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Moonshine Minutes

The Independents Partnered Up

Local news is more important than ever. In partnership to inform the community, Tahoe/Truckee’s radio station KTKE 101.5 and the Ink partnered up for Moonshine Minutes during the initial days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Each weekday, KTKE shared their airwaves for short updates from Moonshine Ink, giving voice to our latest reporting.

Read the backstory of this project, along with Tahoe Talks, in This July 2020 article. Explore past episodes below in this complete library.

The Day the Music Died

Episode 85 | October 22, 2020

COVID-19 may have stopped the music for now, but you can help keep it going. From a special to Moonshine by Crystal Bay Club’s Bill Wood; broadcasting by Wade Snider.
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KNOT Radio

Episode 84 | October 21, 2020

Back in the time of awesome rock ’n’ roll – now called Classic Vinyl – a radio DJ on Tahoe’s West Shore celebrated the era in a one-man show that only the hip folk cottoned onto. By Tim Hauserman, broadcasting by Becca Loux.
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Breaking Wildfire Records (and Not in a Good Way)

Episode 83 | October 15, 2020

California is on fire and Tahoe is essentially a giant matchstick. We looked into why 2020 has proven to be so bad in the wildfire arena, plus what fire districts are doing to battle the blazes. Reporting and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft.
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Contested Local Elections

Episode 82 | October 14, 2020

What’s the deal with all the local contested elections? Reporting by Becca Loux, Mayumi Elegado, and Alex Hoeft; broadcasting by Becca Loux.
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Recalibrating Summertime Crowds

Episode 81 | October 13, 2020

Numbers keep coming in regarding the number of visitors in Tahoe this summer. New wastewater information changes things. Reporting and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft.
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TTUSD Hybrid Learning Update Expected at Oct. 7 Meeting

Episode 79 | October 7, 2020

Are TTUSD schools going hybrid? Our report came out just before the expected update at an Oct. 7 meeting. Story by Ally Gravina, broadcast by Becca Loux. 
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Exercise and art opportunities for kids in pandemic-time

Episode 78 | September 30, 2020

Here’s your rundown of best ways to engage kids in art and exercise groups and activities, even as gatherings remain less than recommended. Reporting by Juliana Demarest; broadcast by Becca Loux. 
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Dementia, Continued

Episode 77 | September 29, 2020

A federal agency has stepped in to address the Tahoe Forest Hospital extended care facility’s violation of policies regarding a patient who’s been living in the ER since April.
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Tahoe resorts announce reopening plans

Episode 74 | September 22, 2020

How will ski resorts be different this season with the continuing pandemic? Reporting by Juliana Demarest and broadcasting by Becca Loux.
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Removing ‘Squaw’ from Tahoe’s Washoe Lands

Episode 73 | September 17, 2020

As the Squaw Valley ski resort moves forward with a name change, businesses and the county prepare to complement the decision. Reporting and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft.
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Kennedy v. McClintock

Episode 72 | September 16, 2020

In a rare debate appearance, current District 4 Rep. Tom McClintock (R) went head to head with Democrat challenger Brynne Kennedy on the issues we care about in Tahoe/Truckee: wildfire, COVID-19, and housing. Broadcasting by Mayumi Elegado, with the candidates’ answers read by Becca Loux as Kennedy and Wade Snider as McClintock.
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Rise of illegal campfires spark trail-host pilot program

Episode 69 | September 9, 2020

Most people have heard how a pyrotechnic gender reveal ignited the El Dorado fire outside San Bernardino this past Saturday. Many are asking, “how do we get it through our thick human skulls that this is fire season?” The Tahoe National Forest recently started a local program to help drill this fact into our collective psyche.
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Tahoe Crowds

Episode 68 | September 3, 2020

While scuttlebutt says crowds have swelled this pandemic summer, the data tracking how many people are here points to a slight decrease overall. The reason for the congestion may be that the type of visitor has shifted. Reporting by Alex Hoeft.
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Think Local in August

Episode 67 | August 27, 2020

Think, shop, eat, sleep, breathe local. Moonshine and KTKE have long advocated for support and bolstering of the local economy. This episode, broadcast by editor Becca Loux and with reporting by her about the power of a local dollar and an essay by Truckee resident Jan Holan on the future of the region’s economy, focuses on Moonshine’s Think Local campaign, a quarterly look at all things local. 
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A Blast into the Past

Episode 66 | August 25, 2020

A peek into some of Truckee’s history from the town’s oldest living native Italian, Eugene Gini. Reporting and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft
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August 20, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Is 5G dangerous?

Questions have long swirled about 5G networks, and the combination of a study that was proven false and general increased paranoia during the pandemic have caused further concern over lack of testing. Reporting and broadcasting by Becca Loux
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August 19, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Going to war with wasps; women of STEM

It’s that time of year again — summer heat has started to fade away and the yellow jackets have come out to play … dirty. Why do they get so aggressive? The answer is pretty simple. Plus, there’s still time to catch Headwaters Science Institute’s Women in STEM Speaker Series. Reporting and broadcasting by Juliana Demarest
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August 18, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Illegal dementia discharge

Current litigation against the Tahoe Forest Health System for refusing to readmit a patient with dementia points to a national trend of patient dumping, as well as other protocol disobedience. The situation has resulted in a couple that's been married for 55 being physically separated for four months.
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August 15-16, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

New horizons for News & Review

On the eve of coronavirus lockdown, the Reno News & Review halted the presses. However a talk with the publisher shows that the company has no plans of stopping. Moonshine’s publisher, Mayumi Elegado, reports.
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August 13, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

STR solution?

Truckee is considering further regulation of STRs, following community feedback and backlash that has abounded about regulating short-term rentals, and been exacerbated by the pandemic. Reporting and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft.
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August 11, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

CoronAmnesia; masks and privilege.

Two opinion pieces on common courtesy in the time of the coronavirus and why wearing a mask is an act of social justice, by the Moonshine Ink Editorial Board and guest author Katie Capano respectively, make up today’s episode. Mask up, Tahoe, we have many miles to go before we sleep in this pandemic.
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August 6, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Tips to get yourself a top notch GM

The Truckee Donner Public Utility District shares their top lessons learned throughout the lengthy process of hiring a new general manager. Plus, the new guy himself talks about why he chose Truckee. Reporting and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft.
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August 5, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

The sustainable tourism era

Guest host and director of tourism and economic programs for Truckee Chamber/Visit Truckee Colleen Dalton gives an update on sustainable tourism for the region, namely describing the Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District’s new first-in-the-state mechanism for implementing sustainable solutions in tourism. 
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August 1, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

How to talk about politics with loved ones

Lindsay Simon is one of Moonshine’s regular contributors, using her expertise as an LMFT to provide insight into wellness topics in a web-exclusive column. This episode of Moonshine Minutes, editor Becca Loux sits down with Lindsay to learn her best practices for talking about politics with loved ones without losing relationships.
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July 28, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Critter rehab

Critters of all shapes and sizes come calling at the Lake Tahoe Rehabilitation Center. Walk through a day in the life of the busy facility, complete with an appearance by a baby chipmunk and a venerable bald eagle. Reporting and broadcasting by Eve Quesnel, with a minor assist from MI editor Becca Loux.
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July 28, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

How the PPP shakes out locally

Businesses big and small have sought help during the coronavirus pandemic through the Paycheck Protection Program. Moonshine Ink shares the list of local businesses that received funding in this latest update. Reporting and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft
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July 25-26, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Fire bans across jurisdictional lines

Local fire districts give an overview of the bans on open fire throughout the North Shore region, with a special look at the Truckee Fire Protection District’s inaugural campfire fire ban last year. This piece stemmed from our monthly question-answer section, You Asked. They Answered. Reporting and broadcasting by Becca Loux
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July 23, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Dog days with a canine forensics expert

Kayle is an 11-year-old who searches for human remains using her nose. This trained border collie and her owner, John Grebenkemper, have helped add clarity to what is known about famous Donner Party’s campsites. Reporting and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft.
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July 22, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

New fly fishing restrictions a mixed bag for conservationists

Proposed changes to fishing regulations is a win for some, but could they come at a loss to the stretch of river from Tahoe City to Truckee? Today’s episode of Moonshine Minutes is all about trout. Story by Sage Sauerbrey, broadcast by Mayumi Elegado.
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July 21, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Closing roads, dealing with restrictions

Things are different county-to-county coronavirus-wise around Lake Tahoe, and businesses are dealing with the repercussions. Plus, closing Donner Pass Road along Commercial Row isn’t off the table to accommodate expanding outdoor dining. Broadcasting and reporting by Alex Hoeft.
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July 18-19, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Dead Man Walking

By all accounts, Mark Redpath should not be here right now. By all accounts, he should have died. As the one and only Tahoe Forest Hospital patient to have been on a ventilator — fighting for his life under the grip of COVID-19 — he wants you to know this thing is real, the biggest misconception out there being that it’s “just a cold.” Reporting and broadcasting by Juliana Demarest.
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July 18-19, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

The coronavirus pandemic has flooded the Tahoe real estate market with an unprecedented number of buyers seeking an escape from urban lifestyles that have shrunk in the wake of COVID-19. Here to give a recap of the hot market this hot summer is Jackie Ginley, a former Moonshine Ink investigative reporter, who is now a Tahoe/Truckee realtor.
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July 16, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

The Truckee police chief was basically run out of office last month. To us, our community missed the mark. Not because we don’t think the infamous leaked internal email was problematic, or worth discussing. To the contrary: Our editorial board feels that scapegoating Chief Leftwich without much room for discussion defeats the purpose of the current moment. Let’s all come to the table, and not just shout in the metaphorical halls of social media. Written and broadcast by Mayumi Elegado, Becca Loux, Alex Hoeft, and Juliana Demrest (MI’s Editorial Board)
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July 14, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

The COVID storm’s a-blowin’

Though the uptick in COVID-19 cases was expected, numbers are climbing higher than ever and a second wave looms. The difference this time around, however, is that we’re ready for. Reporting and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft.
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July 9, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Moonshine financial columnist John Manocchio gives tips and tricks to keep the financial belt tight in these uncertain times. Broadcast by publisher Mayumi Elegado and Manocchio himself, learn your rights as a student borrower or credit card holder and how to keep saving up for the important things in life.
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July 8, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

A look into the Martis, Maidu, and Washo tribes — those who found a home in the Tahoe/Truckee region long before the White Euro-American people did. Information provided by the Truckee-Donner Historical Society; broadcast by Alex Hoeft.
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July 3, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Truckee Springs, a storied history

With a happily-ever-after ending on the horizon for Truckee Springs, it’s important to understand what this land has gone through. The parcel just south of downtown Truckee, which had been earmarked for development throughout its history is now slated to be preserved as public land in perpetuity by the Truckee Donner Land Trust. Greyson Howard, communications director for land trust, joins news reporter Alex Hoeft to discuss the land’s history.
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July 2, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Holliday goes off the Rail … yard

Rick and Nancy Holliday are officially stepping back as heads of the Railyard Project in Truckee. In this exclusive interview, Rick reflects on the many lessons he’s learned here, why Truckee was ahead of the curve, and what’s captured his imagination now.
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June 24, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Comparing the meat and newspaper industries isn’t as far-fetched as you might think. Both are majorly guided by monopolies and have confronted unique challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. News from credible sources remains as important and necessary as ever, but we need your help to continue to do so. Become a Moonshine Member. Mayumi Elegado, publisher for Moonshine Ink, shares her story.
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June 23, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

A massive chunk of homes in the Tahoe area are short-term rentals, but has COVID-19 prompted property owners to stretch their thinking? Are long-term rentals the way of the future? Businesses like Landing Locals, a platform connecting homeowners with long-term tenants, may be the way of the future. Broadcast by Alex Hoeft; reported on by Alex Hoeft and Becca Loux.
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June 19-21, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

New cases of COVID-19 are popping up again. Placer, Nevada, and Washoe counties have all seen their highest single-day case counts during June, linked directly by Nevada County representatives to increases in social gatherings. Broadcast and reported by Alex Hoeft, with additional reporting by Becca Loux and Mayumi Elegado.
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June 18, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

It started with a tough choice for a local first grader: Look cool by joining in on teasing a biracial girl about her skin tone or stand up for a friend whose families visited each other often? It ended with a white family rethinking everything they thought they’d taught about tolerance, and a biracial family moving out of the region, feeling unsupported and alone. Mayumi Elegado, our publisher and editor-in-chief, spoke directly with Megan and Ambrose Seifert about their experience and view of the school’s inadequate response to the incident.
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June 17, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

School’s out for summer, but we’re all still on Zoom. Our local Sierra College was the very first community college in California to make the leap to distance learning on March 8, doing so 11 days before Gov. Gavin Newsom was to announce the official stay-at-home order March 19. An English professor Christina Nemec wrote a Moonshine exclusive describing the transition.
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June 16, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Fire season is here! So how does preparation for such a natural disaster change in light of the coronavirus crisis? Moonshine Ink hosted its fourth Tahoe Talks, Fire in the Face of COVID-19 to answer just that question. We discussed with local fire experts and area leaders to understand the realities of such a possibility during an already fragile timeframe.
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June 13 – 14, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Placer, Nevada, and El Dorado counties are in stage three of California’s reopening plan, meaning lodging (including short-term rentals), campgrounds, and gyms are able to open as of June 12. Plus, Truckee chief of police Robert Leftwich announced his retirement this past week amid a leaked email that many attribute to negative views on race relations. Story by Alex Hoeft; broadcasting by Alex Hoeft and Mayumi Elegado.
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June 11, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

A Truckee town hall calls attention to race relations in the community, sparked by worldwide protests over the death of George Floyd and an email by Truckee police Chief Robert Leftwich that leaked out. Story and broadcasting by Alex Hoeft.
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June 4, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

The coronavirus crisis is still here … but so is rent. With a dip in jobs around tahoe, rental assistance has seen a huge upswing, and tensions between landlords and tenants are high. Story by Becca Loux, broadcast by Alex Hoeft.
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June 3, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Reporter Becca Loux brings you onto the scene of Truckee’s peaceful Say Their Names Vigil Tuesday, June 2 at 5 p.m., with demonstrators showing support for the Black Lives Matter movement by holding up signs displaying the names of Black Americans killed at the hands of police or lynched, from one commemorating Emmett Till, killed in 1955, to many showing George Floyd, killed May 25 of this year.
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May 29 – 31, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Tourism is a huge part of what makes Tahoe tick. But with lodging still closed statewide due to the coronavirus pandemic, the only realistic visitors are those within a day drive. Forecasted trends for the rest of 2020 are expected to drop as much as 50% in visitor revenues. Tune in as reporter Alex Hoeft shares the status of Tahoe’s tourism tap.
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May 28, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

So we’re in stage two of reopening and life is supposed to gradually return to normal … but what does that actually mean on the day-to-day? Can I meet up with friends now? What’s the scoop for going to restaurants that are opening back up? Broadcast by Mayumi Elegado and Becca Loux, Placer County’s Dr. Aimee Sisson has the update.
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May 21, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Businesses around Tahoe are hanging on despite COVID-inspired closures and pullback services. Liz Bowling with the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association spoke to four local business leaders about their current realities. Story broadcast by Alex Hoeft and Mayumi Elegado.
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May 19, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

North Tahoe area counties were among the first approved by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to enter further into “Stage 2” of reopening of what were originally dubbed nonessential businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Story by Juliana Demarest, broadcast by Becca Loux.
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May 18, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

If history is trying to repeat itself, it did a good job in Truckee between the “Spanish Flu” of 1918 and the coronavirus pandemic of 2019-2020: News reporter Alex Hoeft brings you the story of how the world’s largest pandemic hit Truckee “like a runaway train,” and how masks and social distancing played a role a century ago.
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May 12, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

A look into our other new project: Tahoe Talks, community conversations on important topics during the pandemic hosted by Moonshine over Zoom. Plus, by popular demand, another installment of the corona-inspired funnies. Brought to you by news reporter Alex Hoeft.
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May 7, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Dog-lovers unite, take a deep breath, and learn to practice “dog mindfulness,” a meditation and mindfulness tactic you can do as a team with your dog that focuses on the senses from the mind of psychologist Dr. Cathy Reimers. Broadcast by news reporter Alex Hoeft.
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May 6, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

If COVID doesn’t take you out … Can I? Today’s Minutes brings a little needed coronavirus-related humor to your day, then gets serious with critical updates on testing capacity and triage at the new Kings Beach facility, broadcast by editor/reporter Becca Loux.
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May 5, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Today we examine the “phased reopening” officials announced we are entering into, and delve into the new Kings Beach COVID-19 testing site, part of a commitment from Gov. Gavin Newsom to implement 80 testing sites across the state in underserved areas. Learn, too, about our Community Corkboard and how you can get your message heard, and what to do with food waste from our print edition. Broadcast by reporters Alex Hoeft and Becca Loux.
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May 4, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Local counties eye an exit from coronavirus hibernation. At the same time, increased local capacity for testing is coming online, but the white whale of robust contact tracing is still being chased. Co-authors Becca Loux and Alex Hoeft have the story.
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April 24, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Though people are scared, figuring out life during a pandemic that requires physical distancing to slow the spread, Tahoe/Truckee is finding ways to lift one another up. Co-editors Juliana Demarest, who penned the full version of this Feel Good Story available in print and online, and Becca Loux have the scoop.
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April 22-23, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

COVID-19 on your mind? Reporters Alex Hoeft and Becca Loux peel back the layers of this global pandemic and look at the basics: who, what, where, why.
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April 21, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Reporter/Office Manager Molly Wilcox takes you through her reporting on efforts by a coalition of local restaurants to use their skills and resources to feed the community for free during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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April 20, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Juliana Demarest, Moonshine Editor, takes you through the highlights of her story about the realities of homeschooling for families in different situations during the coronavirus outbreak.
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April 17, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Investigative duo Becca Loux and Alex Hoeft take you through their latest reporting on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Tahoe, focusing on the availability of testing, as well as the hierarchy of which hospitals and which individuals are prioritized. At the time of this broadcast, TFHS had tested about 1.2% of the area’s population.
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April 16, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Sigh. What can you do when you’re stuck at home with no social life during quarantine? Aside from being in beautiful Tahoe/Truckee, Moonshine Editor Becca Loux walks you through a small selection of virtual events, from Zoom yoga to film festivals from your couch, available in our print and online TAP calendars.
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April 15, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Moonshine Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Mayumi Elegado brings you the highlights from our recent conference call tackling the topic of the role visitors, second homes, and STRs play in the pandemic.
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April 14, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Moonshine Reporter Alex Hoeft and Editor/Publisher Mayumi Elegado bring you the latest on what isn’t terrible during this pandemic, sharing wisdom from Jaclyn Woznicki, Trunk Show owner who's been quarantining since January for her own health reasons. Plus, learn of the outpouring of support for Alpenglow sports.
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April 10, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Editor Becca Loux brings you to the medical front lines, sharing her latest reporting with co-author Alex Hoeft investigating whether the Tahoe area is the COVID-19 “hotspot” some have predicted. In fact, TFHS’s CEO believes that we’re entering a plateau in cases that could be a positive sign.
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April 9, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

News Reporter Alex Hoeft shares the highlights from Moonshine’s recent exclusive interview with Holly Whittaker, Nevada County Epidemiologist, about the virus, the future of testing and a cure, and what the pandemic means in this area.
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April 7, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

How do we deal with fear and anxiety, two distinct responses, during a pandemic? Wellness expert and owner/founder of A Better Life in South Lake, Lindsay Simon, says the first step is recognizing which is which, then you can sort out logical fears from spinning out with anxiety. Editor Becca Loux brings you the highlights from Lindsay’s online exclusive
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April 3, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Reporter Alex Hoeft takes you through resources that businesses that are struggling due to COVID-19 can utilize, as well as an update on using face coverings from Placer County.
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April 2, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

The latest updates include the closure of TTUSD’s physical buildings, with continued distance learning, and the official “stay at home” order issued by Nevada Gov. Sisolak, delivered by Editor Becca Loux, along with an update on our growing list of eateries offering takeout and curbside options.
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April 1, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Editor-in-Chief Mayumi Elegado brings you the story, written by Editor Juliana Demarest, of how Tahoe Truckee grocery stores and organizations are aiding with food security for the elderly, some of those most vulnerable to the coronavirus.
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March 31, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Reporter Alex Hoeft brings you our latest rolling updates on the local impact of the coronavirus, including Washoe County’s second and third related deaths, as well as examples from our updating list of restaurants offering takeout.
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March 30, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Reporters Alex Hoeft and Becca Loux bring you the latest regional updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the local ordinance to stop evictions for the non-payment of rent and Washoe County’s first death from the pandemic. Then, highlights from our interview with TFHS CEO Harry Weis about the hospital’s capacity.
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March 27, 2020 Moonshine Minutes

Your editorial team brings you our latest breaking reporting on the coronavirus in Tahoe in this first installment of Moonshine Minutes on KTKE.
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