Officials for the coming year include President Mary Heare Amodio, Vice President Jacqueline M. Snyder and Secretary Rebekah J. Turney.

The association also adopted new by-laws that will take effect in January 2011.

The Lake County Bar Association is an unincorporated organization of local attorneys who live or work in Lake County.

They do not have a legal referral service available, but if you would like additional information, please call 707-263-5759 or e-mail the association at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This winter season, Cal Fire is advising all drivers to take extra precaution while behind the wheel.

Last year alone, CAL FIRE responded to over 6,000 vehicle accidents in the months of November, December and January.

These accidents are often caused by motorists driving at unsafe speeds for the conditions of the road.

Officials warn that it’s important to use the surrounding road conditions to gauge safe speeds, rather than relying solely on the posted speed limit.

“The winter season represents a very dangerous time of year to be behind the wheel of a vehicle,” said Battalion Chief Dave Teter, Cal Fire's safety officer. “With the increase in road hazards during these cold months, it’s more important than ever to ensure you take the extra precautions necessary to make every drive a safe one.”

“Its imperative that your vehicle is in good working order,” said John Carrier, Cal Fire's fleet manager. “A car that's not maintained can be extremely dangerous on a wet and slippery roadway.”

To help steer clear of vehicle accidents this winter, Cal Fire recommends the following:

• Use weather conditions as a guide to slow down.

• Avoid sudden stops and quick direction changes, and be sure to leave additional distance between your vehicle and the one ahead.

• If visibility is limited, slow down and keep a constant watch for other vehicles.

• Be mindful of icy roads. Black ice can be nearly invisible and temperatures do not have to be below freezing for ice to form on the road surfaces.

• If the vehicle begins to slide while driving on ice or snow, avoid using the break. Instead, slowly release the gas pedal and steer the vehicle in the right direction.

For more information on life and fire safety, visit our website at www.fire.ca.gov.

“The American Red Cross is synonymous with keeping families safe,” said Tim Miller, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross in Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties.

“We’ve learned through experience that deadly home fires happen each year for many reasons, especially Christmas trees catching fire. Many of these fires and deaths can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions,” said Miller.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 60 percent of all home fires each year occur during December, January and February, and about half of these fires are caused by using candles and overloading electrical circuits.

As some families turn to alternative heating sources out of necessity or to avoid the rising cost of oil and gas, there is an increased risk of accidental fires in the home.

The local Red Cross recommends the following safety tips for a joyous holiday season:

• Keep Christmas trees fresh: Place your tree away from heat sources and exits; water it daily. Make sure your artificial tree is fire-retardant.

• Decorate only with flame-retardant or non-combustible materials: Avoid using candles during parties. Check ashtrays, upholstery and trash cans for smoldering cigarette butts after any holiday party.

• Never leave candles unattended: Keep candles away from Christmas trees. Never leave children unattended in a room with lit candles and always keep candles, as well as matches and lighters, out of the reach of children. An added risk in Northern California: burning candles can turn a small earthquake into a big fire.

• Inspect fireplaces and wood stoves: Have chimney connections and flues inspected by a professional and cleaned if necessary prior to the start of the heating season. Burn only wood. Never burn paper, including discarded gift wrap, or pine boughs. If you plan to hang stockings on your fireplace, do not use the fireplace for fires.

• Enroll in a First Aid, CPR and AED course: Although these tips can help prevent an emergency, it is also important to be prepared. To enroll in a first aid, CPR or AED course, go to www.arcsm.org or call 707-577-7600 or 707-463-0112 (Mendocino County). The Red Cross even teaches pet first aid.

• If you have a serious home emergency such as a fire or flood, and need help from the local Red Cross for shelter, food or medicine, call 707-577-7600 or 1-800-608-8634.

Donate generously to help the local Red Cross keep your community safe.

The local Red Cross is asking residents to donate generously during this season, so that they will be ready to respond when inevitable fires and floods take place in our region.

In these difficult economic times, people are even more at risk for homelessness following home fires and floods. Red Cross can make all the difference: quick volunteer response helps victims immediately with shelter, food, medical supplies, and, perhaps most importantly, the knowledge that someone cares.

Red Cross disaster services are always free. In Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties, that is thanks to voluntary donations of time and money by the local community. The local chapter is self-sustaining and receives no funding from the national organization.

Donations can be made in several ways: online, www.arcsm.org; y phone, 707-577-7600 or 707-463-0112; at the American Red Cross regional office, by mail or in person, 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 (off Airport Boulevard, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.).

Help the national Red Cross respond to emergencies across the country.

The national Red Cross is asking people across the country to donate generously at this time of year. A Red Cross holiday giving catalog has more than 20 gift ideas – such as assisting someone in the military with a phone card or supplies, providing food and shelter to a disaster victim, or giving basic necessities to a family in another country.

The English catalog is online at www.redcross.org/gifts; the Spanish-language version is at www.cruzrojaamericana.org/catalogo.

American Red Cross, Sonoma & Mendocino Counties (which includes Lake County) is a neutral, humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters, and prepares people to prevent and respond to emergencies.

Like all Red Cross chapters, the local chapter is self-sustaining and is funded by local contributions. All assistance to disaster victims and to members of the armed forces provided by the chapter is free and made possible by voluntary donations of time and money by community members.

SACRAMENTO – The Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) is being honored by the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) for its advanced practices in mosquito and vector prevention and management.

The IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Innovator Award recognizes California organizations’ efforts to

practice pest prevention while reducing health and environmental risks associated with pesticide use and sharing these successful strategies with others. This is the association’s first IPM Innovator Award.

“The success of MVCAC really lies in the efforts of our members,” said MVCAC Executive Director Catherine Smith. “Receiving recognition for our members’ efforts to reduce vectors and vector-borne diseases throughout the state is a great honor,” she stated.

The innovations MVCAC is being recognized for include:

• California Surveillance Gateway: Member contributions to this online portal for statewide data surveillance entry and analysis hosted by the University of California, Davis.

• CalSurv online resource: MVCAC and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) collaboration providing statewide surveillance data for current and historical vector and vector-borne disease incidence.

• Dead bird reporting hotline: MVCAC support and promotion of CDPH hotline and Web site (www.westnile.ca.gov) that provide clear, concise, and up-to-date information for all California residents and provide resources for residents to identify their local agency. The use of the hotline and website allows MVCAC members to coordinate and provide a uniform message to the public.

• MVCAC assistance and outreach: Ongoing, proactive outreach to many state and federal agencies, environmentalists and anti-pesticide advocates to solve complex management issues. MVCAC has tackled Fish and Game wetlands management, created the Southern California Vector Control Environmental Taskforce, mobilized to address new NPDES permitting requirements and has worked with CDPH to develop the document “Best Management Practices for Mosquito Control in California.”

• Regulatory outreach: MVCAC provides critical input at the state and federal levels regarding legal challenges to pesticide use in waters of the U.S. MVCAC members are currently collaborating with the State Water Resources Control Board and the EPA to address statewide NPDES permitting and monitoring requirements for mosquito control.

MVCAC will receive the IPM Innovator Award during an awards ceremony to be held Jan. 27, 2011, at the CalEPA headquarters.

MVCAC represents 63 special districts and other subdivisions of local government responsible for mosquito and vector control, surveillance of West Nile virus and other vector-borne diseases, and public education programs to help Californians protect themselves from vector-borne diseases.

MVCAC advocates safe, effective and environmentally-friendly methods of mosquito and vector control.

Any combination of cardiopulmonary (adult and child), automated external defibrillator (AED) and first aid is available on those dates.

The class components include:

1. Adult CPR with AED (Certificate: Adult CPR/AED, valid two years);

2. Child and infant CPR with AED (Certificate: Child and Infant CPR, valid two years);

3. First aid (Certificate: First Aid, valid two years).

The classes take place on Saturday, Jan. 8 and Sunday, Jan. 16, from 9 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. at the Lakeport Fire Station, 4020 Main St.

The cost ranges from $45 to $70 per person depending on the components chosen.

Based on those components, students will learn how to respond to adult, child and infant emergencies by providing CPR, plus how to deal with cuts, bruises, bone and muscle injuries, shock, bleeding, other first aid emergencies and how to use an automated external defibrillator.

Fees for CPR, first aid or other classes from the local Red Cross goes to help families who've just lost their homes, members of the armed forces and their families, and help the community get prepared and stay safe.

Participants can register for classes in any one of five ways:

• Go online at www.arcsm.org (click on “Course Registration”);

• Call 707-577-7600 for exact times (to register, have credit card ready);

• Fax registration information to 707-543-8523 (include date and time of class desired, VISA/MasterCard information, phone and all contact information);

• Mail check or credit card information (include same information as for fax);

• Visit the chapter (5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa) from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

American Red Cross, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties (which includes Lake County) is a neutral, humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters, and prepares people to prevent and respond to emergencies.

Like all Red Cross chapters, the local chapter is self-sustaining and is funded by local contributions.

All assistance to disaster victims and to members of the armed forces provided by the chapter is free and made possible by voluntary donations of time and money by the people of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.

Donations can be made at www.arcsm.org, www.redcross.org, via mail to American Red Cross, 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, or by phone at 707-577-7627 (Sonoma and Lake counties), 707-463-0112 (Mendocino County).

The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot at Bruno's Shop Smart, 355 Lakeport Blvd. in Lakeport.

The focus of the e-waste and donation drive is to eliminate electronic waste in the landfill and provide job training for people with disabilities or other barriers to employment.

E-waste is defined as electronic equipment at the end of its useful life, and includes computers, monitors, printers and other peripherals, televisions and cellular telephones.

While computers contain four hazardous materials – lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium – computer monitors can contain up to 5 pounds of lead and other hazardous materials.

In order to maintain the integrity of personal information, Goodwill does not resell computers and receives certification that all computer hard-drives are shredded.

Goodwill is licensed as an electronic waste collector by the state of California and works with only state-licensed recyclers that dismantle and recycle materials in the United States.

In addition to this e-waste collection event, residents can donate their e-waste year-round at any of Goodwill's stores or attended donation centers.

Locations are listed in the telephone director, at www.gire.com or can be located by calling 707-525-0550.

In addition to e-waste, Goodwill is seeking donations of clothing, small appliances, household items and books in good condition.

Goodwill is a 501c3 charitable donation.