News Briefs
TRPA Board Approves Transportation Plan Update, Settles Enforcement Cases
LAKE TAHOE
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board has unanimously approved the 25-year Lake Tahoe Regional Transportation Plan.
Called Connections 2050, the 4-year update ensures that transportation policies and priority projects improve safety, protect the lake, and reduce vehicle miles traveled in the Tahoe Basin. Backed by extensive public and partner agency input, the plan includes more than 90 projects focused on improving transit, trails, town centers, and technology.
Key strategies of Connections 2050 include:
- Increasing safety and reducing congestion in Tahoe’s most popular roadway corridors through corridor management plans that coordinate transit, parking management, and reservation systems.
- Supporting wildfire evacuation planning by ensuring roadways are safe and navigable and communication infrastructure is ready for more extreme weather and emergencies.
- Integrating new technology including travel apps, communication systems, parking reservations, and on-demand microtransit.
- Identifying sustainable funding to invest in transportation infrastructure and transit.
An example of corridor work kicked off in July with the launch of the Emerald Bay pilot project. In the first 6 days of the pilot, 460 passengers accessed Emerald Bay via microtransit thanks to the leadership of elected officials and the funding support of local nonprofits.
The governing board also demonstrated its commitment for TRPA’s compliance initiatives by approving a $20,000 settlement for illegal tree removal at a property in Incline Village. The trees in question were not related to fire safety. TRPA approval is generally required in non-hazardous cases to maintain forest health, prevent soil erosion, and protect scenic quality. For more information on tree removal, visit trpa.gov/trees-and-defensible-space.
~ Tahoe Regional Planning Agency press release
Fox Cultural Hall Closes as Arts for the Schools Returns to Schools
KINGS BEACH
Fox Cultural Hall, a nonprofit and community culture hall that opened in 2023 in Kings Beach, closed its physical venue and is transitioning back to its former name, Arts for the Schools, as of Aug. 1.
Originally started in 1984 with the mission of providing art and culture to rural schools that lacked robust arts programs, Arts for the Schools provided arts funding; took performers, music, and art into classrooms; and put on cultural assemblies for Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District schools. The opening of Fox Cultural Hall venue gave Arts for the Schools a new way to achieve their mission by sharing culture at a community hub.
The organization merged its name with the hall while still providing arts education to the schools by bringing students into a culture-filled space. According to newly appointed Executive Director Linday McIntosh, a lack of funds, growth in the Tahoe Basin, and age-old troubles with bus transportation caused the success and accessibility of Fox Cultural Hall programming to waver.
“Our main goal is to provide the school district with meaningful, relevant, and inspiring cultural, educational opportunities through the arts — the performing arts particularly,” McIntosh said of the redirection.
Now, the nonprofit returns to its roots for the new 2025/26 school year. McIntosh said she has been working closely with TTUSD to maximize the accessibility of arts enrichment that Arts for the Schools provides. This means taking arts and culture directly into the schools once more to meet the schools’ needs.
McIntosh, who graduated from Truckee High School, said Arts for the Schools was important for her own life. She went on to become a professional oboist in New York before returning home and starting her own performing arts nonprofit, Musica Sierra.
As the executive director of Arts for the Schools, McIntosh is integrating the two nonprofit organizations to better serve rural schools of the Sierra.
Learn more at artsfortheschools.com.
~ MR
NTCA Launches Annual Grant Cycle
NORTH LAKE TAHOE
On Friday, Aug. 1, the North Tahoe Community Alliance will launch the 2025/26 Annual Grant Cycle and begin accepting applications for projects that enhance community vitality, economic health, and environmental sustainability in North Lake Tahoe. Applicants have until Sept. 5 to request TOT-TBID Dollars at Work funds for projects ready for immediate implementation upon approval.
Annual Grant Cycle applicants are required to indicate which priority area(s) they will positively impact, including:
- Community Enhancement and Visitor Integration Infrastructure: community and visitor enhancement for the enjoyment of all.
- Environmental Stewardship and Mitigation of Tourism Impact: mitigation of the impacts of tourism on our community and environment, and enhancing and protecting environmental sustainability.
- Transportation: enhancing efficient transportation throughout the region.
- Workforce Housing: creating a sustainable community through making housing affordable.
- Trails: enhancing recreational trail use and connecting neighborhoods in non-automotive ways.
Grant applications will be accepted online until 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 5. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in early 2026.
A series of workshops that offer details on the structure of the annual grant cycle and cover key sections of the application will be offered to interested applicants in August. Topics will include an introduction to the annual grant cycle application and reporting requirements, a housing workshop to help direct housing applications, and a budget and finance workshop. In-person and hybrid office hours will also be available. Learn more and register here.
Learn more about the annual grant cycle and projects and programs made possible because of the TBID at northtahoecommunityalliance.com.
~ North Tahoe Community Alliance press release
Property Owners Expected to Receive Corrected Tax Bills Soon
INCLINE VILLAGE
Washoe County Treasurer Justin Taylor has confirmed corrected bills for Incline Village property owners have been delivered to the post office. The bills are being reissued due to a data correction in the original billing file provided to the Treasurer’s Office by the Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID).
Each corrected bill will include a letter addressed to taxpayers that explains the nature of the correction and provides extended time for payment without penalty if additional taxes are due as a result of this correction.
As a reminder, the Treasurer’s Office is responsible only for billing and collecting fees based on data received from local jurisdictions. Treasurer Taylor encourages anyone with questions about their individual fees to contact IVGID directly at (775) 832-1207 or visit ivgid.org for more information.
~ Washoe County press release
Glenshire to Hirschdale Egress Fuel Reduction Project Set to Begin
TRUCKEE
Truckee Fire Protection District has announced that the Glenshire to Hirschdale Egress Fuel Reduction Project will begin on Aug. 18. The project, which will implement forest management activities across 460 acres between Glenshire and Hirschdale, is a key step in improving wildfire resilience and protecting a primary evacuation route for local residents.
The 460-acre project will be implemented on private land and cherished open space lands in Canyon Springs (Truckee Donner Land Trust property). The project is designed to provide multiple benefits:
- Protects a critical evacuation route for Glenshire and surrounding communities
- Improves forest health and resilience to drought, pests and fire
- Restores natural ecological conditions through science-based land stewardship
- Reduces the risk, severity, and intensity of wildfires near homes and neighborhoods
- Enhances defensible space to support safe and effective wildfire response
Community members may notice some short-term impacts from the project, such as equipment tracks or disturbed ground. These effects are temporary.
The project will also require some temporary closures of trails and open space. For public safety, project managers and landowners are asking that residents avoid work zones and respect all posted signs until the project is complete. Beginning Aug. 11, Canyon Springs will be closed for approximately one month.
The closure and disturbance is necessary to help prevent a catastrophic fire event, said Nevada County District 5 Supervisor Hardy Bullock.
Bullock also noted that this project could potentially help reduce insurance risk and costs.
~ Truckee Fire Protection District press release
Placer County Families Can Now Shop at Farmers’ Markets Using WIC Card
PLACER COUNTY
WIC (Women, Infants and Children Program) families in Placer County now have a fresh way to use their benefits. With the rollout of updated California WIC cards featuring a quick response (QR) code, participants can now shop for fruits and vegetables directly from local farmers at WIC-authorized farmers’ markets. Find a participating location near you online, or on the WIC app.
The new QR-enabled card from WIC allows families to use their monthly fruits and vegetables benefit to purchase fresh, seasonal produce from local vendors. This option supports both healthy eating and Placer County’s agricultural economy by making it easier for families to access high-quality, locally-grown food.
The QR code is scanned by farmers at checkout. Families confirm their purchase by entering a PIN, and the cost is deducted from their monthly benefit balance, just like at the grocery store. The magnetic stripe on the back of the card continues to be used for traditional in-store purchases, while the new QR feature is specifically designed for use at participating farmers’ markets.
These benefits are available year-round and can be used to purchase fresh and organic fruits and vegetables.
To pick up a new WIC card or ask questions about the program, contact Placer County WIC at (916) 784-6447 or email placerwic@placer.ca.gov.
~ Placer County press release
Tahoe Forest Hospital Awarded 2025 Rural Stroke Award
TRUCKEE
Tahoe Forest Hospital is proud to announce it has been recognized with the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Stroke Rural Recognition GOLD Award for 2025. This honor highlights Tahoe Forest’s dedication to providing the most up-to-date, evidence-based stroke care to improve outcomes and reduce disparities in rural health care.
The American Heart Association’s Rural Stroke GOLD Award acknowledges hospitals that demonstrate excellence across key measures of acute stroke care. These include rapid administration of intravenous thrombolytic therapy (treatment to dissolve blood clots), timely patient transfers, thorough symptom documentation, dysphagia screening (swallow tests), brain imaging, and effective emergency medical services coordination and stroke expert consultation.
~ Tahoe Forest Health System press release
