KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – September and October promise to be very exciting months for the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum.

The monthly Fiddlers’ Jam returns on Sept. 4. Musicians will meet in the Ely barn to perform their wonderful Americana music from noon until 2 p.m.

The event is free, but donations made during the event benefit both the Ely Stage Stop, helping to fund the blacksmith shop, and the Old Time Fiddlers Association, helping to fund their scholarship programs.

Come early and enjoy the exhibit in the main house showcasing the first five years of museum activities. Take a hayride or stroll the barn trail. Enjoy the music with beverages and tasty treats provided by the Ely volunteers. Enjoy a picnic in the oak grove. Bring your own wine and sip it in Ely Stage Stop wine glasses that are available for purchase.

On Saturday, Sept. 10, Ely hosts Spotlight on Productions for Blues Benefit  No. 3 Concert at the Ely outdoor stage. This is a benefit for Hope City to rebuild homes lost to the Valley and Clayton fires. 

The tribute concert will open with Dave Broida & Blues Farm from Lake County. Mighty Mike Schermer from Austin, Texas, will be backed by friends from Sonoma County and vocalist Miz Dee from the Bay Area.

Since this will be the anniversary weekend of the Valley fire, several special guests have been invited to speak.

Tickets are $15 cash at the gate, 12 and under are free. Gates open at 1:30 p.m. Music will run from 2 to 6 p.m.

Carpooling is recommended. There will be golf cart and ATV transport to the field from the parking areas. ADA accommodations will be available.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or leave a message at 707-278-7126.

The Stage Stop will be closed Saturday, Sept. 24, due to its presence in the Pear Pavilion at the 24th anniversary of the Kelseyville Pear Festival.

Come by the Pear Pavilion instead that day to talk to museum docents about their current displays and activities. See our stage coach replica up close. Ask about the progress being made on the blacksmith shop, the current all-volunteer museum project. The museum will be open as usual Sunday, Sept. 25.

The Oct. 2 Fiddlers’ Jam at the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum welcomes the return of the Ely Stage Stop Marketplace.

This free, family friendly, fun-packed day can be enjoyed by all, young and old alike. The Marketplace, just outside the Ely barn, will feature local handcrafted goods and will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As usual, musicians will jam from noon to 2 p.m. inside the barn. Enjoy music, refreshments, and the opportunity to browse and purchase the wares of local craftsmen and artists. Food will be available for purchase on site.

The Lake County Historical Society’s Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum is located at 9921 State Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road) in Kelseyville, near the Clear Lake Riviera, just north of Highway 29-Kit's Corner. Current hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.

Visit www.elystagestop.org or www.lakecountyhistory.org , check out the stage stop on Facebook at www.facebook.com/elystagestop or call the museum at 707-533-9990.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine tasting event featuring wines from Brassfield Estate Winery, and artist reception with a collection of paintings and prints by Steve Koelling on Friday, Sept. 2, and Saturday, Sept. 3.

The show will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Winemaker Matt Hughes will join them at the evening receptions.
 
The $15 ($12/per person for studio club members) wine sampler and appetizers designed by Chef Mark Linback will showcase the 2015 Sauvignon Blanc with fresh pears and Manchego cheese on crostini with toasted slivered almonds, 2014 Gewürztraminer with orange zested shortbread cookie, 2013 Eruption with heirloom tomato, mozzarella and basil pesto on skewers, and the 2013 Petite Sirah with chocolate bacon bark.

Brassfield Estate Winery is located in the High Valley AVA of Lake County with vineyard blocks ranging from 1,800 feet on the valley floor to nearly 3000 feet elevation up on the surrounding volcanic ridges.

The varying microclimates, soils and temperature changes among the vineyard sites provide remarkable growing conditions for well over a dozen varietals. The estate property is remote, and as such, sustainability is not optional, it’s critical.

Their farming and operational practices to cultivate, thrive and repeat without depleting the natural resources are diligently applied. All water used in the winegrowing and winemaking processes is recaptured and recycled.

As part of their stewardship of the land, Brassfield has partnered with the California Waterfowl Association, providing a flyway and refuge for thousands of ducks and other waterfowl.

The featured 2015 Sauvignon Blanc was fermented with native yeast partly in neutral French oak barrels and partly in stainless steel tank. It is a vibrant fresh stone fruit style that has a complex aromatic profile and layered mouth feel.

The 2014 Gewürztraminer is a dry white wine, grown from clones that are certified Alsatian. Also showing complex aromatics, this wine is a medium to full bodied lush wine with a long finish.

At the 2015 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Brassfield Estate’s entry of their proprietary red blend Eruption took the Best of Class award, 98 points at the California State Fair, and at the San Francisco International Wine Competition it received a Gold medal. Their 2013 Petite Sirah received 94 points at the Critics Challenge and 95 points from www.Tastings.com .
 
The featured artist for September is Steve Koelling. Born in Dover, Delaware in 1965, Koelling began his artistic endeavors at a very early age, drawing and painting whenever the opportunity presented itself. He gives most of his credit, for starting and staying with it, to his mother for her constant encouragement and support, and always making him feel as if each creation was a new masterpiece.

Although his experience with the art courses available to him during his Junior High School and High School years was nothing short of disappointing, he never relinquished his passion to continue the practice, feeling that the skills would come naturally with time along with his desire to improve upon his techniques with each piece of work.

In the early 1980s, Koelling began painting Holiday Windows for local businesses in Solano County.

Within a short five year span, his work gained him recognition and praise from several prominent business owners, and established him as one of the area’s premier artists.

He continues to display his original works on the windows of several repeat customers who hire him every Christmas Season.

By 1994, he decided to try manipulating his talents and personal experience with oil and acrylic paints on canvas, which eventually led to painting indoor murals. To date he has painted more than 300 canvas pieces and well over 500 murals. His work can be found in a myriad of public and private locations in Northern California, as well as South Lake Tahoe and Reno, Nevada.

He describes his style as an “open field,” painting everything from abstracts, to portraits, to detailed landscape scenes, and even traditional anime and animation-style art pieces. He prides himself on the fact that his style is very difficult to distinguish from one piece to the next.

When told he has amazing talent, Koelling will always refer back to his childhood when his mother’s encouragement simply made him want to “stick with it,” as well as the current support he receives from his inner circle, claiming “anyone could do what I do if they had the same kind of support.”

A frequent guest in Lake County, he currently resides and works in Vacaville, where he produces an average of four to five original acrylics a month.

Lake County Wine Studio is a gallery for display and sale of art 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. The hours of business September through May are Thursday to Monday from 1 to 7 p.m., and Friday from 1 to 8 p.m.

The Koelling art exhibit will be on display for the full month of September.

For more information call Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030 or 707-293-8752.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Valentino “Tino” Jack was born Feb. 14, 1950, to Annie and Hudson Jack.

On Aug. 24, 2016 his spirit traveled home to be with the Ancestors.

Known as “Tino” by his many friends and family members, he was a lifelong resident of Lake County and a Tribal Elder of the Big Valley Rancheria.

Tino was the former chairman/vice-chairman of the Big Valley Rancheria and served his people in a leadership capacity for more than 25 years.

He was known for his candidness, tenacity and honesty, as well as, his playful sense of humor. He served his people well, yet still remained humble and giving.

Tino is survived by his wife, Marlene; and his eight children, Charles, Carla, Valerie, Selena, Marcellina, Kelly, Philip and Jeremiah. He also is survived by his sister, Leota, and brother, David, and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews … too many to name.

Tino will be missed by many and the magnitude of his character not easily forgotten … may your spirit journey home in peace.

Services have been held. Interment took place at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Lakeport.

For further information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611 or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As the school year is just now beginning, Tony Pierucci, the curator of the Lake County Museums, said this is the perfect time to once again remind parents, teachers and school administrators that the Historic Courthouse Museum in Lakeport and the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum offer free museum tours to all Lake County school districts – private schools included.

Thanks to the support of the Lower Lake Historical School Preservation Committee and the Friends of the Museum, Pierucci said the museum is able to pay for the buses to and from the museum, allowing for more students than ever before to enjoy the unique objects and stories of Lake County’s past.
 
He encourages parents to tell teachers that they want their children to go to the museum.

Pierucci asked teachers to contact the museum if they would like to schedule a tour for classes and museum staff will help create a meaningful and unique learning experience for students.
 
The number for the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum is 707-995-3565; call the Historic Courthouse Museum at 707-263-4555.
 
“We enjoy giving general education tours through the museums, but we also look forward to working with each teacher to create special, hands-on activities that fit what they’re teaching at the time,” Pierucci said. “See you in the museum!”

LAKEPORT, Calif. – One hundred civic-minded women of Lakeport and communities all around Clear Lake, are looking forward to the first meeting of the 2016-17 Lakeport Women’s Civic Club this Friday, Sept. 2, at 11 a.m. at Riviera Hills Country Club Restaurant. 

The Lakeport Womens Civic Club meets the first Friday of every month – except for July and August – to enjoy a delicious lunch and hear from various speakers regarding current local affairs. 

The organization includes women in the community who own businesses, work in public services agencies, and are soccer moms, educators, librarians and more.

The list of causes that the Lakeport Women’s Civic Club has invested tens of thousands of dollars toward is lengthy and includes Westside Community Park, Victim-Witness Program, Lake County Pride Foundation, Friends of the Library and Military Funeral Honors Team, just to name a few.

For 95 years, ladies of the Lakeport Women’s Civic Club have been dedicating themselves to their community.

More members are always welcome.

If you would like information or are interested in being a part of this outstanding organization, please call Cheryl Robbins at 707-263-3445.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – In response to the deadly and destructive earthquake that rattled Italy last week, Mediacom Communications announced that it is offering its customers free international phone calls to Italy through Sept. 5, 2016.
 
“The entire Mediacom Family extends our deepest sympathies to the people of Italy impacted by this natural disaster,” said Rocco B. Commisso, Mediacom’s founder and CEO. “By offering free international calls, we hope to provide some small comfort to family and friends concerned about their loved ones overseas.”
 
The ability to make free international phone calls also extends to the Asian country of Myanmar.       Mediacom customers are not required to take any action on their account.

The company will automatically waive fees for all calls to Italy and Myanmar made between Aug. 23, 2016, and Sept. 5, 2016.

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) is developing regulations to establish cannabis cultivation licensing and a track and trace system, collectively referred to as the Medical Cannabis Cultivation Program (MCCP).

The Department has scheduled eight public scoping workshops next month to assist with the development of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR).

The PEIR will provide public, state and local agencies as well as permitting agencies information about the potential environmental impacts of the adoption and implementation of the statewide regulations.

The PEIR will be prepared and circulated for public review by CDFA in accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

CDFA will serve as the lead agency pursuant to CEQA and will consider public comments regarding the scope and content of the information to be included in the PEIR.

All workshops will be from 4 to 7 p.m.

The schedule of scoping workshops is as follows:

– Tuesday, Sept. 13: Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J St. Room 202.
– Wednesday, Sept. 14: Redding Red Lion Hotel (Sierra Room), 1830 Hilltop Dr.
– Thursday, Sept. 15: Eureka Red Lion Hotel (Pacific Room), 1929 Fourth St.
– Tuesday, Sept. 20: Oakland Marriott (Skyline Room), 1001 Broadway.
– Wednesday, Sept. 21: San Luis Obispo Courtyard by Marriott (Grand Ballroom), 1605 Calle Joaquin.
– Thursday, Sept. 22: Coalinga Harris Ranch Garden Ballroom, 23505 West Dorris Ave.
– Tuesday, Sept. 27: Pasadena Convention Center (Ballroom F), 300 E. Green St.
– Wednesday, Sept. 28: Desert Hot Springs, Miracle Springs Resort and Spa (Mirage Ballroom), 10625 Palm Dr.
 
The formal comment period for MCCP scoping begins on Sept. 1, 2016, and ends on Sept. 30, 2016. W

Written comments may be sent to: CDFA, Attn: Amber Morris, Medical Cannabis Cultivation Comments, 1220 N St. Ste. 400, Sacramento, CA 95814 or to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Stuart Dybek was born in Chicago, where there are at least a couple of hundred hotels a poet might stroll past, looking up at the windows.

Here's a poem from his book, “Streets in Their Own Ink,” from Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.

Curtains

Sometimes they are the only thing beautiful
about a hotel.
Like transients,
come winter they have a way of disappearing,
disguised as dirty light,
limp beside a puttied pane.
Then some April afternoon
a roomer jacks a window open,
a breeze intrudes,
resuscitates memory,
and suddenly they want to fly,
while men,
looking up from the street,
are deceived a moment
into thinking
a girl in an upper story
is waving.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. They do not accept unsolicited submissions. Poem copyright ©2004 by Stuart Dybek, “Curtains,” (Streets in Their Own Ink, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2004. Poem reprinted by permission of Stuart Dybek and the publisher. Introduction copyright © 2016 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.