The class will include a short lecture on the history of cheeses, background on the artisan cheese movement, the cheesemakers and the farms where the milk is produced.

Participants will learn how to store, serve and pair cheese with various foods and wines.

Five California-farmed cheeses to be sampled will include a range of cheese styles from cow, goat and sheep with various sides and garnishes and three appropriate Lake County wines.

Bickett’s affinity for cheeses and cheese making began in West Virginia in the 1970s when she bought a mountain farm, a cow, goats and chickens and learned how to make butter, yogurt and cheese.

Presently working as a wine educator in the Napa Valley, she has attended cheese making classes at Cal Poly and Redwoods Hills Dairy, as well as participating in cheese tasting and pairing classes held in San Francisco and Napa.

There are 20 spaces available for this class. The cost is $22 per person and advance reservations are required. Cheeses will be available for purchase following the class.

Lake County Wine Studio is located at 9505 Main St. in Upper Lake.

For reservations and additional information, contact Susan Feiler at 707-275-8030, 707-293-8752 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The meeting will take place at the district offices, 19400 Hartmann Road.

Under unfinished business, the board will receive an update on the districts new solar project.

In new business, the board will discuss an employee compensation philosophy, board and committee reorganization, a resolution authorizing investment of Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District’s monies in a local agency investment fund and a Westamerica signature card update.

Board packets are available at the district's Web site at www.hiddenvalleylakecsd.com; click on the “Board Packet” link on the agenda tab.

Locally produced foods are proudly featured as key ingredients in recipes created by Cache Creek Catering.

The series is held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of each month with the exception of January, when the event is held on the third Friday, Jan. 20.

The per person cost is $20 and reservations are required.

December’s event featured sweet and savory pairings beginning with chorizo stuffed dates paired with Brassfield Estate Elevado Zinfandel Port-style dessert wine, followed by white chocolate cheesecake paired with Ceago Late Harvest Semillon.

The final pairing of walnut baklava drizzled with honey/orange syrup paired with Gregory Graham Late Harvest Zinfandel Port-style dessert wine completed the three-course event, with the walnuts being sourced from Dancing Tree People’s organic farm in Upper Lake.

January’s event kicks off the 2012 series and intends to chase the chill of winter away with Spanish Tapas and two Lake County Tempranillos.

The first pairing will be seasonal wilted greens with local olive oil, paprika and garlic with Manchego cheese, followed by Ancho chili stuffed with chorizo, potato and Farmers cheese.

The final course will be stewed quince and olive oil cakes paired with Robledo Family white Port-style dessert wine.

The Feb. 10 event will celebrate heavenly chocolate creations and Noggle Vineyard and Winery Cabernets.

March 9 welcomes the return of Japanese Cuisine by Kizuna Fusion paired with white varietals and a dessert wine from Brassfield Estate.

April 13 will feature spring favorites with produce from Finch Gardens and locally farmed lamb paired with Gregory Graham wines.

For reservations and additional information, contact Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030 or e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PG&E’s annual Winter Gas Savings program continues until Jan. 31. The program rewards customers who conserve and helps them lower their bills.

The Winter Gas Savings program gives eligible residential and business customers an automatic bill credit when they reduce their natural gas usage over December and January, compared to the previous three winters.

Customers who conserve up to 10 percent will receive an equal percentage credit on their February or March gas bills. Customers who conserve 10 percent or more will receive a 20 percent credit. To make the baseline comparison valid, usage data will be adjusted for weather.

Customers with a SmartMeter gas meter can now track how you are progressing towards the bonus credit with our new Progress Tracker.

Customers can take simple steps to reduce their gas consumption and save money:

• Lower the thermostat to 68 degrees during the daytime (health permitting).

• Set the water heater to 120 degrees or the "normal" setting.

• Wash clothes in cold water instead of hot.

• Open blinds and drapes on sunny days.

• Microwave small amounts of food instead of heating them up in the oven.

The meeting will take place at the Clear Lake Riviera Community Association building, 9689 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.

Tim Williams from the Lake County Chapter of Move to Amend will do a presentation about the movement and their upcoming rally in Sacramento.

Move to Amend is the movement to amend the constitution to take away corporate personhood and define who is a person under the constitution. This is in response to the US Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United.

Please come and inform yourselves of what is going on and how corporations are taking over the elections and buying candidates because of this decision.

The Green Party takes no corporate donations; they are supported by the people.

Meetings are pot luck so bring food to share.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Joanne or Phil at 707-263-3391.

Tuesday, Jan. 24, will be the first session entitled “The Emotional Brain: “Rethinking Happiness” on DVD from the highly regarded PBS series, “This Emotional Life.”

You will learn three common myths about what makes us happy, why fewer choices increases well-being and the role our thoughts play in experiencing joy.

The sessions will be facilitated by Konocti Senior Support Peer Counseling Program Director Kim Baughan-Young, MFT.

The trainings will take place the fourth Tuesday of each month from 11 a.m. to noon at St John’s Lutheran Church, 14310 Memory Lane, in Clearlake.

Konocti Senior Support Inc. is a nonprofit agency offering free services to seniors through the Peer Counseling Program and the Friendly Visitor Program.

All services are provided by trained volunteers and new trainings will be held for volunteers this spring.

To RSVP and get more information about these informative sessions, to make referrals for services or get more information contact Judy Morgan at 707-995-1417.