LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The second annual Cattails and Tules Festival – a fundraiser for Konocti Regional Trails (KRT) and Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association (AMIA) – is approaching and organizers are searching for volunteers to help out at the food and wine event.

The festival will be held on Saturday, June 16, from noon to 3 p.m. at Vigilance Winery and Vineyards, 13888 Point Lakeview Road, and Gregory Graham Winery, 13633 Point Lakeview Road, in Lower Lake.

They need people to help with set up, monitor the silent auctions, pour wine, work at the sign-in tables and help clean up.

Volunteers are needed from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. that day, and each volunteer will receive free entry, volunteer t-shirt, food and wine pairings.

Volunteers and attendees will also be able to participate in the silent auction, featuring some great items: One night stay in the Gregory Graham visitor house; one night stay in the Vigilance Vineyard House; an inflatable kayak system; guided Anderson Marsh nature walk and ranch house tour, with picnic; docent-guided Mt. Konocti trip with picnic; four tickets to the Wine Adventure; guided kayak tour on Anderson Marsh; and more.

To volunteer or to donate items for the silent auction, please contact Kim Smith at Shannon Ridge, 707-998-9656 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, CA – The next HazMobile event will be held Friday, June 15, and Saturday, June 16, at K-Mart, 2019 S. Main St., Lakeport.

Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Households can bring up to 15 gallons of toxic items free of charge. Fees will be charged for amounts over 15 gallons.

Items that are accepted include paint, solvents, fuels, five-gallon propane tanks, pool chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, batteries, fluorescent light tubes (up to 60 linear feet) and other toxic materials that cannot be put in the trash.

Items that cannot be accepted include televisions, computer monitors, ammunition, explosives, radioactive materials or infectious wastes.

To learn how and where to properly dispose these items, please visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or contact the Recycling Hotline at 707-263-1980.

HazMobile services are provided to residential households by the Integrated Waste Management Division of the Lake County Public Services Department and the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).

Businesses also are welcome to use this convenient service to properly dispose of hazardous waste and protect our environment, however, businesses must pay for this taxpayer-funded service and first make an appointment.

Business appointments can be made by calling the Mendocino County Solid Waste Authority, the contracted agency that provides this service in Lake County at 707-468-9786.
 
Free recycling options for residents and businesses:

• Recycled paint is available to both residents and businesses at Lake County Waste Solutions on first-come, first-served basis in five gallon containers. Colors include tan, brown, gray, and pink.
• Used cooking oil can be dropped-off by businesses and residents, which will be recycled into BioDiesel by Yokayo BioFuels. Drop-off at Lake County Waste Solutions, South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center, and the Northshore Fire Protection District station at 6257 Seventh Ave. in Lucerne.
• Used motor oil can be dropped-off by residents for recycling year round at a number of sites in the county. Visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us for locations.
• Electronics (e-waste) can be dropped off at Lake County Waste Solutions, South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center, and monthly at the Goodwill e-waste collection held in Lakeport.

Lake County Waste Solutions
230 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport
888-718-4888 or 234-6400
Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
www.candswaste.com

South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center
16015 Davis St., Clearlake
Open daily 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
707-994-8614
www.southlakerefuse.com

The HazMobile program is subsidized by the Lake County Public Services Department, Integrated Waste Management Division and CalRecycle as a public service to Lake County residents.

For more information about recycling, reusing, and reducing, please visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or call the Recycling Hotline at 707-263-1980.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport’s Ginger Ingersoll earned a California Food Handler certificate through the National Restaurant Association to manage enhanced programs at St. John’s Episcopal Church Food Pantry.

Ingersoll’s new expertise enables St. John’s Food Pantry to expand the number of children served and improve quality of food distributed to needy Lake County families.

“St. John’s Food Pantry program is now enhanced by partners Redwood Empire Food Bank and North Coast Opportunities,” said St. John’s Parish Priest Fr. Leo M. Joseph, O.S.F.  “Ginger’s certification and additional church assurance to the agencies cemented the partnership and expands our pledge to end hunger locally.”

“In addition to nonperishable food, we now provide nutritious food including dry beans, rice, milk, fruit juice, tomatoes, chicken stock, pasta, tortillas, bread, and many more shelf items,” said Ingersoll. “Through these partnerships, we also offer fresh onions, garlic, corn, carrots, celery, oranges, bell peppers and more.”
 
St. John’s parishioner Vicky Maley of Kelseyville provides Spanish language assistance each Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when food is distributed to families with children at the entrance of St. John’s Basement Boutique on Clearlake Ave., Lakeport.  

Eligibility forms are available in English and Spanish.

Many know St. John’s Episcopal Church as the architectural jewel that has stood on the corner of North Forbes Street and Clearlake Avenue in Lakeport for 113 years. Many, many others know the church for its ongoing Food Pantry and Basement Boutique Thrift Shop staffed by volunteers and church parishioners.

For further information, please call Fr. Leo Joseph at 707-349-6563 or see St. John’s Web site www.saintjohnslakeport.org .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Lake County Department of Public Works reported that road work which began May 30 on Socrates Mine Road will continue through Friday, Aug. 31.

Socrates Mine Road at mile post marker 1.84 – at Ford Flat Road – is subject to single-lane access 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a stop and proceed when clear restrictions.

The restrictions are necessary in order to allow crews to make repairs to the roadway.

Please drive with caution in the area.

For more information call the Lake County Department of Public Works, 707-263-2341.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Library will present a free photography workshop for teens on Wednesday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m.

As part of the library’s teen summer program, “Own the Night,” professional photographer Nathan DeHart will present a slide show called “A How-to on Night Photography” and talk about telling stories through photographs.

The program is free and no library card is required to attend.

For more information, contact Amy Patton at 707-263-8817, Extension 17105. The library Web site is http://library.co.lake.ca.us .

DeHart holds a bachelor of fine arts in photography is a freelance photographer.

Teens will be able to sign up for “Own the Night” on June 13 if they haven’t done so before.

Teens enrolled in the summer program are invited to submit photos with the theme “Own the Night to the library’s photo contest.

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High St., is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m. The phone number is 707-263-8817.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Shannon Michele of Cache Creek Catering and Lake County Wine Studio are presenting a monthly food and wine series featuring gourmet appetizers paired with select Lake County wines.   

Locally produced foods are proudly featured as key ingredients in recipes created by Cache Creek Catering.
 
The series is held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of each month. The per person cost is $20 and reservations are required.

The next event takes place June 8.
 
May’s event featured Sol Rouge wines with Provencal-inspired foods.

The first course was a Provencal white bean salad made with locally grown organic greens paired with Gypsy Blanc, followed by red pepper shrimp toasts with rouille paired with Rosé.

The final pairing of an apricot galette paired with Sol Rouge Late Harvest Viognier completed the three-course event.
 
June 8 is a preview (“pre-Q”) of summertime BBQ favorites with wines from Six Sigma.  

The first course will be grilled zucchini and green onions with Romesco sauce paired with Tempranillo, followed by grilled pork meatballs with smoked paprika and Manchego paired with Cabernet Sauvignon.   

The dessert course will be a grilled stone fruit with rosemary honey and chevré served with Ceago’s Rose of Syrah.

July 13 is themed “An American Picnic” with wines from Ceago Vinegarden.
 
For reservations and additional information, contact Susan Feiler at 707-293-8752.