American white pelicans. Courtesy photo.

CLEAR LAKE STATE PARK – “The Majestic American White Pelican,” an intriguing bird of Clear Lake, will be featured in a slide presentation at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 28 in the Clear Lake State Park Visitor Center auditorium.

Docent Leona Butts will provide some of the history of the pelican on Clear Lake. Have they always been here? Will they always return? What, no brood patch.

Also, take time to enjoy a stroll through the center’s natural history museum and inspect unique items in the gift shop.

The visitor center is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no entrance fee to the park for participating in walks, programs or visiting the museum.

Saturday programs are planned through July, with July 12 set aside for “Introduction to Volunteer/Docent Training,” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Supervising Ranger Ryen Goering will introduce the program. Anyone interested in learning about the volunteer program in Lake County’s two states parks will be welcomed to the session. To indicate your interest, call 279-2276 to leave your name and a contact number.

Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.

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Residents are encouraged to go through an inspection process to obtain their inspection stickers by June 30, 2008, when the initial no-cost phase of the program ends.

Residents with local vessels may obtain their inspection stickers at the following locations:

Department of Public Works

Walk-in hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday

Lake County Courthouse (third floor), 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport; 707-263-2341

Lake County Visitor Center

Walk-in hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday – Thursday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday

6110 E. Highway 20, Lucerne; (707) 274-5652; (800) LAKESIDE

Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce

Walk-in hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday

875 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport; (707) 263-5092

“Local vessels” include those vessels that are registered in Lake County and non-registered vessels that are owned by residents of Lake County. Proof of a “local vessel” must be provided; this may include a valid driver’s license with a Lake County address; the vessel registration certificate showing a Lake County address; or alternately, a utility bill showing a Lake County residence and/or a boat-slip lease agreement with a local marina.

As part of the inspection process, an inspection application form, which includes an affidavit, must be completed, signed, and submitted. In addition, for registered vessels, owners/operators also must have the registration number (CF#) of the vessel.

For those from out of the area, several local bait shops and marine-related businesses offer this vessel inspection service to visitors, and many resort owners and marina operators offer this service to their guests and customers.

For information about this program, call the Lake County Mussel Hotline at 707-263-2556, or for information and to download the application form and instructions, go online to the Lake County Mussel Web Site at www.co.lake.ca.us/mussels.

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"We have activity packages including golf and fishing, lake cruises, getaway accommodations, theater packages – even a week in a condo in Hawaii," she said. "There are also dozens of merchandise offerings including, of course, wine lots from virtually all of our top local wineries."

The event is sponsored by nonprofit Clear Lake Performing Arts in conjunction with the Kelseyville Business Association and the Lake County Winegrape Growers Association, with all proceeds going to help fund CLPA's music support programs, including the symphony, the youth orchestra, a regular concert series and student scholarships.

Festival donors at the Patron level are Sears, Sutter Lakeside Hospital and Westamerica Bank while a Donor Level sponsor is Dr. Paula R. Dhanda's Specialty Care and Surgery Center. More than 70 other merchants are participating sponsors.

The festival, now in its sixth year, is becoming an annual fourth-Saturday-in-June tradition in Kelseyville, where Main Street is roped off to permit the dozens of booths needed to accommodate the winemakers – both amateur and commercial – as well as numerous arts and crafts representatives.

A panel of judges, including well-known wine critic and author Craig Renaud, will judge the results of the home winemakers' best efforts, although the general public will select the popular "Peoples Choice" winner.

Music will be provided by the David Neft Duo, consisting of Middletown's musical icon David Neft, supported by percussionist Steve DuBois.

Amateurs submitting wines for judging must present them to the judge's station located at the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro no later than 10 a.m. There is no limit on the number of varietals any individual can enter and the fee is $5 per bottle. Reds, whites, blushes, blends and dessert wines are all welcome. Only those wine makers who agree to pour samples for the public are eligible.

Judging will be blind tasting with points awarded on a scale developed by Renaud. Other judges are Charley Hassom of Snows Lake Vineyard, Jack Vos of Rob Roy restaurant, Rodney Duncan of Duncan Vineyards, Stephanie Cruz-Green of Kelseyville's Focus on Wine shop, Valerie Ramirez of Wildhurst Winery, Eric Stine of Langtry Estates Winery and Record-Bee food columnist Ron Jones.

Tickets for the festival can be bought in advance at Catfish Books in the Willow Tree Plaza in Lakeport, or at the Arts Council's Main Street Gallery, also in Lakeport. In Clearlake tickets are available at Wild About Books on Olympic Avenue. Advance sale tickets are $15 while those purchased at the gate are $20, which includes a monogrammed wine glass.

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It is preferred that the students are majoring in some aspect in the field of agriculture. If students are majoring in another field they will also be considered.

Call Scholarship Chairman Pat Hopper, 263-9112, for further information and for applications for scholarships.

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There is no entry fee and all vessels are encouraged to enter. The parade will begin at approximately 9 p.m. on Friday, July 4.

The lineup will begin off Rumsey Bay, adjacent to Del Lago at the north end of Lakeport.

Applications were mailed to prior participants in May, if you did not receive yours, please contact the Chamber at 263-5092.

Several activities will be taking place on July 4 in Library Park beginning with a street fair at 10 a.m. which is put on by the Lakeport Main Street Association. Also at 10 a.m. will be the inaugural Cardboard Boat Race and at 6:30 p.m. Bill Noteman and The Rockets will be performing in the Gazebo for the Friday Night Concert in the Park.

Following the boat parade will be the Annual Lakeport and North Lake County Fireworks display coordinated to music on radio station KXBX 1270 on your AM dial, sponsored by the Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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Currently, there are several businesses involved in raising funds for the fireworks display: Lakeview Market, Lucerne; Northshore Sentry Market, Nice; in Lakeport, The Cottage, Renee's, Park Place, Biggs 155 Diner, Linda's Hallmark, Cafe Victoria, Piedmont Lumber, Shari's Secret Garden, The Kitchen Gallery, Bruno's Shop Smart, the Lakeport Regional Chamber and Kelseyville Lumber.

“Each year we receive many compliments on the quality and excitement of the fireworks,” said event chair Jan Parkinson. “So we know how much the public appreciates the display.'

However, continues Parkinson, there is a huge cost for the display and all donations to the Fireworks Add A Dollar campaign help the chamber continue to present the display each year.

The fireworks display is coordinated to music on radio station KXBX 1270 AM on the dial. By tuning into that station, you will hear music which has been especially selected by Pyro Spectaculars.

Please consider making a donation when shopping/visiting any of the businesses above to help produce the north County fireworks.

If you have questions concerning the July 4 activities in Lakeport or around the county, please contact the chamber at 263-5092 or go online at www.lakeportchamber.com.

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