Mountain Living. Natural Wonders. Community Spirit. October 2026

I am so excited to share with you an exclusive interview I had with Palisades Tahoe Racer Julia Cunningham. Below is a teaser - and a link for more.

From “Half Exi” to the World Stage: Julia Cunningham Is Finding Her Own Line

Some stories make you genuinely proud of the place you call home. This is one of them.

At 18, Team Palisades Tahoe Racer Julia Cunningham has represented the United States at Junior Worlds in Norway and become the inaugural recipient of the Lindsey Vonn Foundation’s Erich Sailer Ski Scholarship.

But what stayed with me after talking with Julia was the person who couldn’t bear to spend a lunch break indoors when there was still snow to ski. The young woman who sometimes sings at the top of her lungs while skiing alone. And the fiercely competitive athlete who says, “I just need to trust myself and go.”

In this special feature, we meet Julia through her joy, her sacrifices, her faith, and her family. And we meet her teachers, coaches, and the community helping her pursue a remarkable dream.

For those of us in Olympic Valley, there’s much here to celebrate. For anyone raising a child, chasing a dream, or wondering what makes a life feel fully alive, there’s something here to carry with you.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read “Julia Cunningham: Finding Her Own Line.” And share it with someone finding theirs.

Read the story behind Palisades Tahoe Racer, Julia Cunningham, HERE.

In this issue

• Truckee River Day - By Ed Heneveld

• Gratitude for our Olympic Valley Fire Department

• Green Waste Drop-Off Day - Final Day Oct.11th

• Adopt-A-Highway Update - (Need more Volunteer help here, folks!)

• Things to do in Palisades Tahoe

• Things to read in Palisades Press

Truckee River Day

By Ed Heneveld

Truckee River Day, sponsored by the Truckee River Watershed Council, will take place on Sunday, October 18th, 2026.

One project, in cooperation with the Olympic Valley Watershed Council, will take place in the meadow, at the main road “stump field.” This is the site of last year’s logging of 2 acres of Lodgepole Pines that threatened to overtake the meadow. Among the reasons for the tree cutting were: Fuel reduction, evacuation route safety, and S-curve shading in winter.

This once wooded area is now an unsightly large barren stump field. But it also happens to be a peat wetland, rare to the Sierra, an acidic “fen” fed by underground water from the

Hidden Lake hillside which holds ponded water even today.

The 3-part project will focus on meadow conservation and visual enhancement. Volunteers will (1) remove emerging conifers and any invasive weeds, (2) plant native shrubs to enhance the site, both visually and ecologically, and (3) transplant site specific grass plugs to barren areas as well as spread wildflower and grass seeds.

To volunteer with Truckee River Day, click HERE.

Gratitude For Those Who Watch Over Our Valley

Living in Olympic Valley, we have much to be grateful for. Among those blessings are the people who stand ready to protect this place, and all the members of our community.

During the Talbot Fire, (about 9 miles west/southwest of Olympic Valley), which started in mid-August, lasting nearly a week, our Olympic Valley Fire Department (OVFD) monitored conditions, coordinated with neighboring fire and public safety agencies, and kept our community informed.

And when the Floriston Fire, (about 19 miles northeast of Olympic Valley), broke out in mid-September, our OVFD assisted by deploying specialized regional assets as part of a Strike Team mutual aid response.

Their updates during both fires offered reassurance grounded in facts, along with a reminder that preparedness is something we all share and need to take seriously.

On behalf of our community, thank you to our OVFD firefighters and staff for your vigilance, professionalism, and care. We also extend our gratitude to the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, and everyone who works to protect our region, often putting your own lives at risk to keep us safe.

We treasure our mountains, forests, homes and our village.

Thank you, OVFD. We're fortunate to have you.

***

One meaningful way to express our gratitude is through action: by maintaining defensible space, reviewing evacuation plans, checking our Go Bags, and looking in on neighbors who may need help.

The Next (And Final of the Season) Green Waste Drop-Off Day is Sunday, October 11th, from 9am - 4pm.

As always, this day which benefits ALL residents of Olympic Valley, requires Volunteer Monitors in 1-hour shifts between 9am - 4pm, to log basic information. Please send me a note or text for more info or better: to let me know you can help for 1-hour on this Final Green Waste Drop-Off Day: Michael.kennedy999@gmail.com / 530.608.9150.

Adopt-A-Highway / Postponed

We will conduct one more clean-up as soon as we can rally more support for this effort. If you, or someone you know can Volunteer, please send me a note or text. I'll provide a date with plenty of advanced notice on Nextdoor.com, and other social media channels, and we will have flyers up around Palisades Tahoe reminding everyone of the date. Thank you in advance!

Things To Do In Palisades Tahoe This Fall - Click HERE.

Things To Read In Palisades Press - Click HERE.

Thanks for reading this issue of 96146 News.

See you out there!

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All photographs by Michael Kennedy (unless otherwise noted) / BlueWolfGallery.com

I’m Michael Kennedy, a resident of Olympic Valley, CA (in photo above with Nicola and Boo). I’m a writer and photographer and I love exploring nature and getting lost along the way. We live in a world that demands our attention and I just want to say thank you for your attention. If you enjoyed this post, please share this with a friend. For more photos and stories visit BlueWolfGallery.com.