LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Hooves and Wheels Driving Club drill team will be performing at the Fiesta of the Horse again this year.

About a half dozen members of the club have been practicing for the last few weeks with their mini horses and ponies at Argonaut Farm in Lakeport.

They meet weekly, practicing a routine they have jointly created and then have paired with music.

Learning and practicing the drill is fun and teaches drivers and their ponies many skills.

Last year's routine was well received by the crowd and they are looking forward to performing their new routine this year at the event.

The Hooves and Wheels Driving Club is a horse driving club here in Lake County that meets monthly, offering clinics and hosting drives and other events.

Members drive everything from draft horses down to miniature horses and our events are open all equestrians, ridden or driven.

The Fiesta of the Horse will be part of Californio Days, being held at Rancho de la Fuente on Sunday, July 27.

The event celebrates history and agricultural heritage with music, food, arts and crafts.

The horse show has free admission and will begin at 10:30 a.m.

For more information about Californio Days and how to participate call 707-275-9234.

For more information about Hooves and Wheels Driving Club call 707-357-3009.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Californians are ready to celebrate their freedom this Independence Day by taking the first summer holiday of the year.

According to the latest AAA travel survey, just over 4.6 million Californians plan to journey at least 50 miles or more from home this upcoming holiday. This represents a 1.5-percent increase from 2013.

“Consumer confidence and steady economic improvement continue to be major factors for the overall increase in travel this year,” said Pablo O’Brien, VP Travel Products AAA Northern California. “With the Fourth of July weekend being the busiest summer travel holiday, we can expect increased airport congestion, highway backups and higher travel expenditures.”

AAA projects approximately 3.7 million Californians will drive to reach their holiday destinations. That’s a 2-percent increase when compared to travel figures from 2013.

Air travel will decrease by 0. 2 percent with more than 545,000 travelers expected to take to the skies. More than 400,000 state residents plan to travel by other modes of transportation, such as rail, bus and watercraft. This represents a decrease of 0.6 percent when compared to travel figures from last year.

Nationally, AAA forecasts more than 41 million people will travel 50 miles or more during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, representing a 1.9 percent increase compared to last year.

Independence Day holiday weekend airfares are expected to decline by 5 percent with the lowest round-trip rate averaging $215 per ticket to the top 40 U.S. air routes, according to the AAA Leisure Travel Index.

Hotel rates at AAA Three Diamond lodgings are increasing by 9 percent this year, averaging $178 per night.

Weekend car rentals are expected to remain at last year’s rates, with an average weekend rate of $58.

AAA recommends the following Road Trip Prep Guide for summer travel to help ensure safety, security and peace of mind.

AAA Before-You-Go Checklists:

• Emergency supplies: Make sure you keep a flashlight, batteries, first-aid-kit, bumper cables and a basic tool kit in your trunk.
• Cell phone and charger: Always pack a charger and load up your phone with emergency phone numbers you will need for your trip.
• Extra blanket and warm clothing: Always a good idea to keep extra clothing items in the trunk should you get stranded on the road in evening hours, or need extra warmth in vehicle.
• Travel itinerary: It is important that others know where you will be and when to expect you home, in case of any unexpected emergency.
• Secure your home: Make your house look lived-in while you are away.

AAA Safe-Breakdown-Behavior Tips:

• Move your vehicle off the road safely away from traffic.
• Stay inside your vehicle and make sure all passengers stay inside. Keep doors locked and roll down the window only enough to ask a passerby to call police, if needed.
• If you can’t move your vehicle off the road, ask all passengers to exit the vehicle when it is safe to do so, and stand away from traffic.
• If you must walk to a phone, keep your group together.
• Warn other drivers by raising the vehicle’s hood, tying a white cloth to a door handle, or using reflective triangles or flares. Warning devices should be placed far enough away from the vehicle to give oncoming traffic time to react.

AAA Safety-Behind-The-Wheel Tips:

• Stay alert: Avoid driving while tired.
• Belt it: Always wear seat belts and make sure children are buckled up in proper safety seats.
• Put down the phone: Focus on driving. Phone calls and texts can wait.
• Don’t stray: Stay on main roads and highways.
• Take a Break: When stopping to rest, always lock vehicles doors, even if you are gone for a few minutes. Keep valuables in the trunk.
• Call a Pro: Do not stop to help a disabled vehicle. It can be dangerous to be out on the road in traffic. Instead, call AAA for emergency road service.

The free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android uses GPS navigation to help travelers map a route, find current gas prices and discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance.

Members using the iPad version can access interactive Top Destinations travel guides at www.AAA.com/mobile . On AAA.com, travelers can find thousands of AAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants using AAA’s TripTik Travel Planner guides at www.AAA.com/travel .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Saturday, June 28, and Sunday, June 29, the SPCA of Clear Lake held an adoption special featuring both dogs and cats in which prices for the adoptable animals were greatly reduced.

The Cat and Dog Days of Summer adoption event was prompted due to a recent influx of kittens and puppies bringing the facility to capacity.

People came from far and wide – some as far away as Fairfield – to have a chance to adopt these healthy, happy pets who had already been spayed or neutered and received their first vaccinations.

Staff members and volunteers worked with each family to assure that the temperament of each animal was a perfect fit for each family.

Both young and old adoptees had smiles on their faces as they left with their new furry family member en route to their new forever homes.

At the end of the event,29 cats and kittens, along with 10 dogs and puppies were adopted!

The SPCA of Clear Lake would like to thank the volunteers and staff that made this event possible, as well as Dr. Glenn Benjamin DVM, who volunteered his services of spaying, neutering and vaccinating, and Boehringer Ingelheim who donated the vaccines.   

The SPCA of Clear Lake also would like to remind everyone that microchipping your pet might very well save their life.

An example of how successful microchipping can be was recently seen on June 9 when the SPCA received a female pit bull at the shelter from the Clearlake Animal Control officer.

The dog was scared but very friendly. SPCA staff checked for a microchip on the dog and found that she had one.

Because of the microchip, it was determined that the dog’s name was Chloe and that her owner was in a city four hours away.

When the SPCA contacted the family, SPCA staff was told that Chloe had been stolen two and a half months ago from their home. They had been looking for her ever since and had contacted their local animal shelters and vet clinics during their search.

Chloe’s family was so relieved that she had been found and they were reunited with her once more on June 11.

If your pet hasn't been microchipped, the SPCA urges you to consider this option. It is only $25 and that is for the life of your pet. No annual charges or membership fees. You can't put a price on peace of mind.

Microchipping is done the third Saturday of every month from 9 to 11 a.m., along with vaccinations and various animal testing.

The SPCA of Clear Lake also holds low cost weekly spay/neuter clinics and encourages everyone to participate to help reduce the number of homeless pets.

Visit the SPCA of Clear Lake at 8025 Highway 29 in Kelseyville or call them at 707-279-1400 for more information.

Brenda Crandall is press information officer for the SPCA of Clear Lake Board of Directors.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The movie “Cold Mountain” opens up to a battlefield scene during the Siege of Petersburg during the Civil War.

Stalemated and hoping for a breakthrough to end the war, the Union army dug a tunnel under “no-mans land” and made an underground cavern under Confederate lines in which they filled with tons of explosives.

Early one morning 150 years ago this month, they set off the explosives, blowing a huge whole in the Confederate line, killing, maiming, and burying hundreds of men.

What followed is known to history as the “Battle of the Crater.”

Zane Jensen will go into detail regarding this gruesome and tragic event, and explain the circumstances leading up to it, at the next Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable on Monday, July 7, at 6:15 p.m. at the Tallman Hotel in historic Upper Lake.  

Jensen will utilize a multimedia presentation full of pictures and maps to help attendees understand what really happened in back in 1864, and how “Cold Mountain” captured the scene accurately (other than the movie shows it happened early dawn, when in reality it was still dark).

The roundtable meets monthly and is attempting to follow the Civil War month by month to commemorate the Sesquicentennial of the War.  

Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.  

The information is presented in a manner that everyone from novice to expert will find interesting.

For more information, contact Phil Smoley at 707-349-1008 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or Zane Jensen at 707-349-6360 and email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Shannon Michele of Cache Creek Catering and Lake County Wine Studio are presenting a monthly food and wine series featuring gourmet appetizers paired with select Lake County wines.

Locally produced foods are proudly featured as key ingredients in recipes created by Cache Creek Catering.

The series is held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of each month. The per person cost is $25 and $20 for Wine Studio club members. Reservations are required.

July 11 will feature Chacewater wines with a Pacific Rim-inspired menu.

The first course will be a citrus prawn hand roll with rice noodles paired with the 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, followed by fiery Thai beef salad paired with the 2013 Syrah Rosé.

The dessert course will be a coconut cake with mango lime creme paired with the 2013 Orange Muscat.

Ryan Kriken from the Chacewater tasting room will be on site to talk about the wines with guests.

Aug. 8 will be the next date to follow for the Local Cuisine Scene event with local farm stand favorites paired with new summer releases.

For reservations and additional information, call 707-293-8752.

Lake County Wine Studio is located at 9505 Main St. in Upper Lake.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Dr. Glenn Benjamin of Upper Lake has been elected as the Lake County Horse Council’s interim president, following the resignation of Virginia Vovchuk.

Dr. Benjamin, Cornell University graduate and practicing veterinarian for 52 years, began his career in California as a restorative equine surgeon.

One of Safari West’s founders in Santa Rosa, and proud owner of a herd of Percherons, Benjamin, and his wife Dana DiRicco, care for and show their beautiful draft horses all over the Western U.S. and Canada, and among the herd are grand champions and reserve champions at Grass Valley and Calgary competitions.

Active in the SPCA and local Farm Bureau, Benjamin is a hard-working advocate for horses and other animals in Lake County.

Virginia Vovchuk leaves the board of directors after leading the organization since November 2012.

She will continue her volunteer support of the Horse Council, and retains a place on the Westside Community Park Board, working towards the development of a community equestrian center in Lakeport.

In the last year and a half, LCHC reached a total of 150 memberships, and the board’s fundraising efforts doubled revenues for the nonprofit Horse Council, enabling sponsorship of local equestrian activities.

A dedicated group of volunteers was responsible for organizing three major events that made LCHC a recognized organization in the community: The Fiesta of the Horse, the Horse Faire at Kelseyville’s Pear Festival and the Highland Springs Poker Run.

LCHC became a member of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, furthering its partnerships with local businesses and building awareness through marketing.

The LCHC Web site and equine calendar were relaunched and improved. A grant from AQHA and Tractor Supply made possible important trail preservation work at Highland Springs.

The Horse Council was founded in 2009 by a group of equine enthusiasts representing a variety of disciplines and interests.

They agreed on a common set of goals and articulated their mission as follows:

• Promote and preserve the horse as agriculture, industry and recreation;
• Inform the public about horse community goals, projects and events;
• Promote educational programs for the horse industry;
• Support private and public equine facilities and activities;
• Serve as a liaison between the horse industry, the community, and government agencies;
• Promote all aspects of the equine industry.

Go to www.lakecountyhorsecouncil.com for more information and the calendar.