CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County PEG TV Board will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The meeting will take place beginning at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

Business items include approval of the Aug. 12 meeting minutes, a short tour of the broadcast office for board members and public, consideration of equipment needs and priorities, consideration of setting up a studio at the Highlands Senior Center in Clearlake, consideration of Internet broadcasting, and reports from the programmers and chair.

Board members include Chair Ed Robey, Vice Chair Denise Loustalot, and members Martin Scheel, Brock Falkenbrg and Eric Hoefler.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A candlelight vigil for an autistic child who died last week will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10.

The vigil for Norman “J.R.” Mendigorin II will take place beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the gazebo at Library Park on Park Street in Lakeport.

The 13-year-old was reported missing early Friday morning, as Lake County News has reported.

Hours later, authorities found his body in Clear Lake off of the end of the Third Street boat ramp.

The Thursday vigil will commemorate his life and shine a light on autism.

Bring a candle and your favorite memories of him.

For more information, contact Stacy Selvey at 707-900-8536.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The first session of AgVenture 2015 launched on Friday, Aug. 7, at the Lake County Winegrape Commission office in Kelseyville, kicking off the program’s sixth year.

AgVenture is designed to teach non-farming community leaders about the crucial role that local agriculture plays in Lake County’s economy.

Participation in the class is based upon an application, and program acceptance is competitive.

Three more AgVenture sessions are scheduled as a part of the 2015 series.

The first AgVenture 2015 session focused on the Lake County pear industry.

Presenters included Myron Holdenried, owner of Holdenried Ranches; Rebecca Southwick, AgVenture 2015 coordinator; Diane Henderson, owner of Henderson Orchards; Dr. Broc Zoller, “The Pear Doctor, Inc.”; Toni Scully, owner of Scully Packing Co.; Pat Scully, general manager with Scully Packing Co.; and Paula Bryant, vice president/commercial relationship manager at Umpqua Bank.

Class topics included crop marketing and financing, integrated pest management, regulatory compliance, and the history and evolution of Lake County agriculture.

The class visited Henderson Orchards to witness pear harvest, and the day also included a visit to the Scully Packing Co.’s shed in Finley.

“We encourage our students to evaluate each session every year,” said LCCWA President Sharron Zoller. “We’re heartened to see that the program continues to meet our goal of giving our local leaders a taste of what makes Lake County agriculture so vital to our community.”

Members of the 2015 class include: Barbara Ehr, clinical supervisor with the Lake County Office of Education; Brenna Sullivan, executive director, Lake County Farm Bureau; Danielle Matthews Seperas, manager, government and community affairs, Calpine; Jim Steele, District 3 supervisor, county of Lake; Jan Coppinger, Lake County Special Districts Utility Systems compliance manager; Dr. Karen Tait, health officer, county of Lake, Health Services Department; Rick Hamilton, commercial Realtor and owner of RAH; Kerrie Lindecker, District representative, Lake and Mendocino counties, Sen. Mike McGuire; Tiffany Ortega, assistant administrator, Sutter Lakeside Hospital; Andrew March, constituent service representative, office of Congressman John Garamendi; Terre Logsdon, Farm-to-School coordinator, North Coast Opportunities; and Lisa Wilson, general manager, Shady Acres Campground and Mobile Home Park.

The next session, scheduled for Sept. 11, will focus on winegrapes and the class will visit Laujor Estates Winery, Gregory Graham Winery, and Beckstoffer Vineyards.

The day will include a bus tour of the Big Valley District, the Red Hills, and the Kelsey Bench viticultural areas.

The series would not exist without the generosity of the following businesses and individual donors: Calpine; Sutter Lakeside Hospital; The Pear Doctor Inc.; Umpqua Bank; Adobe Creek Packing; Harbin Hot Springs; Quackenbush Mountain Resource Recovery; American AgCredit; Bob Bartley Pump, Inc.; Beckstoffer Vineyards; Lianne Campodonico; Judy Cortesi; Scully Packing Company; Tibor and Petra Major; Sharron Zoller; Bengard Marketing; Janet King; Wilda Shock; North Lake Medical Pharmacy; Savings Bank of Mendocino County; Polestar Computers; Lake County Farm Bureau; Mendo-Lake Credit Union; Janice Stokes; and Peggy Campbell, CPA.

Additional support has been provided by Tallman Hotel; Gregory Graham Winery; Chacewater Wine and Olive Mill; the Lake County Winegrape Commission; the Lake County Winery Association; Laujor Estate Winery; Suchan Farm and Nursery; Scully Packing Co.; Beckstoffer Vineyards; and Henderson Orchards.

Transportation for the field trips and site visits is being provided by the Military Funeral Honors Team van.  

The AgVenture program Steering Committee, all CWA members, are Annette Hopkins, Paula Bryant, Toni Scully, Diane Henderson, Terry Dereniuk, Debra Sommerfield, Sharron Zoller and Rebecca Southwick.

California Women for Agriculture (CWA) is a nonprofit organization with 2,000 plus members across the state.

CWA is the most active, all volunteer agricultural organization in the state with members actively engaged in public promotion, education and legislative advocacy on behalf of California agriculture.

The Lake County Chapter of CWA (LCCWA) actively educates their members and the local public about matters impacting agriculture at the county, state and federal levels.

LCCWA also awards scholarships to students pursuing agricultural-related education and provides mini-grants to teachers in local schools who are educating their students about agriculture and food.

In addition, LCCWA sponsors AgVenture, an educational program for community leaders who wish to learn more about agriculture in Lake County.

To learn more about the Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture, visit www.lakecountycwa.org .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The next “Movie in the Park” showing in Middletown Square Park will feature “Bark Ranger” on Saturday, Sept. 12.

The free film will begin at dark in the park, located in front of the Middletown Library and Senior Center at 21256 Washington St.

A free concert featuring The Comforters will kick off the evening of entertainment at 6 p.m.

The Middletown Merchants Association and Hardester's Market are presenting the event, which is sponsored by Lovie's Garden Supply and hosted by Tom's Autodynamics and Middletown Rancheria Tribal Youth.

A concession stand will be offered by the Boy Scouts, Mount St. Helena Brewery, Munchies & Music and the Lake County International Charter School.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture (LCCWA) is offering Lake County classrooms the opportunity to apply for $100 mini-grants to fund agriculture-related educational projects.

All Lake County classrooms from kindergarten through eighth grade are eligible to apply; the projects must have an agriculture-focus. 

LCCWA actively educates its members and the public about matters concerning agriculture at both the county and state levels.

The mini-grant program is designed to assist programs that give students a hands-on experience to learning what goes into producing food and the important role agriculture plays in everyone’s daily life. 

The mini-grant application can be found on the organization's Web site, www.lakecountycwa.org , on the home page under the “Recent News” tab.

The one-page application is due Sept. 15.

Some of the school programs awarded mini-grants are the Kelseyville Kids Garden Club, the Mt. Vista Middle School Garden Project and the Cobb Mountain Elementary School Garden Club.

“We want to get the word out about this opportunity for the 2015-16 school year,” said LCCWA President Sharron Zoller.

LCCWA actively educates their members and the public about matters concerning agriculture at both the county and state levels.

To learn more about the Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture, visit their website at www.lakecountycwa.org .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Lake County Republican Women Federated will have a representative from the Lake County Fire Department who will discuss this year's fire season, its costs, causes and implications for this winter.

The meeting will take place beginnings at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Howard's Grotto, 14732 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake.

Lunch will start at noon, with the speaker to begin at 12:30 p.m.

The fire representative will share information on how to protect property and what community members need to know if they have to evacuate their homes.

The rollback cost of lunch is $20, which includes a main course, coffee or iced/hot tea. All other beverages are no host.             
   
Lunch menu choices this month are chicken Parmesan, chef salad or tuna salad.

Reservations are required. The deadline is the Monday before the meeting.

For lunch reservations and menu choice, or for club information call 707-994-3543 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .