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NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Lucerne man was among those injured in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 101 near Ukiah on Tuesday.
Swan Johnson, 67, sustained major injuries in the wreck, which occurred at 6:10 p.m. on northbound Highway 101 north of the Pomo undercrossing, according to the California Highway Patrol's Ukiah area office.
Johnson was riding in the front passenger seat of a 1989 Toyota 4Runner driven by 49-year-old Jerry Weinhold Jr. of Potter Valley, who also suffered major injuries due to the crash, the CHP said.
The CHP said 22-year-old Gabriela Gallegos of Redwood Valley was traveling northbound in her 1984 Datsun 300zx behind Weinhold, who was in the No. 2 lane, the report explained.
According to multiple witness statements, prior to the collision Gallegos was seen driving recklessly. The CHP said she passed a vehicle that was traveling in the No. 1 lane, merged into the No. 1 lane and then attempted to pass Weinhold's Toyota.
The two vehicles side-swiped, which caused both to lose control. The CHP said the Toyota traveled sideways and subsequently rolled over. The Datsun traveled across the center median and came to rest in a drainage ditch.
The CHP said Weinhold and Johnson were transported to Santa Rosa Memorial. Gallegos was uninjured.
Gallegos, Johnson and Weinhold were all wearing their seat belts, the CHP said.
The collision remains under investigation. The CHP said alcohol does not appear to be a factor.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A Napa man died in a single-vehicle crash on the Napa County side of Mount St. Helena Wednesday afternoon.
Vincent Garaventa, 75, died at the scene of the crash, which occurred at 1:35 p.m. on Highway 29, six and a half miles north of Tubbs Lane, according to the California Highway Patrol's Napa office.
Judith Garaventa, 74, riding as a passenger in the pickup, suffered minor injuries in the crash, the CHP reported.
The CHP said Garaventa was driving his 2013 Toyota pickup southbound on Highway 29 at an estimated speed of 40 miles per hour when, for reasons still under investigation, his pickup veered over to the right, in a westerly manner.
The pickup went up the embankment then back down and across the highway, crossing the opposing lane of traffic, the CHP said.
Garaventa's Toyota then left the roadway, traveling down the embankment and hitting a tree, causing moderate front end damage to the vehicle, according to the CHP report.
Vincent Garaventa died at the scene. Judith Garaventa was transported by ambulance to Queen of the Valley Hospital for treatment, the CHP said.
One-way traffic control had been in effect for several hours after the crash while the incident was investigated, according reports from the scene.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Wine competitions offer a valuable gauge for measuring wines.
There are a multitude of competitions held in the United States each year with a dizzying array of entries submitted and medals awarded. So what is the essence of a wine competition?
Lake County wines are being put to the test this week with medals hanging in the balance at the 2014 Lake County Wine Competition.
The public will be invited to taste the competition’s winning wines at the 2014 People’s Choice Wine Tasting on Saturday, June 14.
This year’s event will be held at the scenic Langtry Estate and Vineyard, 21000 Butts Canyon Road, Middletown, and will feature wines from 18 Lake County wineries, live music by The Special Guests band, food trucks and sweet treats.
For tickets and information, visit www.lakecountywineries.org/choice .
The 2014 Lake County Wine Competition is being held at Brassfield Estate in Clearlake Oaks with a total of 150 wines to be judged.
Bob Fraser, well known director for the San Francisco Chronicle Competition and the Sonoma Harvest Fair, is this year’s Director for the Competition.
A hand-selected panel of professionals from the wine industry, retail and academia arrived on Tuesday to serve as this year’s judging panel. Fraser brought an experienced team with him to run the mechanics of the Competition.
The “West Coast style” of professional wine judging is being used in this competition. This system employs five-member panels consisting of a winemaker, a wine trade representative, a wine writer or wine media professional, a wine educator, and a culinary or tourism professional.
Wines are poured in a “back room” staffed by professional wine volunteers who bring the wines into the judging area in flight boxes, glasses numbered to correspond with the individual numbered wine bottles.
The judges come to a consensus for individual awards through discussion facilitated by a professional panel coordinator.
This year’s panel includes Jim Gordon, a 30-year veteran of the wine industry, and recently selected to review and report on Lake County wines for the Wine Enthusiast. John Buechsenstein, wine educator and consultant, and Bob Ecker, wine writer and freelance photographer served on the 2013 judging panel and returned again this year.
New judges to the Lake County Wine Competition include John Giannini, Fresno State Winery winemaker and enology lecturer; Sue Straight, freelance writer and wine judge; Christopher Sawyer, Sommelier, Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar; Richard Mercer, owner/president of Experience Italy: Rich Fraga, wine education/hospitality at Martinelli Winery; Ken Landis, chef/owner of Landis Shores Oceanfront Inn; and Tom Simoneau, the Wine Guy at KSRO radio & owner of Simoneau Vineyards.
The back room coordinator and judging panel coordinators play a key role in running a successful wine competition. Anne Vercelli is the backroom coordinator. She has been associated with Bob and the Cloverdale Citrus Fair/San Francisco Wine Competition since 1987. She also works with Bob at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair as the Wine Backroom Coordinator.
Bob Fraser states, "Anne Vercelli is my right arm when it comes to planning, organizing and implementing these wine competitions. We work seamlessly and she is my sounding board in raising the bar for excellence from year to year."
Mark and Kelly Klaver are facilitators for the judging panels. They have years of experience in wine competitions dating back to 1990.
Their role is to enable collaboration within the judging panel to achieve consensus on the wines and record the final award decisions.
Judging results will be posted on the Lake County Wine Awards Web site, www.lakecowineawards.org , by Monday, June 16.
This highly anticipated professional judging event exclusively showcases wine crafted of grapes grown and cultivated in Lake County.
The competition is open to wines that contain at least 75 percent Lake County winegrapes and bear a Lake County appellation on the label.
Special thanks to the sponsors and many volunteers for making this event possible. Sponsors for this year’s Competition and other Lake County Winery Association activities include Brassfield Estate, Gregory Graham Wines, Shannon Ridge Family of Wines, County of Lake, Lake County Winegrape Commission, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, American Ag Credit, Twin Pine Casino and Hotel, AXA Equitable AgriFinance, Beckstoffer Vineyards and Pacini Wines.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A fatal crash on the Napa County side of Highway 29 over Mount St. Helena is necessitating traffic control, with the possibility of an extended lane closure.
The California Highway Patrol reported that the crash occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday near Robert Louis Stevenson State Park.
Reports from the scene indicated it was about four miles south of the Lake-Napa County line.
A vehicle was reported to have swerved, rolled over and gone down the embankment and into trees, the CHP said. An exact description of the vehicle's make and model was not immediately available.
One-way traffic was established through the crash area, with the CHP reporting than an extended closure was expected.
Officials did not report when the highway may be fully reopened.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol said Wednesday morning that a portion of Highway 175 over the Hopland Grade is closed due to a fallen tree and live utility lines in the roadway.
The CHP said Highway 175 is closed at the Highway 101 junction in Hopland, and traffic is being turned around at Highway 175 on the Lake County side near the Granite Construction site, located outside of Lakeport.
Later in the morning, one-way traffic control was reported to be in effect, with big rigs being restricted from using Highway 175.
Officials said they do not know when the highway is set to reopen.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A county program to help veterans receive their high school diplomas will celebrate its latest graduation next week.
The Operation Recognition Program will hold its graduation ceremony at 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, in the Kesey Room at the Lake County Office of Education, 1152 S. Main St. in Lakeport.
The Lake County Office of Education launched the program in 2012 to help qualifying veterans and Japanese American World War II internees complete their high school educations. It's modeled after a successful program in Sacramento County.
County officials said many people in Lake County were unable to graduate with their high school class due to military service in World War II, which lasted from Dec. 7, 1941, to Dec. 31, 1946; the Korean War, June 25, 1950, to Jan. 31, 1955; the Vietnam War, Feb. 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975; or because they were interned in WWII relocation centers for Japanese Americans.
In June 2013, three graduates – Vietnam vets Michael Dondero and James Sparks Jr., and Korean War vet Lee Woodberry Sr. – received their long-delayed diplomas thanks to the program.
Lake County Office of Education spokeswoman Shelly Mascari said the June 18 graduation will celebrate six graduates – veterans who served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
The community is invited to attend and celebrate the veterans as they receive their diplomas.
For more information on the Operation Recognition Program, visit www.lakecoe.org and type “Operation Recognition” in the Search option, or contact Lake County Office of Education Human Resources at 707-262-4151.
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