That’s the scene for the hotel’s second annual Murder Mystery Dinner on Saturday evening, Oct. 23.

Guests are encouraged to wear period costume and join a group of professional actors put together by Bert Hutt’s Murder Us Productions in Lakeport.

The evening begins with cocktails at the bar in the Blue Wing Saloon Restaurant and then proceeds across the courtyard to the Hotel, where unexpected events occur.

Efforts are made to solve the mystery during a sumptuous four course dinner in the beautifully decorated Tallman Hotel dining room.

Guests then proceed to the meeting house next door for the final act in the drama.

Prizes will be awarded for the first to solve the mystery and for the most original and outstanding costume.

“Everyone had such great fun with our 1920s speakeasy theme last year that we thought we’d do it again,” said Tallman owner Lynne Butcher. “Kids shouldn’t be the only ones to dress up and have fun this time of year.”

Reservations at $85 per person for the four-course mystery dinner can be obtained by calling the Tallman Hotel at 707-275-2244.

The group will serve pork chops, pasta, green beans, salad and French bread with dessert.

The bar is open for socializing at 5 p.m. then dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.

Enjoy dancing to music of John Zimmerman right after the meal.

All tickets are $15 at the door.

Everyone is welcome.

For information about this event or renting the hall for your own, call 707-263-1606.

The club hall located is at 2817 E. Highway 20 in Nice.

The party will take place from 8 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. at the observatory, 5725 Oak Hills Lane, Kelseyville.

This event will give local amateur astronomers an opportunity to share their knowledge with the general public.

There is no charge for registering. A small donation is appreciated.

In the event large numbers register, it may be necessary to limit the number who may attend due to limits on the number the observatory can accommodate.

Please register by email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or by calling the observatory at 707-262-4121.

The program – called Vehicle Repair, Retirement and Replacement for Motorists or “VRRRM” – supplements already-existing vehicle emissions reduction programs in an effort to add momentum to the fight for clean air while increasing the number of California motorists eligible for such benefits.

Participating in VRRRM is simple. California motorists can visit www.vrrrm.org for eligibility guidelines and a formal application.

Those who qualify can then visit one of more than 200 participating Gold Shield Stations for a certified smog test.

Qualified consumers who fail the emissions portion of their smog inspection, and do not qualify for or have exhausted benefits from other existing vehicle repair or replacement programs, may receive up to $800 for approved emissions-related repairs.

Additionally, some motorists may be eligible to retire high-polluting vehicles with up to $3,500 toward the purchase of a newer model, more energy-efficient replacement vehicle.

Funding available for this program is made possible by a grant from the Reformulated Gasoline Settlement Fund.

Created as a result of an antitrust class action, the purpose of the fund is to achieve a clean air or fuel efficiency benefit for California consumers.

As such, VRRRM benefits California motorists and the general public without placing a financial burden on taxpayers.

“VRRRM represents the expertise and impact of a number of organizations all working together to enhance our state’s air quality without creating an additional tax burden for Californians, while at the same time providing valuable job training opportunities for community college students entering the automotive technician field,” said Foundation President and CEO Paul Lanning. “This is an exciting development for our colleges and for the people of California.”

Although motorists throughout the state are eligible to participate in this program, VRRRM places special emphasis in the Los Angeles and surrounding areas, known as the South Coast Basin, and portions of Central California, known as the San Joaquin Basin.

Air quality measurements reveal that these two basins are plagued by the most severe air quality attainment issues in the state and nation, and are the only two air districts in California that have failed to attain federal air quality standards. What's more, nearly half of all California vehicles are registered and operate within these two basins.

Approximately 10 percent of the light-and medium-duty vehicles are responsible for close to 50 percent of the vehicle emissions according to remote sensing studies conducted in the South Coast Air Basin and in other urbanized areas of the country, and it has been found that providing monetary incentives can provide a necessary and cost-effective enticement for retiring many older, higher-emitting vehicles.

The VRRRM program is the result of collaboration between numerous agencies, including the Foundation for California Community Colleges, which administers the program, the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), California Air Resources Board (CARB), South Coast Air Quality Management District and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.

The foundation was selected to administer VRRRM due to the organization's statewide reach, and for its involvement in existing air quality programs. Currently, the foundation works closely with BAR to provide air quality testing and support through its statewide network of BAR Smog Check Referee Stations.

Through this program, 33 Smog Check Referee Centers located at California Community Colleges located throughout the state perform a variety of smog check services, and are staffed by Foundation Smog Check Referees and community college student technicians, providing students with valuable workforce training and experience for an in-demand trade.

For further details about VRRRM, please visit www.vrrrm.org.

From left, Congressman Mike Thompson; Charlotte Griswold and Wilda Shock, the Lake County Land Trust's Supporters of the Year; and Pete McGee, president of the Lake County Land Trust at the group's annual dinner on Saturday, October 9, 2010, at the Moore Family Winery in Kelseyville, Calif. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The 11th Lake County Land Trust annual benefit dinner was a great evening at the Moore Family Winery, with a sold-out crowd, delicious food, music, speakers and more.

The annual Land Trust dinner is a fundraising effort by the Lake County Land Trust, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving valuable habitat and open space in Lake County.

This year the dinner was held at the Moore Family Winery, a beautiful venue that provided a lovely setting for the annual dinner.

The silent auction brought many generous bids, music by Tom Nixon and Doug Kauffman during the social hour was enjoyed, and speakers, including Peter Windrem and Congressman Mike Thompson, delivered interesting addresses.

Two Lake County Land Trust Supporters of the Year were honored: Wilda Shock and Charlotte Griswold. Both women were honored for their ongoing support of the land trust, including volunteering at the Rodman Slough Preserve nature education center.

Peter Windrem, featured speaker for the evening, gave a fascinating talk on the history of the Clear Lake Hitch, or “Chi” and how the effort to preserve Clear Lake’s remaining native fish tie in with efforts by the Lake County Land Trust to preserve the remaining habitat along the shore of Clear Lake from the Clear Lake State Park to the south part of Lakeport.

Congressman Thompson praised the land trust’s efforts and also presented congressional certificates to the trust’s Supporters of the Year.

Land Trust President Pete McGee reviewed the trust’s activities over the year, including introducing the trust’s new executive director, Catherine Koehler.

Jon Ambrose, land trust secretary, was an able master of ceremonies, keeping the program moving and introducing the speakers.

Ciao Thyme caterers delivered a delicious meal and wines were provided by both the Moore Family Winery and numerous Lake County wineries.

The Lake County Land Trust is membership-supported organization. The trust owns and operates the Rodman Slough Preserve and Nature Education Center near Upper Lake, as well as the Rabbit Hill park in Middletown.

For more information about the trust, go to www.lakecountylandtrust.org.

Videgrapher Hiram Dukes and Velocity Video's McKenzie Paine made up the film crew and provided the video that was compiled to create the online presentation.