By Rob Sabo, Northern Nevada Business Weekly

Scaled-back economics of the past few years led to the closure of one longtime Lake Tahoe kids camp, but other regional summer camp organizers have seen an uptick in pre-registration for this year’s camps.

Mark Heidt, president and owner of Kids Camp Lake Tahoe, started the camp when he moved to Lake Tahoe from Canada in 1992. He estimates he’s served about 15,000 youths in that time — but in early May he shuttered the camp due to dwindling attendance.

Kids Camp Lake Tahoe wasn’t a typical summer camp with cabins and campfires. Instead, the camp picked kids up from Harrahs, Harveys and Embassy Suites for activities such as movies, bowling, miniature golf, swimming and hiking while parents enjoyed Lake Tahoe’s gambling and nightlife.

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Bob Dylan will perform on Aug. 22 at Harveys Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena for the 2010 Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series.

Tickets will go on sale June 28 at 10am via Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and apeconcerts.com.

With more than 50 original albums and collections to his credit, beginning with 1962’s landmark debut LP, Bob Dylan, Dylan stands alone as the most prolific and influential singer/songwriter in the small pantheon of artists who can rightfully be recognized as “living legends.”

Tickets are $59.50, $69.50, $89.50 and $125. Show time is 6:30pm.

El Dorado County Animal Services is searching for the owners of two dogs that are connected to a dog bite incident that occurred June 15 at approximately 5pm at Cove East in South Lake Tahoe.

A man was bitten by one or two dogs as he was walking near the entrance of the California Tahoe Conservancy land near the Tahoe Keys Marina. The man encountered the two dogs fighting and attempted to break up the fight. One dog is described as a smaller shepherd mix, with black, tan and white coloring. The other dog is described as a medium-sized chocolate Lab mix, with brown coloring.

Both of the dogs had collars and were on leash with their owners when the incident occurred, however, no contact information was exchanged. The dog owners were both women.

Although the man’s injuries were minor, Animal Services would like to speak to the owners of the dogs to verify that the dogs are current on their rabies vaccinations so that the man does not have to have post-exposure rabies treatments.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Animal Services in South Lake Tahoe at (530) 573.7925.

Event: Bell Tower Brewfest-Synapse Wines

Start time: June 26 at 6pm

End time: 9pm

Where: Downtown Placerville-Synapse Wines

South Lake Tahoe BMX opening day race for 2010 season is June 24.

Located at 1100 Lyons Ave., all ages and abilities are welcome to participate.

Trophies awarded to the top three riders in each division.

Sign ups from 5:30-6:30pm. Racing starts at 7pm.

Race fee $10. Spectators are free.

South Lake Tahoe BMX is sanctioned by the American Bicycle Association. All riders must wear helmet, long pants and long sleeves to participate.

Call (530) 542.9355 for more information.

The public is invited to learn about the Sierra Nevada Geotourism Project and get an insider’s view on how to submit a nomination, navigate the website, and learn how geotoursim benefits the community.

The workshop will be at the Emergency Operation Center, 1694 County Road, Minden at 5:30pm June 28.

A variety of project partners and residents of the Sierra Nevada are working together to create a National Geographic map that features geotouristic assets and attracts as well as encourages sustainable tourism. The Geotourism Project seeks to celebrate the Sierra Nevada as a world-class destination, while contributing to its economic health and promoting long-term stewardship of the region.

Geotouristic assets are authentic and distinctive to the region and sustain or enhance the geographic character of the Sierra Nevada. Examples include local restaurants and shops, historic hotels, museums, local artists, hiking trails, festivals and events, volunteer and recreational opportunities. To view assets that have been selected in the first phase region and/or to submit a nomination, go to www.sierranevadageotourism.org.

For more information, contact Becky Bell at the Sierra Business Council, sierrageotourism@sbcouncil.org, (530) 582.4800 or visit the county’s website at www.douglascountynv.gov.

The Douglas County Public Library in Zephyr Cove presents Fourth of July Stories and Crafts on July 2 at 1:30pm. Miss Carol will read stories celebrating Independence Day. Children will make a red, white, and blue holiday craft. For ages 3 and up; young children should be accompanied by an adult. Sign up by July 1.

The Douglas County Public Library is located at 233 Warrior Way in Zephyr Cove. For more information, call (775) 588.6411 or visit douglas.lib.nv.us.

The South Lake Tahoe Yacht Club Annual Blessing of the Boats is June 27 at Camp Richardson Marina. The Club members will organize their boats in the Home Owner’s Cove of Tahoe Keys at 9:45am.

The boats will move onto the lake at about 10am and then proceed to the the Camp Richardson Marina for the “Blessing of the Boats” by club member the Ret. Rev. John Grace.

Members of the public who are interested in having their boats blessed are invited to join at the end of the line as it passes through the mouth of the Keys.

A Yacht Club Membership Drive is planned for 1-4pm at the Yacht Clubhouse located in the old boat house next to the Beacon restaurant.

This event is open to the boating public who may be interested in learning more about the South Lake Tahoe Yacht Club and the many activities it offers to the members. Appetizers, soft drinks, coffee and tea will be provided.

The newly published recipe book created by the South Lake Tahoe Yacht Club — “Our Favorite Recipes” — will be available for a $20 donation. Proceeds benefit CASA, Boy & Girls Club, and the South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center.

For more information about the activities, call Commodore Jeff Williams at (530) 542.1583.

Publisher’s note: The DUI checkpoint for tonight has been canceled.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department will be conducting a DUI/driver’s License checkpoint on June 21 from 8pm-1am along Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Pioneer Trail.

The department is continuing its efforts at lowering the number of people killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes locally and through the county’s Avoid DUI Task Force Campaign with this checkpoint.

Personnel will be checking drivers to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as heightening awareness to the dangers of impaired driving.

The summer months are a dangerous time of the year and your odds of being involved in an alcohol involved collision can be high. In 2008, law enforcement statewide reported 7,801 people were injured or killed during the three summer months of June, July and August.

A major component of the checkpoints, beyond taking dangerous drivers off the road, is to increase awareness of the consequences of impaired driving and to encourage using sober designated drivers. A DUI checkpoint is a proven effective method for achieving this goal. By publicizing these enforcement and education efforts, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department believes motorists are deterred from drinking and driving.

South Lake Tahoe Police Department will also be partnering in this summer’s Avoid the 6 – DUI Campaign where all law enforcement agencies will put additional officers out on checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols during the Independence Day holiday and during the end of August/Labor Day nationwide anti-DUI effort, Over the Limit, Under Arrest.

By Martha Bellisle, Reno Gazette-Journal

A new survey of volunteering in the United States ranked Nevada at the bottom, but local organizations who rely on volunteers say they’ve never had trouble finding people willing to offer their services.

While most of the country had big jumps in volunteer rates over the past year, Nevada ranked 50th of 51 states and Washington D.C., according to a survey by the Corporation for National & Community Service, a federal agency that runs AmeriCorps.

Christi Cakiroglu, executive director of Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, said her group consistently has about 2,000 people come out to plant trees and pick up trash.

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