LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Environmental directors Sarah Ryan and Karola Kennedy will present the results of the tribes’ cyanotoxin monitoring program and the ways it affects both recreational use of the lake and drinking water at the Thursday, Feb. 18, Redbud Audubon Society program meeting.

The program is free and open to the public.

Refreshments will begin at 7 p.m. with the program at 7:15 p.m. at the group's new location, the Methodist Church Social Hall, 16255 Second St. in Lower Lake. The hall is across the parking lot from the Methodist Church. If you are coming through Lower Lake, turn left on Lake Street and then right on Second Street.

Although the blue green algae (cyanobacteria) problem has plagued Clear Lake for decades, a more recent concern is the presence of cyanotoxins, present in and beneath algae mats that can prove poisonous to both humans and animals.

Since the fall of 2014 Big Valley Rancheria and Elem Indian Colony have been conducting regular testing for cyanotoxins produced by the “algae” blooms that have plagued the lake annually.

Ryan and Kennedy will discuss the cyanotoxin “hot spots” as well as show examples of how toxin levels aren't necessarily linked to what the water quality looks like.

The presentation will provide a good background to an important issue that is being dealt with worldwide.
 
Ryan has worked for the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians since 2001 and has headed their Environmental Protection Department since 2006. She works with environmental staff to respond to current environmental conditions and to protect natural resources which support the health and wellbeing of the tribe.

Ryan has worked on and chaired pertinent committees, both local and statewide including the Clear Lake Advisory Committee, the California Invasive Species Advisory Committee and the CalEPA Tribal Advisory Committee. She attended the College of William and Mary in Virginia and obtained a bachelor's degree in government.

Kennedy works for the Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians as the environmental director. She has been in the position and living in Lake County for two years. She is very passionate about the environmental issues in Lake County and Clear Lake.

In her previous career she gained extensive experience in developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others as well as maintaining them over time. She attended the University of Nevada, Reno and obtained a Bachelor of Science in environmental engineering and received designation as an engineer in training.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Tickets are now on sale for Fashion Festival 2016, a fundraising event for the Lower Lake Historical School Preservation Committee.

The show begins at noon on Saturday, April 2, in the Weaver auditorium, 16435 Main St., Lower Lake.

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

The event will feature fashions from Lisa’s Sizes 3 to 60 in Clearlake and Anna’s Boutique in the Clear Lake Riviera.

This year’s theme is “In the Good Ol’ Summertime.”

Everyone attending is encouraged to wear a summer bonnet and awards will be given for the best themed, most beautiful and most original hats.

Celebrity waiters will be serving a delicious luncheon prepared by Chic Le Chef, and a wonderful array of prizes will be raffled off, with a $100 money hat as the top prize.

Seating is limited; reserve your tickets now by calling the museum at 707-995-3565. Groups may reserve a table for 10.

The Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Shannon Michele of Cache Creek Catering and Lake County Wine Studio are presenting a monthly food and wine series featuring gourmet appetizers paired with select Lake County wines. Locally produced foods are proudly featured as key ingredients in recipes created by Cache Creek Catering.

The series is held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of each month. Reservations are required and include a 30-day complimentary membership to the Local Cuisine Scene Club.

Club members will be offered private pairings, pairing consultations, special private catering rates, access to recipes and first option for seatings at Local Cuisine Scene for members and their guests.

The event on Friday, Feb. 12, revisits the annual February feature of the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal.

The first pairing will be Noggle Vineyards and Winery Cabernet Sauvignon with a salad of fresh spinach, pomegranate, red walnuts, blood orange with cocoa nibs and a walnut oil balsamic dressing.

The second pairing features Fore Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon with pizzettes of roasted fennel and shallots with artisanal olive oil, Gruyère cheese and cocoa nibs.

The dessert course will be a chocolate olive oil cake with double chocolate dipped strawberries.

For reservations and additional information, contact Susan Feiler at 707-293-8752.

Lake County Wine Studio is both a gallery for display of arts and a tasting room, wine bar and retail shop for the fine wines of Lake County.

Artists' shows are held on a monthly basis with art and wine receptions held the first Friday and subsequent Saturday of each month except in January.
 
The gallery is located at 9505 Main St. in Upper Lake. It is open Monday, 1 to 6:30 p.m.; Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m.; and Friday from 1 to 8 p.m.

The art show on display for the month of February is by photographer Jeff Tangen.

For more information call Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030 or visit www.lakecountywinestudio.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In February and March, Congressman John Garamendi is hosting a series of senior center conversations throughout the Third District focused on the concerns of seniors.

During the senior service roundtables, residents will have an opportunity to:

· Learn about senior services and support available in our region;

· Discuss the issues most important to our community and particularly for seniors;

· Watch the KVIE PBS documentary “Fading Away,” which features Garamendi's work fighting for additional Alzheimer’s research funding; and

· Senior citizen/group recognition.

Light refreshments will be provided, and the congressman’s office will also have caseworkers on site ready to get the process started for constituents who are having issues with a federal agency like Social Security, Medicare or the Veterans Administration.

If constituents have questions, they should call the Congressman’s Fairfield Office at 707-438-1822.

People also can RSVP to any of the events on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/repgaramendi/events to make sure they receive any updates about the events.

The roundtables will take place on the following dates at the listed locations:

– Glenn County: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Glenn County Senior Center, 19 Walker St., Orland.

– Yuba City: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2:30 to 4 p.m., Yuba City Senior Center, 777 Ainsley Ave.

– Davis: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Davis Senior Center, 616 A St.

– Vacaville: Thursday, Feb. 18, noon to 1:30 p.m., McBride Senior Center, 91 Town Square Place.

– Rio Vista: Friday, Feb. 19, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Rio Vista Senior Center, 25 Main St.

– Fairfield: Friday, Feb. 19, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Adult Recreation Center, 1200 Civic Center Drive.

– Lake County: Thursday, March 10, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Live Oak Senior Center, 12502 Foothill Blvd., Clearlake Oaks.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Board of Lake County PEG TV will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 10.

The meeting will take place beginning at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

Agenda items include approval of the Nov. 11 minutes, consideration of the 2016-17 PEG TV budget and a resolution establishing the station management position, along with programmers' and chairman's reports.

Lake County PEG TV represents the public, education and government cable access station.

Board members include Chair Ed Robey and Vice Chair Denise Loustalot, and members Martin Scheel, Brock Falkenberg and Eric Hoefler.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Fine dining anyone?

The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College offers a robust program to those interested in the culinary arts.

Chef Robert Cabreros, along with Instructional Assistant Terra Seifert and the Baking Instructor Ann-Marie Pleskaczewski, has built a strong foundation in our community for providing the area with skilled, creative, and experienced chefs, line cooks, and bakers.

From the Saw Shop Bistro to Park Place Restaurant to catering businesses such as Chic Le Chef, local establishments are hiring graduates of the Lake County Campus Culinary Arts Program year after year.

Beginning Feb. 17, Aromas Café will be open to the public to satisfy the palate from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. This means quality, high class, sophisticated food right here in a restaurant run by students in the heart of Lake County.

However, weekly dining will only be the beginning for these young chefs in training.
   
Throughout the semester, culinary students will be taking part in a variety of events on and off campus.

At the Lake County Campus, the food served at Aromas Café is an integral part of campus events and activities.

For example, on Wednesday, Feb. 24, the campus will be hosting their annual Black History Month event. Local leaders will speak on topics relating to Black History complemented by an exquisite traditional soul food buffet lunch.

On St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, students will be cooking an Irish menu with lunch items to celebrate the holiday.

And finally for Earth Day on April 21, Aromas Café will feature a sushi lunch and select vegetarian entrées.
   
Off campus, culinary arts students will be able to mingle with local community leaders and business owners while showing off their skills.

On Feb. 6, students took part in their first community event of the semester hosted by Lake Family Resource Center. The Wine and Chocolate festival has been a huge success in the past and allows for students to mingle with the high life of Lake County building new connections and making tummies happy.

On March 19, the students will be helping to provide food at the Park Study event held at the Clearlake Highlands Senior Center.

Finally, Lake County Campus will have the privilege this year to host the Wine Alliance culinary competition. This will consist of an essay, menu development, and cooking competition where students will contend for monetary awards.

One of the most successful programs at Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College is its culinary arts program.

With Cabreros at the helm teaching his classes the importance of quality food, minimizing wasted food products and enhancing the standard of customer service in the community, it’s no wonder that Chef Cabreros has a wall of success filled with names of alumni and the restaurants that now benefit from their expertise.

You would suspect that it would take a certain level of commitment from staff and faculty for graduates to achieve such great success. Chef Cabreros embodies this commitment.

“I have never seen such dedication to one certain goal by any team I’ve ever worked with. Our goal is simple, it’s student success,” he said.

The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College is located at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.