Adventurous wine enthusiasts will have an opportunity to discover “wine with altitude” and taste the reason why Lake County – with a grape-growing history that extends back to the mid-19th century – is now fast becoming known for its award-winning wines, ultra-premium winegrapes, and resort-style wineries.

Throughout the weekend, “wine adventurers” will taste wines from Lake County’s five distinct viticulture areas (AVAs) as they visit participating wineries, including: Ceago Vinegarden and Tulip Hill Winery in Nice; Brassfield Estate Winery in High Valley; Shannon Ridge Winery, High Valley Estate Vineyards, and Noggle Vineyards & Winery in Clearlake Oaks; Gregory Graham, Ployez Winery, Terrill Cellars, and Six Sigma Winery & Vineyards in Lower Lake; Langtry Estate Vineyards & Winery in Middletown; Moore Family Winery in Cobb; Cougar’s Leap, Dusinberre Cellars, EdenCrest Vineyards, Mt. Konocti Growers Winery, Red Lava Wine Tasting, Rosa d’Oro Vineyards, Steele Winery, Snows Lake, Sol Rouge, and Wildhurst Vineyards in Kelseyville. Bell Hill and Zoom Wines will be offered at LCWS, a wine tasting studio located in the town of Upper Lake.

Adventure Tickets are $25 each and may be purchased online at www.lakecountywineries.org, or at any of the participating wineries. Each ticket entitles the holder to wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres at each winery, as well as a logo wine glass and winery map. Several of the wineries also will offer barrel tastings, winery tours, and entertainment. Event-goers may leave their Adventure Tickets with the last winery they visit to be entered into a raffle for several prizes.

Event organizers promote responsible hospitality and encourage all participants to designate a driver. For more information, call 707-279-2927 or online to go www.lakecountywineries.org.

Lake County is part of the North Coast AVA, which also encompasses Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties. Within Lake County, five other AVAs exist – Clear Lake AVA, Benmore Valley AVA, Guenoc AVA, and the recently approved Red Hills AVA and High Valley AVA.

For visitor information, contact the Lake County Visitor Information Center at (800) 525-3743 or www.lakecounty.com.

{mos_sb_discuss:2}

A conservation easement is a voluntary transfer of usage rights creating a legally enforceable land preservation agreement between the landowner and the entity holding the easement. The purpose of a conservation easement is to protect land and resources by separating the right to subdivide and build on the property from other rights of ownership.

The easement might also limit commercial and industrial uses and certain other activities on a property to a mutually agreed upon level. The landowner voluntarily agrees to contribute to the public good by preserving the conservation values on the property, and the easement holder has responsibility for monitoring future uses of the land to ensure compliance with the terms of the easement.

“As the population of our state continues to grow, and urban growth expands into previously undeveloped areas, additional pressures are being placed on the resources of the state parks system,” Wiggins said.

“DPR is authorized to purchase land for the purpose of protecting parks from development and other impending threats, but this solution is not always economically feasible,” Wiggins added. “An easement is a good tool for the department to use to preserve the state park system; it costs less, and also allows the land to remain in the hands of the private land owner. Further, it defends the land from incompatible use issues, and it relieves the department from incurring maintenance costs."

SB 1431 clarifies that DPR is allowed to acquire a conservation easement if the department determines that it is necessary to protect a unit of the state park system from an incompatible use or to preserve and enhance the natural resource, cultural, or historic value of a state park unit.

The bill also enables DPR to make grants to a state or local government agency, or a nonprofit, to purchase and hold a conservation easement with funds that have been appropriated to the department for land acquisitions. Grant recipients would be required to monitor and enforce the easement and agree to restrict the use of the land in perpetuity.

Assemblymember Patty Berg (D-Eureka) is a co-author of the Wiggins bill.

Wiggins represents California’s Second Senate District, which includes parts or all of six counties: Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma. Visit her Web site at http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com.

{mos_sb_discuss:2}

A CONTACT PHONE NUMBER IN THIS STORY HAS BEEN CORRECTED. 

LAKE COUNTY – The Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild invites all Lake and Mendocino County quilters to enter quilts in its seventh annual Falling Leaves Quilt Show.

Donna James, chairman of the show committee, reminds quilters, “Remember, the item does not have to be finished already, just entered!”

The Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild is inviting entries now to give quilters time to prepare for the show. The deadline to submit entry forms is Saturday, Aug. 2, and quilts must be ready for display Oct. 3.

Entry forms and details are available from the quilt guild’s Web site, www.LLQG.org, or contact Donna at 262-1201. Mail completed entry forms to Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild, P.O. Box 875, Kelseyville, CA, 95451.

Quilters may choose to have their quilts judged for a small fee, or to enter quilts for free without judging. Many quilters find it beneficial to have their quilts judged, learning much from an impartial evaluation. The judge will award ribbons in several areas

Show organizers expect to display more than 200 quilts in this show, which will be held at the Lake County Fairgrounds Saturday, Oct. 4, and Sunday, Oct. 5.

Among the other attractions will be the works of featured quilter internationally-known Judy Mathieson, vendors, prize drawings, a silent auction and the Country Store boutique. Watch for more publicity as the time grows near.

LLQG welcomes all quilters, prospective quilters and quilt lovers to its meetings and events.

For more information about the quilt guild, contact Dottie at 462-7036, or visit the Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild website at www.LLQG.org.

{mos_sb_discuss:2}

Former Lake County Deputy Agricultural Commissioner Chuck Morse discusses invasive weeds during last year's Invasive Weeds Awareness Week tour. Photo by Greg Dills.

LAKE COUNTY – The Lake County Weed Management Area is hosting an “invasive weed tour” Thursday, July 24. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend this tour.

The third week of July is California’s annual “Invasive Weed Awareness Week.” This statewide program is designed to educate citizens of the undesirable effects and impacts of non-native invasive weeds.

The self-driving tour is a fun and informative event where participants will view and learn about several species of invasive weeds.

The tour will begin in Lakeport proceeding to Nice, Rodman Slough, Main Street Bridge in Kelseyville, ending in Lakeside Park as our final “weed” stop that includes a lunch for the tour attendees.

This year’s tour is focused on revisiting the same sites as last year to observe the progress that has been made to control the invasive weeds and, in some cases to see the spread where invasive weeds have been left unattended.

We will see a demonstration area where goats have been used to control French Broom; we’ll visit two aquatic weed locations; and we will stop to view one of the Weed Management Area’s multiple control sites for Arundo donax, a significant invader of our riparian areas. We’ll visit an area with an abundance of terrestrial invasive weed diversity and we’ll try our luck at seeing some Yellow Star Thistle biocontrol agents at work.

Passenger vans with limited seating will be available on a first come first serve basis. All other participants will need to provide their own transportation and carpooling is encouraged. Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. at Lake County Department of Agriculture’s parking lot (883 Lakeport Blvd.).

The tour will leave from the parking lot at 8:45 a.m. and end by 12 p.m. at Lakeside Park. Please RSVP with Kristi at 263-0217 by July 22 if you plan on attending and indicate if you would like a seat on one of the vans.

The tour is sponsored by Lake County Department of Agriculture, the Lake County Department of Public Works, and the East Lake and West Lake Resource Conservation Districts.

While the end-of-tour lunch is free of charge, a donation to offset the costs of the lunch and refreshments would be appreciated.

{mos_sb_discuss:2}

Lodge members Joyce Vaughn, Thelma Dangel, Carl Ingvoldstad and Mary Beth Ingvoldstad attended the District 6 Convention where they picked up awards for the lodge. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY – Vikings of Lake Lodge No. 6-166, Sons of Norway Members Joyce Vaughn, Thelma Dangel, Carl Ingvoldstad and Mary Beth Ingvoldstad attended the District 6 Convention for their organization in June at the Marriott Hotel in San Ramon.

This lodge, only three years old, received Silver Awards for 2006, Gold Awards for 2007, Founders Award with a $50 check for Membership Growth, Editorial First Place Award for their Lakeviews newsletter and Lodge of the Year for 2007. Quite an accomplishment!

The district encompasses California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Hawaii.

There are 7,500 members and 52 lodges in the district.

{mos_sb_discuss:2}

You may be eligible to file a 2008 claim if, on Dec. 31, 2007, you were age 62 or older, blind or disabled; had a total household income of $44,096 or less; and are a United States citizen, designated alien or qualified alien.

Homeowners must have been living in their California homes; renters must have lived in a qualified California rented residence and paid $50 or more in monthly rent.

Maximum payments this year may be as much as $472.60 for homeowners and $347.50 for renters, but may be decreased if the program is affected by California’s budget deficit and cuts. Information and forms FTB 9000H/9000R are available from the Franchise Tax Board at www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/hra or by calling 800-868-4171.

Seniors may also receive assistance at the following locations:

• Highlands Senior Service Center, telephone 994-3051; by appointment, Tuesday and Thursday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

• Lakeport Senior Center, telephone 263-4218; on a walk-in basis, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Live Oak Seniors, telephone 998-1950; by appointment, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon.

• Middletown Senior Center, telephone 987-3113; on a walk-in basis, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

   

This reminder is brought to you by Community Care’s Senior Information and Assistance Program, which helps Lake and Mendocino County seniors link to area services.

Visit www.SeniorResourceDirectory.org or call 800-510-2020 for questions about other services for seniors in our community.

{mos_sb_discuss:2}