UKIAH, Calif. – The countdown is on and the menu is planned for this year’s Gala on the Green Vine & Dine June 1 on the Ukiah campus of Mendocino College.

Fine wines and delectable appetizers will be present in abundance prior to an extraordinary dinner.  

This year’s event is building on the success of last year’s gala which set a record for financial support of student scholarships and programs at the college.

This year, the event has come “home” to the Mendocino College campus. The festivities will be held in the Student Plaza and the brand-new Library/Learning Center building, and a completely remodeled Student Center.

Guests will appreciate the thoughtful design of this new area which takes advantage of the campus setting with scenic views of the western valley’s rolling hills.

Bringing back a very popular feature from last year, organizers have arranged a wine and appetizer hour, featuring top caterers and wineries from the area.

Appetizers will include offerings from Assiagiare Mendocino, Mendocino College instructors Leslie Banta and Vivian Varela, Bellissimo Wine Country Catering, Jim Stuart and Mendocino Bridal & Tux.

Rounding out the appetizer stations will be contributions from celebrated local dining establishments Oco Time, Patrona, Tallman Hotel/Blue Wing Saloon and Uncorked Wine Bistro.

Every appetizer station will be paired with a wine station where one of the 10 Coro group producers will be pouring their distinctive, locally-produced wines.

Coro producers at the gala will include Barra of Mendocino, Brutocao Cellars, Claudia Springs Winery, Fetzer Winery, Golden Vineyards, McFadden Vineyard, McNab Ridge Winery, Mendocino Vineyards, Parducci Wine Cellars and Philo Ridge Vineyards.

After guests enjoy the wine and appetizer hour, previewed the live auction and placed their bids on silent auction items, dinner will be served by the Culinary Arts Department of the college.

Nicholas Petti, Culinary Arts instructor and proprietor of Mendo Bistro in Fort Bragg, has fashioned a menu featuring roasted asparagus with house-cured stratta (pork shoulder) and sherry vinaigrette, crab cakes with avocado panzanella, zinfandel braised short ribs, potato cake and gremolata, strawberry semifreddo, and more. A vegetarian option will also be available.

The crab cakes, an especially popular item during the appetizer hour at last year’s gala, will be back this year as part of the main meal thanks to a generous donation of crab from Caito Fisheries.

“Hosting the event on campus will allow the college to highlight instructional programs in a new way, featuring campus tours, student entertainment and speakers, as well as an opportunity to meet many of the MESA students who are serving as event volunteers,” noted Foundation Executive Director Katie Fairbairn.

Major sponsors include 94.5 Kwine, Max 93.5 Radio, Skunk Train, Mendo Lake Credit Union, Savings Bank of Mendocino County, Selzer Realty, TLCD Architecture and Ukiah Valley Medical Center.

Registration for the Gala on the Green Vine & Dine is available online at www.galaonthegreen.org .

Admission is $100 per person, with a table of eight for $700, or a premium table of four for $500.

For more information about the event, or about the Mendocino College Foundation, visit the gala’s Web site at www.galaonthegreen.org .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. –The Lake County Library invites teens to participate in “Reading is so Delicious!,” the library’s 2013 summer teen program which runs from June 1 to Aug. 3.

Beginning June 1, students entering the sixth through 12th grade can register at the Lakeport, Middletown, Upper Lake and Redbud Libraries to participate in the free program and attend the events.

“Teens can read for prizes and take part in several special food-related events offered throughout the summer,” said Amy Patton, coordinator of teen events.

The program will start with decorating the young adult area of Lakeport Library with food photo collages. Other events will include visiting a community garden, attending a cooking class at a farmer’s market, making a mini-herb garden, decorating cupcakes and making chocolates.

Teens also can sign up to read three young adult books during the program. Those who read three books will receive a reading award and have their names on bookplates inside new library books.

Teens who turn in book reviews will be entered in the grand prize drawing.

The “Reading is so Delicious!” program is sponsored by the Lake County Library and the Friends of the Lake County Library.

Patton can be reached at 707-263-8817, Extension 17105, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High St., is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m. The phone number is 707-263-8817.

Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake, is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m. The phone number is 707-994-5115.

Middletown Library, 21267 Calistoga Road, is open Tuesday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 707-987-3674.

Upper Lake Library, 310 Second Street, is open Tuesday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 707-275-2049.

NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 53

– Highway widening and rehabilitation from 40th Avenue to the junction of Routes 20/53 will continue. Work hours are 7 p.m. Sunday evening though 3 p.m. Friday afternoon, 24 hours per day. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays. Contractor – Teichert Construction of Davis.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Replacement of the Greenwood Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Golden State Bridge Inc. of Martinez.

– Slipout repairs 1.6 miles south of Navarro Bluff Road will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Green Right O'Way Constructors of Willits.

– Bridge painting at the Salmon Creek Bridge and the Albion River Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Jeffco Painting and Coating of Vallejo.

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from Abalobadiah Creek to Branscomb Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

– Replacement of a culvert with a bridge at Dunn Creek will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Shasta Construction of Redding.

Highway 20

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from Road 350 to Willits Cemetery Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

– A pavement repair project from 1.4 miles west of Little Lake Road to Three Chop Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Vegetation removal just south of the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – DeSilva Gates Construction of Dublin.

– Vegetation removal just south of the railroad crossing will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – DeSilva Gates Construction of Dublin.

Highway 162

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from the junction or Routes 101/162 to Eberle Street will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

Work on all these projects is weather permitting and subject to change. Caltrans advises motorists to drive with caution when approaching work areas and to be prepared to stop at traffic control stations.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Due to popular demand “from a lot of folks,” Lake County Chamber Chief Executive Officer Melissa Fulton was “flushed” for the benefit of the Relay for Life 2013 Campaign.  

Thanks to Relay for Life volunteer Joey Brodnick, the purple pot was delivered to another Lakeport location on Wednesday to help raise more funds for this important campaign.  

“I’m not sure if I should be happy about being a popular candidate for this but we are very happy to contribute to Relay for Life, it’s a wonderful cause,” Fulton said.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – An update by the new owners of Langtry Estates/Guenoc Winery on Butts Canyon Road will be presented at the next Middletown Luncheon Club on Wednesday, May 15.

The program takes place at the Middletown Methodist Church Social Hall, 15155 Armstrong at Washington starting at noon.

Gaspar Louis Sayoc, special events sales manager of Foley Family Wines of Sonoma, will give the update.

Foley Family Wines owns many well-known wineries, such as Sebastiani, EOS, Chalk Hill Estate here and in Hawaii.

All programs are open to the public. Reservations are not necessary unless you are with a group.      Lunch still costs only $5 per person and will be served by the Middletown Senior Center this month.

The Middletown Luncheon Club is open to all, meets every third Wednesday of the month from January through November, and provides informative speakers and presentations to the community. Different local nonprofit organizations provide lunch each month and receive a donation.

For more information about the Middletown Luncheon Club, or to be a speaker, contact Helen Whitney at 707-928-9812.

For more information on Foley Family Wines, visit www.foleyfamilywines.com .

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 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of each month. The per person cost is $25 and $20 for Wine Studio club members. Reservations are required.

May 10 will feature Japanese-style cuisine with Lake County Rieslings.

The opening course will pair an off-dry Riesling with a Cashew vegetarian roll, followed by a tempura fire roll of salmon, jalapeño, avocado and a spicy Tahini sauce paired with a sweeter Riesling.

The final course will be mango sticky rice paired with a Late Harvest Riesling.

April’s event featured Brassfield Pinot Grigio with a spinach salad topped with bacon-wrapped scallops and citrus vinaigrette, followed by followed by a Catalan stuffed Portobello mushroom served with Six Sigma Tempranillo. The final pairing was an almond cake paired with Moore Family Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc.

June 14 will be the next date to follow for the Local Cuisine Scene event.

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