LAKEPORT, Calif. – Melanie Marie Hanson passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 17, 2016, at her home in Lakeport.

She was born on Aug. 11, 1955, in Hot Springs, Ark. She lived in the bay area before moving to Lake County in 1968.

Melanie was preceded in death by her husband, Henry (Hank); parents, Clifford and Annie Mae Maner; brother, Clifford Randall Maner; and her beloved dog, Huggles.

She is survived by her two sisters, Nancy Betley of Lincoln, Calif., and Tami (Forrest) Stogner of Kelseyville, Calif., and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary in Lakeport on Friday, Nov. 11, at 2 p.m.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

LUCERNE, Calif. – Friends of Locally Owned Water, or FLOW, will hold its next meeting on Saturday, Nov. 19.

The group will meet at 11 a.m. at the Northshore Community Center/Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, located at the corner of 10th Avenue and Country Club Drive.

It is time to nominate and elect new officers to the FLOW Board of Directors.

Those interested in nominating someone or in serving themselves as chair, vice chair, secretary or treasurer are encouraged to attend the Nov. 19 meeting.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Enrique L. Rodriguez, 86 years old, passed away peacefully in his home on Nov. 4, 2016. He was surrounded by his daughters and grandchildren.

He was born in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico on July 6, 1930.

Enrique immigrated to the United States in the late 1950s, then in 1966 he moved his family to Kelseyville.

Enrique worked his entire life in the vineyards and became foreman. He worked for Reid Dorn for many years, then worked many more years with Turner Vineyards (Turner Gas), Roumiguiere Vineyards and Devoto Vineyards before retiring in 2012.

His passion in life was working hard in the vineyards, walnuts, driving tractors and spending time with his family.

Enrique is survived by his four daughters, Teresa Aguirre (Abdon), Irma Rodriguez, Alicia Rodriguez and Juanita Estrella; his grandchildren, Abdon Jr., Andres and Victor Aguirre, Jackie and Saul Avalos, Luis A. and Omar Rodriguez, Yvette and Christian Estrella, Jolene Ramsey (Kelly) and Gilbert Rodriguez, Shane, Michael and Natalie Rodriguez; and his great-grandchildren, Vanessa Reyes, Angelina Hernandez, Evalina Estrella, Audrey Rodriguez, Ruben and Kayla Rodriguez.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Martha Rodriguez, and his three sons, Francisco, Gilbert and Luiz Rodriguez.

Visitation will take place at Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary in Lakeport on Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 3 to 6 p.m., with a rosary service at 6:15 p.m.

A funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Lakeport on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 11 a.m. with interment at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery on Highway 175.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County chapter of the NAACP will hold a general membership election on Saturday, Nov. 12.

The polls will open from noon to 4 p.m. at the Mendo Lake Credit Union building, located at 14866 Olympic Drive in the Burns Valley Shopping Center in Clearlake.

Members will need a form of identification.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Do you like to garden? Are you interested in helping other gardeners in Lake County?

Then consider applying to become a University of California Master Gardener. Master Gardeners are volunteer staff of the University of California who have been trained and certified to extend research-based horticultural information to the public.

The orientation meetings will take place at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, and 5 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Lake County Agricultural Center, 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport.

The meetings will provide an overview of the UCCE Master Gardener Program and what is expected of a UC Master Gardener volunteer.

The information will be presented by current UC Master Gardener volunteers and the Master Gardener Program Coordinator Gabriele O’Neill. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer period.

Please RSVP to one orientation date by calling 707-263-6838 or by e-mailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Please note: It's only necessary for you to attend one orientation, not both.

If you are unable to attend, please notify them so they can arrange an alternate date by calling the UCCE office at 707-263-6838 so they can arrange an alternative time for an orientation.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Calistoga Roastery is hosting a show of fine art photographs taken by John Mackesy.

The show features stunning close up images of bees on colorful flowers.  The photographs are metal prints of beautiful honeybees.

The photos were taken in gardens in Hidden Valley Lake.

Many feature flowers planted by children in the fabulous Coyote Valley Elementary School garden. 

After the 2015 Valley fire in Lake County, thousands of acres of natural foraging areas for wild bees were reduced to ashes.

Bees by the thousands who survived the fire flew into the school garden for refuge. The bees seemed covered with soot and desperate for food, which they found in the nectar and pollen of bright flowers such as sunflowers, zinnias, honeysuckle, lavender, sage and pumpkin blossoms.

The photo exhibit is meant to celebrate the survival of the Valley fire refuge bees and encourage people to plant flowers and herbs to help wild and free bees in a time of diminishing habitat.

Be sure to stop by the Calistoga Roastery in November and December to see the show.  Enjoy the finest coffee and delicious food while feasting your eyes on one of nature’s great expressions, wild and free bees.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Soroptimist International of Clear Lake will meet on Thursday, Nov. 10.

The group will hold a luncheon business meeting at 11:45 a.m. at Aromas Café at the Woodland Community College's Lake County Campus, 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.

The cost for lunch is $10 and can be paid at the door.

Agenda items include details on the recent murder mystery theater by Chair Ami Landrum.

Violet Richardson Award Chair Wanda Harris will report on the need for applications from young women ages 14 to 18 who are engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools in order to make the community and world a better place. Projects include volunteer action fighting drugs, crime, violence or helping to clean up the environment. 

Chair Kathy Freeborn will report that openings are still available for Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards for Women who serve as the primary wage earners for their families and need financial assistance to continue their education or receive training.

Deadline for both awards is Nov. 15. Both awards come with cash prizes. Contact Kathy Freeborn at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Wanda Harris or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for applications to the programs.

Soroptimist is an international organization for women who volunteer to work to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and in the world.  

More than 80,000 Soroptimists in about 120 countries and territories contribute time and financial support to community based and international projects to benefit women and girls.

The group meets for lunch on the second and fourth Thursdays each month in Clearlake.

Membership is open to anyone with the desire to help women and girls locally, nationally and internationally. 

For more information about the luncheon or joining the group contact Membership Chair Wanda Harris at 707-225-5800 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or the group's president, Olga Martin Steele at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Just in time for holiday gift-giving, Kathy King and Molly Patton will teach a combined intermediate-level class on knitting and crocheting at the Lakeport branch of Lake County Library, 1425 N. High St.

The free class happens Saturday, Nov. 12, from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information call the library at 707-263-8817.

The class will produce a versatile crocheted bag that folds into itself and a small knitted doll. Some supplies will be provided. Guests can bring their own supplies if they want to.

For the knitting project bring worsted weight yarn scraps and #4 circular needs. For the crochet project bring two balls of “Sugar & Cream” cotton yard and a G or H crochet hook.

The class is free to the public and no library card is required to attend.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

Jan Cook works for the Lake County Library.

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Services announced that the Historic Schoolhouse Museum in Lower Lake and the Courthouse Museum in Lakeport will be closed Friday, Nov. 11, in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.

The Lower Lake Museum and the Lakeport Museum will reopen on Saturday, Nov. 12.

Normal operating hours at the Historic Schoolhouse Museum  in Lower Lake are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.

The Courthouse Museum in Lakeport is normally open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please call the Historic Schoolhouse Museum in Lower Lake at 707-995-3565 or the Historic Courthouse Museum in Lakeport at 707-263-4555.  For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .