Live Work Play Spring 2022 by Just Imagine Marketing and Design

INCLINE VILLAGE CRYSTAL BAY COMMUNITY & BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

SPRING 2022

IVCBA Celebrates one year P. 15–18

Incline VillageCrystal Bay Justice Court P. 20–21

Getting Your Home Ready for Spring

P. 22–24

885 Tahoe Boulevard Incline Village, NV 89451

Incline Village Crystal Bay Association

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID DENVER, CO PERMIT NO. 5377

BUSINESS PROFILE:

Local Business Tahoe Fresh Co./ Tahoe BBQ Gives Back 4 State Farm Insurance 6 Tahoe Family Solutions 10–11 Tahoe Environmental Resource Center 8 IVGID Spring/Summer Parks + Recreation Updates 12–14 15–18

20-21

Is Arthritis Causing Your Hip Pain? 25 Keeping It in the Family

26–27 28

Manny Sylvester and the Creation of Incline Village, NV 29–31

SNAPSHOT + IVCBA.ORG:

Julie Malkin-Manning julie@ivcba.org FREELANCE WRITER:

Kayla Anderson GRAPHIC DESIGN:

Rena Angle, Anglegraphics BOARD MEMBERS CHAIR: Linda Offerdahl TREASURER/FINANCE: Mike Young BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE: Blane Johnson COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE: Sheila Leijon INCLINE SCHOOLS: Mary Danahey COMMUNICATIONS: Lee Weber-Koch CPA AND FINANCE: Craig Iverson CONTENT ADVISOR: Mary Jurkonis

INCLINE VILLAGE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL:

Karli Epstein IVGID: Darren Howard Kendra Murray Ryan Sommers/Tia Rancourt PARASOL TAHOE: Laura Roche/Claudia Andersen SNU: Dr. Jill Heaton/Sue Johnson TAHOE PROSPERITY CENTER: Heidi Hill-Drum VISITOR BUREAU/NLTRA: Andy Chapman WASHOE COUNTY COMMISSIONER: Alexis Hill WSO: Captain Corey Solferino INCLINE VILLAGE REALTORS: NLTFPD:

PUBLISHING DISCLOSURE NOTICE LIVE. WORK. PLAY. is the official publication of the Incline Village Crystal Bay Association (IVCBA). Cost to produce and distribute this publication is offset by advertising revenues and budgeted funds. The inclusion of advertising in this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by IVCBA or its Board of Directors of the projects, services or views contained therein. FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES please contact Kathy Hess-Slocum at (775) 846-5656, kathy@ivcba.org

CONTRIBUTORS Richard Miner Meghan Ochs Mike Danahey Mary Danahey Hillary Abrams Joe Shaefer John Crockett Kayla Anderson PHOTOGRAPHY:

Chris Talbot Lori Fulton

LIVE.WORK.PLAY. DESIGNER:

INCLINE VILLAG E CRYSTAL COMMUNITY BAY & BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

SPRING 2022

Celebrates

P. 15–18

P. 20–21

Getting You r Hom Ready for Spri e ng P. 22–24

COVER PHOTO: Alan Tiras. Photo credit Chris Talbot. Printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks. LIVE.WORK.PLAY. LIVE.WORK.PLAY.

|| 22 ||

SPRING SPRING 2022 2022

IVCBA one year

Incline Villa geCrys Township Justi tal Bay ce Court

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID DENVER, CO PERMIT NO. 5377

Linda Offerdahl linda@ivcba.org

COMMUNITY LIAISONS Amy Berry

ENVIRONMENT:

Association

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

Kathy Hess-Slocum

22–24

Spring is Around the Corner

STAFF

LIVE.WORK.PLAY. PUBLISHER:

Getting Your Home Ready for Spring

Crystal Bay

Opportunity as a Substitute Teacher

20–21

Incline Village

One Year Anniversary of IVCBA

Incline Village–Crystal Bay Township Justice Court

969 Tahoe Blvd. Incline Village, NV 89451

Executive Director’s Letter

incline village crystal bay

WELCOME TO IVCBA!

Just one short year ago, we re-formed the community and business association to the IVCBA. We established a mission of building and growing cohesiveness for the sustainability of Incline Village Crystal Bay. Our vision is a thriving community that supports, and is supported by, its businesses and nonprofits.

Connect with Local Content

IVCBA.org is the community website with links to most every organization and to IVCBA member businesses. By the way, we already have over 200 members! The SnapShot newsletter now features my blog, The Local Lens. It’s an informal way to learn more about the community and always contains tidbits on locals, businesses, and ways to get involved in the community.

Connect with Other Residents

The artist receptions at the Mountain Workspace Art Gallery are held every two months. Current artists are Piper Johnson and Liz Paganelli. IVCBA member orientations (include Community Supporters!), and Tap Into Tahoe Welcome Receptions for new residents are held regularly to allow people to meet up and receive their free canvas gift bag and community information. Watch for Biz Buzz mixers at local businesses starting in June.

Don Douglas Lis Bernard

Converse

on Relevant Topics Inclined To Meet is our meeting platform to engage residents in town hall style forums. Upcoming meetings will start conversations around the Washoe Tahoe Housing Partnership, commercial redevelopment and the Nevada Main Street program, and other exciting community initiatives.

SIERRA N E VA D A UNIVERSITY

IVCBA.ORG

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BUSINESS P R O F I L E

L O C A L

B U S I N E S S

Tahoe Fresh Co./ Tahoe BBQ Gives Back By Mike Danahey

IF YOU’VE DINED OUT in Incline Village, chances are you’ve stopped by Austin’s for some comfort food, FUMO for breakfast or dinner and drinks, Cool Mess for ice cream or coffee or Gus’ Open Pit Barbecue for some smoky Santa Maria-style deliciousness. Those spots are all part of Nellie and Jonas Saia’s Tahoe Fresh Co./Tahoe BBQ business. By supporting them, patrons keep their dining dollars local while satisfying their appetites. They also help nourish Incline’s young minds, as Tahoe Fresh Co./Tahoe BBQ frequently lends support in a number of ways to Incline’s public schools. “We continue to be thankful for the support of the community and want to be a part in helping make this community strong,” Tahoe Fresh Co./Tahoe BBQ Office Manager Lisa Richards said. In February, the company’s various spots donated gift cards for the Incline Elementary School Mardi Gras fundraiser. For the auction at Incline High’s Annual Crab Feed March 19, Tahoe Fresh Co./Tahoe BBQ is offering a NCAA March Madness Sweet 16 package, a private party for up to 50 guests March 24 at Gus’s, with some special guests and food included. Tahoe Fresh Co./Tahoe BBQ restaurants have also provided eats for celebrations like Teacher Appreciation Week. Cool Mess donated gift cards to be used in the public schools’ positive behavior rewards program. “The business has encouraged guests to give via a QR code at the tables in its restaurants,” Richards said. “We also tried to assist the Incline Education Fund with a Dollars for Scholars promotion late last year.” “We are eager to see what opportunities there are to participate in future IEF giving campaigns,” Richards said. “They do such great work for all our schools, and we are happy to assist their efforts.” Tahoe Fresh Co./Tahoe BBQ restaurants also provide jobs for a handful of Incline High students to give them real world work experience. Richards said, “Many of our team members have attended Incline schools, come to work for us during summers, or to support themselves once they graduate and are attending local colleges. The Sais’s have two children of their own attending IES, “who were blessed to be born and raised here,” Richards said.

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Ridgeline is proud to support the North Tahoe Community

The industry cloud platform for investment management HEADQUARTERED IN INCLINE VILLAGE | ridgelineapps.com © Copyright 2022 Ridgeline, Inc. All rights reserved. Ridgeline is a trademark of Ridgeline, Inc. The Ridgeline logo and other creative assets are owned and protected under copyright and/or trademark law.

IVCBA.ORG

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BUSINESS P R O F I L E

State Farm Lake Tahoe By Meghan Ochs

“YOU NEVER NEED INSURANCE until you need it,” someone once famously said. Every type of insurance is a unique product. Every customer in the marketplace purchases insurance not because they desire, want, or need it at the time of purchase, but because they might, one day, need it after purchase. The need though, if it arises, is nearly always out of the individual’s control. Insurance is about proper preparation. Recently, I sat down with Britney Bladel, owner of the State Farm Agency here in Incline Village. Britney has been in the insurance business since 2008, and her office here in Incline is the second State Farm agency she has owned. Britney and I chatted about insurance, the need for it, the various types, and her favorite topic, adequate coverage to properly cover one’s assets and risks. As a full-time Incline local since 2018, Britney worries that many of her fellow residents are underinsured for the true costs of living and rebuilding here at the lake. Britney explained, “Incline Village, and nearly every town on the lake, is very different than the regional or national metrics. Building, or rebuilding here is much more expensive than what other companies set the standard to, or compare to when setting replacement costs.” For instance, Incline Village and Crystal Bay are not truly cost comparable to other Northern Nevada towns such as Fallon, Fernley, or even Reno, yet many people’s insurance is calculated by comparing costs to these dissimilar cities. Insurance is a must-have in case of an emergency, but being underinsured if an emergency strikes could feel just as catastrophic if claimants cannot build or replace to the quality of their assets or lifestyle previous to their loss. This past summer, all Tahoe residents were reminded of just how real the threat of wildfire can be with residents being forced to evacuate and prepare for the worst. In a large scale loss total costs to rebuild can actually cost more, not less. Many insured are under the misconception that in a LIVE.WORK.PLAY.

SPRING 2022

mass loss incident replacement costs would be driven down but in Britney’s experience she has seen the opposite. “Too many people know what they are paying for insurance, yet they do not know what the policy actually covers. There is a huge difference.” Navigating that difference is what Britney and her allfemale staff do best. All of the agents in her office are residents and licensed in Nevada and California. Each has their own insurance specialty. One of her staff members, also born and raised at the lake, is a native Spanish speaker, ensuring that their office, previously owned by Incline resident, Paul Nannini, can serve everyone in the community. The office is centrally located, which is just how Britney prefers it as it makes it even easier to get to know local residents. That is her favorite part of the job. Britney stressed how insurance doesn’t have to be horribly complicated. Insuring for natural disasters or big events can be simplified, but it helps to talk to an expert who not just knows where you live but understands the environment in which you live. For instance, Nevada residents, with a simple endorsement can get earthquake coverage added onto their policy. Additionally, all State Farm clients automatically get an additional 20% coverage built into each of their policies which is only common practice with a few select insurance companies. Living in a gorgeous and unique place like Incline Village and Crystal Bay certainly has its perks; however, as Britney and her staff know, it can certainly come with nuances and risks. Residents need to be certain they are insured correctly. While Britney is obviously an advocate of State Farm, their 100-year history and their financial strength, she is also just a promoter of insurance in general. Britney, her staff, and her family, are all invested in this community. They are here not only to make it better, but to ensure that it will always be here, no matter what might happen. To contact Britney or her office: (775) 831-9700. 893 Tahoe Blvd Suite 1200, Incline Village, NV 89451-7497

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UC Davis

Tahoe Environmental Resource Center (TERC) By Mike Danahey

THERE’S A SPOT TUCKED AWAY in Incline

Locals can volunteer as docents for the science center (training sessions are being set for sometime in June) or for the science expo.

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Village you and your family can tour to learn what’s unique and interesting about Lake Tahoe, the science and research taking part on the lake, the environmental issues that face its waters and what can be done to protect this beautiful place. The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Resource Center (TERC) located on the SNU campus at 291 Country Club Drive, also offers monthly science lectures for students that can be viewed on Zoom and a docent program for community members. TERC works with AmeriCorps, the federal volunteer program for young adults to help staff the plethora of elementary school programs that they offer and has two people from it working at the Incline Village site. “They are education program associates, and they work for 11 months (1,700 hours), helping to host all of the education programs,” said TERC Education and Outreach Director, Heather Segale. Those programs include “field trips for students in grade 3 and up, an annual science expo being planned for this May, trout in the classroom programs, and we offer summer camps,” said Segale. Segale has been with TERC since 2005. Her work includes writing and managing grants, overseeing education programs, developing exhibits and managing marketing and outreach. “I definitely enjoy the exhibit development side of my job,” Segale said. She played a role in creating TERC’s “Shaping Watersheds Interactive Sandbox,” an augmented reality exhibit in which people run their hands through sand to simulate forming mountains, lakes and rivers, while a 3-D camera SPRING 2022

and digital projector allow users to create virtual topography, have the setup mimic rain and watch where water flows. “That exhibit is a huge hit, with over 800 known copies in existence around the world, on

every continent except Antarctica,” Segale said. The aforementioned tours run $5 per person. As of this writing, with current COVID-19 protocols in place, tours require reservations to be made online so that TERC can manage the size of the group and to keep everyone safe. TERC’s annual science expo will be hosted at Incline High School this year and will encourage its students to become science educators for younger upper elementary students. Locals can volunteer as docents for the science center (training sessions are being set for sometime in June) or for the science expo. To do so, or for a listing of events, a look at the type of research taking place there and further information on TERC, see:

tahoe.ucdavis.edu

Shahri Masters grew up at Lake Tahoe, staying on for the beauty, the lifestyle, and the people. As a third-generation real estate broker, she followed the family path of real estate and construction. Shahri will bring to you a historical perspective as well as in-depth knowledge of the area, of TRPA and development, and of course –The Real Estate Market.

Helping buyers, Shahri Masters 775-831-8888 sellers, builders, masters@inclineliving.com and investors www.inclineliving.com since 1988. NV LIC. #B1870

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Pam is an excellent real estate agent who has proven to be thoroughly professional, kind and trustworthy. We originally found Pam on Zillow and decided to work with her to find a property in Incline Village. Pam was very knowledgeable about the housing market in Incline Village and immediately responded to our emails and phone calls with candid and insightful answers. This was particularly helpful for us, as we were shopping for properties remotely from the San Francisco Bay Area. Pam is patient and a great listener and she honed in on exactly what we wanted. Working with Pam was a very pleasant experience - she’s a straight shooter and one of the best real estate agents we’ve ever worked with!

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BUSINESS

Tahoe Family Solutions

P R O F I L E

By Mike Danahey

Along with offering resources and enhancing skills for area residents, the nonprofit Tahoe Family Solutions provides rewarding opportunities for those looking to give back to the community. ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES would be tutoring

students as part of Tahoe Family Solutions’ Homework Help Club at Incline Elementary School. “We always need more volunteers,” said Leslie Blunden, program director for Tahoe Family Solutions. Now in its 17th school year, the Homework Club currently has three volunteers and two TFS staff members working with 22 students this semester, Blunden said. For Homework Club, teachers assign students who are struggling and do not have resources at home to help with homework. Volunteers must be cleared by the Washoe County School District prior to working with children, but no training is needed to tutor with Homework Club. Tutors help first through fifth grade students with reading and math. Sessions last 75 minutes and are held immediately after school, Monday through Thursday. Incline Elementary lets out at 3:20 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and at 2:35 p.m. Wednesdays. Blunden said the tutoring focuses on what’s being taught in the classroom. A challenge is that with Covid, most of the first graders getting help are very far behind. “Many don’t know letter sounds or what numbers look like. With these students, we assist with homework, but our main emphasis is on learning the basics so they can begin to read,” she said. Homework Club Students “are probably like any given group pulled from a classroom. A few are excited every day, a few drag their feet, but all are proud of themselves for accomplishing something they’ve had trouble with before,” Blunden said. The hope for Homework Club is that it gets young students back on track for greater success in school. “The National Research Council has determined that high school graduation and success in the workplace can be predicted by reading scores at the end of third grade. Students who are not proficient in reading by that time are unlikely to graduate high school,” Blunden said. “So we test the students at the beginning and end of the program with the Fountas & Pinnell Reading Assessment.” Blunden said Tahoe Family Solutions wasn’t able to hold sessions from March 2020 to September 2021, during the school lockdown phase of the pandemic, in large part because of computer access use issues at homes. These days, all participants

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wear masks and use copious amounts of hand sanitizer. Getting volunteers is challenging, Blunden said, due to the afternoon times the tutoring sessions meet and the time commitment involved. Typically, volunteers are retirees or high school students, who Blunden said are dedicated, patient, and enthusiastic about helping children learn. Volunteers have told her they’ve learned patience, a love for tutoring and how to do division problems 20 different ways as core curriculum changes. Also rewarding, Blunden said, is that the program gets 8-10 high school students a year who come back to thank those involved with Homework Club for helping them in elementary school.

TFS helps adults too.

The nonprofit provides adult support via language, tax prep and mental health programs. Adult ESL classes are currently held via Zoom, with the hope to be face-to-face again sometime this year. And since it’s tax season, TFS is also offering free tax preparation service Wednesday and Thursday evenings, from 4 to 8 p.m., by appointment. Tahoe Family Solutions also offers mental health programs, which includes therapy and psychiatry. With the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Blunden said that they have seen a huge rise in the number of community members seeking services. “Anxiety and depression surrounding financial instability due to the pandemic have risen dramatically nationwide,” she said. To help fund all of these efforts, TFS operates a thrift shop at 797 Southwood Blvd. It had to close for six weeks in 2020 when all non-essential services were ordered to do so, but has been operating normally since then. “In this economy, thrift stores are the ideal place to purchase needed items for affordable prices,” Blunden said. There has been a wide variety in donations, from t-shirts and socks to Italian marble tables, rare artwork and one time, even a deactivated hand grenade. “Truly something for everyone,” she said. To become a Homework Club tutor and for more information on Incline Village-based Tahoe Family Solutions, see tahoefamily.org or call (775) 413-5145. NOTE: Tahoe Family Solutions also offers Camp Explore in the summer and will be free to attend this year. Camp starts June 27, with information and application soon to be up on the TFS website.

Tahoe Family Solutions

l a t s y r C t e r a b a C presents

2022

The Dean-o-Holics

i tur a e f

Star-studded performance Dean Martin, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. impersonators

Cocktail attire suggested

A Rat Pack Party Thursday, A p The Chateau ril 28, 2022 , Incline Vill age

5:30 Champagne & Martinis Dinner & Dancing to follow $150/person $1500/ sponsorship table of 10 Tickets & information: 775-413-5145 or TahoeFamily.org IVCBA.ORG

LIVE.WORK.PLAY.

IVGID SPRING/SUMMER

now and include spring access through closing day. Season

Parks & Recreation Updates

passes come with unlimited access to the mountain, on-mountain discounts, discounts on lift tickets for friends, bonus tickets to partner resorts and even more perks. Why wait in line at the Ticket Windows during busy weekends or holidays when you can go right to the lifts with a season pass? Purchase passes online at DiamondPeak.com and make sure to buy your pass by April 30 to get the best “early bird” rate.

The Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) is looking forward to another spring and summer of amazing recreation programs and services here in Incline Village/Crystal Bay. Please visit YourTahoePlace.com to learn about all of our venues and IVGID Pass holder privileges and discounts.

Diamond Peak Early Bird Season Pass Sale

Diamond Peak is scheduled to close in mid-April (check the website for exact date), but 2022–23 season passes are on sale

Nancy Barton

LICENSED REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL

Serving California & Nevada

nancy.barton@corcorangl.com Cell: 415.302.3920 | Office: 775.831.8400 907 Tahoe Blvd. #20B, Incline Village, NV CA #1766612 | NV BS.0145569

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Burnt Cedar Swimming Pool Project Nearing Completion After being closed for the summer of 2021 for construction, the Burnt Cedar swimming pool and toddler pool are scheduled to reopen this summer after final construction has been completed. The renovations will provide a modern facility for residents to enjoy for many years to come. The project includes layout modifications, reorienting the pools, offering enhanced familyoriented amenities, providing a raised terrace for dining, and a new pedestrian path that connects the west parking area to the sandy beach and picnic areas.

Incline Village Parks & Recreation The Incline Village Recreation Center offers a holistic approach to fitness, health and wellness, including a range of specialty services you won’t find at your ordinary gym or recreation center.

Purchase an Incline Village Recreation Center membership to make a reservation for classes or to use the facility for your workout. Visit InclineRecreation.com for details about memberships and Parks & Recreation programs including:

•

AQUATICS: Splashes & Glasses, Private Swim Lessons. Pre-Swim Team, Northern

•

ADULT PROGRAMS: Group Fitness Classes, Adult Sports Leagues (soccer, softball,

•

SENIOR PROGRAMS: 55+ Hikes, Senior Transportation, Conversation Café, IVCB

•

SPECIALTY SERVICES: Personal Training, Nutritional Counseling, Wellness

•

TENNIS CENTER: Membership Passes, Camps, Competitive Junior Tennis

•

YOUTH & TEEN PROGRAMS: Specialty Summer Camps (Lake Tahoe Science,

Nevada Aquatics Swim Team, Aqua Fitness Classes, Lifeguard & Water Safety Classes spikeball, etc.) Veterans Club, Incliners Coaching, Guided Meditation Academy, Lessons, Tennis/Pickleball Clinics, Pick-Up Pickleball Play Mountain Bike, Basketball, Junior Lifeguard, Mini Guard, Invasion Soccer, Girls Volleyball, Paddle, E.P.I.C. Adventure, etc.)

Incline Village Golf Courses The Incline Village Championship Golf Course recently received four prestigious rankings on the GolfPass “Golfers’ Choice 2022” lists. With over 320,000 golfers submitting feedback on their favorite courses around the United States, the Incline Village Championship Course was ranked #17 in the overall “Top 50 U.S. Courses” list, #2 in the

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overall “Top 25 Courses for Best Conditions” list, #3 in the overall “Top 25 Golf Course Layouts” list, and #3 in the “Best Golf Courses in Nevada” list. “What an honor it is to be included as one of the top 50 U.S. courses, and to be the top-ranked Lake Tahoe golf course on this list,” said Darren Howard, Director of Golf and Community Services for the Incline Village Championship Course. “I have played several of the top 50 courses and we are extremely excited to be included with these great courses. To finish 17th overall, 2nd in course conditions, and 3rd in top layouts is very rare and just proves that we have an incredible team here at the Incline Village Golf Courses that provide an incredible golf experience daily.” The GolfPass Golfers’ Choice awards are based on real user reviews from golfers all over the world. To be eligible, golf courses were required to be a publicly-accessible (including resort and semi-private courses), and to have more than 10 reviews submitted in 2021. The Championship Course and The Grille at The Chateau typically open mid-May and the Mountain Course opens around Memorial Day. Visit GolfIncine.com for tee times, play passes, lessons, merchandise sales, and summer programs and events.

The Chateau at Incline Village & Aspen Grove

Host your next meeting, family gathering, shower, retirement party, etc. at The Chateau or Aspen Grove. Let our team handle the logistics of planning for current health and safety requirements and enjoy your celebration. View rates and fill out an inquiry form at InclineFacilities.com.

Nevada State Senator Don Tatro seeks election in District 16 NEVADA STATE SENATOR DON TATRO announced in early March that he will seek election to a full term in District 16, which includes portions of Washoe County and all of Carson City and Storey County. A Reno businessman, born and raised in Carson City, Tatro was appointed to the State Senate in November 2021. Tatro now seeks election to a full term representing District 16. “We face significant issues throughout Northern Nevada and the rest of the State. I’m not just another politician, I bring personal experience creating jobs, improving access to education and addressing the issue of attainable housing. I look forward to providing fresh and creative leadership to strengthen our community and its families,” Tatro said. A 2000 graduate of Carson City High School, Tatro worked in construction and for a horse trainer before earning a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix. LIVE.WORK.PLAY.

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After completing his degree, Tatro spent some time outside of Nevada working as a press secretary for former United States Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Tom Coburn (R-OK). Tatro returned to Nevada in 2015 to serve as the Executive Director of The Builders, a Reno-based organization of homebuilders. He served The Builders in a leadership capacity for 5 years and now works as a mortgage lender with NorthPointe Bank. Tatro has also served as: the former chair of Reno’s Housing Task Force; a member of the Washoe County Manager’s Advisory Council and as a member and current president of the board of a local charter high school. He is an active outdoorsman. He is married to his wife, Rachael, and together they have two children.

OPPORTUNITY AS A

Substitute Teacher By Sharon Schrage

LAST WINTER, AFTER HEARING THE STRUGGLES

If you are interested in becoming a substitute teacher, you can start here: https://doe.nv.gov/Educator_Licensure/Online_ Portal/content

If you have any questions, reach out to Sharon Schrage at: sharons@inclineeducationfund.org

Limited application fee reimbursements are available from the Incline Education Fund.

schools faced due to COVID-19, I decided to help by becoming a Nevada Substitute teacher. As the process took some time, when I finally received my license, students were back in the classroom. I promptly forgot about my certification. Fast forward to “Omicron January”. In a passing remark to Incline Elementary School Principal, Dan Zimmerman, I noted I was a “substitute” and would be happy to help if he was truly desperate. He was. It is the same across the entire country. On January 20, 2022 EducationWeek article, Evie Blad noted, “Exhausted school leaders are scrambling…to find substitute teachers during the latest COVID-19 surge… forcing some schools to close temporarily due to staffing shortages.” That same month, in our own backyard, the Washoe County School District announced that due to staffing shortages, schools would once again go remote, on an as-needed basis when 408 staff missed work and 15,145 children missed school in one week. Even without the pandemic, there is an urgent need for substitutes in Nevada and especially Incline Village. Most Reno substitutes find plenty of work down in the valley and do not want to come ‘up the hill’. Incline Village schools rely our communities’ help, pandemic or not, to be a part of the educational support system keeping classes open. Without a teacher in the classroom, children cannot come to school. With the documented learning loss from the pandemic, it is more important than ever to give our students the best possible chance to succeed. I have found my experience to be incredibly rewarding. The students at IES were kind and welcoming to an administrative director turned teacher. Incline Village has a cadre of phenomenal teachers and the IES staff culture is one of inclusivity and cooperation. A random Friday teacher conversation is not about weekend plans, but how to support a struggling student. In the office, there is always room for a young student still wrestling with the transition from her remote learning experience to the structure of the classroom. With a flexible schedule, (substitute teachers choose which teaching assignments to take) you too can make a difference in a student’s life. IVCBA.ORG

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INCLINE VILLAGE-CRYSTAL BAY TOWNSHIP

JUSTICE COURT

By John Crockett

ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING, the Incline Village-Crystal Bay Township Justice

There needs to be a physical space for live trials, hearings, and payment windows.

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Court has a full slate of cases. The day’s schedule begins with Judge E. Alan Tiras working with clerks, lawyers, and the defendants before him. And today he hears pleas and issues sentences for misdemeanors that occurred within Incline Village and Crystal Bay. However, most of those appearing in court today are not within the township, they are before the court virtually. An Assistant District Attorney checks in to the hearing by Zoom from the Truckee Meadows. The defendant is in custody in Reno but appears and participates virtually. A defense lawyer joins with a blurred background. Seated on the bench, Judge Tiras conducts this hybrid in-person and online court with the skill of a symphony conductor. As camera focus shifts to those speaking at the time, the judge turns on and off mics confirming that all parties can hear and understand the proceedings. One defendant requires a translator and Tiras calls on a court clerk to join in, adding to the complicated but smooth interaction. At the end of one case, he wraps up by confirming the defendant understands everything that has transpired. “Now, don’t take this the wrong way but I hope I don’t see you again, at least not in this setting.” Since 1980, the Incline Justice Court has provided a venue for residents and visitors to settle matters including traffic violations, evictions, and temporary protection orders, amongst others. Tiras, who was elected to this position in 2006 and took office in 2007, explains that Justice Court is considered the people’s court.

“The vast majority of interaction of courts and the public is at our level,” says Tiras. “Generally speaking, we’re dealing with people that haven’t messed up too badly yet. And it gives us an opportunity to help them so they don’t continue down the path to something more severe.” While the court hears citations and misdemeanors, cases can also involve more serious charges including felonies. “What’s important is how can we help people…so they’re not making those same wrong decisions. Punishment is a tool in the toolbox, but it’s the last one we want to use.” For Tiras, this position allowed him to continue a life of public service to the community. In addition to his “wonderful relationship” with his wife of 41 years, Tiras credits his uncle as being “a catalyst for my interest in public service.” His philosophy is that if he can work to make the community a better place then he is the beneficiary.” Following the public service lead of his uncle, Tiras served on the City Council of his hometown of Seminole, Oklahoma and was honored as Citizen of the Year. Serving as an elected judge is “my way of trying to make things better,” says Tiras. First visiting Incline Village in the mid-1980s, he decided to make it home, moving here in 1990 with his wife, Natalie and two young children. Judge Tiras thinks the community is a great place to raise children. “They had amazing educational opportunities and could participate in extra-curricular opportunities as well,” he says. “When we first decided to move here, we loved the mountains, trees and, of course the Lake, but what keeps us here is the people,” Tiras says. “We met many of our best friends through the schools and school events.” He continued to follow his passion for public service by taking on leadership roles with Rotary of Tahoe Incline and the Incline Village Chamber of Commerce among others. Judge Tiras also participates in We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Program of which Incline Village High School’s team is a perennial state and national contender. He finds assisting program advisor Milton Hyams “very rewarding” but also educational. “Not a week goes by when they don’t teach me something,” he says. “It’s interesting watching the student progress from uncertainty to true constitutional scholars.” With students learning to research, speak, argue, and support their positions with evidence, some former We the People students may soon be representing plaintiffs or defendants before Judge Tiras’s court. In 2019, Incline Justice Court became the first court in the state to offer virtual options for traffic court defendants. Holding court virtually was initially challenging but the process was gaining momentum before the COVID-19 pandemic suspended court services state-wide. With experience gained from virtual traffic court, Judge Tiras and his team soon took the full court calendar online, becoming the only one in the state for several months. “The virtual program is an unqualified success,” says Tiras. He questions why defendants should take time away from work or their families to plead not guilty to a parking ticket.

“I don’t need to make it inconvenient to them to have access to justice.” Defendants might attend during a lunch break at a job site or when they are physically unable to travel to Incline. If the parties are participating and present wherever they are, the court can adjudicate the matter. “At this level we have the opportunity to figure out what we can do to help them. It’s a really rewarding position to be in,” says Tiras. Michael McNulty is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor whose clients have appeared at Incline Justice Court. He says the benefit of having a local court in Incline is “the efficiency of justice being satisfied promptly.” McNulty states that Tiras offers, “kindness but with a firm hand. I often hear him encourage defendants to use all of the resources that the Incline Justice Court affords,” such as attending counseling or participating in victim impact panels. With the success and benefits of virtual court proceedings will there continue to be a need for the physical location of Incline Justice Court? Due to a lack of technology access, virtual is just not an option for some parties. “We need to be accessible to those people too. There needs to be a physical space for live trials, hearings, and payment windows,” says Tiras. More changes are in store for the court this year. In February, the Board of County Commissioners voted 3-1 to abolish the office of the Incline Constable through an amendment to Washoe County code. Constables provide court security, pre- and post-trial services such as drug testing, and process serving in addition to other duties. The move by a Commissioner outside of District 1, which includes Incline Village, surprised Tiras. “What bothers me is the process,” says Tiras. He thinks the change to abolish the office of the constable is not good governance. “Let’s talk to the stakeholders, find out what the goals of this change are.” Some see the elimination of the constable office by the County Commission as a step towards eliminating the Incline Village township and therefore the court. “I don’t think it would be appropriate for a judge not from Incline to adjudicate Incline matters,” says Tiras. “They don’t understand the community, the community standards, the geography. It would be a huge step backward if we didn’t have a local judge.” The court will also move to a new location at 855 Alder Ave., the former library building and current Incline Village Community Center. Since 1982, the court has held space at the Centerpoint Executive Offices building at 865 Tahoe Blvd. The court will now move into a county-owned building for the first time in its history. As the Incline Village-Crystal Bay Township Justice Court deals with transitions over the coming year, the court continues to take each opportunity to help its constituents. “Consistency is fair. And justice is that people are treated the same throughout the process,” says Tiras. By using innovations like holding court virtually, Judge Tiras can offer the consistency of access to justice from Incline Village that reaches beyond the community. IVCBA.ORG

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Getting Your Home Ready for Spring By Kayla Anderson

It’s that “spring cleaning” time of the year when the weather is all over the place, and you don’t quite know when to start getting your yard ready for summer. When the weather stays nice for long stretches of time, you may be tempted to start planting your garden or redoing your deck. However, between Incline Village/Crystal Bay’s drastic elevation changes and Mother Nature’s fickle attitude, landscaping experts say that it’s best to be patient. Here is their advice on when to start your spring cleanup projects:

High Sierra Gardens Nursery With more than three decades of experience in landscape design, High Sierra Gardens owner Dan Yori has learned a thing or two about helping people freshen up their homes, yards, and gardens to impress their friends and neighbors and keep things blooming regularly throughout the summer. He has worked on more than a thousand homes in Incline Village over the years, from Lakeshore Boulevard up to Upper Tyner. Yori bought High Sierra Gardens in 1984 and when asked what his advice is for people to get their homes ready for summer, he replies, “Number one: don’t do anything until the snow melts. Heavy snowstorms this past winter caused a lot of small bushes and shrubbery to break. You want to evaluate what you’ll need to do to fix that but, in the meantime, anticipate more storms.” His main advice is to just be patient.

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“I’ve had the nursery for 39 years and people are coming in asking when we’ll get things in. I learned my lesson by bringing things in too early and having to move all plants inside when temperatures drop, or it snows again. There are so many new people here who come in and want to buy plants now, but they don’t know the mountain climate; what grows when, where, why, and how.”

Ninja Tree Care In 2016, Kathrine “Sunshine” Rieger started Ninja Tree Care in Incline Village and has been helping residents with their tree removal and yard cleanups in the IV/CB community ever since. Living in Incline for 17 years, she has experience in firefighting, working for other local tree companies, and climbing towers with NV Energy to get more climbing experience before opening her own business. Sunshine likes showing people how to take care of their own trees and creating defensible space to keep things more affordable for them, stepping in and doing a job only when necessary. “I explain to people what the fire department is exactly looking for on taking care of those trees and how to remove branches safely without damaging them. You’re looking to create defensible space in the first 30 feet next to your house. Pine needles can be done year-round; keep in mind that the fire department is looking for that fine flammable forest fuel next to your home to be cleared. It’s about protecting your house from the forest and protecting the forest from your house.” She says it’s ideal to look at the property when the snow is melted out, especially for new homeowners because they may not know what’s underneath. The North Lake Tahoe Fire

Protection District is also a valuable resource for how to create defensible space. “The more houses we get in compliance then the better it is for all of us. It doesn’t matter if you use us or another tree company, the most important thing is we’re getting defensible space done on every house in the community,” she says. For more information on Ninja Tree Care, call (775) 6292687 or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ ninjatreecare.

Village Ace Hardware Village Ace has long been known as the place to go for all your hardware needs and even though the weather is still sketchy, Village Ace Manager Reggie Tynes says that it’s worth thinking about your spring cleaning projects. “Due to the lack of snow, it’s hard [getting your house ready for summer] but after the snow melts you can start clearing brush around your home. As it starts heating up, you’ll absolutely want to clear around the home and make defensive space for fire safety,” Tynes says. A lot of people start bagging up their pine needles, patching up driveways that have been cracked or destroyed due to snow load, and start buying house and deck stain. Then as it gets closer to summer, Village Ace switches over to patio furniture, IVCBA.ORG

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“The most important thing is to rake all your pine needles once a year in the spring for defensible space and contact the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District and have a defensible space inspection done. There’s a $1,000 rebate available, and each year they choose a specific area. Each homeowner is eligible for that $1,000 rebate in that area,” Moxley explains. Inspections through the NLTFPD are free, and the fire department is very helpful and accommodating.

planting supplies, barbecues, and floaties for the lake. “A lot of people start their home projects as the weather gets nice. Garden hoses can sell out, and barbecues sell so fast,” he says. “You just have to be careful with charcoal because it was banned last year, and it might be banned again this year depending on the fire danger,” he says. That’s why having proper ground cover and keeping things clear within a certain radius helps protect one’s home.

Rockwood Tree Service In business since 1986, Rockwood is a full-service tree care and removal company specializing in stump grinding, tree trimming/pruning, tree removal, and defensible space compliance. Owner Beth Moxley says that there has been a lot going on lately with wildfire danger which is why collaborating with people on their defensible space is a priority for them. Moxley says it’s also important to clear any dead or diseased trees, as Incline Village has a big bark beetle problem right now. “The red turpentine bark beetle is aggressive. The top of the pine tree goes first, and if you don’t take care of that, then you’ll lose all your other pines around it. She adds that there’s a lot to do in the spring, and the best way to get your property ready is to get a jump on those pine needles and consider talking to your neighbors and ordering a 30-cubic-yard dropbox from Empire Contractors. You want to rake your entire property and keep a 30-ft. clearance around your home year-round. “I believe it’s $565 for a dropbox, and they drop it off in your neighborhood. All your neighbors can rake and load the dropbox and share the cost and they come to pick it up, and they take it to the dump. It’s a very cost-effective way and encourages your neighbors to get compliant with defensible space. The more neighbors that comply the safer your neighborhood will be. “We want people to take the opportunity to educate themselves about wildfire danger, especially when it comes to bonfires and firepits,” Moxley adds. LIVE.WORK.PLAY.

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Is Arthritis Causing Your Hip Pain? By Robert Rupp, MD HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS is often the cause of hip pain as we age. Osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis, refers to the breakdown or degeneration of the cartilage that coats and protects the bone surfaces where there is movement in a joint. Unfortunately, our body does not repair or regenerate new cartilage when it becomes injured and wears down. The loss of the protective joint cartilage leads to friction between bone surfaces which can cause joint pain and stiffness. Factors associated with hip osteoarthritis include advancing age, family history of osteoarthritis, joint injury, obesity, and an abnormally shaped hip joint which can occur during birth or childhood. The most common symptom of hip osteoarthritis is pain which usually develops gradually and worsens with time. The pain is typically deep in the front of the hip and can radiate to the buttock or knee. The pain tends to be worse in the morning after inactivity or aggravated with vigorous activity. Many people with hip osteoarthritis describe associated hip stiffness, grinding or giving out episodes, and a limp. The diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis is made by physician exam and imaging studies such as radiographs and MRI scans. Imaging studies may show joint space narrowing from loss of cartilage, bone spur formation, and abnormally shaped hip bones. Since there is no cure for hip osteoarthritis, treatment is directed at relieving pain and improving joint mobility, both surgically and nonsurgically. Nonsurgical options include lifestyle modifications, physical therapy, and medications. Lifestyle modifications focus on avoidance of activities that increase stress through the hip joint, weight loss, and use of assistive devices such as a cane. Physical therapy optimizes muscle control of the joint and regaining motion. Medications include over-the-counter acetaminophen and anti-inflammatory medications which can be taken by mouth or injected into the hip joint.

Surgical treatments for osteoarthritis include hip arthroscopy and hip replacement procedures. If the hip has an abnormal shape and the arthritis is mild, it can often be corrected with hip arthroscopy. If the arthritis is severe, hip replacement surgery is needed to replace the worn-out joint with new surfaces made of metal, plastic, or ceramic to restore function. Speak with your health care provider about your hip pain. They may be able to offer additional suggestions to minimize your risk for hip osteoarthritis. In most cases, treatment can relieve the pain of osteoarthritis, making it easier to perform daily activities. Dr. Robert Rupp is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and program director of the Lake Tahoe Sports Medicine Fellowship. He is a sports medicine specialist treating shoulder, hip, and knee conditions in Incline Village, Carson City, and at the Barton Center for Orthopedics & Wellness in South Lake Tahoe, CA. To learn more about orthopedic services available, call (530) 543-5554 or go to BartonOrthopedicsAndWellness.com.

– LO C A L AU T H O R –

Richard Rubsamen Now available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Search by his pen name “Brooks Brownlee”.

www.TheBishopNovel.com IVCBA.ORG

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SPEES & SPEES LAW FIRM

Spees & Spees Law Firm (LEFT TO RIGHT): Judy and Frank Spees and Kristen Spees Marchello

By Kayla Anderson

FRANK AND JUDY SPEES have been attorneys with a focus in estate planning in Incline Village for more than 40 years, and now their daughter Kristen is next in line to take over succession planning for their clients. “Our primary focus of what we do is estate planning, wills, trusts, deed work, and powers of attorney,” Judy says. When Kristen graduated from Incline High School, she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, focusing on political science and then received her JD degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. “I practice estate planning like my parents. They encouraged me to go to law school and now I am licensed in Nevada, California, and Hawaii. It has been beneficial working with them because they have so much to teach me from their years of experience. I have been able to help them with technological advances by updating websites, fillable forms, and meeting clients online. Now, this is a job that can be done from anywhere in the world,” Kristen says. Her brother Justin is also a paralegal and investment advisor.

There are some people who’ve been lucky enough to have parents who’ve started T’S ROTISSERIE and managed successful businesses in IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, Chuck Swing and his friend cruised around Incline Village looking for a spot to open a restaurant and Incline Village/Crystal Bay, and as the next thought the location next to 7-11 was perfect. “He’d see people get a hot dog and eat it in their car in the generation grew up a few of them realized 7-11 parking lot and saw an opportunity to provide grab-n-go that they wanted the same lifestyle that easy food,” says his son Jamie. Originally T’s had just a mix of meats and sides on the menu, but its offerings evolved into their parents had. Here are some examples serving more Mexican-style dishes. Meanwhile, Jamie grew up, his AA degree in business management from Truckee of tried-and-true family establishments that earned Meadows Community College, and went right back to the restaurant in which he was raised. are still family-owned. “I kind of always knew that I wanted to do the T’s thing,” he says. In business for 31 years now, he feels lucky to have a consistent and steady business, meet a lot of different people, and spend time with his family. And even though there have been some challenges with the pandemic and hang ups in the

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supply chain, Jamie says the benefits outweigh the struggles. “Getting free food is nice,” Jamie says. “[T’s] is like my other kitchen,” he smiles.

VILLAGE PUB

LIKE JAMIE, STEPHANIE AND NICK WEBBER

grew up in the restaurant/bar that is the Village Pub that was started by their dad Steve and now they all manage it together. Stephanie says that Steve wanted to be his own boss while still having the freedom to go skiing and remain active, which is why he took over the bar that used to be the Miners Inn. A month after Steph was born, her parents remodeled and reopened it as the Village Pub in 1984. From as long as she can remember, the Pub has always had pool, shuffleboard, and even a little hot dog stand before they opened its kitchen in 1992 and began serving burgers. Growing up in the Pub, Steph says, “It was the game room of our childhood. It’s always been a family establishment and we grew up hanging out with the locals. We were the emergency contact for a lot of the kids I knew, since it was open all the time and had a sturdy landline phone that was always answered. “I always knew it was a special, one-of-a-kind place for locals to congregate. I like seeing people interact, have fun, and it be a safe place for people to go.”

The Science of

Village Pub (LEFT TO RIGHT): Nick, Steve, and Steph Webber

Hope

Free Community Presentation with Chan Hellman, PhD

APRIL 21 5:30 - 7:00 PM DUFFIELD HALL 995 Tahoe Boulevard, Incline Village

775-831-5828

laketahoeschool.org/science-of-hope

Small School. Big Education. IVCBA.ORG

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Spring Is Around the Corner

It’s Time to Think About Your Defensible Space! By Tia Rancourt

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AS WE MAKE OUR WAY INTO SPRING, it is a good time to start thinking

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about getting our yard cleaned up and that means making sure we have adequate defensible space. Effectively managing the vegetation around your home is something we can all do to help reduce the threat of wildfire, not just for your property but for your neighbor’s property as well.

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Within the first 5 feet of the house – routinely remove all dead vegetation, including shrubs, fallen branches, grass, weeds and flowers, as well as dead or dying standing trees or recently fallen trees. From 5 to 30 feet of the house, remove every spring by May 1st. Needles and leaves that fall after the removal period can accumulate on the ground if they do not create a fire hazard. More than 30 feet from the house, do not allow fallen needles and leaves to exceed a depth of 3 inches. Thin dense shrub stands to create more space between them. Depending on the slope of your terrain, shrubs or small clumps of shrubs should be separated from one another by at least twice the height of the average shrub. More distance is needed on steeper slopes. For Jeffrey Pine and White Fir trees, create a separation between canopies of at least 10 feet, increasing that distance on steeper slopes. Ladder fuels are vegetation that can help the fire climb up from lowgrowing plants to adjacent taller shrubs and trees. Remove shrubs and trees growing under the drip line of trees and remove low-hanging branches not to exceed the bottom 1/3 of the tree’s height. Clearing debris and vegetation from the first 5 feet away from your house can make a significant impact and get you started.

SPRING 2022

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Move your wood pile at least 30’ from your home. Remove pine needles from the roof and roof gutters, and under deck areas. Consider fire-resistant landscaping.

Maintaining a defensible space is an ongoing activity. Each spring, re-evaluate your defensible space and implement the necessary recommendations. Also consider your home vulnerability and review the Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide for recommendations on how to retrofit exiting components of a home to withstand wildfire. Take advantage of our FREE Curbside Chipping service available spring through fall months. Please note the following guidelines when requesting this service: • Piles must be curbside and easily accessible. • The branch diameter cannot exceed 6 inches. • Pile must not contain stumps, roots, garbage, nails, lumber, or pine cones. • Pile must not exceed 30 feet in length, 6 feet in height, and 6 feet in width. Chips will be left on-site and can be spread around the property for landscaping or erosion control, but not within 5 feet of a structure. If you choose to spread the chips within 30 feet of a structure, ensure that mulch beds are separated by noncombustible areas, such as dirt, rock, or pathways. Also, ensure that mulched areas do not contain highly flammable vegetation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:

www.tahoelivingwithfire.com

IF ONE LIVES ON the north shore of Lake Tahoe for any length of time one eventually comes to hear and read all kinds of things about the early days of our community. These accounts all seem to describe how the Oklahoma based CPA Art Wood and his colleagues bought 9,000 acres of undeveloped forest land through legal slight of hand from the reclusive and reluctant millionaire George Whittell and with the help of Harold Tiller, Bill Anderson, Ray Smith and others created on these wooded acres the town of Incline Village here on the edge of “the fairest picture the whole world affords” to quote Mark Twain. The story that follows is this author's attempt to tell what the late Paul Harvey might have called The Rest of the Story. And it all starts not here in Nevada but five thousand miles away in Honolulu, Hawaii. On June 30, 1930, Manuel (Manny) Reginald Sylvester was the 4th of 14 children born to parents who emigrated to Hawaii from Portugal to work on the sugar plantations. He was raised in a poor neighborhood of Honolulu but by dint of hard work and part-time

jobs managed to attend both the private St. Louis High School and the University of Hawaii where he majored in accounting and was enrolled in the ROTC program. Between his junior and senior years, the army sent some of the ROTC cadets to an internship at Fort Lewis, Washington and on that trip in 1951, Manny took the opportunity to come down to Reno to visit an uncle who was an avid fisherman with hands-on knowledge of Lake Tahoe. One day they found themselves on the north end of the lake and cruising along the shoreline near what now is the site of The Hyatt Hotel Manny's uncle pointed to a strip of shoreline and said, “do you see those houses over there back in the woods? That's what we call millionaires row.” Manny doesn't now recall much of the discussion, but the impression of wealth and beauty was firmly impressed on his memory forever. A year later Manny had graduated from college, and he was married to Margaret Howie. Manny and Madge spent their honeymoon traveling around the mainland and came to Lake Tahoe, this time staying on the south

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Manny & Madge Sylvester

...he'd learned about an option to buy 9,000 acres of land on the shores of Lake Tahoe.

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shore. It was as beautiful as ever. Returning to Hawaii Manny then served a tour of duty in the U.S. Army and then joined the CPA firm of Black & Gillette in Honolulu. In 1959, a chain of movie theaters and broadcast stations named Consolidated Amusement Company decided to put itself on the market and Baker & Gillette was retained by an investment group out of Oklahoma City called Billups, Wood & Mascho to do the financials for the deal. Manny's firm figured out a way for the investors whose lead man on the project was a fellow CPA named Arthur Wood, to buy the properties from Consolidated for something like 11 million dollars and then resell them six months later for nearly double that amount, netting a handy profit for the Oklahoma investors. About the same time, the Consolidated deal was wrapping up, a tax client of Baker & Gillette named David Heath called the Honolulu firm from Reno where he was on business and said he'd learned about an option to buy 9,000 acres of land on the shores of Lake Tahoe. The option was about to expire without being fulfilled, so there might be an opportunity for someone to make some serious money. Manny was the only one of his firm who had any experience with Lake Tahoe and he strongly pitched the idea that not only was Tahoe one of the most beautiful places in the world but also suggested that Art Wood—who was then back in Honolulu finishing up the Consolidated deal—might be interested. Jack Baker then called a staff meeting to discuss the possibilities and at Manny's urging it was decided to approach Art with the idea even though someone else licensed to operate in Nevada would probably have to handle the details. Art said he was interested but that he would first need to see the place. A few days later Wood, along with partners Jack Eagle and Eugene Jordan, flew from Honolulu to Reno and found themselves in near-freezing temperatures even though it was the middle of July. And to make things worse, the airline had lost Art's luggage, and he had only the Aloha attire he'd left Honolulu in to wear. Art hated cold weather, and in the terminal, he supposedly told Eagle and Jordan he had no interest in going up to a frozen lake to look at some pine trees in the snow and was going to take the next plane home. But having come this far his

companions talked him into at least seeing the property and once they did they all decided yes, this was indeed worth pursuing. Back in Reno they retained the services of the Bible, McDonald & Jensen law firm to secure the soon to expire option and then move on with purchasing the 9000 acres from owner George Whittell. The erstwhile option had apparently been granted for $50,000 a year earlier to a party which now couldn't fulfill its terms. Some said that Whittell himself was now having second thoughts about the deal. Manny says he heard somewhere the original option was to a group of Nuns who intended to build a convent on the property but then couldn't raise the money and sold it to a benefactor. Still another version was that Whittell considered selling it to the University of Pacific for a conference grounds but then backed away from that. In the event, the owner of the option ended up being a "mysterious former navy commander named John Maloney" who resided in Seattle. Art Wood's new attorney Robert L. (Bob) McDonald apparently traveled twice to Seattle to meet with Maloney but was unsuccessful in obtaining a sale. Finally shortly before the option expired Maloney himself traveled to Reno and McDonald secured the option in Maloney's suite at the Holiday Hotel for $150,000— three times the option cost. Time was now running out to make a deal. Most versions of this part of the story have the option signed over to Wood's partner Eugene Jordan who quickly tendered it to a “nominee” or holding company created for the purpose named Nevada Lake Tahoe Investment Company which Manny characterized as a syndicate probably created specifically for tax and legal purposes. Manny further suggested that Kansas investors he called “The Miller Brothers” might have come up with the 5.4 million dollars required by Whittell to exercise the option (9000 acres at $600 an acre) since “...none of us had that kind of money so quickly available." In any event, the money—in cash as demanded by Whittell--was lugged to the Thunderbird Lodge front door and delivered on time to the aging and now wheelchair bound George "Captain" Whittell and the newly formed Nevada Lake Tahoe Investment Company now owned the property. In less than a year (required, apparently for tax purposes) title to the property was then transferred to Crystal Bay Development Company (CBDC hereafter) for the sum of 25 million dollars. Much has been made of the idea that in just one year the investors made a profit of some 500% on a 5.4 million dollar investment. But Manny points

out flaws in that math. First of all, the money raised by CBDC was in exchange for stock in the new company. Secondly, all the expenses to that date including the option costs, legal fees, other expenses and the 5.4 million paid to Whittell had to be paid back. Finally, the CBDC needed money to start the build out of the new community—the roads, sewers and other infrastructure. To raise the millions needed the CBDC sold shares in the enterprise to some 35 or more investors so none of that money could be considered profit. Any profits would come as CBDC sold lots and homes and licensed the hotels and casinos the developers were planning. To complicate “following the money” virtually all of the records of the CBDC from this period were destroyed in 1960 when a fire at their temporary offices in the basement of Eugene's Chateau, a trendy Crystal Bay restaurant which hung over the lake off present Route 28 just up the hill from Incline, burned to the ground. The fire was thought at the time to have been “of suspicious origin” and apparently even the Washoe County District Attorney thought as much, but nothing ever came of the follow up investigation. In 1960, Baker & Gillette did accept an offer from Art Wood to participate in the CBDC stock offering and Manny's firm went in for 10% or 2.5 million dollars which they borrowed from the Bank of Hawaii. His firm then ceased to be involved in any planning or operation of the Crystal Bay Development Company. To close this part of the story—more will be forthcoming in a future edition of Live.Work.Play—although Manny Sylvester played a small part in the creation of Incline Village, if he and his colleagues at Baker & Gillette had not steered Art Wood and his associates to the deal with George Whittell the option would probably have expired and the land subsequently sold to the U.S. Forest Service which was aggressively trying to obtain and preserve the unspoiled forests on the east shore of Lake Tahoe. The aging "Captain" Whittell increasingly viewed the USFS as the preferable option to the Nevada State Park Service with which Whittell now had a contentious relationship over their lease of his land for the new state park at Sand Harbor. Manny 's next return to Incline Village came in 1964 when he and Marge bought a condo here but his work in Hawaii made them seasonal visitors only until Manny retired in the mid-1990’s and they became Nevada residents. Their generosity to Incline and Crystal Bay charities is well known and even at the ripe old age of 92 Manny continues to be a donor to the Parasol Foundation and a host of other area community organizations even though poor health prompted his return to Honolulu in 2015 where he resides to this day in an assisted living environment—the last living member of the team which once helped create Incline Village.

Richard Miner PAST PRESIDENT, INCLINE VILLAGE & CRYSTAL BAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

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Live Work Play Spring 2022

Articles inside

State Farm Insurance Tahoe Family Solutions 10–11

Executive Director’s Letter

Spring is Around the Corner

Opportunity as a Substitute Teacher