CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Democratic Central Committee will hold its annual legislators’ barbecue on Saturday, Sept. 22.

The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Highlands Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Ave. in Clearlake.  

The special guest speaker will be Secretary of State Debra Bowen.

The event’s master of ceremonies will be Clearlake Mayor Joey Luiz.

Tickets cost $25 per person for seniors, $35 for general admission and $20 for students. Children under 5 may attend for free. Tickets can be purchased online at https://secure.actblue.com/page/lakedembbq2012 .

The event includes a barbecue tri-tip dinner with salads, baked beans, hors de oeuvres, a silent auction  and a live auction.

The Lake County Democratic Central Committee is the official governing body of the Democratic Party in Lake County.   

Contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 707-533-4885 or by email at    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Tickets are now on sale for the Lakeport Volunteer Firefighter’s Association third annual dinner, dance and auction on Saturday, Oct. 20.

The event will take place beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St.

Join the association for a night full of fun, dinner, live and silent auctions, multiple raffles and music by the Fargo Brothers.

Tickets are presale only and cost $30 each or $300 for a table of eight. They are available from Lakeport firefighters or the Lakeport Fire Station, 445 N. Main St.

Sponsored tables receive name recognition, premium seating and their choice of two bottles of wine or two buckets of beer.

For more information call Lakeport Fire Protection District, 707-263-4396.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – “Women’s Voices” on KZYX FM will host Lisa Sullivan, Latin America coordinator of School of the Americas Watch, on Thursday, Sept. 13.

Sullivan will join host Janie Rezner at 7 p.m. The show can be heard on www.kzyx.org and will be archived at www.radio4all.net under Rezner’s name.

Sullivan, who will be speaking in Marin on Thursday, Sept. 16, was born and raised in the United States.

After studying in Mexico, Guatemala and Columbia, she accepted a position in Bolivia as a community organizer with the Maryknoll Lay Missioners. In 1988 she transfered to Venezuela where she raised her three children.

In 2005 Sullivan joined Fr. Roy Bourgeois in launching the Latin America initiative of the School of the American Watch, which seeks to engage countries in efforts to close the School of the Americas.

She and Bourgeois have visited 18 Latin American nations that were sending troops to the SOA and have met with eight presidents – Zelaya, Arias, Morales, Ortega, Chavez, Lugo and Lobo. As a result of these visits, five countries have announced they will no longer be sending troops to the SOA.
 
Sullivan has led several task force-sponsored delegations to Latin America, often with Bourgeois, and has given participants a rare opportunity to meet high-level national figures as well as leaders of popular social movements.

Rezner and Sullivan will discuss Chavez and life in Venezuela.

LAKEPORT, Calif. Admission prices at the Lake County Fair remain unchanged in 2012, with the same pricing structure as in 2011.

The 2012 fair dates are Thursday, Aug. 30, through Sunday, Sept. 2.

This year’s fair theme is “Summer’s Biggest Blast!”

Prices are $10 for a regular ticket, $6 for a senior over age 60, and $6 for children ages 6 through 11.
Children under 6 years old are admitted free every day of the event. Children through age 11 are admitted for $3 on Thursday, Aug. 30 only, for “Kid’s Day.”
 
A special admission program is in place for Friday, Aug. 30. Anyone who brings four cans of food to the gate between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. will receive free admission, with the food benefiting local food pantries through Lake County CAN.
 
Advanced sale discounted tickets, which provide discounts of 30 to 60 percent, are available from a variety of sources in Lake County.

The discounts include single day presale admissions of $7 for a regular ticket and $3 for a child’s ticket. Season presale tickets also are available, with a $25 regular ticket good for four days, and a $10 child’s ticket good for four days as well.

Presale outlets include Foods Etc and Safeway in Clearlake, Hardester’s in Cobb, Hidden Valley, and Middletown, as well as Kelseyville Pharmacy, Riviera Foods, Rainbow Ag, Bruno’s Shop Smart, the Lakeport Chamber of Commerce, Umpqua Bank in Lakeport, Lakeview Market, CJS Ranch Supply, Sentry Market, Hi-Way Grocery and the Red and White Market.
 
Senior tickets are discounted every day of the event, and remain $6 for those over 60.

Lake County Fair is one of Lake County’s favorite summertime events, and is enjoyed by nearly 40,000 people each year.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine tasting event featuring the Lake County wine releases from Thorn Hill Vineyards, and artist reception with watercolors on silk and prints by John R. Clarke on Friday, Sept. 7, and Saturday, Sept. 8.

The event will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 7 and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 8.

Musical entertainment during the evening receptions will be acoustic guitarist Stephen Holland, with guests Travis Rinker and Jim Leonardis.

Artist John R. Clarke is known by many in Lake County as an anesthesiologist, but he’s also an artist who each year creates an original painting for the Lake County Wine Alliance to be auctioned off at the annual event as well as reproduced as poster prints for sale and publicity.

Clarke’s colorful paintings on silk celebrate scenes of people, animals and beauty on planet earth, many of which feature Lake County.

Clarke began his art career at age 5, making toys for his brothers and sisters. Being one of nine children in a family where toys were a rare luxury, he created his own array of playthings. Using discarded machinery, wood, electrical parts, nut shells and anything else at hand which could be transformed, he created dolls, trains, horses and other toys.

A talent for drawing and painting emerged in elementary school and Clarke’s teachers put him in charge of art projects to display these talents.

After a brief sojourn into music, his interests returned to the visual arts and he spent several years creating in oils, watercolor, pen and ink, and sculpture in stained glass.

Discovering silk as a medium afforded Clarke a combination of the previous options with improvements.

“I enjoy the behavior of the paints on silk as water color, but, with the brilliancy of oils,” he said. “The fabric can take on the look of stained glass without the sharp edges. I begin with the idea for an image and throw, brush, or scatter paint onto newly stretched silk with the rough image in mind. The more chaotic the arrangement the better. I overlay this chaos with the order of my image, just as one creates a garden by structuring the chaos of nature. One places certain flowers here, does some weeding there. I allow accidents to happen with both line and color to learn what may be possible despite my plan. When my mind and eyes see what they like, I stop.”

He added, “The Zen master Shunryu Suzuki said, ‘In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities but in the expert’s there are few.’ I try to keep this idea in mind when I paint in silk – new, fresh, endless possibilities. Not an expert controlling my image, its completion, or what it says to a viewer. I let the arrow fly from the bow. Where it goes it goes. The image and its creation come from my heart. I hope my eyes and hands have been good messengers.”
 
Signed poster prints of Clarke’s beautiful painting of Brassfield Estate for the 2012 Wine Alliance Auction event will be available for sale during the receptions and throughout the month.

Located in the diverse micro climate of the Red Hills, Thorn Hill Vineyards covers 50 gently sloping acres within a mountainous terrain where elevations range from 1,400 to 3,000 feet above sea level with cooling afternoon breezes.

Owners Jack and Amy Thorn searched more than a decade to find the perfect location for the Thorn’s family winery before choosing the Red Hills in Lake County.

The Thorns were attracted to the Red Hills Appellation because of its ideal conditions for growing Cabernet Sauvignon grapes – rich, shallow volcanic soils from neighboring Mt. Konocti produce compact berries with powerful flavor.

Three general soil types predominate: Glenview-Bottle Rock-Arrowhead, Konocti-Benridge, and Collayomi-Aiken. The shallow depth and rich mineral content of the soils create an ideal environment for growing premium grapes. The trace minerals apparent in the volcanic soils lend earthy or flinty notes that add complexity to the wine.

Red Hills appellation benefits from a unique diurnal temperature pattern, with hot days tempered by afternoon winds that can cool nighttime temperatures by as much as 50 degrees.

During the growing season daytime temperatures easily reach 90 degrees and above, but cool down each afternoon from breezes created by the sloping elevation changes around Mount Konocti and offshore winds from Clear Lake.

The hot days nudge grapes to achieve full flavor and optimal ripeness, whereas the cool nights help preserve the acidity of the grapes and enhance the balance and complexity of the fruit.

Winemaker Amy Thorn focuses on small production, single vineyard wines from properties that are the most distinctive in their appellation.

She personally oversees each varietal’s production and strives to create full bodied, intensely flavored, richly textured wines of structure, depth and balance that reflect the specific qualities of each vineyard site.

The grapes are harvested and sorted by hand, allowing them to go through primary and secondary (malolactic) fermentation. “The greatest gift you can give as a winemaker is to create a bottle of wine that is the purest expression of each varietal, a wine that is a combination of nature and nurture, resulting in a vintage which represents a union between the fruit of the vine, richness of the earth and the passion of the winemaker,” she said.

The $12.50 ($10/per person for studio club members) wine sampler with paired appetizers will feature Pinot Grigio with basil and Chevré scones, Sauvignon Blanc with papaya relish on rice crackers and Red Hills Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon with pork tenderloin and raspberry vinaigrette. Appetizers are by Cache Creek Catering.

There is no charge to those who wish to view the artwork and meet the artists without partaking of the food and wine. Reservations are not required.

Lake County Wine Studio is both a gallery for display of arts and a tasting room, wine bar and retail shop for the fine wines of Lake County.

Artists’ shows are held on a monthly basis with art and wine receptions held the first Friday and subsequent Saturday of each month.

The gallery is located at 9505 Main St. in Upper Lake. It is open Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Clarke art show will be on display for the full month of September.

For more information call Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Twelve community leaders from a wide range of positions have been selected to participate in the third year of the popular AgVenture program.

Members of the 2012 class include: Lake County Supervisor Rob Brown; Bernie Butcher, owner, Tallman Hotel; Judy Cortesi, retired small business owner; Linda Hedstrom, Housing and Economic Development Manager; Lori Holmes, Renal Dietician and School Board member; and Tibor Major, attorney.

The class also includes Stacey Mattina, owner, Konocti Realty and mayor of Lakeport; Gary Olson, Broker/Owner, Big Valley Properties; Matt Perry, interim county administrative officer, Lake County; Fr. Ron Serban, pastor, St. Mary Immaculate Parish; Rebecca Southwick, development/public relations officer, Sutter Lakeside Hospital; and Claudia Street, executive director, Lake County Farm Bureau.

AgVenture is an innovative concept in agricultural education designed for non-farming community leaders and others who wish to understand more fully the workings of the local agricultural industry.

Modeled after successful programs in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, AgVenture is in its third year and consists of day-long seminars that meet once a month.

Each session focuses on a different major commercial crop grown in Lake County, and features speakers and site tours.

This year, a fourth day has been added to the program that will include presentations on olives and livestock production.

The sessions will again cover such topics as economics, labor, history, marketing, water and land use, agritourism, and sustainability. Class members will gain a broad knowledge about agriculture and farming in general, and more specifically about the heritage, culture, economy, and business of local agriculture.

Community leaders were invited to participate and the members of the class were selected based on their interest in the program, professional position in the community, and ability to help maintain a viable agricultural industry in Lake County.

The first session on Aug. 24 will focus on the pear industry in Lake County with orchard and packing house tours. Speakers will include Deputy County Administrative Officer Debra Sommerfield for Economic Development and a graduate of AgVenture 2010. She will discuss the importance of agriculture in Lake County’s economy.

Broc Zoller, The Pear Doctor, will focus on private, government, and university research and the County’s abandoned tree ordinance.

Myron Holdenried, owner of Wildhurst Vineyards, will discuss the history and evolution of agriculture in Lake County.

Jack King, retired manager of the National Affairs Division of the California Farm Bureau Federation, will address immigration and labor issues affecting agriculture.

Diane Henderson of Henderson Orchards, Kelseyville, will provide a tour and discuss cultural practices, integrated pest management and sustainability, regulatory compliance, and the challenges faced by pear growers.

Toni Scully of Scully Packing Co., Finley, will talk about issues faced within the pear industry and provide an escorted tour of a packing house in full operation.

Pat Scully, general manager of Scully Packing, will describe marketing methods, how the grower and packer derive their income, and working with foreign markets.

The second session on Sept. 21 will focus on the wine grape industry and include presentations by Kris Eutenier, deputy Lake County Agricultural Commissioner; Scott DeLeon, director of Lake County Department of Public Works and a graduate of AgVenture 2010; Glenn McGourty, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Lake and Mendocino counties; Eric Seely, Deputy County Administrative Officer – Special Projects; Randy Krag, viticulturist with Beckstoffer Vineyards; and Shannon Gunier, President of the Lake County Winegrape Commission.

The day will include a luncheon at Vigilance Vineyards and a tour of the Gregory Graham Winery to demonstrate a small winery operation and compliance with regulations.

The third session on Oct. 19 will focus on the walnut industry in Lake County. Marc Hooper, Pest Control Advisor with AgUnlimited will address cultivation of both conventional and organic crops in Lake County. Paula Bryant, Vice President and commercial relationship manager for Umpqua Bank, will cover crop financing and lending practices.

Lake County Community Development Director Rick Coel will review land use issues, the ag element of the county’s general plan, urban/ag interface, the Right to Farm ordinance and value-added agricultural uses.

A tour of the Suchan Farm and Nursery, Upper Lake, and an overview of the walnut industry, including nursery, orchards and dehydrator operations by Alex Suchan will conclude the day’s session.

The final AgVenture session for 2012 will be held on Nov. 9. Sen. Noreen Evans will address the class and talk about the legislative perspective on agriculture in California and the impact of invasive pests.

Other presenters for this session will include Emilo dela Cruz, mill master for Chacewater Winery and Olive Mill in Kelseyville, and Jennifer Keithly of Keithly Ranches, Kelseyville.

The fourth day will conclude with a graduation presentation by each class member sharing the experiences that they will remember from the program.

Generous sponsors for the 2012 series of seminars include the Lake County Winegrape Commission, Adobe Creek Packing, Scully Packing Company, Umpqua Bank, the Lake County Farm Bureau, the Lake County Winery Association, and the Lake County Marketing and Economic Development Program.

Additional support has been provided by Saw Shop Gallery and Bistro, Tallman Hotel, Gregory Graham Winery, Chacewater Wine and Olive Mill, Vigilance Vineyards, Lake Parts, Lakeport Tire & Auto, Broc and Sharon Zoller, Mark Dellinger, Margaret Silveira and Terry Dereniuk.

Transportation for the field trips and site visits is being provided by the Military Funeral Honors Team van with support from the Kelseyville Olive Festival.

The AgVenture program coordinator is Terry Dereniuk, a graduate of the 2010 AgVenture program. Members of her steering committee are Annette Hopkins, President of the Lake County Chapter, California Women for Agriculture, Paula Bryant, Shannon Gunier, Toni Scully, Diane Henderson, and Michelle Scully.

More information about California Women for Agriculture is available by writing to P.O. Box 279, Finley, CA 95435 or visiting them on Facebook at Lake County California Women for Agriculture.