LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lower Lake High School class of 1994 is holding its 20-year reunion on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The event will be held from 6:30 p.m. to midnight at Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino,1545 Highway 20 in Nice.

Lower Lake High graduates from surrounding years also are welcome.

There will be a no-host bar, dinner and dancing.

Tickets cost $45 per person or $80 per couple.

Deadline for ticket purchase is Sept. 10.

Classmates also are invited to come early and attend the Lower Lake High School Homecoming football game on Friday, Sept. 19.

For tickets, information or details about a group rate at Robinson Rancheria's hotel, contact Tamah Hulett, 707-239-1042, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A new book focusing on the unique mountain wine country in Lake County has just been released.

“The Lake County Wine Guide” was written and published by Cobb resident Gaye Allen, an English native, California transplant and veteran of the publishing industry.

She will be signing copies of her books at the Lake County News booth, located near the Lake County News main stage, at the fair on Saturday and Sunday.

This highly illustrated travel guide is the ultimate companion for anyone interested in discovering Lake County and its many excellent wines.

The book is packed with beautiful photographs of the spectacular volcanic vineyard landscapes and explains the unique geology and history of the area.

The “Wine Touring and Tasting” section of the book describes each winery’s history, appellation,
terroir, elevation, grape varietals grown and winemaking philosophy.

There is even a section on the boutique wineries of Lake County and where to track down and taste these notable small-lot wines.

The A-Z of Lake County Winegrapes and Wine Styles lists who makes each style of wine, so if you know you like Tempranillo, Viognier or Grenache, the book directs you where you can taste these in the county.

The book also includes illustrations of how Clear Lake was formed, discusses the region's volcanic soils and microclimates, documents the area's history of human habitation going back 12,000 to the first native peoples and the agricultural industries that have thrived in the county.

Allen hopes the book will be of interest to local people, wine enthusiasts, and the general tourist who is curious to visit this unique, distinctly rural, spectacular wine country, which is attracting national and international attention.

For more information, contact Allen at Meadowlark Publishing, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – It’s just a little blue card with a barcode, unassuming, unpretentious, looking something like a credit card.

It has no monetary value but it has power. It’s a Lake County Library card and it provides all manner of free benefits. September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a chance to get acquainted with the Lake County Library and its services.

A Lake County Library card is easy to get and easy to use. To get a library card, provide identification and proof of your current mailing address at any of the four libraries in Lake County. Children under 18 years of age will need a parent’s identification to get a library card.

Once a person has a library card, that card provides access to several services, including free access for requesting and renewing materials in the online tri-county catalog that Lake County shares with the Sonoma and Mendocino County Libraries.

That catalog contains thousands of titles and hundreds of thousands of individual items. Lake County alone owns nearly 149,000 items.

The entire collection contains more than 6000 DVD titles, not to mention books, audio books, and music CDs. Patrons can search the catalog and request materials from anywhere in the system.

Library cards give free borrowing at all branches in the tri-county system. Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino Counties honor each other’s library cards, so patrons can check books out anywhere in the system and return them to any branch. Someone with a card issued in Lakeport, for instance, can check books out in any branch in Sonoma or Mendocino County and return them to Lakeport. Couriers transport books between the libraries four days a week.

Lake County cardholders can access the free Ebsco Auto Repair Database through the Lake County Library Web site. The database includes instructions, illustrations and wiring diagrams for repairing many car makes and models.

Lake County cards provide free Internet access on Lake County Library public computers. Each Lake County Library branch has free public Internet computers and free public wifi access.

The Lake County Library subscribes to the Overdrive downloadable library so patrons with Lake County cards can borrow both electronic books and audio books through the library’s Web site.

Interlibrary loan is a service that allows Lake County patrons to borrow materials from libraries outside of the tri-county system. Patrons can print out request forms from the interlibrary loan page of the library website or pick them up at any branch. The interlibrary loan staff will search for the books and place requests with libraries that own them.

The Lake County Library is on the internet at http://library.lakecountca.gov and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High Street, 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.

Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake, is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 7 p.m. The phone number is 707-994-5115.

Middletown Library, 21256 Washington St., is open Tuesday to Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 707-987-3674.

Upper Lake Library, 310 Second Street, is open Tuesday through Friday 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The phone number is 707-275-2049.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Just like the rest of us, it seems the SPCA of Clear Lake has its challenges staying cool during the hot summer months. 

Recently it became even more difficult after the SPCA cooling system began to fail. 

The SPCA of Clear Lake is a nonprofit corporation which is able to continue to provide services to the community largely because of donations from others. 

Jonas Energy Solutions was contacted and a representative responded to diagnose the issues effecting the SPCA cooling system.

It quickly became apparent that the old cooling system would need to be replaced. 

When SPCA of Clear Lake Interim Director Brandi McArthur explained to the Jonas Energy Solutions representative how tight the budget was, a few calls were made and the folks at Jonas stepped up and offered to donate a new system and installation.

Jonas Energy Solutions is a third-generation family-owned company that was founded in 1973 by Jim Jonas. 

The company offers a wide variety of HVAC and Solar Energy products that are specifically tailored to the needs of our unique climate. Because of their longstanding history of working in and around Lake, Napa, and Mendocino counties, they understand the challenges of engineering efficient systems in our area.

The people at Jonas Energy Solutions feel strongly about contributing to bring about positive change in the community. That's why they donate, participate, and volunteer. 

You will find the Jonas family actively participating in the local chamber of commerce, volunteering with the local fire department, supporting our local kids and their sports teams, and helping out local events and organizations like the SPCA of Clear Lake.

The folks at Jonas assured McArthur that all of the work would be performed by professionals that are licensed, bonded and properly trained. 

Jonas Energy Solutions is certified by the State of California Contractors License Board for HVAC and Solar-energy systems. All installation and service technicians are factory-trained and certified. Jonas Energy Solutions have been serving our community for more than 40 years.

Thanks to Jonas Energy Solutions, the cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens will be able to continue to stay cool and be ready to entertain potential adopters at the SPCA of Clear Lake, located at 8025 Highway 29 in Kelseyville.

If you haven’t been to the SPCA lately, come on out and find a new furry friend, or give them a call at 707-279-1400.

Brenda Crandall is the public information officer for the SPCA of Clear Lake in Kelseyville, Calif.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Civil War was not all about fighting and marching.

In-between battles, both sides relaxed and reminisced to their favorite music of the time, and even serenaded the other side with music from home.  

The September meeting of the Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable will focus on Civil War music by listening to Uncorked, a local blue grass band.

The band will play some popular war songs at the Blue Wing Saloon at 9520 Main St. in Upper Lake, next to the Tallman Hotel, this Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 6:15 p.m.

After the music, the group will review events from September 1864, particularly, the evacuation and destruction of Atlanta by General Sherman.

The roundtable meets monthly in honor of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, reviewing events of 150 years ago that month.  

Normally the group meets on the first Monday of the month, but to accommodate Uncorked, the group will be meeting this Tuesday instead.  

There is no charge, and everyone is welcome.

The discussions generally are of interest from the novice to expert.

For more information, contact Phil Smoley at 707-349-1008 or Zane Jensen at 707-349-6390.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine release party and artist show event with winemaker Scott Simkover of Smiling Dogs Ranch and Santa Rosa artist Randall Jahn featuring his "Gravity" series of space art on Friday, Sept. 5, 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 6, 4 to 7 p.m.
 
The $12.50 ($10/per person for studio club members) wine sampler and appetizers will showcase Smiling Dogs Sauvignon Blanc with melon drizzled with a lemon and verbena syrup, rose of Zinfandel with jalapeño and cherry cream cheese spread, Zinfandel with pork tenderloin and cherry pan sauce, Cabernet Sauvignon with gruyére and red walnut on a dried plum and a bonus taste of Smiling Dogs Fushion Red Blend wine.
 
Fine Art painter, muralist, Faux and outdoor landscaping artist, Randall Jahn is a California native from Chico, now residing in Santa Rosa.

Jahn minored in biology and majored in art at Butte College in Oroville. In the beginning of his artistic endeavors, he worked with colored pencils creating scenes of wildlife. 

His medium changed over the years to painting so that he could explore his ability to capture depth and color.  Jahn's works have been shown at Wyland and Lawrence Galleries, the Marin Maui Expo, the L.A. Art Expo, Las Vegas Art Expo, New York Art Expo. 

In 1994 his images earned the distinguished Sadie Award for Advertising Art and his images of the Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic were on the cover of the Great Western Directory consecutively for three years. 

Most recently, Jahn's latest works of art have been shown at the new Krug Tuscan Event Center in Healdsburg, where the artist himself also painted their walls and ceilings in the faux art style.
 
Smiling Dogs Ranch Winery & Vineyard is a boutique operation located in Kelseyville. 

Winemaker and longtime supporter of the health and arts of Lake County, Scott Simkover recently transitioned from award winning home winemaker to commercial winemaking. 

The wines are made from Lake County fruit grown in the Big Valley, Kelsey Bench and Red Hills AVA’s.
 
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.

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 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 Jahn art show will be on display for the full month of September. 

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