LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Services Director Caroline Chavez reported that South Lake Refuse for the unincorporated areas will be closed Monday, Feb. 17, in observance of the Presidents’ Day holiday.

Curbside service will be delayed one day for the rest of the week.

If you have any questions regarding this subject or any of the solid waste issues in Lake County, please call 707-262-1760.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Central Park is having an all-you-can-eat crab dinner on Saturday, Feb 15.

The dinner begins at 5 p.m. at the Middletown Lions Club building, 15399 Central Park Road.

Tickets cost $45 per person and include crab, pasta and salad. Tickets must be paid for before the event.

Proceeds benefit the Middletown Central Park, the only community-owned park in the county.

For more information call Tom's AutoDynamics at 707-987-3494.

SACRAMENTO – In response to the state's severe drought, Caltrans is launching a statewide educational campaign on the state's highways, urging all Californians to conserve water.

Beginning this week, California's more than 700 electronic highway signs will display the following water conservation message: “Serious drought – help save water.”

"Caltrans has already taken action to sharply restrict water usage," said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. "Using our highway message signs, we are asking California's 24 million drivers to join us in this important effort."

Caltrans will support the www.saveourh20.org campaign by using California's electronic Changeable Message Signs along the highways to raise awareness of the severe drought and encourage Californians to conserve water.

The signs will be activated when there are no critical emergency or traffic safety messages or Amber Alerts.

As a large department responsible for 30,000 acres of irrigated landscaping, Caltrans is making dramatic reductions in its irrigation activities.

Effective this month, Caltrans will take the following actions:

• Cut statewide irrigation activities by at least 50 percent.
• Delay all new landscaping projects in severely impacted areas until the next rainy season to preserve the water supply. Postpone all non-essential highway planting.
• Cease watering in areas of the state suffering from the most severe drought impacts.
• Expand its use of smart irrigation technologies, which turn off automatically when it rains. Such systems can reduce water usage by as much as 50-60 percent.
• Use recycled water for irrigation and other activities whenever possible.
• Forgo washing vehicles except when necessary for safety.

The department is taking these conservation steps because the historic drought threatens all Californians with a dangerously dry summer and protecting the public and water supply is a top priority.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Luncheon Club will host David Santos from St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake when it next meets on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

The club is now meeting in the new Middletown Senior Center dining room, 21256 Washington St.

Santos will share with the club information about the hospital's Live Well program, Rural Health Clinics, physician recruitment, community outreach, service lines, the role of philanthropy in hospital success and current events taking place at St Helena Hospital Clear Lake.

Lunch will be offered for $5 and served this month by the Middletown Lioness Club.

Because space is limited, the club must take reservations for lunch. Call Lake County Jazzercise at 707-260-2900 and leave a message or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to make a reservation.

Don't forget to bring a friend (and make a reservation for him/her if you do).

Like the Middletown Luncheon Club's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MiddletownLuncheonClub to receive information about upcoming luncheons and to make reservations by joining events.

NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around the North Coast during the coming week.

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

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20

– Upgrades to the changeable message sign near Catholic Church Road will begin Wednesday, Feb. 19. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Upgrades to the changeable message sign just east of the junction of Routes 20/53 will begin Wednesday, Feb. 19. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. Westbound traffic will be restricted to one lane. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 53

– Upgrades to the changeable message sign just south of the junction of Routes 20/53 will begin Tuesday, Feb. 18. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 175

– AT&T of Santa Rosa has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility repairs from the Cobb Post Office to Anderson Springs Road. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Bridge repairs at the Garcia River Bridge will begin Tuesday, Feb. 18. Work hours are 24 hours per day, weekdays. One way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Replacement of the Greenwood Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Golden State Bridge Inc. of Martinez.

– Guardrail repairs at various locations from Elk to Navarro Bluff 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 five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

– Bridge repairs at Blue Slide Gulch will begin Tuesday, Feb. 18. Work hours are 24 hours per day, weekdays. One way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Replacement of a culvert with a bridge at Dunn Creek will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Shasta Construction of Redding.

Highway 20

– Upgrades to the changeable message signs near Anderson Canfield Road and Pepperwood Way will begin Tuesday, Feb.y 18. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Bridge repairs at the Russian River Overhead and the East Fork Russian River Bridge will continue. Nighttime work hours are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday evening through Friday morning. One way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Bridge repairs at the Cold Creek Bridge will continue. Nighttime work hours are 6 p.m. to 11 a.m., Sunday evening through Friday morning. One way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Upgrades to the message sign near Monica Lane will begin Tuesday, Feb. 18. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 128

– Vegetation removal in preparation for culvert rehabilitation near the junction of Routes 1/128 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.

Highway 253

– PG&E of Ukiah has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for tree trimming from Slide Creek to the junction of Routes 101/253. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

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).

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Thanks to the great community of Lake County, Kelseyville High School and Clear Lake High School students will yet again be able to participate in high school swim.

The Lake County Channel Cats and Quail Run Fitness Center reached an agreement for use of the outside pool, for swim team practice and Lake County Channel Cats Spring swim season.

With the future of the Westshore Pool in Lakeport undetermined, more than 29 students would not have begun their swim season on Feb. 10 without the support of Quail Run Fitness Center.

The high school swim team is the only school sport in Lake County that is comprised of students from multiple high schools and works to forage friendships beyond competition.

Kelseyville High School has stepped up to support the high school swimmers by providing transportation to swim meets so they can participate in the high school swim circuit.

The Lake County Channel Cats and the 29 swimmers from Kelseyville High School, Clear Lake High School thanked Darron and Carma of Quail Run Fitness Center and Kelseyville High School for its continued support of students in high school swim.