NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around the North Coast during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 175

– AT&T of Santa Rosa has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility repairs from the Cobb Post Office to Anderson Springs Road. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Replacement of the Greenwood Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Golden State Bridge Inc. of Martinez.

– Guardrail repairs at various locations from Elk to Albion Ridge Road will continue Wednesday, Feb. 12. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for tree trimming from 1.0 mile south of Little River Airport Road to 0.2 live north of Little River Airport Road beginning Monday, Feb. 10. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Will Jackson of Warren, Vermont, has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit to pave a driveway 1.1 miles north of Abalobadiah Creek through Friday, Feb. 7. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Guardrail repairs at various locations from Blue Slide Gulch to Pacific Avenue (south) will continue Wednesday, Feb. 12. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

– Replacement of a culvert with a bridge at Dunn Creek will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Shasta Construction of Redding.

Highway 20

– Bridge repairs at the Russian River Overhead and the East Fork Russian River Bridge will begin Sunday, Feb. 9. Nighttime work hours are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday evening through Friday morning. One way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Bridge repairs at the Cold Creek Bridge will begin Sunday, Feb. 9. Nighttime work hours are 7 p.m. to 11 a.m., Sunday evening through Friday morning. One way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 128

– Vegetation removal in preparation for culvert rehabilitation at various locations from the junction of Routes 1/128 to Wendling Street will continue Monday, Feb. 10. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 253

– PG&E of Ukiah has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for tree trimming from Slide Creek to the junction of Routes 101/253 through Friday, Feb. 7. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – During the month of January, Kelseyville Fire Captain Jim Dowdy and his crew generously provided CPR training to the docents/volunteers of the Ely Stage Stop and Country Museum.  

The volunteers also were trained in basic first aid for the types of incidents most likely to occur at that location – choking, snake bites, allergic reactions to bee stings, and heat-related problems.  

The students, mostly an older crowd, were quick to learn and eager to put their new skills to work in hands-on practice with the Resusci-Anne mannequins provided during training.  

The docents and volunteers view this training as being invaluable should a medical emergency occur at the Stage Stop.
 
The training and the knowledge gained led to the realization that an automated external defibrillator unit would be very beneficial to have at the Stage Stop. These units cost less than $2,000 so fundraising has begun.  

If you would like to make a donation to a cause that is quite likely to save lives please give the Stage Stop volunteers a call at 707-533-9990.  

Or better yet stop on by, visit the Stage Stop Museum, see the stage coach and the quilt block, and make your donation in person.  

The museum is located at 9921 Soda Bay Road and is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On the first Sunday of the month you also can listen to live music when the Northern California Old Time Fiddlers Association holds very lively jam sessions from noon to 2 p.m., weather permitting.

For more information about the Ely Stage Stop and Country Museum visit www.elystagestop.com or www.lakecountyhistory.org , check out the stage stop on Facebook at www.facebook.com/elystagestop or call the museum at 707-533-9990.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Chapter of the California Retired Teachers Association will hold its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

The luncheon meeting will be held at the Riviera Hills Restaurant, 10200 Fairway Drive in Kelseyville.  

In lieu of a speaker this month, the chapter will have a silent auction with all proceeds directed to the scholarship fund.  

Each year the chapter provides two scholarships to local students attending college in pursuit of a career in education.

Those members attending the meeting are requested to bring items suitable for the silent auction.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by a business meeting at 10 a.m. Lunch will be served at noon.

The menu consists of Chicken Marsala with rice, vegetables, salad, dessert, coffee and tea. The cost is $15 including tax and tip.

All retired teachers, whether or not they are retired from a Lake County school, are invited to attend.  

Reservations can be made by calling Julie at 707-279-2625.  

Transportation can be arranged for those who need it.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake Co-op hosted a meet and greet for its new board members on Jan. 9 at its overage site at 307 N. Main Street in Lakeport.

The members were appointed by outgoing members Janine Smith-Citron and David Goolsbee.

“I'm so pleased to see the caliber of individuals stepping forward to help further the mission of the Co-op,” said Smith-Citron.
 
Incoming President Jim Leonardis also was pleased. “We have a lot of exciting initiatives on our plate right now. To see such talent come forward is really exciting.”

Leonardis also expressed an interest in finding two additional board members, one of which would serve as the Co-op's treasurer.
 
The Co-op's main initiative for 2014 is to accept EBT (SNAP or food stamps) to better help those wishing to purchase more local and organic, but that have been hit by the financial crisis in recent years.

With 23 percent of Lake County residents below poverty level  according to the 2008-12 U.S. Census, there is increasing concern about the ability for residents to access fresh organic and local food.

Incoming Director Mireya Turner, who manages the Saturday Farmer's Finest market in Finley, will be overseeing this effort.

“It was so rewarding to see families at the farmers' markets this summer be able to make healthier food choices that benefit them and our local farmers. I want to see this expanded to include Co-op customers who are able to take advantage of local purchasing year round,” she said.
 
“We also want to participate in more community events,” said incoming Secretary Linda Wankel. “This takes a lot of effort and energy, though. But, it is so much fun and rewarding. Our presence at the Taste of Lakeport last year showed us what great opportunities there are to connect in community, so keep your eyes out!”
 
Vice President Terry Daniels looks forward to finding deeper community connections that will strengthen not only Lake Co-op but other organizations and the community at large in an effort to continue to build a stronger local economy.

He exampled the new Lake Works store that features locally made arts, clothing, jewelry and more and shares the space with the Co-op overage site at 307 N. Main St. in Lakeport.

“That shared space includes the Time Bank of Lake County and Thrive Lake County and shows how a group of dedicated visionaries can provide more opportunities for Lake County residents to support each other,” he noted.
 
Board Director Peggy Barthel sees the opportunities for Lake Co-op's expansion through social media as her focus this year.

“Since the Co-op has been so successful so far because of it's use of technology to bridge the geographic divide in Lake County, using social media to strengthen and lengthen those bridges is a no-brainer to me,” she said.
 
Lake Co-op started in 2008 when a group of individuals interested in procuring affordable organic food, preferably local, was formed.

Since then, they have explored a brick-and-mortar storefront option and, due to the economic crisis of 2009, opted to strengthen a new model of local food systems through an online ordering and distribution system.

The Co-op offers local, regional and beyond organic food and non-food products. Their order cycle is open Sunday through Tuesday with home/office deliveries and easy pick up at twelve drop points on Thursdays throughout Lake County.
 
Lake Co-op also offers an “overage store” on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 307 N. Main St. in Lakeport that features produce that was not presold through their online system, as well as regional cheeses, local breads, regional rice and beans, local olive oils, micro-greens, walnuts and more.
 
For more information on shopping with Lake Co-op, visit www.lake.coop .

For more information on becoming a board member for Lake Co-op, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) extended its thanks to U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer for passing the Farm Bill Conference Report (Farm Bill) in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.

Through the passage of the Farm Bill, federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding is now officially extended for FY 2014, providing resources for rural California counties to provide critical government services.

Lake County stands to receive $133,836 annually.

“Federal PILT funding is critical to California’s rural counties, and RCRC is grateful to Senators Feinstein and Boxer for voting to secure this one-year extension through the Farm Bill,” said Lee Adams, RCRC First Vice Chair and Sierra County Supervisor. “Now that we’ve secured the reauthorization for 2014, it’s time to work with Congress to enact a multi-year funding reauthorization, as was the process in years past.”

As part of the federal PILT program, California counties are due more than $41 million in annual funding to provide critical local government services, such as law enforcement, search and rescue, health care, environmental compliance, firefighting, and parks and recreation.

“RCRC has played a key role in helping to secure this extension for California counties, and I am pleased that this much needed funding will come to our rural communities,” said Adams.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Have you ever wondered how to do genealogy in your sleep? Do you want to have storytelling super powers? Do you want to learn how genealogists are using DNA to help in their research?  

These questions and more, including the “Top 10 Things I Learned About My Family from My Couch,” will be covered at the RootsTech Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 6-8.

RootsTech, the world’s largest family history and technology conference, announced that 15 of its popular sessions will be broadcast live and complimentary over the Internet.

Check out the schedule at www.familysearch.org/node/2519 .  

Streaming videos begin on Feb. 6 at 3:30 a.m. Pacific Time.

There are more than 10,000 people registered to attend, among them from Lake County are Cathy Farris, director of the Family History Center in Lakeport, Elvira Fontaine and Regina Farris.

“I’m excited to be attending classes to learn how new technology with DNA can help further your family history research,” said Farris.

She also expects to learn some more powerful techniques for doing genealogy research, including updates on www.familysearch.org .

As director of the Family History Center, Farris plans to hold classes in Lakeport to share what she learns at the conference.

The Family History Center in Lakeport is located in the Lakeport Ward building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 600 16th St.

It is open to the public Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and by appointment; call 707-263-1626.

The Lake County Genealogical Society also provides a class on Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m.