown Divide Recreation District, Georgetown Fire Protection District, Lake Valley Fire Protection District, Mosquito Fire Protection District, Pioneer Fire Protection District, Rescue Fire Protection District.
14. Department of Transportation recommending the Board Approve the Final Passage (Second Reading) of Ordinance 5249 amending County Ordinance code Section 10.12.180, Parking, Snow Removal – Interference Prohibited and Section 10.12.184 Parking, Snow Removal – Interference Prohibited Lake Tahoe Basin Watershed Area.
15. Department of Transportation recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 173-2025 establishing a weight restriction on Lake Tahoe Boulevard and North Upper Truckee Road.
17. Planning and Building Department, Tahoe Planning and Building Division, recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign a non-financial Right of Entry Agreement between Lake Valley Fire Protection District, City of South Lake Tahoe, and the County of El Dorado for the provision of a community fire hazard reduction project on 71 County-owned parcels within the Lake Tahoe Basin, with a term to expire on November 30, 2027; and
2) Authorize the Planning and Building Department Director, or designee, to execute future, non-financial, Fuel Hazard Reduction Project Agreements with public agencies within the Tahoe Basin, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
23. Sheriff’s Office recommending the Board:
1) Make findings that it is appropriate to engage an independent contractor to provide food services at both the Placerville and South Lake Tahoe Jails, as Agreement 9868 can be more economically and feasibly performed by independent contractors than County employees in accordance with County ordinance code 3.13.030(a);
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign competitively procured Agreement 9868 with Summit Food Services, LLC for a term of three years beginning December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2028, with two one-year options to extend, for a total possible term of five years through November 30, 2030, in the amount of $3,000,000 for the initial term, contingent upon Human Resources approval; and
3) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments to Agreement 9868, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreement.
The Tahoe Transportation District will be holding a meeting Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. The meeting can be attended in person at 128 Market St., Stateline, Nev. or remotely.
VI. TAHOE TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT (TTD) BUSINESS ITEMS
A. For Possible Action: Review and Acceptance of TTD’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 Financial Report
B. For Possible Action: Informational Update Regarding 771 Southwood Boulevard, Incline Village, NV Property and Provide Direction.
The Douglas County Commission will be meeting on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. at 1616 Eighth St. Minden, NV. The meeting can be viewed at https://youtu.be/lEtF3lNdW7k.
Consent
B. For possible action. Discussion on a ten-year lease agreement between Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and Douglas County for the lease of Douglas County property APN #1318-03-000-007 located at 885 S Highway 50, Zephyr Cove, Nevada 89448.
Community Development
11.1 ITEM WILL NOT BE HEARD BEFORE 10:30 A.M.For possible action. Discussion to (1) Adopt Resolution 2025R-102, creating the Stormwater Enterprise Fund, effective Dec 20, 2025; (2) authorize the creation of a stormwater utility for regional stormwater infrastructure, including a proposal for an equitable county-wide fee structure; and (3) request a future agenda item reallocating the stormwater program’s annual general fund transfer to roads.
11.2 For possible action. Discussion on a $128,316.00 contract with Financial Consulting Solutions Group, Inc. dba FCS, a Bowman Company, for professional services related to the formation of the Douglas County Stormwater Utility and an equitable rate revenue analysis, and authorize the County Manager to sign contract amendments up to 5% of the original contract amount.
11.5 For possible action. Discussion on the adoption of Ordinance 2025-1655, an ordinance amending Chapter 20.622 of the Douglas County Code, the Tahoe Vacation Home Rental (“VHR”) Ordinance. Affected properties are those within the Tahoe Basin. Second Reading.
The South Tahoe Public Utility District is meeting Thursday, Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. at 1275 Meadow Crest Drive, South Lake Tahoe.
6. ITEMS FOR BOARD ACTION
a. Public Health Goals Report. Hold a Public Hearing at 2:01 p.m. to receive public comments regarding the 2025 Public Health Goals Report.
b. 2025 Asphalt Patching and Trench Paving Services Contract. 1) Approve Change Order No. 3 in the amount of $158,750 to Alcorn General Engineering; and 2) Authorize General Manager to execute Change Order No. 3.
c. Sewer Force Main Hydraulic Analysis and Air Release Valve Assessment. (1) Approve the proposed Scope of Work by Schaaf and Wheeler for Force main Hydraulic Analysis and Air Release Valve Assessment; and (2) Authorize the General Manager to execute Task Order No. 1 with Schaaf and Wheeler in the amount of $254,133.
d. Relinquishment of Unused Legacy Water Rights. Adopt Resolution No. 3324-25, revoking six unused water rights on file with the State Water Resources Control Board.
e. Bijou 1 Waterline Replacement Project. 1) Approve Change Order No. 2 to Vinciguerra Construction, Inc. in the amount of $300,100; and 2) Authorize the General Manager to execute Change Order No. 2.
f. 2026-2027 Sewer Line Spot Repair and Lateral Abandonment Services. 1) Reject all bids received for 2026-2027 Sewer Line Spot Repair and Lateral Abandonment Services; and 2) Authorize staff to revise the bid documents as needed to re-advertise the Project.
g. Resolutions to Submit Application for Wildwood and Gardner Mountain Water System Improvements Project Loan from State Water Resources Control Board Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. Adopt Resolution Nos. 3322-25 and 3323-25 to apply for a State Water Resources Control Board Drinking Water State Revolving Loan in an amount not to exceed $16,500,000 for the Wildwood and Gardner Mountain Water System Improvements Project.
Even though 2025 is almost behind us, there is still time to slow down and take it all in here in the Sierra Nevada mountains. With rockin’ concerts, scenic trails, and local ski areas open, there’s no better place to enjoy the holidays than December at Lake Tahoe.
1. Light Up Some Smiles in the Heavenly Village
Christmas Tree in Heavenly Village
The 65-foot tall Christmas tree in the Heavenly Village will light up Tahoe’s south shore every day at 5:30 pm. With a smorgasbord of restaurants and shops nearby, you and your family will surely find something special to bring home, or something delicious for supper.
A skier at Heavenly Mountain Resort | Photo: @polevaulterchar.
Heavenly Mountain Resort is scheduled to open on Friday, November 21, 2025. Kirkwood Mountain Resort is scheduled to open Friday, December 5, 2025, and Sierra-at-Tahoe, recently added to the Ikon pass, is scheduled to open Friday, November 28, 2025. Storms permitting, December will be a lovely time to come for snow!
The Loft, located next to the ice rink in Heavenly Village
Magic Fusion is a perfect blend of intimate magic and comedy that the whole family can enjoy. Eat dinner, watch a show, and enjoy world-class magicians from around the world. Visiting on a budget? Buy one adult ticket and get one children’s ticket for free on Sundays at 4:30 pm.
Looking for an unforgettable magic experience? Magic After Dark is an irresistible window into the edgy, sophisticated, and sometimes sick mind of award-winning magician-comedian, Robert Hall. This 75-85 minute journey of unique magic, hilarious comedy, and adult mind games is reserved for everyone 18 and up.
5. Meet Your Favorite Characters
Heavenly Holidays; meet your favorite characters in the Village
Take photos with your favorite characters from Mario & Luigi, Mini & Mickey, and more! You might catch a few characters on skates at the ice rink, with more roaming the Heavenly Village to meet you. This event runs from 2:00 to 5:00 pm every Saturday in December and runs daily from December 26 through 30.
6. Take a Ride Around the Ferris Wheel in the Heavenly Village
Ferris Wheel in Heavenly Village
Enjoy spectacular views of the most wonderful time of the year high up in the mountains on the Giant Ferris wheel at the base of the Heavenly Gondola from December 26 through 31. The photo opportunities can only be matched by the memories. Admission is only $5 per person.
7. Find Yourself on Santa’s “Nice List” Over Breakfast
Breakfast with Santa
If you’re worried that all you are getting for Christmas this year is a lump of coal, there is still time to smooth things over with the big guy in red over a hearty breakfast at Fire and Ice Restaurant.
Fireworks and Gondola Drop at the Heavenly Holidays event | Photo: Considine Media
Enjoy a rockin’ New Year’s Eve lineup from 2:00 pm – 9:30 pm at Heavenly Resort, with a range of acts to be announced. Don’t miss the gondola ball drop and fireworks!
This December 12 & 13, enjoy this free market-style event with live music, light displays, hot drinks and food, Santa’s house, winter carriage rides, local vendors, and more at the Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum. Come from 4:00 to 8:00, and in the spirit of holiday giving, bring a new unwrapped toy to drop at the Toys for Tots booth. This free event will be held at the museum parking lot at 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd.
10. Peek Nightclub inside Harrah’s Lake Tahoe
If you’re looking for a late night, loud music, and a lovely club atmosphere, you should head to Peek Nightclub inside Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. Open on Friday and Saturday nights, this is the place to go when it’s late, and you simply need to dance it all out. VIP tables are available for whichever special event you have in mind.
Bonus: Lovely Weather for a Sleigh Ride
Sleigh Ride in South Lake Tahoe – Jamie Kingham / Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
Embark on a nostalgic sleigh ride in the snow as the jingling of bells fills the air. Sleigh rides through the alpine scenery are truly unforgettable, with powerful draft horses pulling ornately decorated sleighs through snow-covered fields and past pine-filled forests near Lake Tahoe.
About 30 years ago, I came here from Australia on a ski instructor exchange. I still remember flying over the lake after the season wrapped up and knowing deep in my heart I’d be back.
And come back I did.
I married Ben, who I met teaching skiing in Australia, and together we raised two amazing, outdoors-loving kids in Kings Beach. I’ve worked countless jobs to afford the dream, spent 20 years behind the camera as a professional photographer, and taught skiing at Alpine Meadows through last winter. I guess I can finally claim local.
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Rainbow over Tahoe from Tahoe Vista, photo by Danielle Hankinson.
Danielle shredding the goods at Alpine Meadows, photo by Randy Salzman.
Sunset at Middle Velma Lake, photo by Danielle Hankinson.
Danielle and her husband, Ben,
on a hike.
Surfing in Kings Beach, photo by Nina Miller
Recently, I checked off a long-time goal: surfing Lake Tahoe. It was freezing, wild, and a little insane, but that’s who we are. We love a challenge, especially when nature’s in charge.
Now it’s time for a new adventure — we’re moving to New Zealand. What I’m taking with me from Tahoe is simple:
Live fully. Play hard. Age is irrelevant. And doing crazy things keeps you alive.
There’s a professional sports team in the Tahoe Basin. They play “AA” minor league hockey down in South Lake. They’re called the Knight Monsters and they’re damn good.
Heading down to opening night on a Friday back in October was a true Get Out & Go experience. I was driving through Cave Rock and arriving at Stateline’s Tahoe Blue Events Center before I could say “Alexander Ovechkin scores again” five times fast.
Parking wasn’t bad, and I soon found myself amid a sea of teal-clad fans as we converged upon the arena like some sort of hydra-headed Tahoe Tessie, people erupting out of the restaurants and casinos, the home-team hoots and hollers bellowing louder with each step.
Walking into the stadium the buzz grew, the excitement, the vibe, that hum of humanity you feel at big events as tangible as a powder turn. You know it when you’re in it, and a Knight Monsters game has it.
You grab a dog and a drink and you take your seat, looking around at the 4,200-person capacity arena to realize there’s not a bad seat in the house, everyone in the stands so close to the action that you’re all part of the action.
FACE-OFF: The action on the ice is up close and personal. Photos by Mike Montalbano
The lights dim and the player introductions ensue, the P.A. announcer’s voice like Michael Buffer and we’re all ready to rumble — the sternum-vibrating sound system and the laser-light show making you think you’re at some $500 concert when your ticket costs less than a tenth of that.
The puck drops, and so ensues the chaotic and gladiatorial symphony on ice that is a pro hockey game. The skating — deft grace and power, extemporaneously choreographed — borders on a Baryshnikov-like dance. The checks into the boards come at you fast and visceral and loud, the hits clanging with way more intensity than anything a football game, with its far-from-the-field seats, is able to offer.
The players jeer, and the players jest. The players fight. There is bad blood and there is good will, and the game skates on. You are in it, the moment, off your living room couch and out of your house, rubbing elbows with other human beings as you cheer for
the home team and talk mess to the refs, together.
FANS IN FRENZY: The crowd stands from their seats to celebrate a Knight Monsters goal.
Then the Knight Monsters score, a one-timer to the back of the net and the teal-clad crowd rises up as one big uproarious being. You smile and high-five the stranger next to you as a chant erupts, and though it’s your first game it’s a chant you’ve somehow always known:
“Let’s! Go! Ta-hoe!!!”
Da-da da-da-da.
“Let’s! Go! Ta-hoe!!!”
The league and a player
The Knight Monsters are in their second season of play in the ECHL — the westernmost team in what used to be called the East Coast Hockey League, but which now goes simply by the acronym to reflect its growing reach. The team is an affiliate of the Las Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL, and being “called up to the big club” is every skater in a teal jersey’s dream. Many players you’ll watch will be in their early 20s, just starting out their pro careers not unlike the Hanson brothers in the classic minor league hockey flick, Slap Shot.
But the Knight Monsters also have, in 36-year-old team captain, Luke Adam, their own Reggie Dunlop, Paul Newman’s character in the film — the aging star playing the game for as long as his body will let him. Adam is now in his 18th year of pro hockey (in addition to four in Canada’s ultra-competitive junior leagues). He was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NHL draft, yet, in all, has played only 90 career games in the NHL, the equivalent of just over one full season in “The Show” during that time.
Then, as the game goes on, you come to see that Adam is truly great at what he does. His skating, his knowledge of the game, his ability to anticipate — to see things that other players simply cannot and do not see — becomes evident.
OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Knight Monsters captain Luke Adam accepts player of the game honors after the home opener.
He scores two goals in the home opener and does a bunch of things that don’t show up on the stat sheet as he leads his team to a 6-3 victory. When called back out onto the ice after the game for being named a player of the game, he cradles his son under one arm, skating around the ice and waving to the crowd with the other.
And while the rest of us hop in our work trucks to go to work, or put on our ties or dress pants to go to work, or stare at our laptop screens to go to work, Luke Adam still gets to put on shoulder pads and skates to go to work — and then show a roaring crowd what grace and power look like, what excellence looks like, when a human being is doing what he is truly meant to be doing.
In many ways, Adam is what minor league hockey is all about. I’d encourage you to get out & go watch him and his fellow Knight Monsters play.
Upcoming home games:
Nov. 20-22
vs. Savannah Ghost Pirates
Nov. 28-30
vs. Tulsa Oilers
Dec. 3, 5, and 6
vs. Rapid City Rush
Visit knightmonstershockey.com for ticket rates and packages, and more details.
Driving south on Schaffer Mill Road in Truckee, navigating between wealthy communities such as Schaffer’s Mill, Martis Camp, and Lahontan, a small offshoot provides access to Hopkins Village, a 50-unit affordable housing project with quite the storied history.
To purchase in the single-road neighborhood, one must fit the buyer requirements: household income at 180% or lower Area Median Income (in 2025, this is $152,190 for one person) and working an average of at least 30 hours a week for an employment site within Tahoe Truckee Unified School District boundaries. The units — three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom half-plexes — currently sell for $615,000 to individuals and market rate to employers looking to house employees. As of press deadline, two units remain for sale.
But the affordability aspect has sputtered since the neighborhood’s completion. The Hopkins Village Homeowners Association faces a $76,582 deficit, and the first residents to move in have seen their HOA dues rise by 146%, from a quarterly $420 in December 2022 to $1,037. This in addition to supplemental tax bills after a delay in parcel reassessment. Now, to shore up a projected operating loss, residents are required to pay a special assessment to the tune of an additional $1,500 per unit by Feb. 1, 2026.
“This [special] assessment is intended to cover,” stated a notice sent to all Hopkins residents in August, “the cost of the California Fair Plan fire insurance for 2025, offset accumulated operating losses, and begin repaying reserve funds that were borrowed over the past two to three years to manage rising operating expenses.”
“I could afford this when I moved in,” a current resident told Moonshine. “My theory was, well, I’ll progressively make more money and maybe the interest rates will go down, or as I pay more off the mortgage, I’m going to be lowering my payments. I felt pretty confident going into it and had no idea all of these other things could come so quick, so expensive. I truly feel for the people who are here with kids on fixed incomes. What are they supposed to do?”
Placer County Tahoe Housing Specialist Tim Cussen said Hopkins Village residents are experiencing the same financial pains others are. “I wish insurance wasn’t so crazy in California,” he continued. “And I certainly feel for them. That is a sharp increase, especially if they were at all borderline comfortable with the cost and then all of a sudden they go up [and residents] had to absorb not only the monthly, but the special assessment … I think all homeowners associations in California, especially in the Basin or in Tahoe in general, Truckee, Placer, Nevada County — they’re all feeling the same crunch.”
A recently released U.S. Census Bureau study found that the average monthly payment for California condo/HOA households in 2024 was $278. Hopkins residents’ monthly payment is $345, plus the $300 special assessment per month from October 2025 through February 2026.
“How do we best prepare people for the total cost of home ownership?” asked Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. “Partly, it’s these unseen costs. Insurance, there’s no cap on it. [Residents] can predict their mortgage, their utility bills are going up, mostly out of their control … but fire insurance … it is incredibly expensive for all of us.”
A NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLETE: All but two of the 50 units in Hopkins Village are filled with local workers. The project, which started in 2003, took quite a bit of effort to cross the finish line nearly 20 years later. “Do I regret it? No,” said developer Dan Fraiman, who considers the project a financial loss. “Because I’m still alive and I have a great family and I learned a ton. It has been an amazing learning lesson and it has been a stepping stone for me in my business and personal careers. I’m here seven years after starting that thing, still learning lessons from it.” Photo by Wade Snider/Moonshine Ink
Hopkins Village’s complex history began when the Martis Camp development was approved back in 2003. On condition of its approval, the Placer County Board of Supervisors required the construction of 50 workforce housing units. Thus, Hopkins Village.
The first 10 units were constructed by the original developer, DMB/Highlands Group, in the early 2000s. But the Great Recession’s impact on market-rate homes stalled further progress, and DMB/Highlands was allowed to let the rest of the project languish.
It wouldn’t be until 2020 that forward progress on the remaining 40 units was made, when DMB/Highlands, Placer County, and local developer Dan Fraiman signed a contract for DMB/Highlands to give Fraiman the Hopkins Village land so he could bring the project across the finish line.
Even that final leg faced hurdles. Fraiman told Moonshine in 2023 the project faced, as reporter Julie Brown wrote, “millions of dollars in losses, much of which stacked up when unavoidable global challenges stymied the construction industry from the outset of the [Covid-19] pandemic: supply-chain delays, skyrocketing prices for materials, truck driver shortages, repairing damaged modular units, and other issues.”
After a back-and-forth with Placer County, the Hopkins Village price per unit for qualifying workforce residents was increased from $550,000 to $615,000.
As a homeowners association in California, Hopkins Village is not explicitly required by statute to maintain financial reserves, though maintenance of such is generally recognized to be a sound practice within the Davis-Sterling Act and other California court decisions. For example, Civil Code § 5550 requires an HOA board to conduct a reserve study to inspect “the accessible areas of the major components that the association is obligated to repair, replace, restore, or maintain.” The reserve funding plan lays out how the HOA expects to fund such components.
I think all homeowners associations in California, especially in the Basin or in Tahoe in general, Truckee, Placer, Nevada County — they’re all feeling the same crunch.”
~ Tim Cussen, Tahoe Housing Specialist, Placer County
Hopkins’ reserve fund balance has dwindled over the past two years, according to the HOA’s 2025 budget, which was shared with Moonshine Ink by a resident. The HOA’s total budgetary forecast for 2025, which includes anticipated dues, reserve fund replenishment, fund losses from previous years, fire insurance, and expenses puts it $76,582 in the hole. With the special assessment being levied, that loss goes down to $1,582.
Some of the largest 2024 expenses, of a total of $156,211, were insurance at $62,750 ($45,000 was budgeted) and snow removal at $37,500 ($30,000 had been budgeted).
The most expensive anticipated 2025 line item is insurance, at $82,500 (a 31% increase from 2024). Other notable expenses: Snow removal at $40,000 (6.6% increase); management at $31,947 (equal to 2024).
Hopkins HOA board members declined to comment.
One major point of consternation over the budget is the claim that the large deficit is due in part to “a previous decision by the builder, who held the majority vote at the time, to not sufficiently increase HOA dues to cover the rising operational costs.” This is an excerpt from a public comment submitted by Hopkins Village resident Andrea Buxton in June (and undersigned by other residents and HOA board members).
Cussen said he has not seen anything to substantiate the claim.
Fraiman stated, “I paid the dues for years. What happened is you didn’t have all the costs. The insurance was less because there weren’t 20 more buildings sitting there, there weren’t 40 more driveways to plow. All the costs were much lower … We started finishing units and then somebody would be like, ‘Oh, I need to get my roof shoveled,’ and the HOA would go shovel the roof … All of a sudden you had a lot of people there who all had needs.”
He also wonders if the HOA reserve was being paid into while Martis Camp owned the property, since Fraiman didn’t acquire the land until 2020.
“I would guess that there’s probably a lot of HOAs that are finding themselves in a pinch where construction costs have gone up. They have not been saving enough money, and now they’re hit with these maintenance costs and they have to do these assessments.”
MBK Chapman, a California-based legal practice of real estate attorneys, noted in a 2026 fact sheet, “Years of underfunded reserves are now colliding with the real costs of repairing roofs, roads, elevators, pools, and façades. More and more associations that failed to save responsibly are resorting to special assessments in the $40,000 [to] $60,000 range per unit.”
“Boards that neglected to save gradually are now resorting to one-time demands that devastate homeowners financially,” another MBK Chapman article stated. The law office added that HOAs in general have raised regular assessment dues as well.
Buxton became a resident of Hopkins Village in August 2024. She considers the fact that she had a down payment from a residence she’d just sold in Tahoe City the only reason she was able to afford to live there in the first place.
Buxton has been vocal about her affordability concerns by making the aforementioned public comment to Placer County, applying for a North Tahoe Community Alliance grant to cover the deficit (which failed), and compiling a letter of support from fellow Hopkins Village residents.
I personally believe people have to hope they can own a piece of this area. You’ll rent for a while; we all did … with the hope you can purchase. I’m committed to solutions that give that hope to that future workforce that they can grow roots here.”
~ Supervisor Cindy Gustafson, Placer County District 5
One solution Buxton suggested was requesting that Placer County take on road maintenance and snow plowing to eliminate about $40,000 from the HOA’s budget. “Why should the low-income housing development have to pay for their own road maintenance and snowplowing when (some) rich neighborhoods don’t do that?” she asked.
Cussen said such a request (which has been made many times by more developments than Hopkins Village) is unlikely, as it would set a precedent. Furthermore, he added, feasibility is an issue: “There aren’t any county-maintained roads anywhere near Hopkins Village … [The closest is] a few miles away … State Route 267 is maintained by the state, and Schaffer Mill Road is a private road maintained privately by, I think, the collective of golf course communities.”
While Placer County created the Hopkins Village condition of approval for the Martis Camp development, the jurisdiction has no connection aside from ensuring the deed restriction is met.
“Placer County is not affiliated with the HOA in any way,” Cussen said. “We don’t have any legal obligation or ability to step in. We are not a property owner there, so we really have no formal affiliation with the homeowners association. We have been asked by the homeowners association to provide funding, which we had explored, but have not provided for fear of the precedent that it sets.”
Sup. Gustafson said she did reach out to residential communities adjacent to Hopkins, asking if they could incorporate the 50-home neighborhood into their snowplow coverage area. “I have not heard back,” she said. “It is certainly something that we could look for partnership from those groups. But if we take care of Hopkins snow removal, what about [the other affordable housing neighborhoods?]”
Multiple workforce housing projects in Truckee/Tahoe function as tax credit projects, such as Coldstream Commons, Kings Beach Housing, and Truckee Artist Lofts — with more on the way.
“All tax credit projects are rentals,” Cussen explained. “You don’t have homeowner’s association dues, per se. But when the jurisdiction is doing for-sale and ownership opportunities for lower income or income-restricted units, they do have kind of a calculation method where the maximum cost of ownership, including the homeowner’s dues, cannot exceed a certain place in relation to that income level.”
Hopkins Village is the only deed-restricted for-sale project in Eastern Placer County.
The Martis Fund provides down-payment assistance to qualified working families in Eastern Placer and the Town of Truckee. Hopkins Village residents can qualify, though the fund did not have a specific amount that’s been dedicated to them. Placer County has its First-Time Homebuyer Loan Program, though applications are not currently being accepted because of a high volume of submissions.
“I personally believe people have to hope they can own a piece of this area,” Gustafson said. “You’ll rent for a while; we all did … with the hope you can purchase. I’m committed to solutions that give that hope to that future workforce that they can grow roots here. [Hopkins Village] may give us ideas of how we ensure they’re adequately prepared … I’m very hopeful because I think these people just bought at a time when the insurance just went off the charts and hopefully it’ll come back down.”
Fraiman was asked in May 2023 if he regretted the project. Then, he said everything was still up in the air as it wasn’t yet completed.
Now, he says: “The chips are still falling. I haven’t actually sold all the units yet with that, and I’m still paying taxes, insurance, water bills, heating bills. I would say I don’t regret the project. For Truckee and a landmark project as one of the first, if not the only for-sale deed restricted project around … I have had people who bought units call me and thank me for such an amazing, affordably-priced house and how thankful they actually are to own a home in Truckee. Imagine that [for the] evil developer.”
Financially, though, Fraiman said the project is a failure.
“The construction cost is more than what we’re selling the units for,” he said. “And now the cost to still carry the [unsold] units. When I started, I thought those things would be sold in two years. … [But] I have six bedrooms, two units, and zero calls on ’em. The insurance is insane for an unoccupied finished unit.”
Further, Fraiman is frustrated by the lack of interest by employers amid an employee housing crisis that’s plagued the Truckee/North Tahoe region for years. He said he’s spoken with Tahoe Forest Health System, the Tahoe Truckee Workforce Housing JPA, Alterra and Vail ski resorts, golf courses, local small businesses, and more.
“I could not get one entity, one business in Truckee to buy one unit,” Fraiman said. “Everyone says, ‘Hey, we need housing for our employees.’ This is why this project is such an enigma for me, as I thought what we were building was something that was in high demand.”
While employer-owned housing in Hopkins Village is allowed to be sold at market rate, Fraiman said he’s willing to offer the $615,000 price to interested parties.
Current Hopkins homeowners can resell their homes at market rate.
“If the bottom falls out and they have to sell for other changes in their life, they can sell for market rate,” Gustafson said, “but we don’t want to see that. We want to keep these people in our community.
You may know it as a go-to in Tahoe/Truckee’s yoga-verse or for its growing music scene, but Mountain Lotus in downtown Truckee is also fast becoming a haven for your next delectably healthy and affordable meal out.
A big step in the metamorphosis happened last June when it brought on Rich Selden, experienced know-your-farmer culinarian/restauranter, as executive chef and director of food and beverage.
A MAN IN HIS ELEMENT: Rich Selden came aboard as Mountain Lotus’s executive chef and director of food and beverage in June. Photos by Wade Snider/Moonshineink.
“With Rich in place, we are ready to become a wellness destination, a true healing-arts studio: mind, body, stomach,” says Alex Rey, Mountain Lotus marketing manager. “We have some great-tasting restaurants in town, but there is something about a homecooked meal. And with the organic ingredients we offer, the nutrition we offer, it really feels like you’re getting a homecooked, nourishing meal at a really good price point.”
In a time when the $30 burger seems to have become the norm at many area restaurants, at The Café, Mountain Lotus’ plant-based, Pacific-Rim-themed restaurant, both versions of its Bahn Mi still ring in at $17. You can get three (damn good) breakfast options for under $13; and the shiitake miso soup, which fills you up more than some $20 meals in these mountains, only runs you 10 bucks.
A life in food
Selden has been entwined in the region’s culinary scene since he started Electric Blue Elephant, his farm-to-table vegan food truck in Incline Village, back in 2011. He eventually moved the operation down to Reno where he then ran two hip-and-healthy restaurants, Café Deluxe on Wells Avenue and The Deluxe at the Biggest Little City’s vegan mecca, West Street Market. For three-plus years before his hiring by Mountain Lotus, Selden was at the Tahoe Food Hub, the renown slow-food market.
But Selden’s experience in, and love for, food goes way farther back than his time out West.
“I come from an Italian and Jewish household in Long Island, and my mom and grandma were always cooking,” he says. “I was exposed to a diverse food culture from a very young age, and we were always going around the city; to Flushing, to Queens, eating amazing Chinese, Japanese, all kinds of ethnic food. That’s when I kind of fell in love with Asian food in general.”
Selden moved to Reno to finish college in 2003 while also being pleasantly introduced to Vietnamese food and unpleasantly introduced to the absence of the mom-and-pop eateries he loved so much in New York.
THE CAFÉ at Mountain Lotus in Truckee is open for breakfast and lunch, serving Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
After graduating, Rich moved to Tahoe to pursue skiing full time and “found an itch to scratch with food.” That’s when he broke into the food truck scene, and his winding culinary path led him straight into the open petals of Mountain Lotus.
He plans on changing The Café’s menu with the seasons, creating apex dishes based on what’s available from the local food shed and paired for the essence of the time of year. Summer’s light and fresh Cali bowl, for instance, has been replaced by fall’s yaki bowl, a hearty serving of teriyaki chicken or tofu, jasmine turmeric rice, shiitake mushrooms, kimchi, persimmons, and sauteed seasonal veggies, including winter squash.
It’ll stick to your ribs and help you take on the cold. Plus, it just tastes really good.
It’s all about who you know and why you do it
One of the great strengths that Selden brings with him to Mountain Lotus is his decade-plus-long relationships with area farmers and producers. Forged from his time in Reno that afforded him the oppprtunity to work intimately with its Great Basin Community Food Co-op; from his experience with the sustainable- and giving-oriented Tahoe Food Hub; and his foremost fervor for finding the finest of naturally farmed foods, Rich’s relationships allow him to buy direct — keeping ingredients organic and fresh, and price points low.
He’ll regularly buy from five to eight different farms each week, ranging into the Grass Valley/Nevada City/Penn Valley and Capay Valley to the west.
FROM THE FARM to the plate to your table; Selden serves up another order of Mountain Lotus’s hand salad.
A husband and a father entrenched in the Tahoe/Truckee community (his wife, Mary McCallam, owns and runs Mountain Song in the herbal medicine sphere, and his son is a student at Tahoe Expedition Academy), Selden takes his ingredients seriously. He explains that, “‘Organic’ has a USDA definition of essentially being food that is produced either without pesticides or with pesticides that are approved by the USDA.”
Rich Selden’s definition of organic goes further than that. “We [Mountain Lotus] serve food that is never touched by pesticides and is completely non-GMO,” he notes. “All of our farmers are vetted by California Organic, certified, or they are utilizing organic procedures that they have communicated and that we have seen firsthand.”
Mountain Lotus’ food is also completely seed-oil free.
Selden discourses on the restaurant industry’s widespread use of seed oils — canola, peanut, soybean, sunflower, et al. — and how, despite their having been touted as “healthy oils” since the ’70s, they are actually heavily refined, produced using a high-chemical extraction process.
That’s why Mountain Lotus uses avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, and, on occasion, animal fats such as tallow or gee in its food preparation. “Our seed-oil-free menu fits the overall athletic and wellness ethos of our mountain community,” Selden says.
As a self-proclaimed “label fanatic,” if there is something the chef may be considering to use in his kitchen but can’t buy directly, Selden will “dive really deeply into that product’s producer to make sure they have transparency and are using whole foods.”
The culinary troubadour also speaks of a sort of philosophic manifesto, one that he encourages diners to take with them wherever they look at a menu: “There is nothing wrong with asking questions about where your food is coming from,” he states. “They [the restaurant] should be able to tell you who their producers are and where their food is coming from.”
Seems like an obvious enough statement, right?
“But the list of restaurants who cannot is long,” Selden laments, his voice singed. “Longer than we think. Most of the time they are buying their food from large food distributers. I think that needs to change in restaurants. I think restaurants need to be operating at a higher level of integrity.”
ALL ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS: Selden’s relationships with area farmers allow him to get the freshest, most organic offerings.
To witness the revolution of integrity in food — how it is procured and how it is prepared — look no further than Mountain Lotus. Take a hot vinyasa class or see the studio’s next Afrolicious or Rambo Party show. And let its natural, from-the-farmer-who-Rich-shook-hands-with-a-day-and-a-half-ago food give your body, your mind, and your soul the fuel it deserves.
The Café at Mountain Lotus is open from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday; elixirs and adult beverages are available in addition to food. Mountain Lotus also offers full-service and bespoke catering through Provisions, its 4×4 food truck. Go to mountainlotusyoga.com/food for menus and more details.
Ever since DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) fired thousands of federal probationary employees without cause in February 2025, I have lived in a state of dread. This was just the opening salvo of actions taken in the name of reducing costs and improving government efficiency that have, instead, created an unprecedented level of chaos, inefficiency, and outright fear among the government workforce.
The motivations are murky, but it doesn’t take a lot of critical thinking to determine that these moves were driven by an astounding lack of knowledge and expertise at the highest levels of government, political retribution, and potential for grifting by those currently in power. Transparency has been non-existent, and the evidence is flimsy for how current efforts to reduce and reorganize our government institutions will lead to improved outcomes.
Since this all began, I have closely followed this assault as it impacts public land management agencies. I worked as a hydrologist for the US Forest Service in the Lake Tahoe Basin for almost 30 years. Through my connections with former colleagues in the Forest Service, I know how extremely damaging the threatening messaging and ongoing chaotic efforts to reduce the government workforce and spending have been to hard-working, highly qualified individuals and to the agency overall.
Because federal employees are prohibited from talking openly, there has been little visible evidence of the destruction that has occurred in our federal land management agencies. But it is there, and the cracks are turning into ravines; we will likely feel the impact for decades. The pipeline of research, planning, and implementation to address fire risk, control invasive species, protect water quality, improve forest health, and maintain recreation infrastructure has been severely compromised. Coupled with workforce reductions are numerous assaults on legislative guardrails like the proposals to rescind the Roadless Rule and the Public Lands Management Act, and budget cuts for critical public land management programs.
Just to be clear, I do not think everything should go back to the way it was before Trump was elected. There is always a need for continuous assessment of government efficiency. During my career, a large-scale reorganization of the Forest Service, including major workforce reductions, occurred under Clinton/Gore, but the process was transparent and civil servants were treated with dignity.
The Trump administration is betting that most people buy into a general assumption that government agencies and employees are inefficient and wasteful. It also knows that most of us have very little knowledge about how specific government agencies work.
During my 30-year career, I worked with colleagues who often performed beyond their pay grade and were passionate about their work and our agency’s mission. From my perspective, this administration is not taking meaningful steps to improve government efficiency; it wants to break it. And it needs to know we are watching.
What terrifies me now is the level of threat I perceive does not seem real to so many. And because of that, not enough people will rise above the overwhelm to take action. But there are things you can do to fight back.
Join one or two advocacy groups that are working for public lands. Sign up to give them a small, automatic monthly donation and then take two minutes to sign and send their form letters when they appear in email messages or social media posts. Better yet, take a couple more minutes to personalize your message to identify a specific place on public lands in Tahoe or elsewhere
that you are concerned about, and why it matters to you and your family.
I have chosen to support Outdoor Alliance and the Natural Resources Defense Council based on my research on their organizational effectiveness, understanding of the issues, and ability to craft timely and on-point messaging.
This administration has embarked on a flood-the-zone strategy for dismantling the infrastructure that manages public lands, which has taken decades to create. It needs to be met with a tsunami of resistance. I hope you will join the wave.
~ Sue Norman lives in Tahoe and currently serves on the Sierra Nevada Alliance Board. She recently published her memoir, RISK, A Life Saved by the River, and is working to help others amplify the power of the written word to protect public lands. Learn more at susannormanauthor.com.
Hyperbaric therapy is Tahoe’s newest health treatment.
Tahoe Hyperbaric, located inside Kensho Wellbeing by Camp 1 fitness in Truckee, has found its niche in Tahoe/Truckee’s growing wellness community. It even caught the attention of a world-class super middleweight boxer, who made a pitstop while visiting the gym.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) makes use of oxygen’s healing capabilities. Although only FDA-approved for a select few diagnoses, Tahoe Forest Health System Chief Medical Officer Brian Evans states that breathing near 100% oxygen (the air we breathe only contains 21%) while in a pressurized hyperbaric chamber increases oxygen delivery throughout the body and can improve wound healing and injured tissues.
PEACE AND SERENITY: Tahoe Hyperbaric patients can relax in the chamber for their 60- to 90-minute sessions, taking a nap, doing work, or even watching a movie. Photos by Wade Wade Snider/Moonshine Ink
Tahoe Hyperbaric owners Michael and Jessica Canon began the business after their own positive experiences using hyperbaric therapy for neck stenosis and Lyme disease. Michael, who didn’t want to use Botox and pharmaceuticals, said he and Jessica turned to naturopathic answers.
“Beneficial outcomes (when used for appropriate indications) include faster wound healing, reduced risk of limb loss for severe diabetic foot ulcers, improved outcomes after certain radiation injuries, and reversal of pressure/embolic injuries,” said Evans.
Though Tahoe Forest does not provide HBOT services, Evans recognized the positive clinical evidence for approved medical uses, such as for treating skin grafts. He further noted that there is limited evidence for non-FDA-approved uses.
The Canons said they felt the positive impacts of HBOT early on in their own treatments, and the lack of HBOT treatments in the Tahoe area encouraged the couple to provide a solution rather than continue driving to Reno.
TAHOE HYPERBARIC’S chamber is a single pod patients sit in for treatment while monitored by an attendant.
“We feel that even though there’s a relatively small number of disease processes that are approved for treatment, we feel there’s a lot of evidence that it helps with a much wider range of health issues,” said Michael.
Being claustrophobic, it helps Michael that the chamber they purchased is roomy enough for a comfortable chair and an ottoman. The chamber also delivers oxygen through a mask rather than filling entirely with the gas, which reduces the risk of sparks. Tahoe Hyperbaric’s chamber generally increases the atmospheric pressure to the equivalent of two of Earth’s atmospheres (2.0 ATA), allowing for greater oxygen absorption in the blood.
“We’ve been doing research on it for a year and it’s amazing how many things it helps,” Michael said. “[The treatment’s] just been kind of guarded and hidden in the background in hospitals for severe burn victims, radiation victims, surgical victims, because it repairs skin really quickly.”
JESSICA AND MICHAEL CANON are the proprietors of Tahoe Hyperbaric. Initially hoping for HBOT therapy closer to where they lived, they decided to expand HBOT treatment to Truckee/Tahoe themselves.
Part of the couple’s hope for Tahoe Hyperbaric is to make the treatment more accessible to the Tahoe community. Michael said that by June, barely four months after opening, they reached 100% occupancy and now plan to expand from their singular chamber.
“We want to be able to give back a little bit and help people out,” Jessica said.
The Canons aim to open their second location in Incline Village in January 2026. Additionally, they’re working to make an ADA accessible chamber, and they don’t bar entry to those who can’t afford it, providing discounted and even free sessions for some.
Joe Miller, a 78-year-old Tahoe Hyperbaric patient, has had multiple traumatic brain injuries throughout this life. He commented that his family seems susceptible to traumatic brain injuries, and was encouraged by his paramedic and firefighter son to try hyperbaric treatment. To prevent further neurological degradation, Joe and his wife committed to HBOT.
“Both of us just feel more lucid,” Miller said. “You feel kind of more aware — I guess just greater level of awareness and greater level of connection to this experience that we call ‘just living moment by moment.’”
The Millers now go to Tahoe Hyperbaric regularly, with plans to complete 30 sessions each over two months. Miller emphasized that it makes sense that hyperbaric treatment works. Having worked developing medical rehabilitation centers, Miller said traumatic brain injury patients generally had to learn to live with their condition. Perhaps things are different now.
Though traumatic brain injuries aren’t FDA-approved for treatment, Tahoe Hyperbaric’s telemedicine consulting doctor, chiropractor Dr. William Buhram, said hyperbaric treatment is great for brain injuries because of its anti-inflammatory nature.
“We’re treating the body for the inflammatory process because the hyperbaric medicine — with going down 2 ATA — has the ability to create an endogenous effect on the body,” Buhram said. “The arteries are able to carry 10, 20 times more red blood cells to every tissue in the body, including the brain.”
Miller said that while the treatment’s functionality is subjective, he believes he and his wife have felt improvements to their brains’ executive function because of their hyperbaric treatment.
His most recent brain injury was sustained on Aug. 2 while riding his bike to Coffeebar on Jibboom Street, where he hit an improbable crack in the road. Though he does not remember the crash, he reportedly went over the handlebars. Miller recounted four severe concussions throughout the years, which left him unconscious or with amnesia, and how he has noticed a difference in his cognitive function.
“It’s now 10 weeks post-injury and we’re now three weeks post-initiation of the HBOT,” he said. “Things simply feel more clear to me.”
All of the patients Moonshine spoke with felt some kind of effect from their treatments, whether it was reduced pain, stronger immune systems, or improved ability to rest. Birgit Johnston, who fractured her tibia in a downhill ski accident, noticed that she was experiencing quicker recoveries after workouts and better sleep after her HBOT treatment. She said her Oura ring (a smart ring used to monitor activity and sleep) also tracked a lower resting heart rate, which she attributes to HBOT.
“It made it easier to get back to doing the activities I love doing — which is great for mental health,” Johnston said. “As you know, we all love being outside in Tahoe!”
While Johnston has now resigned herself to Nordic skiing, another patient, Sean Reagan, dreams of making it to Alaska in the spring. He suffered an injury after taking a ski to the knee last February. He managed to get back out on the slopes at the end of the season, powering through on mostly one leg, but hopes to use his continued treatment to get back to 100% strength and go on the trip up north.
“I felt like I was months ahead on my knee recovery,” Reagan said. “The original diagnosis was, like, six to 12 months before you can get on skis.”
Reagan also considers his sessions a potential preventive measure for dementia. In fact, medical doctors see more clinical evidence for the effects of hyperbaric therapy on dementia and Alzheimer’s.
“Preclinical and small clinical studies have explored HBOT for cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s-type pathology and have shown some promising signals in limited trials,” Evans said. “But the evidence is preliminary.”
He also noted that, while promising, HBOT is currently not a medically accepted treatment for Alzheimer’s. However, Buhram emphasized that hyperbaric treatment is still in its infancy. Even though there haven’t yet been enough clinical trials, that does not mean it doesn’t work. Buhram also spoke of the power of pharmaceutical companies when it comes to diagnoses and treatment. He sees HBOT as an alternative to pharmaceutical treatment, believing it can treat “pretty much everything under the sun.”
“[It’s] been really exciting to say we brought something, we offered it up, people are trying it and it’s actually helping,” Jessica said.
