KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Taylor Observatory will host a “Vesta Fiesta” to celebrate the beginning of the NASA Dawn mission’s year-long visit to the protoplanet Vesta on Friday, Aug. 5.

The celebration will take place from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The Dawn spacecraft left Earth on Sept. 27, 2007, and has finally reached its first destination, Vesta.

Dawn is the second NASA mission to be powered by an advanced NASA technology known as ion propulsion and is the first NASA mission to orbit two solar system objects.

Using data from Dawn’s year-long visit at Vesta, scientists will seek to understand some of the most fundamental questions in planetary science: how did planets form? What were the starting materials that formed our solar system? What is the origin of meteorites that fall on Earth? The Dawn Spacecraft will send back new and exciting data that give us a snapshot of the early solar system and answers to these questions and more.

Vesta Fiesta celebrates the beginning of Dawn’s exploration of this “new world” and includes presentations by Dawn team members discussing the mission and some of the latest data.

Join our local Vesta Fiesta featuring a fun-filled educational experience of mission information, planetarium show, night sky observing and more. Donations are gratefully accepted.

The Taylor Observatory-Norton Planetarium is located at 5725 Oak Hills Lane in Kelseyville.

Local students and adults are being asked to create works of art inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, the featured artist of Lake County's Big Read.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Big Read program challenges our county students and adults to create an art piece inspired by our featured artist, Edgar Allan Poe.

Artwork can be in any medium, and if selected, will become part of a traveling exhibit during the Big Read program month of October.

Entries must be inspired by a short story, essay or poem by Poe and clearly connect the literature and the artwork. Artists should include a brief summary of their literary inspiration.

Artwork must be submitted by Sept. 16 and can designed using paint, pen, ceramics, cloth, photography, wood, metal, paper, recycled materials, etc., and can be either two- or three-dimensional, although no larger than 3-feet by 3-feet or exceed 100 pounds. Flat pieces must be framed and ready to hang.

For an entry form, or other contest details, please contact Big Read community volunteer Tamsen Nash at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-928-9621.

Another creative activity is the film trailer-four minute film contest. Create a DVD, also inspired by a literary work of Edgar Allan Poe and those selected will be shown at our Big Read Film Festival, which will be held the weekend of Oct. 14-15.

While known for his gothic horror stories, Poe also is recognized as creating the detective/mystery genre and bringing poetry to the general population.

Film entries must be submitted by Monday, Oct. 3, and can be dropped off at the Lake County Office of Education in Lakeport, 1152 S. Main St., or mailed to P.O. Box 1537, Cobb, CA 95426.

For more information, please email Robin Shrive at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The featured movie is “Alice in Wonderland. ”

Alice, an unpretentious and individual 19-year-old, is betrothed to a dunce of an English nobleman. At her engagement party, she escapes the crowd to consider whether to go through with the marriage and falls down a hole in the garden after spotting an unusual rabbit.

Arriving in a strange and surreal place called "Underland," she finds herself in a world that resembles the nightmares she had as a child, filled with talking animals, villainous queens and knights, and frumious bandersnatches.

Alice realizes that she is there for a reason – to conquer the horrific Jabberwocky and restore the rightful queen to her throne.

Audience members are invited to bring blankets and low-back beach chairs.

Please leave your pets at home, there are no dogs allowed. Food vendors will be on site to provide food and refreshments.

Movies begin at dusk.

Moonlight Movie Madness is presented by the city of Ukiah, dfm Home Audio Video, and Ukiah Main Street Program. We would like to give a special thanks to KWINE and Max Radio, SHAG Salon and Supply, Retech Systems LLC, Redwood Children’s Services Inc., Wells Fargo, Ukiah Saturday Afternoon Club and the Savings Bank of Mendocino County.

Come enjoy a night of family fun at the Alex R. Thomas Plaza in downtown Ukiah.

For additional information call the city of Ukiah Community Services Department at 707-463-6231.

Mendocino College will offer a variety of new educational opportunities in fall 2011. Courtesy photo.

UKIAH, Calif. – Although many classes are already full, there is still time to apply and register for classes at Mendocino College.

“Seats are still available in many transfer and career and technical classes, including our new programs in Sustainable Technology,” said Vice President of Education and Student Services Meridith Randall. “However, students need to move fast to be able to see a counselor and plan a program of study before classes start on August 22.”

In addition to the sustainable technology certificates, the college has revised the Culinary Arts Program and hired its first full-time faculty member Nicholas Petti, chef/owner of the Mendo Bistro in Fort Bragg. Classes for fall include Culinary Skills, Local Foods: From Farm to Fork and Food Preservation.

Three other new faculty have been hired in mathematics (Leslie Banta), business office technology

(Eric Stadnick) and music (Rodney Grisanti).

Grisanti comes to the college with the expectation that he will revitalize the recording arts program, eventually developing a certificate in that area.

Similar curriculum updates are planned for the business office technology program.

Existing programs are debuting new classes, such as BUS 159: The Business of Sports and JRN 200:

Mass Media and Society.

The latter course, JRN 200, is part of the new Communication Studies for Transfer program, a degree that will expedite advanced standing for transfer students at CSU campuses. The other special programs for transfer are Mathematics and Sociology.

Another new opportunity for students is the Native American Studies degree, one of the liberal arts

choices that allows students to focus on Native American issues.

The college intends to add to the course choices in this area over the next few years.

Students can begin the registration process by completing an application online at www.mendocino.edu and attending orientation on the evening of Aug. 11 (call 707-468-3048 to reserve a seat).

Just over five weeks ago, a mother gray whale and her calf entered the Klamath River and lingered below the Klamath River Bridge on Highway 101 in southern Del Norte County.

Currently, the calf has returned to the ocean, however the mother whale (approximately 50 feet long) remains near the bridge, officials said.

Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol are advising motorists to use caution when traversing

the Klamath Bridge area and to not stop on the bridge.

According to Officer Larry Depee of CHP, “It is illegal to make a nonemergency stop there, the shoulders aren't wide enough, and you can be cited for it.”

Pedestrians are advised to use caution when crossing the bridge and make sure it’s safe to do so without impeding traffic.

District 1 Director Charlie Fielder said, “I wish to urge motorists and pedestrians alike to use extreme caution and to keep your safety and the safety of others in mind.”

The Yurok Tribe and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are attempting to coax the whale to return to the ocean using boats and various other methods.

Jeffrey Smith received a certificate for honorable mention for the Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl poster contest at the California Garden Club Inc.'s Youth Recognition Luncheon, held during the group's May 2011 convention in Rohnert Park, Calif. Photo by Linda Waterstraat.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A local child won honorable mention in the California Garden Club's Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl poster contest.

Jeffrey Smith received a certificate and recognition at the California Garden Club Inc. Youth Recognition Luncheon in Rohnert Park, held in May during the club's annual convention.

He attended with his mom and grandparents.

Jeffrey is a third grader at Lakeport Elementary School; his teacher is Mrs. Ackermann.

Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club sponsors a Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl poster contest for local youth to help teach them about fire prevention and basic environmental conservation principles.

With poster paper and crayons, the students free hand draw Smokey Bear, color their poster and, most importantly, write, “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires,” or draw Woodsy Owl and write, “Lend a Hand, Care For the Land.”

Jeffrey won at the local level for the third class. First place is sent to California Garden Club Inc.

Smokey Bear is recognized nationally and internationally as the symbol for fire prevention. You've seen him dressed in a ranger's hat and blue jeans and carrying a shovel. The original Smokey Bear appeared in 1944.

Smokey's message, “Remember, Only You can prevent wildfires,” is one that children have heard for many years. It is encouraging personal responsibility for fire prevention.

Smokey Bear teaches children and adults to be careful with campfires, barbecues, trash fires and matches.

The US Forestry keeps a record of the number of schools, youth organizations and students the garden clubs reach within each state.

The US Forest Service invests taxpayer money in keeping this partnership alive. The club assists the agency by providing an estimate of their outreach efforts with the Smokey Bear poster contest.

Smokey Bear has his picture taken with youth poster contest winners during the California Garden Club Inc.'s Youth Recognition Luncheon in Rohnert Park, Calif., held in May 2011 during the group's convention. Photo by Linda Waterstraat.