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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County small businesses and startups are encouraged to apply online for the third annual “Hands Up Lake County, 2022” competition.

The business competition involves several steps.

From the pool of applications submitted, 12 applicants and two alternates will be selected to advance to a one-day workshop and mini-competition where judges will select six applicants to take part in a final competition on Nov. 5, 2022. Cash prizes totaling $85,000 will be awarded.

In 2020 and 2021 combined, $75,000 in cash prizes were awarded to 11 small businesses.

In 2022, the cash prizes are being increased and a new category has been added to recognize the entrepreneurial spirit in the county.

Past winners have all been existing small businesses advancing their operations; the new category is designed to encourage those who have a promising business concept in mind and need a cash boost to successfully launch.

The cash prizes in the 2022 competition are $25,000, first prize; $20,000, second prize; $15,000, third prize; $10,000, fourth prize; $5,000, fifth prize; $10,000 for the best start up business.

Applications must be submitted online at www.1team1dream.net by June 30, 2022.

All the information needed to compete in Hands Up Lake County 2022 is on the website including, eligibility requirements, criteria, FAQs and the application form.

Hands Up Lake County is the signature project of 1Team 1Dream, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit formed to improve the Lake County economy, one small business at a time.

The business competition is supported by a coalition of private businesses, city leaders and others who support the purpose and goals of the organization.

For more information about the small business competition or to sponsor the event, contact Olga Martin Steele at 916-849-8170.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Easter Bunny will be hopping into Lakeport for a visit the four Saturdays before Easter in various businesses.

Bring your children, grandparents, friends and family — and your camera — to see the Easter Bunny and take a picture.

This event is organized by the Lakeport Main Street Association.

The Easter Bunny will make his appearance on the following dates:

• March 26: Business Design Services, 195 S. Main St.
• April 2: Studio 127, 127 N. Main St.
• April 9: Fixin It Up With Sandra, 270 N. Main St.
• April 16: Kitchen Store and More, 568 Lakeport Blvd.
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Amanda Martin. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Land Trust has hired Amanda Martin as its new executive director.

“We are very excited to welcome Amanda as our new executive director,” said Land Trust President Val Nixon, “and look forward to having new energy and input from someone who truly loves Lake County, and has the desire and organizational skills to make a difference.”

Martin was born and raised in Lake County and has a lifelong connection to many special natural areas here, including a number that the Lake County Land Trust either owns or manages.

“The crucial work of the Land Trust in preserving the remarkable natural wealth and fragile beauty of Lake County for all its inhabitants, is not yet as widely recognized in the County as it should be,” she says. “I know the value of the Land Trust’s work first hand, and am thrilled to be working with its board and partners to help expand the impact of their deep expertise and commitment to the environmental health of our lovely home.”

Martin’s connections to both the local business community and the arts community are substantial.

She is a member of the board of directors for the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, where she conceived and implemented its successful Year of the Youth 2021 pilot mentorship program.

Martin is also president of the Middletown Art Center Board of Directors, and spearheaded the Center’s partnerships and broader repositioning as the MAC For Lake County.

She is a member of the Socio-economic Subcommittee for the Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake, a former board member of the Middletown Area Merchants Association and is a Certified Tourism Ambassador, and was event coordinator of the New Paradigm College in Lucerne.

A graduate of Middletown High School, Martin graduated from California State University, Chico with a bachelor’s degree in communication design.

She makes her home on Cobb, and has her own business, Manda CoVentures, a consulting practice focusing on strategic and tactical marketing, event curation and grant writing. She loves to hike, garden, write and travel.

The Land Trust looks forward to working with Martin to move the Lake County Land Trust forward in accomplishing its mission of protecting and sustaining the beautiful and special place that is Lake County.
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Many of California’s wildlife rehabilitators have received much-needed financial assistance through the new Native Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Program.

Of the 84 permitted wildlife rehab facilities in California, 47 applied for and will receive funding totaling $547,000 in the 2022 grant cycle.

There are four grant tiers based on the prior year’s animal intakes: $3,000, $9,000, $14,000 and $19,000. Most applicants were awarded a $9,000 grant. A list of 2021 and 2022 grantees is available on the CDFW Native Wildlife Rehabilitation webpage.

This funding pays for various costs including veterinarian treatment, species-appropriate diet, enclosure design improvements and behavioral enrichment to improve animal care; support and improvement to facility operations; and conservation education for diverse local communities.

Every year, thousands of sick, injured and orphaned wild animals require temporary care and rehabilitation in order to safely return to the wild. At times, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, or CDFW, may provide veterinary treatment of a wild animal, such as a black bear injured in a wildfire, but CDFW does not have the capacity to act as a rehabilitation facility statewide. Thus, wildlife rehabilitation is provided by permitted facilities throughout the state.

“Wildlife rehabbers are the unsung heroes of the conservation world,” said Heather Perry, CDFW’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Program coordinator. “Proper care of wildlife in distress requires special knowledge, training and experience usually not had by the public. Their expertise is absolutely necessary, and their compassion and dedication are so very appreciated.”

Most of the grantees focus on assisting native wildlife such as small mammals, songbirds, raptors, marine birds, amphibians and reptiles. There are also a few facilities that are permitted and trained for specialty rehab cases involving black bears, deer fawns and mountain lions.

A wildlife rehabilitator may operate a permitted facility at one location, use satellite facilities, or an approved home site to perform wildlife rehabilitation. Most rely heavily on donations from the public.

Authorized in 2017 through the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund (AB1031), the Wildlife Native Rehabilitation Grant Program saw the number of grantees increase by two from 2021 to 2022. Both years, over half of the eligible rehab facilities were awarded funding, for a total of $1,096,000.

To learn more about California’s wildlife rehabbers – including finding one near you – please visit the CDFW Native Wildlife Rehabilitation webpage.

Taxpayers who want to help rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife by supporting permitted wildlife rehabilitation facilities can contribute through the Voluntary Tax Contributions section on the California State Income Tax Form 540.

The Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund can be found on line 439 of the form. The Form 540 can also be used to support at-risk native species through two other funds: the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Voluntary Tax Contribution Program (line 403) and the California Sea Otter Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund (line 410).

All donations support efforts to identify and mitigate the conditions and activities that threaten native species throughout the state. For more information about donating at tax time, please visit the CDFW tax check-off webpage.
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SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, announced Wednesday that his legislation to encourage creation of defensible space, protecting life and property from California’s worsening wildfires, has cleared a key committee.

“Maintaining defensible space is critical for reducing the chances that homes ignite when wildfires are nearby,” Sen. Dodd said. “It also minimizes the opportunity for fires to spread to other homes, thereby helping to protect communities. This bill will measure how well we are doing that and help us make informed decisions on where to target investments. It builds on my recent legislation to help protect our state.”

In a report last fall, the state Legislative Analyst’s Office cited the creation of defensible spaces around homes and other structures as among the most valuable steps that can be taken to reduce the destructiveness of wildfires.

Under existing law, homeowners in certain areas are required to create these fire-safe spaces. However, because of a number of factors, compliance and inspections are inconsistent from region to region, the LAO found.

Senate Bill 896 responds to the agency’s recommendations for increasing compliance and reducing future losses.

It includes provisions to gather more information on defensible space inspections through improved data collection and to take initial steps to address other barriers to state and local defensible space efforts.

It also supports additional research to identify effective strategies to improve defensible space compliance and to conduct oversight activities to learn from and inform future policy decisions.

Defensible space has been a high priority wildfire protection issue for Sen. Dodd for several years, beginning in 2019 with his authorship of SB 190 which directed the state fire marshal to develop model defensive space standards that local governments could voluntarily use as part of their zoning codes.

SB 896 cleared the Senate Natural Resources and Water committee Tuesday. It heads next to Appropriations.

“Defensible space is a critical component in a Californian’s wildfire protection toolbox,” said Yana Valachovic, forest advisor and county director for the University of California Cooperative Extension-Humboldt and Del Norte counties. “This bill provides a way to help chart our progress towards achieving wildfire resiliency. Additionally, the reporting database will help us understand which communities may need a little extra help and support.”

Dodd represents the Third Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Yolo, Sonoma, Contra Costa and Sacramento counties.
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Friends of the Lake County Library book sale at the Lakeport, Calif., branch. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Winter Reading Challenge, offered by the Lake County Library for cardholders of all ages, will be coming to an end with Saturday, March 19, the last day for participants to log their reading.

The Friends of the Library are happily donating a book to the library for each reader who reaches the goal of reading 1,000 pages or 20 books.

At press time the 172 participants had earned a total of 138,331 points.

The Winter Reading Challenge is just one example of the many programs the library provides and that the Friends strive to support.

Staff is constantly innovating to meet the needs of county residents with different programs and resources for both adults and children.

These include “contactless pickup” and virtual programming during the pandemic, online access to an amazing number of resources for adults and children, and the impressive collection of books and other items at each branch.

And did you know that there are an increasing number of Internet “hot spots” and chrome books available for checkout with a library card?

The Friends welcome community support for their efforts to support the library.

Membership in the Friends is just one way to help. While active support is always welcome, simple membership helps and does not require attendance at meetings or any further activity.

For more information about membership, inquire at your local branch or visit https://www.friendsofthelakecountylibrary.org.

You can follow the group’s Facebook page to keep up with its latest activities at https://www.facebook.com/FriendsoftheLakeCountyLibrary.

In addition, donations of books in good, salable condition are accepted at each branch and are sold for bargain prices. You will also see attractive book bags for sale.

Participation in the “Adopt a Book” program allows a book or books to be donated to a branch collection in honor of an individual, noted with a commemorative bookplate. Arrangements can be made at each branch. And of course cash donations are always welcome. Thank you in advance for supporting our wonderful Lake County Library.

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