News Briefs
Wildfire Evacuation Simulations Spotlight Public Safety Dangers
INCLINE VILLAGE
An independent Tahoe Basin Wildfire Evacuation Analysis, combining artificial intelligence and real-life Sierra Nevada wildfire experience, reveals Lake Tahoe could face hours-long, potentially life-threatening, and slow evacuations.
The release of the Placer and Washoe Tahoe North Shore analyses are part of a larger, first-of-its-kind publicly transparent Basin-wide evacuation analysis. Commissioned by Tahoe Clean Air, the models provide hypothetical no-notice versus planned event evacuation simulations. The models incorporate operational expertise from veteran firefighters and emergency management experts involved in some of the west’s most catastrophic wildfires, including the 2018 Camp Fire.
Experts from PyroAnalysis and Ladris conducted over 400 Tahoe-wide evacuation simulations to help provide accurate highway and feeder road capacity limitations.
Further, AI evacuation modeling software estimated potential evacuation times based on a variety of road closures that create choke points. These bottlenecks could reasonably be expected during a fast-moving wildfire evacuation in peak summer tourist season, which coincides with peak wildfire season.
Three other geographical Tahoe study areas — Douglas Tahoe, El Dorado South Shore Tahoe, and West Shore Tahoe — will be available in September.
The AI-generated Placer evacuation simulations reveal a 9- to over 14-hour evacuation time depending on road closure conditions. This is in stark contrast to the 2016 Placer County Environmental Impact Statement, which estimated evacuation time for the study area at 3.7 hours. Washoe Tahoe AI-generated simulations include potential closures of State Route 28 at Stateline and Sand Harbor resulting in 8- and 9-hour wait times.
Simulation illustrations and added analysis is available at tahoecleanair.org.
~ Tahoe Clean Air press release
Sobriety Checkpoint Planned
TRUCKEE
The Truckee office of the California Highway Patrol will conduct a sobriety/driver license checkpoint from 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, until 2 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31.
The goal is to ensure the safe passage of each and every motorist by targeting roads where there is a high frequency of intoxicated drivers. The Placer County Sheriff’s Department is also invited to participate in the sobriety/driver license checkpoint. This is a combined effort to increase traffic safety within the North Tahoe Basin. A sobriety checkpoint is a proven and effective tool for achieving this goal. It is designed to augment existing patrol operations.
Traffic volume permitting, all vehicles will be checked for drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and or drugs. CHP’s objective is to send a clear message to those individuals that consider mixing alcohol or drugs with driving.
~ California Highway Patrol, Truckee press release
Volunteers Invited Lake Tahoe Cleanup Event
LAKE TAHOE
Finish summer on a high note by taking part in the League to Save Lake Tahoe’s 10th annual Labor Day Cleanup at Kings Beach State Recreation Area, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 2.
This is an opportunity to say thanks to the lake with a few hours of hands-on beach area beautification. Join dozens of local and visiting volunteers to remove litter, refresh and revitalize the shoreline, and leave nearby parking, business, and neighborhood areas clean. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. No prior experience is required.
Removing trash from Tahoe’s sensitive environment protects the lake, and so does collecting data about the litter found. The League to Save Lake Tahoe’s policy professionals use that data to lobby for litter prevention solutions, like banning plastic bags, Styrofoam, and single-use plastic water bottles.
Register in advance at keeptahoeblue.org/laborday.
~ League to Save Lake Tahoe press release
Program to Fund Development of Workforce Housing
KINGS BEACH
Incentives from Placer County to build or establish new workforce housing in the North Lake Tahoe region may soon be available. Following a presentation from county staff, the Placer County Board of Supervisors directed the county to move forward and develop the Launchpad program to support the need for new housing.
This new financial incentive program would feature low-interest loan funding from the county for interested applicants to put towards the construction of workforce housing units locally.
These loans will feature fixed 3% rates at 5-year terms geared to replace a higher-interest construction loan. Loans would be calculated at 50% of property value with a max of $1.5 million and can be used for property acquisition or construction costs.
Developed housing units must fall under three umbrellas: deed-restricted housing for low-income individuals or families, moderate-income housing, and local workforce housing.
Funding for this program has not yet been considered by the board. County staff anticipates a request for Transient Occupancy Tax funding from the TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program.
For the program to fully take effect, staff must return to the board at a later date to seek final approval.
To learn more about the county’s housing programs, visit placer.ca.gov/7549/east-placer—north-lake-tahoe-housing.
~ Placer County press release
Group to Hold Candidate Forums, Ballot Measure Presentations
NEVADA COUNTY
The League of Women Voters of Nevada County will host four candidate forums and two pros and cons presentations about the ballot measures for this election cycle.
All forums and presentations except Grass Valley City Council, which will take place via Zoom, and the Truckee pros and cons presentation, will be held at the Rood Center, 950 Maidu Ave, Nevada City, streamed live on Comcast and Suddenlink Channel 18, and on the Nevada County Media’s main YouTube channel at youtube.com/@nevadacountymedia. The forums can be viewed on demand within 24 hours after the event on the league’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/@leagueofwomenvotersofnevad1648.
Questions from the community for each candidate forum are welcome and can be submitted via email to info@lwvnevadacounty.org. In the subject line, indicate which candidate forum the question is about and submit at least 2 days before the forum date. Late questions may not be considered. Questions must be specific to the position and must apply to all candidates. Questions will be consolidated and prioritized to address the community’s issues of most concern.
The League of Women Voters of El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Plumas, and Sacramento counties will be unable to hold a candidate forum for the District 3 California Congressional race due to lack of participation.
Forums and presentation dates:
- Pros and cons ballot presentation on ballot measures: Sept. 24, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- Nevada Joint Union High School District, Areas 2, 3, 4: Sept. 25, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- Nevada Irrigation District Division 3, 5: Sept. 26, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- Grass Valley City Council: Sept. 30, 6 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Link will be posted at lwvnevadacounty.org.
- Pros and cons presentation on ballot measures: Oct. 10, time to be announced, at Lift Workspace in Truckee.
~ The League of Women Voters of Nevada County press release
Leading Beverage Companies Invest Over $305K to Improve Recycling
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
American Beverage announced a $305,600 grant awarded to South Lake Refuse to improve the recycling infrastructure for 19,100 South Lake Tahoe residents. The grant, in collaboration with The Recycling Partnership, will help fund new recycling carts to replace resident-provided containers for more convenient and effective collection. It also supports residential outreach materials with educational information on what materials can be recycled using the new carts.
The new carts will allow El Dorado County to collect an estimated 15 million pounds of new recyclables over the next decade. This includes more than 195,000 pounds of recycled aluminum and half a million pounds of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET). With more recycled materials, the beverage industry can reduce the use of virgin plastic and create more bottles out of 100% recycled content.
This investment is part of 65 initial projects that the leading members of the beverage industry — The Coca-Cola Company, Keurig Dr Pepper, and PepsiCo — and its sustainability partners have committed to fund through Every Bottle Back. To date, the beverage industry has committed $39.1 million in funding nationwide. These investments are estimated to yield nearly 915 million new pounds of recycled PET and more than 87 million more pounds of recycled aluminum over the next decade.
~ Every Bottle Back press release
Reservoirs Show Positive Study Results
INCLINE VILLAGE
Clean Up the Lake and the Martis Fund have successfully concluded a new pilot research initiative, yielding even more positive results than anticipated. After completing underwater Aquatic Invasive Species surveys and submerged litter cleanups in Stampede and Boca reservoirs from June 26 to July 3, Clean Up the Lake reported extremely low litter loads and no concerning AIS infestations. In total, the project involved eight survey dives, during which the volunteer dive team removed only 20.57 pounds of litter, comprising 100 individual items, while also assessing litter accumulation and distribution patterns across 1.76 miles of underwater terrain.
The research suggests that Stampede and Boca reservoirs currently exhibit a low urgency for full circumnavigated underwater cleanups. However, the following points were deemed important for consideration:
- Additional submerged litter surveys are recommended in the next 3 to 5 years.
- Annual AIS surveys to help prevent their spread should continue to be performed.
- Continued education for non-motorized users to clean, drain, and dry their equipment is vital in preventing the spread of AIS.
- Users of both reservoirs and other agencies should continue performing low-water-level beach cleanups.
~ Clean Up the Lake press release
Forest Health Initiative Receives $250,000 Grant
TAHOE CITY
The NV Energy Foundation is investing in the health of Tahoe’s forests with a $250,000 grant to the Tahoe Fund’s Smartest Forest Fund. This contribution will help increase the pace and scale of forest restoration efforts and better prepare Lake Tahoe communities for wildfire.
The Smartest Forest Fund was launched in 2019 to use philanthropy to drive innovation through seed funding and de-risk opportunities for the Tahoe Fund’s public agency partners. Already, more than $1 million has been committed to over 25 projects and helped to secure over $27 million in public funding.
Innovative projects that have received funding through the Smartest Forest Fund include BurnBot’s remote-operated machine, a software platform called LandTender that uses high-definition imagining and artificial intelligence to map landscapes for forest health treatments, and scholarships for students in Lake Tahoe Community College’s forestry program.
Learn more about the NV Energy Foundation’s grant cycle and funding priorities at nvenergy.com/foundation. Learn more about the Tahoe Fund and the Smartest Forest Fund at tahoefund.org.
~ NV Energy Foundation press release
TDPUD Board Approves Cost Adjustment
TRUCKEE
At Truckee Donner Public Utility District’s July and August board of directors meetings, the board approved the second quarter Power Cost Adjustment of $0.0012 charge per kilowatt-hour billed in August, September, and October 2024. PCAs have become common in the electric utility industry to address increasing market and price volatility for electric resources. PCAs allow utilities to adjust customer bills, up or down, to reflect the actual costs of resources versus what was budgeted.
PCAs can help avoid larger rate increases that can occur over longer periods of time. TDPUD’s board adopted a PCA in late 2023, and implementation began this year. The first quarter PCA resulted in a reduction of customer bills by an average of approximately $7 per month. The second quarter PCA will result in an increase of customer bills by an average of approximately 50 cents per month.
~ Truckee Donner Public Utility District press release
Funding Approved for Transportation Study
KINGS BEACH
The Placer County Board of Supervisors authorized funding Tuesday for a comprehensive study and update of the Truckee Tahoe Area Regional Transportation system to evaluate all transit operations in North Lake Tahoe.
With the approval, the director of public works plans to initiate a contract with WSP of San Francisco for $199,716, with possible amendments up to $19,972.
The TART systems plan was last updated in 2016. The new study will evaluate all transit operations, costs, revenues and new services or projects in the region.
The consultant will begin a current system evaluation in September and continue through October of this year. County staff will simultaneously begin community outreach efforts to gather feedback on preferred transit routes, scheduling, and more. A technical advisory committee will also be formed this fall to make plan recommendations based on the study and suggestions for future operational plans. A final systems update is anticipated to come back to the board for approval in the summer of 2025.
The update will be incorporated as part of the Regional Transportation Plan.
Learn more about TART, TART Connect, and other North Lake Tahoe transportation operations at tahoetruckeetransit.com.
~ Placer County press release
Reunion Party to Benefit Scholarship Fund
OLYMPIC VALLEY
Celebrate the era of big air and big hair and when former uniforms said We Care. Join former employees and past and present friends who worked and played at Palisades Tahoe from 4 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 5 on the outdoor patio of the River Ranch Lodge.
The 1980s themed reunion will kick off Palisades Tahoe’s 75th anniversary and also serve as a fundraiser for the Robert Frohlich Memorial Scholarship for local high school students. Enjoy live music of the ’80s performed by Robbie Gade of the Warren Jay Band, Eric Brandt of the Beergardeners, Michael Hogan of the Simple Tones, and Ben Martin, founder of the Truckee Tahoe School of Music, along with libations, snacks, and more. A special memorial tribute to honor Pete Friedrichsen, former owner of the River Ranch, is also being added to the evening.
Reunion ticket price is $35 per person and $60 per couple up until Sept. 16 if paying by mail. Make checks payable to Palisades Press and send to P.O. Box 1608 Carnelian Bay, CA 96140. Ticket package includes a commemorative reunion t-shirt, one free draft beer or house wine, snacks, and a raffle ticket. A 2024/25 Palisades Tahoe season pass is the grand prize in the raffle. All proceeds benefit the Frohlich Scholarship which will be administered by the Shane McConkey Foundation. The first 50 ticket buyers will be put in a drawing to win a $50 gift certificate to PlumpJack.
Tickets can also be purchased online here.
~ Palisades Press press release
Moving In, Moving On, Moving Up
New Public Works Director Announced
NEVADA CITY
David Garcia is Nevada County’s new public works director starting Sept. 1. Garcia, who started with the County in 2007, has worked on public works programs in Nevada County for 15 years, most recently as the county’s solid waste program manager.
As public works director, Garcia will oversee 86 staff across six programs and a $70 million annual budget.
During his 10 years as solid waste program manager, Garcia led the county’s largest facility improvement project in the last decade with the $20 million renovation of the McCourtney Road Transfer Station, which is planned to be completed in early 2025.
As a transportation planner, he helped develop the 5-year Capital Improvement Plan outlining all major public works projects and has supported the Tinloy Transit Transfer Center project in downtown Grass Valley, the Penn Valley, and Combie bike path projects, and the county’s Highway Bridge Program.
~ Nevada County press release
Business Briefs
Party Rental Company Receives Grant to Expand Offerings
TRUCEE
HeyChef!, a Lake Tahoe culinary staffing company, announced its selection as one of 20 companies nationwide to receive a grant from the Progressive Insurance Driving Small Business Forward program. This award was given to companies demonstrating a need for a commercial vehicle to enhance its operations.
The grant arrives at a pivotal time for HeyChef! and the local event industry. Caterers and event planners in the Truckee/Tahoe region have faced significant logistical challenges, having to rely on rental companies in Reno or Roseville, which resulted in hefty delivery fees that threaten to derail the budgets of special events.
To mitigate these high delivery fees, HeyChef! has offered clients a discount and handled smaller rental orders. However, the company’s ability to accommodate larger items was limited. With the new commercial vehicle funded by the grant, HeyChef! will be equipped to take on more substantial rental orders.
To make a reservation and start planning an in-home culinary event, contact HeyChef! at heychef.com/contact.
~ HeyChef! press release
Ski Resorts Added to Ikon Pass
DENVER
Ikon Pass announced the addition of Sierra-at-Tahoe for the 2024/25 winter ski season. The closest mountain destination to Sacramento and the Bay Area, Sierra-at-Tahoe is located just 12 miles from South Lake Tahoe.
Ikon Pass holders will have access to 7 days at Sierra-at-Tahoe with no blackout dates, and Ikon Base Pass holders will have access to 5 days, with select blackout dates. Sierra-at-Tahoe will also be available on the Ikon Session Pass.
Also new this season, Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico will be available on the Ikon Base Pass, offering 5-day access with select blackouts. For all Ikon Pass products and pricing, visit ikonpass.com/en/shop-passes.
~ Alterra Mountain Company press release
Annual Fundraising Events Return to Palisades Tahoe
OLYMPIC VALLEY
Uncorked and the Village at Palisades Tahoe bring back the 34th annual Alpen Wine Fest on Sept. 1 from 2 to 5 p.m. The event includes an all-inclusive wine tasting from over 40 wineries, live music by Peter DeMattei and Indigo Grey, and a silent auction. All proceeds benefit Can Do Multiple Sclerosis. While the Alpen Wine Fest is open to all ages, participants must be 21 years or older and present a valid I.D. to partake in the wine tasting.
Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. For more information, visit palisadestahoe.com/events-and-activities/events-calendar/alpen-wine-fest.
On Sept. 6, from 4 to 9:30 p.m., six restaurants and six bands face off for Best Wings and Best Band. Restaurants will battle for the Wing vs. Wing Champion Trophy and bands will battle for a $500 cash prize. All proceeds from the event benefit Tahoe Institute for Natural Science.
For more information, visit palisadestahoe.com/events-and-activities/events-calendar/guitar-strings-vs-chicken-wings.
~ Palisades Tahoe press release
