Victoria Hayes and her "market ready" turkeys. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE – Hi, my name is Victoria Hayes. This is my fifth year in the Kelseyville 4-H Club. For the first three years in my 4-H club I was the storekeeper and my fourth year I was historian. This coming year I am going to be vice president, working my way to the top has been a fun road to be on.

We have one club meeting a month. My other project meetings meet here and there throughout the month. I need to complete 80 percent of my club meetings and 100 percent of my project meetings to be able to go to fair.

Then there are my projects, which are poultry, shooting sports, sewing, and horse. The project that I like best is poultry. I am taking two broad breasted bronze “market ready” turkeys to the Lake County Fair, Aug. 27 through Sept. 2.

“Market ready” means that my turkeys make a certain weight by the time fair is here. For turkeys, the minimum weight is 14 pounds.

I also work on my showmanship skills, how to hold, walk and show all the parts of the turkey -- in turn being able to show off my knowledge to a judge in a showmanship class with other members of my age.

After the fair is over the paperwork begins. I log all my meetings and what we learned. An advanced livestock report is filled out on how much money I spent on my turkeys in feed and supplies. It helps me keep track and I am able to show a profit or loss in my project.

I do the same thing for each project that I am in. This is called a record book. I take my record book to my first club meeting of the year. Our club puts together a committee of adults to judge the books. If you get a Gold Seal in your book this means that, you can go on to County Level Record Book Judging. The judges are members of the Lake County community.

It is lots of fun to be in 4-H. It would be great fun to see you at the Junior Livestock Auction this year during the Lake County Fair.

4-H Youth Development is a program of the University of California Cooperative Extension. For more information on the 4-H program contact U.C. Cooperative Extension, 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport, 263-6838.

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Left to right, Rodney Silva, construction manager; Linda Shields, manager Bank of the West Clearlake Branch; future homeowner, Heather Cowen; future homeowners Nick Parsons and April Finch;and volunteer, Michaela Fiedler. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE – Habitat for Humanity's 11th home in Lake County got one step closer to completion with a recent donation from Bank of the West for $1,000 to be used towards building supplies.

Bank of the West is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the communities they serve, so helping give a family a decent place to live through Habitat For Humanity's zero interest mortgage program was a perfect fit.

For more information on how to apply or get involved with Habitat for Humanity, call 994-1100.

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Mathews Road is located 0.15 miles from Highway 175.

Signs and barricades are in place to alert the traveling public and emergency services of the need to use alternate routes.

The Department of Public Works urged anyone driving in the area to use caution.

The department also thanked the public for its patience and understanding while repairs are under way.

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County Air Pollution Control Officer Bob Reynolds reported no exceed of a health-based State or Federal Air Quality Standard is expected. Using the Federal Air Quality Index (AQI) for particulate matter, Lake County’s air quality is expected to remain in the good range. The AQI for particulate is expected to remain well below 101 where an unhealthy alert is given.

Smoke intrusions into the Lake County Air Basin, which last occurred on July 25 resulted primarily from the distant Yolla Bolly complex and remainder of the Lime complex. These uncontained wildfires continue to burn resulting in light occasions of haze but containment is improving and smoke output is believed to be considerably less.

Progress is being made on wildfires remaining on federal land, much of the Lime and Yolla Bolly complexes are in rugged and remote areas and are unlikely to be contained until the projected Aug. 15. The Soda and Mendocino Lightening Complex fires as well as the Butte Lightening Complex that started in late June are all contained. The Yolla Bolly which was lightning caused is now 60 percent contained. All fires in Lake County were contained last month.

Winds are expected to be the prevailing westerly and range from southwest to northwest through the next several days and with good upward ventilation, keeping smoke from these ongoing uncontained large wildfires to the north and east of the Lake County's Air Basin.

Residual smoke can be expected to remain throughout areas of Northern California on occasion, including Lake County, though at a much reduced level, until the Lime and Yolla Bolly Complex wildfires are contained.

Further updates of this status message are not planned unless a smoke intrusion is expected to occur.

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From back to front, Angie Wilkison, NCA Staff Julia, Amanda Smith, Rebecca Swaney, Miranda Hickey, Kayhli Baumgartner, Kayla Boyle and Shaina Folger. Courtesy photo.

UPPER LAKE – The Upper Lake High School Cheerleaders, accompanied by Coach Shalean Smith, recently returned from a National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) camp. The camp was held at the University of California Davis and attracted approximately 200 cheerleaders from around the state.

Founded in 1948 by L.R. Herkimer, NCA/NDA hosts camps, championships and events for 150,000 cheerleaders and dancers each year.

As part of a four-day camp curriculum, the National Cheerleaders Association selects award winners at each of the over 1,000 camps it administers around the world each summer. Awards are given for individual and team accomplishments.

Amanda Smith, Kayhli Baumgartner, Kayla Boyle and Shaina Folger were awarded with All American nominations. All Americans are outstanding individuals who display strength in one of the following categories: motions, jumps, stunts, tumbling, dance or leadership.

The ULHS Cheer team was honored with the S.P.O.T Award for excellence in use of safety while stunting, spotting and proper stunt technique. The Cheer Team also competed in and won the “Game Day Top Team Award” and took home the “Spirit Stick Award.”

Coach Smith was pleased with her team’s performance. “We do have a small team but what they lack in size they make up for in spirit and dedication,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to a great year. They’re a pleasure to work with.”

Smith received coaches credentialing for successfully completing the NCA Coaches Credentialing Program. NCA recognized her for her technical knowledge and hands-on training in cheerleading. Smith coached the ULHS football and basketball cheerleaders from 1992 to 1998 and returned this year to coach the football cheer team.

The ULHS Cheer Team will be choosing a community service project for the season as well as volunteering at local nursing homes and senior centers. Smith is challenging her team to achieve high academics as wells as making a commitment to their community.

Next summer the team will host a youth cheer camp in early July. Donations are being requested to assist the girls in deferring the rising cost of uniforms and camp.

Contributions can be made directly to ULHS Cheer. For questions or more information on supporting the ULHS Cheer Team contact Shalean Smith at 972-7197.

Left to right, Miranda Hickey, Kayhli Baumgartner, Amanda Smith, Kayla Boyle, Angie Wilkison, Shaina Folger and Rebecca Swaney. Courtesy photo.

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Lake County Wine Studio owner Susan Feiler welcomed Adventure guests with tastings of Zoom and Bell Hill Wines. Photo courtesy Lake County Winery Association.

Approximately 1,200 people participated in the event.

“That’s a 14-percent increase over last year, and it doesn’t include an estimated 300 to 350 designated drivers,” said Matt Hughes, chairman, Lake County Winery Association (LCWA) and winemaker, Zoom Wines.

A total of 24 member wineries and tasting rooms of the LCWA opened their doors to guests at venues scattered around the county, giving visitors a chance to experience the breadth of the wines offered from Lake County’s five distinct viticultural areas.

“The event is about our wines, which we’re very proud of, but it’s also about pairing wine with food,” explained Gregory Graham, owner of Gregory Graham Winery in Lower Lake. “Each Adventure venue offered an array of foods, carefully selected to complement its wines. For example, we served a chilled gazpacho with our Sauvignon Blanc, and with our Syrah we paired lamb lollipops grilled with a Moroccan spice rub. Not only do the pairings enhance the tasting experience, but they also give our guests ideas for food and wine pairings once they get back home.”

Langty Estate Tasting Room Staff Created a Western Theme for the Lake County Wine Adventure. Photo Courtesy Langtry Estate and Vineyards.

Online ticket sales were a new feature of this year’s adventure. Guests had the option of purchasing their tickets in advance through the association’s Web site (www.lakecountywineries.org) or day of event at any participating winery.

“We received very positive feedback from adventurers who purchased their tickets on-line,” said Nicole Johnson of Cougar’s Leap Winery in Kelseyville. “Each year we look for ways to make the event more efficient and enjoyable for our guests. This year we found the online ticket sales really saved time when guests checked-in at their first winery.”

As in past years, the participating wineries and tasting rooms endeavored to make the event a total experience, with some wineries offering barrel tastings, winery tours and entertainment.

“We had 595 guests over the two days,” said Kaj Ahlmann, owner of Six Sigma Ranch and Winery in Lower Lake. “Since our winery is in a ranch setting, a friend brought over his border collies, and while our guests were tasting wines and enjoying hors d’oeuvres, the collies herded sheep, all day, in plain view of the event site – it was quite a conversation piece.”

Six Sigma Ranch Sheep Herding Show. Photo courtesy of Tanya Don.

“This is the premiere event for wine lovers looking to find undiscovered gems,” said Hughes. “In one weekend 20-plus wineries pop onto the radar screen and Lake County stands side by side with the best regions of California. It is the support of our family and friends, with whom we share our passion, that makes the adventure possible, so we raise our glasses in their honor and toast to the success of future events.”

Konocti Catering paired Six Sigma Pinot Noir with Caponata on crackers. Photo courtesy Tanya Don.

Stephen Dilley, Tulip Hill Winery, offers guests barrel tastings. Photo courtesy Lake County Winery Association.

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