From left to right, Sharon Thorne, past president of Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club (CLTTGC); GinaBelle Smith, past president of CLTTGC and current MendoLake district director; Linda Waterstraat, current president of CLTTGC; Maryanne Lucas, current California Garden Club Inc. president; Jo Shaul, past president of CLTTGC; and Claire Grieve, past president of CLTTGC. Photo courtesy of Claire Grieve.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Four Past Presidents of Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club and current president of CLTTGC join together to welcome California Garden Club Inc. President Maryanne Lucas to Lake County.

They all enjoyed the the day participating in the North Lake Garden Club's Garden/Craft Fair held in Nice.

Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club meets at on the third Tuesday of the month at noon at Scotts Valley Women’s Clubhouse, 2298 Hendricks Road in Lakeport. Annual dues are $20.

CLTTGC is a member of Mendo-Lake District, California Garden Club Inc., Pacific Region and National Garden Clubs Inc.

For more information visit www.clttgc.org.

The Umpqua Bank in Lakeport, Calif., is teeming with presents for children in need this holiday season. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Presents were so plentiful at Umpqua Bank in Lakeport, that you could hardly see the Christmas tree.

These gifts will be distributed by Child Protective Services to the children in Lake County that are under their care.

The outpouring of giving was beyond everyone’s wildest dreams, according to event organizers.

Every tag on the tree, all 159 of them, were chosen and gifts returned by so many members of the community.

A special thanks to Clearlake Lava for their very generous donation of funds as well as the Bassmasters for their donation to purchase gifts, and to the Delta Iota Tau sorority who took ten of the tags.

An Umpqua associate visiting from outside the county said, “This county never ceases to amaze me. You don’t see this type of generosity anywhere else, at least not on such a grand scale.”

Thank you, Lake County!

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Students from Mrs. Mock's third grade class at Lower Lake Elementary, pictured above, helped to decorate the Christmas tree at the Anderson Marsh State Historic Park ranch house in Lower Lake, Calif., in preparation for this weekend's Christmas celebration.

The celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11.

Music and refreshments are offered and Santa will be there to visit with children.

The public is invited.

Anderson Marsh is located on Highway 53 between Lower Lake and Clearlake.

Children visit with Santa Claus at the annual Rotary Club of Clearlake Christmas dinner on Saturday, December 11, 2010, in Clearlake, Calif. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Rotary Club of Clearlake held its annual free community Christmas dinner on Saturday, Dec. 11.

The group reported that it served more than 900 meals at the dinner, held at Burns Valley school.

Santa was on hand and passed out more than 600 toys and pictures with Santa.

This is the largest turnout ever for the Rotary community dinner, the group reported.

Hundreds of people came to take part in the Rotary Club of Clearlake Christmas dinner on Saturday, December 11, 2010, at Burns Valley School in Clearlake, Calif. Courtesy photo.

Rotary Club of Clearlake members served 900 meals at the group's annual Christmas dinner on Saturday, December 11, 2010, in Clearlake, Calif. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – “Midnight Madness 3,” a New Year's blowout for junior high and high schoolers will be held at the bowling alley in Lakeport on New Year's Eve.

The event will being at 8 p.m. and run until 8 a.m. New Year's Day.

The Ticket price is $15. Food and drinks will be provided, along with tons of stuff to do like laser tag, arcade games, rock n bowl, jump houses, karaoke and more.

You can see highlight reels from the past two events by going here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIyYQRf9Go8 and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4VE3kuk2ic .

For more information call 707-279-8448.

This event is sponsored by Grace Church in Kelseyville.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Saturday, Dec. 11, KPFZ 88.1 FM's “The Law Show” will host attorney and Clearlake resident Robert Riggs.

At Clearlake's first meeting of the newly elected city council on Thursday, before a standing-room-only crowd, Riggs urged the council to hold a public workshop on the Brown Act.

Otherwise known as the “open meetings law,” the Ralph M. Brown Act is the section of California's Government Code that was enacted to prevent public officials from meeting behind closed doors.

The intent was for the public to be privy to all government communications so there will be no “back room deals.”

Clearlake's government in the past has shown itself to be in need of a training like this.

Tune in from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday as they delve into the law that is meant to offer transparency in California government.

Phone lines will be open. The studio line is 707-263-3435 or 800-763-5739.