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- Written by: Lake County News reports
UPPER LAKE – The Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon Restaurant have announced the lineup for this year’s Blue Wing Blues Festival, scheduled for Aug. 6 through 8.
Starting at 5:45 p.m. each day of the festival, two great bands, including headliners John Lee Hooker Jr., Lady Bianca and Daniel Castro will perform on the veranda of the hotel with the audience gathered in the intimate garden between the hotel and restaurant.
“It’s a great time of day and a great spot to enjoy world-class music,” said Tallman manager Shalean Smith, “and with a tasty barbecue dinner thrown in with the $50 price of admission, people really love the Festival.”
Tickets are limited to 120 each evening and may be purchased directly at either the hotel or restaurant, located on Main Street in Upper Lake, or by calling the hotel reception desk at 707-275-2245.
Tallman and Blue Wing owner Bernie Butcher said he feels fortunate to have booked such a great lineup of local bands and national stars.
“The three opening groups have all played here before to great acclaim,” he said. “And John Lee Hooker is almost as good as his famous father, Lady Bianca rocks out on the keyboards, and Daniel Castro is absolutely the most powerful blues guitarist I’ve ever heard.”
Here’s the festival lineup, along the local Lake County sponsors that have helped to make each evening possible. The Tallman Hotel web site (www.TallmanHotel.com) contains links to additional material on all of the artists.
On Friday, Aug. 6, the evening will open with a set by Side of Blues, featuring Tom King on vocals and blues harp and Anita Elliot on keys and vocals. This is one of the hottest new bands to appear on the local scene in recent years.
John Lee Hooker, Jr. and his band will be the headliner on the opening night of the festival. Son of the legendary John Lee Hooker, who died in 2001, Junior was exposed the life of the blues from a young age, traveling with his dad and singing backup on a number of albums.
Personal problems sidelined him for a number of years, but John Lee reemerged in 2004 with the release of his album “Blues with a Vengeance,” which won a Grammy nomination and a local award as the Outstanding Blues Album of the year. He’s since released two other albums and he and his band tour widely nationally and internationally.
Local sponsors for the opening night of the Festival are Moore Family Winery, Brassfield Estate Winery, ReMax Realty, UCC Rentals and Lake Event Design & Party Rental.
On Saturday, Aug. 7, the festival will kick off with a set by Wendy DeWitt, widely known as the “Queen of Boogie Woogie.”
From the Bay Area to Europe, DeWitt spreads the gospel of Chicago based blues piano and boogie woogie to enthusiastic audiences everywhere. She’s recorded six albums and has appeared with such luminaries as Charlie Musselwhite, Otis Rush and Jimmy Thackery.
Headliner on Saturday will be Lady Bianca and her band. Based in Oakland, Lady Bianca is one of the most creative and talented women in the blues field today. Her unique styling on vocals and at the keyboard places her among the top female blues performers in the country.
Lady Bianca started her career as a background singer with artists including Frank Zappa, Sly Stone, Taj Mahal and Van Morrison. She then stepped out as a solo artist and songwriter to better pursue her love of blues, soul and gospel music. Her seventh CD, “A Woman Never Forgets,” has just been released to rave reviews and a Grammy nomination.
Sponsors of the Saturday show are Shed Horn Wines of Middletown, Economy Propane, Allora DaCar Productions and Blues Express Records.
The festival concludes on Sunday, Aug. 8, with the ever-popular local band Twice as Good.
Formed in 2003 by Lake County Native American leader Rich Steward and his talented son Paul, Twice as Good has been a favorite at the Blue Wing since its opening two years later. In March of this year, Twice as Good was named the best new Blues band by the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame.
Appearing as a guest vocalist with Twice as Good is Bay Area Blues diva Jan Fanucchi. Jan has performed at clubs and festivals all over California, most recently with guitarist Steve Freund, and she’s opened for such blues greats as Albert King, John Lee Hooker, Gregg Allman and Etta James. She has just released a new CD called Livin’ and Lovin’ on Lost Roots Records.
Daniel Castro and his band will top off the festival on Sunday evening. Originally from the tougher parts of Los Angeles and now based in the South Bay, Daniel Castro is a pure force on the blues guitar. With his passionate sound reminiscent of BB King and Albert King, he is at the forefront of the Bay Area blues scene.
The Castro band is just as comfortable with tough, raw Chicago blues as it is playing a hard driving, rocking, down home boogie. Castro said he appreciates the effort of the Blue Wing to keep great blues alive in this area and he’s looking forward to performing in Lake County for the first time.
Local sponsors for the Sunday performances include Tulip Hill Wines in Nice, Bicoastal Media and KXBX (98.3 FM) as well as Max Design Studio.
Shalean Smith at the Tallman summed up the 2010 Blue Wing Blues Festival this way: “Our staff puts in a lot of effort to book the best entertainers, come up with a special menu and set the place up so everyone can enjoy the show. But the rewards are there when the place is jumping and everyone is having a great time. We’re really looking forward to the event this year.”
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
All paperwork, including the required Lake County Health Department application, must be completed by Friday, July 30, organizers have announced.
A barbecue cook-off, musical entertainment by the LC Diamonds, children’s activities including a dunk tank, a car show, self-guided walking tours, and food and wine tasting are planned for the Saturday, Aug. 7, event at Westside Community Park, 1401 Westside Park Road, Lakeport.
Festivities will begin at 4 p.m. and will continue until 8 p.m.
The public is invited to attend and participate in the activities, including the barbecue competition, the Westside Community Park fundraising committee has announced.
Ten cook-off teams have signed up to compete but others are welcomed.
There is no entry fee. Each contestant is required to provide the team’s setup and samples of the chef’s “grillin’” specialty for 200 people.
The competition will culminate in a presentation of the People’s Choice Awards. To register for the barbecue competition, call committee member Cindy Ustrud at 707-263-7091.
Event admission prices are $25 per adult and $10 per child 12 years old or younger.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, the Kitchen Gallery, and Lake Event Design, all in Lakeport, and at the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce in the City of Clearlake.
Tickets are also available from members of the fundraising committee. They are Ustrud, Dennis Rollins, Alice Holmes, Wilda Shock, and Beth and Jeff Havrilla.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the next phase of development of Westside Community Park, which will include soccer fields, a regulation baseball field, and a combination Little League baseball/softball field.
Two major sponsors of the event, the Priest Family Trust and the Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation, are each offering a $5,000 matching challenge to the community.
The Park Committee is seeking additional sponsorships for the event, said Ustrud. Levels of sponsor recognition are $100, $300, $500, $1,000, $3,000, and $5,000. Sponsors will be recognized at the Grillin’ on the Green event.
Westside Community Park is a City of Lakeport recreational facility that was established 12 years ago. The nonprofit Park Committee is developing the park in conjunction with the City of Lakeport, volunteers, and numerous contributions by individuals and businesses dedicated to constructing a recreational facility for the youth and adults of Lake County.
The park currently is four acres consisting of two soccer fields, a parking lot, a picnic area overlooking the soccer fields, and an ADA compliant walking path.
Future plans for development of the park’s full 60 acres include baseball/softball fields, a BMX track, a skateboard facility, football fields, a children’s play structure, a dog park, walking paths and a horse arena.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT – A 30-year chapter in Lake County's judicial history came to its formal end on Friday, and a new chapter opened.
Judge Arthur Mann looked on as his successor, Andrew Blum, was sworn in as the newest Lake County Superior Court judge on Friday afternoon.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his selection of Blum, 50, to succeed to the Department 3 bench June 30, as Lake County News has reported. Mann announced his retirement last year after three decades on the bench.
Blum's new Department 3 courtroom was filled to overflowing with retired and current judges, friends, family and community members who came for the swearing-in.
His friend and colleague on the bench, Judge Richard Martin, led the 40-minute ceremony.
Blum, formerly the county's chief deputy district attorney under then-District Attorney Stephen Hedstrom – another of the Lake County Superior Court judges – was Martin's boss for a few years in the Lake County District Attorney's Office before Martin left to become attorney general of Kosrae State, Micronesia, Martin explained.
Later, Martin invited Blum and his wife, Debra – also an attorney – to Micronesia, where they accepted jobs working for Martin. After Martin left to return to the states, Blum succeeded him as attorney general there.
Martin, who was sworn in as a judge five years ago this month, noted, “As of today, I won't be the newest judge anymore. I'll be part way to a veteran.”
Blum already has been working for the county, it was noted during the ceremony. This week, he joined some of the county's other judges for two days of travel to five other recently built courthouses – from Napa to Watsonville – to get ideas for Lakeport's new courthouse, currently in the planning stages.
He received congratulations from the other judges, including Mann, who told him he will enjoy a rewarding career as a judge, and Judge David Herrick, who said he admired Blum's dedication and explained that Blum volunteered his time to make the road trip to the Northern California courthouses.
Hedstrom said Blum was only 29 years old when he joined the District Attorney's Office. At 50 Blum “still looks like a kid from my aged vantage point,” Hedstrom said.
“I can't believe you're old enough to join the rest of us on this old bench,” he added.
Blum was Hedstrom's chief deputy district attorney from 1992 to 1997. More recently Blum has worked for the Commission on Judicial Performance, in which capacity he prosecutes judges for misconduct.
“We have absolutely no personal knowledge of his work” on that commission, Hedstrom quipped.
Hedstrom went on to note that as a prosecutor Blum demonstrated complete integrity and honesty in his work, from case evaluation to filing charges, and that he has the right “judicial temperament.”
While the job carries a lot of stress both for judges and their families, Blum “can count on incredible support from all of the court staff. It's unequaled,” said Hedstrom.
He concluded by telling Blum, “I have no doubt, and everyone here has no doubt, that you'll be a superb judge.”
Judge Vincent Lechowick told Blum, “You'll have fun next week,” referring to Blum's first week on the job.”
Blum also received congratulations from several of the county's retired judges.
Judge John J. Golden offered one sentence of advice – “When in doubt, remain silent” – and with that said no more, which caused the gallery to burst into laughter, as did Judge Robert Crone, sitting beside him.
Crone told Blum that by the time he was done with his judicial career he would have affected everyone in Lake County either directly or indirectly through different kinds of decisions.
“It's an important job, it's a challenging job,” Crone said.
Judge Richard Freeborn told Blum that the role of judge, is “a great joy and pleasure.”
Freeborn said they all went into the law to help others, and he urged Blum to be a part of the community and to get to know its citizens.
He said Blum will occasionally see “frequent flyers” in the system – people who constantly appear in the courts – but sometimes those people manage to get their life on track, and Freeborn said Blum will then realize he treated those people with dignity and respect.
“Everyone in this room wants to see you do well,” Freeborn said.
He added, “It's a team effort.”
Judge Betty Irwin congratulated Blum and wished him luck, compassion and energy.
When it came time for Blum to be sworn in, Martin called him and his wife forward, and administered the oath. Afterward, Debra Blum helped her husband put on his new robe.
Martin then introduced the new judge to a standing ovation, escorted him to the bench and handed him his gavel.
“Now what do I do?” Blum joked once the gavel was placed in his hand.
Blum introduced his family – including his three children, mother and father-in-law – and told the courtroom, “It is truly an honor to have been chosen to succeed Judge Mann.”
He said he spent years prosecuting judges “who weren't like this man.”
When he worked for the District Attorney's Office, Blum said he assigned attorneys to courtrooms, and occasionally would treat himself to working in Mann's court, which always was run smoothly and professionally.
“You always knew you would have a good day” in Mann's court, Blum said, noting Mann's remarkable ability to put people at ease.
Noting that he will look to Mann as a role model, Blum led the room in giving the retiring judge a standing ovation in thanks.
In his work traveling around the state with the Commission on Judicial Performance, Blum said he has gained a good idea of what's expected of judges, “or at least I know what not to do.”
He asked for everyone's help and support as he learns his new role.
Blum said the county was fortunate to have the judges it does – both retired and active. Not all court systems work as smoothly, he said.
Before coming to Lake County Blum had worked as a deputy district attorney in Los Angeles. “You want to talk about some culture shock.”
There, Blum was among more than 900 prosecutors, and he only met the district attorney once.
When he was hired by the Lake County District Attorney's Office on his second application – Martin was hired over him on his first go-round, he pointed out – he drove up to the county with his young son and found Hedstrom waiting for him at the courthouse on a Saturday morning.
Hedstrom had a Realtor run a list of prospective homes and even helped him pick out a place before inviting Blum and his son to stay with him. Hedstrom's wife, Linda, fixed them dinner and breakfast the next morning, and sent Blum's son, Michael, home with a new toy.
“Daddy, I really love Lake County,” he recalled his son saying as they drove away.
After he invited everyone to an evening barbecue at the Lakeport Yacht Club, and with the ceremony drawing to a close, Blum asked, “Is there anything else?”
He then announced, “Court is adjourned.”
As part of a tradition among the judges, Martin passed to Blum a framed passage from Justice Learned Hand's "Spirit of Liberty,” which had been done in calligraphy by Judge Golden's wife, Gail.
The passage always goes to the newest judge, and is meant to offer inspiration and guidance.
Martin noted during the ceremony that despite the frustrations, there is no job more rewarding, especially when a judge figures out how to solve a problem.
The passage includes the following:
“A judge’s life, like every other, has in it much of drudgery, senseless bickerings, stupid obstinacies, captious pettyfogging, all disguising and obstructing the only sane purpose which can justify the whole endeavor. These take an inordinate part of his time; they harass and befog the unhappy wretch, and at times almost drive him from that bench where like any other workman he must do his work. If that were all, his life would be mere misery, and he a distracted arbiter between irreconcilable extremes. But there is something else that makes it – anyway to those curious creatures who persist in it – a delectable calling. For when the case is all in, and the turmoil stops, and after he is left alone, things begin to take form. From his pen or in his head, slowly or swiftly as his capacities admit, out of the murk the pattern emerges, his pattern, the expression of what he has seen and what he has therefore made, the impress of his self upon the not-self, upon the hitherto formless material of which he was once but a part and over which he has now become the master. That is a pleasure which nobody who has felt it will be likely to underrate.”
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
MIDDLETOWN – Land and air resources were needed to battle a south county blaze on Friday.
The fire was reported shortly before 3 p.m. at Highway 29 and Butts Canyon Road, according to Scott Bravo of the Cal Fire Command Center.
Bravo said Cal Fire sent three tankers, an air attack, one helicopter, a battalion chief, a dozer, four engines, a water tender and hand crew to the fire.
He said the fire ultimately was contained at three acres.
Bravo said the blaze's cause is under investigation.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at