NICE – Come enjoy an Italian-style dinner and dance Friday, March 26, at the Sons of Italy.

The will serve a Chicken Cacciatore supper with all the fixings plus dessert at the club hall, 2817 E. Highway 20 in Nice.

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 cost $15 at the door. Everyone is welcome.

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

CLEARLAKE OAKS – The Lake County Computer Users will meet on Saturday, April 3.

Coffee and doughnuts will be offered beginning at 9 a.m., with the meeting running from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The meeting will take place at the Live Oak Senior Center, 12502 Foothill Blvd., Clearlake Oaks.

The program topic will be "Intro to Social Networking with Twitter, Facebook and Flickr!" presented by Judy Grindle.

If you have tried it, tell them how you use it and if you like it. Also bring a list of your PC problems and questions and they will try to help you find a solution.

The group's programs topics include "Ordering books, movies, CDs, etc. online from your local library and downloading free books to your PC or mp3 device" by Dorothy Hurkett, and "How to get 25GB of free online storage and Window 7's missing programs" by Judy Grindle.

For more information visit www.lccu-ca.org or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

UKIAH – The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for Lake and Mendocino Counties’ Governing Board will conduct a public hearing to accept comments on the 2009-2012 Area Plan.

The hearing will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, April 22, at Mendocino County HHSA's Big Sur meeting room, 747 S. State St., Ukiah.

The plan sets forth goals and objectives to address needs of seniors and people with disabilities in Lake and Mendocino counties.

The AAA is interested in receiving input from older adults, persons with disabilities, family caregivers, agencies and advocacy groups serving these individuals, and other interested parties.

Copies of the plan’s goals and objectives will be available at the hearings and the entire plan can be accessed at www.mcdss.org .

For more information, please contact AAA at 463-7775 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

MENDOCINO COUNTY – Join the Big River Stewards program of the Mendocino Land Trust and the Mendocino Woodlands Camp Association for the fourth-annual Earth Day Work Weekend at Big River on April 24 and 25.

Come stay a night at the historic Mendocino Woodlands Camp in the redwoods and help with restoration projects at Big River or join them for either day.

Complimentary lodging will be provided to volunteers in rustic private cabins nestled in the redwoods at the Mendocino Woodlands Camp, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Lodging is limited to 25 participants.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 24, volunteers will remove Ammophila (or European Beach Grass) and other invasive plants from scenic Big River Beach located between the Big River estuary and the historic village of Mendocino.

On Saturday night, a complimentary dinner will be served in the Woodlands historic Camp One dining hall.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 25, volunteers will work to remove invasive English Ivy from mature stands of redwoods bordering Big River.

For more information, or to RSVP, contact Stewards Coordinator Matt Coleman at 707-962-0470 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

In 2002, Mendocino Land Trust acquired the 7,334-acre former industrial logging property and turned it over to California State Parks.

Big River, home to endangered Coho Salmon and threatened Steelhead Trout, is also one of the longest undeveloped estuaries in Northern California.

Since 2004, MLT’s Big River Stewards have been working to remove invasive plants, control erosion and monitor avian and aquatic resources.

YOUNTVILLE – The Napa Valley Museum announces the April 2 opening of the Suiseki exhibit of rare stone artifacts from the Rozaline and Bertram Johnson Collection of Fossils, Stones and Minerals in the museum's History Gallery.

The Rozaline and Bertram Johnson endowment was made in 1995 when the Napa Valley Museum was located in St. Helena where a small portion of the collection was displayed.

The April 2 opening represents the first time the collection has been shown in 15 years.

The current exhibit will feature cases filled with Suiseki (soo-ee-sek-ee) or sui (meaning water) and seki (meaning stone) viewing stones, chalcopypyrite quartz and pyrite, and chrysanthemum stones collected during the Johnson's many travels throughout Japan.

The chrysanthemum stones are polished to bring out their natural beauty. Some are described as resembling brilliant fireworks in the night sky.

As Oakville residents and world travellers, the Johnsons amassed an extensive array of nature's wonders. Through their generosity, they have shared their passion about the earth's history with museum visitors who will be able to enjoy their beauty and appreciate their worldwide significance.

The Napa Valley Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call 707-944-0500 or visit www.napavalleymuseum.org .

MIDDLETOWN – One hundred boxes of food were distributed on March 17 to families in need in the Middletown area by Lake County Programs Rural Food Project.

More than 20 new families came to receive a box of food which represents 72 new clients.

Overall, more than 350 people were served.

Food is distributed on the third Wednesday of every month from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. or until food runs out.

Volunteers included Carolyn Tobin, Steve Hebert, Jaquie Stricklind, Susan Watts, Jara Johnson, Mary Rose Pott, Bonnie Thompson, Phyllis Kelsey, Bettye McKinstry, Kelley and Kathleen Grimsley.

The program is indebted to its volunteers who help serve the Middletown, Cobb and Hidden Valley Lake residents who are in need.

Nonperishable items such as juice, jelly, and soup are always needed. You can drop off food items to our office in Middletown at 21257 Calistoga St., which is between the library and the car wash.

There is a blue container on the porch, yet if you have a larger donation to make, please call 707-987-8139 to make arrangements to meet you at the Rural Food Project’s pantry at St. Joseph’s Church.

Another food distribution is held on the fourth Monday of every month at Glebe Hall, St Peter’s Church in Kelseyville from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. (or until food runs out).

Registration requires proof of residence in Lake County only and is done the day of the distribution on site.

Donations can be made payable to “Catholic Charities Lake RFP” and all such monies are used to purchase food only for Lake County residents.

Send to Catholic Charities, P. O. Box 678, Middletown, CA 95461.