News Worth Mentioning – February 19, 2026
County needs midterm vote center workers
Napa County is recruiting vote center workers to assist voters during the June and November midterm elections. Vote centers will be located in American Canyon, Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga.
Vote center workers can earn more than $900 for working approximately 50 to 60 hours during the three weeks leading up to the June 2 primary election. Many workers hired for the June election also return to work a similar schedule ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.
To learn more or apply, visit: www.governmentjobs.com/careers/napacounty/jobs/5234894/
For questions, contact the Napa County Election Division by calling 707-253-4321 or emailing [email protected]
Yountville Imagine Grant applications now open
The Yountville Community Foundation has reopened the Imagine Yountville Grant Program for Round 2 of applications, hoping to distribute more funds in 2026.
The application period will open on Feb. 11 and close on March 12. The deadline for new projects to be completed and use funds remains Dec. 31, 2026.
Applicants can submit questions for clarification by email to [email protected] by Feb. 20. All questions and answers will be posted on the website on Feb. 20 so that all applicants can benefit.
Visit www.toycf.org or 2026-Application-Form—Round-2 for more information.
Master Gardeners talk healthy soil
Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County and Napa County Library for a free online talk, “Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants” on Thursday, March 5, from 7 to 8 p.m. via Zoom.
Learn how to tell if you have healthy soil and whether any plant problems you’re encountering in your garden are related to soil health. Master Gardeners will share possible solutions for improving your soil. To access the Zoom link, register online at: https://tinyurl.com/38dvz3bx/
Blue Skies Ahead Mentis fundraiser
Mentis, Napa Valley’s trusted center for mental health services, invites the community to an evening of hope, connection and celebration at Blue Skies Ahead: Carnival of Lights. The gala will take place Saturday, March 14, at Joseph Phelps Vineyards in St. Helena.
Tickets are $250, and available online at https://mentis2026.givesmart.com/
Guests will be immersed in a carnival-inspired experience featuring interactive games to spark conversations around mental health, alongside culinary creations from La Saison and Joseph Phelps Executive Chef Tod Kawachi. The night will also feature live and silent auctions.
A virtual auction online will be open March 6 to 14, featuring packages including VIP golf experiences, rare large-format Napa Valley wines, gourmet dining opportunities and unforgettable wine country adventures.
Dedicated to supporting the emotional health and well-being of all Napa County residents, Mentis provides bilingual, affordable mental health services to people of every age, stage and income level.
For tickets, auction access or to donate, visit www.mentisnapa.org/. Joseph Phelps Vineyards is at 200 Taplin Road, St. Helena.
Geology and wildflower hike at Oat Hill Mine
Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District’s upcoming third Saturday Hike will be a geology and wildflower hike at Oat Hill Mine Trail in Calistoga on Saturday, March 21, at 10 a.m.
The hike will combine the interests of geology and wildflowers while highlighting Oat Hill Mine Trail. Join Sarah Clark on the steep but spectacular ramble where you can rock out and let the flowers power you up the trail.
To RSVP and to learn more about the series and future hikes across Napa County, visit https://napaoutdoors.org/parks/3rdsaturdayhikes/. For questions, email [email protected]
The trailhead is at 2082 Oat Hill Mine Trail, Calistoga.
¡Viva Mariachi! at Napa Valley College
The ¡Viva Mariachi! Festival at Napa Valley College returns on Saturday, March 21, with two shows: a matinee concert at 2 p.m. and an evening concert at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30.
¡Viva Mariachi! offers a unique opportunity for the community to learn about the thriving programs across the U.S. that promote student success while enriching the cultural vitality and musical traditions of institutions and their surrounding communities.
The cultural event promotes the rich heritage and traditions of Mexico through Mariachi music and music education. The festival hosts youth and student groups representing various levels of the nation’s public education institutions.
This year’s lineup includes Mariachi Las Aguilitas de Davis from Davis Bilingual Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona; LBC Mariachi Cantares de Mi Tierra and Ballet Folklórico from Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Sonoma County; and Mariachi Garibaldi from Southwestern College in Chula Vista.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://tinyurl.com/2ayb844y/
NVC’s Performing Arts Center is at 2277 Napa-Vallejo Hwy., building 100, Napa.
Register for annual Pickleball Classic
Registration is now open for UpValley Family Centers’ third annual Napa Valley Pickleball Classic on May 16 and 17 at Crane Park in St. Helena.
The tournament, hosted in partnership with St. Helena Parks and Recreation, is a celebration of community, connection and collaborative action. The event will include free beginner pickleball clinics, food trucks and opportunities to connect with neighbors.
Players can compete in under 50 and 50+ divisions, with intermediate and advanced levels. This year there is also a new teen bracket for ages 14-17.
Funds raised through sponsorships, donations and Game Changer fundraising pages directly benefit UpValley Family Centers’ programs. Support local families by donating, sponsoring or starting a Game Changer fundraising page at: nvpc.givesmart.com/
Register to play at cityofsthelena.gov/938/Napa-Valley-Pickleball-Classic/.
Crane Park is at 360 S. Crane Ave., St. Helena.
Fiber art exhibition by Rose LeClerc
An exhibition by local fiber artist Rose LeClerc is on display through March 31 at Westamerica Bank in Calistoga.
The free exhibit can be viewed during bank hours and features 15 works by LeClerc, including seascapes, vineyard views and sunsets, woven on a four-harness floor loom, using both commercial yarns and handspun plant-dyed yarns.
Westamerica Bank is at 1110 Washington St., Calistoga.
UVFC free tax prep assistance
UpValley Family Centers is providing free tax preparation services through the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Assistance at the Calistoga office is available through Wednesday, April 15, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
VITA services are provided by UVFC’s Economic Success staff and community volunteers, who are certified by the IRS. The program serves households earning less than $100,000 per year and helps maximize credits and refunds, including Earned Income and Child Tax Credit claims.
Bilingual assistance is available, as well as applications and renewals of Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs) for residents without a social security number, who also file their taxes through the VITA program.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 707-965-5010.
UpValley Family Centers’ Calistoga office is at 913 Washington St., Calistoga.
UpStage seeking noir-themed plays
UpStage Napa Valley is calling all playwrights and aspiring playwrights to submit works for its 6th annual PlayFest, to be performed on three weekends beginning Oct. 9 at Grace Episcopal Church in St. Helena.
The local playwright festival focuses on nine 15-minute plays performed by UpStage actors. “Noir “is this year’s theme.
Imagine, the air is thick, the streetlights are flickering and everyone has a secret. UpStage is seeking high-stakes plots and sharp, atmospheric and tension-filled scripts. Think a rainy alleyway, a smoke-filled office or a dimly lit bar. Think cynical P.I.s, dangerous femme fatales, desperate choices and the moral ambiguity that defines the noir genre.
Plays must be submitted by April 15. Scripts must be original and written for no more than three actors to be performed with only one set and with a performance length no longer than 15 minutes. Submit one play per playwright to [email protected] with the subject line PlayFest 2026 Submission – (your last name).
For more information, visit https://www.upstagenapavalley.org/
Explore all five senses at Bothe
Journey through the senses with the Napa Country Regional Parks and Open Space District at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 10 a.m.
As the end of winter approaches, welcome the new life of spring with a moderate, three-mile loop hike of Ritchey Creek. There will be at least one field crossing of the creek.
To RSVP, visit: https://tinyurl.com/ycydpr3c/.
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park is at 3801 St. Helena Highway. Calistoga.
NVCF scholarship applications open
Napa Valley Community Foundation has opened its application process for 2026 scholarship opportunities.
Eligible applicants include nursing students, veterans, teachers and educators from Napa County, seniors graduating from Napa County high schools, college students and students learning trades such as welding, machining and automotive tech.
The deadline to apply is March 2.
To view eligibility criteria for each scholarship and apply, visit: https://tinyurl.com/ycyfrjr4/.
PG&E extends bill relief program
To support customers facing financial hardship, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) extended its Match My Payment Program into 2026, while funds last.
The program offers a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $1,000, for qualifying low-to moderate-income customers to pay past-due energy bills to stop service disconnections.
PG&E launched the program in June, with a $50 million commitment to provide more ways for income-eligible customers to catch up on outstanding balances. The funding supports PG&E’s Match My Payment and Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) programs.
In the last year, Napa County customers received a total of $114,112.52 through Match my Payment and REACH; the assistance went to 131 Match My Payment recipients and 211 REACH recipients.
To learn more about PG&E’s assistance programs, visit pge.com/billhelp/.
