The class, which welcomes both beginners and experienced woodworkers, will run June 23 through July 28 on Monday evenings, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., or Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon.

Clear Lake High School's wood shop instructor, John Moorhead, will lead the class at his wood shop at the school, 350 Lange St.

Participants will learn safe and productive work habits, hand tool and power tool use, wood characteristics and selection, layout and marking, joinery (how it all fits together), and assembly and finishing.

There will be hands-on instruction for beginners, open shop time for experienced woodworkers, and lots of new tools in a clean and organized shop with an experienced instructor on hand. Students can attend one or two days a week.

For more information on how to enroll in the class, WOD 500, call the Mendocino College Lake Center, 263-4922.

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The event is a benefit for the Clear Lake Performing Arts (CLPA), and the purchase of a commemorative wine glass will allow event goers to taste any or all of the wines from the amateur winemakers at booths set up along Main Street in historic downtown Kelseyville.

In the morning before the festival begins, a professional judging panel will choose winners in several categories. Craig Renaud, wine critic and author of "Great American Wine: The Wine Rebel's Manual," will serve as one of the judges at this year's Lake County Home Winemakers Festival.

Renaud, one of the top wine brokers in California, challenges many of the ideas taken for granted by other wine experts and contends that price alone is a very poor indicator of a wine's quality. "Show me a bottle of $200 imported wine, and I can show you a dozen American wines just as good or better at a fraction of the price," he says. Renaud will have his book available for purchase at the event and be available for signing.

During the festival, guests vote on their favorite wines and other categories, and People's Choice awards will be presented at the end of the day to winners.

Local commercial wineries, including EdenCrest Vineyards, Dusinberre Cellars, Rosa d'Oro Vineyards, Shannon Ridge Vineyards and Winery, Steele Wines, Wildhurst Vineyards, Langtry Estate and Vineyards and Tulip Hill Winery and Vineyards will be present to support CLPA's event, and some will even pour their wines for tasting.

Wine isn't all that's on the menu, however. Several home-brewed beers will be available for sampling as well. In addition, local purveyors will be selling food during the festival, including John's Market, the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro, Studebakers, and St. Peter's Catholic Church serving Mexican food and more – all from Kelseyville.

A silent auction will take place during the festival with many donated items – including a timeshare stay in Hawaii, some overnight stays, wines from commercial wineries in attendance, and wine-related items.

A number of artists and artist groups also will set up booths to demonstrate their artistic processes, as well as exhibit and sell their art. Local pianist David Neft and Friends will perform during the festival. The music of the day will be light jazz, bluegrass, folk, and similar genres.

A benefit for CLPA, the Home Winemakers Festival is sponsored by the Kelseyville Business Association and CLPA, as well as the Lake County Winegrape Commission.

For more information on the Lake County Home Winemakers Festival or to register as an amateur winemaker, contact Ed Bublitz, 707-277-8172.

Tickets may be purchased in advance for $15 from Catfish Books, 1013 11th St., Lakeport, or Wild About Books, 14290 Olympic Dr., Clearlake. Tickets will be $20 on the day of the event.

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The meeting is open to the public.

Agenda items include approval of the May 8 meeting minutes, public input and MATH bylaw amendments.

Under new business, the group will discuss the new library, the Middletown street lighting project and the post Middletown Days cleanup effort.

MATH is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (includes HVL), Long Valley and Middletown.

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An alliance was formed in early spring between the City of Clearlake, Clearlake Chamber of Commerce and LCCC to create the Friday Night Farmers’ Market. The City of Clearlake generously offered the use of the property at Lakeshore Drive and Olympic, the former site of Austin Beach Resort. The Chamber and LCCC developed and distributed the posters and established the rules and vendor applications.

There was much excitement and energy when the Market kicked off on June 6 with live music by Don Coffin, organizer of the Old Time Bluegrass Festival. Visitors discovered a bright and lively array of food booths and informational booths as well as local farmers, producers and artisans selling their wares.

Much work is going on behind the scenes at LCCC to develop a Buyer’s Club. Once it is operational, members of the Buyer’s Club will have opportunities to purchase a large variety of healthy foods at discount prices.

This month, Lake County Community Co-op will be launching the logo design contest. The contest is being developed to increase awareness of the goals, mission and the vision of LCCC.

To download vendor applications for the Farmers’ Market, view the LCCC vision statement, join the Buyer’s Club or to learn more about this exciting new project in Lake County, please visit the LCCC website at http://lakeco-op.org.

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Mutton bustin' is one of the highlight events for children. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY – Rodeo... 79 years young this year in Lake County.

That’s right, the 79th annual Lake County Rodeo takes place at the fairgrounds in Lakeport on Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12. For the first time the rodeo is featuring free parking, assisted by the Early Lake Lions who have long been supporters of this rodeo.

If’ you have never seen a rodeo, mark your calendars now and attend this year's rodeo. It’s a tradition dating from the days of cowboys working on ranches beginning in the mid-1800s.

The Lake County Rodeo is an all-professional California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association rodeo, with cowboys and cowgirls participating during two nights of all-out excitement.

Events include steer wrestling, bull riding, bronc busting, team roping and barrel racing, to name a few. Lake County residents will recognize some local participants as the performances take place.

The rodeo's generous Platinum Sponsor for 2008 is once again Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino, according to Rodeo Association President John Fulton.

Without sponsorship from the community, it would not be possible to continue this Lake County Tradition, said Fulton.

Local businesses sponsor the various events which helps to offset the prize money that is paid to the participants.

For the youngsters, the Lake County Rodeo provides two events.

Each night youngsters, ages 8 or younger, can sign up for the mutton bustin’ event. The children will be weighed the evening of their ride and must not exceed 50 pounds. Applications are available at several locations around Lake County and this event is sponsored again this year by Chuck and Rose McCarley of CJS Ranch Supply in Middletown.

The second special event for kids is the Cutest Cowpoke Contest, open to girls and boys from age 4 to 8 years old (on the contest date). This event is sponsored by Theresa Harborth of South Lake Landscape and Lower Lake Feed. Applications are also available in a variety of locations throughout the county.

On the evening of Friday, July 11, there will be the grand entry during which all the competitors ride, along with the wonderful Clear Lake Junior Horsemen.

The crowning of Miss Lake County Rodeo Queen and Princess 2008 will take place at that time. Young women from around the county have been vying for these titles and will represent the Lake County Rodeo for the next year. Sponsor of this competition, for the second year is Tom Powers of Lake County Electric Supply.

On Saturday afternoon beginning at 4:30 p.m., the All-Horse Parade will travel from the fairgrounds on Martin Street to Main Street, traveling north to Clear Lake Avenue and return on Main to the Fairgrounds. All equestrians are encouraged to enter; there will be a special raffle for participants conducted by parade chair and organizer, Lonne Sloan of Lower Lake.

Returning this year and riding in the All Horse Parade will be the Diablo Ladies Drill Team who will perform both evenings of the rodeo. This team donates their time to travel from the Central Valley to participate in the rodeo. With great costumes and intricate riding routines, they always dazzle the crowd.

Another interesting event at the Rodeo is Cow Chip Bingo. Friday night the prize is $250 and Saturday the amount is $500. Come find out how this game works; you won’t believe your eyes.

A rodeo isn’t a real rodeo without a rodeo dance and they've got the best Rodeo Western Band to keep people dancing 'til the cows come home. Lou Derr and Bootleg will play on Saturday evening in the Theater Building beginning at 9 p.m. Their performance is sponsored by Eagle Distributing, Budweiser from Ukiah.

For more information on this exciting weekend event, contact the Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce at 707-263-5092 or visit www.lakecountyrodeo.com.

Applications for mutton bustin’, Cutest Cowpoke and pre-sale tickets will be available at the chamber, Red and White market in Clearlake Oaks, Lakeview Market in Lucerne, North Shore Sentry in Nice, CJS Ranch Supply in Middletown and others to be announced soon.

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Pictured from left to right, Jennifer Taylor, Umpqua Bank, store manager; Michael Rupe, Lake County Relay For Life, logistics chairperson; Beth Berinti, Lake County Relay for Life, event chairperson; Paula Bryant, Umpqua Bank, AVP/relationship manager. Photo by Ginny Craven.

LAKEPORT – Relay For Life is an annual event wherein teams raise funds to support cancer research, provide education and assist cancer patients through various resource and support programs.

The teams then walk for a continuous 24-hour period, maintaining at least one member of each team on the track at all times for the entire period. Because “cancer never sleeps” the participant teams commit to the 24-hour period to fight back against the disease.

The top fundraising team for the 2008 Lake County event, which took place on May 17-18, was the “Quick Steppers.” The team had a roster 26 strong, including five cancer survivors.

The team name was derived to honor Ron Quick, the one team member still in the midst of battle against cancer.

The team’s total was $7,550, with $1,500 coming in the form of matching funds from Umpqua Bank. To qualify for the funds, the Quick Steppers had to initially earn $5,000, an amount they exceeded.

Most members of the team do double duty as they are also staunch supporters and volunteers in the Operation Tango Mike volunteer effort to support our troops. The Lakeport branch of Umpqua Bank can proudly boast one hundred percent participation in Relay For Life 2008, as every employee raised funds, walked and contributed to the effort.

Ginny Craven is team captain for the Quick Steppers.

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