Because of legislation passed in May, DMV will extend a 30-day grace period for vehicle renewals occurring between July 1, 2011 and Dec. 31, 2011.

It is important to know that billing notices issued by DMV have not been adjusted to reflect the 30-day grace period. Instead, a special insert a has been included with the billing notice that indicates penalties will not be imposed until the 31st day after the expiration date.

Normally, there is no grace period for vehicle registration renewals, but notices are sent 60 days prior to the renewal date.

Penalties under the standard system are calculated based on the number of days the registration is overdue, increasing from a 10 percent penalty when a payment is one to ten days late to a 60 percent penalty is the fee is 31 days late.

Some vehicle owners have reported that they have been assessed a 60 percent penalty on their vehicle license fee on the first day after the fee was due. In other words, vehicle owners paying their fees online after the due date have not received graduated penalties based on the amount of time the fee is overdue – just the maximum penalty from the first day the fee is overdue.

Although DMV officials say they are working to correct the problem, vehicle owners need to pay attention to when their registration renewal payments are due since those that were due in early July have already begun to pass the 30-day grace period.

DMV is encouraging vehicle owners to use renewal by mail or its internet renewal program to renew vehicle registrations. These alternative renewal methods automatically waive late fees for 30-day grace period, but will assess a penalty of 60 percent of the VLF fee on the 31st day.

DMV will refund any over-payments to vehicle owners who were unaware of the 30-day grace period if they included penalty fees in their mailed payments. However, it may take three to four weeks for the refund to be processed.

DMV officials also say law enforcement is aware of the registration renewal grace period and will not cite vehicles until the first day of the second month after the vehicle registration expires.

For example: A vehicle with a registration expiration date of July 10 would not be cited for delinquent registration prior to Sept. 1, 2011.

From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., during Taste of Lakeport, free music will be offered in a family friendly environment at the park.

Bring your lawn chairs and a picnic basket and have some family fun.

Come enjoy all that Lake County has to offer.

Nominations are open through Sept. 12, 2011, for the Carnegie Corporation of New York/The New York Times I Love My Librarian Award.

The award encourages library users to recognize the accomplishments of librarians in public, school, college, community college and university libraries for their efforts to improve the lives of people in their community.

Nominations are accepted only at www.atyourlibrary.org/ilovemylibrarian through an online form.

Up to 10 librarians nationwide will be selected to win $5,000 and will be honored at a ceremony and reception in New York, hosted by The New York Times. Winners will be announced in December.

Over the past three years, 30 librarians from across the country have won the I Love My Librarian Award. Last year, more than 2,000 library users nationwide nominated a librarian.

Previous winners have been lauded for starting community gardens, helping students with severe disabilities read classic works of literature, for helping non-traditional students learn new technology to get better jobs and more.

For more information on previous winners, visit http://atyourlibrary.org/ilovemylibrarian.

Each nominee must be a librarian with a master’s degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) in library and information studies or a master’s degree with a specialty in school library media from an educational unit accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Nominees must be currently working in the United States in a public library, a library at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or at an accredited K-12 school.

The award is supported by Carnegie Corp. of New York and The New York Times and administered by the ALA, the oldest and largest library association in the world; and The Campaign for America’s Libraries, ALA’s public awareness campaign about the value of libraries and librarians.

The pre-gathering starts at 11 a.m. The public is welcome.

Kapitan's Kafe is located at 6150 E. Highway 20.

Recently launched in Marin County, it’s time for its Lake County debut.

Events are planned at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, in Lakeport; 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, in Nice; and 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, in Clearlake (sponsored by Catfish Coffeehouse).

At the kickoff parties there will be networking, drinking of green tea and discussion of ideas on how to activate AGTP, and how each of us can better “walk the green walk.”

The Founder of AGTP will join the group along with a representative from the first company in the world to go carbon neutral.

Bring yourself, your ideas, and any friends who are interested in learning how to be greener, get involved in a people’s party for the planet, save money, and perhaps even create a green income opportunity (if desired).

Space is limited and reservations are required. Please RSVP as soon as possible with the date, time and venue you prefer, and the number of people attending, to Leslie Sheridan at 707-995-1034 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Write “AGTP” in the subject line.