LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Vehicle Amnesty Days will be held around Lake County starting Friday, Sept. 10.

This program is available for the unincorporated areas of Lake County and both cities.

This is an excellent opportunity to get rid of those junk cars and parts, and help Keep Lake County beautiful.

Extra motors (without oil), vehicle parts and batteries can also be brought to the amnesty sites for free disposal. However, the vehicle cannot have extra tires or garbage and no motor homes, school busses or travel trailers will be accepted.

The Vehicle Amnesty Days begin on Friday, Sept. 10, and Saturday, Sept. 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Middletown Towing and Vehicle Dismantlers, located at 15970 Polk Ave. off Highway 53 in Clearlake. Middletown Towing will accept large trucks and school buses.

The second Vehicle Amnesty Days event will be held on Friday, Oct. 1, and Saturday, Oct. 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Last Mile Auto Dismantlers on 1205 West Highway 20 in Upper Lake.

The final Vehicle Amnesty Days event will be held Friday, Nov 5, and Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kelseyville Auto Salvage on 7666 Highway 29 west of Kit’s Corner in Kelseyville.

If you do not have a title for the vehicle, that’s OK. They will take it anyway. If your vehicle is not registered the Department of Motor Vehicles in Lakeport will provide a no-fee one trip permit per vehicle for the amnesty day you choose.

Last Mile Auto Dismantlers, north of Upper Lake on Highway 20, has agreed to provide discount tows for this event in their area. Call 707-275-2259 to set your appointment.

The Lake County Code Enforcement Division and the California Highway Patrol are coordinating the event. If you have questions, call Lake County Code Enforcement at 707-263-2309.

Corey Thomas shows off the turkeys he's raised in 4-H. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Hello, my name is Corey Thomas, age 15, sophomore at Kelseyville High School. I’m in Kelseyville 4-H and participating in the poultry project where I raise turkeys, two of which will be going to the Lake County Fair for showmanship and auction.

This was my first year in 4-H and my first time raising turkeys.

With the help of my group leader, Karen Hayes, I purchased my first turkeys and raised them from week-old poults.

My family and I also decided that besides raising the popular broad-breasted birds that we all eat at Thanksgiving, we should start a couple of flocks of rare American heritage turkey breeds whose existence is threatened because they are no longer grown commercially.

We now have a flock each of Narragansetts and Bourbon Reds. These birds grow more slowly than broad-breasted turkeys and if our flocks breed successfully, some of these beautiful birds may be available next year.

Erin Evans shows her market lambs. Courtesy photo.

ANDERSON MARCH, Calif. – Hi my name is Erin Evans. I live in Lower Lake. I am 9 years old.

I have been in the Anderson Marsh 4-H Club for three years now, and this is my first year in the sheep project. I am taking two market lambs, two breeding sheep, four pictures and one baked thing, probably cookies.

The projects I take are sheep, goats, dog care, cooking, graphic design, arts and crafts, and horse.

I am the fourth generation in my family to show at the Lake County Fair. Going to the fair is one of my favorite things to do, especially if I can show my animals.

My two market lambs are Davis and Denis and my breeding sheep are Aggie and Rosie. I got Aggie and Davis from UC Davis. Denis and Rosie I raised from birth.

What I like about sheep is how cute they are when they are baby lambs. Some of the things I have learned about sheep are how they digest food, cuts of meat, they don’t like to eat when it is hot and how to care for newborn lambs. I feed my lambs twice a day and walk them daily.

I also care for my horse Cleo and my goat Nibbles. In my spare time I like to read, swim, play basketball, and go camping and skiing.

In the future, I would like to go Cow Palace and the state fair with my sheep. I would like to go to U.C. Davis College to be a pediatric nurse.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Hunger Task Force will offer canning lessons on Wednesday, Sept. 8.

The canning of fruits and vegetables will be taught at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, located at the corner of Third and Church.

The session will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Preregistration is required and the class size is limited to 12.

The cost is $20, of which $10 will be refunded the day of the class. Please call 707-277-9227 to register.

Pears and tomatoes will be featured, as those are the most abundant crops in Lake County at this time of year.

The Hunger Task Force feels that canning is one of the best ways to take advantage of the abundance of crops, but is becoming a lost art.

All participants should come dressed for a hands-on experience in each step of the process.

Please do not wear sandals, and remove all rings prior to arrival.

Upon completion of the lessons, each participating household will be given a water bath canner, a book, and a jar lifter, unless they are repeating the class.

Please, no children.

Please call as soon as possible to register.

Diane Henderson, third from left, speaks to the inaugural AgVenture class on Friday, Aug. 13, 2010. Photo by Paula Bryant.

LAKE COUNTY – Twelve community leaders from a wide range of leadership positions in Lake County have been selected to participate in a new public program.

AgVenture, an innovative concept in agricultural education designed for non-farming community leaders who wish to understand more fully the workings of the local agricultural industry, has been launched by the Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture.

Members of the first class include Jackie Armstrong, Health Leadership Network; Scott DeLeon, director of the Lake County Water Resources department; Terry Dereniuk, owner of Cat’s Paw Vineyard, Kelseyville; Anthony Farrington, Lake County Supervisor; Ted Herrera, president of the LAVA Center, Nice; and Wally Holbrook, Lake County Superintendent of Schools-elect.

Also taking part are Cathy Koehler, executive director of the Lake County Land Trust and co-director of the UC Davis McLaughlin Reserve; Elizabeth Larson, editor and publisher of Lake County News; Fiona Ma, California assemblywoman, representing the 12th district (San Francisco); Ray Ruminski, director of the Lake County Environmental Health department; Debra Sommerfield, deputy county administrator for marketing and economic development; and Ruth Valenzuela, field representative for Assemblyman Wes Chesbro in Lake and Mendocino counties.

Modeled after long-standing and successful programs in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, the AgVenture program in its initial year will consist of once-a-month, day-long seminars held over a period of three months. Each day’s session will focus on a different major commercial crop grown in Lake County and feature speakers and site visits.

The sessions will cover such topics as economics, labor, history, marketing, water and land use, ag tourism and sustainability. Class members will gain a broad knowledge about agriculture and farming in general, and more specifically about the heritage, culture, economy and business of local agriculture.

Community leaders were invited to participate and the members of the first class were selected based on their interest in the program and being in a professional position to help maintain a viable agricultural industry in Lake County.

The first in the series of seminars, held Aug. 13, focused on the pear industry in Lake County, with orchard and packing house tours. Speakers included Lake County Supervisor Rob Brown, who gave an overview of agriculture and its importance to the Lake County economy, with a discussion of pears, winegrapes and walnuts and other commercial crops.

Rep. Mike Thompson discussed invasive pest legislation, international trade issues, food safety and immigration. Rachel Elkins, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor, covered cultural practices, the abandoned tree ordinance and water issues. Jim Bengard of Bengard Marketing informed the class about the marketing of pears, how the grower and packer derive their income, and working with foreign markets.

Diane Henderson of Henderson Orchards, Kelseyville, provided a tour and discuss cultural practices, integrated pest management and sustainability, regulatory compliance and the challenges faced by pear growers.

Toni Scully of Scully Packing, Finley, talked about issues faced within the pear industry and provide an escorted tour of a packing house in full operation.

The second session will focus on water and watershed issues and the winegrape industry, while presentations during the third seminar will discuss the walnut industry, farmers markets and the evolution of crops grown in Lake County.

Generous sponsors for the 2010 series of seminars include the Lake County Winegrape Commission, Adobe Creek Packing, Umpqua Bank, Lake County Winery Association, Woody’s Café, Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon, and Scully Packing. Additional support has been donated by Gregory Graham Winery, Lake County Wine Studio, Bengard Marketing, Lake County Pear Association, Kelseyville Pear Festival Committee, and Elizabeth Davis, Realtor.

Transportation for the field trips and site visits is being provided by the Military Funeral Honors Team van with support from the Lake County Farm Bureau.

The AgVenture program coordinator is Annette Hopkins, a graduate of the Santa Cruz Farm Bureau’s “Focus Agriculture” program.

Members of her steering committee are Toni Scully, president of Lake County CWA, Paula Bryant, Janine Grothe, Shannon Gunier, and Diane Henderson. Other members are Michelle Scully, Margaret Eutenier, and Wilda Shock, all past presidents of the Lake County Chapter of CWA.

More information about California Women for Agriculture is available by writing to P.O. Box 279, Finley, CA 95435.

LAKE COUNTY – While Lake County is experiencing affects from the economic crunch, visible in everything from unemployment rates to homelessness, youth serving organizations continue trucking along doing their best to serve youth and their families.

Lake County Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AODS) prevention component annually offers the community the opportunity to apply for Friday Night Live mini-grants.

The Friday Night Live program engages youth to build partnerships for positive and healthy youth development which engage youth as active leaders and resources in their communities.

The purpose of these clubs is building youth leadership skills; while maintaining a drug and alcohol free lifestyle.

Youth development philosophy states that children and teens, provided with consistent and sound positive messages, are capable of making the choice to avoid risky behaviors altogether, especially if they are empowered by strong family, school and community.

Youth development is the process through which teens acquire the cognitive, social and emotional skills and abilities required to navigate life.

The experience of adolescence varies for every youth due to culture, gender, and socioeconomic class which all have an impact on development.

This development occurs in formal and informal settings such as home, church, or school; and similar relationships, such as peer friendships, work, parenting, teaching or mentoring.

Although youth development is a natural process, it cannot be left to chance.

The elements or needs essential for the healthy development of young people, particularly adolescents, have been described by Konopka (1973) and Pittman (1991).

To grow and learn to optimum capacity in healthy ways and to function successfully in the adult world, young people benefit from opportunities to feel a sense of safety and structure; experience active participation; group membership and belonging; develop self-worth achieved through meaningful contribution; experiment to discover self; gain independence, and gain control over one's life; develop significant relationships with peers and adults; discuss conflicting values and formulate their own; feel the pride and accountability that come with mastery; expand the capacity to enjoy life and know that success is possible.

Youth development, then, is a combination of all of the people, places, supports, opportunities and services that teens need to be happy, healthy and successful.

Lake County Division of Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AODS) also would like to thank all of our community partners who work with them on addressing the diverse needs of the youth in the community: Team DUI, Community Action Agency, Lake Family Resource Center, Department of Mental Health, School Districts, Sober Grad, Every 15 Minutes, Challenge Days, Friday Night Live Chapters, our Courts and Hilltop Recovery.

For more information about AODS youth programs call 707-263-8162.