The community has embraced the fair this year.

A food vendor told me they were within $500 of their previous year's entire fair sales within the first two days.

The word was really out for three months before the event. The fair board members took a very proactive approach this year.

It's extremely important for the community to know where mitigation funds are being spent and to see that these dollars are going directly back into Lake Tahoe to help preserve and restore the environment.

The more formal structure gives the city a level of confidence-a way to professionally channel tax dollars for community projects. But we write grants all the time that (the city) says no to.

Climate change knows no borders. It will not stop before the Pacific islands and the whole of the international community here has to shoulder a responsibility to bring about a sustainable development.