Napa wine group seeks applicants for $1M in scholarships for people of color; Mendocino nursery sells historic zinfandel grape vines

Napa Valley Vintners and United Negro College Fund have announced scholarship applications are now being accepted for students wishing to pursue a career in the wine industry. The first recipients will receive support toward college tuition this fall.

Last September, the winery trade group committed $1 million to the fund, pledging $200,000 each year for the next five years, and has begun a fundraising effort to build the fund beyond that initial investment.

Recipients will receive $5,000 each to assist with tuition up to four years for $20,000 total. Students in any year of college, freshmen to senior, as well as graduate students are eligible. Black/African American, Indigenous/Native American, Latinx, Asian American, Pacific Islander and other candidates of color are encouraged to apply.

Qualifying institutions must have mentorship, internship and career placement programs in place to help students succeed in their careers beyond their studies. For the first round of scholarships there are four qualifying colleges and universities: Napa Valley College, Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo, Sonoma State University and University of California at Davis.

Apply by June 16 here.

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Dempel Farming Company of Hopland has selected Martinez Orchards Inc. of Winters in California’s Central Valley to propagate and sell the historic certified Baldocci zinfandel clone 29 grapevines.

Budwood for Martinez was recently procured from Foundation Plant Services at the UC Davis.

Martinez will propagate the cuttings into full mature vines, which will be used to grow grafted zinfandel clone 29 vines by 2023 and then available to purchase from Martinez.

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The county of Sonoma announced the opening of solicitation for its vegetation management grant program today, providing access to between $2 million–4 million for local fire prevention for the 2021 wildfire season for eligible applicants.

The funds are derived from the PG&E settlement awarded to the county as a result of the 2017 Sonoma Complex Fires lawsuit. In 2020, the Board of Supervisors voted to allocate $25 million of the $149 million settlement toward vegetation management activities.

Those eligible to apply for the grants include nonprofit organizations, community organizations, local fire districts, communities with Community Wildfire Protection Plans in place, Resource Conservation Districts, licensed foresters, technical advisers and schools.

For more detailed information about the grant program and its application process, visit the Sonoma County Ag + Open Space website.

Grant applications must be received by Sunday, May 16, at 5 p.m.

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The PEP Housing board of directors unanimous approved renaming PEP Housing’s first community, the Herb Lee Senior Apartments, as Daniel Drive Senior Apartments.

Additionally, Lindberg Lane Senior Apartments will be renamed the Don Bennett Senior Apartments.

“Herb Lee recently passed away after serving nearly 17 years on the Board of Directors for PEP Housing. Just two months shy of his 95th birthday, at the time of his death, Dr. Lee was still an active member of the board,” the nonprofit stated.

Don Bennett, a PEP board member for nearly 17 years, passed away in 2017.

PEP Housing has been providing affordable senior housing and services to seniors and veterans since 1978. PEP currently owns and manages 18 communities in Sonoma, Butte, Marin and Mendocino counties.