Are you ready to experience the magic of cinema at Lake Tahoe? Great films are meant to be seen on the big screen — with a crowd that laughs, gasps, and applauds together. The 11th Tahoe Film Fest returns December 4-7, 2025, with screenings at Incline Village Cinema, Village Cinemas at Northstar, and the Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room.
This year’s lineup is nothing short of spectacular. The festival opens with JAY KELLY, which earned an eight-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival and stars George Clooney and Adam Sandler. The festival closes with DEAD MEN WALKING, the third installment in the Knives Out series, featuring Daniel Craig, Glenn Close, and Jeremy Renner. Other major highlights include: IS THIS THING ON?, directed by and starring Bradley Cooper, alongside Will Arnett and Laura Dern. SONG SUNG BLUE, a musical drama starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson and WICKED: FOR GOOD, another dazzling journey through the Land of Oz.
International cinema also takes center stage with several submissions for the 2026 AcademyAwards Best Foreign Language Film with SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Norway), IT WAS JUST ANACCIDENT (France), SIRAT(Spain) and THE SECRET AGENT (Brazil).
Of course, no Tahoe festival would be complete without a world-class ski film! This year, TetonGravity Research presents its 30th annual film, PRESSURE DROP. The lineup also features NOBU, a new documentary about chef Nobu Matsuhisa, inspired by the buzz around a possible Nobu restaurant at Lake Tahoe. Incline High School graduate Jennifer Tiexiera returns home with two acclaimed new documentaries — REBBECA and SPEAK. Also screening are Jimmy Chin’s LOVE + WAR (National Geographic) and Tasha Van Zandt’s A LIFE ILLUMINATED, both festival favorites. Rounding out the program, the festival honors Indigenous voices with four powerful films: REMAINING NATIVE, FREE LEONARD PELTIER, COURAGE, and YANUNI (produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and the closing film of the Tribeca Film Festival).
The Tahoe Film Fest proudly thanks its founding partners: Travel North Tahoe Nevada, North Tahoe Community Alliance, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Film PlacerCounty, Crystal Bay Casino, and the Sierra Sun.
Individual tickets and festival passes are available online at tahoefilmfest.com, or at theater box offices on the day of each screening.
As the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFPD) enters a new chapter, we pause to honor the dedicated individuals who have built the district’s strong foundation. For decades, these local heroes have not only answered the call during emergencies but have also shaped our community’s safety, education, and outreach efforts. As several key members retire, we take a moment to thank them for their lasting impact.
One of the most impactful figures in the district’s history is Tia Rancourt, retiring after nearly 30 years of service. Tia began as a volunteer firefighter, later becoming the district’s first Public Information Officer (PIO) in 2000. She revolutionized public outreach and community engagement, most notably through the creation of the 4th of July Community Pancake Breakfast, a tradition that has brought local heroes and residents together for years. Tia’s leadership in connecting the district with the community leaves a lasting legacy that will endure long after her retirement.
In addition to Tia, Captain Scott Woodcock and Captain Monte Santos have dedicated many years to the NLTFPD. Captain Santos retired on March 31, 2025, after 16 years with the district. He started his career with the Slide Mountain Hand Crew in 1999 before joining the NLTFPD full-time in 2009. Promoted to Captain in 2016, Monte’s unwavering dedication and hard work have left a significant mark on the district and community.
Captain Scott Woodcock’s career began in 1994 as a part-time Auxiliary Firefighter, and he was hired full-time in 2001. Over the years, Scott has become a trusted leader in the department, earning a promotion to Captain in 2016. After 31 years of service, Scott will retire in 2025. His commitment, including commuting from Arizona for over two decades, has demonstrated a level of sacrifice and dedication that will be remembered by all who worked alongside him.
Looking ahead, the future of the NLTFPD remains strong. At the helm is Fire Chief Ryan Sommers, a native of Incline Village who joined the department in 1995 and became Fire Chief in 2016. Chief Sommers’ steady leadership has guided the district through significant growth and change, ensuring it remains ready to respond to any emergency. His leadership, alongside Assistant Fire Chief Russ Barnum, Fuels Division Chief Isaac Powning, Fire Marshal John James, and Chief Financial/People Officer Jackie Signorelli, ensures the district remains at the forefront of fire safety, emergency response, and community protection.
With this dedicated team, the district is well-positioned to meet future challenges. The focus on innovation, training, and community partnerships will continue to drive the district’s mission forward, ensuring it remains a trusted resource for fire protection, emergency response, and public education.
As we honor the legacies of Tia, Scott, Monte, and all those who have served, we extend our deepest gratitude to them. Their contributions have had a profound impact on the district and the community. As they transition to the next phase of their lives, we are reminded of the incredible dedication they have shown.
Please join us in expressing our heartfelt thanks to these local heroes for their years of hard work, passion, and unwavering commitment to the North Lake Tahoe community.
The IVCBA Wellness Resource Guide, featured in LIVE.WORK.PLAY., spotlights local IVCBA Member wellness providers in Incline Village and Crystal Bay. From yoga, massage, and acupuncture to personal training, chiropractic care, and spa services, the guide showcases businesses like The Sanctuary Tahoe, Tahoe Fitness Loft, Stillwater Spa, and more, supporting community health and well-being.
The Sanctuary Tahoe
The Sanctuary on state line offers a full range of services such as therapeutic massage, yoga, acupuncture, counseling services, and wellness in a lovely and relaxing atmosphere. For more information, visit https://thesanctuarytahoe.com/.
Tahoe Fitness Loft
Over on Mays Boulevard close to Grocery Outlet, Tahoe Fitness Loft offers personal training, Pilates, Barre, TRX, spin, and kickboxing classes. Drop in for a trial; www.tahoefitnessloft.com.
Lakeside Personal Training with Trish McKowen
Trish McKowen believes that real, lasting transformative change is possible which is why she became a personal trainer more than 25 years ago and still strives to help her clients achieve optimal health and wellness. Learn more about her method at https://lakesidepersonaltraining.com/.
San Soma Massage
Far beyond traditional, San Soma’s highly trained and experienced therapists offer a tranquil journey into therapeutic healing and mind/body alignment. To see what revitalizing and healing services are offered, visit https://www.sansoma.com/.
BACKcountry Chiropractic
BACKcountry Chiropractic stays on top of the latest chiropractic tools and treatments so you can stay flexible, healthy, and limber to enjoy all the backcountry Tahoe activities you love. https://backcountrychiroiv.com/
The Incline Village Community Hospital offers a hands-on approach in developing an individualized treatment plan that can relieve symptoms, improve your physical abilities, and return you to your healthy lifestyle. https://www.tfhd.com/ivch/services/physical-therapy-medical-fitness/
High Sierra Restorative health is a modern, premium Tahoe area concierge clinic focused on helping people live stronger, longer, and youthful lives by using the most up-to-date testing and treatments to optimize their health. https://restorativehealthnv.com/
Incline Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine
Studies show that regular acupuncture treatments can increase the number of T-cells in the body, helping one from getting sick. Fortunately Incline Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine is well versed in the health benefits of acupuncture. https://pammurphylac.com/
Move Mountains
Move Mountains hosts events and provides consulting to engage your mind and body to ultimately creating a happier, healthier you as well as build a stronger, more successful team around you. https://www.movemountains.com/
As wildfires grow more intense across the West, the North Shore of Lake Tahoe faces an urgent reality. Our community is surrounded by forest, beauty, and risk. But with action, collaboration, and local leadership, we can protect our homes, preserve our safety, and remain an insurable mountain town.
That’s why the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD), with support from the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFPD) and other agencies, launched a community-led initiative to help neighborhoods become more fire-adapted.
What Is a Fire-Adapted Community?
A Fire-Adapted Community (FAC) is one where residents understand wildfire risk and take responsibility – individually and collectively – for reducing hazards. Neighborhoods and HOAs are encouraged to first become a Fire Adapted Community with support from the Tahoe RCD and NLTFPD. This unlocks access to resources like home evaluations, year-round chipping, defensible space guidance, educational materials, and help organizing clean-up events.
Once organized and actively engaged in fuel reduction, communities can apply for national recognition through the FireWise USA® program, which formalizes wildfire preparedness efforts and can help neighborhoods retain or even improve insurance coverage and premiums.
Lessons from Local Leaders: Success in Action
At The Village at Incline HOA on Country Club Drive, residents took on a major challenge. Their 30-unit complex, nestled in a forested, park-like setting, was surrounded by dense vegetation and over 200 highly flammable junipers. After consulting with an arborist and fire officials, a core group of homeowners – Shawn O’Hara, John Costa, Lauren Accinelli, and David Hoffman – developed a long-term fuel reduction plan. They cut the number of junipers in half, cleared vegetation within five feet of all buildings, and launched regular pine needle cleanups to maintain defensible space.
With support from the Tahoe RCD and NLTFPD, they became Incline’s first FireWise-recognized group in 2022, a step that helped maintain insurance and even earned premium discounts for some homeowners.
In Upper Tyner, residents Tom Millhoff, Caroline Peck, and Myles Riner developed a three-year plan to track yard waste, document defensible space work, and host clean-up days in their neighborhood of 370+ homes. Their efforts earned recognition as both a FireWise neighborhood and an official Fire Adapted Community – the first in Incline Village to achieve both.
These communities didn’t just protect their homes, they created templates others can follow. They’re even offering to share fuel reduction plans, data-tracking tools, and neighborhood survey templates with new leaders.
Where Fire Risk Is Rising
Fuels experts point to neighborhoods with south-facing slopes between 10–20 degrees as especially vulnerable, due to faster vegetation drying and higher ignition potential. Identifying leaders in these areas is a top priority this year for the NLTFPD.
But every homeowner can take immediate action. The most critical step? Clear your Ember Resistant Zone (ERZ) – the first 0 to 5 feet around your home. This area should be free of pine needles, flammable plants, stacked wood, or mulch. Instead, use gravel or other non-combustible materials. Post-fire studies show that homes with a maintained ERZ are far more likely to survive. It’s one of the most important steps any homeowner can take right now.
What You Can Do
You don’t have to go it alone. FAC and FireWise programs are built on community action. Whether you lead a cleanup, knock on doors, or help a neighbor clear brush, your efforts matter.
Here’s how to get involved:
Become a Fire Adapted Community or FireWise Leader. Tahoe RCD and NLTFPD will help organize, train, and connect you with other volunteers.
Educate neighbors. Pick up free emergency info fridge magnets at the fire station for community distribution and placement in vacation rentals.
Download the Smart911 App. Get emergency alerts and evacuation notices from Washoe County and Tahoe Alerts.
Host a yard clean-up day. Invite neighbors to clear pine needles, trim trees, and improve defensible space.
Track your progress. Metrics like hours worked or bags of debris help qualify your area for FireWise recognition.
Building a Safer Future
Wildfire resilience isn’t just the job of firefighters, it’s a community-wide commitment. From removing flammable landscaping to hosting block parties that build neighborly trust, small actions add up.
Hotel operators and short-term rental owners have a responsibility to help guests understand local fire conditions, safety expectations, and evacuation plans. Clear communication, through signage, welcome materials, or digital guides, can make all the difference in an emergency. We all play a vital role in keeping both visitors and the broader community safe.
If you want to help protect our mountain town, and keep it livable and insurable for generations to come, now is the time to act. Be the neighbor who sparks change.
To learn more or sign up as a neighborhood leader, contact the Tahoe RCD at 530-543-1501 x104 or visit www.tahoercd.org.
Big Changes and Local Perks: What’s Happening at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe
August 6, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the IVCBA Magazine, LIVE.WORK.PLAY. Summer issue – Written by Kristie Wells
The Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe is undergoing a significant transformation, with a full property redevelopment planned for completion by the end of 2027. While construction continues, the Hyatt remains committed to serving the Incline Village community by offering a variety of local experiences and maintaining community connections.
Among the current highlights is a wine dinner series hosted at Osteria Sierra, showcasing a selection of wines previously featured at the former Lone Eagle Grille. These dinners focus on evolving menus and thoughtful wine pairings, with the culinary team inviting feedback from attendees to refine future offerings.
Cutthroats Restaurant continues to provide a welcoming environment for locals, including a longstanding discount for IVGID pass holders. This summer, the restaurant will offer Happy Hour from Monday to Thursday (3–5 pm) and live music performances on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings (6–8 pm).
The Hyatt will also participate in the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, joining the Local Heroes Parade and hosting a complimentary barbecue at Incline Beach from 12–4 pm on July 4th.
Whether you’re interested in live music, fine wine, or simply supporting a local business during a time of change, the Hyatt has something for you this summer.
