LAKEPORT, Calif. – Officials at the Lake County Fair has announced that all five members of the Lost Boys, Lake County's rising rock stars, will judge the annual talent competition at the event.

The Lake County Fair amateur talent competition is an annual event that usually attracts a dozen or so local acts.

It will take place on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 6:30 p.m. on the Enhance H2O Main Stage, and is free with fair admission for spectators.

"Most people don't know this, but the Lost Boys once were just two boys, Beau Bastian and Jordan Mills, and at the ripe old age of 10 the two of them won this talent competition," said Fair Chief Executive Officer Richard Persons. "I think they played a song they had written, and they were hands down the best act in the competition that year. They've gotten some great experience since then and their music careers have blossomed, and we're really happy to have them judge at this year's competition."

Since then, the Lost Boys, have won numerous competitions, including the Ukiah Idol Competition, Ukiah Band Slam, Northern California’s Rising Stars Competition, and the California Colgate Showdown, where they have defended their title two years running.

The band has been nominated for the Los Angeles Music Awards album of the year for 2010. Past performers, presenters and nominees have included Toto, Paula Abdul, Tower of Power, Jackson Browne, Korn, Sugar Ray, Black Eyed Peas, System of A Down, Slash, 311, Hoobastank and No Doubt.

The five members of the Lost Boys, including Bastian, Mills, Matt Weiss, Thomas Cano and Jacob Gill, will be joined at the judge's table by the band's manager and the general manager of Konocti Harbor Resort, Greg Bennett.

"Greg obviously has a great eye for talent," said Persons. "We've tried to get him to judge the talent competition in past years, but his schedule at Konocti Harbor Resort wouldn't permit it. We think having Greg and the Lost Boys judge will raise the level of competition a bit."

Entries for the Lake County Fair talent competition closed Aug. 18.

There are 13 acts signed up to perform. Most of the entrants are vocalists, several with instrumental accompaniment. One entry involves a gymnastics routine, and one entry is a dancer. Entrants may not have performed professionally within the past year.

Each performance is limited to a minimum performance of three minutes and a maximum of four minutes. Each entrant must be able to set the stage in under three minutes, and then, after the performance, must also strike the stage in under three minutes.

Mickey the Clown, a longtime fixture at the Lake County Fair, will emcee the competition.

Other acts on the Enhance H2O Main Stage on Saturday of the Lake County Fair will include the local band Side of Blues, performing three sets on Saturday afternoon. Immediately following the amateur talent competition, a special guest act will close out the evening.

Other Fair performers on Saturday, September 4th include Sax-O-Rama, a six piece brass band performing in the afternoon on the Mediacom Gazebo Stage, followed in the evening by the rock band Kustom Cuts. Ken Garr, the street corner magician, with return with his box of magic. The main grandstands will host an evening of side-by-side mud drag racing, sponsored by Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino.

The annual Junior Livestock Auction also takes place on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 1 p.m. in the Baldwin Pavilion.

Businesses and individuals are invited to bid on the prize-winning livestock raised and exhibited by local youth. Various livestock species are displayed throughout the fair, including swine, beef, sheep, goat and horse exhibits from local 4-H and FFA exhibitors. Small animals are represented as well, with chickens, turkeys, rabbits and cavies all residing in the barn areas. The auction is sponsored by Umpqua Bank.

Regular admission prices for the 2010 Lake County Fair are $9 for a regular ticket, $6 for a senior over age 60, and $5 for children ages 6 through 11. Children under 6 years old are admitted free everyday. Children through age 11 are admitted for $2 on Thursday, Sept. 2, only, for "Kid's Day."

LAKEPORT – Celebrate the lazy days of summer with the exciting work of seven new artists at the Lake County Arts Council during the First Friday Fling reception for the artists at the Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 3.

New artists in the September show include Paula Strother with her strong work in acrylics and Nancy Webb's expressive work in oils.

Dennis Robison exhibits a variety of scenes and styles with his work in pastels. Judy Labelle takes a different tack with pastels showing bold and exciting paintings and Richard Seisser again demonstrates his ever growing talent with beautiful pastel landscapes.

Susan Laymon's photographs on canvas are a delight to the eye. Showing for the first time in the Gallery is Nancy Webb with bold tropical work in oils.

Shelby Posada brings a variety of work in mixed mediums and styles including two painting using coffee with acrylic on free hanging canvas.

Continuing at the Gallery is Dr. John Winslow with beautifully detailed pastels of wild life. In the display cases are Desiree Henningsen of Sling Dust Studios with her beautifully crafted and unique gourds, Chuck Colson with a collection of finely wrought jewelry and Jackie Wilson's fine work in watercolor.

Dan Alexander displays his talent for capturing wildlife on film. Mary McGregor will delight you with her skillfully crafted baskets and work in oils and Anna Sabalone shows her versatility as she presents work in pastels, watercolors and oils.

There is added excitement in the Linda Carpenter Gallery with the presentation of a theme show, “Life Around the Lake,” the brainchild of Ray Farrow who is also donating one of his fine framed prints for a raffle.

Special thanks to Tom Zephers and his careful critique in judging the show, and congratulations to Patty Oates for receiving the “Judges' Award.” You, too, can be a judge as you vote for the “People's Choice” award.

High Valley Vineyards will be pouring their fine wines during the evening, and George Husaruk will delight you performing on an array of flutes. For more information, please call the Gallery at 707-263-6658.

Ted Kooser, US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. Photo by UNL Publications and Photography.

I’ve read dozens of poems written about the events of September 11, 2001, but this one by Tony Gloeggler of New York City is the only one I’ve seen that addresses the good fortune of a survivor.

Five Years Later

My brother was on his way

to a dental appointment

when the second plane hit

four stories below the office

where he worked. He’s never

said anything about the guy

who took football bets, how

he liked to watch his secretary

walk, the friends he ate lunch with,

all the funerals. Maybe, shamed

by his luck, he keeps quiet,

afraid someone might guess

how good he feels, breathing.

Ted Kooser was US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. He is a professor in the English Department of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He lives on an acreage near the village of Garland, Nebraska, with his wife Kathleen Rutledge, the editor of the Lincoln Journal Star.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2009 by Donal Heffernan, whose most recent book of poetry is “Duets of Motion,” Lone Oak Press, 2001. Poem reprinted by permission of Donal Heffernan. Introduction copyright ©2010 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

American Life in Poetry ©2006 The Poetry Foundation

Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This column does not accept unsolicited poetry.

Bettie Mae Fikes performing at the Blue Wing Blues Festival in Upper Lake, Calif., in 2009. Courtesy photo.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Blues diva Bettie Mae Fikes, based in Los Angeles but with a large Lake County following, will headline the second annual Blue Wing Labor Day Blues Concert outdoors in the garden from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 6.

The concert promises to be a relaxing and upbeat way to end the traditional end-of-summer weekend holiday.

Born in Selma, Ala., Bettie Mae Fikes was active in the Civil Rights Movement, beginning her singing career with the SNCC Freedom Singers and performing at the 1964 Democratic Party convention in Atlantic City and at various reunions since.

She has graced the stages of Carnegie Hall, Newport Jazz Festival, the Library of Congress, and numerous blues festivals.

Fikes' connections to Lake County are deep, and in August of last year she stepped onto a small local stage with five of her favorite musicians and the house packed with enthusiastic fans. The result was her latest recording called “How Blue Can You Get?”

Backing Fikes on Labor Day will be Levi Lloyd and his 501 Band. This band, well-known throughout Northern California, is composed of Levi on guitar and vocals, Frankie J. on keyboards, Steve Guerrero on drums and the incomparable Robert Watson on bass.

Opening for Levi and Bettie Mae will be Gerald Mathis and Starlight, a Sacramento group featuring Mathis on keyboards and vocals and Anthony Dillard on sax. They brought down the house at the Blue Wing last Labor Day opening for Roy Rogers and his band.

Both bands will perform on the veranda of the Tallman Hotel with the audience gathered in the intimate garden between the hotel and restaurant.

In addition to the music, patrons will enjoy a gourmet barbecue dinner with choice of salads and entrees as part of the $50 ticket price.

Seating is limited and tickets may be purchased directly at the Tallman Hotel, located on Main Street in Upper Lake, or by calling the hotel reception desk at 707-275-2245.

This special event is made possible by the generous sponsorships of Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, Gregory Graham Winery, radio station KNTI (99.5 FM), Allora DaCar Productions and Vintage Antiques and Country Barn Auction in Upper Lake.

Levi Lloyd backing Bettie Mae Fikes at the 2009 Blue Wing Blues Festival in Upper Lake, Calif. Courtesy photo.

Ted Kooser, US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. Photo by UNL Publications and Photography.

Because I’m a senior citizen I’m easily attracted by poems about my brothers and sisters meandering into their golden years. Here’s a poem by Edward Hirsch, who lives in New York, that offers our younger readers a look at what’s to come.

Early Sunday Morning

I used to mock my father and his chums

for getting up early on Sunday morning

and drinking coffee at a local spot

but now I’m one of those chumps.

No one cares about my old humiliations

but they go on dragging through my sleep

like a string of empty tin cans rattling

behind an abandoned car.

It’s like this: just when you think

you have forgotten that red-haired girl

who left you stranded in a parking lot

forty years ago, you wake up

early enough to see her disappearing

around the corner of your dream

on someone else’s motorcycle

roaring onto the highway at sunrise.

And so now I’m sitting in a dimly lit

café full of early morning risers

where the windows are covered with soot

and the coffee is warm and bitter.

Ted Kooser was US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. He is a professor in the English Department of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He lives on an acreage near the village of Garland, Nebraska, with his wife Kathleen Rutledge, the editor of the Lincoln Journal Star.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org),

publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of

Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2009 by Donal Heffernan, whose most recent book of poetry is

“Duets of Motion,” Lone Oak Press, 2001. Poem reprinted by permission of Donal Heffernan.

Introduction copyright ©2010 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

American Life in Poetry ©2006 The Poetry Foundation

Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This column does not accept unsolicited poetry.