In cooperation with Sierra Nevada College’s undergraduate departments, the college’s Teacher Education program has developed a dual enrollment program that leads to a bachelor’s degree and a teaching license at the Incline campus.

This accelerated program will help students realize their dreams of becoming both a college graduate and a working teacher in the time it normally takes to complete the bachelor’s degree alone.

Here’s how it works: The program takes five years to complete. Students who wish to complete the dual program in five years (with “dual” meaning that 14 credits count toward undergraduate and graduate programs) enroll in an accelerated schedule — 18 credits per term — and begin taking 400-level education classes once they reach the junior level, earning a bachelor’s degree at year three, a teaching license at year four, and a master’s degree at year five.

So, a bachelor’s degree and teaching license can be completed in four years, and students can earn a master of arts in teaching degree taking evening classes while working as a teacher during the fifth year.

To learn more about this program, visit the TED Department in the Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences building on the Sierra Nevada College campus (second floor, just past the Department of Business), or contact Erica Farrell at (775) 831.1314, ext. 7523 or efarrell@sierranevada.edu for more information.

Zephyr Cove Library on July 8 at 1pm will celebrate the Summer Reading program with Bubble Lady Rebecca Nile. The Bubble Lady will entertain and delight the audience with her bubbles.

The excitement mounts toward the finale as they grow in size, until there is a bubble large enough for an audience member to fit inside it. Families of all ages are welcome.

The Bubble Lady has performed throughout San Francisco

and the Bay Area. Trained by “The Amazing Bubble Man,” Louis Pearl, she guarantees a laugh-filled, squeaky-clean show.

This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Douglas County Public Library. The Douglas County Public Library in Zephyr Cove is located at 233 Warrior Way.

For more information, call (775) 588.6411 or visit douglas.lib.nv.us.

Lake Tahoe Music Festival’s 2010 season builds upon the past two years with a six-concert series July 22–Aug. 7 featuring America -– 40th Anniversary Tour, Wynonna, Natalie Cole and Michael McDonald along with Broadway’s Best and the Simply Sinatra Pops concert.

The festival also adds to “Strictly Classical” concerts July 21 and 28 featuring the premiere of the Orchestra Academy and guest soloists and Academy instructors Ariana Ghez, principal oboist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Jerry Grossman, principal cellist for the Metropolitan Opera.

The North Shore music festival attracts people from all over the country. Photo/Provided

Tickets start at $25 for festival concerts, or $10 for Strictly Classical performances and are on sale online or by phone at 877.772.5425). Purchase tickets in person at the at the Music Festival office, located at 10775 Pioneer Trail, Ste. 210, Truckee, Monday through Friday 8am-5pm or at the Tahoe City Visitors Center at 380 North Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, daily from 9am-5pm.

The Lake Tahoe Music Festival has grown its economic impact to the region to just more than $4 million in 2009 and estimates a nearly $5 million impact for 2010. The figures, compiled by Streamline Communications and Outreach, are estimates based on ticket sales and survey results from the festival during the past several years and factor in lodging, dining and entertainment spend by visitors to the annual festival.

While the festival draws ticket purchasers from 32 states, 38 percent visit from the Bay Area, Sacramento and Central California..

For more information about the Lake Tahoe Music Festival, click here or call (530) 583.3101.

When Jacob Morrison goes wood collecting, it’s not for firewood. The Truckee native has developed a keen eye for spotting logs and limbs that are suitable for his one-of-a-kind rustic furniture pieces.

Morrison’s passion for woodworking took root during his years at Truckee High, where he took the woodshop course three times. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in biology and summer stints as a tile layer, in 2007 Morrison and his wife, Lindsey, moved to Portola to start Rustic Tree Creations.

Jacob Morrison

Searching looks for special chunks of wild wood, or takes someone’s throw-away lumber.

Morrison also spends time scavenging old tools from antique shops and flea markets, refurbishing them for use in his craft. Recently, he took a group of relics and made them into a chair that he calls his Rustic Chairmakers Chair. It won the People’s Choice award at the North Tahoe Arts Gallery May showcase.

The whimsical art seat called Dancing In The Wind is a playful design from lodgepole pine branches, with the legs designed dance while the back is blowing in the wind. The seat is fashioned from a reclaimed Turkish shipping crate.

Currently, a variety of works from Rustic Tree Creations can be seen at the Artisans Market Place on Donner Pass Road in Truckee. The art co-op features 19 local artisans and is open daily 11am-6pm.

For more information about Rustic Tree Creations, contact Jacob Morrison at (530) 832.5435.

By Sharon L. Peters, USA Today

Summer camp is veering in a new direction — toward grown-ups and their dogs.

Nature walks, swimming and memory-making campfires (all dog-focused) are being augmented with agility training, cooking-for-canines instruction, bury-the-bone competitions and dozens of other activities for pooch-loving participants.

“It’s a great way to have 100% together time with your dog, enjoying nature and activities, instead of just feeding them and walking them,” says Margaret Rapp of Arlington Heights, Ill. She attended Camp Dogwood in Ingleside, Ill., last year with Danny, her spaniel mix, and Ollie, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel who was a recent puppy mill rescue.

Read the whole story

From Aug. 6-20, five teachers will bring The Missing Teachings of Yoga to the Echo Creek Ranch in South Lake Tahoe.

The intensive two-week training is led by renowned American Buddhist Monk Venerable Sumati Marut, whose popular Dharma teachings and Thanksgiving retreats have invigorated the South Lake Tahoe spiritual community for more than five years. The Missing Teachings of Yoga is a teacher training program as well as an opportunity for those simply interested in yoga to learn about the true methods and goals of the practice.

The program is designed to equally serve serious spiritual practitioners, teachers of all yoga lineages, and the general public, including students of Buddhism who wish to receive complementary teachings from the yoga philosophical perspective. The Missing Teachings of Yoga offers an exciting opportunity for in-depth study, practice, and celebration of all aspects of yoga.

Throughout the two weeks, Ven. Marut will provide a comprehensive overview of the Yoga Studies Institute’s (YSI) Classics of Yoga curriculum which centers around three seminal texts of the yogic tradition: the Yoga Sutra, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and the Bhagavad Gita. In addition to these texts, Ven. Marut will teach a full course on the Ashtavakra Gita. Rarely taught in the West, this extraordinary text focuses on the figure of the jivanmukta, one who through yogic practice has been “liberated in this very lifetime.” Lama Marut will offer a new translation and fresh interpretation of this Sanskrit classic. To complement these teachings Ven. Marut will also offer a valuable series of workshops on the art of teaching. In these workshops, Lama Marut will share a lifetime of teaching experience, imparting helpful tips and sage advice about how to organize, structure, and teach Classics of Yoga classes.

In addition to Ven. Marut’s classes, students will receive daily yoga asana and meditation led by master local teachers Brandy Davis and David Fishman. Brandy and David run Mountain Yoga in the Tahoe Keys Village and have dedicated themselves to bringing authentic teachings on Yoga and Buddhism to the South Lake Tahoe area.

Upon successful completion of the full training, one will be eligible to become YSI Classics Essential staff, and will have completed the Sanskrit requirement for full Classics Staff with YSI. For those who are not able to attend the full training, the program has been conveniently divided up into three separate shorter modules (Au. 6-10, Aug. 11-14, Aug. 15-20). Pricing for the retreat varies based upon lodging choice and length of participation. Complete schedule, pricing and registration information can be found at www.classicsofyogaretreat.com.

Tahoe Arts Project is hosting its 9th annual Art Festival July 10-11 at South Tahoe Middle School.

Admission is free.

The festival will feature more than 40 local and visiting artists, food booths, children’s art projects, entertainment, raffle prizes and fun for the entire family.

This is not your typical “craft fair” and features a wide variety of artwork, including painting, glasswork, jewelry, photography, woodwork, ceramics, sculpture, and more.

Local entertainers will be performing and we have numerous raffle prizes, including items donated by the festival artists.

The festival is a fundraiser for Tahoe Arts Project, a nonprofit organization that brings performing arts to more than 5,000 K-12 students and the community of South Lake Tahoe.

For more information, call (530) 542.3632 or visit www.tahoeartsproject.org.

Families looking for an outdoor educational experience can head to the Valhalla Grand Hall located at the Tahoe Tallac Historic Site on Highway 89 on the South Shore. From July 5-9, children ages 4-15 are invited to discover their power to create in a series of Expression Painting Classes. Created by Gina Stowell, the classes are designed to help children develop and discover the excitement of painting.

Stowell’s Expression Painting sessions share art history and painting techniques followed by a free painting session encouraging creativity and self-expression. Students should wear sunscreen and a hat plus bring a healthy snack. The cost is $150 per child for the week including materials. The three-hour sessions are limited to 10 children and they’re filling up fast. Sessions are from 9:30am-1:30pm. Sign up by calling (530) 541.4975.

On July 7, the whole family can head to the “In the Meadow Sing-a-Long” at the historic Boathouse Theatre. Starting at 10am, children ages pre-school though 12 can participate in an interactive nature and music presentation learning about bears, coyotes and geese in their natural habitat. It’s a free event and parental supervision is necessary.

For event and site visit parking, there is two-hour free parking to tour and/or buy tickets (excluding July 4 when there is no parking available). The parking lot is open daily from 11am to 3pm, as are the Valhalla Grand Hall and Boathouse Theatre.

Celebrate the grand opening of the Eriksson Education Center at the UC Davis Tahoe City Field Station on July 10.

Activities are from 1-4pm with Children’s Environmental Science Day. More than 40 interactive science activities hosted by organizations around the region will be available for children ages 6 and up.

There will be information provided by Lake Tahoe research scientists, a live animal presentation with Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care and a living green seminar. Free ice cream from Susie Scoops will be provided throughout the day.

From 4-6pm is the North Lake Tahoe Chamber mixer and open house. Complimentary food will be provided by Sawtooth Ridge Café. There will be a cash bar hosted by Incline Spirits and also live music with Dan Copeland.

The historical hatchery was built in the 1920s. The building has recently been restored and is opening to the public for the first time since fish hatchery operations closed in 1956.

The center will be open on Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Volunteer docents will provide free tours of the historic fish hatchery and demonstration gardens. Kids of all ages can participate in new scientific exhibits and interactive games. Guests will learn about the historic hatchery and current research. Learn the answers to all your Lake Tahoe environmental and scientific questions.

The Eriksson Education Center is located a half-mile from downtown Tahoe City at Highway 28 (North Tahoe Boulevard) and Lake Forest Road. Due to limited parking, guests are encouraged to walk or ride bikes down the paved bike path and follow the “fish” to the event. Free public transportation provided by the TART bus will also be available.

For more information, visit the Tahoe Environmental Research Center online at terc.ucdavis.edu.

A youth theater workshop will be July 12-24 on the South Shore.

Past participants have gone on to leading roles in high school, college and professional productions. Everyone in the workshop will be cast in the sock hop/soda shop musical “The Nifty ’50s”. Participants will work on acting, singing, dancing, improvisation, auditioning and other theater skills.

The workshop is being presented by the Sierra Tahoe Children’s Theater Company, under the direction of Liz Niven and Marcia Sarosik; technical direction by Bob Grant.

Time: *9:30–11:30am for those entering 1st and 2nd grade in the fall;

9:30am–12:30pm for those entering 3-9 grades in the fall.

Cost: $140 for the younger group; $155 for the older group.

Click on workshop for more information.