LAKEPORT – Lake County Fair officials announced the addition of up to $3,000 in added purse monies to winners in the demolition derby, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 2, at 7:30 p,m.

With the fair’s help, the winner will now receive $3,000. Before the addition, the purse for winning the whole derby was $1,500.

Additionally, the winner of each heat race will win an extra $500, in addition to the previously published purse of $100 for a heat race win.

The fair has extended the extra purse for up to three heat races. The derby is produced by Lakeport Speedway, and previously had total purses of $2,650.

Events in the grandstand arena include the Lake County Invitational Bomber Race on Thursday evening, a freestyle motorcycle high jump with mud drags on Friday evening, California State Finals of the WGAS Motorsports Tuff Truck and Buggy Races on Saturday evening, and the demolition derby on Sunday evening.

All grandstand shows start at 7:30 p.m. Local participants are also encouraged in the demo derby, mud drags and the tuff truck races, and entry forms are available at the fairgrounds office.

Live local entertainment occurs continuously on two stages. The Sutter Lakeside Hospital Main Stage will showcase national touring act Twice As Good on Saturday at 8 p.m.

Other local acts, including the Snake Alley Band, LC Diamonds, the Uncalled Four and the Mark Weston Band, will also play the main stage.

The Mediacom Stage will host a variety of acts including Travis Rinker, Short Stax, Village-Stone & Day, Jim Williams on acoustic guitar, and Barrish & Day. In addition, DJ Ken Steely will provide live karaoke on Saturday afternoon.

Regular admission prices for the 2012 Lake County Fair are unchanged from 2012.

Prices are $10 for a regular ticket, $6 for a senior over age 60, and $6 for children ages 6 through 11. Children under 6 years old are admitted free every day. Children through age 11 are admitted for $3 on Thursday, Aug. 30 only, for “Kid’s Day.”

A special admission program is in place for Friday, Aug. 30. Anyone who brings four cans of food to the gate between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. will receive free admission, with the food benefiting local food pantries through Lake County CAN.

SACRAMENTO – Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and construction industry contractors are calling on all Californians for their help in the ongoing effort to make highway work zones safer for workers by moving over one lane, if it’s safe to do so, or slowing down when passing a
maintenance or construction crew or emergency personnel stopped on the side of the freeway.

In July alone, six motorists and contracted workers were killed – including three by drunk drivers – and multiple others injured in highway work zones.

“Every day, highway workers put their lives in danger just by going to work,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “These tragic incidents are sobering reminders that motorists must never drink and drive, and we all must do everything we can to keep our highways safe.”

“Highway workers and emergency personnel risk their lives every day while helping to make our roads safer,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “We will continue to work with Caltrans to make highway work zones as safe as possible. However, even with appropriate safety precautions, we need the public’s help to exercise common sense when driving and to refrain from driving impaired, speeding and other distracting behaviors that can lead to driver error.”

Caltrans meets regularly with contractors to discuss mutual safety concerns to make work zones safer, and Caltrans and the CHP work together to test the effectiveness of having multiple CHP vehicles in construction zones to monitor driver safety and enforce the speed limit and the Move Over Law.

When feasible, Caltrans allows an extra buffer lane between workers and vehicles in specific construction zones, so that workers previously separated only by orange cones have more space between themselves and oncoming vehicles.

“Over 700,000 men and women make their living in California’s construction industry. Their livelihoods should never be a life or death proposition,” said Tom Holsman, chief executive officer for the Associated General Contractors of California (AGC). “AGC has always been a strong and proud partner with public agencies as they deliver the much needed transportation projects the public demands. We need, more than ever, to work with our partners and have an informed traveling public to keep drunk drivers off our highways and out of work zones,” Holsman added.

Among those killed include:

– Regan Johnson, a 24-year-old Caltrans contractor’s employee, was killed July 11 by a suspected drunk driver while working on Highway 99 in Fresno.

– A motorcyclist died on July 18 when he clipped a “road closed” sign near a work zone on Highway 49 in Tuolumne County, causing him to veer off the highway directly into a telephone pole.

– Two contract workers, 56-year-old Ramon Lopez and 58-year-old Ricardo Zamora, died July 22 when they were both struck by the same vehicle following a collision between two suspected drunk drivers in separate vehicles in a highway work zone on Interstate 405 in Torrance.

– A minivan struck a contractor’s truck as it was picking up cones in a construction zone on Interstate 10 in El Monte on July 24, killing the van’s driver and his dog. Both of the Caltrans contract workers in the truck were injured.

– A truck driver failed to slow down in a construction zone on Highway 99 in Bakersfield on July 25 and was killed after colliding with a dump truck.

In Redding, Caltrans tested temporary rumble strips in the areas leading up to work zones, and the results are encouraging: 46 percent of traffic slowed down. The tests are now expanding statewide.

Highway construction and maintenance work is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Since the 1920s, 178 Caltrans employees have died while on the job.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Star Chapter 442 will hold its next ride on Sunday, Aug. 26.

The group will meet at Xsite Motorsports, 14883 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake, at 9 a.m. Kickstands go up at 10 a.m.

They will ride over the mountains and through the woods to Sonoma where we will have lunch at the Black Bear Diner.

New riders are always welcome.

Visit the chapter on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Star-Chapter-442/146399068773126 .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Service Director Caroline Chavez, announced that the Eastlake Landfill will be closed Monday, Sept. 3, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.  

The landfill and the Public Services office will reopen Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Normal operating hours at the landfill are 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

The Public Services office is normally open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you have any questions regarding this subject or any of the solid waste issues in Lake County, please call 707-262-1760.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A caregiver support group for families dealing with memory loss or other cognitive impairments will meet on Thursday, Sept. 6.

The group meets at the First Lutheran Church, 3863 Country Club Lane, across from the Alpine Lucerne Senior Center from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Social worker Jenny Johnson is the facilitator.  

The groups are sponsored by Redwood Caregiver Resource Center (1-800-834-1636) and the Social Day Programs in Lake County.  

For more information call Jenny Johnson at 707-350-3030 or Caroline Denny at 707-263-9481.

Respite is provided by the centers at no charge.

NICE, Calif. – Featherbed Railroad will open up its grounds for its last next “Tea, Trains & Talent” of the season on Sunday, Aug. 26.

The event takes place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Featherbed Railroad, 2870 Lakeshore Blvd., Nice.

There is no charge to come stroll through the grounds and see the work of local artists, including paintings, sculptures and other works.

There also will be live music on hand to set the mood. Those who wish to can RSVP for an afternoon tea featuring sweet and savory treats and teas to perfectly match these scrumptious treats.

The price for the tea is just $12 inclusive and will set the perfect tone for an afternoon of art, music and relaxation under the trees.

For more information call 707-274-8378.

Visit Featherbed Railroad online at http://www.featherbedrailroad.com/ .