In The News – Swinging for mental health care: Golf tournament supports service member interventions
July 13, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 7/13/2026, Written by Katelyn Welsh
An organization providing mental health care assistance to service members raised funds for the cause during a round of golf at the Incline Village Championship Golf Course on June 15.
PTSD NOW! is an organization based out of Incline Village that advocates for solutions that support military personnel experiencing stress or depression during deployment or after. Interventions include immediate, no-cost access to mental health in its mission to reduce suicide and improve long-term well-being.
The organization raised over $100,000 at the 4th Annual Thank A Vet Golf Tournament. In doing so, it brought together sponsors, golfers, volunteers, and community partners.
Formed in 2024, the Housing Committee aims to engage community members in “building general support for workforce housing solutions” in Incline Village and Crystal Bay.
Drawing on the valuable research and recommendations in the Washoe Tahoe Housing Partnership (WTHP) Housing Study and Roadmap, our work is focused on keeping our community a vibrant, thriving place for families and individuals, businesses, the local workforce, and visitors.
We invite you to join us—and to explore our new Housing Committee webpage at ivcba.org/programs/housing. It serves as a central hub for updates on housing issues, resources, and ways you can be part of our community effort.
IVCBA Housing Committee Work Groups
Organization
Leads: Linda Offerdahl and Clare Novak
Provide leadership and administrative assistance with meeting notes, marketing materials, and promotion of events and programs.
Identify stakeholders and key agencies for involvement.
Outreach and Workforce Housing Series
Leads: Linda Offerdahl, Clare Novak, River Coyote, Meme Scherr
Reach out to the community to educate and convene support for workforce housing.
Identify three focus areas for the year.
Make presentations on the Housing Committee to service clubs, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations.
Policy and Strategy
Leads: Kathie Julian and Chris Wood
Research and follow TRPA and Washoe County guidelines related to workforce housing.
Special Interest Workshops and Seminars
Leads: Laura Levine Kalisch and Laura Vitencz
Identify topics for smaller presentations and professional workshops targeting the community, such as:
First-Time Homebuyers Workshops
ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) education and research
Development/Redevelopment
Track various housing developments and potential projects, including the former Incline Elementary School site for workforce housing.
Finance and Financial Support
Lead: Laura Levine Kalisch
Work to identify funding for housing programs such as Lease to Locals, homebuyer financing, and financial support for families through programs such as family resource centers, mortgages, and other housing assistance initiatives.
I met Eglantine in 1964 aboard an ocean liner on my way to the Old World, we were both 21. Coincidentally we were also reading books of philosophy by Sarte, hers in French, mine in English, and her manner was so enchanting, well, I fell in love with her…
At one point she suggested, “I know you are heading to South Hampton, but disembark in Cherbourg with me…we can walk through Paris barefoot.”
I had some money waiting for me at American Express in South Hampton, but what was a twenty-one-year-old boy going to say to an invitation like that?
So we disembarked in Cherbourg and hopped a train for Paris, reading aloud as we went, and the more she read, the harder I fell…
At last we arrived in Paris and off came our shoes. This was heaven on the half shell. About then, as I was intending to kiss her for her mother, her mother appeared, and gave me a straight-arm-shiver with one hand, while dragging Eglantine off with the other, and shoving her into a cab. My last glimpse of Eglantine was out the back window of a taxicab, and there I was, barefoot and broke in Paris.
I hardly ever cry, but I think I did, as I did not know a soul, and did not speak the language. I did learn to hitchhike fairly well, and I must have given Eglantine my mother’s address, because when I arrived back home to America my mother handed me a letter from Eglantine. She had an artisan’s hand, and I tucked it away for safe keeping. But with life in a college fraternity, and then the Marine Corps, and domiciles in Cape Cod, Carmel, Kauai and finally Tahoe, Eglantine’s letter went missing, until last month, when it surfaced just as my son came to visit with his charming French partner, Oriane. Of course I retrieved Eglantine’s letter and handed it to Oriane…
“Will you be so kind as to read this letter to me sixty-two years later?”
Oriane read to me in her lilting French accent while I pictured Eglantine in my mind’s eye. The last line went something like this, “Please, Macky Boy, come visit me before you are too old.”
I looked to my son and asked, “Do you think I’m too old?”
“No, Dad, I think you have a chance.”
So I’m saving all small change, and placing careful bets on a few fast ponies with a trip to visit Eglantine on my mind. Her return address is on the envelope, and her mother must have been promoted to glory by now, so Eglantine and I could finish our books by Sarte, and have time, brief as it may be, to get to know each other. So it is, that I’m looking forward to being in the arms of Eglantine, a happier place than where she left me, barefoot and broke in Paris…
In The News – Wildfire Preparedness Isn’t Just About Defensible Space
July 10, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in Moonshine Ink, 07/09/2026, Written by John Manocchino and Jessica Abrams
With the snow melted, the annual yard cleanup begins. Walk around the house and the chore list grows: rake pine needles, trim branches, clear the roof, and create defensible space. These little steps can help protect your home.
But wildfire preparedness is not only about protecting our property physically; it’s also about protecting ourselves financially. Many of us are aware of the immediate threat of wildfire, but we may not have considered the financial consequences that can follow.
The first area to review is your homeowner’s insurance. For years, Tahoe/Truckee homeowners have faced non-renewals, premium increases, shrinking coverage, or difficulty obtaining coverage at an affordable price. Because of this, it is important to understand what your policy really covers.
Originally published with Moonshine Ink, 7/9/2026, Written by Andy Chapman
There’s an axiom that says, “The best day to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second-best time to plant a tree is today.” As we head into summer when tourism visitation peaks, I find myself thinking about that quote and wishing that 20 years ago we had decided to create the tools necessary to mitigate visitor impacts more effectively.
Everyone who lives and works here on the North Shore has an innate understanding of the double-edged sword of tourism. The 15 million annual visitor days from 2 million unique visitors power our local economy. Without tourism, there is no economic basis to support our community and essential services.
In The News – Spooner Transportation Hub makes noticeable progress
July 10, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 7/10/2026, Written by Katelyn Welsh
The Spooner Transportation Hub appears to be making very rapid progress, with the removal of trees drawing attention along State Route 28.
The project, which began in May, will supply an additional 250 parking spots, a watercraft inspection station and an access point for Tahoe Transportation District transit services, along with restrooms and EV charging spaces.
The project site is located near the Spooner Lake State Park entrance and is a part of regional partners’ larger initiative to reduce unsafe roadside parking along State Route 28.
Nationally recognized constitutional scholars join Nevada teachers at University of Nevada, Reno’s Lake Tahoe
July 10, 2026 | Member Submitted
Summer Institute and Public Speaker Series: Free public talks featuring Vikram David Amar and Burt Neuborne highlight two-week constitutional law institute for Nevada educators
Teachers from across Nevada will gather from July 13-22 at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe campus for the Center for Constitutional Law’s 2026 Summer Teacher Institute, an immersive professional development program featuring nationally recognized constitutional scholars and designed to strengthen civic education across the state.
Participants will work directly with nationally recognized scholars, examine landmark constitutional questions and develop classroom strategies they can bring back to students across the state. The goal is when participants return to their schools, the Institute’s impact will extend far beyond the Lake Tahoe campus, reaching thousands of Nevada students each year through enhanced constitutional and civic education.
As part of the Institute, the Center will host two free public talks through its Constitutional Scholars Speaker Series, inviting Lake Tahoe residents, visitors, students, legal professionals and community members to unique opportunity to engage with nationally recognized experts on some of the most important constitutional questions facing American democracy today.
The Speaker Series begins on Monday, July 13, with Vikram David Amar, Daniel J. Dykstra Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis School of Law. Amar’s talk, “How Should Power Be Divided Between the States and the Federal Government in a Changing America?” will examine the evolving relationship between state and federal authority and explore how courts, states, and federal institutions navigate questions of governance, constitutional limits and the balance of power in today’s political climate.
The Series continues on Tuesday, July 21, with Burt Neuborne, Norman Dorsen Professor of Civil Liberties at New York University School of Law and Founding Legal Director of the Brennan Center for Justice. Neuborne’s talk, “How Do the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment Continue to Shape American Democracy?” will explore how the Constitution’s guarantees of free expression, due process and equal protection continue to shape American democracy.
He will examine the enduring relationship between the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment while discussing how the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First Amendment has influenced contemporary debates over democratic self- government.
Both talks will be facilitated by Rick Trachok, Executive Director of the University of Nevada, Reno Center for Constitutional Law, Senior Counsel at McDonald Carano, and Lecturer at UC Berkeley School of Law and Stanford Law School.
“One of the Center’s most important priorities is strengthening constitutional literacy by investing in Nevada’s teachers while creating opportunities for the broader community to engage with nationally recognized scholars,” said Trachok. “The Summer Teacher Institute and Constitutional Scholars Speaker Series bring together educators, students, legal professionals and community members for meaningful conversations about the constitutional principles that continue to shape American democracy.”
Located in the heart of Incline Village, the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe campus serves as a hub for community engagement, lifelong learning and public dialogue. While the Summer Teacher Institute is designed for educators, the Constitutional Scholars Speaker Series is free and open to the public, offering a rare opportunity to hear directly from nationally recognized constitutional scholars in an intimate setting overlooking Lake Tahoe.
Event Information Location: University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe | Prim Library
291 Country Club Drive Incline Village, NV 89451
Monday, July 13, 2026
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Vikram David Amar
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Burt Neuborne
Both events are free and open to the public. Complimentary parking is available. Advance registration is requested through the UNR Event Calendar.
The 2026 Summer Teacher Institute and Constitutional Scholars Speaker Series are supported in part by generous grantsm from the E. L. Wiegand Foundation and the Redfield Foundation.
For more information about the Center for Constitutional Law, visit www.unr.edu/constitutional-law.
– @unevadareno –
The University of Nevada, Reno is a public research university that is committed to the promise of a future powered byknowledge. As a Nevada land-grant university founded in 1874, the University serves 21,000 students. The University is acomprehensive, doctoral university, classified as an R1 institution with very high research activity by the CarnegieClassification of Institutions of Higher Education. Additionally, it has attained the prestigious “Carnegie Engaged”classification, reflecting its student and institutional impact on civic engagement and service, fostered by extensivecommunity and statewide collaborations. More than $800 million in advanced labs, residence halls and facilities has beeninvested on campus since 2009. It is home to the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Wolf Pack Athletics,maintains a statewide outreach mission and presence through programs such as the University of Nevada, RenoExtension, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Small Business Development Center, Nevada SeismologicalLaboratory, and is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Through a commitment to world-improving research,student success and outreach benefiting the communities and businesses of Nevada, the University has impact acrossthe state and around the world. For more information, visit www.unr.edu.
Hazardous Fuels Reduction Treatments Begin on North Shore
July 9, 2026 | Member Submitted
To provide for defensible space in the wildland urban interface near Kings Beach neighborhoods, the U.S. Forest Service is scheduled to begin hazardous fuels reduction mastication treatments on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Mastication treatments begin on Monday, July 13 near the Beaver Street area of Forest Roads 16N86 and 16N87 and will continue through the end of the month, conditions, staffing and weather permitting.
For public safety when work is taking place, access to some areas may be temporarily disrupted. The public is reminded to be aware of fuels reduction activity and keep a safe distance from heavy equipment and work areas.
These mastication operations will target approximately 52 acres of ground vegetation and brush including manzanita, whitethorn and bitter brush, and some small diameter trees less than six inches in diameter at breast height (dbh). View a map with additional information on the Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team website.
Mastication, also known as forest mulching, is a mechanical process that involves using heavy equipment to chop, grind, or shred ground vegetation into smaller pieces. The pieces are then spread out and left to decompose naturally.
Fuels reduction treatments such as mastication are essential forest management tools used by the Forest Service and other land managers to protect communities by removing excess vegetation (fuels) that can feed unwanted wildfires.
Tahoe Basin forests are overstocked and highly vulnerable to insects, disease, and wildfire. Hazardous fuels reduction treatments help reduce the risk of wildfire in areas near communities and neighborhoods by reducing ladder fuels and creating gaps between surface and crown fuels to keep fire on the ground.
Fuels reduction projects complement defensible space and home hardening efforts on private property. They also contribute to improved forest health, wildlife habitat, and watershed and forest resilience.
Short-term effects of mastication treatments may include changes to the appearance of forest areas. Treated areas may look disturbed immediately after treatment, when freshly chipped or masticated vegetation growth occurs within a few years.
In The News – Classical Tahoe’s 15th anniversary season draws strong demand ahead of opening weekend
July 7, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 7/7/2026, Staff Report
Classical Tahoe opens its 15th anniversary season July 11 at the Ricardi Pavilion at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe, with several performances already sold out or nearing capacity. Running through Aug. 9, the festival celebrates America 250 with more than 70 musicians performing orchestral, jazz and chamber music concerts, including the Brubeck Jazz Summit, Passion and Spirit, Classical Continuum featuring internationally acclaimed harpist Emmanuel Ceysson and the Ron and Maureen Ashley Oasis Chamber Music Series. Tickets remain available for select performances at classicaltahoe.org.
“Seeing so many audience members return year after year, while also welcoming new attendees each season, is incredibly rewarding,” said David Pratt, executive director of Classical Tahoe. “We’re grateful for the support our community has shown the festival and for the enthusiasm surrounding this summer’s performances. That support makes it possible for us to continue bringing exceptional artists and unique musical experiences to North Lake Tahoe.”
PTSD NOW!’s 4th Annual Thank A Vet Golf Tournament
July 7, 2026 | Member Submitted
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our golfers, sponsors, volunteers, and community partners, this year’s tournament raised more than $100,000 to provide free, life-saving mental health services for service members, veterans, and their families.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who participated and helped make this event possible.
I’ve attached a few photos from the tournament in case you’d like to include them in your upcoming newsletter. (I will sendyou more photos because the other four wouldn’t attach.)
Thank you again for your continued support of PTSD NOW! and for helping us share our mission with the Incline Village community.
