Teen Killed in Rock Climbing Accident; Conservancy to Begin 25-Acre Forestry Project; TART Introduces New Summer Shuttle Services; More

TAHOMA

The California Tahoe Conservancy is implementing a project to improve forest health and wildfire resilience on 25 acres of public land in Tahoma in El Dorado County. By thinning the overcrowded forest and removing hazardous fuels, the project will help reduce wildfire risk for the surrounding neighborhoods.

This project includes 118 conservancy properties, seven National Forest Lands properties, and 23 El Dorado County properties.

The contractor will mulch small-diameter trees, branches, and shrubs. Larger trees and branches will be cut into firewood rounds, available for free collection by members of the public who have completed a free conservancy fuelwood collection permit. The permit is available at tahoe.ca.gov/fuelwood-permit.

The conservancy project will create forest conditions that are more resilient to drought, disease, and insect outbreaks. The project will also result in reduced wildfire risk for the surrounding west shore neighborhoods and the California state Route 89 corridor.

The conservancy plans forestry projects like these in coordination with the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, and in support of the goals of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program. The lands included in this project are in the wildland-urban interface, where neighborhoods meet the forest. Lake Tahoe Basin partners identified these properties as priority treatment areas in the Tahoe Basin Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

~ California Tahoe Conservancy press release

NORTH LAKE TAHOE

Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit announced it is extending its evening bus service from 6 to 10 p.m. and on some routes until 11 p.m. The new spring service schedule begins today and meets the demand caused by increased seasonal ridership to Olympic Valley, Tahoe City, Crystal Bay, and Northstar. The schedule will run through June 30 before transitioning to the summer schedule. Residents and visitors in the region can still enjoy TART Connect micro-transit service between zones at night.

New summer services have been added this year to serve popular Tahoe City events, hoping to build off the success of the seasonal winter programs.

Find more information about TART services and regional transportation programs at tahoetruckeetransit.com.

~ Placer County press release

INCLINE VILLAGE

Mt. Rose patrol supervisor Meredith Broderic and her daughter, Molly, a Diamond Peak dispatcher, lost their home after the house fire on Wheel Road on April 7. 

Everything they owned was destroyed, and they are now facing the overwhelming challenge of starting over from scratch. As their friend, David Common is reaching out to the community to help them through this incredibly difficult time.

The fire has left Meri and Molly without a place to stay, and they are in urgent need of temporary housing. They also need to replace basic essentials like clothing, toiletries, and household items. The emotional toll of losing their home is immense, and support can help ease some of the stress and uncertainty they are experiencing right now.

The funds raised will go directly toward helping the mother and daughter secure a safe place to stay and begin rebuilding their lives. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a real difference. Any support would help, whether it’s a donation or simply sharing this fundraiser with others. 

Find the GoFundMe here.

~ GoFundMe 

PLACER AND NEVADA COUNTIES

Placer and Nevada counties are celebrating their 175th anniversary this year, marking a milestone that reflects generations of community, innovation, and resilience.

Established on April 25, 1851, Placer and Nevada counties’ stories are deeply tied to the California Gold Rush, when prospectors first arrived seeking opportunity in the Sierra foothills. 

Over the decades that followed, agriculture, the development of the First Transcontinental Railroad and the mobilization during World War II all played key roles in shaping the communities that make up Placer County today.

Nevada County was formed out of portions from the neighboring Yuba County. It was named after the mining town Nevada City, which came from the Spanish word for snowy or snow-covered.

Placer County staff created a 175th anniversary emblem to celebrate the region’s legacy. The emblem features golden 175 numerals in a nod to the gold rush along with snow-covered mountains, the Foresthill Bridge, and rolling agricultural farmland.

Residents and visitors alike are invited to join the celebration through a series of community events taking place across the county, from Lake Tahoe to Roseville, as the county honors this important milestone in its shared history. For more information about Placer County’s 175th anniversary events, visit placer.ca.gov/175.

Nevada County has yet to announce 175th anniversary events.

~ MR/Placer County press release

TRUCKEE

The Truckee-Donner Recreation and Park District 2026 Comprehensive Master Plan was finalized and adopted by its board of directors at its March 26 meeting. The master plan will shape the future of TDRPD in coming years. Its last official master plan was adopted in 1988.

“Parks and Recreation is the glue and grease that keep the places we live functioning well and healthy,” said TDRPD General Manager Sven Leff in a letter in the master plan. “As an industry, park and recreation agencies build community and improve the quality of life through the parks, facilities, programs, and people available.”

TDRPD’s action plan and priorities are guided by community feedback and recreation and parks standards. The plan focuses on facilities and programming strategies such as increasing the number of parks and implementation strategies such as financial resources. Other strategies include improving existing facilities, expanding indoor offerings, and providing new facilities and parks.

Find the full plan at tdrpd.org/agendacenter/viewfile/agenda/_03262026-277.

~ MR

NEVADA

The Nevada Veterans Alumni Chapter invites veterans to ENGAGE 2026 presented by Nevada Military Support Alliance, the marquee professional networking event bringing together veterans, community leaders, employers, and partners who are committed to leadership, service, and opportunity.

The event is April 17. This year’s keynote speaker is Medal of Honor Recipient Clint Romesha. His extraordinary story of courage and leadership has been featured in two books, a Netflix documentary episode (Medal of Honor), and a major motion picture. Romesha’s remarks offer a powerful perspective on accountability, trust and placing others before self.

Contact vetsalumni@unr.edu with any questions.

~ Nevada News Group press release

TRUCKEE

If it’s broke, fix it! The next Fixit Clinic event is on Monday, April 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Truckee Roundhouse.

Bring broken electronics, clothing, outdoor gear, and more. Fixit coaches from the Truckee Roundhouse will teach how to repair items. This is a free community event run by volunteers. No registration is necessary, just drop in!

Please note: the Truckee Roundhouse is excited to keep the Fixit Clinic going during the expansion project! The wood shop is currently closed and under construction, so for this upcoming event, staff encourages visitors to bring repairs focused on metal, electronics, or clothing. Wood-based projects will be harder to accommodate, but the Roundhouse looks forward to welcoming them back this fall.

Repair is a sustainable act that encourages reusing resources at hand rather than purchasing new. To date, Truckee Fixit Clinics have saved over 2,000 pounds of items from the landfill! 

~ Truckee Roundhouse press release

PLACER COUNTY

As warnings grow louder about the surge in youth vaping and its deepening impacts on mental and physical health, Placer County teens are stepping up with a new children’s book aimed at helping young kids build resilience early.

Members of the Placer County Youth Commission will unveil Benny and the Forbidden Garden, a new children’s book for elementary‑age students that uses a rabbit’s journey to help kids recognize and resist peer pressure — including pressure to experiment with vaping and other substances—while asking for help from a trusted adult. The public is invited to a special storytime and book launch at the Rocklin Library on April 8 at 4 p.m.

Created by the Youth Commission’s Substance Use Prevention Subcommittee, the book tackles a serious issue in an age‑appropriate way and is also available for preorder. In Placer County, 1 in 5 high school juniors report having used vape products at some point. Nicotine addiction can harm physical health and increase risks of anxiety and depression.

Timed with National Public Health Week (April 6 to 12), the book launch aligns with Public Health efforts to highlight prevention resources and promote healthy habits. The Youth Commission is facilitated by adult advisors with Public Health.

~ Placer County press release

TRUCKEE

Slow Food Lake Tahoe (SFLT) is hosting its second annual Sow and Grow Festival May 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Food Bank and Community Gardens in the heart of Truckee River Regional Park. This free community event is a celebration of spring gardening in the High Sierra for seasoned and novice gardeners alike. 

Stop by and purchase plant seedlings from a wide selection of SFLT’s favorite tried and true garden varieties for the High Sierra. There will be free gardening classes throughout the morning, led by local gardeners with years of experience growing in Truckee’s harsh conditions. Bring the whole family to enjoy the gardens and stick around for a seed giveaway and kids activities! 

Be inspired to create your own sustainable garden in our high elevation community. View more details and reserve high elevation edible garden seedlings at slowfoodlaketahoe.org/events.

This event would not be possible without sponsors at the Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation and through the Truckee Tahoe Airport District (TTAD) Agency Partnership.

~ Slow Food Lake Tahoe press release

TRUCKEE

Newly elected members to the Western Region of Professional Ski Instructors of America & American Association of Snowsports Instructors (PSIA-AASI) Board of Directors were disqualified and suspended on March 21 after they were found in bad standing.

PSIA-AASI West is a membership-based organization representing, certifying, and educating the professional snowsports community on the West Coast and is headquartered in Truckee. Clinics, webinars, and assessments are held monthly throughout the ski season to support, pass, and maintain instructor PSIA-AASI certification. It held its bi-annual election for four seats on its board of directors between Feb. 23 and March 13. A group of four members from the Tahoe/Truckee area — Bryan Martel, Brent Boblitt, Alycia Glines, and Barclay Moore — campaigned as a Team4Change on a platform of greater transparency, listening to member voices, supporting women, better education, and friendlier exams.

“This is a great time for change,” stated the Team4Change campaign website. “Members are dropping out, disheartened by the irrelevancy of the organization or because of plain poor value. We can develop new policy and governance for better educational events.”

In a video campaign statement, Martel said the organization needs to shift resources and money from the executive office and toward the continuing educational staff, which he says isn’t paid enough. The Team4Change group also said there aren’t enough on-hill clinics to support the western region, which covers California, Nevada, and Hawaii.

A screenshot of the election results shared with Moonshine Ink by PSIA-AASI West member Loren Rupp shows the initial winners of the election: Boblitt, Martel, Julie Brown, and Moore. However, eight days after the results were released, Moore and Martel from Team4Change were disqualified, meaning their seats went to the candidates with the next highest number of votes. Glines, who came in fifth place, was also disqualified, leaving Moore and Martel’s spots to sixth place incumbent Neil Bussiere and seventh place Sue Spain. 

“Redoing the election would throw out all valid ballots and effectively disenfranchise the larger majority of members who already voted,” said the FAQ on the PSIA-AASI West website. “It would also subject the candidates who remained in good standing and followed all requirements to the undue burden of running a second time.”

According to the same FAQ, Moore, Martel, and Glines were disqualified after voting concluded because they weren’t “members in good standing.” However, concerned voting members created a petition so that members can hear a full explanation from the board before its new members are seated on April 27.

“The FAQ confirms investigations began in January 2026. Yet all nine candidates remained on the ballot through the entire voting period,” said the petition. “If any candidate was ineligible, that determination could have been made before the election. Instead it was applied between the close of voting and the publication of results. Members voted without knowing any candidate was under investigation.”

According to the petition, once the new board is seated, no further actions can be taken. The petition also claims PSIA-AASI’s CEO who was board appointed, could have had financial interests in the election since Team4Change wanted to shake up the system.

The petition can be found at psia-petition.vercel.app. The group is also raising funds for legal fees to fight the change in results.

~ MR

RENO

Through the end of the season, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is offering discounted lift tickets to season pass holders from other resorts. With presentation of a 2025/26 season pass from another resort at any ticket window, an adult ticket can be purchased for $60, and a ticket for kids ages 15 and under is $30. This discount is not valid with any other offer.

Following last week’s late season storm that delivered 21 inches of fresh snow to the mountain and cold temperatures that allowed the resort to fire up its snowmaking system for three straight days, Tahoe’s best spring snow conditions are at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe.

In addition, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe continues to stay “Open Late” Fridays and Saturdays with select lifts spinning from the main lodge until 6:00 p.m.

For those who want to ski or ride at Mt. Rose for the rest of this season and all of next, the full ticket value can also be applied toward a DoubleDown Season Pass.

Visit skirose.com to purchase tickets, season passes, and plan a trip.

~ Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe press release