In The News – Scientists seek new ways to protect Sierra Nevada meadows
October 5, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 10/5/2026, Written by Maria Palma KUNR Radio
Sierra Nevada meadows may cover a relatively small portion of the landscape, but scientists say they play an important role in supporting wildlife, storing water and maintaining biodiversity.
Researchers and conservationists recently gathered at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Lake Tahoe campus to discuss what is known about these ecosystems and what still needs to be studied.
The workshop, sponsored by the Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability, brought together researchers from different fields to identify gaps in meadow research and explore ways to improve conservation and restoration efforts.
Washoe County launches ‘Don’t Wait, Washoe’ campaign to encourage early voting, in person or by mail
October 5, 2026 | Member Submitted
As we head into the 2026 General Election, Washoe County is asking community partners to help encourage voters to make a plan and vote early.
During the 2026 Primary, nearly 13,000 mail ballots, or 20 percent of all mail ballots returned, came in on Election Day. That large influx meant thousands of ballots still needed to be processed after Election Day, and results came in later. We also saw 1,837 mail ballots postmarked after Election Day, making them too late to be counted under Nevada law.
With significantly higher turnout anticipated for the General Election, we could see tens of thousands of mail ballots arrive on Election Day. Every ballot returned early helps ensure it arrives in time to be counted, reduces the Election Day surge, and allows election staff to process ballots sooner and get results out faster.
That’s where we need your help.
We’ve put together the “Don’t Wait, Washoe” Toolkit to make sharing the message easy. It includes the campaign mission, key talking points, and ready-to-use social media posts, design elements for social media, and video PSAs available for easy download and distribution. (View and share here and here.)
We’re asking everyone to share the “Don’t Wait, Washoe” message between October 1 and October 30 and remind voters that Vote Centers and ballot drop boxes are available during Early Voting, October 17 through October 30. Most importantly, we want voters to know they have options and there’s no need to wait until Election Day.
In The News – 7 places to see amazing fall colors in Lake Tahoe
October 2, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 10/2/2026, Alex Silgalis | Local Freshies® Original article published on localfreshies.com
Have you ever wondered why leaves change color in the fall? Science fun fact alert… it’s because the chlorophyll giving the leaves their green color is no longer produced. At the same time, there are additional chemical changes happening which lead to the mixing of different pigments such as the reds, yellows, and browns. So, where are the best places to see Lake Tahoe fall colors and take in this amazing change of seasons?
If you’re looking for an easy drive with great views, Mount Rose highway will fit the bill. Just over 24 miles in length, State Route 431 is the highest summit open year-round in the Sierra Nevada. Standing at over 8,911′, the pass gives you unmatched views of Lake Tahoe, Slide Mountain, Reno, and Carson City. The golden aspen foliage is a sight to behold for sure.
Directions: From Incline Village, head east for 7 miles on NV-431.
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 10/1/2026, Staff Report
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) announced that it will begin accepting entries for the annual mooring lottery on October 1, 2026. Under the 2018 Lake Tahoe Shoreline Plan, TRPA conducts an annual lottery to allow public agencies and lakefront property owners to apply for a limited number of new boat moorings, such as buoys and boat lifts, each year.
The Shoreline Plan placed a cap on the number of moorings allowed in Lake Tahoe, and the annual lottery helps manage the pace of permit applications for new moorings until the cap is reached.
Entries for the lottery can be submitted online from October 1 through November 13.
Tahoe Series: From CO2 to Smart Windows: Chemistry for a Better Energy Future”
September 30, 2026 | Member Submitted
Dr. Christopher Barile presents: “From CO2 to Smart Windows: Chemistry for a Better Energy Future.”
How can chemistry help create a cleaner, more sustainable energy future?
Join us for a fascinating look inside the Barile Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno, where researchers use chemistry and electricity to develop innovative technologies that address everyday energy challenges.
This talk will highlight two exciting areas of research. First, learn how scientists are working to transform carbon dioxide, a major human-generated greenhouse gas, into useful fuels and chemicals by designing materials that carefully control chemical reactions.
Then, explore the development of a new generation of “smart” windows that can switch between clear and dark using electricity. By controlling how much light passes through a window, this technology could reduce glare while helping buildings use less energy for heating, cooling, and lighting.
Together, these projects demonstrate how fundamental chemistry can be translated into practical technologies with the potential to support a cleaner and more energy-efficient future.
In The News – Tahoe resorts share what’s new, opening days in anticipation of winter
September 30, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 9/25/2026, Written by Katelyn Welsh
News of a strong El Niño bringing above-average snowfall has the Tahoe ski resorts buzzing with anticipation. Here’s what is new at Tahoe-Truckee resorts ahead of winter and targeted opening days.
Diamond Peak Ski Resort
The Incline Village ski resort is in the middle of celebrating its 60th anniversary season. To mark the milestone, Diamond Peak is hosting several 60th-themed throwback events and promotions throughout the winter, including $60 lift tickets. The resort commissioned a commemorative 60th anniversary poster design by local artist Bryn Merrell that incorporates one of the resort’s signature panoramic Lake Tahoe views. It is also offering the option to reload lift tickets online to save money and skip ticket lines. In addition to season passes and daily lift tickets, Diamond Peak is offering two- and three-day flex passes. Diamond Peak is expanding its beginner group lessons this season, increasing the lesson time up to 2.5 hours with morning and afternoon sessions. New snowmaking equipment will improve its snowmaking capabilities in the base area where multiple trails converge and chairlift loading areas require extra snowpack.
We’re hitting the streets—and we want to hear from Tahoe businesses
September 30, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published with the Tahoe Prosperity Center
October 19–23, the Tahoe Prosperity Center and partners from across the region will visit businesses around the Lake for the 2026 Tahoe Business Walks.
Every two years, Business Walks give us an opportunity to hear directly from business owners and managers about what they’re experiencing: What’s working? What challenges are getting in the way? What does your business need to thrive? In 2024, nearly 500 businesses participated, helping identify issues including housing affordability, infrastructure, workforce needs, and the importance of tourism to our regional economy. This October, we’re going back out to understand what has changed—and what Tahoe businesses need now.
Teams of volunteers will visit businesses throughout the Lake during the week, while an online survey will make it possible for businesses across the Tahoe Basin to participate.
The insights we gather help TPC and our regional partners better understand business conditions, identify shared priorities, and inform programs, partnerships, and economic development efforts across the Basin.
When We’ll Be in Your Community
Monday, October 19 – North Shore
Tuesday, October 20 – Tahoe City
Wednesday, October 21 – Southern and Eastern Shore
Thursday, October 22 – Southern and Eastern Shore
Friday, October 23 – Incline Village
Get involved: Talk with us when a Business Walk team visits your business, complete the online survey, or volunteer to join a Business Walk team and hear directly from Tahoe’s business community.
Fire Extinguishers and Escape Planning: Know When to Act and When to Get Out
September 30, 2026 | Member Submitted
Submitted by the NLTFPD
A portable fire extinguisher can help control a small fire, but it is not a substitute for working smoke alarms or a practiced home fire escape plan. The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFPD) encourages residents to understand how and when to use a fire extinguisher—and to make getting everyone safely outside the first priority.
Choose the Right Extinguisher
Portable fire extinguishers are labeled according to the types of fires they are designed to extinguish:
Class A: Ordinary materials such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber and many plastics.
Class B: Flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, paint and some solvents.
Class C: Energized electrical equipment.
Class D: Combustible metals, such as magnesium and sodium.
Class K: Cooking oils and fats commonly found in commercial kitchens.
Multipurpose Class ABC extinguishers are commonly used in homes. Choose an extinguisher listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory that is large enough to control a small fire but easy to handle.
Extinguishers should be visible and readily accessible along a normal exit path. Do not place one next to a stove, fireplace or other potential fire source where flames or smoke could prevent you from reaching it. Check the pressure gauge regularly and replace or service the extinguisher according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Know When to Use an Extinguisher
Only attempt to use an extinguisher when:
The fire is small, contained and not spreading.
Everyone else is leaving the home.
Someone has called 9-1-1.
The room is not filled with smoke.
You have a clear escape route behind you.
You are comfortable operating the extinguisher.
Remember PASS
When operating a fire extinguisher, remember the word PASS:
Pull the pin.
Aim low at the base of the fire.
Squeeze the handle slowly and evenly.
Sweep the nozzle from side to side.
Even if the fire appears to be out, leave the building and wait for the fire department to confirm that the area is safe.
Have a Home Fire Escape Plan
A fire can spread quickly, leaving only a few minutes to escape after a smoke alarm sounds.
Every household should have a plan that includes:
Two ways out of every room, when possible.
A designated outdoor meeting place that is a safe distance from the home.
Working smoke alarms inside every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
Assistance for young children, older adults, household members with disabilities and anyone who may need help evacuating.
A plan for safely evacuating pets without delaying your own escape.
Practice drills at least twice a year, including one at night.
Make sure windows and doors open easily and that escape routes remain clear. A closed door may help slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire. When leaving, close doors behind you if it is safe to do so. Once outside, stay outside. Never return to a burning building for belongings, pets or any other reason. Call 9-1-1 from outside and tell the dispatcher if anyone may still be inside.
A Message from NLTFPD
“Fire extinguishers can be valuable when a fire is small and contained, but personal safety must always come first,” said Fire Marshal John James. “If there is any doubt about whether you can safely control the fire, get outside, stay outside and call 9-1-1.”
Sometimes it’s a building or a business. Other times, it’s a child who discovers a love of reading, a teacher who brings an idea to life, or a student who begins to imagine a future they never thought possible.
Those legacies don’t happen by accident. They happen because a community decides its children are worth investing in.
For the past six years, Mary Danahey and Sharon Schrage have quietly helped make that possible.
Before founding the Incline Education Fund, they spent years as parent volunteers in Incline’s public schools. They saw remarkable teachers creating extraordinary learning experiences with limited resources while promising opportunities disappeared when funding fell short.
“It’s easy to rally around a crisis,” Mary says. “It’s much harder to rally around a slow erosion of resources that nobody is talking about out loud.“
They saw dedicated educators, engaged families, and visionary school leaders doing extraordinary work. What was missing was a sustainable way for the community to stand beside them.
So instead of asking why schools couldn’t do more, they asked a different question:
How can the community help?
That question became the foundation of the Incline Education Fund.
One of the biggest misconceptions about the organization is that it exists to fund “extras.”
“We don’t fund distractions from academics,” Mary says. “We fund opportunities that strengthen academics.”
That philosophy drives every decision they make. Whether supporting literacy, STEM, the arts, classroom technology, educator development, or career exploration, every investment begins with the same question:
Will this help students become stronger learners?
Academic excellence isn’t one priority among many. It’s the foundation beneath everything they do.
That commitment has helped shape one of the community’s most significant educational achievements. The Incline Education Fund led the effort to earn the Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation & Technology (OSIT) STE(A)M Designation for all three Incline public schools, establishing Incline Village as Nevada’s first, – and still only, – K-12 STE(A)M Pathway. Today, students benefit from a seamless continuum of learning, from Makerspace robotics, coding, and art at Incline Elementary School to hands-on Exploratory learning at Incline Middle School and College & Career programs at Incline High School.
Just as important as what they fund is how they decide where to help. Rather than arriving with their own agenda, Mary and Sharon meet with principals, teachers, counselors, district leaders, PTAs, and Booster organizations and ask one simple question:
“What do you need?”
By listening before acting, they help bring to life the ideas already growing inside Incline’s schools instead of imposing solutions from the outside.
That philosophy was tested almost immediately.
Just months after launching, the pandemic transformed education overnight. When Mary and Sharon asked then-Incline Middle School Principal Kari Michaels what the school needed most, the answer stunned them: there were only 18 working computers available for more than 160 students.
“I remember looking at Mary and thinking, ‘Well…we have to figure this out,'” Sharon recalls. “There really wasn’t another option.”
Today, the organization has invested more than $900,000 into Incline’s public schools, strengthening academics, expanding innovative programs, and creating opportunities for students from kindergarten through graduation.
Incline Middle School Principal Dan Lediard says the partnership has helped transform the school’s Exploratory Program.
“When students discover something they’re passionate about, they become more connected to school, and that engagement shows up in both participation and academic achievement.“
Ask Mary or Sharon what they’re most proud of, however, and they won’t point to a dollar amount. They’ll talk about partnerships. Teachers. School administrators. Parents. PTA and Booster leaders. Businesses. Foundations. Service organizations. Volunteers. Donors.
“When an entire community works together,” Sharon says, “small schools can provide extraordinary opportunities.“
It’s also easy to overlook one remarkable fact: Mary and Sharon are volunteers themselves. Like so many people they work alongside, they’ve devoted years of their time because they believe every child deserves the opportunity to discover what they’re capable of. Their volunteer-led model means approximately 96 percent of every dollar raised goes directly toward programs that benefit students and educators.
Perhaps that’s the Incline Education Fund’s greatest legacy: strengthening a community where teachers, parents, volunteers, businesses, donors, and neighbors all believe they have a role in a child’s success.
As Mary puts it, “Dollars by themselves don’t change lives. Opportunities do.“
Together, they are the people behind the possibilities.
Fall Fest Returns with Music, Food and Family Fun in Incline Village
September 30, 2026 | Kristin Derrin
Fall in Tahoe is a time to get outside, connect with neighbors, and enjoy the season before the snow starts to fly. The second annual Fall Fest returns to the Village Center on Saturday, October 17, from 12–3 p.m., bringing together local families, friends, and neighbors for an afternoon of live music, great food, fall activities, and community fun.
Hosted by the Incline Village Crystal Bay Community & Business Association (IVCBA), Village Center merchants, and Tahoe’s Connection for Families, Fall Fest is a free community celebration with something for everyone.
Live music, local food, beer, and wine tasting will make it an easy afternoon to meet up with friends, catch up with neighbors, and enjoy a fall day in Incline. Local businesses and community organizations will also be joining in with booths, activities, and more throughout the event.
For local families, the Tahoe’s Connection for Families Carnival will be a centerpiece of the afternoon, with games and activities for kids. Families can also stop by the Grocery Outlet Pumpkin Patch and Pumpkin Decorating, build a scarecrow at Sierra Verde, and enjoy fall activities throughout the Village Center.
Now in its second year, Fall Fest gives local businesses and the community a chance to come together and celebrate fall in Incline Village. It’s a chance to spend an afternoon outside, support local businesses and organizations, and enjoy the people and community that make Incline Village home.
Whether you come for the carnival and pumpkins, stay for the music and food, or meet friends for a beer or glass of wine, Fall Fest offers a little something for everyone.
Admission is free, and all ages are welcome.
Event Details
What: Second Annual IVCBA Fall Fest When: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 12–3 p.m. Where: The Village Center, Incline Village Featuring: Tahoe’s Connection for Families Carnival, live music, food, beer and wine tasting, Grocery Outlet Pumpkin Patch & Pumpkin Decorating, scarecrow building, games and more Admission: Free
