Butcher, who is also the owner/operator of the Tallman Hotel, will look into how President Lincoln attempted to balance civil liberties guaranteed in the Constitution with the expediency and demands required by war time considerations."

“Lincoln was often faced with difficult dilemmas with no good options to choose from,” according to Roundtable moderator Phil Smoley. “Even though he pushed the envelope in regards to civil liberties, most historians give him a pass since he is credited with saving the union and ending slavery. However, the precedence he set has reverberated down to today. This will prove to be a lively discussion for our group.”

In addition to Butcher, roundtable co-founder Zane Jensen will present a brief review of his recent trip to the Gettysburg Battlefield. Jensen led a group of 27 local students in a tour of the battlefield.

The Redwood Empire meets the first Monday of each month and attempts to review Civil War events that happened 150 years ago that month.

Both historical novices and experts are encouraged to attend and share. Admission is free.

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

Shelton is one of several area residents participating in the club, known as “America's Great Recipe Swap.”

Shelton's Grandma's Orange Salad recipe, along with thousands of others, can be viewed, printed and shared at no charge through the recipe club.

“My grandmother made this at every family gathering. It is one of my all time favorite recipes. It's quick, super easy and delicious. Also perfect if you are diabetic because everything can be made with sugar free and fat free ingredients,” said Shelton.

Members can post their own “family tested and approved” recipes, try recipes submitted by other club members, print hundreds of grocery coupons and enter recipe contests.

They also have the opportunity to utilize a personal online recipe box to save recipes, compile grocery lists and plan meals.

In addition, members can create and join discussion groups to chat about recipes, share cooking tips and build relationships as if they are sitting around one big kitchen table.

“We continually add new features to the club based on the feedback of our members,” said Just A Pinch Food Editor Janet Tharpe. “It's because of people like Kay-Dee Shelton, who is proud to share her family's favorite recipes with other hometown cooks, that the club has become so popular and is growing so fast.”

Founded in 2010, Just A Pinch Recipe Club offers free memberships and premium perks. Join them in the kitchen at www.justapinch.com.

Visitors will be able to tour a working geothermal power plant.

Tours will leave from the visitor center in Middletown, 15500 Central Park Road.

Reservations are required.

Please call 707-987-4270 for more information, or to make reservations.

The speaker, Ted Wilmsen, will be speaking on “The History of the Geysers.”

Wilmsen is one of the foremost experts when it comes to the development history of The Geysers.

In 1972 Wilmsen left Union Oil, moved to Santa Rosa and began his career at The Geysers Geothermal Project.

He started out with Magma Power Co. and continued with the Geysers project as it went through five different ownership changes over the next 27 years.

During that period he was involved in all phases of the geothermal steam development process at The Geysers.

In 1999, he retired following Calpine Corp.’s ownership consolidation whereby Calpine owned about 90 percent of all the geothermal assets at The Geysers.

He has been on the Geysers Geothermal Association Board since its inception and served as treasurer and president.

The presentation will begin at 2 p.m.

The Calpine Geothermal Visitor Center is located at 15500 Central Park Road, less than a mile south of Middletown, right off Highway 29.

Refreshments will be served and admission is free.

For more information, contact Historical Society President Phil Smoley at 707-264-4905.

The event will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Vigilance Vineyard in Lower Lake, 13888 Point Lakeview Rd.

Tickets are $10 per person and are available at Shannon Ridge & Vigilance Tasting Rooms, and Umpqua Bank, 805 11^th St. in Lakeport. Children 5 years and under may attend for free.

All Relay For Life teams also can sell tickets for this event, with the proceeds going directly to the teams.

This year the main event Relay for Life event will be held at Upper Lake High School on May 21.　

Since Relay For Life's inception in 1985, countless individuals, teams and communities have worked together to celebrate cancer survivors and remember those we've lost while raising awareness and much needed funds for the fight against cancer.

The $10 ticket includes trails to choose from, a taste of the vineyard's newest release, 2009 Ranch Collection Merlot and a scavenger hunt. Be sure to take a look at the silent auction in the vineyard's 1926 cellar. Proceeds will go directly to the relay team whom supplied the item.

Cookie Lee Jewelry also will be selling items and donating to the American Cancer Society.

If you are interested in participating please stop by and purchase a ticket or contact Tess Long at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-994-9656.

Energy efficiency improvements such as caulking and sealing the home, improving insulation, installing new windows, water heaters, and heating and air conditioning systems, are just a few of the types of improvements that can be made to a home to significantly decrease energy bills and improve the comfort of the homeowner.

The program helps homeowners to finance home energy efficiency improvements by providing loan interest rate loans and grants to qualifying homeowners.

Qualifications include verification that the homeowner is current on the mortgage, property taxes and have a current source of income within the program limits.

There is no minimum credit score to meet, no appraisal required on the home nor any down payment required from the homeowner.

Up to 100 percent of the approved project can be financed with the CHF Loan. Additional guidelines and terms and conditions on loan financing apply and are available from CHF.

“The program is a win-win for the homeowner and community. Reducing the amount of energy usage in your home, can potentially put a lot of money back in your pocket,” said Carolyn Holmes, CHF marketing director. “Improvements may increase the home’s overall value, and energy upgrade projects can help create jobs in the local area.”

The energy efficiency program is funded through a $16.5 million grant awarded to CHF by the California Energy Commission State Energy Program as part of the federal stimulus American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

CRHMFA (California Rural Home Mortgage Finance Authority) Homebuyers Fund – or CHF – is a California government entity with 30 member counties who are also members of the nonprofit Regional Council of Rural Counties (RCRC).

CHF has supported affordable home ownership in California for almost two decades, and has helped nearly 37,000 families and individuals to purchase homes.

The above example of 100 percent financing of qualified retrofit projects approved in Lake County under the CHF Residential Energy Retrofit Program is based on a 15-year, zero-percent fixed-rate CHF Loan.

The monthly payment on a $10,000, 15-year fixed-rate CHF Loan at 0.00 percent interest would be $55.56 and the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) would be 0.441 percent.

For more information, or to apply, please contact CHF toll-free at 855-740-8422 or visit www.chfloan.org.