By Tamara Greenwood
I am grateful for all of the opportunities I have had to make so many beautiful memories in this town with its eccentric vibes and breathtaking views that offer a playground for us to live. What a great part of the Earth to say that I am so fortunate to have been born and raised here. I have so much love for you, Truckee. But our relationship isn’t working anymore. It pains me to do so, but I am breaking up with you.
I have been in Truckee almost my whole life. Like a band of gypsies, my parents moved here in the ’70s from the San Francisco Bay Area. If it weren’t for Bar of America, where my parents met, I wouldn’t have been born in 1979 at Tahoe Forest Hospital with Dr. Chris Arth welcoming me. My father, Bob Greenwood, a local music legend, has played with many greats like the late guitarist Paul Coverelli, who is known for the famed evening in 2003 at Moody’s Bistro Bar & Beats when Sir Paul McCartney asked to sit in for a few songs. What a great night that was for downtown Truckee.
As a child, I was unaware of how sheltered and privileged I was here, living in such a heavenly place. When my parents sold their house in Glenshire, it felt like our roots were ripped away. We ended up in Reno in 2007, where I was a DJ on Rock 104.5, KOZZ, and ESPN. When I was able to move back eight years later, I hosted the Afternoon Drive on 101.5 Truckee Tahoe Radio.
But things had changed since I last lived here. I experienced problems with heightened crime at the apartment complex where I was renting. I never thought I’d have to carry bear spray in this town, and not for a bear, either. The scarce apartments available to rent have had safety issues, sewage problems, and poor living conditions. It used to be cool to be a local enjoying a mountain-town lifestyle here, as my fellow natives know. But not anymore.
Thankfully during the tough times, this wonderful community has helped local families like mine to get by and have just enough. Huge props to the Tahoe Food Hub for providing my family with fresh fruits and veggies each week so we could eat organic, locally grown foods. The Project MANA food bank deliveries each week helped a lot and Sierra Relief Kitchen was incredible for making delicious meals for families in need. A deep, sincere thank-you to the many local business owners for the support they have given, Moonshine Ink and its readers, the Truckee Police Department for being there to help us to feel safer in times of need. To all of our local service folks who are overworked and still have a smile, bless your hearts. To the behavioral health department at Tahoe Forest Hospital, thank you for everything that you have done — you are significantly helping with mental health care and your effort is not going unnoticed. To all of the kind doctors who are serving all the patients and to the pharmacies working hard to keep up, your work and dedication is greatly appreciated.
You have a great community, Truckee. I have been blessed to be a part of it for over half of my life. I am going to miss you a lot. Unfortunately, due to lack of sufficient housing options, my family is going to relocate to another town that is growing at a slower pace with a closer, more sustainable wealth divide. I am heartbroken, yet it’s time for us both to move on. I don’t know what the answer is for equity with the haves who can buy and the have-nots who are struggling to get by. What solutions do you have to find a peaceful balance with this dichotomy of income?
~ Tamara Greenwood is a native of Truckee. She is an on-air personality who was Tam from Truckee on 101.5 Truckee Tahoe Radio. She is very involved with the media arts. Her much requested, upcoming podcast info can be obtained by sending an email to djtamrocks@gmail.com.
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