Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows Opens Concierge at Reno Airport
Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows opened a new shop at the Reno-Tahoe Airport March 8. The Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows Mountain Concierge offers ski tickets, pass fulfillment for online purchases, a variety of retail merchandise, virtual mountain tours, resort information, sports equipment demos, and a guest lounge. Take advantage of the “Fly and Ski Free” deal — show a commercial airline pass and receive a free ticket to ski the same day.
Tahoe Blue Vodka Reaches $10,000 Mark in Tahoe Fund Donations
By the close of 2015, Tahoe Blue Vodka reached the $10,000 mark of cumulative donations to the Tahoe Fund, which is a substantial donation for a small business. The South Lake Tahoe-based company has a goal of donating $1 per bottle sold to help preserve Lake Tahoe, and this is an example of those dollars at work. Other organizations the company has donated to are the California Tahoe Conservancy and the League to Save Lake Tahoe. Four years after the company was founded, annual sales have increased five-fold as the brand becomes increasingly popular. Info: tahoebluevodka.com
Etsy Craft Entrepreneurship Comes to Truckee
In partnership with Etsy, Sierra Business Council and the Sierra Small Business Development Center launched the Craft Entrepreneurship program in Truckee. An innovative program providing micro-business training to adults with creative skills utilizes Etsy’s platform for selling creative goods as the real-world learning lab. Classes will be taught by experienced Etsy seller and Truckee jewelry designer Krista Tranquilla of Tranquilla Studios. Students learn the basics of starting and running an online business, including pricing, basic accounting, product photography, and marketing. The program gives participants viable paths to supplement income, which can make a real difference in their well-being. The program began March 7 and will run through March 28. Support for this program comes from Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation. Info: tinyurl.com/etsycraftentrepreneurship
North Lake Tahoe Unveils Touch Lake Tahoe Secrets Campaign
The Business Association Chamber Collaborative, a sub-committee of the North Lake Tahoe Chamber/CVB/Resort Association, recently announced the creation of the “Touch Lake Tahoe Secrets” interactive online map. The goal is to encourage those North Lake Tahoe winter visitors to make their way down to the lake and patronize area businesses. Alongside the map are suggested itineraries, making a first time trip easy for any traveler. The multifaceted campaign features the interactive map, rack cards and stickers that have been distributed to area businesses and hotels, and scavenger hunts with several hundreds of dollars of prizes at stake. Info:gotahoenorth.com/touchlaketahoe
Jeremiah’s Tree Service Takes Treecare Safety to a New Level
Justin Geiger, co-owner of Jeremiah’s Tree Service Inc., has become the first and only Certified Treecare Safety Professional in the Tahoe/Truckee area. Geiger attended the Tree Care Industry Expo in Pittsburgh in Nov. 2015, where he took the final exam. The Certified Treecare Safety Professional program allows one or more key tree workers in a company to become certified tree care safety experts, thereby empowering and encouraging a culture of safety within that organization. Having a CTSP as a crew leader and owner helps protect employees and customers; he acts as an advocate of safety to prevent accidents and save lives. Info: (530) 581-1945
USA Today Names Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows Best Ski Resort
Out of the 20 resorts nominated by a panel of pro skiers and snowboarders, USA Today and 10Best recently announced that their readers selected Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows as the winner of the 2016 Readers’ Choice Poll for Best Ski Resort. Recognized around the world as the host of the 1960 Winter Olympics, USA Today noted in their description of the resort that it “has only gotten better since then.” In fact, skiers and riders visiting Squaw/Alpine today have access to more than 6,000 skiable acres, 42 lifts, and 270 trails, of which more than 65 percent are beginner and intermediate terrain. Info: squawalpine.com
Glenbrook Water Cooperative Wins Best Tasting Water in US
Cameron McKay from the Glenbrook Water Cooperative in Glenbrook, Nev., recently accepted the gold medal award at the Great American Water Taste Test. Glenbrook was selected by a panel of judges at the GAWTT finals on Feb. 10 in Washington, D.C. Judges rated each water based on its clarity, bouquet, and taste. Glenbrook Water Cooperative, located on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe, is a founding member of the Tahoe Water Suppliers Association, which encourages residents and visitors to go without bottled water, and instead “Drink Tahoe Tap.”
Truckee River Winery Wins Double Gold for Malbec
After receiving 7,164 entries from 28 states across the country, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, hailed as the largest competition of American wines in the world, has once again narrowed thousands of wines down to an exclusive few. Truckee River Winery announced that it won Double Gold for its 2013 Chalk Hill Malbec, and Silver awards for its 2012 Best Man Pinot Noir, 2012 Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir, and the 2014 Tondre Grapefield Pinot Noir.
Sierra Business Council Recognized for its Climate Change Actions
The Institute for Local Government and the Statewide Energy Efficiency Collaborative have designated Sierra Business Council as a Beacon Program Champion for its work in supporting energy and climate action initiatives in the Sierra Nevada region. SBC becomes the first organization of its kind to receive the designation. SBC’s Climate Planning Program has greatly increased the capacity of local governments seeking to measure and demonstrate their commitment to combating climate change. SBC has completed municipal and community greenhouse gas inventories for 26 local governments and energy action plans for seven of its local government partners. Additionally, SBC’s Sierra Nevada Energy Watch has provided energy efficiency services that have helped area businesses and governments save more than 25 million kilowatt hours of electricity since 2010.
