KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Taylor Observatory will hold a special event this coming Saturday, Sept. 18.

Santa Rosa Junior College astronomy instructor Keith Waxman will lead “Basics of Astrophotography” from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Waxman will talk about the basics of getting started with astrophotography. A demonstration will follow.

The suggested donation is $3.

The Taylor Observatory is located at 5725 Oak Hills Lane, Kelseyville.

For more information, visit www.taylorobservatory.org or call 707-262-4121.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Laura Wells, Green Party candidate for California governor, is on a tour of Northern California, and Lake County is one of three stops she is making.

She will meet voters at the Clear Lake Riviera Community Association meeting room, 9689 Soda Bay Road, in Kelseyville on Sept. 30 from noon to 2 p.m. for a potluck lunch.

This will give people a chance to learn about her platform and ask questions.

Everyone is asked to bring finger food to share and their own beverages. RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-263-3391. All party affiliations welcome.

Visit her Web site at www.laurawells.org.

This free event is sponsored by the Green Party of Lake County, http://lakecountygreenparty.bravehost.com.

Attendees are urged to car pool as much as possible to help the environment. Car pools can be arranged by sending an email and we will try to match up drivers and riders. Tweet at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This location is handicapped accessible and participants are asked not to wear scented products. Voter registration forms will be available.

LUCERNE, Calif. – The Lucerne Friends of Locally Owned Water (Lucerne FLOW) will host its monthly meeting on Saturday, Sept. 18.

The meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, 10^th and Country Club.

FLOW's meetings are held every third Saturday of the month. Breakfast is available. The public is welcome.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The horse industry in Lake County is coming together to form the Lake County Horse Council.

All persons interested in horses and the horse industry are encouraged to attend the first meeting of the council, which will be held in Fritch Hall at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeport, 401 Martin St., on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 6:30 p.m.

Guest speaker Karl Bastian, president of the Sonoma County Horse Council, will discuss the benefits of a horse council for horse owners and the community.

The mission of the council is to promote and preserve the horse as agriculture, industry and recreation in Lake County.

The council will represent all horse related activities in Lake County including horse owners, youth groups, clubs, vendors of products and services, breeders, stables, boarding facilities, trail riding, rodeos, gymkhanas and other equine activities.

The council will act as a liaison between the horse industry, the community and local government.

“We need a unified voice for the horse industry in Lake County,” said Middletown horse owners John and Jean Gay.

The council will encourage local government to support expansion of recreational and business opportunities for horse enthusiasts to help preserve the rural character of Lake County, encourage equine tourism, and to give added support the local economy.

“The horse industry contributes significantly to the economy of Lake County,” according to Valerie Sullivan, horse owner in Kelseyville. “Horse owners purchase goods and services from local feed stores, veterinarians, farriers, hay producers, truck and trailer dealers, hardware stores, and others. Public and private horse facilities and activities encourage equine tourism and provide jobs. A horse council will promote all aspects of the equine industry in Lake County.”

For more information, contact Kim Riley at 707-279-0343 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Cole Creek Equestrian Center in Kelseyville is the location of Jec Ballou's "Dressage Principles for Every Equine Athlete" clinic Saturday, Sept. 18, and Sunday, Sept. 19.

Ballou welcomes students from every horse discipline, all levels of riders and breeds of horses.

To quote from her Web site (jecballou.com): "She has worked with over 20 breeds of horses and continues to enjoy the day to day journey of training – and learning from – horses, working tirelessly as an advocate for the understanding that proper biomechanical movement and athleticism can never happen as a result of short cuts, force, or hurried training methods."

Ballou identifies five fundamentals of training horses and riders: healthy movement, simplicity in the training approach, consistency, mind-body connection for both horse and rider, and cross-disciplinary.

She is widely published with numerous articles in a variety of magazines including “Dressage Today,”

“Horse and Rider” and “Eclectic Horseman.” She has authored three books, the first two educational, well-researched books offering "simple, clear and practical information for riders to improve their equine athletes"

Please join Jec Ballou and local horsewoman and Rainbow Agricultural newsletter editor Doris Eraldi at a meet and greet book signing event at Rainbow-Lakeport from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday, sept. 17.

Purchase a book and have it autographed by the author. Those purchasing a book will qualify for a special discount during the weekend clinic.

Contact Kate at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information about participating in the riding clinic, and to become part of our Lake County contact list.

NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Burpee Drive to Country Club Drive on Monday, Sept. 13, and Tuesday, Sept. 14. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 175

– PG&E of Ukiah has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility maintenance from the Dry Creek Bridge to Stewart Street beginning Thursday, Sept. 16. Work hours are 10 p.m. Thursday through 9 a.m. Friday. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– PG&E of Eureka has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for tree trimming from 1.0 mile north of Stoneboard Road to Elk beginning Tuesday, Sept. 14. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.,

weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– California Department of Parks and Recreation has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for sewer line repairs 0.3 mile south of Larkin Road. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

– Replacement of signal heads from the junction of Routes 1/20 to Manzanita Street will begin Monday, Sept. 13. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect.

Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Republic ITS of Novato.

– Culvert repairs 0.8 mile south of Little Valley Road will begin Wednesday, Sept. 15. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Kapel Construction of Willow Creek.

– Bridge deck repairs at the Union Landing Viaduct will begin Monday, Sept. 13. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Peterson-Chase General Engineering Construction Inc. of Irvine.

Highway 20

– Pavement repairs 0.5 mile west of Forestry Station Road will occur on Monday, Sept. 13. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate

five-minute delays. Contractor – Kapel Construction of Willow Creek.

Highway 101

– A metal beam guardrail repair project at various locations from 0.1 mile north of the Mendocino/Sonoma County line to 0.6 mile south of the Pieta Creek Bridge will continue. Nighttime work hours are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday evening through Friday morning. In four-lane sections traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel, and motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. In two-lane sections one-way traffic control will be in effect, and motorists should

anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Wahlund Construction of Eureka.

– Storm damage repair from 1.5 mile north of the Mendocino/Sonoma County line to 0.5 mile north of the Pieta Creek Bridge will begin Wednesday, Sept. 15. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays.

Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – North Bay Construction of Petaluma.

– A pavement repair project from the Robinson Creek Overcrossing to Gobbi Street will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel 24 hours per day from 8 p.m. Sunday

through 3 p.m. Friday. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Ramps will be intermittently closed at the Route 101/253 Interchange (Exit 546). A detour will be provided. Contractor – Granite Construction Inc. of Ukiah.

– Pavement repairs from Steel Lane to 0.6 mile south of Rattlesnake Summit will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. In four-lane sections traffic will be restricted to one lane in each

direction of travel, and motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. In two-lane sections one-way traffic control will be in effect, and motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Mercer-Fraser Company of Eureka.

Highway 162

– Storm damage repair east of Sand Bank Creek will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Contractor – Granite Construction of Ukiah.

Highway 222

– Replacement of the Russian River Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per

week. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays during work hours and five-minute delays at other times. Contractor – CC Myers of Rancho Cordova.

Highway 253

– A bridge widening project at Anderson Creek Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

– A bridge widening project at Soda Creek Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

Highway 271

– Culvert repair near Piercy will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Van Meter

Logging Inc. of Garberville.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).