The Light Up A Life tree lighting ceremony will be held on Saturday, Nov. 29, at Museum Park on Main Street in Lakeport, following the Dickens Market's lighted holiday parade.

The ceremony is a fundraiser for Hospice Services of Lake County, and is a great way to honor employees, friends and family members.

Purchase a light for $10 to honor a friend, family member or co-worker, or purchase a light for $10 to honor someone who has passed away.

For more information contact Hospice Services of Lake County, 263-6222.

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

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20

– A highway widening project from Polk Jones Cattlepass to Nice-Lucerne Cutoff Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

– Caltrans will continue routine maintenance from Laurel Dell Drive to 1.4 miles east of the North Fork Cache Creek Bridge. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 5-minute delays.

– A roadway realignment project from 1.4 miles east of the North Fork Cache Creek Bridge to 1.6 miles west of Walker Ridge Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 20-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

Highway 29

– A slide repair project from the Lupiyoma Creek Bridge to Bar X Ranch will continue. 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. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

– Mohammed Hussain of Nice has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for paving at the junction of Route 20/29. 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.

Highway 53

– Caltrans will continue routine maintenance from the junction of Route 29/53 to the junction of Route 20/53. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Blunt Trauma LLC of Gualala has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to construct a residential driveway 0.7 miles north of Pirates Drive. 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.

– AT&T of Fort Bragg has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for an aerial crossing between Philo Greenwood Road and the north limits of Elk. 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.

– Caltrans will perform geotechnical drilling at Ocean Meadows Circle (south) beginning Thursday, Nov. 20. 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.

Highway 20

– A highway widening project from Old Willits Road to Gravel Pitt Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 20-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

– Caltrans will perform geotechnical drilling 1.3 miles east of Wildwood Campground on Tuesday, November 18, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 101

– A pavement repair project from 0.1 miles north to 1.5 miles north of Comminsky Station Road will continue. Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– A paving project from Center Street to the junction of Route 101/253 will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – Martin Brothers Construction of Sacramento.

– Roadway repair due to pavement deterioration from 3.6 miles south of Ridgewood Ranch Road to 1.9 miles south of Ridgewood Ranch Road will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Majajo LLC of Willits has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility installation between Oak Avenue and San Francisco Avenue beginning Monday, Nov. 17. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 162

– A bridge widening project at Outlet Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal is in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

Highway 253

– A bridge widening project at Anderson Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal is in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

– A bridge widening project at Soda Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal is in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

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).

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While there are many wood dealers eager to sell at attractive prices, how do you know if you’re getting a good, fair deal? The only way to know for sure is to measure what is sold, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Firewood has its own special unit of measurement called a “cord.” Firewood, in units of 1/8th of a cord and above, must be sold by the cord or fractions of a cord.

A cord of wood by law must equal 128 cubic feet. To determine if you have a cord, the wood must be measured when it is “ranked and well stowed.” This means the wood is stacked neatly in a row with the pieces of wood parallel and touching with as few gaps as possible. If, when measured, the width times the height, times the length equals 128 cubic feet, it is a cord of wood.

Be wary of terms such as "face cord," "rack," "rick," "tier," "pile" or "truck-load," as these terms are illegal to use in the sale of firewood. If a seller uses such terms, consumers should be on alert for a possible problem.

Some wood dealers try to sell firewood from a pickup truck. Be on your guard, because a pickup cannot hold a cord of firewood. An 8-foot truck bed can hold one-half of a cord while a 6-foot bed can barely hold one-third of a cord.

Make sure you get an invoice or delivery ticket that contains the name and address of the seller, the date purchased or delivered, the quantity purchased and the price. The seller is required by law to give you this information in writing. You may want to take note of the license plate of the delivery vehicle.

Finally, if you believe you have not received the quantity you ordered and paid for, call the seller to correct the problem. Try to maintain the wood in the condition it was delivered, take a photograph and do not burn any.

If the seller can’t or won’t correct the problem, contact your local county weights and measures office as soon as possible at www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/county/county_contacts.html or the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Measurement Standards at 916-229-3000.

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The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Eastlake Grange on Highway 20.

Featured will be art handcrafts, Avon, jewelry, food, candles, Shaklee products, metal work and much more.

Visitors can look forward to fun, gifts and raffles.

Vendors are still being sought. For more information call 998-1531.

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The new Habitat for Humanity home will host an open house on Nov. 22, 2008. Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Lake County.

CLEARLAKE – Habitat for Humanity is inviting the public to come view for themselves a Habitat for Humanity home and celebrate the completion of the organization’s eleventh home in Lake County.

The open house and dedication will be at noon on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 3418 14th St., Clearlake (corner of 14th and Country Club).

The home incorporates some of the latest “green building” techniques and energy efficiencies, such as a solar system.

Come and join the festivities and meet the homeowners and volunteers who worked so hard to build this home. Live music will be provided by the “Habitat Music Ensemble.” Refreshments will be served and the event will go on whether rain or shine.

This would be the perfect opportunity to see for yourself how our community of volunteers, donors and business supporters came together to help eliminate substandard housing for a Lake County family.

For further information about how to participate in Habitat for Humanity activities in Lake County, please call 994-1100.

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The festival will begin at 7 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 600 16th St. in Lakeport.

Each year choirs, instrumentalists and vocalists from the local community present a free evening of holiday music to get the season started off right.

In addition to the featured performers, the audience will be invited to sing Christmas carols.

Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

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