MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Valley Fire Rebuild Expo that was held at the end of February at Twin Pine Casino was hugely successful in its promise to inspire people to “come home and rebuild,” organizers reported.

More than 60 local vendors provided options for housing, building materials and design, giving the event “VIPs” hope for the future. 

Each rebuilding property owner that registered on the Web site was handed a bucket full of tools and a VIP badge as they walked through the door, so that vendors would recognize those who were rebuilding their lives. 

Generous donations from local sponsors made it possible for the expo to be free to the public, give away the buckets of tools, and provide substantial raffle prizes to VIPs.

Kelseyville Lumber provided the 5-gallons buckets and Hardester’s sold the tools “at cost” for each bucket, which totaled almost $7,000.

The Up Valley Family Center of Calistoga provided $100 gift cards to either Home Depot or Kelseyville Lumber to all VIPs, in the total amount of $30,000.  

Just over $22,000 in raffle prizes were donated by vendors and given away to VIPs, and close to 1,000 people attended throughout the weekend.

Organizers offered special thanks to these sponsors who continue to support this community through the Valley fire recovery: Mendo-Lake Credit Union, Tri-Counties Bank, Savings Bank, Twin Pine Casino, Kelseyville Lumber, Hardester’s Market and Hardware, Bridges Construction, Porter Trust, Up Valley Family Center of Calistoga, Black Rock Golf Course and UCC Rentals

The Valley Fire Rebuild Expo was produced by a group of Cobb volunteers, the Friends of Cobb Mountain and the Cobb Resiliency Action Group (“CRAG”). Special thanks was given to Jamey Gill, Jessyca Lytle, Cindy Leonard, Helena Welsh, Emelia “Patience” Sooy, Greg Clouse, Cassi DeTrinidad, and Joel and Jessica Pyska, as well as the many volunteers who spent their weekend making sure this event ran smoothly and compassionately.

A list of vendors and sponsors will remain available at www.valleyfirerebuildexpo.com to serve as a resource for the community.

All unclaimed raffle prizes will be distributed from the donation center at the Little Red School House at 15780 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb. The donation center is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Public Works Department will soon be starting its annual Roadside Weed Abatement Program, which involves the application of herbicides on all city-maintained streets.

Should residents or property owners with frontage along the streets desire that no weed abatement occur adjacent to their residence or property, they must contact the Public Works Department prior to March 14 at 707-263-3578.

As a reminder, property owners are responsible for maintaining their frontage in a manner that does not create a public safety issue caused by overgrown weeds such as fire hazard, pedestrian passage, sight distances, etc.

To assist those property owners who object to the city weed abatement program, the Public Works Department will review their proposed maintenance plans at no charge and issue a no-fee encroachment permit to perform the maintenance as necessary.

One or more of the herbicides “Aztec” may be used on all streets within the city of Lakeport.

LUCERNE, Calif. – This Thursday, March 3, Dr. John Parker will present a fascinating program about Lake County titled, “Cultural and Environmental Changes over 20,000 Years.”

The public is invited to the presentation that will be held at Marymount California University Lakeside campus from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Parker will use artifacts and a Power Point presentation to take participants through the cultural, environmental and technological changes that occurred in Lake County during the past 20,000 years and introduce the relationship between Lake County’s Native American inhabitants and their environment.

The program is part of a “Distinguished Speakers Series,” that is be presented and co-sponsored by the Friends of Marymount California University (MCU) Lakeside and the Lake County Land Trust.

A voluntary $5 donation, which will be contributed to a scholarship fund for Marymount students, will be appreciated.

The campus is located at 3700 Country Club Drive in Lucerne.

A shuttle will be available to take visitors up the hill to the building.

For information call 888-991-5253 or 707-262-0707, leave a message and someone will return your call.

You may also go to the Lake County Land Trust Web site at www.lakecountylandtrust.org .

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine tasting event featuring single vineyard wine releases from Langtry Estate and artist reception with works by Diane Stawicki on Friday, March 4, from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, March 5, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Dustin Fults and Jose Vazquez of Langtry & Guenoc will join them both evenings to meet with guests.

Musical entertainment will be provided by Crackers and Beans (aka Fults and Vazquez).

The $15 ($12/per person for studio club members) wine sampler with paired appetizers created by Chic Le Chef, will feature 2014 Night Marsanne from Guenoc Valley with a chilled avocado soup with tomato brunoise and lemon, the 2012 Petite Verdot from Tephra Ridge with pork rillette with raisin, apple and whole grain mustard on rye bread, 2013 Petite Sirah from the Serpentine Meadow vineyard with herbed Manchego cheese balls encrusted with red walnuts and blueberry conserve, and the 2013 Late Harvest Viognier with orange zest almond biscotti with strawberries.

Langtry Estate’s rich history dates back to 1888 when British actress Lillie Langtry purchased 4,190 acres in pristine Lake County.

Mrs. Langtry pioneered a long tradition of winemaking in today’s Guenoc Valley by making the finest claret of that era. After she sold the estate in 1906, winemaking did not return to the Guenoc Valley until the early 1980s.

Langtry Estate and Vineyards is located in the picturesque Guenoc Valley, a high elevation terroir ranging from 700 to 2600 feet.

With more than 23,000 acres (approximately the size of the city of San Francisco), Langtry’s borders extend to southern Lake County and into the northern Napa Valley.

In addition to its breathtaking natural beauty, the estate is unique for becoming the first winery in the United States to have its own appellation with the approval of the Guenoc Valley AVA in 1981.

While Langtry has enjoyed significant critical success, the winery has emerged as one of the top producers of two of the hottest varietal wines on the market today, Petite Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc.

Each year, Langtry ranks among the top medal winning wineries at professional wine competitions, and the winery’s Petite Sirahs have won more gold medals and show awards than any other Petite Sirah in the world.

Artist Diane Stawicki moved to Lake County with her husband in 1999 and soon became involved with he Lake County Art Council and and the Konocti Art Society.

A longtime patron of the arts, Stawicki has evolved from the theatrical arts to the mastery, creativity and joy of painting.

Having studied, performed, taught and traveled throughout the United States, Canada and Europe as a choreographer, producer and dancer, Stawicki has honed her talents. Currently, she produces and choreographs the Golden Follies show in the San Francisco Bay Area.
 
With no formal training in the world of painting, Stawicki started working in oils and her repertoire now includes watercolors, acrylics, silk dying and working with clay.

She has become active in the community by volunteering to teach for the art council's Summer Youth Program. She also has been involved in the Pear festival winning the poster contest three times.

She shows her art in various places including Art in Public Places, the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro, many festivals and wineries in Napa and the Bay Area. Stawicki's other interests include participating in the yearly Fiesta of the Horse, dancing the Flamenco, traveling and swimming are favorites.
 
“With painting I am able to express my inner joy and beauty. I feel I am an artist of spirituality and caring and these are qualities I express through my work, which I so lovingly enjoy,” Stawicki said.

The Stawicki art show will be on display for the full month of March.
 
Lake County Wine Studio is both a gallery for display of arts 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. It is open Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 1 to 7 p.m. and Friday from 1 to 8 p.m.

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

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Desiree Todd will demonstrate making a variety of soft cheeses and yogurt at the Lakeport branch of the Lake County Library on Saturday, March 5, at 2 p.m.

Todd has been working with whole natural dairy products since childhood.

She currently operates StableFood Farm Buyers Club, a farmstead full of old-fashioned, nutrient dense, unadulterated farm foods such as Jersey cattle for both dairy and beef, endangered pilgrim geese, heirloom fruits and vegetables. She is usually found on the farm growing and raising real food.

StableFood has a presence on Facebook/stablefood, contributes to the farm blog www.stablefood.wordpress.com and Local Harvest.

Todd has demonstrated cheese, yogurt and other fermented dairy products in the library in the past.

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High St., is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The phone number is 707-263-8817.

The library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and on www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

NORTH COAST, Calif. – On Monday state Sen. Mike McGuire voted to support the renewal of the Managed Healthcare Organization (MCO) tax – an overhaul of the health care plan tax structure that funds Medi-Cal and will bring a much-needed influx of funding to developmental disability services.

By approving the MCO tax reform renewal, the state will see $8 billion in federal matching funds over three years that was at risk without changes to the health care plan tax.

Notably, the MCO tax legislation will put $300 million into developmental disability services, including a 7.5 percent increase to wage and benefits for direct care staff and regional center staff, as well as funding increases for administrative costs, transportation, supported and independent living programs and more – all for community-based developmental services programs.

Funding increases have lacked for years and the California developmental disability system has been near crisis due to the lack of funding.

In addition, the MCO tax reform also relieves rural and critical access skilled nursing facilities that are associated with general acute care hospitals from repayment of a prior budget cut, including $325,000 for the Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville and $404,000 for Trinity Hospital in Trinity County.

“This is an important day for our developmentally disabled community as desperately needed dollars are invested back into services and programs that will benefit tens of thousands of the most vulnerable in our state,” Sen. McGuire said. “This bipartisan reform will help our poorest and most medically fragile residents access the care they need and deserve.”  

Below are some key breakdowns for the MCO reform package:

S.B.X.2 No. 2 (Hernandez-Bonta) Medi-Cal: Managed Care Organizations

– Replaces California’s current MCO tax which sunsets on July 1, 2016.
– Allows California to maximize existing federal dollars, nearly $8 billion in federal support over three years.
– Will not negatively impact premiums and relieves the plans of $371 million in corporation and insurance tax liability, annually for the three years. This tax savings must go towards reducing premiums, increased provider reimbursements or increased plan profits.
– Provides stable and ongoing funding for Medi-Cal.
– Supported by Anthem, Blue Shield, California Association of Health Plans, CalChamber, California Dental Association, California Medical Association, California State Association of Counties, Health Net, L.A. Care Health Plans, Local Health Plans of CA, Molina Healthcare, Planned Parenthood, Sutter Health, Urban Counties and Western Center on Law and Poverty.

A.B.X.2 No. 1 (Thurmond-Beall) Medi-Cal: developmental services: funding.

– The MCO tax also raises enough revenue to free up General Fund dollars that will be used to provide a $300 million investment in the community-based developmental services system. With matching federal funds, this represents a $500 million investment.
– As a result, the developmental services system that supports nearly 300,000 of the state’s most vulnerable citizens will finally be stabilized after years of cuts and rates freezes that had a debilitating impact.
– Relieves rural and critical access skilled nursing facilities that are associated with general acute care hospitals from repayment of a prior budget cut.
– The bill also provides new resources to improve access to the system for families that have historically been especially underserved, including families of color and those who speak languages other than English.