Lake Tahoe Posts - Incline Village & Crystal Bay

Like most people I keep a list of expressions and phrases that I can lay my hands on and bootleg at first opportunity. But then like most people, I never quite get around to employing such an invaluable resource. This moribund inventory has grown to 103 pages, and that’s not counting Mark Twain expressions that I do use. So today I am determined to examine this rich mine of literary ore and share a few nuggets with you…

The Incline Village Library welcomed their newest children’s area on Wednesday when artist Ben Rupert installed his long awaited galis dungal, finishing the cozy area just in time for the winter. “My primary goal is to help out a cultural identity to show the tourists and locals of Lake Tahoe that this is Wašiw (Washoe) land,” Rupert said. “This was a very sacred place to the Wašiw people.”

The general improvement district board meeting has been postponed from today, Tuesday, Oct. 26, to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3. The district’s audit committee will meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26 and will discuss revisions to Policy 15.1.0 which establishes the roles and responsibilities of the committee.

Washoe County Sheriff's Office HOPES Team
Alexis Hill had the opportunity to do a ride-along with the Sheriff's Office new HOPES Team this last week. Here's what she had to say!

"This team was created in collaboration with the City of Sparks’ HOPES Team this July. I was very impressed with this new three-person team headed up by the very compassionate and experienced Sgt. Shatawana Daniel.

Their primary objective is to offer services and assist those experiencing homelessness through a boots-on-the-ground approach. During HOPES outreach and engagement with an individual, needs are assessed and then aligned with a number of field-based services and local Medicaid resource partnerships. I advocated during the most recent budget cycle to add two social workers to the team to support the Sheriff’s Office with additional resources. The team also will be housed in the same office space as our Homeless and Housing Team created during this budget cycle so they can collaborate on realistic policy and practices to ensure that we are aligning our work with the actual needs on the ground."

October Newsletter
I am writing this as I watch the rain fall outside. It’s beautiful to look at and exciting because we need this moisture to help us through the drought we currently are experiencing. However, it makes me worry for our community members without shelter. As you’ve heard me say and seen in my newsletters, I think that as a region we have done significantly more for our houseless residents than we ever have previously, but that doesn’t mean that we are doing all that we could on this issue. I am troubled by the number of people who are on the CARES campus as it nears capacity every day. I have directed staff to pull together a more comprehensive staffing plan for case workers and mental health workers which I hope will be coming to the Board of County Commissioners for approval in the next month.

We have more than 300 transitional housing beds where we should be able to move many of our CARES campus members for the next step in their housing journey -- we just don’t have the needed staffing to get them to the right location. Once staffing is in place, I know this can be resolved and more capacity will be created.

I have heard from many of you about your concerns regarding how the County and our partners will be handling the challenge of keeping these vulnerable members protected during the winter. This is also a concern for me. As I discussed in my last newsletter, we have a winter plan and are moving forward with more substantial housing for our Safe Camp residents with a product called ModPods that will be installed at the campus in November. Additionally, anyone who needs warmth, regardless of bed availability or whether they want to stay at the CARES Campus, can go to our warming center that officially opened this last week at the CARES Campus.

WINTER WEATHER SAFETY TIPS: It is a good time to make winter preparations in your home and for your vehicle(s). We hope the following winter weather safety tips help you to be prepared.
Home preparedness tips:
Test all smoke alarms. Do this at least once a month. This way you will know they are working. Install carbon monoxide alarms in your home. Test the alarms.
Plan two ways out of the home in case of an emergency.
Clear driveway and front walk of ice and snow. This will provide easy access to your home.
Make sure your house number can be seen from the street. If you need help, first responders will be able to find you.
Be ready in case the power goes out. Have flashlights on hand. Also have battery-powered lighting and fresh batteries.
Stay aware of winter weather. Listen to the television or radio for updates.
Watch for bulletins online.

Check on your neighbors. Check on others who may need help.
Generators should be used outdoors. Keep them away from windows and doors. Do not run a generator inside your garage, even if the door is open.
Stay away from downed wires. Report any downed wires to authorities.
Be ready if the heat stops working. Use extra layers of clothes and blankets to stay warm. If you use an emergency heat source, follow manufacturer’s guidelines, and keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away.
Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room and turn them off when you go to bed.
Know where your gas meter is located and keep it clear.
Have your furnace inspected and serviced by a qualified professional.
Have your chimney cleaned and inspected by a qualified professional. Not cleaning your chimney is the leading cause of chimney fires from built up creosote.
Have a covered metal container to dispose of cooled ashes. To obtain a free ash can, residents may fill out an application, available at the Fire District Administration Office, 866 Oriole Way, Incline Village. If the required criteria are met, an ash can will be provided. Please visit our website for more information on our Ash Can program.

Travel Tips (if you must travel):

Store emergency supplies in your car (blanket, change of clothes, flashlight, food, water).
Carry a charged cell phone.
Keep ice scraper/snow brush.
Keep gas tank full.
Check national weather service, state department of transportation or local media prior to travel.
Allow extra time and expect delays, road closures or detours.

If you are caught in winter storm and/or stranded:

Stay with your vehicle and wait for help.
Display a sign of trouble to let people know you need help.
Occasionally run the engine to keep it warm. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow to prevent deadly carbon monoxide fumes from entering the car.
If more than one person is in the car, take turns sleeping.
Layer clothing to trap body heat in order to keep warm.

Helpful Contact Phone Numbers/Websites:

NV 511 Traveler Information System - Call 511 within Nevada or 877-NVROADS outside of Nevada, www.safetravelusa.com/nv
CAL TRANS Road Conditions – Call 800/427-7623, http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/
Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) Public Works - Call 775/832-1203, https://www.yourtahoeplace.com/ivgid
Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) - Call 775/328-3001, https://www.washoesheriff.com/
North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFPD) – Call 775/831-0351, www.nltfpd.org
Southwest Gas (SWG) Emergency Dispatch - 800/772-4555 (Northern Nevada and California), https://www.swgas.com/
NV Energy - Call 775/834-4100, https://www.nvenergy.com/
Liberty Utilities – Call 800/782-2506, https://libertyutilities.com/

IN AN EMERGENCY, CALL 911

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No matter breakfast, lunch or dinner...we've always got a tasty meal waiting for you!

We've gone LIVE on the following podcasting platforms:

Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, and Spotify.

Our Weekly Broadcasts and MindSpace will appear on these different platforms throughout this next week, except for Google which may take up to 10 days.

Please subscribe to Human Whisperers Radio on your favorite platform (or visit our website https://humanwhisperers.com/radio/) and stay tuned for our upcoming episode, "If You Can Talk, You Can Sing", focusing on Fear, and how we can channel our fears into Power and Creativity. We'll be featuring Alexander Starz, a music and language teacher based in Austria, as well as our own Petra Amasreiter, who is a musician and composer, based in Germany.

The Washoe County Board of County Commissioners and the Carson City Board of Supervisors will appoint a resident of Senate District 16 to fill the senate seat following the resignation of Sen. Ben Kieckhefer earlier this month. Per state law, the appointee must live in the senate district and have lived there as of Sept. 29, 2021.

There's still time to apply for an October SkillPointe Scholarship for training in the skilled professions and trades! https://skillpointe.com/financial-resources

Bee Inclined Quilters are offering an assortment of handmade quilts and quilted goods from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, at The Grill at the Chateau in Incline Village, located at 955 Fairway Boulevard. The Bee Inclined Quilters meet on the third Thursday of each month at the Incline Village Library Community Room.

The American Association of University Women Tahoe Nevada chapter, based in Incline Village, will host its 2nd annual Lunafest fundraiser virtual screening from Nov. 5-7. Tickets are $30 for individuals and $50 for a small group and registration is required prior to Nov. 1. The screenings can be viewed from home.

There will come a time when intermarriage of diverse races will produce a child that nobody can look at and dislike. That time is now, and that child has arrived. On the thirteenth of November of 2002 a baby girl was born in Toronto, Canada to a father from Bucharest, Romania, and a mother from Shenyang, China. Her parents moved her to London when she was two and placed a tennis racket in her hands when she turned five. However, already excelling in karting and motocross, her tennis would be on hold for another year. By seven she was good at tennis but not great. Her will to win was boosted somewhat by her parents promise of a new tennis outfit if she won, and win she did.