In The News – A lone wolf crossed into Nevada. Scientists are watching what happens next.
May 25, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 5/25/2026, Written by Alanna Garcia
A gray wolf left the forests of Northern California in early February and traveled east into Nevada— a landscape where wolves have not established packs in more than a century.
The wolf, a young male disperser from California’s Harvey Pack, was detected moving through the Truckee area before crossing into Nevada’s Carson Range between Mount Rose and Mount Houghton. Biologists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife tracked the animal using a GPS collar, part of ongoing monitoring as the species expands across the state. His short trip into Nevada appeared on the agency’s recently launched public wolf location mapping system, which provides delayed and generalized updates intended to balance wolf recovery with livestock and community concerns.
In The News – Tahoe’s first Wildfire Pro Shop opens in Incline Village
May 25, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 5/25/2026, Written by Victoria Mastrocola
As numerous 2026 wildfire season outlooks foresee a daunting and highly active fire season on the horizon, a new Wildfire Pro Shop is opening in Incline Village to provide affordable and environmentally-friendly wildfire defense.
Steve Conboy is the founder of Mighty Fire Breaker and the inventor of CitroTech, a plant-safe, EPA Safer Choice-certified fire retardant. His background as a mold expert, and former 45-year building and lumber professional led him to discovering a chemical reaction using tri-potassium citrate, a highly soluble form of potassium.
“You ate it today,” said Conboy. The ingredient can be found in a number of foods including jams, icecream, plant-based dairy products and sports drinks. “What’s interesting about it is when you spray it on the fuels – pine needles, dry grass, manzanita, lumber, paper, fabric, you can’t ignite it with a 3500 degree [Fahrenheit] torch.”
PINE NUTS – A Burlesque History of the Lewis & Clark Expedition
May 23, 2026 | McAvoy Lane
In the spring of 1803 President Thomas Jefferson was suffering buyer’s remorse. He had just handed Napoleon fifteen million dollars for Purchase of the Louisiana Territory that nobody knew anything about, including the president. So Jefferson asked Secretary of State, James Madison, “Jim, what exactly did we just buy here?”
Madison waved his hands in the air, as it to say with body language, “I’m thinking…I’m thinking!” After a pregnant pause, Madison offered, with the confidence of a Christian holding three aces, “Well, Mr. President, seems to me, you, not we, just bought Park Place without passing GO.”
“What does that mean exactly? asked the president, puzzled.
“I don’t know, but if I were you, I’d send somebody out there right now to find out, before Napoleon spends that money on cognac and you can’t get it back. I know two guys out of work right now who would be perfectly suited for the job, Lewis & Clark.”
“Well then, outfit them both with a compass, a blanket, a plug of tobacco, and send them on their way…
“Aye, aye, Sir!”
So, Lewis & Clark started out from St. Louis, looking for what they knew not. Their assignment was to describe the Louisiana Purchase, but they had little instruction to go on more than, “Go that way!”
As good fortune would have it, they ran into a young Shoshone lady, Sacagawea, who saw they were lost and offered to show them the way, which was an easy task for her to do, in that nobody knew where they were going anyway.
The one and only instance of humor recorded on the excursion came when Clark accidentally stepped on the back of one of Lewis’s moccasins, giving Lewis a flat tire, and starting him to hopping around on one foot, while Sacagawea guffawed out loud.
Well there were plenty of mosquitoes around, enough to suck you dry as a hat rack if you stood still for more than two seconds. One mosquito carried off the dog they had taken along for company.
Well Lewis & Clark & Sacagawea survived mosquito bites, snake bites, accidental gunshot wounds, plummeting over lofty waterfalls and cold sores on their lips, before finally reaching the Pacific Ocean and diving in, only to dive back out again, Sacagawea swearing in her native Shoshone, “Dang-Nabbit COLD!”
After a quick meal of Pacific snails, they discussed the routes they might take to get back home. Each of them had a different route in mind, so they took a vote, and Sacagawea’s route won the day. Thus, Sacagawea became a hero of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, which should rightly be known today as the Lewis, Clark & Sacagawea Expedition. She also became the very first woman in our history to cast a vote.
And this is where we bring our short story of the LC&S Expedition, as it should not be taught in the schools, to a close…
Gather your friends, family, and coworkers for our month-long celebration of biking in Tahoe
Together with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition is kicking off our 21st year of Tahoe Bike Month starting June 1. Ride your bike to work or school, around town, or just for fun!
Track Your Rides to Win Prizes
Sign up with Strava to track your rides throughout Tahoe Bike Month. Each ride is an entry to win prizes from local businesses in regular raffles. Prizes will also be awarded to those who top the leaderboards for most rides, miles, and elevation gain. We also celebrate everybody’s biggest ride of the month and those who encourage others to sign up. There’s a category for everyone!
Create or join a team with your friends or your workplace to compete together on the Team Leaderboards. Earn a point for your team with every mile you ride, up to 5 miles per day. Plus this year you’ll get TWO bonus points for each person who joins your team. Big teams are encouraged so we can get everybody riding their bikes!
2026 Tahoe Economic Summit Highlights Collaboration, Innovation, and Regional Solutions
May 22, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published with Tahoe Prosperity Center, 5/22/26
On May 7, more than 130 regional leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, agencies, nonprofits, students, and community members gathered at the Tahoe Blue Event Center for the 2026 Tahoe Economic Summit hosted by the Tahoe Prosperity Center.
This year’s Summit focused on the opportunities and challenges shaping Tahoe’s future — from workforce housing and transportation to entrepreneurship, environmental innovation, and regional collaboration. Throughout the day, one message came through clearly: Tahoe’s long-term resilience will depend on stronger partnerships across sectors, communities, and state lines.
The Summit opened with keynote presentations from Kate Gordon, CEO of California Forward, and Dr. Fred Steinmann, Director of the University Center for Economic Development at the University of Nevada, Reno. Their presentations explored the intersection of climate, economic resilience, workforce development, and regional innovation — challenging attendees to think beyond traditional silos and toward more integrated, place-based solutions.
A fireside conversation moderated by TPC Executive Director Sarah Schmidt connected these broader themes directly to Tahoe, exploring workforce housing, economic diversification, tourism, clean energy, and the importance of cross-state collaboration in addressing shared regional challenges.
Attendees then moved into breakout sessions focused on:
Connecting Housing, Transportation, and Opportunity in the Tahoe Basin
From Idea to Expansion: Navigating Business Growth in Tahoe
Environmental Innovation & a Regenerative Economy
Across sessions, speakers shared practical examples already underway in the region — from long-term rental incentive programs and expanded transit solutions to bilingual small business advising, workforce training pathways, maker education, and Tahoe Wood’s efforts to support forest health through local wood-based business opportunities.
This year’s Summit also featured an expanded Innovation Exchange space showcasing local businesses, nonprofits, and community initiatives aligned with TPC’s mission to advance a connected and resilient economy through regional collaboration, community-led decisions, and environmental stewardship.
For the first time, the Summit was paired with the Tahoe Chamber’s Go Local Business Expo, creating a full day of connection and community engagement. Attendees were able to move between policy conversations, economic development discussions, and hands-on interaction with Tahoe businesses, entrepreneurs, makers, and local organizations — all while enjoying a true “taste of Tahoe” through the Expo’s many local food and beverage offerings.
The collaboration between the two events received overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees. One participant shared: “The combination of the Summit and Go Local Expo was fantastic. It connected the bigger regional conversations with the businesses and people actually making Tahoe work every day.” Another attendee reflected: “This was one of the best regional events I’ve attended in Tahoe. The conversations felt real, collaborative, and solution-oriented.”
Survey feedback highlighted strong appreciation for the keynote conversation, breakout session variety, networking opportunities, and the Summit’s focus on actionable ideas and cross-sector collaboration. Many attendees also emphasized how valuable it was to hear perspectives from both California and Nevada leaders in the same room.
The Tahoe Prosperity Center extends sincere thanks to all speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, partners, and attendees who helped make this year’s Summit such a meaningful and energizing gathering for the Tahoe Basin.
The conversations sparked at the Summit will continue throughout the year as TPC works alongside partners across the region to advance practical, community-driven solutions for Tahoe’s future.
There’s a tree outside my bedroom window that speaks to me. Yes, speaks with a perfectly symmetrical spray of pine needles that welcomes me when I rise in the morning and bids me adieu when I retire at night. It’s the very same constellation that welcomed me when I moved into Twain Haven 22 years ago. This flawless bouquet, in the shape of a microphone, speaks to me through Huckleberry, my pet jay, every day when Huck arrives for a Beer Nut at Happy Hour…
“Thanks for the Beer Nut, Pal, to celebrate this particularly pleasant pinecone day.”
Then this morning the unimaginable happened. I was gazing out the window at my noble pine needle comrade, ruminating about how lucky I am to have Huckleberry and our pine tree to associate, when Huckleberry suddenly burst through the middle of that spray of needles, parting it like a cape with his wings, and stood there staring at me as if to say, “Ta-Da! You’re right! This tree does speak to us both!”
My breath forsook me, and I came near falling onto the floor in astonishment. Huckleberry employs many different tricks to get my attention, from landing on the flagstaff and waving Old Glory, to banging on the window with his beak, but his bursting forth in the middle of our pine needle touchstone at the very moment I was focused on it, well, “out of this world” does not describe my wonder. It stopped my heart, and even now, half-an-hour later, I’m reflecting feverishly upon this affirmation…
I’ve had some surreal incidents in my life, but never one so palpable and profound as the flamboyant appearance of Huck in the exact time and place that I was contemplating his role as liaison between the tree and me. It gives me chicken skin to contemplate it…
Huck has been coming for Happy Hour every afternoon since 2017. Lately he has taken to raiding the rain gutter when I’m not at home, and flinging pine needles onto the deck as if to say, “Hey, I was here, where were you?!” It’s his calling card, and it makes me smile.
There is something clairvoyant going on between that tree, Huck and me. I don’t know exactly what it might be, but there’s a definitive telepathic link joining the three of us. It’s a bond that the tree and Huckleberry know more about than I do. Whatever it might be, I wish I could bottle it up and give it away to parties who are hell-bent on using violence to settle their differences.
The calming and charming effect of knowing that we three, Huckleberry, our tree and me, are aware of our supernatural alliance is a comfort me, and I don’t need to know how or why to appreciate the splendor of it. It’s the dangdest thing I ever struck, really, and I remain eternally grateful for the illustrious mystery of it all…
Lake Tahoe may not carry a national park designation, but thanks to decades of dedicated partnership, in many important ways it’s protected like one. Ninety percent of the land in the Tahoe Basin is public. Within this natural landscape, we also have vibrant communities of residents and visitors enjoying and stewarding this land.
At the same time, rising costs are pushing our workforce out of the basin, something partners are seeing firsthand. The people who teach our children, serve at our restaurants, and staff our hospitals increasingly can’t afford to live here, which means they are forced to commute from further away. This adds real pressure on Tahoe’s environment and communities.
Read on to see how Tahoe partners are working together to explore solutions, and how you can get involved.
Russell, Darya, and their teams have a great recipe for the perfect combo of food, entertainment, and fun. Those of you who already have been “Praying for Snow Sun”, thank you. Come celebrate that sun at this Pray for Sun party and bring your dog. Oh, you don’t have one? Pet Network is on hand to fix that problem!
DIY Weekend
It is DIY weekend and the best place to start is at Mountain Hardware in Raleys Center. They are showing off their new renovation and that means there are specials throughout the entire store.
As most of you know, I am NOT a DIY girl. I am going for the free hot dogs and a chance to dance during the day to Jacked Up. The Store Manager, Divina, says they “ONLY” have 450 hot dogs and they always run out…I’m calling it brunch at 11:30, so I can hit one more restaurant for Restaurant Week.
My top choice that night is the CBC’s Steak and Lobster House. Their special is Wagyu meatloaf. Hmm. I might have to bring Mike O’Neill, who loves meatloaf. PLUS I can stay for the concert by Los Kingdom featuring locals Arielle Virinis and Dave Green.
Thursday Is Like a Weekend of Its Own
Thursday is kind of like a weekend of its own.
It is the second Thrifty Thursday at Village Center. Take a look at Jessica’s (Tahoe Love founder and TFS Thrift Store Manager) graphic on IVCBA.org to see the cutest graphic ever for a shopping center event.
Street Tacos by Lupitas? I wonder what wine to pair with them from Glasses!
After shopping, I am heading to an Open House for a new nonprofit, the Empowerment Foundation. They are inviting the community to learn more about how they plan to bring awareness and support for survivors of human trafficking. Their office and Open House are in the US Bank building on Tahoe Blvd.
Thanks to Kristie Wells, Casa Tua realtor and Community Advocate, for organizing this first-time event and bringing so many relevant organizations to the same room.
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Tahoe Crew is heading to Nationals! Local youth rowers Asher Edwards, a junior at Incline High School, and Kennedy Kelly, a senior at North Tahoe High School, have qualified for the 2026 USRowing Youth National Championships in Sarasota, Florida — becoming the first athletes from the Tahoe region to earn a spot at the prestigious event.
Now, Tahoe Crew is rallying community support to help cover travel expenses for the athletes, their coach, and equipment as they head to the national stage next month. Local businesses and community members can be part of the journey by supporting the fundraiser: Send Tahoe Crew to Nationals! Contributors who donate by May 26th have the opportunity to have their name or business logo featured on the team’s commemorative Nationals T-shirt. Donations of all levels are welcome and appreciated!
It’s an exciting milestone not only for these hardworking athletes, but for the entire Tahoe community — a chance to cheer on two local students as they represent Tahoe on a national stage.
Memorial Day Celebration on Monday at Village Green
May 20, 2026 | Member Submitted
Submitted by Lettie Miller, Incline Village Crystal Bay Veterans Club
The annual Memorial Day Celebration to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our country will be held on the Village Green again this year on Monday, May 26. Highlights include the War Memorial groundbreaking ceremony conducted by the Incline Village Crystal Bay Veterans Club, followed by a continental breakfast in Aspen Grove provided by Cornerstone Church. A flag Retirement Ceremony will end this day of recognition. The entire community is invited.
Starting at 9 am with a flag raising, the event will feature a War Memorial Groundbreaking Ceremony. It will be held on the upper portion of the Village Green, across from the Rec Center. Members of the Vets Club, IVGID board representatives, and the local chapter of the Military Officers of America Association will be conducting the ceremony. A monument and an obelisk dedicated to all divisions of the armed services will eventually be installed. The Incline Village Realtors Good Neighbors Club is donating two benches to the Memorial site, to be installed at a later date.
Founder and key supporter of the War Memorial, Michael Gross, will be in attendance. It is his vision for Incline Village to join with other American communities that have some form of Veterans/War Memorial. Each brings a greater sense of community and a shared remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives for our country. The War Memorial will become a gathering point during our National Holidays (Memorial Day, July 4th, and Veterans Day) and other public events. The monument will be an easily recognizable Incline Village landmark and a focal point of community pride. In short, it sends a positive message to all who live in our area.
A Veteran’s Recognition Receptionwill be ongoing and is sponsored by the Incline Village Cornerstone Church. It is free and open to the entire community and celebrates all veterans.
A Flag Retirement Ceremonywill end this day ofrecognition. It symbolizes the patriotism and respect we give not only our veterans, but our community, our state, and our country. We do this ceremony to honor a recognized symbol of our nation, the American flag, and to retire those who have waved for patriotism and freedom for all.
Thank you in advance to all who attend. Be safe this Memorial Day!
