Kelly Dean and Filippo Bianco of Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., are engaged to be married on September 10, 2011, in Santa Rosa, Calif. Courtesy photo.

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – Kelly Dean and Filippo “Phil” Bianco of Hidden Valley Lake are happy to announce their engagement to be married on Sept. 10, 2011, at Bennett Valley Golf Course in Santa Rosa.

The bride-to-be is the daughter of Richard Dean of Napa and Edwana Dean of Rancho Santa Margarita; granddaughter to Bette Thayer of Laguna Hills, and the late John and Betty Dean of St. Helena.

She graduated from Vintage High School in 1999 and went on to attend Napa Valley College, graduating in 2002 with a degree in administration of justice. She works for the St. Helena Police Department as a public safety dispatcher.

The groom-to-be is the son of the late Alex and Jean Bianco of St. Helena; grandson to the late Filippo and Natalina Bianco of Guasti, and the late George and Helen Rutherford of Rutherford.

He graduated from St. Helena High School in 1998 and went on to attend the police academy at Napa Valley College, graduating in 2004.

He works for the Calistoga Police Department as their K-9 police officer.

April is earthquake preparedness month and AAA Northern California reminds residents that the best way to recover from a quake is to plan for it in advance.

“One of the most important steps homeowners can take is to document their belongings before tragedy strikes,” advised AAA Northern California spokesperson Matt Skryja. “Take the time to do an inventory of your home, either with photographs or a video camera. Then, store those records in an off-site location like a safe deposit box.”

Earthquake safety tips

• Create an earthquake survival kit. This is one of the most important steps you can take. The kit should include canned goods, two to four quarts of water per person per day, sanitary supplies, a camp stove, portable radio, flashlight and spare batteries.

• Know how to shut off your home’s gas, water and electricity. You should also make sure your water heater is securely fastened to a wall or post with two metal straps.

• Conduct family earthquake drills. Make sure everyone knows which areas in a room are the safest. This may be underneath a table or against a wall. Stay away from windows, fireplaces and tall furniture.

• Decide where your family will reunite if you're separated. Choose a friend or relative you can call after an earthquake to let them know your location and condition. Phone lines are often overloaded or damaged in an earthquake and specifying one point of contact for your entire family will help avoid a strain on the system.

• Childproof your cabinet doors. It may seem like an annoyance initially, but installing latches on your cabinet doors can prevent them from flying open in an earthquake. By properly securing the doors you can keep precious belongings from spilling out and breaking.

• Check your insurance for earthquake coverage. Knowing what coverage you have can help speed up your recovery after a big quake. Most homeowner’s policies do NOT cover damage resulting from an earthquake and in most cases a separate earthquake policy is needed.

This event is at the Middletown Methodist Church Social Hall, 15833 Armstrong at Washington, Middletown starting at noon.

Onorato’s presentation starts at about 12:15 p.m.

Lunch will be served by Catholic Charities Rural Food Program volunteers at a cost of $5 per person.

Reservations are requested and are limited to the first 50 signups. There will be standing room for those not having lunch.

The Middletown Luncheon Club (MLC) meets every third Wednesday of the month from January through November, providing informative speakers and presentations to the community.

Different local nonprofit organizations provide lunch each month and receive a donation.

For lunch reservations and information, contact Helen Whitney, 707-928-9812 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Natural gas pipelines, electric power lines and other utilities buried underground can lie within just a few feet of the surface.

Whether planting a tree, installing a sprinkler system or building a fence, homeowners and professional excavators need to know where gas and electric lines lie underground to prevent injuries, property damage and outages.

Once every three minutes nationwide, a utility line is damaged by digging. Many of these incidents could have been prevented with a call to 811, a free service that provides important information on where utilities exist beneath excavation areas.

Calling 811 puts customers in direct contact with Underground Service Alert (USA), which notifies local utility companies to mark the approximate location of their underground facilities in and around the excavation site, helping customers and contractors avoid them.

Anyone can call USA from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for holidays.

California law requires anyone doing excavation work to notify utilities at least two working days before digging. Requests will be accepted as early as 14 days in advance of an excavation.

Once a request is received, the customer or contractor will receive a list of notified utilities that may have underground lines in the area.

PG&E offers these tips for a safe excavation:

• If you believe a utility may not have marked their lines, call 811 again to notify USA.

• On paved surfaces, mark the proposed excavation area with white chalk-based paint. Homeowners can also use other white substances such as sugar or flour.

• On unpaved surfaces use flags or stakes to mark the proposed excavation area.

• Carefully hand excavate within 24 inches on either side of a utility-marked facility.

• Be careful not to erase facility marks while working. If you cannot see the markings, call 811 and request a remarking.

The 811 requests are active for 28 days. Notify USA if work continues beyond that time.

Immediately notify utilities about any type of contact or damage to its wires or pipes.

If there is any type of damage to PG&E electric wires or gas pipelines, or if there is a possible gas leak, take these steps:

• Move to a safe location.

• Call 911.

• Call PG&E at 800-743-5000.

For more information about USA visit www.call811.com.

Christine Baker, 61, of Berkeley, has been appointed chief deputy director of the Department of Industrial Relations. She has been the executive officer of the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation since 1994. Baker was the acting deputy director at the Division of Workers’ Compensation from 1990 to 1994, the chief of the Division of Labor Statistics and Research from 1984 to 1989, and a research assistant at the University of California, Berkeley from 1980 to 1982. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $138,000. Baker is registered decline-to-state.

Lai Lai Bui, 38, of Shingle Springs, has been appointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. She has served on the commission since 2005. Bui is a police sergeant with the Sacramento Police Department. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Police Officers Association and also as a member of the Asian Peace Officers Association, California Peace Officers Association and the Peace Officers Research Association of California. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bui is a Republican.

Art Carter, 69, of San Francisco, has been appointed member and chair of the Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board. He has served on the board since 2009. Prior to his retirement in 2004, Carter owned and served as the legislative advocate for Art Carter and Associates from 1984 to 2004. In 1983, he was the deputy chief administrative officer for the city of San Francisco and from 1976 to 1983 he worked as the chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration for the Department of Industrial Relations. Carter was the secretary-treasurer for the Contra Costa County Central Labor Council from 1967 to 1976. This position requires Senate confirmation and compensation is $115,913. Carter is a Democrat.

Robert Cooke, 60, of Hollister, has been appointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. He has served on the commission since 2009. Cooke is a special agent in charge at the California Department of Justice. He is a member and past president of the California Narcotics Officers’ Association and the regional director for the southwestern states National Narcotics Officers’ Association. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cooke is a Democrat.

Daniel Curtin, 62, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Industrial Welfare Commission. Curtin has been a member of the commission since 2006. He is the director of the California Conference of Carpenters where he has served since 1987. Curtin served as the chief deputy director of the Department of Industrial Relations from 1991 to 2001. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Curtin is a Democrat.

Michael Dean, 69, of Alameda, has been appointed to the California Commission on Disability Access. He has served on the commission since 2009. Dean serves as the commission’s representative from the California Business Properties Association. Dean is an attorney and has worked at Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP since 1967, serving as the firm’s managing partner for most of the 1990s. Dean served on the city of Oakland Downtown Revitalization Task Force from 2001 to 2002, the board of directors of Oakland Convention Center Management Inc. from 1989 to 1995 and the Oakland Community Development Advisory Commission from 1983 to 1988. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Dean is a Republican.

David Dias, 49, of Napa, has been appointed to the Contractors State License Board. He has been a business representative for Sheet Metal Workers' Local Union No. 104 since 2005. Previously, Dias was an apprentice instructor at Foothill Community College from 1998 to 2005, a field supervisor at Therma Inc. from 1997 to 2005, and a sheet metal worker foreman at RH Tinney from 1990 to 1997, after serving as an apprentice from 1986 to 1990. Dias is a trustee of the Bay Area Industry Training Fund, a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, and a member of the Joint Committee for Energy and Environmental Policy. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Dias is a Democrat.

Ed Lowry, 59, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board. He has been part-time hearing officer for the California Department of Pesticide Regulation since 2009. Lowry was a deputy attorney general for the State of California from 2005 to 2007 and from 1988 to 1995. He was director of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control from 1999 to 2005, the director of the environmental project of the California District Attorneys Association from 1995 to 1999, a deputy city attorney for the city of San Francisco from 1987 to 1988, and a partner at the firm of Gruenich and Lowry from 1985 to 1987. Lowry is also a founder and corporate secretary for 13th Avenue Funding, a non-profit which seeks to create a non-debt alternative for low wealth students to finance their college education. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $111,845. Lowry is a Democrat.

Jeff Lundgren, 49, of Upland, has been appointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. He has served on the commission since 2008. Lundgren is a deputy sheriff and bomb technician with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Lundgren is currently the vice president of the Riverside Sheriff’s Association. This position requires Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Lundgren is registered decline-to-state.

Paul Schifino, 49, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Contractors State License Board. He has served on the board since 2010. Schifino has owned and served as president of Junior Steel Company since 2003 and Anvil Steel Corporation since 1996. Previously, Schifino was a partner for Schifino and Lindon from 1992 to 1996, associate attorney at Strook and Strook and Lavan from 1990 to 1992, and adjunct professor at Georgetown University from 1987 to 1989. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Schifino is registered decline-to-state.

Howard Schwartz, 53, of Sacramento, has been appointed chief deputy director at the Department of Personnel Administration. Schwartz has been senior staff counsel at CalPERS since 2003. Previously, he was the chief counsel for the Department of Personnel Administration from 1999 to 2003, special legal counsel for SEIU Local 1000 from 1984 to 1999, associate attorney at Beeson, Tayer & Bodine from 1983 to 1984, and staff attorney at the California Public Employment Relations Board from 1982 to 1983. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $132,396. Schwartz is a Democrat.

Michael Sobek, 48, of Dublin, has been appointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. He has served on the commission since 2008. Sobek is a police sergeant with the city of San Leandro. Sobek currently serves as the secretary for the Peace Officers Research Association of California. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Sobek is an American Independent.

Mark Thurman, 52, of Corona del Mar, has been appointed to the Contractors State License Board. He has served on the board since 2010. Thurman has been president of ARB Structures since 2004. Previously, Thurman was president of Pepper Construction Company Pacific from 1989 to 2004, a firefighter specialist for the Orange County Fire Authority from 1980 to 1988, and a project manager for Miles and Kelley Construction Company from 1975 to 1980. He is a board member of the Associated General Contractors of California and a member of the Urban Land Institute, Design-Build Institute of America, and the International Council of Shopping Centers. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Thurman is a Republican.

Ellen Widess, 63, of Berkeley, has been appointed chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). She has been self-employed as a consultant in the field of occupational safety and health and immigration policy since 2010. She was the senior program officer for the Rosenberg Foundation from 2000 to 2010, a consultant for the Centers for Disease Control on updated child labor standards from 1998 to 1999, executive director of Lead Safe California from 1994 to 1998 and the director of health policy at the Children’s Advocacy Institute from 1991 to 1994. Widess previously served at Cal/OSHA as the chief of the pesticide program from 1978 to 1984. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $125,004. Widess is a Democrat.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio (LCWS) is hosting a Wine Country Cheez Mouse production with cheese expert, Gail Bickett on Sunday, April 10.

The class will take place from noon to 2 p.m. The cost of the class is $20 per person and reservations are required.

The two-hour class will include a short lecture on the history of cheese, a description of the artisan cheese movement, the cheese-makers and the farms where the milk comes from. Bickett will advise proper storage, serving and pairing recommendations with other foods and wines.

The five cheeses to be samples will include California cow, goat (a local feature from Yerba Santa Dairy) and sheep and each will be paired with a different wine.

Bickett's affinity for cheeses and cheese-making began in West Virginia in the 1970s when she bought a mountain farm, a cow, goats and chickens, and learned how to make butter, yogurt and cheese.

Presently working as a wine educator in the Napa Valley, she has attended cheese-making classes at Cal Poly and Redwood Hills Dairy, as well as cheese tasting and pairing classes held in San Francisco with over 200 cheeses tasted to date.

There are only 20 spaces available for this private cheese and wine tasting class. Gail will be donating 10 percent of class profits to Farm Sanctuary in Orland.

Reservations can be made by contacting Susan Feiler, 707-293-8752.