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.
In The News – ‘Tunes on Tap’ returns for Third Year, bringing live music and local talent to Incline Village
July 6, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 6/15/2026, Staff Report
For a third year in a row, Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV) is partnering with Alibi Ale Works to bring the popular “Tunes on Tap” Sunset Concert Series back to Incline Village for the 2026 season. The free concert series returns July 9 through August 27, offering locals and visitors eight weeks of free live music in the heart of North Lake Tahoe.
Held every Thursday at the Alibi Amphitheater at Alibi Ale Work’s Incline Public House, the series provides the perfect kickoff to the weekend, pairing live music from regional artists with locally crafted beverages and the relaxed atmosphere that has made the event a regional favorite.
“Tunes on Tap has become a summer tradition that brings people together through music and community,” said Andy Chapman, President & CEO of Travel North Tahoe Nevada. “Creating opportunities for community connection is at the heart of what we do, and we’re proud to partner with Alibi Ale Works again to support local artists and offer free experiences that enrich our community.”
Local Heroes 2026 Draws Record Crowds for Three Days of Celebration
July 6, 2026 | Kristin Derrin
What an incredible weekend.
From July 2 to July 4, Incline Village and Crystal Bay came together to celebrate the people who make our community so special during the 2026 Local Heroes 4th of July Celebration. Three days of events, including SummerFest, patriotic concerts, pancake breakfasts, the Local Heroes Parade, the Community Fair, live music, family activities, and more, made this year’s celebration our biggest yet.
A Record Breaking Celebration
This year’s Local Heroes Parade and Community Fair welcomed the largest crowds we’ve ever seen. At one point during the Community Fair, it was impossible to see from one side of the vendor tents to the other through the crowd.
More importantly, the atmosphere throughout the weekend was overwhelmingly positive. Everywhere you looked there were smiling faces, neighbors reconnecting, families making memories, and visitors experiencing the incredible community spirit that makes Incline Village and Crystal Bay so special.
Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, participated in the parade, hosted a booth, or cheered from the sidelines. You helped make this year’s celebration one to remember.
Congratulations to Our Parade Contest Winners
This year also marked the introduction of our first Local Heroes Parade Contest. The creativity, patriotism, and community pride on display made choosing winners no easy task.
Congratulations to our 2026 winners:
Most Patriotic: IVCB Veterans Club
Most Creative Kids: Daisy Trails Forest Preschool
Most Creative Non-Profit: Village Pet Foundation
Most Creative Business: North Shore Plumbing
Each winner will receive a handcrafted commemorative award from Tahoe Gifting Co., along with well-deserved bragging rights until next year’s parade.
Thank You
The Local Heroes Celebration is only possible because of the incredible support of our sponsors, community partners, volunteers, parade participants, public safety agencies, entertainers, and local businesses. Your dedication continues to make this one of the most anticipated community events of the year.
Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2026 Local Heroes Celebration our biggest and most successful yet. A special thank you to the Rotary Club of Tahoe Incline for organizing volunteers and helping us with the annual parade. It really takes a Village! And a very special thank you to the incredible Julie Malkin-Manning for making it all happen!
We look forward to celebrating with you again next July 3.
We are excited to share our August 2026 Visiting Artist Lecture + Exhibition Series with you. The Low Residency MFA-IA will gather on the Lake Tahoe campus from August 7th – August 16th for our ten-day intensive where students have classes, attend and give lectures, studio visits, and exhibitions. Please join us for all these activities!
These events are free and open to the public!
Lectures take place on the second floor of Holman Arts and Media Center unless otherwise noted.
In The News – Clean Up The Lake and Station House Inn partner on July 5 cleanup
July 6, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 07/06/2026, written by Eli Ramos
After the festivities of Independence Day, Clean Up The Lake and Station House Inn announced their partnership through the Stay With Purpose program. The fund raised over $30,000 for the organization to continue their work.
“Clean Up The Lake has a real tangible impact pulling out trash from the lake,” said Mitchell Murray, CEO of PlayPark Hospitality, which owns Station House Inn. “We think they do a really great job and are excited to support them in preserving the lake we all love.”
