You may be eligible to file a 2008 claim if, on Dec. 31, 2007, you were age 62 or older, blind or disabled; had a total household income of $44,096 or less; and are a United States citizen, designated alien or qualified alien.

Homeowners must have been living in their California homes; renters must have lived in a qualified California rented residence and paid $50 or more in monthly rent.

Maximum payments this year may be as much as $472.60 for homeowners and $347.50 for renters, but may be decreased if the program is affected by California’s budget deficit and cuts. Information and forms FTB 9000H/9000R are available from the Franchise Tax Board at www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/hra or by calling 800-868-4171.

Seniors may also receive assistance at the following locations:

• Highlands Senior Service Center, telephone 994-3051; by appointment, Tuesday and Thursday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

• Lakeport Senior Center, telephone 263-4218; on a walk-in basis, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Live Oak Seniors, telephone 998-1950; by appointment, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon.

• Middletown Senior Center, telephone 987-3113; on a walk-in basis, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

   

This reminder is brought to you by Community Care’s Senior Information and Assistance Program, which helps Lake and Mendocino County seniors link to area services.

Visit www.SeniorResourceDirectory.org or call 800-510-2020 for questions about other services for seniors in our community.

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The meeting will take place at the community center, 3000 Wolf Creek Road, Clearlake Oaks (Highway 20 west, left on New Long Valley Road, right on Spring Valley Road, right on Wolf Creek Road).

Officers are: President Gayle Christian, Vice President Mark Currier, Secretary Win Cary, Treasurer Sonja Jones and Building Coordinator Helen Mitcham.

The agenda is as follows.

OPEN MEETING:

1. Pledge of Allegiance

2. Welcome new members & visitors

READING OF THE MINUTES:

OFFICER’S REPORTS:

1. Treasurer, Win Cary

2. Building Coordinator, Helen Mitcham

SPECIAL REPORTS:

1. Campground, Helen Mitcham

2. 4th of July activities, Helen Mitcham

3. Sunshine Lady, Linda Mann

4. CSA2 (County Service Area District 2), Jim Hershey

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

1. Architectural Committee, Rob Christian

2. Bylaws Committee, Sonja Madden-Jones

3. CC & R Committee, Helen Mitcham

OLD BUSINESS:

1. 2007 Star of the Valley volunteer awards

2. Christmas stocking raffle

There also will be an opportunity to present news business before the meeting is adjourned.

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LAKEPORT – The 79^th annual Lake County Rodeo took place Friday and Saturday, and was accompanied Saturday by the second annual All Horse Parade through downtown Lakeport.

A few hundred people lined the west side of Main Street on Saturday for the parade, which featured the

Clear Lake Junior Horsemen Drill Team and the Diablo Ladies Drill Team among others.

Photographer Harold LaBonte captured the horses and riders as they made their way along the route.

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Canaan Andrade and one of the market swine he's raising this year. Courtesy photo.

Hi, my name is Canaan Andrade. I am 14 and I am a member of the Citizen and Leadership 4-H Club. I have been in 4-H for seven years. This year for 4-H I am raising two market swine. I have been raising swine for four years. I also raised market lambs for two years.

In past project years I learned about pig diseases, how to cure them and what I will need to properly care for my animals. As junior teen leader, I now help teach the project and that teaches me leadership skills.

As a member of a 4-H market animal project I learn to be disciplined, organized and accomplish goals because I am required to do the following in order to sell my market animal at fair: I have to attend all my project meetings, at least 80 percent of my club meetings, give a presentation (a talk on a subject pertaining to 4-H in front of my club or county), keep accurate records pertaining to my project and invite buyers to the action.

The need to invite buyers teaches sales and marketing. I share information that helps the buyer understand what they are supporting and what they will receive, such as if you buy a 1,000-pound steer you will receive 440 pounds of meat, if you buy a 250-pound pig you will receive 180 pounds of meat and if you buy a 100-pound lamb you will receive 60 pounds of meat (all nicely packaged for your freezer). And you should know that if your freezer is full you do not have to keep the meat, it can be sold back for the current market value.

The Junior Livestock Auction Committee will also help by appointing a proxy if you are unable to attend the auction on Saturday, Aug. 30 at the Lake County Fair.

4-H is the greatest way to learn because while learning all of this I am with my friends and family having fun.

4-H Youth Development is a program of the University of California Cooperative Extension. For more information on the 4-H program contact U.C. Cooperative Extension, 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport, telephone 263-6838.

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The fire prevention measures went into effect Monday morning and continue through the end of fire season, according to Forest Supervisor Tom Contreras.

The forest has already experienced 58 wildland fires in June and July. Nine of those are still actively burning in the Soda and Yolla Bolly Complexes.

The forest is putting the temporary fire restrictions into place about three weeks earlier than normal this year to lessen the danger of human-caused fires. Extremely low snow and rain levels and recent hot, dry summer weather have caused the vegetation to dry out. Hot weather is expected to continue through July, August and September, resulting in increased fire danger.

"By concentrating open campfires in designated recreation sites it should help minimize the potential of accidental ignition of wildland fires," Contreras said.

Under these fire restrictions, Mendocino National Forest visitors will be allowed to continue to ride off highway vehicles on designated roads and trails, provided they are equipped with the required spark arresting devices.

Persons with valid personal use wood cutting permits may use chain saws only on established roads and designated trails; they will need to take the wood to be cut to those areas. All engines must be equipped with spark-arresting devices.

Similar restrictions have already gone into effect on other nearby Forests. Each forest, however, has slightly different restrictions, so visitors are urged to contact the forest they plan to visit to learn the measures required at that location.

Effective at 6 a.m. July 14, the temporary fire restrictions on the Mendocino National Forest will:

• Limit open campfires, which include charcoal fires, to developed campgrounds and some other designated fire safe recreation sites within the Mendocino National Forest (listed below). No campfire permits are needed for fires in developed campgrounds, but are required for the other designated firesafe recreational sites. These other sites will be marked with yellow signs and public informationposters. Lanterns or portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel will be allowed in all other areas on the national forest, BUT the person must have a current valid California Campfire Permit in their possession. Barbecue grills using briquettes are NOT permitted in these other areas. People should check with the office of the Forest or District they will be visiting to ensure they will haveaccess to a particular area.

• Limit smoking to enclosed vehicles, buildings and designated recreational sites.

• Prohibit the operation of internal combustion engines except on established roads and designated trails.

• Prohibit welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame.

• Prohibit the use of explosives.

Persons who have a special use permit from the Forest Service specifically authorizing the prohibited activities will be allowed to continue.

California Campfire Permits are free and available at all Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and Bureau of Land Management offices, and from campground hosts and most Forest Service field personnel. The campfire permit ensures the recipient gets information about the terms of the permit and the current conditions of vegetation. By accepting the permit, the permittee agrees to:

• Clear all flammable material away from the campfire or stove for a minimum of five feet in all directions.

• Prevent escape of the fire and have a responsible person in attendance at all times.

• Have a shovel available at the camp site for preparing and extinguishing campfires.

• Drown the campfire with water and be sure all burning material has been extinguished and cool. Feel the coals and ashes and make sure no roots are burning. Never bury a fire with dirt – it may smolder and break out again. Crush out cigarettes on something that does not burn, such as a rock (not on a log or on the ground).

Designated campgrounds where open campfires are allowed and California Campfire Permits are not needed are:

• Covelo Ranger District: Eel River, Little Doe, Howard Lake and Hammerhorn Lake campgrounds.

• Grindstone Ranger District: north end campgrounds: Whitlock, Kingsley Glade, Sugarfoot Glade, Three Prong, Wells Cabin, Sugar Springs, and Red Bluff Recreation Area.

• Grindstone Ranger District south end campgrounds: Big Springs Day Use Area, Letts Lake, Mill Valley, Dixie Glade, Plaskett Meadows, Masterson, Little Stony, Grey Pine, Fouts Springs, Davis Flat, South Fork, Cedar Camp, Mill Creek, North Fork and Old Mill.

• Upper Lake Ranger District campgrounds: Fuller Grove, Fuller Group Camp, Navy Camp, Pogie Point, Oak Flat, Sunset, Middle Creek, Deer Valley, Bear Creek, Penny Pines, Lower Nye and Lake Pillsbury Summer Home Sites.

Other recreation sites are designated as fire safe (open fires allowed), and where Campfire Permits are required are:

• Upper Lake Ranger District: Pine Mountain Hunter Camp, Pinnacle Rock Camp, Spruce Grove Camp, Sanhedrin Hunter Camp, Dry Oak Camp, Lakeview Camp and Pine Mountain Lookout.

• Covelo Ranger District: Surveyor Camp, Rock Cabin, Green Springs, Rattle Snake and Post Camp.

• Grindstone Ranger District: Dead Mule, Kenny Camp, Del Harleson, Brewers Oak, One Bee, Black Jack, Side Rod, Government Flat, January Camp, Post Pile, Williams Camp, Howell Saddle, Big Stump, Rocky Cabin, Browns Camp, Ides Cove Horse Packer and Back Packer Camps.

Persons without a permit may be subject to a fine, six months in jail, or both. If a person is found to have caused a wildfire anywhere on the national forest, they can be held liable for suppressioncosts.

For more information about the use of fire on the National Forest contact any Mendocino National Forest office or facility, or call 530-934-3316, TTY 530-934-7724.

Additional information can also be obtained from the Mendocino National Forest Web site at

www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino.

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Mendo-Lake District Director Gina-Belle Smith, Award Chairman Jo Shaul and Clearlake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club President Claire Grieve.

LAKE COUNTY – Clearlake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club, a member of the California Garden Club Inc., won the Rosette Sweepstakes Award this year, plus 11 other awards.

Categories included Publicity, Wildflower Photography, Backyard Habitat, Touring, Achievement, Horticulture and other Photo Collection awards.

Nine members attended the Mendo-Lake District Garden Club meeting held in Fort Bragg at the Mendocino-Coast Botanical Gardens.

Twenty-one books were submitted. Clearlake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club President Claire Grieve received the 12 Awards and “Golden Gnomes” on behalf of the club.

Jo Shaul and Mary Secord worked many hours encouraging club members and getting the books together and mailed on time.

Clearlake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club is accepting new members, men and women. They meet the third Tuesday of the month, September through June, at the Scott’s Valley Women’s Club House, 2298 Hendricks Road, in Lakeport.

They are having their planning/organizing meeting for the 2008-09 year, at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15 at Mendo-Lake Credit Union on 11^th Street in Lakeport. Members are encouraged to attend and visitors are welcome.

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