LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As Lake County residents work to recover from the wildfires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is warning of another danger: Fraudulent building contractors and other scam artists who often appear in communities recovering from a disaster.

Here are a few common post-disaster fraud practices:

• Fraudulent phone calls or visits: Be wary of individuals claiming to be from FEMA without proper FEMA photo identification asking for survivor information.

Survivors will be asked to provide their Social Security number and banking information only when registering for FEMA assistance.

• Fake offers of federal aid: Another con is the phone or in-person solicitor who promises to speed up the insurance, disaster assistance or building-permit process. Then there are scam artists who promise a disaster grant and ask for large cash deposits or advance payments in full.

Survivors should know: Federal workers do not solicit or accept money. FEMA and SBA staffers will never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help filling out applications. If in doubt, survivors should not give out information.

• Phony housing inspectors: If home damage is visible from the street, an owner/applicant may be especially vulnerable to a phony housing inspector who claims to represent FEMA or the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

An applicant should ALWAYS:

• Ask to see the inspector’s identification badge. A FEMA or SBA shirt or jacket is not proof of someone’s affiliation with the government. All federal employees and contractors carry official photo identification.
• Do not give bank account numbers to an inspector claiming to be affiliated with the federal government. FEMA inspectors never require banking information.

It is important to note that FEMA housing inspectors verify damage, but do not hire or endorse specific contractors to fix homes or recommend repairs.  They do not determine your eligibility for assistance.

• Fraudulent building contractors: Disasters can also bring out fraudulent contractors who visit an applicant’s home offering to begin work immediately.

When hiring a contractor:

• Use licensed local contractors backed by reliable references, get a written estimate from at least three contractors, including the cost of labor and materials and read the fine print.
• Insist that contractors carry general liability insurance and workers’ compensation. If he or she is not insured, you may be liable for accidents that occur on your property.

The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) provides guidance on verifying contractor’s licenses, investigates complaints, and supplies information about hiring a licensed contractor.

For more information, contact CSLB Disaster Hotline 1-800-962-1125, or the automated phone response system 1-800-321 CSLB (2752). License can be checked on-line at www.cslb.ca.gov .

If you suspect someone is perpetrating fraud, call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or your local police department.

NICE, Calif. – The Northshore Fire Association will host a pancake breakfast benefit on Saturday, Oct. 3, for firefighters who lost homes in the Valley fire.

The breakfast will take place from 8 to 11:30 a.m. at the Northshore Fire Protection District's Nice station, located at 3708 Manzanita Drive.

Among the hundreds of people who lost everything in the Valley fire were 16 firefighters, most of whom were engaged in fighting that fire and others around the state.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from this fundraiser will be donated to the firefighters who lost their homes.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Youth Center is seeking volunteers to help box up and move items collected for Valley fire victims.

The donations are to be moved to a distribution center in Lakeport.

Those who are interested in volunteering should call Joyce Overton at 707-350-2898.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine tasting event and artist show reception featuring Red Lava Vineyards new vintage releases, and artist’s reception with works by Ruth Morgan on Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3.

The event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday.

The musical guest for both evening receptions will be local musician, Jim Williams, playing his guitar.
 
The $12.50 ($10 per person for studio club members) wine sampler with appetizers by Rosey Cooks will showcase Red Lava 2014 Sauvignon Blanc (new release) with Petite Gris melon with bee pollen infused whipped Mascarpone, 2011 Tempranillo (new release) with braised beef shoulder stuffed Gypsy pepper with raspberry tea infusion, 2011 Syrah with blueberry brie compote on Crostini with French radish slaw and the 2013 Petite Sirah (new release) with leg of lamb empanada with cocoa nib vinaigrette.
 
Artist Ruth Morgan was born and raised in Detroit and earned her BFA degree from Eastern Michigan University. She loved going to school and studying the works of different painters.

Influenced by Mary Cassatt – so many flat areas in color and pattern and noting an oriental quality – she also liked the works of Wayne Thiebaud. She loved his choice of subject matter – the Thanksgiving feasts, the deli counters of olives and pickles. She could see a certain lusciousness of color in his work: the way he used shadow. It reminded her of the sweet variety of life.

Morgan moved to the Bay Area in 1975. “When I married and had children a sense of humor became especially important for me in dealing with life in general,” she said. “This is when the funny cat paintings started, and the narrative paintings. When I paint a painting I like to be entertained by it ... I like it to tell a story. Painting supplies a type of richness and satisfaction in my life. It is a ballast.”

Morgan's predominant painting style is Gouache on heavy watercolor paper. Gouache is an opaque watercolor that has a permanent, rich color. The paint consists of a pigment and a binding agent (usually gum Arabic).

First used by the Egyptians with honey as the binder, animators such as Disney used it to paint on cells for early 20th century cartoon production and it is still frequently used to paint scenery backdrops in theatre productions and by designers in the film industry.

Also included in Morgan's artistic repertoire are acrylics on canvas, fanciful hand sewn cats, vases, ornaments and whimsical 3 dimensional mixed media dioramas and sculptures.

Morgan lives on five acres in Jerusalem Valley with her family, an abundant garden, and an assortment of wild and tame creatures.

Bud and Kristi Lawson created Red Lava Vineyards together when they founded their first vineyard location in 1998. Initially the Lawson's focus was on the Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc grape varietals, but they found that the Tempranillo varietal thrived in the Red Hills just as grandly and they enjoyed a rapidly growing fan base for their Red Lava wines. The debut of another varietal added to the line-up, a Petite Sirah, will be part of the menu at the October receptions.

Kristi Lawson hails from generations of wine enthusiasts. Her Uncle “Shine” was known for “fortifying the families” during Prohibition, and she was told that he might have done a little jail time.

She grew up in the Napa Valley in an environment where a small amount of red wine with Sunday supper was traditional and not considered illegal.

Her  family tree includes ancestors from the wine growing regions of France and Germany, and her foray into sensory wine evaluation classes led to a keen ability to “smell” rock and dirt for classification, consistent with the minerality of Red Lava Vineyards and their wines.

Bud Lawson passed away in August 2015. He stoically and persistently fought against a rare cancer (mantle cell lymphoma) these past five years and refused to let it keep him from his passion of farming grapes and producing their Red Lava wines. He was on his tractor working and enjoyed his purpose, family and friends right up until the day his life stopped.

Lawson knew soil and even had a knack for divining water for wells. From many generations of farmers, he began his informal training as a child through observation and involvement with his family on their farm in Arizona. He served in the US Air Force and was a member of Local 3 Operating Engineers for 60 years.

Through his career as a land surveyor and work with construction companies he increased his knowledge, and concentrated his efforts on developing the unique characteristics of the soil in his vineyard and the alchemy of Red Lava wines.

Kristi Lawson will be joined by her sister and friends at the receptions. Lake County Wine Studio owner, Susan Feiler said, “Bud Lawson would be most proud that Kristi is introducing the new wine releases, that life continues to be enjoyed and celebrated with the scheduled new releases.”
 
Lake County Wine Studio is a gallery for display of arts and a tasting room, wine bar and retail shop for the fine wines of Lake County. Artist's 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 Monday, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m.; and Friday from 1 to 8 p.m.

The Morgan art show will be on display for the full month of October.

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

LAKEPORT, Calif. – To support the Surviving Sponsorship Run and Walk fundraiser this Saturday, Oct. 3, the Meals on Wheels thrift store in Lakeport will have a “half-off everything sale” on the same day.

Half of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Surviving Sponsorship organization. 

The Lakeport Senior Center and its volunteers are happy to support this 100-percent local nonprofit organization that helps anyone in Lake County diagnosed with breast cancer. 

The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 120 N. Main St. in Lakeport.

For more information please call the store at 707-263-6174, or the Sponsoring Survivorship group at 707-279-1364 or 707-263-1094.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Republican Roundup will take place on Tuesday, Oct 13.

The event will be held at Round Table Pizza, 821 11th St. in Lakeport.

The social with no host food and beverages begins at 6 p.m., with the organizational meeting at 7 p.m.

Visit the Lake County Republican Party Facebook page or call Chairwoman Dee Cuney at 707-235-2902.