KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.

So what better way to demonstrate environmental protection than to repair a severely eroded trail at the Highland Springs Recreation Area?

The Lake Trail, which encircles the Highland Springs Reservoir, has been a favorite trail for Lake County equestrians for many years.  In the past few years, a 350 foot section had become gullied and unsafe.

The Lake County Horse Council received a grant to improve this severely damaged portion of the Lake Trail last year and have been moving forward with planning to proceed with the repair this spring.

Brentwood, Tennessee-based Tractor Supply Co., www.TractorSupply.com , made the $6,300 grant through an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) trail conservation program.

On Sunday, April 21, the Council hosted a trail repair kick-off event at the Highland Springs horse staging area.  

With 25 people in attendance, the day started off with brushing back and clearing an overgrown trail that will be used to access the damaged portion of trail. This trail will be used for equipment, materials and gravel transport.

With the trail work completed, everyone sat down to a potluck lunch and a historical presentation of the Highland Springs area presented by the Highland Springs Trails Volunteers.  

This was followed by special guest speakers from Tuleyome: Charlotte Orr, Carol Kunze, and Mary Hansen, with a presentation on the proposed Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area along with additional information regarding regional trails and trail access.  

Tuleyome is a volunteer advocacy-oriented nonprofit organization that is focused on protecting both the wild and agricultural heritages of the Inner Coastal Range and the Western Sacramento Valley for current and future generations.

These areas include all or parts of Yolo, Lake, Napa, Colusa, Glen, Mendocino and Solano counties in northwestern California.

For more information regarding this trail repair project or to volunteer, please contact Virginia Vovchuk at 707-245-9091.  

For more information regarding the Lake County Horse Council see www.lakecountyhorsecouncil.com .  

For more information regarding Tuleyome, see http://www.tuleyome.org .  

For more information regarding the Highland Springs Trails Volunteers, see www.highlandspringstrailsvolunteers.com .

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District Board will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, May 21.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the boardroom of the district’s administration office, 19400 Hartmann Road.

Board packets are posted at www.hiddenvalleylakecsd.com . Click on the “board packet” link on the agenda tab.

Agenda items include approval and acceptance of the 2011-12 audit report, board committee reports, board member attendance at other meetings and staff reports.

There also will be a public hearing to consider placement of default balance liens on real property pursuant to Government Code Section 61115, adoption of Resolution 2013-06 confirming default balances and directing staff to file liens on real property, adoption of Ordinance 53 amending capital facilities fee; adoption of Resolution 2013-07 authorizing district’s participation and support for water bond coalition, retention of accounting firm to perform 2012-13 audit, status of six-month work priorities, adoption of revised personnel committee policy and adoption of Resolution 2013-08 nominating a HVLCSD candidate for the 2014-2015 ACWA Region 1 Board.

In compliance to the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special accommodations to participate in or attend the meeting please contact the district office at 707-987-9201 at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – 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 20

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from 0.4 mile east of Blue Lakes Road to Scott Valley Road beginning Tuesday, May 21. Work hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 53

– Highway widening and rehabilitation from Olympic Drive to the junction of Routes 20/53 will continue. Work hours are 7 p.m. Sunday evening though 3 p.m. Friday afternoon, 24 hours per day. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays. Contractor – Teichert Construction of Davis.

Highway 175

– PG&E of Ukiah has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for an aerial crossing 0.5 mile east of Wild Cat Road on Monday, May 20, and Tuesday, May 21. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for tree trimming near Fish Rock Road beginning Monday, May 20. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility repairs near Scott Place beginning Thursday, May 23. 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.

– 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 five-minute delays. Contractor – Jeffco Painting and Coating of Vallejo.

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from Abalobadiah Creek to Branscomb Road will continue. Work hours are 7 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.

– 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 20

– A pavement repair project from 1.4 miles west of Little Lake Road to Three Chop Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

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.

– AT&T of Fort Bragg has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for an aerial crossing near the Parducci Road Overcrossing on Sunday, May 19. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.. Intermittent full road closures will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Vegetation removal just south of the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – DeSilva Gates Construction of Dublin.

– Vegetation removal just south of the railroad crossing will continue through Saturday, May 18. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – DeSilva Gates Construction of Dublin.

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Reynolds Highway to Ryan Creek Road on Monday, May 20, and Tuesday, May 21. Work hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.. Southbound traffic will be restricted to one lane. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 162

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from the junction or Routes 101/162 to Eberle Street will continue. Work hours are 7 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.

Highway 271

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility repairs 1.1 to 1.5 miles north of the southern junction of Routes 101/271 on Wednesday, May 22. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

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).

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Eight Lake County women recently attended the Soroptimist Founder Region Conference in San Ramon.

Founder Region is the birthplace of Soroptimist and includes clubs from Alameda to the Oregon border, California coastal cities to Hawaii, Guam and the Marianas.

There were a total of more than 400 attendees from all these areas.
 
Highlights of the conference were workshops on helping women veterans, leadership in local Soroptimist clubs, sharing the light of Soroptimist service and the giving of awards.

Soroptimist Clear Lake Member Fawn Williams purchased and delivered $500 worth of items needed by deployed military women.
 
The Founder Region was able to give six women doctoral candidates – five at UC Berkeley and one form U of Hawaii – $10,000 each to aid them to pursue their dreams.

Monetary awards also were given to women who have changed their lives and now work to help others better their lives.  Teens were given awards for outstanding voluntary work in their communities.
 
Much fun was had by all who attended as well as a few tears of joy shed upon hearing the life changing stories of the women and girls Soroptimists were able to help.

Soroptimist is a cause related philanthropic federation of clubs working to improve the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and internationally.

Soroptimist International Clear Lake meets twice monthly on the second and fourth Thursdays at Howard's Grotto in Clearlake Lunch is $12 and all interested women are invited to attend and learn more about the organization.  

Please contact President Wanda Harris for information at tel 707-987-9027 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – This year’s flag raising ceremony for the Austin Park US outdoor flag will take place beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 22.

Burns Valley Elementary schools, second grade class and American Legion members will attend the ceremony.

Austin Park is located at 14077 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Wine Studio is hosting an olive oil release party with Steve Tylicki of Olio di Mendo from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18.

The event will include a complimentary tasting of the oil now available for purchase at the studio.  

A separate $5 sampler featuring the oil will include five different foods while supply remains available: focaccia, hummus dip, organic white popcorn, pasta salad and the olive oil cake with candied orange recipe by Terre Logsdon that won the amateur recipe contest at this year’s Kelseyville Olive Festival.  

There is no charge for Studio Wine Club members.

Every late fall since 1997, Steve Tylicki has gathered olives from small olive plantings on the rolling hills and ridges of southern Mendocino County to make small noncommercial batches of olive oil.

Now, using carefully selected olives exclusively from Mendocino and Lake counties, Tylicki’s new enterprise, Olio di Mendo is celebrating its third year of production.

Pressed and bottled at Chacewater Olive Mill in Kelseyville, state of the art small scale Pieralisi equipment was used in the extraction of the oil from the Mendocino and Lake County olives used in this third release.

Tylicki and wife Nan have formed Olio di Mendo Olive Co. to make this fine oil available to the public. Aided by Tylicki’s daughter Sara Hewitt, Olio di Mendo Extra Virgin Olive Oil is now available for purchase in California and North Carolina.

Trained in sensory evaluation of olive oil at the University of California at Davis, Tylicki has created a blended oil reminiscent of the great oils of Tuscany.  

Using the model of 50 percent black, 25 percnet coloring and 25 percent green fruit, the oil shows a robust, fruity/grassy character with an aroma of both ripe and green olives.

Olio di Mendo is crafted using Frantoio, Leccino, and Pendolino olives, with additional Tuscan varieties Maurino and Moraiolo. Also included are small amounts of the Spanish varieties Mission, Manzanillo and Arbequina.

The trees providing fruit for this oil were planted under Tylicki’s guidance over the last 15 years, some struggling in experimental locations where olive trees have never been planted.  As these trees mature, Olio di Mendo olive oil will increase in complexity as well as quantity.  No synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are used in the production of this fruit.

The studio artist on view for May is Michelle Price with works in both acrylic and oil.

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 Price art show will be on display for the full month of May.

For more information call Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030 or 707-293-8752.