Individuals who must take required minimum distributions from their IRAs may want to consider making a tax-free donation to Mendocino College Foundation, says Mark DeMeulenaere, director of development for the Foundation. Contributions will fulfill all or part of the IRA requirement.

“The IRA Charitable Rollover is a unique opportunity for individuals to take advantage of reducing their taxable income while supporting their favorite charities,” said DeMeulenaere. “We encourage individuals to contact their financial advisors quickly to arrange the transfer of funds before the end of the year.

“It’s a great opportunity to give to the College Foundation or any charity,” he added. “The foundation would be very appreciative of such a gift.”

Monetary gifts help the Foundation in its efforts to support Mendocino College students and programs. The foundation provides student scholarships, funds improvements to educational programs and staff development at the college district’s campuses in Mendocino and Lake counties, and works to cultivate additional backing for the college.

Originally established as a provision of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, an IRA charitable rollover allows an individual at age 70 ½ or older to withdraw up to $100,000 from an IRA and donate it to a qualified nonprofit charity, school, or organization.

The allowance is back as a bonus of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, according to information distributed by certified financial planner Jennifer Strong of Lakeport.

The donation will reduce the individual’s taxable income for the year and must be done as a transfer, either by the individual’s financial advisor or by working with the IRA custodian, notes Strong.

DeMeulenaere suggests consulting personal, legal, and financial advisors to obtain additional details before making a gift. For more information about contributing to the Mendocino College Foundation, call the Foundation Office at 707.467.1018 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20

– PG&E of Ukiah has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for an aerial crossing just east of the junction of Route 20/29 on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Intermittent full road closures will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Mohammed Hussain of Nice has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for paving near the Middle Creek Bridge. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– A highway widening project from Main Street to Nice-Lucerne Cutoff Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

– 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 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-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 281

– Caltrans will continue routine maintenance from Tenaya Way to the junction of Route 29/281. Work hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 5-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– AT&T of Fort Bragg has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility installations between Philo Greenwood Road and Navarro Bluff Road. 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.

– Caltrans will continue geotechnical drilling at Ocean Meadows Circle (south) through Friday, December 12. 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 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.

– 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. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance at the railroad crossing on Friday, Dec. 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

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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The Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review features five committees in all.

Wiggins said the subcommittee to which she was named considers funding and spending priorities for services and programs of importance to people across the state. They are also of keen interest, she noted, to residents of the North Coast district she represents in the California Senate.

“We are fortunate to live in a state rich in natural beauty, blessed with natural resources, and committed to the pursuit of alternative sources of energy, which will help slow the advance of global warming,” Wiggins said.

“We must find ways to preserve, protect and progress,” she said. “The challenge of the current economic crisis is great, the decisions we make are likely to be difficult, but we must find ways to solve our pressing fiscal problems without abandoning our commitment to the future.”

Visit Wiggins' Web site at http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com/.

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WILLOWS – Over the past weekend, Eric Wheaton, president of the local Kiwanis Club of Lakeport, drove in a fog-shortened endurance road race at Thunderhill Park Raceway, just west of Willows.

A 25-hour endurance race sponsored by the United States Air Force and sanctioned by the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) was shortened to an 18-hour endurance race due to the infamous Sacramento Valley ground fog.

The race started with nearly 70 cars on the track when the green flag fell on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 11 a.m., and a majority were still running at race end on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. after 18 hours.

Wheaton was at the wheel during his second stint in the car Saturday evening when they suspended the race at 7 p.m. for fog.

He reported he couldn’t see more than about 10 feet in front of the car, having to use the little reflectors on the edge of the track just to find his way around the three-mile course.

Finally, the visibility was too limited to safely race so the cars were parked on the track (no maintenance allowed please), and they waited for the fog to lift. It finally lifted about 4:30 Sunday morning and the race resumed at 5 a.m. again with Wheaton at the wheel of their No. 33 Mazda Miata.

He shared the car with his son David and another driver Saturday and then on Sunday, father and son drove the remaining 10 hours of the total 18 hours of racing spelling each other throughout the day.

They started 22nd in class, 59th overall and finished nine in class and 35th overall. And at the finish of the race, the No. 33 car drove up onto the trailer under its own power, demonstrating a racer’s definition of a successful race weekend.

Eric and David Wheaton are both volunteer driving instructors with NASA and were the only father-son driving team during this endurance road race. They’ve been sharing rides on race tracks such as Thunderhill Racepark at Willows, Infineon Raceway at Sonoma, Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey and Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow near Bakersfield for over a decade.

They’ve shared a Sunbeam Tiger, vintage Mustangs and Subarus on the track and raced a Spec Miata racecar in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and NASA events.

They started their track time together over 10 years ago when David was a teenager. They raced their first endurance race (a three-hour race at Infineon Raceway in the fall of 2006) and this endurance race completes their 2008 season.

The Wheatons are looking forward to instructing track novices together during the start up of the 2009 NASA road course season at Infineon Raceway in February.

Eric is retired (and a member of Kiwanis for nearly 18 years) and David is an instructor for the Russell Racing School at Infineon Raceway.

Eric and his wife Penny moved to Lake County in 2006 and Eric joined the Lakeport Kiwanis. He was installed as the President of the Lakeport Kiwanis this September.

Eric Wheaton in his racing suit. Courtesy photo.

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The tree lot returns this year at 1950 Parallel Drive in Lakeport, south of Hamburger Hill.

The lot is opened every day through Dec. 21 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Drop in and check out their great trees, and don't forget to pick up a cup of hot chocolate or apple cider before choosing your tree.

They have noble firs, Douglas firs, grand firs and, for the first time, have the beautiful silver tip trees.

Don’t forget to check out the gift shop with items such as lazy Susans, tables made from wine barrels and more.

All proceeds are used to further develop Legacy School.

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The group will meet at the Narrows Lodge at Blue Lakes at 9:30 a.m.

Covering during the meeting will be certification training and line tending.

Those who are interested in joining as a diver or a support volunteer onshore should call Capt. John Rodriguez, 275-2446.

The Northshore Dive Team is headquartered at the Northshore Fire Upper Lake Fire Station, 9420 Main St.

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