It will be presented by Dr. Erin K. Espeland, USDA ARS, Northern Plains Agricultural Laboratory, Pest Management Research Unit of Sidney, Mont.

Evolution through natural selection is constantly occurring all around us. Historically people have thought of biological evolution as occurring along time lines of hundreds of thousands of years, but examples such as the accumulation of herbicide resistance in weed species have taught us to think about evolution on human time scales.

The intimacy with which plants respond to their environment, and how populations evolve as a result of this response, is a fascinating way to examine evolutionary processes over short periods of time. Plants tend to occur near other plants, either of the same species or of different species.

Interactions between plants have traditionally been thought of as competitive, with each plant preventing others’ access to water, nutrients, and light. However, it also turns out that plants can actually help one another survive. This positive interaction in survivorship is not only a force of natural selection, but it can also streamline the process of adaptation in a more general way.

Not all plant populations are equal in their ability to adapt, and plant populations have very different evolutionary challenges compared to animal populations.

In a conservation and restoration context, we see that many plant populations will need to undergo adaptive evolution in order to persist when faced with new pest invasions and with climate change.

Dr. Espeland's research at McLaughlin reserve helps us understand that some environmental factors are more important than others in driving evolution in plant populations, and these factors can affect both the direction and the rate of adaptation.

For more information call 707-995-9005, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit

http://nrs.ucdavis.edu/mcl/index.html .

UC Davis - McLaughlin Reserve is located at 26775 Morgan Valley Road, Lower Lake.

Main Street, between First and Second, will be subject to single-lane traffic control between the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16, and Wednesday, June 17, in order for crews to perform necessary repairs to a sewer main.

Twenty-minute maximum delays are expected during construction hours.

Motorists are requested to use alternative routes.

The Department of Public Works thanks the public in advance for their patience and understanding.

For more information, call the Department of Public Works at 707-263-2341.

Organizers have secured permission to use county-owned land on the lakeshore at the end of 13^th Avenue (The Strand).

In addition to enthusiastic volunteers, the garden needs large water tanks, a water pump, materials for the watering system (tubing, connectors, sprayers, drippers), 2 x 12 boards for raised beds, chicken wire, seeds, bedding plants, fertilizer, mulch, and tools including shovels and rakes.

An organizational meeting will be held at the location of the proposed garden at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 20.

Anyone wanting more information or hoping to make a donation to the effort should call Tricia Vandenberghe at 707-274-8510 or e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The Waste Watchers site allows state employees and other Californians to go online and report any government waste they may be aware of, either anonymously or by name. The administration will monitor the site and investigate submissions.

“I am committed to making state government more accountable to the people of California,” said Schwarzenegger. “With this new Waste Watchers feature, I am asking those on the front lines of state government to report any waste they may see. The knowledge of Californians who work in and around state government is a critical component to ensuring that we are operating efficiently and people are getting the most for their tax dollars.”

The new Web site feature came from a reader’s suggestion during a Sacramento Bee editorial board last Friday. Any Californian can submit a report on the Waste Watchers site, but the Administration anticipates that state employees, in particular, will have government waste to report and new efficiency measures to recommend.

Earlier this month, the governor signed an executive order requiring all state contracts valued at $5,000 or more to be posted online by June 19, as well as both the internal and external audits of state departments and agencies, including information on operations, budget and programs, dating back to Jan. 1, 2008.

In April, Schwarzenegger launched the Web site to make publicly available the statement of economic interests, Form 700s and the travel expense claims for the governor’s office senior staff and deputies, agency secretaries, agency undersecretaries and department directors.

LAKE COUNTY – First 5 Lake County is pleased to announce the release of their request for applications (RFA) for the 2009-2010 mini grants.

The commission is seeking applications from qualified agencies and organizations interested in initiating or continuing a unique service or program to children 0-5 years of age and their families.

The application deadline is Wednesday, July 1.

If you are interested in applying for a mini grant, you may either pick up an application packet from the office – located at the Lake County One Stop, 55 First St., Suite 222 (second floor) in Lakeport – or request an electronic package by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

An applicant’s conference will be held on Wednesday, June 17, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the conference room right outside the First 5 offices. Anyone applying for funds, especially new applicants, is encouraged to attend this conference.

If you have any questions, or need additional information, please contact First 5 Lake County at 707-263-6169.