LAKEPORT, Calif. – In efforts to help Lake County residents succeed in achieving healthier lifestyle choices for the new year, Lake Co-op announced three new incentives that are available throughout the month of January, including a subscription discount, a $10 credit for customers returning after a lapse of purchasing, and a refer-a-friend credit of $5.

The subscription promotion was in response to the Co-op receiving near-record orders the first week open from their holiday closures.

“We know the new year and resolutions are at the core of this sudden increase and we really want to support our customers' inclination to turn the resolution into a long-term healthy lifestyle change,” remarked Robyn Bera, the co-op's new operations manager.

Customers that commit to a minimum six week subscription to their favorite items available from the Co-op will receive a 10 percent discount.

Customers who commit to a minimum 20 week subscription will receive a 15 percent discount. The co-op offers over 30 different fresh organic fruits and vegetables to choose from weekly.

“The subscription could include anything from fruits and greens for smoothies to our signature Organic Fruit N' Veggie box,” Bera said.

If customers are not sure which items to subscribe to, they can commit to a minimum dollar amount $20 or more for the six or 20 weeks and receive the same discount.

For example, if customers want to commit to purchasing $35 per week for six weeks, by paying in advance they would pay $210 and receive $231 worth of products.

“Not only do you get the discount, but you know you have this money earmarked for healthier food choices,” Bera said. “It's a real win-win for new and returning customers alike.”

Customers can commit to any dollar amount of at least $20 per week.

The second promotion for January seeks to discover and bridge any challenges customers may have with shopping through the co-op's online ordering system.

Customers who have not purchased in the last six months are encouraged to let the co-op know why they stopped and will receive a $10 credit on their account for doing so.

Just email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the co-op at 707-513-5226 and tell them why you discontinued your shopping with the co-op and they will put $10 on your account to spend as you wish.

“It's that simple!” said Bera.

“We recognize that shopping through our online ordering system, while quite convenient, is a change in habit for most food shoppers in Lake County,” said JoAnn Saccato, co-op manager. “We want to discover where the barriers are to purchasing more local and healthy food and find the solutions.”

The final incentive will be available throughout all of 2014 as the co-op continues its effort to grow its co-op community.

Current customers who refer a friend that register on their website ( www.lake.coop ) and make a purchase of a minimum of $30 will receive a $5 credit on their account for a future purchase.

“The success of our local producers and the support of our local economy are strengthened the more customers we have,” said Co-op Board President Jim Leonardis of Leonardis Organics.

There are no limit to the number of referrals a customer can make to receive the $5 credit.

The public can shop through Lake Co-op's online ordering system Sunday through Tuesday and pick up their orders on Thursday at their home or office (for a fee) or one of 12 convenient locations throughout Lake County.

They also can purchase overage (items not pre-sold through the site) on Thursdays at 307 N. Main St., Lakeport.

Lake Co-op offers discounts to those that become owners of the co-op through their share purchasing program and further discounts for those owners that become owner-workers for the co-op.

The co-op offers home or office delivery (in most cases), telephone ordering (for those with limited or no internet access), case discounts, and wholesale purchasing.

For more information on the co-op, visit www.lake.coop or call 707-513-5226.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Middletown Animal Hospital will hold a low-cost vaccination clinic on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

Rabies vaccine and licensing, Da2p+L, kennel cough, heartworm medicine/testing, feline leukemia vaccine and testing, FVCRP, and once-a-month flea/tick medications also will be available.

Healthy animals only, please. Cats are required to be in carriers and dogs on leashes.

For further information, call 707-987-2000.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Yacht Club will hold its "Crab Feed Extravaganza" from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, and Sunday, Feb. 16.

The crab feed is a fundraiser for the Northshore Fire Protection District's dive team.

Besides delectable crab, the menu includes pasta, salad, garlic bread and dessert.

Dinners are $35 per person or $240 for a table of eight.

Tickets are available at U-Haul in Kelseyville, 8009 S. Highway 29, telephone 707-279-2110; at the Main Street Gallery in Lakeport, 325 N. Main St., telephone 707-263-6658; or from Lakeport Yacht Club board members.

For more information, please contact Jerry Hansen at 707-279-9100 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Sunrise Special Services Foundation Inc., a nonprofit health and social services agency, will offer a second grants research/proposal writing workshop in Lakeport on Thursday, Jan. 23, and Friday, Jan. 24.

Class will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days in the Umpqua Bank Community Room, 805 11th St., Lakeport.

The workshop will help nonprofits develop better skills in researching potential funding sources and writing successful proposals.

Instructor Linda Mundel has conducted training programs nationally for organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and The Grantsmanship Center, among others.

Some participants’ comments in last week’s Middletown workshop were, “I’m glad to know that Linda’s expertise is available in Lake County,” “It was better than the class I took in Santa Rosa,” and “Will recommend the workshop to others.”

The workshop is interactive as participants learn the key elements of successful proposal writing with a focus on researching public and private funding sources, key elements in program planning, and how to prepare compelling applications.

Participants will also have an opportunity to write a short component of a grant application. Each participant should be familiar with the mission, purpose of their organization, history, sources of support, target population, board structure and have a general idea of the current needs of their organization.

The overall purpose of the workshop is to help increase the internal capacity of local nonprofits, government agencies, schools and tribal governments to identify and secure alternative sources of support.

There are a few slots remaining as the workshop is limited to 25 participants.

Mail registration fee of $95 to Sunrise Special Services, P.O. Box 479, Upper Lake, CA 95485.

For information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Jerry Mundel at 707-350-1335.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Saturday, Dec. 14, at Burns Valley School, the Rotary Club of Clearlake offered its annual free Christmas dinner.

The group served nearly 1,000 community members with ham, yams, vegetables and pumpkin pie.

Santa Claus also was on hand to visit with more than 400 children.

Joyce Overton, representing the Clearlake Youth Center, also presented her annual “Warm for the Winter” clothing exchange at the school on the same day.

The Rotary thanked all who attended, and said it looks forward to serving the community with this program in all the years to come.

State Attorney General Kamala Harris has kicked off Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week by issuing tips for Californians to follow to prevent tax-related identity theft as the annual tax compiling and filing process begins.

Tax-related identity theft increases in January and commonly occurs when:

• Thieves use stolen personal information to file tax returns in someone else’s name in order to obtain a refund.
• Thieves use a stolen Social Security number (SSN) for employment, which may complicate state and federal income tax obligations for the victim.
• Thieves send phishing emails that look like they are from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) that ask for personal information or include links to official-looking Web sites.

California consumers are urged to use the following tips to better prevent tax-related identity theft:

• Never open an email or a text message that says it is from the IRS or the FTB – they are always fraudulent. State and federal tax agencies never initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text message or social media to request personal or financial information or to send notice regarding audits or refunds.
• It’s fine to show your Social Security card to your employer when you start a job or to your financial institution for tax reporting purposes. Do not routinely carry your card or other documents that display your SSN.
• While preparing your tax return for electronic filing, make sure to use a strong password. A strong password is at least eight characters and includes a combination of at least three upper and/or lowercase letters, punctuation, symbols and numerals.
• Once you have e-filed your return, save it to a flash drive, CD or similar device and then delete the tax information from your hard drive. Store the CD or flash drive in a safe place, such as a lock box or safe. If working with an accountant, ask about what measures they take to protect your information.
• Use a locked mailbox and don’t leave your mail in it for long periods of time. Take your mail that contains sensitive information (bills, tax returns) to the post office.
• If your SSN is stolen, reference the California Attorney General’s Identity Theft First Aid page for instructions on what to do: www.oag.ca.gov/idtheft/first-aid .

You may have a tax identity theft problem if you receive a letter from the IRS or FTB stating that:

• you filed more than one tax return,
• someone has already filed using your information,
• you have a balance due, refund offset or have had collection actions taken against you for a year in which you did not file a return, or
• you received wages from an employer for whom you have not worked.

If you receive such a letter (not an email) from the IRS or FTB, immediately contact the agency’s identity theft unit:

Internal Revenue Service: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit
1-800-908-4490

California Franchise Tax Board: www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/id_theft.shtml#ID 
ID Theft Resolution Coordinator
1-916-845-3669

Additional Resources:

Internal Revenue Service

Identity Theft Web pages: www.irs.gov/uac/Suspicious-e-Mails-and-Identity-Theft and

www.irs.gov/uac/Indications-your-identity-may-have-been-stolen-and-how-to-report-it-to-us 

Franchise Tax Board

Identity theft Web page: www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/id_theft.shtml#ID 

California Attorney General

Identity Theft Protection and First Aid: http://oag.ca.gov/idtheft

Federal Trade Commission

Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0029-tax-identity-theft-awareness-week

For more information on how to identify and protect yourself from identity theft visit Attorney General Harris’ Web site, www.oag.ca.gov .