A few simple tips will make your bridal show experience one of ease.

Come prepared

Bring:

• Comfortable shoes;

• Planning notebook;

• Hand-held calendar;

• One to two friends whose advice you trust;

• Clear adhesive address labels (to quickly sign up for raffles, etc);

• Pens.

Know what you need

The number one reason shows can be so overwhelming is that there is so much to look at.

Come with a list of what you already have taken care of and what you still need, that way you can focus, instead of merely being awed by the giveaways and displays from vendors you may not need. This saves time and energy.

Getting the most out of any bridal fair

Walk through first and get a first impression of each vendor you still need.

Make short notes about each one you wish to go back to.

Bring your checkbook. Many vendors will have “specials” good only at the show. Waiting will cost you money. Trust your instincts. If you meet a vendor that you immediately click with. Trust it and give them a holding deposit. Good vendors go fast.

Bridal shows are worth the trip as they save you money and expose you to lots of vendors and ideas. With a little preparation, they can even be a great deal of fun!

Tina and Tenae Stewart run Middletown Florist.

MIDDLETOWN – The Calpine Geothermal Visitors Center invites the community to an open house on Saturday, Feb. 20.

The event, from 9 a.m. to noon, will include presentations on Calpine’s Geothermal Operations.

At The Geysers, there will be free power plant tours and continental breakfast.

Tour reservations are recommended: call 707-987-4270 or visit www.geysers.com .

The Calpine Geothermal Visitors Center is located at 15500 Central Park Road, Middletown.

LOWER LAKE – Slip on your running shoes and pump up your bike tires: Lake County 4-H is hosting a bike race and run on Saturday, Feb. 20.

Bring your family and friends for a morning of fun, camaraderie and beautiful scenery at one of Lake County’s most picturesque vineyards, Six Sigma Ranch in Lower Lake.

There will be events for all levels including 1k, 5k, and 10k bike and foot races.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. The 1k event starts at 9:10 a.m. Parents are welcome to accompany smaller children on the sideline. Prizes will be awarded; water, snacks and a kid’s play area will be provided.

Pre-event registration is $15, day-of-event registration is $20 per person.

Proceeds support the 4-H Citizenship and Leadership group’s July trip to Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City.

U.S. history and current events will highlight the Washington portion of their journey, including meetings with elected representatives.

In New York, they will see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and experience the hustle and bustle of America’s largest city.

From New York, the group will travel to Philadelphia, where they will see where our Founding Fathers came together to create this great nation.

To register or for more information, please contact 4-Her Grace Nowak, event coordinator, at 707-396-8916 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Six Sigma Ranch is located at 13372 Spruce Grove Road in Lower Lake. For detailed instructions go to www.SixSigmaRanch.com/direct.cfm or call 707.994.4068.

LAKE COUNTY – Nominations already are beginning to come in for the 13th annual Stars of Lake County Community Awards.

Stars of Lake County will be held on Saturday, April 10, at Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino in Nice.

Lake County Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Melissa Fulton said the nominations are being received through the chamber's Web site, www.lakecochamber.com .

They may also be submitted in standard written form or sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or dropped off at the Chamber office at 875 Lakeport Blvd, Lakeport, at Vista Point.

To date the nominees are:

• Yerba Santa Goat Dairy, Lakeport, Agriculture Award;

• Peggy Alexander, Clearlake, for Volunteer Youth Advocate of the Year;

• Soroptimist International of Clear Lake, Volunteer Organization of the Year;

• Lulu's Ice Cream, Kelseyville, New Business of the Year;

• Lake County Community Radio, Volunteer Organization of the Year;

• Andy Weiss, Lakeport, Man of the Year;

• Featherbed Railroad B&B, Nice, Small Business of the Year;

• Denise Johnson, Kelseyville, Volunteer of the Year.

Nomination deadline is Friday, March 12, by 5 p.m. Any mailed nominations postmarked by that date will be accepted as well.

It is only through the nominations that the awards committee may know of these wonderful people, businesses and organizations. So look around you at those who do so much to make Lake County the wonderful place it is, and write your nomination for this 13th annual Community Awards Program.

To see what others have written in the past, stop by the chamber's office.

Tickets will be available to all nominees beginning Feb. 26 and ticket sales to the general public will begin on March 19.

Please contact the Lake County Chamber of Commerce at 707-263-5092 for more information.

Taxpayers who received unemployment benefits in 2009 are entitled to a special tax break when they file their 2009 federal tax returns. This tax break is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Here are five important facts the Internal Revenue Service wants you to know about your unemployment benefits.

1. Unemployment compensation generally includes any amounts received under the unemployment compensation laws of the United States or of a specific state. It includes state unemployment insurance benefits, railroad unemployment compensation benefits and benefits paid to you by a state or the District of Columbia from the Federal Unemployment Trust Fund. It does not include worker's compensation.

2. Normally, unemployment benefits are taxable; however, under the Recovery Act, every person who receives unemployment benefits during 2009 is eligible to exclude the first $2,400 of these benefits when they file their federal tax return.

3. For a married couple, if each spouse received unemployment compensation then each is eligible to exclude the first $2,400 of benefits.

4. You should receive a Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments, which shows the total unemployment compensation paid to you in 2009 in box 1.

5. You must subtract $2,400 from the amount in box 1 of Form 1099-G to figure how much of your unemployment compensation is taxable and must be reported on your federal tax return. Do not enter less than zero.

For more information, visit www.irs.gov/recovery .

MIDDLETOWN – A spaghetti dinner to help Middletown High School junior Jereomy Hoefer go to Europe to play basketball will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20.

The dinner will be held at the Middletown school multi-use room beginning at 6 p.m.

All proceeds will be used to help send Hoefer to Europe.

Dinner tickets are $10 and include spaghetti, salad, dessert and drinks, as well as karaoke and fun.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling Alexis Rockwell at 707-292-6917 or Carrie Hoefer at 707-217-3285.