SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A 36-year-old man was arrested on Sunday, July 26, after he attempted to set fire to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department’s (SLTPD) American flag.
According to a Facebook post from SLTPD, the man, a South Lake Tahoe resident, was just released following an arrest on Saturday, July 25, for possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication after he was reported shooting arrows at the Y.
An El Dorado County sheriff’s sergeant notified SLTPD on Sunday that a male subject was attempting to light their station flag on fire after lowering it to the ground. The man was detained by SLTPD officers and booked at the El Dorado County jail for felony attempted arson.
“The male has been arrested by SLTPD six times since April 2026 for Possession of Narcotics, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, being Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance, and Resisting Arrest,” SLTPD said in their post.
CARSON CITY, Nev. – U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Nevada State Director Alida Ceballos today announced that Tahoe Forest Products, LLC. will receive $50 million to expand timber processing capabilities at its business in Carson City. This significant investment comes through a partnership between the USDA and MapleMark Bank and will enable the business to access guaranteed loan funds to support domestic timber production.
Ceballos said, “Thanks to the leadership of Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and President Trump, USDA is partnering with lending institutions to make this substantial investment in new and upgraded timber processing equipment for Tahoe Forest Products, LLC. This investment supports sustainable timber harvesting that improves forest health, reduces wildfire risk, and strengthens rural prosperity by creating jobs for hardworking Americans. Nevada is proud to further the Trump-Vance investments into our great state.”
The investment, funded through USDA’s Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program (TPEP), and Business & Industry Guaranteed Loan Program, will assist the business to expand processing capabilities, including kilns, utilizing timber from Nevada and California, a planer mill, and a new saw line. This expansion will allow Tahoe Forest Products, LLC to shift from raw material production to finished lumber suitable for sale to retail distributors and large-scale construction markets. In addition, the business will increase its capacity for lumber production from purely rough lumber to premium lumber by 60,000 MBF, or thousand board feet. This investment directly aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order on the Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production.
TPEP is made possible by a partnership between the USDA Rural Development and the U.S. Forest Service and ensures sawmills and other wood processing facilities have the necessary funding to establish, reopen, expand, or improve their operations. The program also helps address the wildfire crisis by investing in local sawmills that clear out dangerous fuel in forestlands, helping to remove the most immediate threats to communities, critical infrastructure, and natural resources. Since its inception, USDA has invested $165.2 million through TPEP in the states of California, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
For more information on USDA Rural Development investments in rural America, visit the Rural Data Gateway. The Rural Data Gateway is an online tool that strengthens USDA Rural Development partnerships with rural people, entrepreneurs, government officials and Congress by making agency investment data accessible to the public.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The LTCC Foundation will host its annual Taste of Gold fundraiser on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, on the mountain campus of Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC),bringing together vintners pouring award-winning California wines, local restaurants with tasty bites and breweries pouring an assortment of beers.
VIP sponsors will have exclusive access to the event from 4:30 to 6 p.m., including a private hour of wine and beer tastings and appetizers before the event opens to general ticket holders from 6 to 8 p.m. The lineup of 2026 food and wine vendors and live entertainment will be set up in front of the LTCC soccer field in the shaded area under the trees and flow onto the community play fields.
2026 participating vendors include Caesar’s Republic, Edgewood Tahoe, MacDuff’s and Sidellis Lake Tahoe Brewery, Poor Red’s Bar-B-Q and Balletto Vineyards. Solid Gold sponsors for the event are the McKenna Family, Ed and Sara Roos and the Wright Family Trust.
Proceeds from Taste of Gold directly support LTCC students through three Foundation programs: the Lake Tahoe College Promise, Student Success Grants, and the emergency book fund, which together remove financial barriers that keep students from completing their degrees.
The Lake Tahoe College Promise covers full tuition and provides stipends for textbooks and academic support for first-time, full-time students from the Tahoe Basin who are not otherwise eligible for California or Nevada College Promise tuition waivers. At LTCC’s commencement ceremony this spring — the college’s largest graduating class in history, with 422 degrees and more than 200 certificates conferred — the Lake Tahoe College Promise graduated its largest cohort to date, 95 students, while serving 346 active students, the highest enrollment in the program’s history.
“As a first-generation student, LTCC was a chance for me to take that first step towards earning a college degree for myself as well as for my parents,” said Mars Orizaba, an LTCC Promise Program student and 2026 graduate. Mars will continue at Chico State University in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Tickets and sponsorship packages for Taste of Gold are available now at ltccfoundation.org. Sponsorship opportunities include VIP access and recognition at the event; a printable sponsorship form and vendor list are also available on the Foundation’s website. This event is for attendees 21 and older only.
Event Details
What: Taste of Gold Annual Fundraiser, LTCC Foundation
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Youth mentorship nonprofit, SOS Outreach, has been named a finalist for the 2026 Defender Service Awards presented by Chase in the Outdoor Accessibility and Education category. This recognition honors nonprofit organizations that create meaningful opportunities for people to experience the outdoors.
The winners will be selected via public voting beginning on July 29 and running through August 14. If selected as the winner, SOS will receive $30,000 and a Land Rover Defender 130 – critical to supporting its programs.
SOS engages 325 youth in South Lake and over 3,900 youth nationwide on an annual basis, connecting them to life-changing outdoor access through skiing and snowboarding while also pairing them with positive adult mentors. Since 1993, the organization has created access and opportunity for 80,000 young people, helping them build key life skills and instilling a lifetime love of the outdoors. Of the thousands of youth SOS engages, 69% identify as youth of color and 43% come from a household income of under $40,000.
“We’re incredibly honored to be recognized as a finalist alongside so many inspiring organizations making a difference in their communities,” says Seth Ehrlich, CEO of SOS Outreach. “The outdoors is a powerful place to grow, build relationships, and lead a healthy lifestyle, and yet it’s often inaccessible to so many of today’s youth. At SOS we are dedicated to breaking down those barriers to access and support from the Land Rover Defender Awards will be absolutely vital to helping us achieve that.”
Since launching in 2021, the Land Rover Defender Awards have given more than $1.5 million in funding to organizations advancing their mission. This year it will fund 6 nonprofits across 6 different categories of causes ranging from environment to search and rescue and more.
If awarded the funding, SOS plans to use it to guarantee outdoor access for youth, “it would be significant to win this award and would ensure that no child is turned away from the outdoors due to cost, cultural barriers, or any other obstacles,” says Ehrlich.
SOS is encouraging members of the community to vote for them as the winner once voting opens on Wednesday, July 29. Members of the public can vote once per day every day until August 14. To make it simple, text SOS to 970-535-2009 for a daily reminder to vote.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Maria’s Mexican Restaurant and Tahoe Bros Charbroiled Burgers are both participating in the Pay It Forward program, a program that Jose Perez of South Lake Tahoe Mutual Aid helped start. The program lets customers pay for a meal ticket that’s equal to the cost of the meal, so anyone who needs one can pick one up and get it for free.
Perez said that he originally wanted to come up with a program that would help those in need and encourage people to support local businesses. Through the South Lake Tahoe Mutual Aid group, they came up with guidelines and a system for Pay It Forward, modeled after other similar programs in other towns.
South Lake Tahoe Mutual Aid defines mutual aid as a form of solidarity-based support where community members come together to meet each other’s needs. “It’s about neighbors helping neighbors, creating networks of care and support that strengthen our community. Mutual aid is built on principles of cooperation, reciprocity, and collective care. It recognizes that we all have something to contribute and that we all may need support at different times in our lives, and it’s a reciprocal system where everyone can both give and receive support.”
Around the holiday season last year, Perez went to Maria’s and Tahoe Bros, who both enthusiastically accepted the program. Oscar Villagrana, manager at Maria’s, said, “We originally accepted it because the holidays is a time where people want to give and there are definitely people in need… then we decided to keep it around.”
At no cost to the business, the program works on the honor system, and tickets can be redeemed by anyone. When someone is buying their own meal, they can opt in to Pay It Forward and provide a ticket for the program. And if someone needs a meal, tickets are up near the front, for easy redemption. “Whoever’s in need of a meal can easily get one,” said Villagrana.
Andres Delgadillo, owner of Tahoe Bros, said, “I’m sure some people take advantage of it, but there are a lot of people who really appreciate it, and it’s overall a good program.”
Both Delgadillo and Villagrana say there was little impact to the day-to-day operations for the restaurant, and that the program was overwhelmingly positive. “We’ve done about 150 meals since the program started,” said Delgadillo. “I think everyone should participate in a program like this because it doesn’t impact our income, and when the time comes where you might need a meal, you can get it.”
“It would be awesome to have others participate so there are more food options,” said Villagrana. “Money right now is a big issue for a lot of people. And honestly, this kind of program isn’t fro the business, it’s for the community.”
Perez feels the same. “A program like this shows how we can help one another, giving back to our community and being able to also get something if it’s needed. I would really like to see a program like this expand, to get more businesses involved in Pay It Forward.”
Inquiries about Pay It Forward can be sent to South Lake Tahoe Mutual Aid’s email at slt-mutualaid@proton.me
Owner, Beth Lee (right) and her daughter Katie (left) at one of their project sitesProvided / Katie Lee
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Affordable Construction Services Tahoe, owned by Beth Lee, has proudly served the Lake Tahoe community for over 25 years, and while she has no plans of leaving any time soon, two of her children have been learning the ins and outs of the business to keep her legacy going.
Prior to the construction business, Lee was a teacher working in Broderick, California. After a student pulled a knife on her, she decided it was time for a change.
“I walked out of the classroom and never went back,” said Lee, who soon after the incident, took a job in the homeowner’s department of AAA. “I liked what I did. I saw how we could improve people’s lives.”
She and her husband decided to open their first construction business in 1985 which ran for 16 years in the Bay Area. They relocated to the basin in 2000 and opened Affordable Construction Services Tahoe. Over the last two and a half decades, Lee has built a reputation of reliability and professionalism in the community.
Her instinct to look after others is what her daughter, Katie, describes as one of the best things about her, saying it’s part of the reason why their business has been going strong for so long.
“She has that motherly touch. She throws company parties, she gives out bonuses all the time,” said Katie. “We have employees who have been here for decades. It extends beyond the business, and I don’t think you would have that same touch if a man was running it.”
Lee noted that despite her success, being a woman in the construction industry, especially in the late 80’s and 90’s, brought its share of challenges.
“It was extremely difficult. Men didn’t think a woman should be doing this job,” Lee recalled, and although men would often talk down to her, she never let it get in the way of her goals. Now, she sometimes gets jobs specifically because she’s a woman, saying men believe she’ll pay closer attention to detail.
Katie took an interest in many things, earning several degrees and licenses in both cosmetology and personal training. Yet growing up in a construction household, she found herself reflecting on the foundation built for her by her parents shortly after her father’s passing.
“I realized that it’s the roots I want to go back to. I was searching and searching, and it was right in front of me the whole time,” Katie said. “It brings me so much joy to work with my mom, to see her every day. With anything, it takes a village – whether it’s with a family or a business, and together, we’re thriving.”
Her brother, Matthew, takes after his father, often seen out in the field. Over the years, the siblings have gained first-hand experience to operate the business as co-owners when Lee is ready to pass it on.
Beth Lee with Matthew, Katie, and her work family at Affordable Construction Services Tahoe Provided / Katie Lee
With 24 employees in the field and five people in the office, Affordable Construction Services Tahoe does it all, including new home construction, remodels, water damage restoration, electrical, plumbing and frozen pipe reconstruction, bear break-ins, mold remediation, and fire damage overhauls.
In support of other local businesses in the Tahoe community, Lee gives back by heading straight to Meeks Lumber and Hardware first before going anywhere else, with Katie joking that Lee is their No.1 customer.
“Being a contractor is about so much more than building homes – it’s about building communities,” Lee said. “Every project is an opportunity to improve not only a property, but the lives of the people who call it home.”
Electric bikes are powering an urban transportation revolution. They flatten hills, haul cargo and people, and offer an alternative to driving that doesn’t involve breaking much of a sweat or waiting for a bus.
I’ve experienced these wonders firsthand. For the last three years, I have used an e-bike — an electric-motor assisted bicycle — to do everything from commuting 23 miles across Los Angeles for work to meeting up with friends at places where finding a parking spot takes longer than the drive over. In a city choked by traffic and pollution, calling these machines liberating isn’t an overstatement.
But there’s also been a flurry of media coverage about skyrocketing injuries, prompting local and state authorities to start cracking down on e-bike usage. And earlier this year, California legislators looked ready to squeeze the brakes hard on this revolution. Happily, they’ve since retreated from e-bike panic and are focused, at least for now, on smarter safety measures.
Lawmakers in Sacramento have introduced at least eight bills this year targeting e-bike safety. One would have added licensing and registration requirements for most e-bikes; another would have rewritten the state’s classification system, making most e-bikes already rolling on California streets illegal.
Thankfully, those bills died, and with them a level of regulation that could throttle an efficient, clean and fun transportation option in California, and hamper a technology that is already driving the majority of revenue growth in the bicycle industry.
In contrast, Senate Bill 1167, introduced by Sen. Catherine Blakespear, is a carefully considered response to the most crucial motorized-bike safety concern. It seeks to halt the sale of powerful electric motorcycles disguised as e-bikes, and it cleared the state Senate in May and is moving through the Assembly.
Under California law, electric bicycles cannot exceed 28 mph assisted by the motor (models that people younger than 16 can legally ride are even slower). But more powerful devices that go faster than 28 mph — sometimes much faster — are often marketed as e-bikes, even though they are more properly understood as electric motorcycles. I’ve seen such powerful electric motorcycles comically passed off as e-bikes simply because, look, there are pedals.
This commentary was originally published by CalMatters.
It is a big year for initial public offerings (IPOs). SpaceX became a public company on June 12 raising $86 billion. This fall the two most successful AI companies, OpenAI and Anthropic, are expected to go public with each valued at just under $1 trillion. We’ve never seen IPOs so large. The excitement level will be sky-high — except in my office. While much anticipated I see flaws in their business model. Here’s my case:
The AI buildout requires a tremendous amount of capital. The largest technology companies were flush with cash until they started pouring money into the AI buildout. Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft all raised money through stock and bond offerings in order to fund their massive AI infrastructure and data center buildout.
A seminal moment came when Alphabet raised $85 billion on June 2 from an equity offering. Warning flags were raised and investors wondered if spending was too high. Not coincidentally, the AI stock rally stalled.
For the largest AI developers, the good news is that there is a high barrier to entry. Few companies have the cash needed to become an AI hyperscaler. While there are few AI developers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Alphabet, SpaceXAI, Meta Platforms, Microsoft) competition is fierce. Anthropic is the most successful as they target the B2B enterprise sector, but companies are beginning to question the increased spending on AI. How much is too much?
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg hears the frustration and recently said Meta will compete with others on price. Cheaper still is the competition from Chinese open-source models, which can use AI to write code for the end user. Price competition for AI developers is arriving.
AI models are constantly improving and it is becoming a commodity business. Over time, Anthropic’s Claude will look similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which will look similar to SpaceXAI’s Grok. Add Alphabet’s Gemini and others to the list.
Another problem for AI developers is the low cost of switching to a different service. There is no moat protecting them from competition. It’s similar to the streaming service industry where viewers constantly rotate from one platform to another.
The question is who captures the value created by AI: the companies deploying it or the developers of the actual AI? By most accounts those companies that use AI are benefitting from greater efficiency. They should. But what about those that develop it? I’m in the minority but I see pricing competition in a commodity business.
— David Vomund is an Incline Village-based fee-only money manager. Information is found at www.VomundInvestments.com or by calling 775-832-8555. Clients hold the positions mentioned in this article. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult your financial advisor before purchasing any security.
Summer in Lake Tahoe means backyard barbecues, family gatherings, and vacation rentals running at full capacity. The last thing you want is a sluggish or completely blocked kitchen sink turning your perfect mountain getaway into a plumbing nightmare. As the owner of CBO Plumbing Tahoe and your local Water Whisperer, I’ve seen too many “l just poured the bacon grease down the drain” emergencies — especially during peak tourist season when kitchens work overtime.
Here’s the science in plain English: Grease, oil, and fat start as liquids when hot but solidify as they cool. In our cooler high-altitude Tahoe pipes, that solidification happens fast. The grease coats the inside of your pipes like sticky wax, trapping food particles, hair, and soap scum. Over time, this builds into a rock-hard clog that can back up your entire system. In vacation rentals, one bad guest decision can lead to overflows, water damage, and costly emergency calls.
What NOT to Do
•Don’t pour cooking grease, bacon fat, vegetable oil, or leftover sauces directly down the drain — even if you run hot water with it. The hot water only delays the problem; the grease will cool and stick further down the line.
•Don’t rely on chemical drain cleaners as a regular fix. They can damage pipes, especially older ones common in Tahoe cabins, and they rarely dissolve grease completely.
•Don’t ignore slow drains. A sluggish sink is your plumbing’s early warning system.
Waiting until it’s fully blocked often leads to bigger issues like sewer main backups.
•Don’t flush “flushable” wipes or paper towels — they combine with grease to create super-clogs that laugh at regular plungers.
Smart Plumbing Habits
•Do let grease cool and solidify first, then scrape it into the trash or a sealed container for disposal. Better yet, keep an old coffee can or jar under the sink for used cooking fats.
•Do use a sink strainer to catch food scraps before they head down the drain.
•Do maintain your garbage disposal if you have one: Run cold water while operating it, and grind citrus peels or ice cubes monthly to help cut grease buildup.
•Do know your shutoff valves. In a real backup emergency, turn off the water under the sink or at the main house valve to limit damage.
For Tahoe homes and rentals, these habits are especially important. Cooler nighttime temperatures and variable water pressure at elevation make grease clogs more likely. Vacation guests often don’t know local rules, so consider posting a friendly “Kitchen Tips” note near the sink: “No grease down the drain — thanks for keeping Tahoe flowing!”
Following these simple do’s and don’ts will save you headaches, protect your property, and keep your plumbing system running smoothly through the busy summer season and beyond. Small preventive steps now mean fewer emergency calls when the snow starts flying later this year.
Have a plumbing question or a horror story about a grease clog? Drop it in the comments or reach out to CBO Plumbing Tahoe. We’re here 24/7 for the tough jobs, but we’d much rather help you prevent them.
Until next month, keep your pipes happy in the high country.
Joe Ortiz CBO Plumbing Tahoe — Family-owned experts in mountain plumbing challenges. 530.539.1661 | cbotahoe.com
CBO Plumbing Tahoe is a family-owned residential plumbing company serving the Lake Tahoe Basin. Led by Joe Ortiz, we specialize in high-altitude, winter, and vacation rental challenges with reliable 24/7 service, expert craftsmanship, and a deep commitment to our local community.
When most people think about weight management, they think about diet and exercise. While nutrition and physical activity are important, emerging research suggests that stress, sleep quality, nervous system regulation, and emotional well-being also play a significant role in metabolic health and body weight.
Yoga Therapy is an evidence-based, personalized approach that uses movement, breathwork, meditation, and lifestyle practices to support overall health and well-being. Unlike a traditional yoga class, Yoga Therapy is tailored to an individual’s unique needs and health goals.
Research has shown that Yoga Therapy practices may support healthy weight management by helping regulate the nervous system, reduce chronic stress, improve sleep quality, increase physical activity, and promote mindful awareness around eating behaviors. Chronic stress can elevate cortisol, a hormone associated with increased abdominal fat storage, insulin resistance, cravings, and disrupted sleep. By activating the body’s relaxation response, yoga practices may help mitigate some of these physiological effects.
Studies have also demonstrated that yoga-based interventions can improve markers of metabolic health, including blood pressure, blood sugar regulation, cholesterol levels, waist circumference, and overall quality of life. Many participants report increased body awareness, improved self-care habits, and a more sustainable relationship with food and movement.
One simple practice you can begin today is called Coherent Breathing, a gentle breathwork technique shown to support nervous system regulation and stress reduction.
Try It at Home:
1. Sit comfortably with your spine tall.
2. Inhale gently through your nose for a count of 5.
3. Exhale gently through your nose for a count of 5.
4. Continue for 2–5 minutes, allowing the breath to remain smooth and effortless.
This practice encourages balance within the autonomic nervous system, helping the body shift from “fight-or-flight” into a more restorative state where healing, digestion, recovery, and healthy metabolic function can occur.
While there is no single solution for weight management, Yoga Therapy offers a holistic, sustainable approach that addresses the whole person—not just the number on the scale. By supporting stress resilience, sleep, movement, mindfulness, and nervous system health, Yoga Therapy can be a valuable complement to medical care and healthy lifestyle changes.
If you would like to learn more about Yoga Therapy for weight management, metabolic health, stress reduction, or overall well-being, or to schedule an individual Yoga Therapy session with Brooke Haley, MA, Yoga Therapist and Reiki Master, please contact the Tahoe Forest Wellness Center at (530) 587-3769.
I’m writing as a mountain biker who regularly enjoys the city and county multi‑use trails. I am happy to see people out with their pets as I, too, used to take my dog (sadly, no longer alive) to what were once remote areas so that he could run freely while I walked or x-country skied. However, as more and more people are out on the evermore accessible trails, off‑leash dogs have become a growing safety concern and an unrestrained dog on a shared trail can create dangerous situations for both riders and animals. Dogs don’t always understand how fast a bike is moving and even a well‑trained dog can dart unpredictably: a collision at trail speed can seriously injure the dog, the rider, or both. I’ve had some close calls lately and also felt threatened when someone’s dog wasn’t held by their collar or called back to the owner’s side. I have been bitten by a dog that came off its own property onto a paved street and don’t ever wish to repeat the experience!
I try to ride respectfully and cautiously and when I see hikers – with or without pets, I ring a bell and call out to let them know I’m coming. It doesn’t lessen my worry to hear you say, “my dog is friendly” or “he’s not interested in you” and do nothing to secure your pet. Most dog owners (and hopefully, most bikers) are responsible and attentive, but even the best‑behaved or well-trained dog can react unpredictably when a bike approaches. Please extend the same respect and caution by controlling your pet.
I hope more people will consider the impact of letting dogs roam freely so all of us can safely continue enjoying the trails we love.
STATELINE, Nev. – Transportation leaders, local elected officials, community partners, and residents gathered yesterday (July 23, 2026) on both sides of the state line to celebrate the expansion of Lake Link with ribbon-cutting ceremonies marking a new chapter in regional transportation across Lake Tahoe’s South Shore.
The celebrations, held at the Tahoe Ridge Resort in Nevada and the South Tahoe “Y” Transit Center in California, recognized the successful expansion of Lake Link’s fare-free, on-demand microtransit service and the regional partnerships that made the project possible. Together, the events highlighted the shared commitment of California and Nevada agencies to improve mobility, reduce congestion, and provide convenient transportation options for everyone who lives, works, and visits the South Shore.
“This expansion reflects the strength of our regional partnerships and our shared commitment to improving transportation for everyone who lives, works, and visits the South Shore,” said Douglas County Commissioner Sharla Hales. “Lake Link’s continued growth shows what’s possible when local governments and community partners come together to invest in connected, reliable transportation options that benefit our entire region.”
Lake Link’s expanded service, which launched July 15, now provides fare-free rides across nearly the entire South Shore, Including the top of Kingsbury Grade Road, Zephyr Cove, Lake Tahoe Airport, South Tahoe “Y,” Gardner Mountain, and Tahoe Keys.Provided / Douglas County
Lake Link’s expanded service, which launched July 15, now provides fare-free rides across nearly the entire South Shore, including the top of Kingsbury Grade Road, Zephyr Cove, Lake Tahoe Airport, South Tahoe “Y,” Gardner Mountain, and Tahoe Keys. The expansion also introduced a new three-zone system that seamlessly connects Lake Link’s on-demand service with Tahoe Transportation District Route 50 transit service through a single booking experience in the updated Lake Link app.
“The expansion of Lake Link is a major milestone for transportation in the Tahoe Basin. What started as a project to provide transit for Tahoe Blue Event Center events has become a resource for both our Nevada and California communities,” said South Shore Transportation Management Association Board Chair Chris Proctor. “In four short years we have focused on connecting more neighborhoods, destinations, jobs, and recreation opportunities with free, convenient transportation options, we’re making it easier than ever for people to choose alternatives to driving.”
Riders traveling within a zone continue to enjoy door-to-door service, while longer trips are automatically coordinated through transfers, making regional travel easier than ever while keeping rides fare-free.
The expanded service is a cornerstone of the region’s growing Car-Free, Care-Free Tahoe initiative, which aims to make it possible for residents and visitors to park once and enjoy everything Tahoe has to offer without relying on a personal vehicle. By connecting neighborhoods, employment centers, lodging, recreation, transit hubs, and community services, Lake Link complements local and regional transit, bike infrastructure, seasonal shuttles, and other mobility options that reduce traffic while protecting Lake Tahoe’s environment.
Lake Link continues to operate seven days a week with wheelchair-accessible vehicles and no fare for riders:
Sunday–Thursday: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday–Saturday: 7 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Residents and visitors can learn more about Lake Link and download the app at tahoelakelink.com.
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. — Collaboration across state lines, restoration of wetlands and meadows, and partnerships with the Washoe Tribe are among the most important strategies for protecting Lake Tahoe as it faces growing pressures from climate change, invasive species and increasing visitation, conservation leaders said Wednesday during a California Natural Resources Agency panel.
The discussion, titled “Conserving California’s Iconic Waters: The Future of Lake Tahoe, the Salton Sea, and Clear Lake,” featured leaders from organizations working to restore and protect the state’s largest lakes. During the Lake Tahoe portion of the panel, representatives from the California Tahoe Conservancy and the League to Save Lake Tahoe discussed how decades of regional cooperation have shaped restoration efforts and what challenges lie ahead.
Jason Vasques, executive director of the California Tahoe Conservancy, said Lake Tahoe’s geography makes protecting the basin uniquely complex.
“Lake Tahoe sits on the California-Nevada border, spans four counties and is the homeland of the Washoe Tribe,” Vasques said. “We have to manage it collaboratively.”
That collaboration is especially important given Tahoe’s popularity. Vasques said the basin receives more visitor days than any national park in the United States, driven by its reputation as a world-class ski destination and outdoor recreation hub that supports a multi-billion-dollar tourism economy.
For more than three decades, approximately 80 agencies and organizations have worked together through the Environmental Improvement Program, a bi-state partnership created to restore Lake Tahoe after decades of environmental degradation.
“The Environmental Improvement Program was initially established to help address some of those historical impacts that we’ve seen in Lake Tahoe, like logging and grazing from the 1800s and the major development boom in the late 20th century, which resulted in the loss of meadows and wetlands,” Vasques said.
Today, those historical impacts are compounded by climate change, including increasingly severe wildfires, declining snowpack, warming lake temperatures and the spread of aquatic invasive species.
“When you couple those with visitation and the many different uses of the environment, our challenge is how do we protect this unique environment and manage it in such a dynamic setting?” Vasques said. “The good news is there is so much opportunity right now.”
He said statewide initiatives such as California’s 30×30 conservation goal and Outdoors for All are helping guide restoration priorities, while partnerships throughout the basin continue to expand.
“We’re working with the Washoe Tribe to learn how we can steward these lands; lands that have been stewarded for eons before us,” he said. “We’re working across the board with our tourism sector, nonprofit sector, business sector and all of our agencies to figure out how we manage recreation and the environment together.”
Among the largest restoration efforts underway is the Upper Truckee River Marsh restoration, which aims to restore roughly 1,000 acres of mountain meadows and wetlands.
He also highlighted the Washoe Tribe-led restoration at Meeks Meadow, a 213-acre restoration project on the lake’s West Shore being completed in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the California Tahoe Conservancy and nonprofit organizations.
“The partnerships and collaboration are just part of Tahoe’s DNA,” Vasques said.
Darcie Goodman Collins, chief executive officer of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, said the basin’s collaborative approach has been built over decades of environmental advocacy.
“Tahoe isn’t just unique from an ecological and awe-inspiring perspective,” she said. “It also has this really complex political system, sitting between two states and multiple jurisdictions.”
She noted that concerns over declining lake clarity first emerged in the 1950s, while record-low clarity measurements in the late 1990s brought national attention to Lake Tahoe and helped launch the public-private partnerships that continue today.
“The League to Save Lake Tahoe has been working to protect Tahoe since the 1950s,” Goodman Collins said. “We use advocacy, science and community engagement, a very well-rounded, holistic approach.”
One advantage of nonprofit organizations, she said, is their ability to respond quickly to emerging threats.
Following the 2021 Caldor Fire, the League mobilized volunteers to collect water samples and monitor sediment entering the lake, helping scientists better understand wildfire impacts.
More recently, volunteers have been educating boaters and paddlers about preventing the spread of golden mussels, an invasive species that has rapidly expanded throughout California but has not been detected in Lake Tahoe.
The League has also helped secure private funding for major restoration projects, including the acquisition of land for the Upper Truckee Marsh restoration, and successfully advocated for the removal of a lead telecommunications cable from Lake Tahoe.
Goodman Collins also highlighted new technologies, including a beach-cleaning robot and Clean, Drain, Dry stations that help recreationists clean paddleboards and other watercraft before entering or leaving the lake to reduce the spread of invasive species.
Community volunteers also continue to play a significant role in Tahoe conservation efforts.
In 2025, approximately 1,500 volunteers donated more than 7,500 hours to citizen science and environmental stewardship projects, Goodman Collins said. The data collected through those volunteer programs has supported advocacy efforts that led to bans on single-use plastic water bottles, plastic bags and polystyrene products in South Lake Tahoe.
Panelists also noted that wetland restoration has become a common strategy across California’s major lakes because healthy marshes naturally filter sediment and pollutants before they enter the water.
Vasques concluded by pointing to Lake Tahoe as an example of bipartisan environmental cooperation.
“It’s a remarkable team,” he said. “Environmental protection at Tahoe is truly a collaborative effort.”
He praised Nevada agencies for their continued partnership with California despite political differences between the two states.
“While our leaders might have political differences in other areas, the State of Nevada and its agencies have been incredible partners.”
STATELINE, Nev. – As construction begins on several park improvement projects at Van Sickle Bi-State Park, the Nevada Division of State Parks will temporarily limit public access. The main park road will be closed after the California day-use area, making the state line monument, Nevada day-use area, and Nevada parking lot inaccessible throughout construction.
The California side of the park will remain on normal operating hours during the project. Visitors can continue to access the park and the Tahoe Rim Trail from the California day-use area; however, be prepared for limited parking access
The improvement projects include the construction of a new park maintenance facility, staff housing, and future enhancements to public access. The new maintenance facility will strengthen Nevada State Parks’ ability to maintain trails, park infrastructure, and visitor amenities while supporting long-term stewardship and sustainable recreation within the Tahoe Basin. The project also serves as the first step of additional planned improvements for Van Sickle Bi-State Park.
During construction, all trails on the Nevada side west of the Vista Spur Viewpoint will remain closed. Access between the Nevada state line and the Tahoe Rim Trail will not be available. Visitors wishing to reach the Tahoe Rim Trail should use trailheads accessible from the California side of the park.
Visitors are reminded that entering construction zones or using closed trails is strictly prohibited. Access for emergency personnel will be maintained throughout the project.
Construction is anticipated to continue through Fall 2027. Additional updates will be shared as work progresses.
Heavy equipment at Van Sickle Bi-State ParkProvided / NSP
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – What started as an observation on a chairlift turned into the development of a women’s ski designed to hold up to the strength and speed with which hard-charging female skiers attack the mountain.
“When we go to ski out there,” She-Shredz founder Constance Traynor said, “sometimes it feels like you might be going to war a little bit, and when you go into battle, you want something that’s going to keep up with you and that you can trust.”
Meet the Valkyrie, a collaboration of She-Shredz, a Truckee-based and global-reaching online platform for all things women’s ski and snowboard, and Praxis Ski, a factory handcrafting skis out of Incline Village.
The all‑mountain ski seeks to fill a void in the ski market by harnessing the capabilities of men’s and unisex skis that advanced female skiers gravitate toward, yet designed according to women’s biomechanics.
The Valkyrie is a new women’s all mountain ski.Provided / She-Shredz
The idea started when the team at She-Shredz looked down on a Headwall chairlift to notice that every woman was skiing on men’s or unisex skis.
“We’re like, ‘whoa,'” Traynor recalled, “‘why is a chair full of these incredible women skiers all feel the need to gravitate more towards the men’s skis?'”
It’s no revelation that women are built differently, and therefore ski differently. Population-level characteristics generally include a lower center of mass, wider hips that increase the angle at the knee, and increased ankle mobility that can influence the female body’s movement on a ski. Women also show more continuous force application through a ski turn due to lower‑body strength distribution and movement patterns.
There are many women’s skis on the market that account for these differences, yet, Traynor explained, for advanced women skiers, “we didn’t find women’s skis to quite match how we wanted to ride.”
In focus groups, She-Shredz found women’s skis often had one of the elements needed in stiffness or length, but rarely both in a way that performed the way advanced/expert women wanted to ski in high-performance terrain.
Traynor explained that when it comes to general ski manufacturers who are trying to sell as many skis as possible, they tend to cater to the average skier, which is not the advanced, aggressive female skier.
She-Shredz founder Constance Traynor skiing on the Valkyrie.Provided / She-Shredz
That’s why Praxis Skis and She-Shredz have designed the Valkyrie to cater specifically to this often overlooked demographic.
Traynor emphasizes the ski is not for beginners or intermediates, but the fierce female skiers who shred fast and expect more from their gear. “If you’re a girl who’s like, ‘hey, I’m on a men’s ski, but is there something that might be better for me?’ That’s who this is for.”
The Valkyrie is a blend of three of Praxis’ standard edition skis. Its tip shape and rocker are inspired by the FRD’s longer, slower tip rise and moderately tapered shape, though shorter and less aggressive. This rocker profile is key to how the ski initiates, skims, and stays predictable in variable snow.
The ski incorporates the 9D8’s tail shape for a clean turn finish, paired with a half‑twin upturn inspired by the Slugger for smoother releases in steep or technical terrain.
Tip to tail is intentionally tapered with the tip measurably wider than the tail. This feature helps the ski engage and hold a carve across the fall line and stay balanced for float without needing a wider waist.
With a 100 mm waist width, flared tip, traditional camber, and directional shape, the Valkyrie is designed for float while remaining stable and composed at speed.
It features a core of ash, maple and aspen for a flex pattern that drives hard, yet releases clean for versatility in variable snow and smoothness during pivots, smears or resets.
Designers sought the highest-quality materials so it’s built to last. The Valkyrie is available in sizes 160, 166, 172, 178 cm and has a turning radius of 15 meters at the 166 length. Traynor says the skis are built true to size—no need to size up.
Whether it’s hucking it off a cliff or bombing down a fall line at 50 miles per hour, Traynor says, the Valkyrie is designed to keep up, no questions asked.
“The idea is to give a woman her best day ever on a pair of skis,” Traynor says, “that can handle literally whatever she throws underneath her.”
Pre-orders for the Valkyrie open on August 20th. They can be purchased on she-shredz.com and will ship in October.
A beautiful voice was belting a cover of “Walking on Sunshine” as I strolled into the Ski Run Farmers Market (I love a good foreshadowing). Laughter lit up the faces of passersby as they sipped on local craft beer, nodding their heads to the strumming of an acoustic guitar.
The smell of cinnamon and vanilla wafted from a stand selling home-made churros, and a long line of people waited patiently for their turn to order a refreshingly juicy, jar-served lemonade.
I’m convinced that farmers markets can cure even the dullest of moods, and after a long week, I knew I needed a bit of self-care. It’s easy to get bogged down by the pressures of life — deadlines, unexpected bills, sick pets — and yet, as I moved along each booth, I could feel myself getting lighter.
Fresh strawberries were lined in rows, $18 for a large crate of two. Grapes the color of crimson red and bright green sat, waiting to delight the next person to indulge in them. Wine fermented and bottled from a local vineyard was being passed from vigneron to buyer.
I admired hundreds of hand-made jewelry, all as unique and precious as their makers. A woman asked how my day was going. I complimented her artwork, and the way her eyes twinkled as she recalled the exact moment of inspiration for a color palette she chose to use, I swear, I couldn’t stop the smile from finding the corners of my mouth.
Hand-made, Tahoe-inspired jewelry at the Ski Run Farmers MarketVictoria Mastrocola / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The strong, deft hands and tender hearts of those who put time, effort and love into their crafts, it’s all enough to make a community feel like home and a brief exchange be the thing that could help you get up in the morning.
What a treat it is to be told: “Yes, I did make this knitted sweater myself. Here, try it on!”
What a treasure it is to admire panels of photographs of the beautiful Sierra Nevada landscape I’ve grown to love so much through the lens of someone who loves it too.
After a few hours of fighting my impulses to spend all my money on everything in sight, I left with a jar of delicious, mushroom-infused raw honey and a spring in my step.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Firefighters are an integral part of keeping the Lake Tahoe Basin safe: from Cal Fire to the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to the city firefighters. For local firefighters, their responsibilities have taken them all over the place, but Tahoe is ultimately their home, and one they all feel passionate about.
Christian Wooster
Once a firefighter in the Tahoe Basin and now a smokejumper, Wooster started his career after studying at UC Davis. “I kind of joined the Davis fire crew on a whim because a friend of mine was interested in it as a first job,” said Wooster. “But it kind of restored my faith in the power of random chance, because I love my job. I think it’s the best job in the world.”
Wooster originally studied philosophy and exercise biology, but jumped at the chance to work on a fire crew. “I enjoy human interaction and that tangible work—I could see what was physically happening where I worked and I really enjoy being outdoors.”
“It’s kind of a Peter Pan job,” joked Wooster. “You run around all day, and you never have to ‘grow up’ or promote out of the things you really enjoy doing.”
Christian Wooster out in the fieldProvided / Christian Wooster
After working on a call crew for two years, Wooster eventually took a seasonal position with Tahoe Douglas as a wildland firefighter. “That was one of my most satisfying fire positions. There are areas I drive by, and I still see how the landscape is more resilient to fire after prescribed burns.”
Wooster prides himself on the ability to learn new skills through firefighting, something he feels is inherent to the career. “You can join knowing nothing because they’ll really train you. And there’s a constant pursuit of trying to hone your craft and bring excellence to everything you do.”
Even if you don’t have family in firefighting, there’s a generational lineage of people in the career that mentor you and have an impact on what you do. “My lineage was Black Mountain,” said Wooster. “There are legendary superintendents there like Craig Workman, Matt Hogarth and Matt Gill, who are all the type of people we try to be like. Even if they’re in the same standard framework of training, they develop their own little flavor, and you hope to keep those traditions and reputations of wherever you’re working going.”
Wooster says that some of his oldest friendships are people who he met on fire crews. “It helps that there’s a common goal, common hardships—shared experiences. And when you move on to another place, you wind up staying in touch in the strangest ways.”
One shared experience he recounted was working at Zephyr doing fuels reduction and burning piles. “I had my phone hanging from my neck, and all of a sudden I realized I didn’t have it anymore. I chirp on the radio, then we hear this huge BOOM—I’d dropped my phone into a pile,” he said. “I brought it to the AT&T store as a joke and asked if they could get my phone contacts off this molten hunk of phone magma. They probably didn’t think it was as funny as I did,” he laughed.
Wooster decided to settle down in Tahoe and worked on a Type I crew for USFS in Carson City. “It was my goal to work at a federal position for the challenge… and the health benefits.” Later, he began working on a hotshot crew, which he felt had more challenging or rigorous assignments.
“It felt like we always had a fire to go to. I once worked a really long shift—36 hours—and it made you think about the logistical challenges of getting food and fuel,” said Wooster. “For me, it was a moment of pride and our boss, who never complimented people lightly, made sure to tell us that was a really special shift. It’s one I definitely still remember.”
Bonding with crews in wildland firefighting comes from those long hours of work together. But there are also little traditions and superstitions that come with the territory.
“There’s a bunch of people who have quirks and superstitions about Big Ernie,” he said—referencing a mythical fire god that plenty of hotshot crews speak about. “Some people say if you stay up late, you’re tempting Big Ernie and it’ll guarantee you a fire. Monotonous work results in a lot of weirdness.”
Even the more mundane things have their quirks. Wooster recounted a story of people taking bets on who’d eat a particularly strange ration they’d received. “Someone funded a whole vacation through that. I mean, it was pretty gnarly food.”
As for his own traditions, Wooster said, “Maybe I’m still working on them. But I do take a small rock from every fire I’ve worked on, and I use those to decorate my fruit trees. I even have one from my first fire on a hotshot crew.”
Keeping memories of his experiences is something he says is important to him. “I wish I started doing it earlier. Looking back will bring all those memories that bring on feelings of accomplishment or camaraderie. Even if it’s a horrible fire, you’re just happy you made it through and you’ll be read to take a gamble on the next one.”
Christian Wooster parachutes as a smoke jumper.Provided / Christian Wooster
Now, Wooster’s job is anything but monotonous—he works with the Boise Hotshots as a smokejumper, meaning he parachutes out to get closer to fires. “It’s great learning to fly the parachute around, reading conditions and reacting to them. Being ‘dialed’ (a term for particularly astute crew members) is a new hill to climb.'”
“It pays to be a good student of fire, and I want to surround myself with people I want to be like,” said Wooster. “It’s not just about jumping out of planes. Some people are wizards at what they do, and I want to learn to be like them.”
Wooster says he loves how his career has given him the chance to keep learning new skills, working with his hands outdoors. “The American taxpayer pays us to be on and protect some of the most beautiful public lands. I have a lot of gratitude for being a federal firefighter and the support we get.”
To interested firefighters, he tells them to take any opportunity they can. “You gotta be able to pull your own weight, but there’s great people who will help you build expectations within your reach. Don’t be afraid of something that’s a challenge, because you never know where it’ll take you.”
John Duvoisin
Duvoisin serves as a fire captain with Cal Fire at Meyers—but at the beginning of his career, he wasn’t sure whether he might be a video game designer or a teacher. Now, he says, “I could have found happiness in any job I chose, but I’m lucky I chose fire. I can’t think of a bad day at work I’ve had over these 21 years.”
Originally, Duvoisin studied computer programming, but saw a chance to join the firefighter academy with a friend of his. “I played travel hockey growing up and seeing all the guys lined up in uniform, working together—there was a team appeal to me. Plus, the physical aspect was appealing to me because I was sitting a lot in class, where I wanted to be a video game designer.”
Having spent most of his life in California, he also felt excited about the opportunity to help with fire, a huge concern throughout the state. “When there’s smoke in the air, the public is leaving and we’re going in. There’s a high expectation that we’re going to show up and help solve the problem—and we are here to help people at the end of the day. It’s a lot more than a paycheck.”
But Duvoisin wasn’t quite sure that he wanted to make it his whole career. He met his wife at Chico State, where he was considering pivoting to becoming a science teacher. “I’ve always just enjoyed teaching, showing somebody something new and getting them more interested. I can see the effect a good teacher can have on someone.”
Nowadays, he scratches that itch, especially with fire crews that typically have 18-22 year olds. “I get to teach because I work with these young crews, where everything is brand new. And I teach science through training, like relative humidity, fire weather, wind, temperature and fuel.”
When he moved here in 2010, he was still working in Red Bluff, sometimes taking jobs around the area like in Carnelian Bay. “It’s a unique and popular area, and when Lake Tahoe is threatened by something, people pay attention because they form a connection here. Tahoe holds a special place in a lot of people’s hearts.”
Even his crews, who are usually from central or southern California, end up coming back to Tahoe. “We hike all over Lake Tahoe for our physical fitness, and while they complain the first time they hike up Gunbarrel—you can see and appreciate the effect you’ve had as a firefighter when you’re looking out at Tahoe from up there,” said Duvoisin. “They all come back to Tahoe. Not a lot of places get that reaction from people.”
As part of Cal Fire, Duvoisin says you often work outside of where you live. “There’s a worry for some, actually, working with the community you protect. It’s hard to be on calls with people you know. But for me, it feels good to know you’re directly helping your community.”
Before he worked in Tahoe, Duvoisin said he already loved the outdoors. “When I moved here, there wasn’t a Cal Fire hand crew in South Lake Tahoe. But I was always saying, ‘Man, I wish there was a job where I could hike around and be outside all day and get paid for it.’ And that’s what I do now.” He counts himself lucky that he was able to promote to a fire captain around the Mosquito Fire and could work on the community he lives in.
John DuvoisinEli Ramos / Tahoe Magazine
“There’s a lot of collective support for locals. When you’re involved in the community, you get to know so many people,” said Duvoisin. “The public has a good perception of firefighters and I like that—I like to help contribute by being someone who shows up and is there to help.” He recalled how the community really came together for the Caldor Fire. Even now, he says, friends who know he works as a firefighter rely on him to keep them informed on fires in the basin.
Now as a captain, he says, “I get to be the representative of what the job is for new crews. Our crews are from the California Conservation Corps and a lot of times, people will say ‘I never would have imagined I’d do this.’ I get to show people what they’re capable of and it’s fun to see people improve.”
Duvoisin says he tries to pull from great manager he’s had, especially the ones who have had balance in their line of work. “There’s a big time demand, but I’ve always really respected people who put an emphasis on their family life ahead of the job. A lot of this job is mental, not just physical,” he said. “The people who were calm and collected, keeping their composure in emergencies—those are the people we need to be mentors.”
While working as a firefighter is fairly unpredictable, Duvoisin says it brings a lot of excitement. “You never know what you’re gonna get and I think that’s kind of a great part of the job.” And though he, like many other firefighters, went to help with the Eaton and Palisades fires in 2025, he counts himself lucky that he works in the community he lives in.
“My wife works at Bijou—it’s the reason why we moved here. And it was important to have my family integrate into a safe, small community that has plenty of outdoorsy, active things to do,” said Duvoisin. His wife, who is Mexican, also was drawn to the big Latino community in Tahoe.
To potential firefighters, he urges them to take a chance. “I’m not in a generational family, I took a chance on it. My path came after high school, it wasn’t something set for me early on. Ultimately, you have to follow your heart.”
“It feels good to do things for other people,” Duvoisin said. “You can see a difference in the work you do, how helpful it is to the community. The joy you get from helping others is really rewarding.”
Tyler Jack
Jack is a third-generation South Lake Tahoe local, who now works as a battalion chief for the city. He knew from a young age that he wanted to be a firefighter. “It’s just gratifying to be able to not just follow my dreams and be a fireman, but to do it in my hometown. I’m humbled and so privileged to be able to do this job.”
Jack isn’t from a family of firefighters, but he always wanted to be in the career. “I knew that firemen help people, and to this day it still feels good to help people.” As soon as he could, he took EMT classes at the community college and volunteered at the fire department. His senior project was with Lake Valley Fire, and he said, “From that moment on that I started that project, I was always involved in some way, shape or form with the fire department.”
Tyler Jack dressed as a fireman as a child. Provided / Tyler Jack
His mentor for the project, Larry Trauner, was someone he ran into completely by chance. “I was bussing tables at a restaurant, and he told me he was a mentor for the fire department on senior projects. Like a typical high schooler, I forgot to get any information—but he walked in the door at my aunt’s birthday party. He was my aunt’s neighbor.” Since then, he says, “He was and always will be a huge part of my journey.”
Another part of his journey was his best friend, who shared his passion for firefighting. “We grew up together and we kind of planned it out ourselves. After high school, we signed up for the Forest Service,” said Jack. When he got a call to join the crew, his friend showed up too. “I asked, ‘Did you get a call too?’ and he told me, ‘No. But we do this together.”
Still to this day, Jack says he credits so many people with his success: fire chief Jim Drennan, his longtime partner Chris Wildman, fellow battalion chiefs and company officers—and of course his wife. “She’s my rock.”
It wasn’t an easy journey for Jack to get to working with the city. “At the time, I really struggled academically. I didn’t pass EMT class the first time and I had to go back and take it all over again.” When he passed, he was hired on by the city in 2007.
Tyler JackEli Ramos / Tahoe Magazine
But when he got to medic school, he said, “I just teetered the line of being dismissed. When I took my final, I failed—by one question.” Luckily, he had the support of his family and his department to jump into the next program and try again. “I didn’t quit. And those were lessons moving forward that I’ve carried with me. It’s something I say to my co-workers and to my kids: if you want it, go get it.”
Jack started as a firefighter paramedic, then tested to captain after six years—an unusual route, as he skipped over engineer. Then, he promoted to battalion chief about two years ago. He’s worked as a strike team leader and on the mutual aid system to help with fires around the state. “You inherit this responsibility of putting yourself in harm’s way. It’s a noble part of the profession I take pride in.”
He takes a special pride in working in his community, though it’s not without its own pains. The Angora Fire took place just two months after he was hired, and he was serving at the same time as the Caldor Fire. “I don’t work for big departments with hundreds of employees. I work for a small town where the likelihood of having a connection is high. But as many times as it’s awful, I have ten more times that it’s not.”
Jack cares deeply for the people he works for. “We’re here to serve the public in any aspect. It doesn’t matter what they’re calling for, that’s their emergency. You can’t diminish that.”
“I may do different things in the seat I’m sitting in now, but I still strive to come to work happy, take care of my people and give them an atmosphere to work happy too. That will always be the same for me—doesn’t matter what my title is, I’m still a firefighter,” said Jack.
Jack says it’s important for him to take care of his body and his mental health to stay in the career, which can be heavy. “It’s a job where I tell my coworkers I love them and mean it every time. You have to rely on people in this job and the camaraderie, that sense of family, is remarkable.”
“I feel like I won the lottery, that I get to do come to work and do what I get to do. If they charged me a fee to do this job, I would pay it. I’m truly living the dream,” said Jack.
To young firefighters, he says, “Keep your nose clean. It’s a job that requires a clean record and a lot of trust. There’s a huge trust factor in this job. But you know, if this is something you want—then go get it.”
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Summer 2026 edition of Tahoe Magazine.
Some friendships are simply meant to last forever, and that’s exactly the case with Paisley and Nala. This sweet bonded pair is looking for a loving home where they can stay together and continue bringing comfort and companionship to one another.
Paisley and Nala are gentle, affectionate cats who may be a little shy when meeting new people. But don’t let their quiet nature fool you, with a little patience and kindness, their loving personalities quickly begin to shine.
Once they feel safe, they adore gentle pets, especially around their heads and necks, and they’ll happily accept a tasty treat or two while getting to know you. Watching their confidence grow is incredibly rewarding, and you’ll soon discover just how sweet and devoted they truly are.
Nala and Paisley are this week’s Pet of the Week. Provided / HSTT
These lovely girls also get along well with other cats, making them a wonderful fit for a peaceful household. They would thrive in a calm, patient home where they can settle in at their own pace and blossom into the wonderful companions they’re meant to be.
If you’ve been thinking about adding a little extra love to your life, why not make it double? Paisley and Nala have spent their lives looking out for one another, and now they’re hoping to find a family who will cherish them both.
Come meet Paisley and Nala at the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, you may just find that two hearts are even better than one.
If you are interested in meeting this perfect pair or learning more about them, please get in touch with one of HSTT’s Adoption Specialists, 530-587-5948 or adoptions@hstt.org. They are spayed, vaccinated, and up to date on vaccines. To view more adoptable pets or to learn more about the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, visit, www.hstt.org.
Nala and Paisley are this week’s Pet of the Week. Provided / HSTT
Linda Marie Kennedy passed away on Thursday July 2, 2026 at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center in Nevada. Linda was a loving mother, sister, aunt, daughter and devoted grandmother to her grandchildren and great grandchildren who were the light of her life.
She was born and raised in Philadelphia and moved to Lake Tahoe where she recently retired after working at Harrahs Resorts for over 25 years where she made many friends
Family was most important to Linda and her super power was her ability to connect to people. She was funny, warm and generous to a fault. She enjoyed watching classic movies, and rewatching her favorite movie “Harold and Maude.”
She is survived by her son Scott (Sara) and her 5 grandchildren Caleb, Natalie, Ella, Sienna and Giana and by 3 great grandchildren Giavanna, Luca and Becket.
She is also survived by her brothers John, Patrick (Barbara) and Gerald and her sister Catherine, her niece Kayla (Joseph) and nephews Conor, Kyle and Silas.
She is predeceased by her parents Patrick and Patricia Kennedy and her grandson Marcus.
It is with deep sorrow we announce the passing of Maria Voltl at the age of 96. Maria was born Sept 27, 1929 in Pfiferahof, Germany, daughter of Max and Maria Schmoller.
Maria came to the US by boat in 1956 at the age of 27, she had always dreamed of coming to America to live the American dream. In 1957 she married Siegfried Voltl Sr. they were married for 26 years. Maria was a go getter working hard to achieve the American dream. Maria fulfilled that dream in Long Grove Ill. She successfully ran a restaurant called the peppermint stick for 11 years before selling and moving west to Lake Tahoe NV. she purchased the Mcfaul building in Zephyr Cove NV.
Maria was a world traveler from hiking in Napal, Heli skiing in New Zealand and walking the great wall of China. On top of visiting many counties she loved to travel in her motor home. Some memorable places were Alaska with her grandson, up and down west coast with daughter in laws Julie and Kim and going to Arizona to meet up with longtime friends. Latter in life one of her favorite pass times was going to the thrift stores contributing many items but never leaving empty handed.
In addition to her parents she was proceeded by her brothers Max, Franz, Hubert and Georg Schmoller. And sisters Irmgard and Christine. Daughter in law Julie Voltl. Maria is survived by her sons Mike and Sieg Voltl, daughter in law Kim Voltl, grand-kids Chris and Joey Voltl, Amanda and Lindsey Schneider and great grand-kids Jaxson and Frank Schneider, and many nephew, nieces and friends.
We let go a remarkable woman, a loving mother, a dedicated grandmother, and a kind soul, as we mourn her loss, we also celebrate her life of joy, kindness which were the essence of Maria’s life.
“Hard to put into words how freeing it is,” Jimi Brenner said while taking a break from an afternoon at the downhill mountain bike trails. Brenner lives and works on an orchard around Auburn, he likes biking, he is into metal fabrication, and when he was 29, his car slid off the road into a big oak tree. He became paralyzed from chest down.
JIMI BRENNER on his adaptive bike. Trails for these bikes should be at least 58 inches wide, according to High Fives. Photo courtesy Jimi Brenner
Brenner found the hospital-provided wheelchairs not to his liking, so a year after his injury, he built his own. “I’ve always been the outdoorsy person,” he said. “I can’t get stuck inside much.”
Three years after his accident, Brenner rode a bike again. The bike was adaptive to his injury, lent to him at the High Fives Community Bike Day, a fundraiser open to everyone.
High Fives was launched in 2009 after its founder, Roy Tuscany, overshot a ski jump and became paralyzed from the waist down. Tuscany received help from his community and started High Fives to “prevent life-changing injuries and provide resources and hope if they happen.” Since then, High Fives has served over 1,000 athletes in a multitude of sports and funded more than 1,900 grants.
After receiving a grant from High Fives and the Kelly Brush Foundation, whose mission is “to inspire and empower people with spinal cord injuries to lead active and engaged lifestyles,” Brenner was able to buy one of the bikes, which start at $15,000. But he didn’t know where to ride it. “Auburn has a lot of real tight single track,” he said. “It’s hard to ride independently.”
In 2021, High Fives collaborated with Sky Tavern Bike Park, located off Mt. Rose Highway, to build a trail suitable for adaptive riders. “We wanted to include several [adaptive specific] design features,” said Becca Lefanowicz, director of brand and creative for High Fives. For instance, “that it would be wide enough for adaptive bikes that have a wider and longer frame.”
I DID IT! Estocado is triumphant after a downhill mountain bike run.
A High Fives adaptive trail must be at least 58 inches wide, a standard that unaffiliated organizations like Lee Canyon resort in Las Vegas have begun to copy. Because adaptive mountain bikes have a lower clearance than standard ones, the trail is also maintained to avoid what Lefanowicz calls “pinch points” — areas that would be too rocky for the low clearance of an adaptive bike. Brenner described the Sky Tavern trail as “super fun, super flowy.” It’s also one of two locations for the High Fives Community Bike Day in June, July, and August this year.
Since the Sky Tavern installation, High Fives has put in another adaptive-friendly trail at Sierra Vista in Reno.
“Most trails are not too far off,” Brenner said, “there’s maybe just a little something on them [that makes them not suitable for an adaptive bike].” But on Brenner’s new-model Bowhead Reach with a tilting mechanism, he said that “98, 99% of the trails — I can ride on them.”
ALL SMILES: High Fives collaborated with Sky Tavern Bike Park, located off Mt. Rose Highway, to build a trail suitable for adaptive riders, which Estocado happily bombs down. Photos courtesy High Fives
Brenner said it’s big news in his community when a new trail like this is put in. “It’s more open space you can get out and explore.” This, he said, is the point. And Lefanowicz added that the word she most commonly hears from people who use the adaptive trails is “independence.”
There was a moment at the second-ever Gambler’s Run in 2024 when The Main Squeeze was covering Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar” and it all kind of came together for Crystal Bay Casino’s production/marketing manager Sam Shear.
“It was right at dusk,” he said. “The golden hour light. The energy of the band, the energy of the crowd. It was epic. All the work we’d done, a lot of things had to line up to make that moment happen.”
MUSICAL CONNECTION: A festivalgoer and a musician are in sync during a daytime set.
Things did line up and that moment did happen. More moments happened last year and more moments will happen in 2026, the festival gaining momentum like some incendiary fiddle solo played against a devil down in Georgia. This year, the String Cheese Incident leads its biggest lineup yet, headlining three days of deep-pooled musicality with their Thursday night set.
Formed in Colorado a good 30 years ago, the band has shredded strings and lit up audiences around the world with its bluegrass meets funky-country-rocky-jazzy-reggae-infused sound that offers a pinch of psychedelia and throws in a warm breeze
for good measure.
IT’S ALL GRATITUDE AND GOOD TIMES in the front row at dusk at Gambler’s Run.
The band’s name stems from a cheese-heavy food fight the members had in a bar back in the ’90s. They’ll be coming off a two-night run at Red Rocks Amphitheater before rolling the dice in Crystal Bay as part of their five-month Just Keep Spinning tour.
Red Rocks has a 9,500-person capacity, a typical venue size for the band. Gambler’s Run, on the other hand, is capped at 1,000. A faraway lawn seat won’t exist at the festival, and access to the front rows won’t cost $500-plus — so fans will see and hear and feel the cheese-grating up close.
“String Cheese is about the biggest act we can get,” Shear said. “We’ve had them in the Crown Room, but this is a new time for a new setting.”
That setting is outdoors. That setting is intimate. That setting is Tahoe air and golden hour light and the mysteries of the night. And visuals.
“A lot of focus is also on the art, the eye candy of the festival,” said Shear, who was coy with details to not give away too much and spoil first-impression surprise and intrigue. “It’s an all-encompassing experience. We’ll transform the festival grounds as much as possible.”
Those adorned grounds will be played from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with the gates opening at 3 p.m. for food and craft vendors, and high-energy afterparties in the Crown Room raging until midnight or so.
Big Head Todd and the Monsters headlines Friday’s lineup with its own sweet Colorado-born style that has continued to evolve and delight music lovers since its 1993 platinum rock album Sister Sweetly, featuring the decade’s iconic and seemingly immortal (for good reason) “Bittersweet.” The soulful sounds and rhythmic beat of The California Honeydrops will get Saturday night’s airs swirling and the dancefloor moving.
But Gambler’s Run isn’t just three consecutive big-name concerts; it’s a music festival that features eight hours of music per day and over 10 bands that run the gamut. Also performing are the Humboldt funk machine Diggin Dirt, the electronic-instrumental synthesis of the groovy Octave Cat (featuring Jessie Miller of Lotus), and the Nashville-based Grateful Dead-influenced punk rockers Sicard Hollow, among others.
Sicard Hollow’s guitarist Alex King shared his thoughts: “We love music festivals, casinos, and lakes. Gambler’s Run is a perfect place … because it crosses off all three of those boxes. Let’s party.”
Three-Pronged Event
In addition to the intrepid tunes and dynamic art, Gambler’s Run also features a core contingent of activities and activism at its nonprofit village.
The nonprofit tine is a who’s who of local ecological stalwarts: Keep Tahoe Blue, Sierra Nevada Alliance, Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC), UC Davis, Restoring My Lake; and, from Colorado, Conscious Alliance. Each entity helms an interactive booth and leads an engaging activity that ties back to its message. Festival-goers are provided a punch card; punches are earned by doing the activities; completing all the activities gains entry into drawings for signed posters and other rad prizes.
A main component of the activism for the festival itself focuses on sustainability. “When we started Gambler’s Run four years ago now, we were like, ‘We are in Lake Tahoe, we should be as conscious of our environment as possible.’”
THE OUTDOOR GROUNDS at Gambler’s Run hosts bands from 4 to 10 pm. before the event moves into the Crown Room for the afterparties.
A main cog in that activism/sustainability wheel was to phase out plastic cups by phasing in aluminum ones. The CBC began doing so at the first Gambler’s Run in 2023 and it’s now become standard practice at every show it hosts. No single-use plastic cups, not one; stats showing the switch having already saved close to 100,000 plastic cups and thousands of plastic water bottles from ending up in landfills.
That’s the type of action that helps the world keep spinning and the music keep playing. And summer music festivals right here in the Tahoe Basin, without having to undertake some distant drive in some super-hot direction, are a good thing too.
“If you’re a local,” Shear concluded, “you know the Crystal Bay Casino; what we do is live music. This is our masterpiece — three days of music, art, activism. Come on over and hang out.”
Wade Snider, master photographer, believes that every photo taken should be planned for months. In accordance with his tight hierarchy of strict guidelines, he camped out for ages, waiting for this exact photograph. On day 90, lightning struck. The beagles lined up. The bear was there. All he had to do was hit the shutter. The world softened for a bit. The birds, awestruck, quieted their ritualistic song. When the day returned to focus and time resumed ticking, all that was left was a photograph. Seen here.
With summer in full swing, the Cancer new moon on July 14 offers a welcome invitation to slow down, to rest, and to reconnect.
On July 18, Uranus in Gemini trines Pluto retrograde in Aquarius, an amicable transit that highlights both the tension and harmony between abstract ideas and collective technological transformations underway. Two days later, Jupiter in Leo forms a trine to Neptune retrograde in Aries, while also opposing Pluto — encouraging examination of values and relationships to the world’s changes.
The sun enters Leo on July 22, followed by Mercury coming out of its retrograde transit on July 24. Expect a certain momentum to return to a plan of yours that’s been stalled.
A major collective shift occurs on July 26 as the north node enters Aquarius and the south node enters Leo. This new nodal cycle will be playing out for 18 months and encourages us to participate more consciously in worldly happenings.
Leo-season energies amplify on July 29 when Jupiter conjoins the sun during a full moon in Aquarius. With Pluto in conjunction to the full moon, this lunation brings expansive emotional and subconscious transformation. Pay attention to what needs to be released as well as what’s coming up that needs to be celebrated.
Venus enters Libra on August 6. This will bring balance, a focus on beauty, and an inclination to socialize. August 7 and 8 may feel more reactive, with the Gemini moon transiting first Uranus and then Mars. To give yourself time to take in the full picture, endeavor to pause before responding to things.
On August 12, we have a powerful solar eclipse. The Leo new moon also joins the south node, with Jupiter and Mercury also in Leo. This day will illuminate old stories of identities and patterns that may surface for review.
NATURAL MAGIC
There are many transits happening in this time that relate to collective change and how that is personally significant, highlighted by the nodal shift into the signs of Aquarius and Leo exactly on July 26; consider setting aside twenty minutes a day between July 19 and August 2 to honor both the transition and your own evolutionary growth. Begin with ten minutes of heart-centered meditation. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly, breathing slowly as you imagine your awareness dropping from your head to your heart.
Then spend ten minutes reflecting and journaling. Consider these prompts: When I shift perception from my head to my heart, what changes within me?What is my unique gift to the world? How can I use my creativity in service to something larger than myself?
Bees. These remarkable bugs are more than just fuzzy visitors to flowers or “scary” insects that sting. They are vital pollinators who play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our mountain ecosystems and the planet as a whole.
When most people think of bees, they picture the classic honey bee: living in its bustling hive, making honey, and serving the queen. However, honey bees are not native to North America and their highly social lifestyle represents only a small fraction of the world’s bee species.
In fact, the vast majority of bees around the world and in the Sierra Nevada are solitary, up to 85% living quiet, independent lives that often go unnoticed by humans. In these species there are no queens, no workers, and no hives.
1 of 3
A SWEAT BEE (Halictidae) nuzzles into flax in South Lake Tahoe. Photo by Nina Miller/Moonshine Ink
Van Dyke’s Bumble Bee (Bombus vandykei) atop a sage in Truckee. Photo by Will Richardson
A MASON BEE (Osmia montana) visits a Senecio in Page Meadows above Tahoe City. Photo by Will Richardson
Rather, every female bee is essentially a one-bee construction crew, food gatherer, and parent all rolled into one. After snowmelt, they find or build suitable nests, collect nectar and pollen, and create a carefully stocked nursery for future offspring. After supplying the nest chamber with food, the female lays a single egg, seals the chamber, and begins the process of preparing the next chamber for another egg. Once her work is complete, her life cycle comes to an end and the next generation develops during the winter months to emerge in the spring.
Meanwhile, male bees have a simpler life. Their lifespan lasts only a few weeks and equates to: emerge, compete to find a mate, reproduce, and that’s about it.
Native Tahoe/Truckee bees come in an incredible variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Some wear the familiar yellow-and-black striped patterns while others look like tiny flying jewels, shimmering in the sunlight with their metallic greens, blues, or bronze. When identifying whether an insect is a bee, a helpful clue is to look for yellow, dusty pollen clinging to its body. Female bees often carry pollen on specialized hairs attached to their legs called corbiculae (or “pollen pants”), and other species will tote it on the underside of their abdomens.
Tahoe/Truckee Bee Diversity
One of the most interesting solitary bees around Tahoe/Truckee are leafcutter bees (Megachile spp.). These tiny architects carefully cut out near-perfect circles from leaves or other plant material and carry them back to their nests. They then use the leaf pieces to form the structure of their nursery chamber cells, and, like wallpaper, the leaf material lines and protects the chamber to promote growth of beneficial microbes.
Gardeners sometimes notice the neat circular holes left behind by the leafcutters and wonder, “What happened?” Fortunately, it’s most often good news. The holes rarely harm the plant as a whole, and the “damage” is little more than a tiny rental fee, paid in exchange for excellent pollination services.
Mason bees (Osmia spp.) include another type of solitary bee found in our area. These small critters have dark bodies and an often iridescent sheen, and can easily be mistaken for a fly. However, they are all bee: widely considered some of nature’s most efficient pollinators. A single female has been known to pollinate up to 2,000 blossoms in one day.
Her pollinating power comes from how she carries pollen. Instead of packing it tightly on her legs, the mason bee female carries it loosely on the underside of her body, allowing her to transfer more pollen between flowers. Around Tahoe/Truckee you can find mason bees living in natural cavities such as hollow stems and holes in wood, but they will also readily occupy homemade bee boxes with paper or cardboard nesting tubes placed near flowering plants (a fun project for your yard).
For other bees, that patch of exposed dirt in your yard or a downed log out back can be prime real estate too, so leave them be!
Of course, no discussion of Sierra buzzers would be complete without mentioning bumble bees (Bombus spp.). The fuzzy giants of the bee world, bumble bees are larger, louder, and easier to spot than many of their smaller relatives.
Unlike most of the area’s native bees, bumble bees are social insects, forming small colonies led by a single queen and supported by a female workforce. Their colonies, however, function very differently from honey bee hives. As fall approaches, the workers die off, leaving only the newly mated queens alive, seeking shelter underground where they overwinter beneath the snowpack. When spring arrives, each queen emerges to build an entirely new colony from scratch.
Truckee/Tahoe is home to several bumblebee species, including the endangered Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis). Not long ago, at Sagehen Creek Research Station, Dr. Nina Sokolov of UC Berkeley found 23 Western Bumble Bees in just 45 minutes, a remarkable find given this species is endangered and difficult to find across the state of California. Perhaps Truckee is a hotspot for this species? More research and time will tell, but for now this is encouraging for Bombus occidentalis.
Supporting the Bees That Support Us
Bees play a critical role in maintaining our region’s biodiversity. Their services support the plants that provide food and shelter for countless other species, while encouraging outcrossing among the plants themselves, increasing genetic diversity and creating stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities of organisms.
Sadly, not all news is good, and our bees face many challenges. Habitat loss, disease, pesticide exposure, and climate change all threaten native bee populations. Habitat loss from human development destroys both nesting sites and the flowering plants bees depend on. Pesticides may directly harm the pollinators or indirectly kill the plants they rely on. Climate change creates timing mismatches between flowers and the bees’ emergence.
Fortunately, communities throughout our nation are recognizing the importance of protecting pollinators, and Truckee has an exciting opportunity to join that effort. The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) is leading the charge to designate the Town of Truckee as an official “Bee City.” TINS and other partners through Bee City USA intend to protect native pollinators through education, habitat restoration, and conservation. While the designation is an important milestone, its true value lies in the community actions that follow.
POLLINATORS: One of Truckee/Tahoe’s most common and widespread bumble bee species, Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) visiting a yarrow and showing a packed pollen basket. Photo by Will Richardson
Residents can help in surprisingly simple ways; planting native flowers and leaving patches of bare soil, dead wood, and dried stems all work to create nesting opportunities. Even participating in community science projects using iNaturalist, a free app that helps identify plants and animals while collecting data for science and conservation, can help researchers better understand local bee populations. In this way, every yard, garden, school, neighborhood, and human can become part of the solution.
So, the next time you hear a faint buzz while hiking a trail, walking through a meadow, or tending your garden, take a closer look and try to appreciate the bee for who it is and what it does.
These remarkable insects may be small, but their impact is enormous. Quietly and tirelessly, our native bees sustain the wildflowers, forests, and vibrant landscapes that make the Sierra Nevada the wonderful and biologically diverse place that it is.
If you’re not looking for the Understory, it’s easy to walk right past it. Owner Annie Stefani calls it a hobbit hole — picture Alice falling into the rabbit burrow and coming out in Tahoe. Located in an underground cellar at the north end of downtown Tahoe City in front of urgent care, the Understory is North Lake Tahoe’s newest bookshop, which opened June 30.
“That aspect of getting lost in a story has been a big part of my entire life,” says Stefani, who grew up in Tahoe City and has worked in education for 20 years, teaching middle and high school English and social studies. “Reading is a way to learn about another place. Especially in a bubble like Tahoe, books are a window into another world.”
BOOK CLUB: Tahoe City has a new bookstore, thanks to North Tahoe High’s former librarian. Photo courtesy Daniel Stefani
Five years ago, Stefani obtained a master’s degree in library and information science and began working as the librarian at North Tahoe High School. When she took over that role, she completely redesigned the physical space of the school’s library. “When people asked me what I’d do if I wasn’t a teacher, I’d always say I’d be an interior designer,” she says. She discovered a designer who focused on home libraries, and she thought, “This is a thing? I can incorporate design and books and make them look beautiful and readable? Who knew?”
Last year, she left her job at Tahoe Truckee Unified School District and launched Wonderwood Books and Library Services, a book-centric design studio for homes, hotels, and more. She designed and curated bookshelves at the new Apex Club at Palisades Tahoe — complete with books by local authors and ones based on Sierra Nevada ski history — as well as home libraries for several local residences. “When you walk into someone’s home, you look at what they’re reading,” Stefani says. “You want those shelves to not only look nice but also represent who you are.”
LET’S READ: Small but mighty, The Understory bookstore opened last month.
With the launch of her library design business, she needed a space outside her home to store books, so she began looking at storage facilities and commercial spaces around the area. A meeting with Christine and Andrew Ryan, who own the Tahoe Backyard in Kings Beach and operate a micro-business incubator, gave her a new idea: Find a space that could house her library design studio and also be a community bookstore.
“It seemed like a crazy idea in the Amazon-era of online book ordering to open a brick-and-mortar bookstore,” Stefani says. “But Christine and Andy gave me the confidence and encouragement that a bookstore could actually work.”
Another serendipitous meeting with local architects Robb and Molly Olson, who recently purchased the Trading Post buildings in downtown Tahoe City, led Stefani to the so-nick-named hobbit hole. “They said they had a commercial space I might be interested in and when they stopped in front of that door into the underground, I thought, ‘Oh no,’” Stefani recalls. “But then we walked in and my answer was immediately: ‘yes.’ It’s much brighter than it looks thanks to the skylights, and the space has such a good quality.”
The underground store, which previously housed a law office and the office of the former property owners, the Dyer brothers, has been vacant for years. The interior and exterior were recently remodeled and landscaped in preparation for the Understory’s late June opening.
At just 645 square feet, it’s not a huge space. The main room displays books for sale, and the two smaller back rooms offer a reading nook with a gas fireplace that can be rented out for book clubs or other gatherings and a conference room that can be used for private meetings.
“The space is small, but because of that it can be carefully curated,” Stefani says. “I want this to be a community-based bookshop, so there will a rotating community shelf with reading recommendations.”
She doesn’t plan on focusing on outdoor guidebooks — Tahoe City’s Alpenglow Sports has that well covered — or competing with the vast collection at Truckee’s much bigger Word After Word Books. Her goal is to have a small, handpicked collection of fiction and nonfiction books that are switched out regularly, so you can always find something new. “I want everyone — locals, visitors, kids, adults — to be able to walk into the store and discover a book that invokes that sense of curiosity, joy, and wonder that you can find from a good story.”
The last bookstore in Tahoe City, called the Bookshelf, closed in 2012. Can this one fare better? “Tahoe is a very literary place, more than people may realize,” Stefani says. “I’m excited to create this space for our community around a shared love of reading and storytelling.”
After 20 years teaching English and as a high school librarian, I’ve learned that while reading is a deeply personal act, it also has the innate ability to build community through the simple act of sharing the books we’ve loved or what’s next on our list. While Joyce Carol Oates once said, “Read widely, and without apology. Read what you want to read, not what someone tells you you should read,” I also believe that one should never turn down an opportunity to share what’s on their reading list. So, here are 10 books for your summer reading adventures, with stories rooted in travel and place.
1. Properties of Thirst by Marianne Wiggins. The Eastern Sierra is magical this time of year and Wiggins manages to capture the beauty of the Owens Valley and create historical fiction perfection with this story about the building of Manzanar, the city of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and a family stuck in the middle. This is one of my favorite books of all time.
2. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. Eco-fiction, mystery, family drama all in one. A woman washes up shipwrecked on a remote sub-Antarctic island guarding a seed vault, and nothing about the family sheltering her is quite what it seems.
3. Playground by Richard Powers. While Powers’ The Overstory was part of the inspiration for The Understory, his novel Playground is a captivating shift to the ocean with this sweeping story about ocean exploration, tech oligarchs, and what it means to be family.
4. The Land and Its People by David Sedaris. I first discovered the sheer genius of David Sedaris while reading Me Talk Pretty One Day on a study abroad trip to France. To this day, I have never felt so seen in a collection of essays about navigating life in another country with such sharp, tender wit. In The Land and Its People, Sedaris revisits those themes of travel, brotherhood, and friendship.
5. Land by Maggie O’Farrell. This highly anticipated historical fiction piece will transport you to Ireland in the years surrounding The Great Hunger, from the author of Hamnet.
6. Barbarian Days by William Finnegan. Much like skiing, surfing quickly turns into an all-consuming adventure. In this Pulitzer-winning memoir I come back to every summer, Finnegan shares stories of chasing waves around the world. Part travelogue, part coming-of-age-story, and part meditation on obsession in sport.
7. Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune. In a past life when I worked for a surf camp in Mexico, my favorite colleagues were all from Tofino. This slow-burn romance set on the Canadian coastline is the perfect summer beach read.
8. Saltwater by Katy Hayes. In this twisty, glamorous murder mystery filled with family secrets, the island of Capri is a character itself. Local Tahoe author Katy Hayes brings the same eye for atmosphere and intrigue that made The Cloisters a hit, making Capri’s sun-bleached cliffs and shadowy villas feel as vivid as anywhere in fiction this summer.
9. Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer. Italy, but make it chaotic. The Pulitzer-winning author of Less sends a young archivist to catalog a crumbling Tuscan villa for a 92-year-old baroness with one last love to track down. The other side of The Understory are library services, including archival work, so my inner cataloguer loves this premise.
10. Calypso by Oliver K. Langmead. This is going to be my personal challenge book for the summer, and it feels like good timing between the release of Spielberg’s Disclosure Day and the new Odyssey movie coming out in late July. Recommended by a friend who’s a sci-fi expert, this Hugo-nominated sci-fi novel is told entirely in verse, following a colony ship engineer who wakes from cryosleep to find her vessel transformed into a forest, ruled by the descendants of the crew.
