October 26, 2021
By Rachel Arst McCullough
Covid has turned Truckee into a Zoom town. Whenever you move to a new community, there’s a lot to learn. Truckee has a steeper learning curve than many places. Mountain living is no joke. We have bears. We have fires and smoke. We get intense snowfall that can close roads and knock down power lines. We recently received over a foot of snow during an October blizzard!
Whether you’re new (welcome!) or have been here a while, in any community, it’s vital to stay informed about what’s going on. One of the easiest ways to do this is by joining our local email lists. Doing this can help you be a good Truckee citizen, too! You’ll spot opportunities for participating in our Tahoe-Truckee community. You’ll also get disaster alerts and other vital pieces of information you’ll need to stay safe.
Here are my favorite email newsletters, plus a few other resources like text alerts for emergencies and our long-time local radio station.
General Truckee News
Start with the Town of Truckee newsletter. You can check off topics you’re interested in. We suggest “Newsletter (Talk of the Town),” your neighborhood, trails, solid waste and recycling, police services, and local emergency information.
Next, head over to the Sierra Sun to sign up for local news alerts. You’ll find the sign-up on the right side of their home page sidebar.
If you like your news a little more in-depth then head over to Moonshine Ink. You’ll usually get several emails each month. Some of the articles are only available online, so you’ll miss them if you just pick up the paper. Support local journalism and get a copy in your mailbox by subscribing to the print edition.
Mayor Anna Klovstad runs an email list of her own. You might find some cool volunteer opportunities here. For example, the mayor recently put out a call for volunteers for the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission. You’ll also get information about upcoming elections, opportunities to go talk to local elected officials in person, and notices about agency meetings. Each letter is jam-packed with local information you won’t want to miss.
The Visit Truckee-Tahoe newsletter may be aimed at tourists, but it’s a good way for you and your family to find local things to see and do as well.
Find out about family-friendly events like Music in Park and the 4th of July parade by signing up for the Truckee-Donner Parks & Rec District newsletter (use the box partway down the homepage). Other Truckee can’t-miss events like the Annual Ski Swap are also put on by Parks & Rec.
Keep your fingers on the pulse of the business community by signing up for the Truckee Chamber of Commerce Big Life Weekly newsletter. You’ll get events, announcements, new member alerts, and some volunteer opportunities.
If you’re looking for a job then you’ll want to sign up for the Truckee Jobs Collective newsletter. Even if you’re not looking, you might see something that’s a great fit for someone you know!
Real-time News & Updates
Nixle is a vital resource for finding out about road closures, police activity, fire danger, smoke, red flag warnings, and traffic accidents.
Tune into Tahoe Truckee Radio, KTKE 101.5 for timely PSAs, especially when the power is out and you may not have cell phone service or internet. Just recently, they reported the cause of our power outage and estimated time to restoration when the PUD website was malfunctioning. Beyond real-time updates, the community interviews are definitely worth a listen.
Local Nonprofits
If you’d like to make the world a better place, then Truckee makes it more than possible to start right here at home.
Start with MAP, Mountain Area Preservation. If you want to help preserve the region’s incredible landscapes then this is a fantastic organization to get involved with. To date they’ve helped protect 6,000 acres of land.
Or try the Mountain Housing Council. The local housing market can be very rough for low-to-middle income people. They are specifically studying the gap between those who make too much money to get into affordable housing but who make too little money to find safe and affordable housing in the area.
The Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation gives money to various organizations in the community, partnering with them to launch various initiatives. They also invest in local businesses that they feel will support and enhance the community.
The Sierra Business Council implements projects that offer proactive change to the community, acting as steward leaders for the region. This can include working with local businesses, regional advocacy, and climate action.
The Truckee Donner Land Trust works to preserve and protect some of the most beautiful recreational lands in our area. They often offer docent-led hikes on their newer land acquisitions and this is the site to reserve your campsite at Webber Lake, just north of Truckee.
Finally there’s the Tahoe Prosperity Center. It’s focused on Tahoe, not Truckee, but some of their programs still benefit the Truckee area. For example, their Alert Tahoe fire cameras help keep us safe, too!
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the nonprofit I helped co-found 12+ years ago, Tahoe Silicon Mountain (TSM). TSM fosters innovation, cultivates curiosity, and facilitates personal connections in the Truckee-Tahoe community through regular community events, workshops, showcases, and collaboration. Anyone who is interested in meeting and getting to know other professionals, helping others, or learning something new is welcome, including middle and high school students, who can attend events for free. Look for me volunteering at in-person events once they resume.
Don’t forget social media!
Sure, social media can be stressful, but there are still some good conversations happening amongst the bad.
We recommend signing up for the Truckee Tahoe People group on Facebook and your local Nextdoor group. Just make sure to read the community guidelines and follow them!
Reprinted from October 26, 2021 Moonshine Ink
Rachel Arst McCullough is the Founder/Owner of McCullough Web Services. They are devoted to our local Truckee-Tahoe community. They are active and involved in the community and look forward to meeting our new neighbors as well as supporting businesses in the area.
