KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Clear Lake Road Riders group will hold its monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 4.

The group will gather for dinner at 6 p.m. at Kelseyville Pizza, 5285 State St. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.

The Road Riders meet on the first Wednesday of each month.

For more information call Paul at 707-263-9000.

On March 16, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bestowed Cal Fire and DynCorp International with the Diamond Award of Excellence for Aviation Maintenance.

The prestigious honor for aircraft maintenance results from a rigorous program requiring 100 percent of a company's maintenance technicians pass specialized, continuous training in aircraft systems, regulations and FAA rules over a 12-month period.

“Firefighting aircraft play a pivotal support role in helping our firefighters suppress California’s devastating wildfires,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director. “We are proud that our aviation management staff and DynCorp International mechanics maintain the largest wildland air fleet in the world with an award winning safety and maintenance program.”

Cal Fire maintains 23 airtankers, 14 airtactical aircraft, 11 helicopters, and numerous other fixed-wing training and administrative aircraft.

All the aircraft are maintained at the department’s maintenance base at McClellan Air Park in Sacramento County. Since the beginning of Cal Fire’s air program in the 1970s, safety and superior maintenance has been a top priority.

Along with Cal Fire’s seasonal aviation experts, DynCorp International mechanics ensure that the state’s firefighting air fleet is kept in pristine condition.

“This award highlights the exceptional maintenance performed on all Cal Fire aircraft by DynCorp International (DI) team members and reflects the strength of commitment by both DI and Cal Fire working together in a public/private partnership,” said Jeffrey Cavarra, DynCorp International.

Over the next few months Cal Fire will finish the winter maintenance and safety inspections on the firefighting aircraft and beginning staffing them at the department’s 13 airbases and nine helitack bases across the state.

For more information on CAL FIRE’s firefighting air program visit www.fire.ca.gov .

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lower Lake Historical School Preservation Committee invites the public to a Living History Day, Saturday, April 14, at the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum, 16435 Main St., Lower Lake.

Museum staff, dressed in period costume, will be demonstrating Victorian era household items and playing the 1906 player piano.

Toys and games from the early 1900s will be available for the children, along with the viewing of 3-D pictures through a stereoscope.

Again, this Living History Day will include “A Moment in Time”, at 1 p.m. in the Weaver Auditorium.

Assistant Curator Dwain Goforth will read about the death of “Old Reel Foot,” a grizzly bear that terrorized four counties, from an issue of the San Francisco Call, dated October 1898.

Take a step back in time with us and learn about local history.

Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

For information, please call the Museum at 707-995-3565.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Saturday, March 24, quilt blocks were constructed, pencil toppers were built, and smoothies were judged.

This day was the 4-H Fling and Expo, an annual event put on at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church and coordinated by Peggy Alexander, community leader of the Blue Heron 4-H Club.

The fling gets bigger every year, this one in particular was attended by about 100 4-Hers and eight different 4-H clubs.

Judging is a big part of the 4-H Fling and Expo.

This year, members brought photographs, sewn items, decorated cakes, informational boards, and healthy muffins to be judged. One of the most interesting muffins was spinach and strawberries.

There also were members participating in an interview contest, run just like a job interview, and rated by if they got the faux job or not.

Another judging event was the smoothie blend off; five 4-h members vied for the title of champion smoothie. It’s a fun and popular contest since it is evaluated by both by judges and the audience, which means smoothies for all.

Other activities test your knowledge in decision making or teach you something new.

The decision making activities involve giving a situation and then showing four options, and the person rates the options best to worst.

One activity tested your knowledge of reptiles, identifying them and telling the differences between crocodiles and alligators.

More activities were learning new things. Members would take old newspaper and turn them into pots for young sunflowers, pumpkin plants or seeds.

Imagine turning screws, hooks, wire and pipe cleaners into cute insects attached to pencils or using Styrofoam trays, paper, straws and other common items to construct sail boats. These were put to the test against a fan and the other boats illustrating the power of wind.

Another activity was decorating deviled eggs, making edible designs of spiders and rabbits – a great idea since Easter is right around the corner.

Another great piece of the fling involved a group quilt project to be donated to a solder. Sewers and nonsewers alike  took a few bits of fabric and seamed them together. These patchwork pieces will eventually become quilts for soldiers that everyone had a hand in.

This great day ended in an awards ceremony with people’s choice awards and the judges’ results. Many 4-Hers won blue ribbons and medals and door prizes.

All and all, this year’s 4-H Fling was the biggest and best. Everyone learned something new and had a great time. They can’t wait to do it all again next year.

If you would like more information about 4-H, contact the county 4-H office 707-263-6838, online at http://celake.ucdavis.edu/4-H_Program/ or check out the Lake County 4-H program on Facebook.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Oversight Board of the Former Lakeport Redevelopment Agency will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 4.

The board will meet in the city council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St., Lakeport.

Board members will be introduced; take their oaths of office; appoint a chair and vice chair; and appoint the Lakeport city clerk as oversight board clerk.

In other business, a contact person for the California Department of Finance will be designated, the board will adopt a resolution approving a conflict of interest code and receive a presentation regarding filing requirements for conflict of interest codes by city clerk.

The finance officer will give an overview of the redevelopment agency and ABX1 26.

There also will be an overview of the purpose and responsibilities of the oversight board and the successor agency, and adopt the administrative budget for the successor agency.

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Starting Monday, April 2, personal use firewood permits will be available for purchase from the Mendocino National Forest.

Permits are $5 per cord of wood, with a minimum purchase of four cords for $20.

The permits are good through Dec. 31, 2012.

Use of firewood permits on the Covelo Ranger District is permitted through Nov. 30, 2012. The wood does not have to be cut at the same time.

All firewood removed must be dead and down. It is illegal to remove firewood from the National Forest without a valid permit.

Permits must be purchased in person from one of the Forest offices. If a person is unable to cut the wood themselves, they can obtain a third party authorization that will allow someone else to cut or gather the wood. However, the permittee must still purchase the permit in person.

The Mendocino National Forest only accepts cash or check as payment for firewood permits and sales are final, with no refunds. Permittees will receive tags and a map of the Forest.

Permit holders should be aware that federal and state quarantines to prevent the spread of sudden oak death (SOD) are in effect for Lake and Mendocino counties.

Any firewood cut in these counties can only be transported into other SOD quarantine counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Marin, San Francisco, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma.

Firewood permits can be purchased from the following offices:

Mendocino National Forest Supervisor's Office/Grindstone Ranger District Office
825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows, CA 95988
530-934-3316
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Stonyford Work Center
5171 Stonyford-Elk Creek Road, Stonyford, CA, 95979
530-963-3128
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1- 4:30 p.m.

Covelo Ranger Station
78150 Covelo Road, Covelo, CA 95428
707-983-6118
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Upper Lake Ranger Station
10025 Elk Mountain Road, Upper Lake, CA95485
707-275-2361
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Gathering firewood is important to many individuals and families surrounding the Mendocino National Forest. Following are some tips for a safer experience.

– Plan your trip – check the weather, bring plenty of warm clothes for spring and fall through winter cutting, water, emergency food, and the appropriate gear for the season when you are gathering firewood. Make sure you have a full tank of gas when you leave and are prepared for changing conditions in the mountains! Also, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back.

– Keep vehicles on designated roads and be aware of changing weather and road conditions. Wet dirt roads can quickly turn to mud, making it possible to get stuck and causing damage to road, soil and water resources. If there are puddles in the road, mud flipping off the tires or you can see your ruts in the rearview mirror, consider pulling over and taking a hike to look for wood, or turning around and finding a different area to cut your firewood.

– As the fire season begins, be aware of fire restrictions or closure order than may be in place restricting where you can go. Make sure you have a spark arrester on chainsaws and any other mechanical equipment being used.

– Make sure you are cutting firewood on the Mendocino National Forest and not from other federal, state or private lands.

For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest.