UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine release party and artist show event with Rosa D' Oro and painter Sunny Franson from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 4, and 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 5.

The Saturday event will include an optional progressive four-course winemaker dinner at the Tallman Hotel following the appetizer course at the studio.

Rosa D'Oro owner Nick Buttitta and Chris Skarada will be at the studio and Tallman Hotel for the Saturday reception and special dinner event.

The $12.50 ($10 per person for studio club members) wine sampler and appetizers will showcase the 2012 Nebbiolo with white bean dip, the 2011 Barbera with tomato bruschetta on crostini, 2012 Montepulciano with quinoa stuffed mushrooms and the 2012 Dolcetto with pear and black pepper shortbread.

Artist Sunny Franson lives on a small walnut acreage in Upper Lake. She began painting almost 15 years ago, finding the resulting joy and learning process immensely fulfilling.

She now considers her time making art a top priority and is a member of Lake County Arts Council, Gualala Arts Council and Artists for Conservation.  

As a wildlife biologist Franson has an unlimited source of inspiration in the ecosystems of Lake County and all of nature beyond. Franson is also a writer and plays instruments. Three of the books that she has published will be available for sale during the receptions and month of April.  

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. Buttitta will be at the wine studio during the Friday reception to meet with guests and talk about the wines.

The wines and menu prepared by guest chef Mark Linback at the Tallman Hotel on April 4 will showcase the recently released Greco white table wine, 2012 Rosato, 2011 Aglianico and 2011 Primitivo. A link to the dinner menu can be found at www.TallmanHotel.com .

Reservations for the Saturday tasting at the Studio and dinner at the Tallman are $75 plus tax and may be obtained by calling the Tallman Hotel at 707-275-2244, Extension 0.

The Franson art show will be on display for the full month of April.

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 Mondays from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; 1 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; and Fridays from 1 to 8 p.m.

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Plans for the eighth annual art and science camp sponsored by the Children’s Museum of Art and Science (CMAS) are well under way.

The free daylong camp will be held on Saturday, May 3, at the Ely Stage Stop and the Taylor Observatory.  

Fourth to sixth grade students from public schools, charter schools, private school and home schools throughout Lake County are invited to attend.

Students must preregister and have a signed permission slip.
 
On Tuesday, April 1, CMAS volunteers will deliver permission slips to schools. Students who want to attend must turn in the signed permission slip by Friday, April 18.  

Home-schooled students can call Carolynn Jarrett at 707-994-2878  to have a permission slip and parent information letter emailed to them.
 
Once again the Redbud Audubon Society has generously provided funds for a one hour raptor show to be held in the Ely barn. Jenny Papka of Native Bird Connections, a nonprofit bird rescue and educational organization, will bring raptors for students to see and will answer many questions about these amazing hunters.
 
The Kelseyville Rotary Club will be providing a delicious lunch made by the culinary program at Kelseyville High School. Rotary groups throughout the county contribute to cover the cost of the lunch which is free to all participants.
 
Last year, the Lake County Historical Society members thrilled students when a masked desperado appeared from out of nowhere all set to rob the stage and its passengers. Other docents had students make butter and scrub clothes on an old fashioned washboard.

At the Taylor Observatory students will see a planetarium show, have hands on time with microscopes  and  make music with hand bells.
 
It’s a fun and educational day for students and volunteers. Be a part of it. Sign up early as space is limited to 120 students. Parents and adult volunteers are always welcome.

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

There is no major roadwork scheduled for Lake County from Friday, March 14, through Thursday, March 20.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– 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.

– Guardrail repairs at various locations from Philo-Greenwood Road to Navarro Ridge 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 five-minute delays.

– Guardrail repairs at various locations from Blue Slide Gulch to Hillcrest Terrace will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– 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.

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.

– Pavement studies from the southern junction of Routes 20/101 and the Forsyth Creek Bridge will occur on Monday and Tuesday, March 31 and April 1. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

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. – Residents in the communities of Kelseyville, Hidden Valley Lake and Cobb can donate gently used clothing, household items, sports equipment, appliances in good working condition, furniture and miscellaneous items on upcoming dates to benefit Hospice Services of Lake County.

Donations can be made on the following days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lots at these locations:

• April 5: Kelseyville Lumber, 3505 Merritt Road, Kelseyville;
• April 26: Positive Living Center, 17568 Spruce Grove Exit, Hidden Valley (parallel to Highway 29 across from the Hidden Valley member only gate);
• May 10: The Little Red School House/Lions Club, Bottlerock Road, Cobb.

Hospice Services of Lake County will be present in the parking lot at each location to accept donations.

All donations are tax-deductible and receipts will be provided.  

Proceeds from the sales of donated items help pay for uninsured and underinsured patient care and community bereavement programs.

For information call 707-263-6223.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Sons In Retirement group held its March meeting at Konocti Visa Casino.

Treasurer Tom Hughs, reported that 57 members have paid their annual dues. Larry Powers, chair of the membership committee, will send reminder letters to those who have not paid their dues.

Jim Cary, chair of the golf committee for both Branch 133 and 168, reported that there was an error in the flier he distributed last month. The cost for double occupancy for the Reno Tournament is $19 more.

The special speaker was Lake County Probation Assistant Chief Brian Martin, who presented information on California's correctional realignment.

Martin, who also is a candidate this year for Lake County sheriff, explained how the Supreme Court decision in 2011 resulted in the passage of a bill that has caused crowding of Lake County's jails.

Martin answered questions and shed some additional light on this controversial topic.

Bob Specht gave a brief report on the recent and upcoming travel events that included a bus trip to the Jackson Theater in Santa Rosa to see “In the Mood” on Feb. 22, a trip to Reno to see the “Tribute to Johnny Cash" (March 5-7), and a bus trip to visit the new home of the Exploratorium on March 19.

Anyone interested in joining Specht on any of his travel activities should contact him at 707-279-0817.

For more information about golf please contact Jim Cary at 707-998-3004.

Sons In Retirement is a social organization for men of retirement age who are pursuing the goal of enjoying their later years.  

It has 142 branches with 18,000 members throughout the state. Branch 168 holds a luncheon on the second Friday of each month at the conference room at Konocti Vista Casino.  

Anyone interested in learning more about Sons In Retirement is encouraged to contact Larry Powers, chair of the membership committee, at 707-263-3403 or to visit the state Web site at www.sirinc.org .    

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Napa Valley Yacht Club and Ohana Wa`a Canoe Club will present the second annual Napa River Paddle Day on Saturday, May 3.

The day of fun on the water will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Napa Valley Yacht Club, 100 Riverside Drive in Napa.

There will be Hawaiian outrigger canoe rides, standup paddle lessons, outrigger canoe sprint races, a kayak and SUP poker run and costume contests.

Gather your team of four, or just come and they will take care of the rest.

Race against other first time paddles. All ages, sizes and athletic abilities are welcome.

The cost is $10 per person to participate.

Not a water bug? Come out and enjoy the day anyway, for a special culinary event.

Chef Thomas Wong, former executive chef of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu and currently a chef instructor at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, has prepared a menu with local island favorites.

For more information visit www.napariverpaddleday.com or e-mail Karen Agnew at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .