LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Department of Public Works will be starting its “Roadside Brush Abatement Program” weather permitting, through the application of herbicides along certain county-maintained roads this summer.

This abatement program will focus on puncture vine, poison oak and blackberry bushes.

Should residents or property owners abutting the roads listed below desire that no brush abatement occur adjacent to their residence or property, they must contact Public Works prior to July 12, unless a previous request for “no spray” was submitted to Public Works.

If you would like to remove an existing “no spray” status, you must contact DPW at 707-263-2341.

As a reminder, property owners are responsible for maintaining their frontage in such a way that does not create nuisance conditions.

While people can request that their frontage not be sprayed, they must otherwise maintain their frontage to avoid creating a public nuisance that could be caused by overgrown weeds and brush – fire hazard, aesthetics, sight distances, etc.

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

One or more of the following herbicides "Triclopyr 3A,” “Garlon 4,” and “Glyphosate” may be used in the following areas:

Roads that are anticipated to be sprayed include:

• Loch Lomond Road (from Seigler Canyon Road to Hwy 175);
• Soda Bay Road (from Clark Drive to Westlake Drive and from Crystal Lake Drive to State Route 281);
• Seigler Canyon Road (from Loch Lomond Road to Hwy 29);
• Konocti Road (from End of pavement to the Park gates); and
• Pt. Lakeview Road (from Hwy 29 to Wheeler Drive).

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – Archaeologist Dr. John Parker will share information about the prehistory of our area at the regular monthly meeting of the Stone House Historical Society Tuesday, July 2.

Stone House, the oldest building in Lake County, is located in Hidden Valley Lake.

Dr. Parker will focus finds in south Lake County and will bring some of his collection of artifacts that represent the different technologies and time periods.

He is known locally for his years of work in the Anderson Marsh area and his invaluable contributions to its being named a state park. He has been a pivotal figure in the rescue of many historic sites throughout California.

During the past 35 years, Dr. Parker has conducted numerous archaeological, historical, and ethnographic evaluations in conjunction with the preparation of environmental documents.

He has worked in 30 California counties, representing all geographic regions of the state, and has been involved in more than 200 excavation projects, 130 of which he directed.

For his work in nominating 40 archaeological sites to the National Register of Historic Places and leading the public awareness campaign which culminated in the acquisition of these sites as a new state historic park, he has received resolutions of commendation from the Lake County Board of Supervisors, the City of Clearlake, the Society for California Archaeology, the Cultural Heritage Council, and was nominated for the 1984 National Trust Honor Award.

The meeting will be at the activities center next to Hidden Valley Lake Association offices, starting at 10 a.m.

Non-residents of Hidden Valley Lake may enter at the Hartmann gate by leaving their name with the guard and saying they are attending the Stone House meeting.

Call Nina at 707-987-2349 for further information.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Office of Education's AmeriCorps program is now hiring.

As part of the LCOE AmeriCorps program, members serve in a school setting (preschool, elementary, after school or high school) as tutors, mentors, health advocates, role models and leaders.

Participants in the AmeriCorps program will receive 50-plus hours of training to support members in creating a positive learning environment focused on strengthening students both academically and socially. Leadership opportunities are available for applicants with previous service experience.

Members serve a total of either 450 or 900 hours of service over a 10-month term (over the school year). The positions pays a living allowance twice a month, and upon successful completion of your term of service, an education award of either $1,468 for 450 hours or $2,775 for a 900-hour term of service.

For more information visit www.americorpsdata.org or apply online at http://www.edjoin.org/viewposting.aspx?postingID=473231&;countyID=17&onlineApp=1 .

Call the program at 707-263-8796, Extension 241.

NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around the North Coast during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 53

– Highway widening and rehabilitation from 40th Avenue to the junction of Routes 20/53 will continue. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor ‐ Teichert Construction of Davis. LC#C53AA

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– City of Point Arena has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility work from Main Street to the CAL FIRE station. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Replacement of the Greenwood Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Golden State Bridge Inc. of Martinez.

– Slipout repairs 1.6 miles south of Navarro Bluff Road will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Green Right O'Way Constructors of Willits.

– Bridge painting at the Salmon Creek Bridge and the Albion River Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Jeffco Painting and Coating of Vallejo.

– Replacement of a culvert with a bridge at Dunn Creek will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Shasta Construction of Redding.

Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Vegetation removal just south of the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue. A shoulder closure will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.  Contractor – DeSilva Gates Construction of Dublin.

– Bridge rehabilitation at the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue. Nighttime work hours are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday evening through Friday morning. A shoulder closure will be in effect. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – J. McLoughlin Engineering of Rancho Cucamonga.

– The city of Willits has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to hold the Frontier Days Parade between East Valley Street and Commercial Street on Thursday, July 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A full road closure will be in effect. A detour will be provided.

– Highway construction from 0.5 mile north of Casteel Lane to the North Willits Railroad Crossing will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. Intermittent full road closures will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – DeSilva Gates Construction of Dublin.

Highway 162

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from the junction or Routes 101/162 to the Middle Fork Eel River Bridge will continue through Friday, June 28. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for tree trimming from 0.3 mile east of the junction of Routes 101/162 to Short Creek Road beginning Monday, July 1. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 253

– Bridge rehabilitation at the Route 101/253 Separation will begin Sunday, June 30. Nighttime hours are 6 p.m. to 8 a.m., Sunday evening through Friday morning. One way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – J. McLoughlin Engineering of Rancho Cucamonga.

Work on all these projects is weather permitting and subject to change. Caltrans advises motorists to drive with caution when approaching work areas and to be prepared to stop at traffic control stations.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine tasting event featuring wines from Rosa D’Oro with winemaker Pietro Buttitta and an artist reception with a collection of oil paintings by Jane Tyler Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6.

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

Musical guest during the evening receptions will be solo guitarist, Paul Farley.

The $12.50 ($10/per person for studio club members) wine sampler and appetizers presented at the Studio will showcase the 2011 Muscat with Diablo sauteéd prawns, 2010 Sangiovese with polenta rounds topped with roasted cherry tomatoes, Yerba Santa Dairy Shepherds cheese and basil, the 2010 Primitivo with bison meatballs and a creamy roasted tomato sauce, and the 2011 Aglianico with a savory fennel, dried plum and walnut biscotti. A dessert tasting of the Port style Carmen wine will follow.  

Appetizer pairings for each of these wines have been designed by Cache Creek Catering with the exception of the bison meatball, created by Mendocino College Culinary Department student Jennifer Malinowski.   

The meatball was a People’s Choice winning recipe at the recent chef’s challenge at Thorn Hill Vineyards, and Malinowski will be recreating it for the Rosa D’Oro pairing.

Rosa D’Oro is a family owned and operated vineyard and winery located on the Kelsey Bench in Kelseyville. The area is noted for its high elevation vineyards, volcanic soils, sustainable practices and clean air.  

With farming experience spanning from 1953 to date, the Buttitta family founded Rosa D’Oro Vineyards in 2001 as an Italian varietal focused vineyard and boutique winery. All lots of production number fewer than 300 cases and the family hand bottles the yearly 2,000 case production.   

The winemaker since 2009, Pietro Buttitta has embraced and broadened his role at Rosa D’Oro with his additional skills as a certified sommelier and member of the Court of Master Sommeliers and as a chef with professional experience dating back to 2001.  

The four-course meals prepared by Buttitta at the Rosa D’Oro tasting room earlier this year swelled to capacity with demand for more.

The artist for July is Jane Tyler of Lakeport.  

Born in Marseilles, France, daughter of the late Arthur Plant O.B.E. Hon. Consul General for the Netherlands in Beirut, Lebanon, she studied at the American Community School in Beirut. At the outbreak of World War II, she returned to Lebanon and then worked for the British Army in Haifa in what was then Palestine.

She married John Tyler in Beirut where he was then assistant press attache to the British Legation.  There they had the first of their five children.

The Tylers came to California where John spent most of his career with Crown Zellerbach Corp., retiring as corporate advertising director. Jane was very busy bringing up their five children in San Geronimo in Marin County, but would find precious moments to enjoy her love of birds, animals and above all, painting.  

When their children flew the coop, the Tylers moved to the beauty and tranquility of Lakeport, reminiscent to them of both John’s native Scotland and Jane’s childhood land of Lebanon.

Now she has returned to the satisfying task of devoting most of her time to painting, drawing on the experiences of so full a life spent on three continents.

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 and is open Monday 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Tyler art show will be on display for the full month of July. 

For more information call Susan Feiler at 707-293-8752.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – On July 1, 1863, two giant armies collided near the little town of Gettysburg, Penn.

After three days of fighting, and over 50,000 casualties, the biggest battle ever in the Western Hemisphere ended with the Confederate army of Robert E. Lee retreating after being defeated by the Northern Federal army of Gen. George Meade.

Commonly known as the Confederate “High Water Mark,” it began a slow decline of Southern fortunes that led to their final defeat two years later.

This epic battle will be the headline topic at the next Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable on Tuesday, July 2, 6:15 p.m., at the Tallman Hotel in historic Upper Lake.

Local historian Zane Jensen will review the three-day battle and lead a discussion on various “what-ifs” that could have changed the outcome of the battle, and by extension, the future of the country.

Jensen has visited the battlefield numerous times and has done exhaustive research on the battle and it's participants. He combines personal photos with archived pictures, animated maps, and video to give a full multimedia presentation.

The Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable was formed to honor the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War and meets on the first Monday of each month to review the events that month 150 years ago.

Admission is free, all are welcome. For more information, contact Zane Jensen 707-349-6390 or Phil Smoley at 707-264-4905.