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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon Restaurant in Upper Lake have announced the lineup for their eighth annual Blue Wing Blues Festival, which takes place Aug. 1 to 3, with a followup date on Labor Day, Sept. 1.
Headliners this year include Barry “The Fish” Melton and his band, Alvon Johnson with the David Landon Band, Big Mo and the Full Moon Band, and the Daniel Castro Band.
Starting at 6:30 p.m. each day, these top blues musicians and others will perform on the veranda of the Hotel with the audience gathered in the intimate garden between the Hotel and Restaurant.
“It’s a nice time of day and a great spot to enjoy world-class music,” said owner Bernie Butcher. “With a gourmet barbecue dinner thrown in with the price of admission, it’s a great value for music lovers.”
Opening night on Friday, Aug. 1, features local blues harp master Bill Noteman and his trio consisting of David Neft on keys and Larry “Mojo” Platz on guitar.
They will be followed by the legendary Barry “The Fish” Melton and his band.
Now residing in Lake County, Melton was the co-founder and lead guitarist with the band Country Joe and the Fish.
In addition to Melton, his current band is composed of Banana on keys, Peter Albin on bass and Roy Blumenfeld on drums.
The great blues guitarist and vocalist Alvon Johnson will headline the Saturday evening show.
Voted 2005 Blues Guitarist of the Year, Alvon last performed at the Blue Wing Festival three years ago and brought the house down.
He will be backed this time by the popular Bay Area band headed by guitarist David Landon and including Tony Stead on keys, Steve Evans on bass and Randy Hayes on drums.
Opening the Sunday evening show will be the lively zydeco group The Tri Tip Trio with Bruce Gordon on squeezebox, Tyler Eng on drums and the mercurial Lloyd Meadows on washboard.
They will be followed by the nine-piece Big Mo and the Full Moon Band out of the Chico area and headed by blues harp virtuoso Maurice Huffman.
One of the Bay Area’s best acoustic blues groups, the Hound Kings, will open the show on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 1.
With their debut album nominated for acoustic album of the year in 2013, the Hound Kings are composed of Alabama Mike Benjamin, Anthony Paul and Scot Benton.
They will be followed by one of the most electric blues guitarists in California and a Blue Wing favorite, Daniel Castro and his band with Johnny Yu on bass and David Perper on drums.
“I’d like to thank the many local businesses who have helped us to support quality live music in Lake County,” said Butcher.
Winery sponsors of the Festival include Chacewater, Gregory Graham and Steele as well as Brassfield, Girls in the Vineyard, Moore Family, Rosa d’Oro, Shannon Ridge and Wildhurst.
Other sponsors include Kelseyville Lumber, radio stations KUKI and KXBX, and Allora DaCar Productions as well as Allied Networks, Blues Express Records, Lake County Record-Bee, Lincoln-Leavitt Insurance, RB Pest Control, Sysco Foods, T. A. Gibbs & Co., TFI Plaza and UCC Rentals.
Blue Wing Chef Mark Linback summed up the 2014 Blue Wing Blues Festival this way: “Our staff puts a lot of effort into this festival every year and we look forward to giving our guests a great time and serving them a fabulous barbecue dinner while they enjoy the music.”
Tickets are limited to 100 each evening and may be purchased directly at the Tallman Hotel, located on Main Street in Upper Lake, or by calling the hotel reception desk at 707-275-2244, Extension 0.
Ticket prices are $50 per person plus tax if purchased in advance and $55 at the gate.
The Web site is www.TallmanHotel.com .
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Water at the Letts Lake Campground on the Grindstone Ranger District on the Mendocino National Forest is scheduled to be shut off by Sunday night as part of state water curtailment.
Forest spokesman Tamara Schmidt said the action at Letts Lake is the second round of curtailments that have taken place in the Mendocino National Forest so far due to drought conditions.
The State Water Resources Control Board provided notice of curtailment to the Mendocino National Forest, according to Schmidt.
That led to the first round of curtailments – affecting 28 sites – about a month ago, said Schmidt. This recent round of curtailments numbers 25, for a total of 53, she said.
Forest staff must travel out to certify each curtailment site, and so far the sites have been mostly small springs and wells, Schmidt said.
“Letts Lake is the first developed recreation area impacted so far that we are aware of,” she told Lake County News.
Campers and recreational users visiting Letts Lake should plan on bringing plenty of drinking water with them, forest officials said.
“Letts Lake is one of our most popular recreation sites during the summer and we understand this is an inconvenience to our visitors,” said Grindstone District Ranger Eduardo Olmedo. “We appreciate their understanding as we comply with state water regulations and work to do our part conserving valuable water resources in the upper watershed during this drought.”
Even with the ongoing drought and recent curtailment, there is still water in Letts Lake, and the forest reported that the approximately 35-acre mountain lake is still open for nonmotorized boating.
At this time, there is not an estimated date for drinking water access to be restored at the Letts Lake Campground.
The Mendocino National Forest has been impacted by the drought with extremely dry fuel conditions and higher fire danger.
The forest is currently under fire restrictions and asking visitors to be careful with fire or anything that can throw a spark and ignite a wildfire.
For more information, contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department's newest K9 team discovered methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle during a traffic stop on Thursday.
The team of Officer Travis Lenz and his K9 partner, Dex, found the drugs and arrested 40-year-old Clearlake resident Jerry Jones during the stop, according to a report from Sgt. Rodd Joseph.
Just after 3 p.m. Thursday Lenz conducted a traffic stop on a maroon GMC pickup in the area of 31st Avenue and Boyles Avenue for a simple vehicle code violation, Joseph said.
The driver, identified as Jones, had symptoms of recent controlled substance use. There also was an adult female passenger in the vehicle with Jones.
Based on Jones’ symptomatology of recent drug use, Joseph said Lenz conducted an under-the-influence investigation.
At the completion of the investigation, Jones was arrested for being under the influence of a central nervous system stimulant, Joseph said. The female passenger was released at the scene.
Joseph said Lenz conducted a search of the vehicle incident to arrest with Dex, who is a cross-trained narcotic and protection K9.
Dex alerted to the presence of contraband in the vehicle’s gear shift selector, Joseph said.
Lenz examined the gear shift selector and discovered a hidden compartment. Upon further inspection, the hidden compartment was found to contain more than 3.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, Joseph said.
Jones ultimately was arrested for a misdemeanor violation of being under the influence of a controlled substance and several felony violations including transporting a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale and having a hidden compartment in a motor vehicle, Joseph said.
The vehicle Jones had been driving was impounded. Joseph said Jones later was booked into the Lake County Jail.
Joseph said Dex and Lenz graduated K9 training approximately two weeks ago, and this is the K9 team’s first narcotic find.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The 14th annual “Show 'n Shine Car Show” highlighted the Lakeshore Lions Club's 57th annual Redbud Parade and Festival held last Saturday at Austin Park in Clearlake.
Car enthusiasts boasting flaming roadsters, shiny coupes, American steel sedans, modified, stock, new and old joined in the show with a total of 57 paid entries.
“We had a good showing this year,” Lion Kevin Ness and the event's coordinator said. “There were no problems and everybody said they had a good time and are looking forward to coming back next year.”
Joe Colabella took Best of Show with his 1957 Chevrolet Nomad, which he turned into an El Camino.
“They didn't make El Caminos in those days, but it's super customized. It's one of kind,” Ness said.
Kevin McEwen was awarded with Best Foreign/Exotic vehicle for his 1978 Fiat Spyder.
Best Volkswagen honors went to Casey Millen and his 1970 camper bus.
Additional car show awards were as follows:
- Best stock division cars for categories 1900 through 1973 – Pat Reimers, 1921 Ford Roadster; Mike Venarco, 1932 Ford Cabriolet; Mike Gerke, 1955 Chevy Nomad; Lee Company, 1967 Ford Fairlane GTA; Dave Stephens, 1974 Jeep.
- Best modified division cars for categories 1900 through 1973 – Randy Freitas, 1927 Ford Bucket T; Rick Mederious, 1934 Ford Tudor; Roy Mederious, 1938 Ford coupe; Jack McManus, 1944 Ford convertible; David and Kathy Lakatos, 1955 Chevrolet Camaro; Chris Edwards, 1976 Dodge Ram Charger.
- Best stock division trucks for categories 1900 through 1973 – Rex Claytor, 1932 Ford pickup; Jim Burrell, 1955 Chevrolet pickup; Alex and Laurie Valerio, 1970 Chevrolet El Camino.
- Best modified division trucks for categories 1900 through 1973 – Neil Dolce, GMC pickup (year unavailable); Ron Westhart, 1940 Ford pickup; Joe Colabella, 1957 Chevrolet Nomad; Ray Springer, 1973 Chevrolet pickup.
- Best motorcycle – Doug Rivera, Harley Davidson (year unavailable).
The car show features a raffle and award of a vintage replica “Flying A” gas pump.
Raffle winner was Lions Club member Fred Moeller, who Ness said bought a lot of tickets.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake Community Pride Foundation will present its fourth annual “Power to the Youth” event on Saturday, Aug. 2.
Power to the Youth will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Clearlake's Austin Park, 14077 Lakeshore Drive.
The event brings together the community with the intent to empower our youth and young families with the tools and knowledge on how to succeed.
This year's event will feature live music such as Cosmic Tea, As All Else Fails and Corey Snipes.
Sporting activities and competitions will be held as well.
There will be a skate park competition, basketball tournament, flag football, softball, Frisbee golf and more.
Throughout the event there will be local agencies offering activities and information such as educational booths, health care booths, political booths and more, all meant to empower the families in the community with the support to succeed.
For young children there also will be a variety of bouncy houses to choose from, all for free.
There are no costs for participating in this event, including the sporting events.
The committee organizing this event is looking for volunteers to help during the event, as well as participants for the sporting activities and for booths that can provide more activities for attendees to take part in.
Please contact Bruno Sabatier if you have any interest in taking part in this healthy and positive event in our community. He can be reached at 707-695-0834 or via email at
Lake Community Pride Foundation is a nonprofit group who has been responsible for the success of the Safe House, a local teen shelter for homeless or troubled youth.
The foundation also has been a supporter of the youth performing arts programs offered at Lower Lake High School.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for areas of Northern California – including the northern portion of Lake County – due to concerns about the potential for dry thunderstorms overnight.
The fire weather warning goes into effect at 11 p.m. Thursday and is in effect until 11 a.m Friday.
A red flag warning, according to the National Weather Service, means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will occur soon.
The agency is forecasting that dry thunderstorms will occur over much of interior Northern California through the night and into Friday morning.
The storms are expected to be most concentrated in the central Sacramento Valley after midnight and Shasta County on Friday morning, the National Weather Service reported, with less of a storm threat farther south and over the Coastal Range.
Forecasters said the thunderstorms may contain little or no precipitation, which raises the potential for fires caused by lightning in areas that already are exceedingly dry due to drought conditions.
The National Weather Service also reported the potential for gusty winds up to 30 miles per hour around the region.
Email Elizabeth Larson at